Former Abia State House of Assembly Member, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu has described Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker, House of Representative as the most selfless leader and politician in Abia history.
Hon. Chukwu said he scored Kalu based on his leadership style of delivering the deviden of democracy to the people of his constituency and Nigeria at large.
Hon. Chukwu gave his position while featuring on a radio political program in Umuahia on Saturday.
Hon. Chukwu was a former member of 7th Abia House of Assembly, he represented Bende State constituency.
During the interview program, Hon. Chukwu also affirmed that he scored Kalu based on his leadership style in giving appointments based on merit, not on personal or family relationships.
In his words: “The Deputy Speaker is the most selfless politician in Abia history I have ever seen. He has appointed persons based on merit. If some leaders are allowed, they will nominate members of their family.
“When you see a very vibrant man who is selfless, who has never considered family affiliation. Who has not looked at our cultural differences and has extended appointments to those not only loyal to the party but has served the party meritoriously, and have the intellect to give service.”
Hon. Chukwu also said appointments have been made based on merit, character, sacrifice and loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“But if you allow some leaders to rig this nomination, they will nominate their mother, younger brother, sister, second younger brother and wife. Is that the type of leader you will allow to be given the opportunity to make nominations for APC?” Hon. Chukwu said.
Hon. Chukwu explained that such selfish leaders of the APC were in “principal positions before.”
“I have somebody who was a principal officer of the Senate…you were among the first fourteen in the country, among the first six in the National Assembly. There is nobody that was appointed or mentored to take leadership positions.
“You see a very vibrant man, very selfless, who has not considered family affiliation, who has not looked at our cultural differences, and has extended appointments to everybody who is not only loyal to the party but has served meritoriously, have the capacity and the intellect to give selfless service and you are undermining such a person and people think they will do well? It is impossible.” Hon Chukwu said.
Hon. Chukwu also revealed that Rt. Hon. Kalu facilitated the appointment of Dr. Nnanna Kalu as South east representative in the national assembly service commission. He faulted Senator Orji Uzor Kalu for not nominating Maduka Okoro and some other of his followers who have supported him for more than twenty years.
In his words: “Dr. Nnanna Kalu, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and even his brother Mascot knows that there’s no way…if they challenge me publicly I will bring empirical evidence, including text messages he sent to one of our friends not even to the Deputy Speaker.
“That position, Dr. Kalu made a promise to the Deputy Speaker that it was to compensate Nnanna Kalu and I was even one of the people that objected because since he is already a Senator and he has been nominated and accepted Chairman of the committee of the South East Development Commission, why can’t he use that position to compensate majority of the people who has followed him for not more than twenty years.
“Are you telling me that Maduka Okoro is not competent enough to be appointed to the board after serving him for twenty years? Are they slaves? Are you telling me that those of them that have served from Arochukwu and Ohafia are not human beings? Why can’t he consider any of these positions to any of his followers who have faithfully served him? That is the height of selfishness.”
Speaking further on the approval of Development Commissions in the country, Hon. Chukwu said President Tinubu has already informed the appointees that the approval of different Development Commissions is to complement and collaborate what the governors are doing, not to compete with them.
“President Tinubu has done well than most of the governors. He has decentralized the resources of the country”. Hon. Chukwu said.
The former lawmaker also scored governor Alex Otti’s government zero on transparency, insisting that the claims of using 54 billion naira to retrofit schools in Abia state could not be ascertained. Hon. Chukwu also beckoned on governor Otti to join APC for the benefit of Abians.
“It is better that Abia aligns with the center, the bigger the merrier. We will lose projects that are dear to the people if Abia fails to align with the center.
“Either the governor joins APC or we will provide a very formidable candidate.” Hon Chukwu said.
“on transparency I’ll score governor Alex Otti zero,, you cannot be doing a road project without telling us the cost of such project, you cannot claim to have spent 54 billion naira on schools rehabilitation when such schools cannot be seen in any local government in the state” Chukwu noted.
Meanwhile, the Abia State government, through Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Advisers on media and Publicity to Governor Alex Otti had repeatedly clarified that the 54 billion naira schools project is yet to fully commence despite been captured in the finical quarterly reports of the state but plans are in top gear for contractors to hit sites.
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