2027 Abia Guber: Government With Human Face Must Respect LG, Judiciary, Legislature Autonomy — Okpara

A government that truly claims to have a human face must not play politics with the constitutional financial autonomy of Local Governments, the legislature, and the judiciary. Across Nigeria, including Abia State, concerns have continued to trail the reluctance of some administrations to fully implement autonomy for these critical arms and tiers of government, despite repeated public demands and constitutional provisions aimed at deepening democracy and grassroots development.

It was against this backdrop that a governorship aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Barr. James C. Kwubiri Okpara, pledged to uphold the independence and financial autonomy of Local Government councils, the legislature, and the judiciary if elected governor of Abia State in 2027.
Officially declaring his governorship ambition on May 18, 2026, Barr. Okpara unveiled what he described as a “Government with a Human Face,” anchored on human infrastructure, social welfare, accountability, and citizen-friendly governance.

The PDP chieftain said his administration would prioritize workers’ welfare through improved salaries and better conditions of service without imposing excessive taxation on residents. He further assured workers of prompt payment of salaries, pensions, and gratuities, alongside guaranteed job security for civil servants.

In a move aimed at tackling unemployment and poverty, Okpara promised to create no fewer than 25,000 jobs annually across various sectors of the state economy.

On housing, the governorship hopeful pledged to bridge the accommodation deficit through the construction of 10,000 affordable and eco-friendly housing units within his first two years in office. According to him, the estates would be equipped with modern infrastructure such as good roads, potable water, electricity, schools, shopping malls, recreational centres, and adequate security.

Speaking on water supply, Barr. Okpara lamented the lack of public pipe-borne water in many communities across Abia, insisting that access to clean and safe water remains a fundamental human right. He vowed to restore regular water supply throughout the state.

In the healthcare sector, he promised free medical services for pregnant women, children, pensioners, and the elderly, while pledging to equip hospitals and health centres to meet global standards.

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On education, the PDP governorship aspirant proposed free education from primary to secondary school level. He also promised the renovation of dilapidated schools, recruitment of additional teachers, scholarships for students, and special salary structures for teachers, alongside regular training and retraining programmes for educators.

Addressing security concerns, Okpara disclosed plans to recruit at least 3,000 additional operatives into the Abia State Vigilante Service, popularly known as Bakassi Boys, to strengthen the fight against crime and criminality across the state.
In the agricultural sector, he pledged to allocate 10 percent of the state’s annual budget to agriculture while supporting farmers with free fertilizers, improved seedlings, and subsidized mechanized farming equipment.

Barr. Okpara also promised massive road construction and rehabilitation projects, especially rural roads linking farming communities to markets, in addition to introducing an affordable mass transit system across the state.

Describing electricity as the “lifeblood of any state,” the PDP aspirant assured residents of improved and affordable power supply all year round.

He further vowed to abolish the controversial security vote system, arguing that it lacks constitutional backing and accountability mechanisms.

He condemned what he described as undue interference by the state government in the affairs of Local Government councils, insisting that the financial autonomy granted to the third tier of government must be fully respected to drive meaningful development at the grassroots.

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On economic development, Okpara promised to create an enabling business environment through tax reductions, incentives, and rebates for investors and entrepreneurs. He also pledged to prioritize indigenous contractors and companies in the execution of government projects.

The governorship hopeful added that his administration would block financial leakages, reduce the cost of governance, and ensure prudent management of public resources.

He equally pledged to pursue major infrastructure projects, including the realization of an airport and seaport in Abia State, describing them as critical to unlocking the state’s economic potential.

Barr. Okpara maintained that integrity, accountability, fairness, justice, equity, and sustainable development would remain the guiding principles of his administration if elected governor.

He also reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP leadership under the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, and the Interim National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki SAN.

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