The newly sworn-in Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, on Saturday said that his government was ready to step on toes to change the status of the state for good.
Ikpeazu said this during a thanksgiving service held in his honour at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Eastern Union Conference Headquarters in Aba.
He, however, enjoined persons whose “legs are on the way to remove them before his arrival, in other not to have their toes stepped on”.
“I want God to make Abians to understand that if you want to eat an omelette, you must be ready to crack eggs.
“I thank God that I am courageous enough to take these decisions. God being with me, I will serve Abia and the people of Nigeria with the fear of God.
“I will also take decisions that may not be very palatable but will let the guiding principle be, “Is it in the best interest of the greater majority of our people?’’ The governor noted that it was time to turn things in the state around, adding that it would no longer be business as usual.
“We have travelled so long on the wrong path, probably by events not caused by governments but caused by our people.
“This is the time to turn around because this is not going to be business as usual. “We must change the way we think, the way we do things, the way we build our houses, we must have respect for our neighbours; in doing so, we will be more responsible,” he said.
Ikpeazu said that he came to the thanksgiving service to present his plans and programmes before God, so that He could touch Abians to take necessary steps to turn the state around. He said he would report for duty in Aba on Monday and visit Umuahia on Tuesday, adding that he would take time to inspect roads in both places and in Arochukwu.
Dr Bassey Udoh, the President, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Eastern Nigerian Union Conference (ENUC), had earlier charged the governor to watch what he did in order not to displease God. Udoh, in his sermon titled “When God was Ready”, urged the governor to be wise, saying that he needed great wisdom to be safe in all he did.
“If God has given you money and you do not have the wisdom to manage it, you will soon die.
“If God has given you beauty and you do not have the wisdom to manage it, you will soon die.
“If God has given you a position and you do not have the wisdom to manage it, you will soon die, so be careful what you do,” he said.
Udoh added that God’s choice of an individual did not preclude such from mistakes, adding that the tendency to make mistakes should make God’s chosen ones to seek wisdom earnestly. The cleric took his reading from 1 Corinthians 1 : 25 – 29 and said that God’s choices were always different from man’s, adding that God’s foolishness beats man’s wisdom.
He urged the governor not to fear because God was with him and would fight his battles for him, with no one being able to overcome him. Bishop Nathan Kanu, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Aba, Ngwa-North, urged the governor to change the things that did not suit his plans for Abians. He called on all Abia people to join hands to make the governor successful, adding that God, who had called him, would sustain and help him.
While delivering his goodwill message, a notable Abia statesman, Elder Emmanuel Adaelu, noted that the task before the governor was onerous and urged all Abians should ensure that he succeeded.
(NAN)
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