A cleric, Reverend Chuks Alonzie, has strongly defended the legacy of the former Governor of Abia State and current Senator representing Abia North, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, describing him as the most impactful governor of the state since 1999.
Speaking to journalists at the weekend while reacting to public reactions following the recent verdict passed by Kalu on the administration of Governor Alex Otti, Alonzie cautioned the present administration against what he described as divisive narratives that tend to diminish the contributions of previous governments.
Alonzie described Kalu as “the action governor Abia State has ever had,” insisting that his achievements remain visible and verifiable across the state. Recalling the state of Umuahia before Kalu assumed office in 1999, the cleric said the capital city was largely undeveloped.
“During the first tenure of Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, 1999–2003, Umuahia was a glorified village,” he said. Alonzie who stressed his deep roots in the city to underscore the credibility of his account noted that while earlier administrations such as that of the late Sam Mbakwe constructed major arterial roads including Okigwe Road, Niger Road, Enugu Road, Aba Road and Azikiwe Road and addressed erosion through canals and drainages, Kalu embarked on an extensive urban renewal programme that transformed Umuahia’s inner streets.
“He constructed and tarred roads across Over Rail and New Layout areas, including Ekwuruke, Obowo, Cameroon, Oboro, Oji River, Afara, Ogbulafor, Uwalaka, Orlu and Igbere streets,” he said. “Most of these streets were muddy, dusty and environmentally unfriendly before then.
Governor Kalu relieved residents by ensuring that everywhere was tarred, and many of those roads remain strong till date.” To him, Kalu’s interventions extended beyond Umuahia to Aba and several rural communities across the state, adding that the former governor’s leadership style earned him national recognition.
“President Olusegun Obasanjo christened him the ‘Action Governor’ during his first official visit to Abia State,” Alonzie recalled. He criticised what he termed an emerging trend of portraying Abia as if it had no developmental foundation before the current administration.
“No government should try to make people believe they built the state alone and that others did nothing. That propaganda is not sustainable,” he warned. He described such claims as “insulting to the sensibilities” of Abians who witnessed earlier efforts.
Drawing comparisons with Akwa Ibom State, Alonzie said successive governments there have built on one another’s achievements without discrediting predecessors. “This approach we are seeing today is divisive and unhealthy for corporate leadership,” he added.
