Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has admonished Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to abandon his ambition to return to the Senate for a fifth term or risk outright rejection by the electorates in the 2023 general elections.
The Eagle Online recalls that Abaribe had in May withdrawn from the governorship race for Abia State in 2023.
The Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, who dumped the party for the All Progressives Grand Alliance, had then declared his intention to return to the Senate.
If he succeeds, it will make it his fifth term in the Senate.
Abaribe also resigned as the Minority Leader in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, citing illegality, impunity and hesitations in decision-making as reasons for dumping the PDP.
“This development is consequent upon the shameful display of illegality, impunity and undemocratic decision of the party and after due consultations with my constituents,” he added
On May 27, 2022, Senator Abaribe confirmed that he had joined the APGA to pursue his fifth term ambition to the Senate in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
However, Isiguzoro, who hails from Obingwa Local Government Area, which is in Abia South senatorial District, while speaking with journalists in Umuahia on Tuesday, ruled out Abaribe’s decision to return to the senate for a fifth term, regretted that the federal lawmaker has failed to justify the mandate entrusted to him by the people, especially towards enhancing their social welfare and complementing the positive efforts of well- meaning Abians to raise the bar in Infrastructure in Abia south senatorial zone.
He admitted that the constitution of the land bestowed on Abaribe the fundamental right to contest for the position of Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with unlimited term of office, but insisted that the Abia South Senatorial District representative has demonstrated complete loss of capacity and ability to continue in speaking for the people, hence the need Abia State electorates must reject the latter’s inordinate ambition to return to the Senate for a fifth term in the coming 2023 elections.
Isiguzoro further reminded Senator Abaribe that he was not the only person qualified to continually hold sway over the whole of Abia South Senatorial District at the Senate, as the area has men and women of proven integrity, capacity and competence who can through the presentation of motions, lawmaking and oversight functions interface and attract from relevant Ministries, departments and Agencies of the executive arm of government in building critical infrastructure to improve economic development and people’s welfare.
He said: “National Assembly, particularly the Senate, is not the birthright of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
“He has remained in the Senate for the past 16 years and has equally done his best.
“At this point in time, there is an important and urgent need for Abaribe to leave the political stage for other people with the needed and requisite capacity and expertises to speak and attract necessary federal presence or Infrastructures in Abia South.
“He has played his role in nation-building, and advancing the cause of Igbo nation for better developmental welfare packages and inclusion in governance, which are highly celebrated and appreciated by Ndigbo at home and in the diaspora
“I’ll advise him to jettison his ambition to seek fifth term in office and relinquish the Abia South Senatorial seat to someone with track records of performance in public or private sector because we, the people from Abia South, cannot afford to reelect or allow Senator Abaribe for fifth term.
“It will not help in our collective and positive efforts and desire to deepen democratic process in the country.
“As we approach electioneering year, we must change the narratives in representation of Abia South senatorial zone at the National Assembly.
“Abia South is not for one man in every electioneering year.”
Asked to assess the qualification of candidates of political parties jostling for Abia South Senatorial District seat election in 2023, Isiguzoro threw his weight behind the candidate of the PDP, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
He hinged his decision on the monumental developmental strides recorded by the state governor in the last seven years since assumption of office.
His words: “Ikpeazu’s administration has demonstrated uncommon leadership through the execution of completed infrastructural projects such as the establishment of Enyimba Economic city, massive road construction and rehabilitation across the 17 local government areas in Abia State, building of health care delivery centres, school blocks, promotion of Small and Medium Scale business enterprises, etc.
“I believe that Ikpeazu stands tall among the equal because he has track records of tremendous achievements and he remains undeterred to bequeathing present new generations and unborn, an infrastructurally and economically sound and stable Abia, where all Abia citizens and residents in Abia State have access to social amenities to enhance their welfares and development of our dear state after expiration of current tenure in May 29, 2023.
“I have total confidence that Ikpeazu when rally-rounded to emerge the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will replicate the same strides in Abia South Senatorial District.
“So, his laudable developmental strides which are on ground have already campaigned for him.
“He is fit for the plum job and possesses the wherewithal to speak for our people.”