From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki
Former Abia state governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has called on governors across the country, essentially those states in the North being ravaged by kidnapping, banditry and killings of innocent Nigerians to secure their states to end the persisting insecurity in their respective states.
He noted that eliminating insecurity doesn’t rest only on the shoulder of Mr. President but governors as well.
The former governor who is now representing Abia North senatorial district, added that in 1999 to 2003, the nation was plugged in similar insecurity dilemma but Abia happened to be the safest state in the country, courtesy of his good governance and ingenuity in addressing insecurity.
Kalu stated this in Ekoli Edda, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on Thursday in an interview with journalists during his annual new year visit to the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha who is one of his political sons.
He therefore urged Nigerians to stop blaming President Bola Tinubu over the insecurity in the country but for the governor to employ good tactics in arresting the situation in their respective states.
He singled out Governor Francis Nwifuru as the only governor that has done well among the 36 states including Abuja in securing lives and property in Ebonyi.
According to him, “Abia was the most secured area in Nigeria when I was the governor of Abia State because I employed the right personnel to do that.
“And when I was governor, all the states collapsed including Warri, Port-Harcourt, they all collapsed, only Abia was safe.
“During my era as governor, nobody was kidnapped in Aba or Umuahia and it’s environs, nobody was kidnapped in Abia State because I employed experts to handle security in Abia and they were very committed to the security of our people.
“But today, people are saying President Tinubu should do this and do that to end insecurity, no!.
“The governors should come back and secure their states the way it is happening in Ebonyi State under Francis Nwifuru led administration and if every governor should secure his state, Nigeria will be safe”,he stated.
On the forthcoming election, he vowed to deliver Abia to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) not minding his friendship with the incumbent state governor, Alex Otti or the labour party. (LP)
“Alex Otti is my friend, I don’t discuss politics but when the time come, I will only vote for my party APC and work for its victory in next year’s general election.
“Abia will be APC in 2027. I will work for President Tinubu and he is going to win Abia and I will work for any governor in APC to win in Abia.
“Abia will be APC with me. I have brought my heart, I will lay my heart on the field and I will work for the APC”, Kalu stated.
Earlier, governor Otti ranked among the outstanding governors in good governance and infrastructures since 1999 in Abia, had warned that any person who intend to thwart the mandate of Abians in next election would first write his will.
