Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia
A governorship aspirant in the next year election in Abia State under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ambassador Okey Emuchay has said that Abia state is a failed state and needs deliverance from the hands of bad administrators.
Emuchay said that the resources of the state has been wasted over the years and that there is every need for a rescue mission to avoid it from total collapse.
He said the time to do rescue the state from bad governance is now.
Speaking at Azumini in Ukwa East council area while declaring to his people his intention to run for the office of the governor of the state, Emuchay said that people of the state feel ashamed when they go outside because of misrule.
Emuchay said that he intends to run for the governor of the state under the platform of APC and that he had earlier made his intention known while interacting with members of his party at the Abia South zonal level.
He lamented that growth and development in the state have been on a stand still for years while the youths of the state are wasting away when they should be gainfully employed.
Emuchay also frowned at the rate at which refuse has taken over every part of the state when such could be used to turn around the fortunes of the state such as creating wealth and electricity that could power the economy of the state.
He said that he has a blue print on how to move the state forward, stressing that one of the stadium in South Africa where Super Eagles played during World Cup was designed by a Nigerian.
“These are the people who are ready to help us and such people are within us,” he said
Emuchay noted the state government has found it difficult to pay staff salaries and pensioners, adding that as a federal pensioner, he receives his alert at the end of every month for his pension and such should be replicated in the state.
According to him, Aba the land of his birth is now a disaster area, “as waste have taken over every part of the commercial town and it is now a place where people struggle with waste to find their way to their homes”.
He said, “Most of the schools where I went to are now in a dilapidated state, Ngwa High School Aba is now an army barrack which is a shame while the primary schools have been turned into market stalls”.
“The state government has found it very difficult to pay staff salaries and parents who are owed arrears of salaries are now struggling to pay school fees for their children in private schools because of the decrepit state of public schools”.
In his contribution, Barrister John Ajugha a member of APC from Alayi in Bende Council area of the state said that Emuchay is eminently qualified to be the next governor of the state having served the country in various capacities.
Ajugha said that in foreign countries when people like Emuchay have served their country the way he has done that such people are given their due respect in very circle and that it is time for such gesture to be extended to him.
He urged the people of Abia South that the ball is now in their court and that they have no choice than to give their support to their son as Abia North is ready to give him all their votes during the forthcoming election.
In his response the zonal chairman of APC in Abia South, Chief Emeka Onugha said that the party is ready to give a level playing ground for all the aspirants to contest and that the party primary will be an open one.