Recently, former Aba North elected Chairman, Ikwechegh Alex, granted an interview titled ‘Orji has put Abia in national political grid!’. From all indications, Alex was merely trying to launder his image if he has any.
There is this Igbo analogy that goes this way. You pulled your gun at me, pulled the trigger and it did not shoot, because there was no bullet and I was not killed. Now you weep profusely, telling me that you are sorry. What if the gun exploded and blew the head off me? Crocodile ties!
The other scenario is that of a cowboy in a Western. Remember Westerns, sometime the most popular films of the forties fifties and all. This cowboy heard a gunshot. He fell off the horse and hid in-between two narrow walls, panting and shaky. He actually had a gun but didn’t return fire. When the heat was over, he cleaned his dusty jacket and emerged from his hiding, boasting how he returned fire. He thought that nobody saw him in his hiding place but somebody did and just touched the muzzle of his cold gun to prove his lies.
All the above fit Alex the smart Alec. Alex Ikwechegh got into council through the maneuver of his uncle and mentor, Orji Uzor Kalu. While Chairman of Aba North Local Government Area, one of the richest Local Governments with high revenue profile, he was the greatest debtor. He refused upon all entreaties to pay Local Government workers. In Unconfirmed stories that loomed larger than life, he was known to elope to South Africa, spend his holidays in the company of Nolly Wood stars he drenched with money meant for sweating, LGA Staff while he drowned in Champagnes and the best of South African wines.
Families of malnourished workers under him in the council, went to bed hungry. Dependent relatives died in hospitals due to no care, children of some couldn’t go back to school because Alex did not pay, but in the interview, he employed the usual style of Nigerian politicians who think that they can always change history by mere telling new stories in glossy magazines, newspapers and badly written biographies. Alex is a beautiful piece of fakery.
He was the youngest of the chairmen and was expected to be closer to the people, especially the youths but he took to the ostrich strategy and was credited with the saying that ‘T.A. Orji shouldn’t bother him about salaries of workers but should mind his business. If he feels so aggrieved that he should use the state fund to pay. That after all, they derived their powers from one source.’
In the interview in Business Day newspaper of Friday, August, 1, 2014, Page 43, South-south /South-east news page, he reeled off so many funny and shameless niceties about the Governor and Abia State. Hear him, “The Governor is saving lives. Civil servants no longer embark on strike, as their salaries are paid and on time. I remember when the global economic recession hit us at Aba North, when we couldn’t even pay salaries. In fact, about 85 percent of local government areas could not pay salaries at that time. The governor used part of state funds to assist us. I don’t know how he did it, but he ended up clearing those salary arrears.
From such sweet talk and sensible nonsense, it is obvious that Alex is planning to come back to PDP. He claims to be a member of PDP, maybe in Abuja for I am sure that he is not in Igbere, his home place. Alex equally claims to have followers whom he will galvanize into action to work for PDP or campaign for T.A. Orji in the senatorial bid. Two questions are enough to unveil the feignings of Alex. Where has he been? How many years have passed since he lay low like the proverbial bedbug waiting for the heat to cool off? Hogwash! Lies and damn lies.
Alex has no followers except phantom objects and mannequins he bought in South Africa for his large wardrobe, aftermath of his reckless shoppings in his uncountable trips. He should first apologize to the workers, especially those who died waiting for Alex to pay.
We are waiting for Ikwechegh in Igbere. NULGE is watching with keen interest.
This is one insult we would repudiate as Abia labour would not be intimidated with his connections, or ignore his gargantuan misdeeds and his shameless displays of wealth that were squeezed from the Local Government workers he refused to pay.
There is no point asking if am angry. Yes I am not only angry, I am bitter and will show this any day I see Alex’s photos on posters. Alex should be told that the ballot box is back and votes count in Abia. No dirty rubber stamps and promotion of scoundrels into authority.
*Ikwuegbu wrote in Abia North LGA.
