Aba Stakeholder Calls On Buhari To Sack Paul Ikonne From NALDA For Working Against APC

Ifeanyi Mgbeoji, Aba

Ahead of the Aba North/South Federal Constituency by-election, a stakeholder of Ariara International market; Africa’s largest leather shoe-making and open stall markets, Chief Innocent Madumere has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to relieve  the Executive Secretary of National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) Paul Ikonne of his job and replace with a more faithful Ngwa man.

This is even as he called Ikonne a greedy saboteur and a dishonest man who deserves no place in Buhari’s government.

The business mogul who made  the call on Saturday  evening during a call -in  radio program in Aba revealed with shock how an appointee of All Progressives Congress (APC) government would work against the same government that appointed him .

Recall that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  has fixed March 27th for the by-election of Aba North/South Federal Constituency following the demise of the former occupant of the seat, Hon. Ossy Prestige,  a member of All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA).

He said Ikonne has been meeting with the stakeholders pleading with them to support the People’s Democratic Party (PDP ) candidate,  instead of his own party , APC in the forthcoming Saturday election.

According to Madumere, “We were yet to find out the reasons he worked against  Uche Ogah during his governorship outing in the last election only for him to start plotting against Mascot Uzor Kalu in  the upcoming Saturday election.  In the two elections Buhari contested, he also worked against Buhari. He recorded no votes for the APC in his ward.

The president cannot keep such a chameleon in his government.  There are so many reliable Ngwa men that  can replace him  and do a good job.  He collected money  from the PDP  and he is begging us to support PDP candidate which we will never do.

Since Ikonne does not take part in party activities, he has no justification to remain in that position. Mr President should replace him the same way the former minister of trade and investment, Okechukwu Enelamah was relieved of his job for anti party activities. You cannot be in a party and work against the same party, ” Chief Madumere stated.

Speaking further amidst interruptions, he said; “Ikonne claims he  is supporting the PDP candidate because he is an Ngwa man, we want the president to sack him from NALDA  and replace him with an Abuja man so he can come and work in Ngwa. Ikonne is a very tribalistic and unreliable man that can never be trusted in anything. There are more reliable,  informed and loyal APC Chieftains from Ngwa who can do the needed job in NALDA.

Madumere who also said  that President  Buhari has done so much for Ariara Market including lighting up the market manufacturing activities with 9.5MW plant , noted that Ariara market stakeholders will officially write the President and APC National Party Chairman on Monday for their request on Ikonne.