Nwafor: Kalu Thanks Abia Assembly
From Emeka Osondu in Umuahia and Christopher Isiguzo in Owerri
Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has commended the state House of Assembly for pardoning his Deputy, Dr. Chima Nwafor, after receiving the judicial panel report which indicted the deputy governor in the just-concluded impeachment process against him.
The governor's expression of gratitude is coming at the heels of the state executive council's appreciation on Wednesday to the House of Assembly to stop the impeachment against the deputy governor.
In an address delivered by Kalu at the state Assembly on yesterday, he described the legislators' action as patriotic and selfless and Christ-like.
He said the action has portrayed the legislators as matured men and women, who has exhibited a depth of sacrifice to ensure the sustenance of peace and stability of the state and by that means shame the political detractors of the state.
His words: "I have come again with my deputy governor; this time on a happy note to say thank you to you great men and women of this distinguished house for the honour done us by accepting to drop the impeachment. Your action has only portrayed you as genuine patriots, lovers of peace, selfless leaders and dependable partners in our collective effort to make Abia State great. Our people and entire nation are proud of you.
"You may not know the depth of sacrifice you have made. But I know. Unfolding events will soon show you that you have taken a giant step in the resolve to build a strong and progressive Abia State," he stressed.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, a pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Dr. Uwaoma Uche, has also commended the Abia State House of Assembly for dropping the impeachment plot against the deputy governor.
Addressing newsmen in Owerri, yesterday Uche expressed satisfaction on how the move was finally led to rest, stressing that the Assembly listened to the voice of reasoning.
He commended the roles played by major stakeholders in the resolution of the problem, including the state Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by its National Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh.
He said the resolution of the crises has shown that members of the House of Assembly were interested in the sustenance of the country's fledging democracy and therefore urged those who benefited from the matter to now bury their heads in shame.
"It's unfortunate that Abia is always in the news for bad things, but we are happy this time around that we resolved our problem peacefully," he added.
He commended the embattled deputy governor for the matured way he handled the crises while it lasted, advising him not to allow agents of destabilisation to come in between the governor and him.
He used the opportunity to call on the Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara, to use his good offices as the nation's number three man to attract dividends of democracy to the state.
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