Theodore Orji: ‘A National Peace Ambassador’

The Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, was last week, conferred with the award of National Peace Ambassador in recognition of his achievements in the area of security, which has made state a model in peaceful coexistence and security in the country. An elated Governor Orji while receiving the award from the National Council of Peace And Unity at the executive council chambers, government house, Umuahia, said he was impressed by the award stressing that “this is the kind of award that I appreciate and those award from the Church”.

He said his achievement in security became significant because “there was a time when Abia was a den of robbers and kidnappers; banks closed, people ran away but we were determined to face the challenge.”

“Today Abia ranks as one of the states that are peaceful and when peace is there, there will be unity and commerce will boom”.

The governor attributed the prevailing peace in the state to the running of an inclusive government as against the exclusive government of the past that drove away stakeholders from the state, stressing that the success of his administration depended to a large extent on his perception of the office as opportunity to serve.

“The office should be seen as a call to service; it depends on the personality of the governor; if you are arrogant people will run away from you. Here we want to give every person his due, ensure that dividend of democracy reaches everyone,” he said, adding “equitable distribution of resources brings peace”.

Announcing the award, chairman of the National Council for Peace and Unity and leader of the delegation, Engr Abba Gana said more than any other time the country needs unity and peace, stressing that Abia and Lagos states present models of states where there is unity and peace in spite of the religious and ethnic diversity.

He noted that peace and security were vital to development but could not be achieved “by wish, all hands must be on deck”. He advised every Nigerian to contribute to resolve the civil strife in the country. “We should mobilise the people and support our leaders in ending the crisis as soon as possible”, he added.

The chairman, who was the former Minister of FCT, said the security crisis in Nigeria has reached a boiling point and needed the involvement of everyone to fight noting that after touring the states there would be convocation of a conference where stakeholders would present papers/memorandum on the way out of the crisis. He described Abia State as a model of peace and security and used the occasion to invite the governor to deliver a key note address during the forth-coming national conference on security.

Orji has more than more other governors in the country, weathered more political storms and came out unscratched. He not only came out but did so with the entire state. Some of them were those that were capable of permanently polarising the state politically along the dangerous religious and ethnic divide but as a “master craftsman”, he was able to diffuse the tensions and pulled the opposing camps back into one homogenous Abia State.

For instance the palpable tension that gripped? the state when he left his former party, the Progressive? Peoples Alliance? (PPA),and his political god father Dr Orji Uzor Kalu was so thick that it could be touched? and many thought that “war” was imminent.? But on the contrary, peace prevailed as the governor diffused the tensions again and provided shelter for his political opponents who accepted his olive branch. Today, those who were spoiling for war have joined his camp and are working for the state. Abia can rightly be said to be a state without opposition, though opposition parties exist because those who did not accept his victory at the polls? in 2007 and 2011 and went to court,? accepted the verdict of the court against them?? in good faith even as their supporters have joined? the “Ochendo” (as he is popularly known) train.

Those who are still in court apparently do not see it as a do-or-die affair, but an exercise of their rights. The attitude of the opposition did not just come, but is a direct response to the accommodating disposition of the governor to make peace with his political brothers who seek for peace.

In his first term all the major opposition parties who had gone to court withdrew and were accommodated except the PDP that carried its own to what observers described as “ridiculous end”. That era in the political history of the state was very dicey. The political big wigs in the state who were not of the ruling PPA were called names – either Abuja politicians because they? opposed the governor from there and attracted almost nothing? to the state.

They were not seen in any state functions, and allegedly blocked any project coming to the state so as to avoid it being credited to Governor Orji. That was the scenario till he joined the PDP. His presence in the PDP in the state naturally created its own problem as there was an already existing formidable?? hierarchy that was now joined

by a formidable one from the PPA led by the governor that could be said to have collapsed into the PDP. Here he displayed once again his accommodating political spirit that united the two groups into one entity without factions which has bought political peace in the party and the state in general.? Abia is reputed to be one of the sates without a history of politically motivated killings.

Political observers said that the support?? Chief? Orji had given to? the people of old Aba division that is demanding for the creation of Aba State from Abia is the showcasing of? a selfless and peace loving governor. Many would not have sat down to support what they would have tagged splitting of their kingdom. By this singular act, citizens of the state who would have been hostile to those demanding for the new state held their peace and towed the line of the governor, thus eliminating the acrimony that would? have existed? between those making the demand and rest of the people.

The successful handling of the security challenge posed by kidnappers, midway into his first term in office was another land mark achievement of the governor.? It tasked his courage and sense of purpose as a leader. For almost two years he presided over a state that was under siege and was fast becoming a pariah state. He said his colleagues fell short of calling him a kidnapper as the menace became intractable and had attracted international attention with? the kidnapping of journalists and?? 23 pupils of Abayi International School , Aba. Though the kidnappers were known to be in concert with their counterparts in the neighbouring states of Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, he still maintained cordial relationship with them despite their provocations.

He took his pills as a man? and? adopted every strategy? he could muster to end kidnapping in the state including summoning all the traditional rulers in the state, especially? those from? kidnapping endemic areas, read out a riot act to them including holding? them responsible? for any act? of kidnapping in their domains even as he went further? to dangle N1 million to any? person who would? volunteer information that would lead to the arrest of? kidnappers.

With the aid of his deputy, Chief Eric Acho Nwakanma they tried the option of dialogue and amnesty which also did not give solution to the intractable kidnapping as it turned much money to the perpetrators.? He finally adopted the military option which dealt the final blow on the kidnappers, including the killing of the dreaded Osisika Nkwu(the tree that is taller than the palm tree).

Commenting on the award, the commissioner for information and strategy, Dr. Eze Chikananyo said, “Our governor has been given a special award.? It is special in the sense that for us in Abia State it is a validation of what we already know but we are pleasantly surprised that what we know here has been nationally acknowledged by way of the award.

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