THE Senator representing Abia South in the National Assembly, Eyinaya Abaribe, on Thursday appealed to all registered voters in Anambra state to go out in their numbers to perform their civic duty on Saturday.
Abaribe gave this charge after he was honoured by the Nigerian Society of Engineers at a ceremony.
Abaribe said, “If you don’t vote, you have also voted as you have given those who voted the opportunity to elect their choice”.
Earlier, he blamed unhealthy politics for the state of roads connecting Abia with neighbouring states, adding that it had nothing to do with engineering design, but everything to do with politics.
He noted that from the time Musa Yar’Adua was the President till after Obasanjo, the Aba – Ikot Ekpene federal road has been subject to politics and the federal government appears unperturbed.
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He said, “My own thinking is, it is deliberate. Aba – Ikot -Ekpene road is only 24 miles. In 2007, it was still motorable. I insisted we do it and in 2008, it was put in the budget at the cost of N6bn.
“It was contained in the budget, but no money was released”.
He disclosed that even when he and Sen. T. A. Orji had discussions with Akpabio to reconstruct the road and send the bill to the federal government for refund, “Akpabio only did the Akwa Ibom end and collected the refund from the federal government. It is the same thing with Umuahia – Ikot Ekpene federal road, Enugu – Onitsha federal road and others.”
The Senator queried, “Who are those in the Ministry of Finance that have refused to release the fund?
“We have continued to suffer. It is a real problem. We have to play the politics of faith and make sure we are there.”
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