NATIONAL NEWS
Nsulu Community, Land Owners Demand Removal Of Gov. Otti’s Chief Of Staff From Abia Airport Project Negotiations
UMUEZEUKWU- NSULU, Abia State – The Village Heads and landowners of Nsulu, the proposed site for Abia State’s new airport, reaffirmed their support for the project in an open letter delivered Saturday, but demanded the immediate removal of the Governor’s Chief of Staff,
Pastor Caleb Ajagba, and Pastor Okorugo Aji from the negotiation team. They allege the pair are undermining the process and creating unnecessary conflict.
The letter, signed by Engr. Ikechukwu Uche (Chairman, Umuezeukwu landowners), Mazi Gabriel Echozolam (Secretary, Umuezenta Nbawsi landowners), and Mazi Chimaobi Ohaka (PRO, Umuosu Nsulu landowners), accused Ajagba and Aji of violating agreements reached in meetings on January 3rd and 11th, 2025.
The landowners claimed that the government team, led by Ajagba, is deliberately disregarding previously agreed-upon terms and the role of their preferred negotiator, Dr. Max Nduaguibe.
“It’s against the tenets of peaceful resolution that our team…is now being undermined,” the letter states. The landowners point to the presence of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the State Commissioner of Police at the initial meetings as witnesses to the breached agreements.
The letter also claimed that Ajagba is using divide-and-rule tactics, misleading Governor Otti’s administration, and exploiting the airport project to advance his personal political ambitions, specifically his bid for the Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency seat in 2027.
They accuseđ him of involving unrelated individuals in the project, holding clandestine meetings in various villages, and launching a smear campaign against Dr. Nduaguibe, the landowners’ unanimously chosen negotiator.
The landowners argued that Ajagba’s actions jeopardise the project and instill distrust in the community, stating that as landowners, they should be at the forefront of perimeter surveys, which they say Ajagba is delegating to outsiders.
The open letter concludes with a request to Governor Otti to replace the Ajagba-led team with a neutral leader, preferably from outside Nsulu or Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, to ensure impartiality and prevent the 2027 elections from overshadowing the airport project.
Despite ongoing disagreements, the landowners reiterated their commitment to the airport’s construction.
The full text of the Open Letter to Governor Alex Otti is as follows:
Open letter to Abia state Governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti
His Excellency Sir,
A Clarion Call To Disband Pastor Caleb Ajagba And Pastor Okorugo Aji-led Abia Airport Negotiation Team
It is with great pleasure that we write to you and believing you will take your time to look into the merits of our letter and put appropriate action in place that will bring the desired peace and result to the Abia Airport Project
First, it is not true that Nsulu people are against the proposed Airport project in our land despite our reservations about the location of Airport project in Nsulu land.
We raised genuine concerns during our ONLY two meetings with your Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba to find out the reasons why the former site for the Airport, also within Nsulu territory was abandoned and a new site emerging from same Nsulu land.
We noted that, while the former land has little or no incumbrances, the later is deep into residential areas and ancestral homes. Sadly all these our enquires didn’t get a response from the government, further fueling our suspicion, which has all along not being helped by the infamous divide and rule game by the Chief of staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba.
It was in due cognisance of the institution involved, the Federal and Abia State government, that we held a meeting of the ELECTED VILLAGE HEADS of the Host Communities and Land Owners, took the decision within us to approach Dr. Max Nduaguibe, PhD, who is not just a land owner but a respected Elder statesman to lead and guide us in this Abia Airport journey located in our Communities.
His Excellency Sir, let it be on record again that ” WE ARE NOT AGAINST THIS PROJECT”. We have however identified the problem with the smooth implementation of issues raised and agreed by the Government Team, led by your Chief of staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba and Pastor Okorugo Aji.
Hence, we are miffed that both men are working against the agreement reached in our meetings at Umuezeukwu Nsulu, Isiala Ngwa North on January 3, 2025 and a follow up meeting at the office of the Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba on January 11, 2025.
It”s against the tenets of peaceful resolution that our team led by Dr. Max Nduaguibe agreed to work with the team led by the Chief of staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba in the presence of the Department of State Security ( DSS) and the State Commissioner for Police is being undermined by the government team, led by Pastor Ajagba. We consider this an affront to all the peace and orderliness established in both meetings and this is the ONLY REASON drawing us back.
Sir, we say it unequivocally that Pastor Caleb Ajagba is using the Airport project to empower and oil his political tool as rumours are rife that he is eyeing the State House of Assembly seat for Isiala Ngwa North state constituency in 2027. He has been engaging people that have no direct business with the project, Christianing them his Village Heads and Land Owners. The truth is; they are misleading your administration into unnecessary confrontation with rather peaceful host communities.
We also have it on good authority that Pastor Ajagba is working hard – in – glove with few of his foot soldiers from Nsulu to launch a ferocious media campaign on Dr. Max Nduaguibe led team, to create confusion, division and disaffection in Nsulu towards the Airport project. This goes to say that Pastor Ajagba and Aji are not good representatives of Abia state government in this project and we thus; REJECT THEM AND CALL FOR A FRESH GOVERNMENT TEAM.
We, the land owners are supposed to be in the forefront in tracing the perimeter area of the project, which will indicate our acceptability and willingness to usher – in this project but Pastor Ajagba and Aji prefers to use total strangers, while holding secret meetings in some villages like the ones held at Umuomaunta Women Hall and Ubaha Nsulu, neglecting our preferred TEAM
Finally, we are calling on His Excellency to use your good offices to select a new team, whose Leader must not be from Nsulu or Isiala Ngwa North, it will reduce the introduction of politices of 2027. We reaffirm our willingness not to truncate this noble gesture of the Federal Government, supported by Abia state government and endorsed by Nsulu people.
Engr. Ikechukwu Uche .
CHAIRMAN (Umuezeukwu )
Gabriel Echozolam .
SECRETARY
(Umuezenta Nbawsi)
Chimaobi Ohaka
PRO (Umuosu Nsulu)
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