By Chiamaka Chimezie
At a time when Abians are becoming increasingly discerning about governance and accountability, the message of transparency coming from the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Eric Opah, could not have been more timely.
On Monday, during the unveiling of his Deputy Governorship candidate, Dr. Godswill Agu Egbe, at the party Secretariat in Umuahia, Opah did not just present a running mate; he presented a governing philosophy. A philosophy anchored on truth, prudence and verifiable impact.
”We are coming to run a transparent government in Abia State. We will not claim 400 roads when we did not construct up to 20 roads,” Opah declared.
That single statement captures what has been missing in Abia’s governance conversation, honesty in reporting. For years, Abians have watched a cycle of inflated figures, media propaganda and projects that exist more on billboards than on the ground. Opah is promising a sharp break from that tradition.
What makes his pledge credible is his background. Chief Eric Opah is not a career politician seeking power for its sake. He is a businessman who understands due diligence, value for money and accountability. This was evident in how he chose his deputy. He did not pick Dr. Egbe by sentiment. He worked with him for two weeks to test compatibility, verified his business record with BUA, and consulted widely with party leaders. That is how a CEO hires, not how politicians usually trade tickets.
If Opah can apply that same level of scrutiny to choosing a deputy, Abians can trust him to apply it to contracts, budgets and appointments.
His economic message is also simple and people-centered: “We will work in honesty to use Abia money to work for Abia.”
In a state burdened by multiple taxation and a business community yearning for relief, his promise to review the tax regime and deploy a manifesto focused on changing Abia is a message that resonates from Ariaria to Ohafia.
Abia does not need a government that tells it how well it has performed; Abia needs a government whose performance the people can feel. Roads that can be counted, not exaggerated. Markets that work, hospitals that function, and a tax system that does not strangle businesses.
The choice of Dr. Godswill Agu Egbe, a man described as having both God’s will and the goodwill of the people, complements Opah’s corporate discipline with grassroots loyalty and total subordination to a shared vision.
Together, they are not just running to contest. As Opah rightly said, they are running to win, and more importantly, to govern differently.
In 2027, transparency will be on the ballot. And in Eric Opah, Abians may have found its clearest advocate.
Opah’s Transparency Pledge and Why Abia Needs It in 2027
