Umuada Abia, a socio-cultural group made up of women of Abia origin living in the United Kingdom, Wednesday the 7th of September 2016 in Lambeth S/E London the capital of United Kingdom called for the immediate resignation of Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu the embattled governor of Abia state.
The ladies who used the occasion of their annual get together to lend their voices to the ongoing political impasse in Abia state today, said that Dr. Ikpeazu as a matter of morality should vacate office immediately wondering what a man faced with a matter as serious as tax evasion and lying under oath is still doing in office as the governor of a state.
The ladies who spoke to our UK bureau chief Ikenna Ezimora through their spokesperson Dr. Mrs Amaka Nwoha said that no country in the world takes tax issues lightly, they said if it were to be in the United Kingdom he would have willingly thrown in his resignation letter based on the strength of the evidence of tax evasion and perjury established against him which was also agreed to by the 1st court that heard the matter.
The British trained medical doctor and wife of a UK based Nigerian professor Dr. Mrs Nwoha lamented the negative impression it will create in the minds of the youths if Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is allowed to continue in office as the governor of a state, where it is very clear that there are obvious doubts as to whether he paid his taxes or not, maintaining that Dr. Ikpeazu's continuous occupation of the office of the governor makes the country's judiciary and tax system a huge joke.
The gynaecologist said that tax payment is an obligation that must be met by any law abiding citizen of a state and any person found wanting in tax payments should as a matter of morality and law relinquish whatever position he/she holds until the determination of the matter.
The women cried foul on the state of affairs in the state saying that what is happening in Abia is affecting them over there in the UK because they have families in Abia and hear their complaints of poor governance occasioned by insincerity of governance which has resulted in untold hardship for Abians.
A speech presented by the chairperson of the group Chief Mrs Patience Nwudeh, a director in Lambeth housing UK, stated that under Dr. Ikpeazu there has been no meaningful development in Abia, and the average Abian doing business or working in Abia can no longer sustain himself and his family financially, while a few politicians use the money meant for the state to oppress others.
The women highlighted critical areas of development where every responsible government should have gone into, that will lift Abia out of its present economic ‘Down syndrome’ such as infrastructure, which include; road reconstruction and maintenance, waste recycling, revitalisation of moribund manufacturing industries.
Other things that could be done are, encouraging private sector participation in industrialisation of the state by creating the enabling environment, tax holidays, provision of land for siting of such industries using the Anambra template under Peter Obi's government.
They also said that “no responsible government gives excuses with timing and funds as every creative government will always use the apparatus of the state to attract investment and funding,
The women asked Dr. Ikpeazu to take a clue from Ben Ayade of cross river who had embarked on an aggressive industrial revolution of cross river state within one year in office.
The release further stated that most Abians in diaspora are willing to come home and invest or partner with the government to attract investments into the state from abroad but the system as presently structured is not responsible enough to warrant such investment risk, and called on Dr. Ikpeazu to show responsible leadership or resign as no investor will venture into an economy without a clear direction as it is obtainable in Abia of today.
They expressed lack of confidence in the administration of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and prayed the Nigerian Judiciary to restore sanity in Abia by sacking the Ikpeazu led administration and installing Dr. Uche Ogah whom they described as a willing partner in the development of the state.
They also expressed confidence that with the plan of action Dr. Uche Ogah has, and also his roadmap for economic develop and industrialisation of Abia state is encouraging.
Mrs Nwudeh said if Dr. Ogah is given the opportunity to control the affairs of the state it won't take long for the Abia economy to receive a turn around and measure once more with other South East states of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states.
Source:http://newsbargeafrica.blogspot.com.ng/2016/09/umuada-abia-uk-calls-for-ikpeazus.html
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