The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State for the 2027 election, Dr. Kelechi Anosike, has declared that Abia State is not poor but poorly managed.
He insisted that with prudent leadership and people-oriented policies, it has sufficient resources to transform its people’s lives.
He also said the state has enough resources to ensure a holistic infrastructural development.
Anosike, who frowned at what he described as social media-driven and propaganda-based governance in the state under Governor Alex Otti, which he said is far removed from the realities on the ground, promised a comprehensive welfare-driven governance agenda designed to restore dignity to civil servants, guarantee social protection for pensioners, and reposition the public service as the engine room of government.
The PDP candidate pledged that one of the first major actions of his administration upon assuming office in May 2027 would be the implementation of the ₦90,000 national minimum wage for civil servants in Abia State.
According to him, workers deserve not only better salaries but also a comprehensive welfare package that addresses their healthcare, professional development, and overall wellbeing.
He said: “I am a welfarist by nature.
“I hate to see people suffer.
“As governor of Abia State, I shall implement the ₦90,000 National Minimum Wage for civil servants, backed by a strong welfare architecture that protects workers and restores dignity to public service.”
The governorship hopeful argued that the welfare of workers should never be treated as an afterthought, stressing that a government that neglects its workforce ultimately weakens its own capacity to deliver development.
Anosike said: “It is sad that what a Level 1 worker earns in Imo State is close to what a Level 9 officer earns in Abia State.
“This injustice must change.
“It is public knowledge that today, Ebonyi and Enugu States pay a minimum wage of about ₦85,000, while Imo State pays ₦104,000.
“We sympathise with Abia workers, but our promise to them is that we are here to change the narrative.
“That is why we are asking them not just to support us, but to partner with us in the project to reclaim Abia and restore dignity to the workforce.”
Anosike further disclosed that his administration would establish a comprehensive health insurance scheme for all civil servants under what he termed the Civil Service Care Programme.
He maintained that quality healthcare should not be the exclusive preserve of the wealthy but a fundamental right available to every worker who serves the state, as well as other citizens.
He stated: “Beyond salaries, we will introduce free health insurance for all civil servants under our Civil Service Care Programme because quality healthcare is a right, not a privilege.
“A healthy workforce is the foundation of a productive government.”
The PDP candidate lamented the economic realities confronting many workers, noting that rising healthcare costs have pushed numerous families into financial hardship.
According to him, his administration would remove that burden and ensure that public servants have access to quality medical care without fear of financial ruin.
Anosike challenged the narrative that Abia State lacks the financial capacity to fund ambitious welfare programmes.
Instead, he blamed what he described as poor management and misplaced priorities for the hardship of Abians.
He said: “Abia is not poor, but the state is currently being poorly managed.
“There are enough resources and funds within our state to pay workers fairly, clear pension obligations, and still invest massively in development.”
Anosike argued that good governance should not be measured merely by the number of projects commissioned but by the impact government policies have on the lives of ordinary people.
He said: “Our government will build infrastructure and also build lives.
“We will not build infrastructure at the expense of the people’s lives.
“Abians need to be alive to use the infrastructure.
“Our policy is simple: ‘People First.’”
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