In a letter signed by the union’s chairman, Planning Committee, Mr. Sam Obin­na Ibe and obtained by The AUTHORITY, NUJ said the award became necessary fol­lowing Sen. Orji’s insistence that Abia Charter of Equity must take precedence over personal gains towards the build up to the 2015 guber­natorial election in the face of pressure and contrived cri­sis even when that decision could have cost him his life.

According to NUJ, the award which will take place tomorrow, Friday, Septem­ber 30th, 2016, at the Aguiyi Ironsi Conference Centre, Umuahia, by 12 noon, is also in recognition of the unprec­edented achievements of Sen. Orji while he held sway as Abia State governor add­ing that the world over, only unique leaders leave positive legacies for which they are re­membered.
“You are one of such lead­ers. While you held sway as the helmsman of Abia, you left positive, life-impacting achievements with regard to your programmes, policies and projects. Many buildings, roads and empowerment programmes stand to your credit till today.

“But what we may term your greatest achievements is the enthronement of Equity in the Abia political system. For sure, this equity is es­poused in the Abia charter of Equity, a revered document produced by the founding fathers of Abia to give every section a genuine sense of be­longing.

“However, every leader hitherto paid lip service to the document. Even the House of Assembly has not mustered the will to make it a law but by your sheer strong will, political sagacity, far-sight­edness and fair-mindedness you moved, against all odds, to ensure the implementation of the much mouthed Abia Charter of Equity by your insistence that power should rotate to the Abia South Sen­atorial Zone.

“You believed in it, con­vinced your party to go with you and actualized it as the governorship ticket was zoned to Abia South and a governor of Ukwa/Ngwa ex­traction eventually emerged; the first time ever in history.

“With benefit of hindsight, Abians have seen that the protracted legal battles which have trailed the Abia gover­norship election, but for your unrelenting effort, Abia south would have unjustly and bra­zenly denied the governor­ship slot.

“How many lions would a hunter kill before he is hailed as a hero? Equity makes for peace which facilitates de­velopment and brings about unity, engenders love and fos­ters patriotism. All these you have bequeathed to Abia.

“For being resolute and genuine in your belief and conviction that power should rotate among the three sena­torial zones and realizing it, you will forever remain our Hero of Equity in Abia,” the letter read.