Abia State Government has reacted to a public remark by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, claiming to have extended hands of friendship and courtesy to the State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, and offering collaboration on development programmes and projects.
A statement on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Njoku, explained that Kalu oversaw the “reckless” demolition of Eluokwu Community School in Igbere, Bende LGA, a public school earmarked and awarded to a contractor for upgrade to a smart school by the state government, without consulting the relevant agencies of the state.
“Governor Otti prioritizes governance over petty politics as evident in his actions and disposition. He not only pledged support for projects attracted by Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu and other Federal Lawmakers to their constituencies, the Governor has also demonstrated genuine commitment to collaboration with Hon. Kalu by generously allocating a parcel of land to the Deputy Speaker for a housing project he attracted to his constituency in the recent past,” the statement said.
“Specifically, the Governor allocated a large expanse of land Along Umuahia-Bende Road for the Construction of a housing Estate. Governor Otti, refusing to bow to political pressure to withhold assent, gave his express approval and the land was made available for the project as a mark of support, collaboration and goodwill.
“The Governor has consistently kept his doors open to Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu. Unfortunately the latter’s actions tell a completely different story. The reckless demolition of Eluokwu Community School in Igbere, Bende LGA, a public school earmarked and awarded to a contractor for upgrade to a smart school by the State Government, without consulting the relevant agencies of the State contrasts sharply with Governor Otti’s commitment to due process when dealing with other arms of government on matters of project execution.
“The demolition of Eluokwu Community School in Igbere on the orders of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives was a deliberate affront to the State Government. It is strange that even after meeting the presence of the contractors handling the upgrade at the site, agents of the federal lawmaker still went ahead to pull down the building in flagrant disregard to all known conventions of decency. One would have thought that as a lawmaker with a good handle on the provisions of the law, Rt. Hon Kalu would have approached the State Government for an alternative location for his project, a request that the State Chief Executive, in his usual magnanimity, would have granted without hesitation.
“It is regrettable that after the demolished school was sealed by the State Government in line with the provisions of the law, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu ignored all channels of resolution within the State and ran off to Abuja to report. Expectedly, the authorities he reported to, after thorough investigation, admonished him against acting in a manner that reeks of complete disregard for due process and disrespect to the Governor. They advised that when next he wants to embark on such projects, appropriate approvals must be sought and secured from the relevant local authorities.
“This is the same lawful approach the Governor has repeatedly followed in the execution of several Federal Projects in the State, a standard that has seen him establish harmonious relationship with the Federal Government. Sadly, Honourable Kalu prefers drama to decorum and due process.”
Ukoha said Otti thanked Kalu for his invitation to join the APC which apparently had either been declined or ignored.
“At any rate, now that the Deputy Speaker has, in his own words, ‘shut the door,’ one may also advise that he leaves a window open should the need arise for him to use it for emergency escape or at the minimum, get some fresh air,” he added.
TheNiche
