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ABUJA – The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Kelechi Anosike, has accused the state of failing to match its rising revenues with tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary people, pledging that a PDP-led administration would place citizens’ welfare above all else.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja where he presented his policy framework, Anosike argued that the state’s resources should have translated into visible progress in key sectors such as health, education, agriculture and youth empowerment.
He said the administration he hopes to lead would not be focused merely on physical infrastructure, but on a broader development model centred on human well-being.
According to him, the current situation amounts to a shortfall in public service delivery, especially in sectors that directly affect residents’ daily lives. He maintained that the people of the state deserve more, considering the level of money flowing into the state.
He said: “We are in the race because we believe that our people are being shortchanged. They deserve more based on the amount of money coming into the state as we speak. And there is need to be a holistic development.”
He went further to criticise what he described as weak performance in critical areas of governance, while also raising concerns over the implementation of the smart school project. He claimed that despite huge allocations, the project had not produced the expected results on ground.
He said: “What is he doing in health? Zero. What’s happening in education? Zero. In fact, we are aware of the scandal of the smart school of about N84 billion.”
Anosike added that the project remained uncompleted despite what he said were repeated budgetary provisions and payments tied to it.
“They are still looking for the smart school, not even one. But in 2024 budget, it was recorded that it was fully paid for, the smart school.”
He said the matter had now become larger than originally reported, insisting that the figures attached to the initiative had grown significantly without a commensurate visible outcome, adding, “today, it’s about 100 something billion going into smart school. Not even one of those schools have been commissioned. Not even one.”
Turning to agriculture and youth development, the PDP candidate said those sectors had also suffered neglect, adding that they were central to the kind of government he intends to run if elected.
He said, “So, what about agriculture? Zero program. In agriculture, zero program. In youth empowerment, zero.
“There’s no single program for the youth. And we say that our government will not be a brick-and-mortar government. We are particular about the welfare of the people.
“We say that people first, agenda. That’s all we have. I would say that the government will be so sensitive to people that you measure our development not just based on road alone, infrastructure, but on the well-being of the people.”
On workers’ pay, Anosike said the next PDP government in the state would begin with a minimum wage of N90,000, arguing that the state had the financial capacity to do so if properly managed. He contrasted the current wage situation in Abia with what he described as more favourable arrangements in other states.
“Everybody state is paying 85,000 Naira minimum wage. The national benchmark is N70,000. Everybody’s paying N85,000. Abia is struggling to pay 70. So, some are getting 60. There’s a disparity. So, when I say that the next government that PDP will head in Abia, we’ll pay N90,000 minimum. Start-off point is N90,000. And it should be reviewed after a year or two. We’ll start with… Because all the funds are there.”
He said his campaign was built around a different philosophy from what he described as a government preoccupied with structures rather than people.
“So, the welfare of the people is paramount to us. That’s something different we are bringing. The governor has no plan for the people’s welfare,” he said.
Anosike also described Abia as one of the most expensive places to live in, linking the hardship to what he said was a weak economy and the mismanagement of available funds.
He said, “Abia is the most expensive place to live in. And it’s for a reason. The economy needs to be reflated. There are no funds there. They siphon the funds. So, these are many more we want to do.”
He said the PDP’s campaign message would continue to revolve around job creation, welfare, and rebuilding public confidence in government, insisting that the state’s huge revenue should translate into visible gains for ordinary citizens.