Umahi Attacks Obiano for Renaming Awka Street
David- Chyddy Eleke Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman, South East Governors Forum, David Umahi, has called out his Anambra State counterpart for renaming a street in the state capital, Awka, which was initially named after, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
Obiano had recently renamed the popular Abakaliki Street, housing most of the nightclubs in the capital city as; Club Road.
In doing so, Obiano had explained that renaming the street was necessary, so that its name can depict the flurry of night life activities which the street has become synonymous with.
But Umahi, in a statement signed on his behalf by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, condemned the change in name, saying that it was a way of marginalising Ebonyi, or even making Anambra feel superior to his state.
The statement quoted Umahi as being alarmed by the action of Anambra State Government, while calling for immediate reversal of the action by his Anambra counterpart, Obiano.
“While we condemn in its entirety the action if it is true, Umahi has put everything in place to ensure that His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano reverses the action of bringing back the Abakaliki street, a name gazetted long time ago in the spirit of oneness in Igbo land.
“There should be no part of Igbo land that should be discriminated upon. Ebonyi State has received the highest discrimination even from among her brother states and this is not healthy especially as we fight to unite our people and form a formidable economic and political bloc.
“The governor has put a call through to his brother Governor, Chief Obiano, on how best to resolve the conflict of interest, especially as regards the social media claims that the street was taken away from Abakaliki people because they are not qualified to answer such name of a major street in Awka,” Uzor explained.
Uzor said Ebonyi State government would not want to rush into conclusion over the change of name, which it gathered was done because Abakaliki was seen as the capital of a backward state, but reminded anyone taking any action against an Abakaliki man based on the former toga and personality that Abakaliki had, that since inception of the administration of Governor Umahi, Ebonyi has become the fastest developing capital and the most beautiful state capital in Nigeria with great potential to overtake other states in the nearest future.
Umahi frowned at every opportunity by other states especially Anambra to look down on Abakaliki man and called on Ndigbo to eschew discrimination and see every Igbo man as a brother irrespective of where he or she comes from.