Former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who served from 2015 to 2023, has publicly highlighted his administration’s key accomplishments, emphasizing job creation, infrastructure development, and youth empowerment. Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Ikpeazu said his manifesto was modest and focused on realistic goals, and he urged that his tenure be judged by the parameters he set.
Among his notable achievements, Ikpeazu stated:
- Built two industries, creating employment for over 5,000 people
- Constructed over 220 roads across the state
- Built 650 classroom blocks to improve educational infrastructure
- Offered over 50 overseas scholarships to Abia youths
- Trained 30 shoemakers in China to boost vocational skills
He stressed that he never promised to fix all the state’s problems but aimed to move Abia to a better place. Ikpeazu also pointed to improvements in life expectancy and poverty indices during his tenure as indicators of progress.
His administration introduced initiatives like the Integrated Payroll Verification System (IPVS) to eliminate ghost workers, which helped increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue from N500 million to N1.5 billion within three months. Ikpeazu also launched the Aba Urban Renewal project aimed at transforming Aba into Nigeria’s Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) capital.
Security was a priority, with efforts to re-engineer the police and deploy community “Gatekeepers” to provide actionable intelligence, contributing to relative peace and stability in Abia State.
Supporters note that Ikpeazu’s legacy includes significant strides in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and local industry promotion, with some crediting him for laying the foundation for recent rapid developments in the state’s commercial hub, Aba.
Despite political challenges and defections affecting his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ikpeazu remains confident in the party’s strength and his administration’s impact on Abia’s growth and development.
