The Aba Ikpeazu met, and the Aba he left, by Enyinnaya Appolos

Before 2015, every honest resident of Aba — the commercial nerve centre and heartbeat of Ndigbo — could attest to one painful truth: the city was in a deplorable state of infrastructural decay.
Roads had collapsed, public spaces were neglected, and the urban landscape bore the scars of abandonment. Aba, once the pride of Eastern Nigeria, had become a tragic shadow of its former self.

The only somewhat passable route was the Aba–Owerri Road, stretching from Osisioma Junction along the Expressway to Aba Main Park. Yet even that road was riddled with potholes and unmotorable segments. A massive ditch in front of Ngwa High School stood out as a symbol of the city’s decline.

Ikot Ekpene Road, from Bata Junction to Waterside Bridge, was barely navigable. Beyond that—towards Ukaegbu and Opopo Junctions—the road was a disaster. From Opopo Junction through Ehere market, it became a no-go zone.

Faulks Road, from Brass Junction through Ama-Ikonne to Ariaria Market and on to the Expressway, had collapsed completely. MCC–Samek Road and Umuojima Road, which once linked Faulks Road to Old Express and Ariaria, had become impassable. So dire was the state of MCC–Old Express Road that previous administrations allowed traders to erect shops on portions of the road corridor.

Osusu Road had forgotten entirely. Omuma Road was a nightmare. Ama-Ogbonna and Eziukwu Roads were unrecognizable. Ngwa Road was forgotten. Port Harcourt Road was long abandoned.

Ehere, Ukaegbu, and Umuola Roads were also in terrible shape. At one point, plantain trees sprouted in the middle of Ehere Road, near the Presbyterian Church headquarters. Landlords and tenants alike vacated the area in search of more habitable neighborhoods.

Emelogu Road, from Opopo Junction to the Oji Uzo Bridge and down to Ngwa Road, which could have served as an alternate access route into town, was in even worse condition.

Even Enyimba International Stadium—was left to rot. The situation became so bad that Enyimba FC had to relocate their home games outside Abia State after the Nigeria Football Federation declared the stadium unfit for use.

To make matters worse, the infamous Osisioma Junction gridlock brought daily suffering to commuters. Motorists often spent hours stuck in a chokehold—a metaphor for the administrative inertia that had plagued the city for years.

In virtually every corner of Aba—Kamalu Road, Living Word Avenue, Umule Road (connecting Faulks to Tonimas through Ukwu-Achi), Milverton Road, Immaculate Road, and numerous streets around Ngwa Road—the narrative was the same: decay, frustration, and neglect. Even the relatively manageable Azikiwe Road cried out for urgent intervention.

This was the Aba that Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu inherited in 2015—a city suffocating under the weight of infrastructural failure.

Against this backdrop, he made a vow: to rebuild Abia from Aba. During his 2015 campaign, he promised not only to lead but to live in Aba. His idea was simple but powerful—leadership through presence and proximity. It was a symbolic and strategic gesture that reassured Aba residents of his sincerity.

By the time he left office in 2023, the transformation was undeniable. Most of the once-impassable roads had been reconstructed and commissioned. Only Port Harcourt Road and Omuma Road remained under construction at varying stages before the handover.

To tackle the chronic gridlock at Osisioma Junction, Ikpeazu built Abia State’s first-ever flyover—an engineering milestone that eased traffic along the Enugu–Aba–Port Harcourt Expressway. The flyover allowed uninterrupted travel for motorists heading to Rivers State, Umuahia, or Enugu. Aba-Owere road, from the flyover to Bata Junction was expanded and reconstructed.

He also prioritized accessibility to Ariaria International Market—one of West Africa’s largest commercial hubs. Faulks Road was dualized and rebuilt. Roads like MCC–Samek, Old Express, Umule, Umuojima, Umuehilegbu–Tonimas, Umuatako, and Living Word were constructed to provide multiple entry points into Ariaria, depending on where traders were coming from.

To link Ariaria to the Cemetery Market, Osusu Road and Eziukwu Road were rebuilt. Azikiwe Road was also reconstructed, improving traffic flow in the city.

Umuola, Ukaegbu, and Ehere Roads were among the roads he commissioned within his first 100 days in office. The stretch from Opopo Junction to Ehere Market was constructed. Nwa-Obasi Estate Road, connecting Ehere Road and Ehere Market, was also built. Emelogu from Opopo Road was rehabilitated. Ngwa Road was fixed. Immaculate Street, Kamalu Street, and Okigwe Road were all reconstructed.

The Waterside abattoir, which had become an eyesore defacing that section of the town, was relocated to a more suitable location.

To further ease access and decongest traffic for commuters traveling to Akwa Ibom via Imo State, Ikpeazu built the Umuene–Obikabia Road, linking Obikabia Junction in Ogbor Hill to Umuikaa Junction along the expressway. He also dualized Ururuka Road, creating a strategic link from Ogbor Hill to Umuobiakwa.

One of the crown jewels of his infrastructural legacy was the transformation of Enyimba International Stadium. Once abandoned and unusable, the stadium was rebuilt into a world-class facility with a synthetic pitch that now hosts CAF and NFF matches—even at night. Enyimba FC returned home to the revitalized “Elephant Park.”

Dr. Ikpeazu accomplished all of this despite operating with one of the lowest federal allocations among Nigerian states. His tenure was marked by financial limitations, yet he prioritized infrastructural renewal in a way that changed the face of Aba.

Anyone who knew the Aba of 2015 and saw it again in 2023 can testify that a governor came to work—and worked. The difference was clear, visible, and verifiable. Ikpeazu’s peaceful nature also reflected in the overall mood of the state, as previously rampant cases of insecurity became a thing of the past. Under Ikpeazu, Abia was one of the safest states in Nigeria. Traders and residents of Aba consistently commended him for ensuring the security of lives and property.

Yes, people are entitled to their political opinions. They may choose to rewrite history for the sake of convenience or political survival. But facts don’t lie. Comments are free, but facts are sacred.

Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu did not claim to fix everything. He never promised to. But he came, he saw, and he made indelible marks on the soul of Aba. He has since moved on, living quietly as a private citizen and former governor. If not for political vendetta and witch-hunts, why would anyone think of stressing him? Yes, he remains a major factor in the politics of the state, but he will never contest for the governorship again. Isn’t it only fair that he is allowed to concentrate on other aspects of life?

Instead of wasting state resources to sponsor blackmail and engage in campaigns of calumny against him, let those who succeeded him build upon what he started and the solid foundation he has already laid. Had previous administrations done even half of what he achieved, the story of Aba—and Abia State—would be very different today.

My name is Enyinnaya Appolos.