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Engr. Chinedu Onyeizu, the CEO of the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP), strongly criticized Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe, the senator representing Abia south senatorial district, for his inadequate representation of the zone during his 16-year tenure in the Senate.
Onyeizu, who ran as the Labour Party candidate in the February 25, 2023, senatorial poll for Abia South, and serves as an aide to the Abia state Governor, accused Abaribe of ineffective representation, emphasizing the lack of substantial progress during his tenure in the Senate.
Onyeizu implored the senator to step out from what he characterized as a “20-year hibernation” in the Senate. Onyeizu also stressed the importance of Abaribe actively working alongside Governor Alex Otti to revitalize the district.
Nonetheless, Mr. Uche Awom, Abaribe’s Media Adviser, noted that the LP candidate is undergoing post-election defeat stress, following setbacks at both the tribunal and court of Appeal against the senator.
Onyeizu said; ‘It’s been 20 years in leadership positions, the majority of which he has spent in the Senate. It is clear to everyone that Abia South Senatorial District has remained without quality representation at the red chamber. What does it take to demand the urgent repair of federal roads in our senatorial district? Leadership is about having empathy and showing passion for the people you lead. Look at the condition of Aba to Port Harcourt and Aba to Ikot-Ekpene express roads. They have been bad as long as he has been in government.’
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‘Our scenario is disturbing, where you spend eight years as a senator from a ruling party, PDP; occupying the leadership and membership of big committees including being a minority leader and another 8 years under the leadership of the opposition party, yet nothing is being shown for it.’
‘Today, he is occupying the position of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Power. If we assume the last 16 years was used to learn the trade of representing a senatorial district at the red chamber, Abia southerners now need him to roll his sleeves up and assist the Governor light up the district.’
‘Our people desire to enjoy the dividends of democracy as we are seeing in other senatorial districts. He should collaborate with the performing Governor of Abia State to improve the living standards of Abia Southerners. If he plays his own part to complement the good works of our governor, Abians will be better for it. Enough of his failure and lack-luster attitude towards the warfare of our people. Let him come out of hibernation for goodness sake.’
Abaribe’s aide, Awom, in his response, said that Onyeizu is pursuing an endorsement from the senator, whom he described as a colossus.
‘The boy is an infant and not a match. He is merely on a thumb roll struggling for a match up with Abaribe. We are not going to cave in to such an infantile ploy. He was stopped on his dreamy track and that’s how far he can go and he knows it. He is cunningly looking for an endorsement from a colossus. Insulting Distinguished Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe speaks of his low character and poor upbringing.’
‘Yes, he contested the election as Labour Party candidate and lost. He exercised his right by challenging his defeat at the tribunal and lost and again he escalated it to the Appeal where he was even fined for wasting the Court’s time. So, resorting to insulting a man of Senator Abaribe’s stature calls to question his maturity to even represent the people as a councillor. The young man is going through a post-election defeat trauma . A juvenile delinquent that should be grateful to Mr Peter Obi. The Obi wave propelled by his candidacy gave Onyeizu the bounce and now like a butterfly, he sees himself now as a bird,’ Awom said.
