For the most effective and influential political leader, East of the Niger, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu PhD CFR LLD, it is indeed harvest time.
Benjamin cultivated his political field with passion, dedication and commitment.
Benjamin sowed his integrity, humility, dependability, vision and unwavering commitment to the enthronement of true democracy, equity and justice, built on the foundations of an all-encompassing, inclusive and enduring constitution with soundly articulated legal and legislative framework as its guardrails.
Benjamin watered his seed with his Competence, Capacity and Character.
As we begin the countdown to 2027 amidst the usual restiveness across the political terrain, politicians like Governor Alex Otti, have been losing a lot of sleep as Abians begin to unravel his white-washed lies and demystify his make-believe public image.
Alex Otti is definitely not power drunk……not yet though.
But he is afraid of accountability and transparency and has chosen to operate through a culture of opacity, insulation and defensive governance.
The Abia governor dreads the word, “transparency” and “accountability”…… the same words Benjamin Okezie Kalu had allegedly been “threatening” the governor with.
Rather than seeing public and legislative oversight as a tool for improvement, he has chosen to view it as personal or political threat.
This explains why Otti has reportedly earmarked billions of Naira belonging to the people of Abia, just to fund a kamikaze of social media attacks via his short-changed e-rats, on the person of the Deputy Speaker, for daring to ask for transparency and accountability from the governor.
As 2027 draws even nearer by the day, Dr. Alex Otti seems to be getting more panic-stricken, even as more Abians begin to see through the thin veil of deceit, white-washed lies and cosmetic projects…..
…….most of which allegedly serve as conduits for the syphoning Abia’s funds, to shore up the capital base of a tottling financial institution linked to the governor.
Meanwhile, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu PhD CFR LLD, is very busy representing and delivering very tangible democratic dividends to his people.
Alex Otti cowers in fear at the mention of the Deputy Speakers name.
He equates transparency with vulnerability.
He plays the victim in crafty manipulation of the genuine expectations of the people and their hopes which he often deploys as a shield against public scrutiny and accountability.
Meanwhile, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu PhD CFR LLD, is reaping bountifully, the seed he sowed with passion, dedication and total commitment.
Benjamin’s bragging right derives from his excellent performance as Legislator par excellence in service delivery, rural/community/regional infrastructural development, peace initiatives, education, and healthcare.
Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu PhD CFR LLD, has sponsored and co-sponsored a total of 127 bills and still counting.
If this isn’t the impressive Legislative record, I wonder what actually is.
Shouldn’t Benjamin be beating his chest?
But he’s not the bragging type.
He is very busy working very hard to deliver even more.
Meanwhile, Gov. Otti, is frantically looking over his shoulders.
Here comes Benjamin!
And now, Benjamin’s ever growing political influence has all but reached the remotest corners of the SouthEast and beyond.
Benjamin launched the most workable and practical initiative to achieve peace in the SouthEast, PISE-P.
Benjamin pursued and eventually succeeded in pushing for the epoch signing into law of the bill establishing the SouthEast Development Commission, SEDC.
Gov. Alex Otti, a creative accountant and financial genius, is busy “mesmerising” Abia’s with his “more-you-look-less-you-see” accounting system and cosmetic projects with very disproportionate price tags.
To ward off the prying eyes of bonafide and well-meaning stakeholders of Abia, like Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Alex Otti retaliates against oversight by labelling it as politically motivated, yet hides his head in the sand, like an Ostrich.
Meanwhile, everyday, Benjamin Okezie Kalu is either facing the cameras of local and international media, or he’s standing behind the podium, boldly entertaining questions from local and international audiences and the academia, as he brilliantly demonstrates his sound Legislative acumen and his firm grasp of international diplomacy.
Days later you can find him sitting relaxedly with his Constituents, as he interacts and listens attentively to their requests, while inspecting the newly installed 1000kvA solar power scheme for Bende community, billed to be commissioned in a few days.
Meanwhile Alex Otti is very busy pointing accusing fingers at Benjamin Okezie Kalu so he could divert the attention of other well meaning Abians from his government and their questionable fiscal regime, while Benjamin is busy supervising the installation of over 80km of newly acquired aluminium high-tension electric cables to reconnect Bende and Ozuitem communities to the National grid and restore light to the constituent communities and parts of Uzuakoli after decades of darkness.
Alex Otti’s high stakes game of deceit, blue-chip corruption and untidily packaged lies, has actually pinned him to a disadvantaged corner.
Benjamin has offered him a way out;
Governor Otti should submit to the noble demands of accountability and transparency in his clandestine government.
Chikodi Eze
