Abia Ex-Senator Calls For Direct Allocation To LGAs

Former Senator, Mao Ohuabunwa, has strongly advocated that Local Government Areas in the country be granted full access to their monthly allocations from the federation accounts.

This, according to him, is the only way meaningful developments can be guaranteed in the rural areas of the country.

The former Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament, stated this in Umuahia while addressing Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, counselorship candidates from Arochukwu LGA ahead of the December 19 council poll in Abia.

Senator Ohuabunwa blamed the near-absence of government presence and lack of developments in the grass roots on the continued tampering of council funds by states.

The politician, who said he had been an advocate of financial autonomy to councils, argued that as political office seekers, counselorship and chairmanship candidates also make promises during campaigns which require funds to fulfill.

He encouraged the PDP counselorship candidates to campaign vigorously in their various wards and identify the pressing needs of their constituents with a view to proffering solutions to them if elected into power.

Senator Ohuabunwa encouraged them not to be intimidated by the unfounded rumour being peddled by mischievous elements that the opposition All Progressive Congress had a pact with some authorities to take over Abia North, dismissing it as cheap propaganda.

He stated that Abia State remains a stronghold of the PDP and expressed optimistism that the party would sweep the forthcoming council polls across the state.

He, however, advised the counselorship candidates to remain steadfast in the party and avoid hobnobbing with other political parties, noting that such attitude is inimical to the growth of any political party.

He said he single-handedly sustained and funded PDP in Arochukwu LGA for years when other party bigwigs defected to other parties, adding that it is regrettable that some treacherous leaders of the party worked against the PDP interest in the 2019 election in Abia North.

Responding on behalf of others, Hon. Friday Okere from Ebemoha Ward in Abam, thanked Ohuabunwa for his fatherly and candid advice to the counselorship candidates.

Okere said the PDP and Abia North were yet to recover from the inability of Ohuabunwa to return to the Senate in 2019, a sad development he said had plunged the zone into what he called “the league of voiceless zones in the Senate”.