Abia North: Showdown As Umunneochi Rejects OUK, Ohuabunwa

Ahead of Abia North senatorial election rerun, some top traditional rulers and various political party chieftains in Umunneochi have once again rejected the candidates of PPA, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and PDP contender, Mao Ohuabunwa following their previous stays in office that never benefitted their people.

The traditional rulers and Party chieftains in Umunneochi made this resolution known at a meeting in the local government ahead of the upcoming senatorial election rerun on March 5.

Adding, the people collectively pointed out that the Chief Executive Officer of Slok had over the years failed to recognize them as Abians, following his inability to manage power rightly, and to his exit that led the State into bondage under the Peoples Democratic Party’s government.

Describing his eight years administration disastrous, they furthered that Orji Kalu’s selfishness made it possible for an incompetent administrator like TA Orji to emerge as his successor under imposition as against the will of the people.

Earlier, the former governor and one of the top runners in the Abia North senatorial rerun, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu made an over-confidence speech of his victory, adding that he has been able to reach all the security agencies within the zone, especially the military which he boasted is under his control. 

According to sources from the meeting, the traditional rulers saw OUK’s statement as insulting when he said that some hired youths from the area will be working with him to deliver his mandate at the polls. As such, our source saw it that the two term governor of Abia indirectly tagged their youths as being thugs.

Meanwhile, the people went further to accuse Orji Uzor Kalu as being the one who spearheaded the move to rubbish their son, late Uche Chukwumerije’s legacy and good record alongside his successor, TA Orji while in office.

Furthermore, our source gave a hint of how the Army Chief in-charge of Ohafia Military Cantonment, Brig. Gen. Anthony L. Fajikwe paid him a visit in his Igbere hometown last Thursday at about 8pm.

Over what led to the Brigadier General’s visit, our source could not ascertain, but from Orji Uzor Kalu’s earlier claims of having the military under his control, one could sense his meanness to such statement.

Reacting, another rejected frontrunner and Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa urged the traditional rulers alongside Abia citizens to shun OUK’s cheap assertions claiming that he has more sophisticated approach to win the election whether the Abia North electorate votes him or not.

He added, that though the former governor may be making cheap and false statements to consolidate on his low support base, but he stressed that he is very much informed of how he intend rigging the upcoming election through malicious and fraudulent means.

In a race between three major contenders – Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu (PPA), Chief Dr. David Ogba-Onuoha Bourdex (APGA) and Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP), the election is expected to hold on March 5, 2016.

Upon their rejections, Bourdex stands tall among those shortlisted. “Our incoming governor, Dr. Alex Otti must have a Senator in Abuja from his own Party to work with. We are throwing our support behind Bourdex, not because he will work with the incoming governor of Abia, but because of his uncorrupt personality,” they said.