From Steve Oko, Umuahia
The immediate past governor of Abia State, and the senator representing Abia Central, Senator Theodore Orji, has said that his top position in the legislative productivity ranking is a vindication that ex-governors are not in the senate to sleep contrary to insinuations in some quarters.
Senator Orji and his Nassarawa West counterpart, Abdullahi Adamu respectively have seven bills to their credit according to the National Assembly in-house assessment latest publication know as the Report Card covering from June 2019 – May 2020.
Fielding questions from newsmen after inspecting some of his on-going constituency projects at Okwuta Community Primary School, Senator Orji said mischievous elements who allege that former governors are only in the senate to sleep have been proved wrong by the report.
According to him the output of the former governors in the senate is superlative, adding that the quality of their contributions and bills is unmatchable considering their vast experience both in the executive and legislative arms of government plus other fields of endeavour put together.
“Those who make hate speech say former governors go there to sleep. Are we sleeping and we produced those bills?
” They say we go there to sleep and that we are not doing anything but you have seen the output. If you combine the bills we have sponsored, then you will know the output we have generated”, Orji said.
Responding to a question on the implications of the recent defection of Gov David Umahi of Ebonyi State from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressive Congress, APC , the Abia former governor said Umahi gave reasons for leaving PDP.
According to him, the governor is old enough to take a decision based on his conviction, adding that “PDP cannot use a rope and tie him to the party”.
” Will I go and pull him back? He has his reasons which he has told the people. He is free to move, after all it’s a mobile world”, Orji said.
Meanwhile, Senator Orji has expressed satisfaction with the rate and quality of work at the double 12-classroom block he is building at the school.
The former governor who said he also attracted similar project at Isiala Ngwa South said the project was expected to be delivered before the end of December.
Orji said that apart from constituency projects which were captured in the budget, legislators should also out of their good will sponsor other projects for their constituents.
He cited his free eye care, and scholarship scheme which benefits 60 undergraduates annually as examples of his personal projects for Abia Central constituents.
Headmistress of the school, Mrs Nnennaya Okereke applauded Senator Orji for solving the accommodation challenge of the school and prayed God to bless him.
