Sponsored Outside View
By George Njoku
Let us give it to them that the remnants of the All Progressives Party (APC) still exist in Aba. Let us also point it out that it is the legitimate right of these remnants to vie for any elective seat, at least that is what democracy is all about. But what we can’t comprehend is why APC, despite its rejection as a result its total failure in governance at all level, should attempt to contest the oncoming bye election for the Aba North/Aba South federal constituency.
Does it mean that the party does not understand the stance of Umu-Aba that APC has failed them and indeed Nigerians? Are Nigerians not tired of APC and its abracadabra kind of governance? When would people in this party understand how hateful and resentful their presence at every stratum of governance in the country has become?
If Nigerians have rejected APC, waiting for its total annihilation come 2023, is it Aba residents (Umu Aba) that would give the party and its members an opportunity to continue their despicable onslaught on Nigerian political space? To translate their fumble, mist row, lack of capacity and insecurity to Aba? Take a look at the charade and falsehood they called their Primary for Aba North/Aba South bye election recently?
APC members in their usual manners of deceit and serial concoctions came up with a fabrication and claimed it was a primary. According to them, the party held its primary for the March 27, 2021 bye election for the Aba North/Aba South Federal constituency on March 9, 2021. Heehee, wait a minute! What did APC Take us for? Where did APC hold this primary that Aba residents and in fact other party faithful didn’t know? Was it held in Abuja or in Igbere or in somebody’s inner mind?
We concur with the position of a faction of the party which categorically state that no primary of APC for that constituency was held in Aba or anywhere in the Abia State. Hear this faction which calls itself Dominion Mandate Campaign Organisation as encapsulated in its terse press statement released on Tuesday March 8, 2021: “The Dominion Mandate Campaign Organisation wishes to thank party supporters of Aba North/South federal constituency for their turn up during the primary election yesterday (08/03/2021) which unfortunately did not hold.
“We apologise for any inconvenience and promise to make the new date available once officially stated. However, the attention of Dominion Mandate team has been drawn to a false information making the rounds on media conferring winner of the APC Aba North/South constituency primary election one Mr Mascot Uzor Kalu. We urge our supporters and the general public to disregard this information as it holds no authenticity.
“We have proof of calls that were made to Barr Bisi Idaomi (Chairman of the electoral committee) at precisely 4pm yesterday; we also have details and record of the meeting between delegates of Dr. Nwokeocha’s campaign team and the state chairman, Mr Donatus Nwankpa as at 5pm yesterday. Both officials (Barr. Bisi and Mr Donatus) claimed to be waiting for directive from the national body of the party, they confirmed that the election would likely be rescheduled, but assured that once they get directives from the national body, a meeting will be scheduled for both aspirants; Dr Nwokeocha Ogbonnaya Eze and Mr Mascot Uzor Kalu, thereafter, the primary election will be conducted.
“Dr Nwokeocha purchased his nomination form, went through screening and was certified to participate in the primary election. We insist that no primary election was conducted in Aba North/South constituency by the APC. While we wait for a new date to be communicated we encourage our supporters to remain calm”. Undeniably, the person this statement on behalf of the Dominion Mandate Campaign Organisation was its Media Director, Joy Egbes.
Now, having seen all this, the Abia Defenders of Democracy, hereby warns Aba residents not to gamble with this party whose members does not even trust. The Aba constituents should be wary of those that want to surreptitiously and criminally climber a non starter to the height of splendor without going through the democratically approved process.
A party that is characterized by “the more you look, the less you see” mumble jumble should certainly be wary of and discarded. Those that get your votes and disappear to some steel edifice in Igbere in Bende LGA, far away from Aba shouldn’t be taken to the bank, trusted and given the people’s mandate. Trust them to your peril. Hon Chimaobi Ebisike, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), “Nwa Aba” is it. He will deliver. Aba needs a man of vision to add to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s Midas Touch on the now burgeoning city.
Hon Ebisike has excelled in all human endeavours. His private life has been marked with Spartan and sparking livelihood. He does not live a life of denial; wouldn’t slumber in Abuja. There is enough comfort in Aba to slumber in. He will form a high-quality connect and in fact a workable synergy with Okezie Ikpeazu’s government and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to realise the Aba dream.
In all civilized nations of the world, a party like the APC, which is on the low level of performance shouldn’t be talking of vying for elections when it has failed to address a national issues such as insecurity, economy, nepotism. What APC should be thinking now is to surrender the people’s mandate having failed to deliver in all fronts. Is their so called ‘candidate’ coming to redeem Aba? No, he will not. Aba has been a city APC has abandoned since 2015 when the party came on board.
APC is not worth representing any constituency, not even a ward in this state, let alone Aba, a commercial nerve of the south east and South-south. Aba North and Aba South don’t need to return to Egypt. Hon Ebisike will offer effective representation, make quality laws for the good governance of this country and provide insightful oversight for projects and programmes of the federal government. Cast your votes for him.
Dr George Njoku is the President
Defenders of Democracy, Abia (DDA)Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
