An All Progressive Congress (APC) pro-group in Abia state known as Abia Progressive Watchmen (APW) have accused the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State of being deceitful and undermining the APC in Abia State in its handling of the N75 Billion Federal government social intervention to Abia beneficiaries.

In a press release signed by Pst. Dike Nwankwo ,Ferdinand Ekeoma ,Maxwell Nwadike,Nwabueze Onwunaeme,Barr. Tochukwu Ananaba and Mr. Austin Okezie on behalf of the group today Tuesday 15th December, 2020 ,the group said its attention has been drawn to a release issued by the Duo of Mr. Godswill Nwonoruo- Commissioner for Transport and one Mr. Chinenye Nwogu who represents the PDP led Abia state government on the proposed disbursement of the sum of N30,0000 (Thirty Thousand Naira) each to 5000 Abia commercial motorists from the Federal Government N75 Bllion Naira Survival Fund.

According to the APW ,it feels highly appalled by the glaring deceit and provocative misrepresentation made in the said press release by the PDP led Abia state government and thus wish to set the records by stating the following;

1. That the N75 Billion Naira Survival Fund was a creation of the APC led federal government which is an intervention economic program rolled out to assist less privileged Nigerians, including Abians and to cushion the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

2. That it was terribly unfair, mischievous, unintelligent, disrespectful and deceitful for the said release to have consciously and cunningly given complete credit and poured undeserved encomium on governor Ikpeazu and his government for a program Abia state government has zero input in, while consciously and completelely refusing to acknowledge the federal government and the APC who were the real initiators and sponsors of the program.

3. That it was the same deceitful strategy that was adopted by the PDP led Abia state government during the N-power program,which was unjustly turned to a PDP empowerment program to the point that most beneficiaries were made to have the impression that it was an Abia state government empowerment program, and thus were mandated to bring their PVC before they could benefit from the empowerment funds. The PDP led government used this undemocratic strategy of coercion to stampede vulnerable electorates into voting for them in the 2019 general election against the wil of such voters.

4. That it’s unfair and hypocritical for a government that has not seen the need to embark on pro people economic programs aimed at ameliorating the economic challenges confronting Abians to always be at the forefront of falsely laying claims to federal government sponsored emppowerment programs.

5. That the content and tone of the release issued by Abia state government on the N75 Billion Naira Survival Fund clearly showed that the PDP led government was out to politicize the program and take undue credit for it.

The group said it has further observed that it is such deliberate misinformation that has led Abia State citizens into believing that the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal government and the APC do not mean well for the people of the South East, thereby causing avoidable restiveness in the region.

The APW said it therefore wish to we call on the APC led federal government and the leadership of the APC in Abia and at the national level to, as a matter of urgent public importance, intervene to quickly put a stop to this provocative mischief and misrepresentation that has been sustained by the PDP led Abia state Government against the President Muhammadu Buhari led APC Federal Government. They further stated that they are not convinced that a government that has under performed due to absence of prudence in the management of public funds should be trusted with such programs.