The question for Mazi Mao Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party is who has endorsed him since the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, Imo State quashed the fraudulent election that produced him as senator and asked for a re-run in the Abia North senatorial province. Nobody! But for a former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu of the Progressive Peoples’ Alliance, his leg is moving forward and his head is towards winning the Abia Senatorial re-run election. Ohuabunwa knew the weight that Kalu carries politically and he has been casting aspersion against Kalu for the purpose of sullying Kalu’s image. But the people are wiser now and cannot be dragged into the hate-politics of Ohuabunwa.
From east, west, north and south poles of Abia State, Kalu’s name resonates and is gathering momentum ahead of the election. The joyous aspect of it is that Kalu is a prophet who is recognised and loved from his home town, unlike some persons. Someone would attest to the truth that on January 23 2016, Kalu’s kinsmen and women swarmed the divides of Bende Local Government Area of Abia State to make open their love and support for their son – Kalu – ahead of the rerun. Kalu who hails from the ancient kingdom of Igbere in the Bende was hailed on that day by the likes of Mazi Paul Uche at the Onu Ibina Hall, Igbere.
Speaking, Uche said: “The forthcoming re-run election for Abia North senatorial district is a rare opportunity for us to correct the imbalance in our zone. Kalu has the skills and wherewithal to bring the desired change to the region. He would use his vast contacts and political clout to ensure quality representation which will lead to the execution of Federal Government and other projects across Arochukwu, Bende, Ohafia, Umunneochi and Isiukwuato local government areas. In the past eight years, our roads, hospitals and other social amenities have been abandoned because our representatives at the National Assembly have placed personal interests above the collective needs of the people. The time is now to bring on board a charismatic and experienced public servant in the person of Kalu to draw the attention of concerned authorities to the marginalisation of the region in terms of infrastructure. We call on youths, elders, students, artisans, traders, traditional rulers and chiefs, religious leaders, among others, to come out en masse to cast their votes for the people’s choice, Kalu, on the election day. We have undisputed confidence in the PPA candidate.”
A former Chairman of Bende Local Government Area, Benjamin Kalu, would always reaffirm how Kalu is committed to the works of humanity. Benjamin would say that Kalu exudes humane kindness which transcends the political circle, unlike Ohuabunwa who would prefer smearing campaign against Kalu rather than be issue-base. It is obvious that Kalu in the rerun has started sending fraudulent politicians packing.
For the forthcoming Abia North re-run election scheduled for March 5, the South East Revival Group (SERG) has also endorsed the candidacy of Kalu on January 26 2016. The Coordinator of SERG, Chief Willy Ezugwu would say that Kalu has demonstrated that he will go beyond the tokenism of constituency projects when he gets to the Senate since he had earlier demonstrated the power of ideas and capacity to mobilise the people for a common cause.
Hear Chief Ezugwu: “Kalu has wealth of experience that he has repeatedly placed at the disposal of the people whom he has served dedicatedly even in the face of persecution in some instances. He has in the past, successfully articulated a workable blueprint on how to industrialise not just the South-East but also the entire Nigeria. These are qualities the Senate desperately needs.”
As if that was not enough, on January 25 2016, Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, stood still for the indomitable Kalu. Kalu, kick-starting his campaign, not only people from his constituency, but also people from across Abia State, filed out on this day from the Abia Tower end of the Enugu-Port-Harcourt Expressway, to show their love for Kalu, reports have said.
Chuks Onuoha, a journalist reporting from Umuahia, wrote: “It was observed that from the Tower to Michael Okpara Square in Umuahia, admirers lined up on both sides of the road, waving and cheering Kalu endlessly as his convoy headed to Umuahia. This exhibition of love was said to have made him to, in his usual style, asked his convoy to stop for him to acknowledge the cheers of his admirers. An aide said Kalu had planned to quietly go to his country home to attend a stakeholders’ meeting. He changed his mind when he saw the crowd. At Okpara Square, the crowd was so uncontrollable that the former governor had to alight from his vehicle and had to walk with them while the people hailed him by his arrays of titles, such as “Mmiri riri enyi, Ozo Igbo Ndu, Ohicharanwa Ogbonye anya miri.” The uncontrollable crowd shouted and assured him that the mandate they gave him, which was stolen, would surely be given back to him this time around.”
The story goes further, saying that the Diaspora have thrown their weight behind Kalu. They have started returning home for Kalu. From Ozuitem to far Arochukwu the home-coming is a festival that has never been seen.
For the President of African Global Development for Drastic Change, AGDDC, Prince Dan Mbachi: “Kalu, we believe, will bring a change in the life of the people with his membership of the Senate. Orji Uzor Kalu is a man of integrity and he is hardworking. During his years as governor of Abia State, he was recognised as an action governor.”
However, like the SERG would say, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is urged not to allow a repeat of the electoral fraud which saw Ohuabunwa at the senate, and necessitated the rerun in the first place.
. Olanike writes from 12, St. Phillips Road, Umuahia.
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