2023 State Assembly elections: Abia Group insists on existing rotation arrangements, warns fifth columnists, sponsors

By Chijindu Emeruwa, Abia.

A pro-democracy group in Abia State, Youths For Justice and Equity Alliance (YFJEA), on Wednesday, says, its attention has been drawn to a statement in some sections of social media platforms, wherein the faceless writer attempted to give selfish and idiotic coloration to the recent proclamation by people of Ndume Otsuka Ibeku in Umuahia North Local government area of Abia State on the zoning arrangement propagated by political fathers in respect to the exalted seat of Umuahia East state Constituency seat in Abia House of Assembly.

Recall that the people of Ndume Otsuka Ibeku extraction in Umuahia North area of Abia state, the hometown of Nigeria ex-First Military Head of State, Late Major General Thompson Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, had on 26th February 2022, reechoed the call for power shift to Ndume Otsuka extraction of the state.

They made this known during an enlarged meeting held at Umuohu Okpula Town hall on Saturday, insisted that the peaceful arrangement propagated by political fathers of Umuahia East state Constituency must be sustained, calling on the constituents of the area to toe the line of peace and support Ndume extraction for the State House of Assembly seat in the upcoming 2023 election in Abia state.

The people of Ndume Otsuka Ibeku bloc, who spoke under the aegis of “DEFEND NDUME MANDATE 2023” during the enlarged meeting well-attended by the twelve communities that formed Ndume Otsuka Ibeku in Umuahia East state Constituency, which contained in a communique issued to newsmen in Umuahia on Tuesday.

According to them, “Umuahia East State Constituency since 1999 adopted an unwritten principle of equity to let the house of Assembly seat go round the four wards: Ibeku East 1, Ibeku East 2, Ndume and Ibeku west. As a sequel to this rotation principle, in 1999, Hon. Dan Egbeogu of blessed memory represented the Ibeku Eastward 1 and relinquished the office in 2003.

“In 2003, Rt Hon. Chidiebere Nwoko represented Ibeku East 2 and relinquished the office in 2015. In 2015, Ibeku East again ascended the seat through Hon. Chukwudi Apugo who is the incumbent House member till 2023”.

They declared and posited that it would amount to disservice should Ndume extraction be denied their inalienable rights or opportunity to produce the next Member of Abia House of Assembly in the forthcoming election.

The indigenous people of Ndume Otsuka Ibeku also unanimously adopted Sir INNOCENT NWACHUKWU to represent them in Umuahia East Constituency in the State House of Assembly come 2023, hinging their position on the fact that he has the capacity, sagacity, finance, reach, maturity, vision, political will and carriage to change the narrative in Ndume in particular and Umuahia East in general.

However, the Youths For Justice and Equity Alliance (YFJEA), in a release jointly signed by its President, Comrade Chukwuemeka Ugele and Publicity Secretary, Ejikeme Aghale, and issued to journalists in Umuahia, on Wednesday, dismissed the malicious statement aimed at instigating division and disaffections among peace-loving people of Ndume Otsuka Ibeku, reminding fifth columnists and their sponsors that the overwhelming endorsement of Sir Innocent Chimezie Nwachukwu (onwa), for the seat of Umuahia East state Constituency of Abia state House of Assembly for the coming 2023 general election, was collective resolution and true wishes of the twelve villages that formed Ndume, as no section of Ndume clan was sidelined during the enlarged meeting.

The Abia group also berated the claim as contained in the tendencious statements posted in social media handles, wherein the writer and paymasters alleged that the landmark endorsement of Sir INNOCENT CHIMEZIE NWACHUKWU by great people of Ndume Otsuka Ibeku Ancient clan for the seat of Umuahia East state constituency of Abia State House of Assembly for the coming 2023 general elections was coordinated and held at the latter’s residence in Umuohu-Okpula Ndume Ibeku, reminding the fifth columnists also, that facts are already on ground-coupled pictorial evidence, that the meritorious endorsement of Nwachukwu at the well-attended meeting was convened at Umuohu Okpula Ndume Townhall, and not the aspirant’s residence as the shameless and devious writer and failed sponsors wants the world to believe.

According to the YFJEA, “the world can now see that their unsubstantiated claims as contained in thar trash, called statement, do not and can never hold water. The good people of Ndume Ibeku have spoken affirmatively in one voice, and we are committed to the pursuit and actualization of the 2023 project in the interest of peace, justice equity, and fairness. The writer and sponsors have failed woefully in selling the dummy and have commissioned themselves for the cheap campaign of calumny, blackmail, and character assassination to score cheap and selfish political points.

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“Our demand and proclamation regarding the seat of Umuahia East state Constituency in Abia State House of Assembly are shrouded on equity, and we say and vow that we shall pursue this collective project with utmost commitment, devoid of rancor, bitterness, and disunity. It is the right and turn of Ndume ukwu to take the shot in the State legislative arm. Ndume clan had supported others to occupy the revered seat, some had successfully occupied the seat of Umuahia East state Constituency at the State House of Assembly for eights years and above without interruption or distractions. We produce bulk votes more than any other electoral in Umuahia East Constituency. And we will replicate that in the coming 2023 general elections towards ensuring the emergence of Sir Innocent Nwachukwu as the next lawmaker/member of the eighth Abia House of Assembly. And no amount of propaganda and cheap blackmail will deter us from realizing the Ndume Mandate come 2023”.

The youth umbrella body equally reminded the fifth columnists and unscrupulous sponsors that signatory to the communique were men and women of impeccable characters that had distinguished themselves in many capacities in community development, as they would not descend too low to embark on a venture that is not beneficial to the yearnings and genuine desire for an economically and Infrastructurally stable Umuahia East Constituency.

Continuing, the youth organization also reiterated its unflinching support on the proclamations by the people of Ndume Ibeku as contained in the communique issued at end of their enlarged meeting, reaffirming its implicit confidence in the capacity, ability, competence, and vast experiences of Sir Innocent Chimezie Nwachukwu (onwa) in providing effective and responsive representation if allowed to become a member of eighth Abia State House of Assembly.

“We have confidence that he will attract meaningful and basic socio-economic and Infrastructural amenities if supported to emerge as next lawmaker to represent Umuahia East state Constituency. He has been tested and trusted and has initiated many philanthropic gestures that had immensely added value to many lives that come across him as a private sector businessman. It is obvious and undoubtedly that he had equally distinguished himself in fostering community development which endeared the great people of Ndume Otsuka Ibeku extraction to call on him to contest the seat of Umuahia East state Constituency at Abia Assembly.

The Youths For Justice and Equity Alliance, further noted that in as much as eligible Nigerian citizens have constitutional right to vie for political office of his or their choice, other contestants irrespective of political leanings for the Seat of Umuahia East Constituency of Abia House of Assembly must show a high sense of civility and maturity to ensure credible and acceptable election in 2023 in Ndume clan and Umuahia East at large.

The group also used the medium to call on major political parties, particularly the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia state to zone the Umuahia East Constituency seat ticket for Abia House of Assembly, to Ndume Otsuka Ibeku bloc, warning that anything contrary to that, shall be resisted with every arsenal in our disposal.

The Youths For Justice and Equity Alliance further cautioned the fifth columnists and their disgruntled paymasters to desist from fanning embers of discord, as such undemocratic actions, like this latest malicious and envious vituperation called write up, is unhealthy on our unanimous (Ndume) quest and resolve to produce next Member, for the Umuahia East Constituency seat of Abia House of Assembly in the upcoming 2023 general elections in the state and many parts of the Nigeria federation.