New Governor doesn’t want to be called ‘Excellency’, bans congratulatory ads

The newly sworn in Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has dropped the title of “His Excellency”.

This was disclosed on Friday, June 5, 2015, via a press statement released by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Godwin Adindu.

It reads:

“The Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has formally directed that the appellations; His Excellency and Executive , be dropped in all official and informal communication with him. He would rather prefer to be addressed simply as Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor of Abia State.”

“The Governor wants all public communication to be concentrated on the work and policies of the state and not on the person of the Governor and has therefore directed all contractors, political groups, individuals and party loyalists not to put his portrait on billboards, posters and signages but to only use the pictures of ongoing projects in their billboards and posters.”

“The Governor has also directed the general public to remove all congratulatory posters and election billboards littering the environment as these public posters are defacing the environment of the state.”

“He has further charged the people of the State to be partners with Government in ensuring a healthy and beautiful environment. He is also, by this directive, re-assuring the good people of Abia State of his mission of service to the people and therefore urged the citizenry to key into the new vision.”

Similar steps have also been taken by the Governors of Kaduna and Bauchi who slashed their salaries by 50 per cent as a sign of commitment to the growth of their states.