Abia Lawmakers Reject Ikpeazu’s LG Nominee As Rift Deepens

The Abia State House of Assembly appears to be set for a showdown with the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu-led government following its rejection of a political appointee of the governor on Tuesday.

The state assembly’s rejection of the nomination of Eze Chikamnayo as the Transition Committee Chairman for Umunneochi LGA, may be the first indication of a crack in the relationship between Governor Ikpeazu and speaker, Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji.

Until his nomination, Chikamnayo was Ikpeazu’s Senior Special Adviser on communication and Strategy. 

Sources within the Abia political circle told THE WHISTLER that the assembly’s rejection of Chikamnayo may be the Speaker’s way of retaliating the appointee’s recent criticism of his visit to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who is a leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

THE WHISTLER gathered that Chikamnayo did not get a single vote from lawmakers when he appeared before the state assembly for screening.

The appointee had recently written an opinion article, where he heavily criticised the speaker and called for his resignation for paying homage to Orji Kalu after his release from prison.

Part of Chikamnayo’s article read: “The timing of this controversial visit by the Speaker, Chief Chinedum Orji to his erstwhile sworn enemy, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu is immoral, insensitive, abhorrent and a blatant and ruthless assault on the deep feelings of anybody and everybody that loves Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. Our Governor’s battle against the deadly Corona Virus is known to all and sundry. 
“But while all Abians of goodwill were earnestly praying for his recovery, Chief Chinedum Orji chose to unleash untold psychological trauma on his family and all lovers of peace in Abia State at such a moment of vulnerability and apprehension. There was no urgency to warrant that visit at that time nor was there any justification for such junketing, politicking and frolicking with Orji Uzor Kalu while Governor Ikpeazu was battling for his life in the dark recesses of an isolation centre in the same Abuja.

“Given his record of intolerance for dissenting opinion while he held sway as Governor, Senator Theodore Orji, would have brought the heavens down on any one remotely connected to his family if it is found that such a person have as much as greeted Orji Uzor Kalu in the manner himself and his entire family have done in this unconscionable episode.

“Instead of the Speaker, Chief Chinedum Orji to be leading Abians in prayers for the Governor’s recovery, he rather preferred to engage himself in such self-serving political gymnastics at such a solemn period. For acting in bad faith and ruthlessly severing the cord of concord, conviviality and good conscience, Mr Speaker, Chief Chinedum Orji MUST resign or face disgrace by all lovers of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

“The spiritual implication of that thoughtless gimmick of a visit by Mr Speaker, Chief Chinedum Orji is not lost on discerning Abians. We must carefully and soberly interrogate this issue and remain true to our conscience if the Abia society will move forward. Abians can still vividly recall the numerous prayers that led to our successful exodus from Mamacratic influence. For Ikuku, as Speaker to seek to officially take Abia back to the same person he called bondage is a spiritual anathema and calamity of untold proportions.”