Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has described as preposterous and anachronistic a statement credited to his incoming successor, Dr. Alex Otti in which his (Otti) media handlers described a purported employment programme going on in the state as illegal and racketeering.
Governor Ikpeazu said he is still the governor of the state till May 29 and still has the executive powers to perform his constitutional assignments.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onyebuchi Ememanka in a statement on Wednesday charged the incoming governor and his media team to refrain from questioning the decisions of an elected government.
While denying any such employment programme in Abia, Ememanka said the actions of the governor are deemed constitutional on line with running the affairs of the state.
Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser to governor-elect, Dr. Alex Otti had alleged in a statement that some agents of the Abia State Government and some civil servants are engaged in what they called “Employment Racketeering”.
According to Ememanka, “It is absolutely preposterous and outrightly anachronistic for the Media Team of the Governor-Elect to use the word ILLEGAL to describe the activities of a government that is legitimately in office.
“Assuming, though by no means conceding that the State Government offered employment to Abians, what is illegal about it?
“Dr Otti should take it easy. We understand that he has been trying to be Governor since 2015. His hurry is understandable but he must know that Dr Okezie Ikpeazu remains Governor of Abia State until midnight of 28th May, 2023. Within this period, the Governor is still enabled by all laws in this country to exercise the full powers of his office, including the power to grant employment waivers into the State Work Force, if he so desires.
“What Dr Otti can do, at best, is to review such Executive Actions after he is sworn in on the 29th of May. Anything else from him at this time is of no effect whatsoever.
“Dr Otti will have 4 full years at the first instance to exercise the powers of the Governor of Abia State, from 29th of May, 2023. He should wait for his time.
“Dr Otti should also be reminded that every Governor Elect is a potential former Governor. At most and if God permits, he will spend 8 years in office, and while still in office, his successor will be elected too.
“Our advise is simple. May 29th is almost here. Please be patient. If you have waited since 2015 till now, you can wait for another 2 months.
“When a new administration is elected into office, they will inherit both assets and liabilities because government is a continuum. What a new Governor chooses to do with what he inherits will define it’s administrative strategy.
“Abians are eagerly looking forward to seeing the administrative expertise of the Governor-Elect.
