By Our Correspondent
The Abia State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Cosmos Ndukwe has said that he does not owe the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) any explanation for hosting an All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator, Orji Kalu in his home.
Ndukwe stated this following the controversies, negative comments and reactions that had trailed the visit of Dr. Orji Kalu, the Senator representing Abia North and a former Governor of the State to his(Ndukwe) Akanu Item country home, in Abia, a visit which the Commissioner was said to have termed a ‘condolence visit’ rather than a political one.
Among those who have criticized the Commissioner were Promise Uzoma Okoro, deputy chairman of the State’s Bende local government council. He said Ndukwe was an hypocrite to have lambasted the Abia Assembly Speaker Rt Hon Chinedum Orji for visiting the opposition party Senator in the past, same man he(Ndukwe) hosted at his residence recently.
Despite the calls for him to apologize to the Speaker and others over his(Ndukwe) strong criticism of him(Chinedum) in the past, the Trade and Investment Commissioner said he owe no one any explanation including the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A source privy to the development, said Ndukwe boasted at a recent private gathering of friends and political associates that nothing can be done to him by any of the aforementioned, insisting, however, that he owe no one any apology or explanation for his actions.
“Does being a commissioner foreclose one’s personal life and engagements? Everyone, including my boss, the governor knows that what transpired at my country home recently was a private, cum condolence visit and nothing more. Other PDP members, including the governor have also attended private events hosted by the opposition why is my own different?”, the source and friend of the Commissioner, who craved anonymity, quoted Ndukwe as saying at the private gathering.
In a tweet on Friday reposted on his Facebook wall in veil response to the controversies, Commissioner Ndukwe took a swipe at his critics rather than explain, apologize or respond to the calls for him to apologize to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji.
“How can one grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges. I always Stand in faith even when am having the hardest time of my life, people think political growth is gained when they swallow others with subterfuge. Again to sponsored quackery internet keyboard tigers cum lunatic media aides. No Comment!,” he wrote.
