Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Bishop Sunday Onuoha, has decried the deplorable condition of Abia State, saying that “the state is stinking and needs cleansing.”
The cleric said that “Abia is known as God’s Own State,” but regretted that evil leaders had corrupted the state and driven away God’s presence.
The former Presidential Assistant on Privatisation who said the era of timidity had passed, urged Abians to stand up for their rights and accountability from Government.
“Our place is stinking and needs cleansing. God is crying for Abia State, and he wants it cleaned up. We have people with moral deficit.
“We better return Abia to God and remold the state.”
Bishop Onuoha who is the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in the 2023 poll, said that if voted into power, he would declare prayers and solemn assembly in the first week of his inauguration for a spiritual cleansing of the state.
The governorship hopeful who spoke yesterday when he visited an elder statesman, High Chief Obinnaya Nwagbara, in his Ohuhu Umuahia country home, said that the major driving force behind his governorship ambition was to better the lots of the masses.
He argued that public funds should be used for public needs and not to gratify personal desires.
“It’s time to be praying and open your eyes. Public funds must be put in the hands of the public.”
On the disturbing security challenges, Bishop Onuoha advocated the empowerment of traditional rulers to enable them effectively combat the monster in their various domains, arguing that security votes should be used to handle security.
“If you have security votes but cannot secure your environment, there is no need collecting security votes. Security votes should be extended to traditional rulers to help them secure their communities.”
Bishop Onuoha challenged all those jostling to govern the state to showcase their scorecards or their achievements as private individuals to determine if they are fit to hold public office.
He argued that time had come for Abia to have a paradigm shift and elect leaders based on competence and not by primordial sentiments.
“As a President of Vision Africa, I have attracted investments into the state, creating jobs for youths. Others should show us what they have done and not what they will do.”
He thanked his host as well as the leadership of Oganihu Abia pressure group for endorsing his ambition.
Speaking earlier, Chief Nwagbara, bemoaned the condition of Abia, saying the state was in urgent need for a true leader to rescue and rebuild it.
Nwagbara who said he was instrumental to the building of the Christian Ecumenical Centre Abuja before his retirement to the village, lamented that “Abians are beggars in the land full of milk and honey.”
He blamed political hijackers for the woes of the state and urged the youths to rise and take back their state by massively supporting credible candidates like Bishop Onuoha.
The elder statesman who traced the genesis of the woes of the state to allegiance to idols by a previous administration, called on the people to return to God.
“When Abia answered God’s Own State, God was happy and came and began to supervise the state but when a certain Governor came and started taking people to Okija and Indian temple to bow to idols, God’s glory departed.”
He said God did not create Abians to suffer, warning that the youths would unleash their wrath on the corrupt politicians responsible for the rot in the state.
Earlier in a remark, the National Chairman of Oganihu Abia pressure group, Sir Goddy Nnorom, said Abians from different political divides had resolved to rescue the state from the hands of evil politicians holding her down.
He said that after the careful appraisal of Bishop Onuoha, the group decided to endorse his candidature based on his pedigree.
Chairman, Board of Trustees of the group, and former National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Chuks Ibegbu, described Bishop Onuoha as God-sent for a rescue mission.
