Pensioners from the Concerned Abia State Pensioners organised a city-wide celebration in Umuahia, the state capital, to celebrate the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) defeat in the governorship election.
They described the PDP’s failure in the state’s governorship and National Assembly elections as God’s special way of punishing the umbrella party for allegedly causing grief to Abia’s pensioners.
The retirees, who were dressed all in white during their celebration march through the streets of Umuahia, said Dr Alex Otti’s victory on March 18 was an answer to prayer from God.
The retirees, who carried placards inscribed with various articles, claimed that the outgoing government of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu treated them like slaves by owing them more than 30 months of pensions.
This is despite the fact that they have accused the PDP-led governments of refusing to pay them gratuities for more than 20 years, adding that many retirees have died of hunger, sickness, or distress, or have been forced to relocate to villages by the landlords to whom they owed.
Apart from that, the pensioners claimed that the few months of pension they received were split in half, despite the state government announcing on the radio that they were paid in full.
They labelled former and current state finance commissioners as total failures from 2015 to the present.
Some of the pensioners, including Chief Benson Uwaka, Mrs. Obiageri Ahuoma, and Elder James Igbokwe, said God answered their prayers through the Labour Party’s victory.
Clanging bells and dancing, the retirees marched from Bende road to the NUJ press centre/Abia tower junction and Isi gate junction before arriving at Okpara square.
They sang Taa bu ubochi onu Hallelujah (Today is a joyful day, Hallelujah), PDP laa nke oma Labour Party nnoo (PDP goodbye, Labour Party welcome).
The pensioners expressed gratitude to Governor-elect Dr. Alex Otti for promising to pay their unpaid pensions, and they prayed to God to bless and protect the former banker.
