Abia State Governor Quits PPA, Dissolves Cabinet

San Francisco, June 28, (THEWILL) – The friction between Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji and his godfather and former governor of the state, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu climaxed today with the resignation of the governor from the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), the platform on which he won the election　in 2007.

Reports from Abia State revealed that Theodore Orji tendered his letter of resignation today to his Ward Chairman in Umuahia North.

Also in a dramatic move, Orji fired majority of his commissioners with immediate effect.

In a state radio dissolution announcement today which was signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Donatus Okorie, only the Commissioners of Works and Housing, Justice, SSG, Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff were retained.

The announcement said all Special Advisers and Special Assistants were also affected by the sudden dissolution and ordered those affected to hand over to their respective permanent secretaries.

The governor is the second governor to dump the PPA, which was founded by Chief Orji Uzor Kalu. Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim was first to jump ship. He defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Theodore Orji and his followers in the PPA had threatened to leave the PPA enmasse for the All Nigeria Peoples Party, APGA, over Orji Kalu’s plan to field another candidate in place of Theodore in the 2011 governorship election.

The PPA national headquarters had summoned Theodore and his deputy, Chris Akomas over the government’s inability to pay teachers’ salaries and gave them a two months ultimatum to either live up to expectation or quit office. Only Akoma honoured the invitation, Theodore said he was ill and accused the party of witch hunting.

But the PPA national executive would not tolerate Theodore’s excuses. They ordered him to mend fences with party chieftains in the state who had earlier passed a vote of no confidence on him and also written a petition against him.

The move by Theodore has sure set the stage for a huge political fight for the 2011 general election.

THE PPA will be doomed if Governor Theodore Orji decamps with local government chairmen and key politicians in the state who can mobilize voters to the polls on election day.