Abia’s next governor must come to our ‘Okija shrine’ – Group

[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]

A group seeking the redemption of Abia from inept leadership which the state has suffered since its creation 30 years ago has declared that anyone who will emerge the next governor must visit its shrine and take oath.

The emerging group, Africa In Praise Network (APNET) which is launching what promises to be the biggest grassroots political movement in Abia in the build up to 2023 general elections, made the declaration in Aba Tuesday, during a one-day ABIAFRESH Leadership Summit with the theme: “Towards Changing Abia Leadership Narrative.”

 APNET, which organized the summit in collaboration with Abia State chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council, insisted whoever would be the governor in 2023 must enter into covenant with the group on God’s altar.

The group maintained that time has come to return the mandate of electing leaders to the Abia electorate, which it alleged, has been hijacked by god-fathers since 1999.

It added that it resolved to mobilize leaders and members of the Christian faith across the state to embrace and join politics because “if the Church fails to act, Abia will continue to suffer.”

 Addressing the summit, President of APNET, Apostle Reminder Chibuikem Gad, said that “anyone who must be governor of Abia in 2023 must visit our “Okija shrine” and take our oath,” implying that anyone who needs the support of the group must distance himself or herself from idolatry as the altar of God would replace deities that politicians allegedly pay their allegiance to.

Apostle Gad also disclosed that the group has declared every first Saturday of every month, Abia Day of Spiritual Clean Up which will hold from 6 a.m to 12 noon, with praying and fasting aimed at pulling down and destroying all satanic alters that have polluted the land.

 The APNET President, who lamented that Abia was now a laughing stock among the comity of state because of its underdevelopment, insisted that unless God-fearing Christians were mobilized to take over the political leadership of the state, nothing would change.

He noted that 30 years after her creation, Abia “has not been fortunate with leadership, except for the present government which is doing her possible best to give Abia a facelift.”

“Our land, like Jerusalem of old, has been balkanized. Poverty, misery and woes have become our daily companion as a result of irresponsible leadership. The name Abia has become a laughing stock among the comity of states in Nigeria. These facts are very obvious to everyone seated here today.

“I don’t want to waste your time precious time bemoaning Abia. We are rather here to intimate you of God’s plan towards the redemption of Abia, God’s Own State and to stir up your hearts towards yielding your selves as carpenters in God’s hands in rebuilding this ruined state. Nations are not fixed by complaints but by taking proactive measures,” Apostle Gad said.

“Abia at 30 is mature and must have men like Joseph and David at the helm of her affairs. Evil prevail when good men do nothing. Abia cannot be healed until the righteous takes immediate and valuable responsibility,” he added.

According to him, objectives of the summit included bringing to the knowledge of the righteous that leadership is an obligation they owe society, to stir up the righteous to aspire to leadership positions and jettison the wrong notion that politics is a dirty game and create strong platform to assist the righteous take over political leadership of the state.

He listed other objectives to include discouraging huge cost of elections often bankrolled by one man which gave rise to god-fatherism, providing better political structure that would enable the righteous assume leadership positions, enhance the culture of righteousness, injecting God-factor in governance to facilitate development and assembling a new leadership team for the new dispensation.

“Our singular vision is to bring the Church in Abia as one, raise God-fearing, pragmatic leaders from among them and use them to change Abia leadership narrative,” he explained.

In his remarks, Chairman of IPAC, Abia State, Ceekay Igara, told the gathering which comprised select Christian and political party leaders that election does not hear  “speaking in tongues or casting and binding”  prayers.  

Igara said that to emerge victorious in elections, one must be actively involved and advised Christians to come out on polling days and be active participants by going to the polling stations, casting their ballots and defending same, instead of staying in their closets, praying.

He said for Abia to be drawn out of its unfortunate leadership syndrome which has affected the state negatively, Christians must jettison the culture of indifference and get practically involved in politics.

Two resource persons, Barr. Ahamdi Nweke, and Engr. David Dimoji, also agreed that time has come for Christian leaders to mobilized their members to give leadership to society.

“Faith leaders are catalysts for positive change. IPAC should be in the forefront of sensitizing youths against being used to perpetrate evil during elections; and advise its members to uphold internal democracy. They should form an alliance to deliver any candidate who holds hope for victory at the polls,” said Nweke who was the Director-General of Dr. Alex Otti Campaign Organisation in 2015.

Dimoji, n his submission, said every effort at salvaging Abia must be targeted at stopping what he called “colonization,” which entails a leader peddling influence beyond his tenure of office.

“You are all king makers, God is calling us to do the impossible. We must exert our powers and take the land. We must confront the Pharaoh of Abia to let the people go. The appointed time has come,” Dimoji, who is a University lecturer and a Minister of God, said.

Highlights of the summit included a toast for Abia at 30 and prayer for the redemption of the state.