Somtochukwu

Concerned Abia Citizens (CAC), a forum of highly respected Abia Citizens, has reacted to comment by Abia State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Rt. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe, following the controversies surrounding the hosting of All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator, Orji Kalu in his home.

The forum in a statement made available to Igbere TV reports by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Ndukwo Kalu, on Wednesday, warned Ndukwe that by boasting that his principal, the governor of the state, also visit or host people from opposition, he has overstepped his bounds.

The forum in the statement which was signed by its President, Prof. Uche Chinonso, Vice president, Pharm. Francis Chukwudi and the Secretary, Dr. Nwokeocha Alozie, said it learned “with utter disgrace the comments made by serving Abia State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Rt. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe, wherein the commissioner and elder statesman asserted his right to host, hobnob and have people and actors of the other political divide and parties as guests – his recent hosting of nominal or main state leader of All Progressives Congress APC, Chief Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, MON being in focus here. 

“We wish to remind the honourable commissioner that he is indeed in exercise of his right to free association and assembly but at the same in portrayal of his own image as a blatant flip-flopper. 

“We so posit because sometime last year – when the speaker of Abia House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji visited the same Orji Uzor Kalu after the Supreme Court quashed the ruling by a lower court sentencing the latter to a twelve year prison term – Cosmos who carries the tag and alias of “Man of God” descended on the speaker, reminding him of how he was making nonsense of their fight (when the speaker’s father was governor) against Orji Uzor Kalu. 

“In the said release, Cosmos vehemently criticised the Speaker but today, we see the honourable commissioner in a banal atmosphere with the same OUK in his hometown of Akanu Item. 

“Let it be stated that as concerned citizens, we are not rattled by this latest development. But we wish to warn the commissioner that by boasting that his principal, the governor of the state, also visit or host people from opposition he has overstepped his bounds. May the commissioner show cause as to why he was not in any way labelling the governor as a hypocrite or a political two-timer. His act by bringing or roping in the governor into this matter smacks of his intent to use others as Canon fodder. Why did the commissioner raise so much dust in that visit by the Speaker and why is he doing same if he ever wished his party – the PDP – well. 

“Again, the speech as obtained and seen at various media platforms (Facebook and Twitter mostly) portrayed the commissioner in a bad light. Why will he talk in a manner that shows him as an indispensable political heavyweight in the state? 

“We want to ask the commissioner if arrogance (as his speech showed) is his way of rewarding PDP for keeping him in political job for the past twenty years or more. When he said he doesn’t want to be provoked, was it that he is the final arbiter of state politics in Abia? What could his motivations be? We now ask: Who is Hon Cosmos if provoked? What will he do if provoked? He sure will be the one to regret in any facts that are spilled. So why does he talk with the air and mien of a Herod or a Nebuchadnezzar? 

“We wish to remind the commissioner that party loyalty remains the bedrock of internal democracy and that he has for decades been a beneficiary of this – even when he’s not the only qualified Abian. His act shows us a man who for insular, parochial interest can jettison the collective. Why bring in the governor in a matter he could have done better to explain in the most peaceful and calm manner? 

“If ever the governor goes to Abuja (where the APC controls affairs) it is in interest of Ndi Abia and while still sitting as the governor in Abia State duty calls on him to serve all parties regardless of party affiliation in the interest of Abia while he as a commissioner is an employee or better an appointee of the governor, not even elected by the people but directly answerable to the governor who appointed him based on trust. So why does he make the governor look petty and less?  

“We wish to remind the honourable commissioner that his own act was no less an anti-party act and activity as he once accused the speaker and that in any way, he might have to consider the meaning of the alias and moniker he bears in God’s own state as “Man of God”. He should be an elder we expect him. For now, we want him to continue enjoying his right of association but to have and show respect to the governor whenever he is in exercise of that right. 

“May history judge all.”

Let us connect on social media forever;

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•