Posted by By Chimex Ndubuisi on
Any traditional ruler who conferred chieftaincy title on politicians that supported the ousted third term stands the risk of being sacked....
Any traditional ruler who conferred chieftaincy title on politicians that supported the ousted third term stands the risk of being sacked.
This was the riot act read out by Governor Orji Kalu last Wednesday in a meeting he had with chairmen of caretaker committees of local government councils which was also attended by traditional rulers.
He said those Abuja politicians who supported tenure elongation did not mean well for the country, describing them as enemies of the nation and the state.
Our reporter who just came back from Umuhia, the state capital, reports that governor Kalu told the caretaker committees chairmen that any one who rigs the elections in 2007 would risk his life and urged those with such tendencies to desist.
The number one citizen of the state said anyone who does not believe that power must shift is not a good leader and described those who sought for tenure elongation as insincere Nigerians.
He said he was happy that a court in Umuahia had given an interpretation to the law passed by the state House of Assemly that made him to dissolve the local government councils as the chairmen wanted their tenure elongated.
According to him, "those governors and legislators who support tenure elongation should try and wait for another 12 years in which they want their president to stay. I salute the Senate for throwing away the third term agenda when they say no to the president and his supporters."
Governor Kalu told Abians not to allow members of the House of Representatives who were said to have collected the sum of N50 million without executing projects in their constituencies, because according to him, the money belongs to Nigerians and they must account for it.
He frowned at the level where those in government in Abuja have betrayed their state without doing any tangible things and described them as saboteurs.
Governor Kalu who was eyeing the presidency said he expected those who are close to the president to use their connection and rehabilitate their roads and not to seek for other gains.
He lamented that some Igbo elder statesmen were at the forefront of tenure elongation, adding that such people had also supported tenure elongation of IBB and Abacha.
Governor Kalu made it clear that he would monitor the 2007 elections to ensure that they are free and fair, urging those who think that they can rig elections to have a rethink.
He appealed to the president to maintain his integrity as the international community is watching.