An elder statesman and politician, Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba has described as worrisome the continued insults from the aides of Abia State Governor Alex Otti on his predecessor Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
The Isiala-Ngwa-born political stalwart said the continued insult on Ikpeazu by the governor’s aides was “unwarranted, unprovoked and undeserving.”
In an open letter to Governor Otti titled: “RE: Need to Uphold the Sanctity of Abia State Order of Precedence: Dr Okezie Ikpeazu on my mind”, said he was constrained to write Otti the letter at “this critical moment in Abia’s political trajectory because a few moments ago, they met in the political trenches, working for and against each other, but with the overall interest of our dear state in mind.”
Ufomba who described his letter as very important as he wants to use “one stone” (the letter) to kill so many birds (problems) said he directed the letter to Otti “out of courtesy and as a foremost banker, averse to risks and knowledgeable in the negative consequences of both contingent and vicarious liabilities, and how the unfolding scenarios might impact on his administration.”
He explained the many birds he intends to kill with one stone as follows: abuse of office; abuse of protocols; abuse of due process; abuse of the rule of law; abuse of persons and erosion of attributes.
The elder statesman gave the name of the seventh bird which he said is the most important as social media, which he said has become a market square where Abia young men and women buy and sell, gather for information, entertainment and inspiration, consuming whatever is sold hook, line, and sinker, and believing same to be true, coming from supposedly high moral grounds.
Ufomba said that regrettably, some of the items and pieces of “(mis)information and ill-trainings and acculturations” the young Abia people assimilate from those who should know better are poisonous and retrogressive.
According to him, “It is for these reasons that I am using this medium to also purge us of those negative vices and influences at the exact scene of crime. In the words of our elders “sacrificial rituals are best performed at the scene of abomination”.
“I, therefore, most candidly seek your kind understanding and indulgences for using the social media platform to address these matters of urgent public importance.
“We had had cause in the past to discuss the fortunes of our dear God’s own state. Frankly, I was convinced that one area in which you will do well as Governor is in the area of Corporate governance and financial engineering, all things being equal.
“This is judging by your background as a foremost banker. I do not share in the rumour mill that you are autocratic and dictatorial. We are all sinners in this autocratic sin to the extent that every good leader must have his pepperish side and a mind of his own.
“Having a mind of our own is the only way we can point the torch, show the way, and remain on top of all issues. I am thankful to God that the election has come and gone, without the loss of precious lives, even as the outcome is being challenged at the Election Petition Tribunal. I wish the winner the best,” he said.
Ufomba said that the best position can only be attained through the sustenance of existing peace in Abia through meticulous, through innovations, and through ingenious reasoning and acts that lead to the transformation of our state under the rule of law and due process.
He warned that the best position cannot be attained in breaches, or outside of an existing state order of precedence established under the 1999 Constitution either.
“As I often say, the government is all about protocols and protocols are about good governance. This is at the core of this letter. To demonstrate how important this issue is to me.
“I wrote and delivered a 96-page policy document for the previous administration that bothers on protocols and service optimisations. How much it was put to use is a different matter.”
Ufomba lamented and said that he is distressed and confounded to observe that the very moral fabric he talked about in his book is being eroded by Otti’s aides.
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