UMUAHIA- A CHIEFTAIN of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, in Abia state, Chief Ahmadi Nweke has explained that Governor Theodore Orji promised to cede the governorship of the state in 2015 to Ukwa/Ngwa people not to Abia South.
Nweke, a former governorship aspirant in the state further explained that the Governor specifically said that he would like to hand over to an Ngwa/Ukwa man or woman.
A heated argument has erupted among political watchers in the state over the issue. Some have said that Governor Orji had declared to cede power to Abia South while others have argued that he was very particular about Ukwa/Ngwa stock.
The argument became pertinent because there is a large population of Ngwa stock in Abia Central Senatorial zone. In fact, three Local Government Councils of Isialangwa North and South and Osisioma who are core, Ngwa stock are in Abia Central zone, while their brothers dominate Aba North and South; Obingwa and Ugwunagbo councils. The Ukwa people have two councils of Ukwa East and West.
So the argument is that if the Governor’s promise was to Abia South zone, the Ngwa people in the three Local Government Areas would be shut out of the race in the PDP.
But speaking to DailyPost, Nweke argued that there was no iota of ambiguity over where the Governor promised to cede power, insisting that he was specific on Ukwa/Ngwa people.
“Chief Theodore Ahamaefule Orji has honestly promised to cede the governorship to an Ukwa/Ngwa person. We have heard these promises before his time, but he is a man of his words and he is someone we have worked with very closely and we believe him when he made such a remark.
“His Excellency was very clear when he made this promise to hand over to an Ukwa/Ngwa person, if he wasn’t clear about it, he would have said ‘I am handing over to Abia South’. That is not what he said.
“He said, ‘I am handing over to an Ukwa/Ngwa man’. Ukwa/Ngwa has an area of benefit to all of Abia South and half of Abia Central senatorial zones.
“If you go with the issue of Abia South, then you leave out the major three Local Government Areas of Isialangwa North, Isialangwa South and Osisioma out of it, and they are the major part of Ukwa/Ngwa area.
“So the issue is not actually anything to do with the Senatorial zoning at all. It is to a people and the people referred to are the Ukwa/Ngwa people, who cover the Local Governments in Abia South and Isialangwa North, Isialangwa South and Osisioma”, Nweke explained.
Ahmadi Nweke
According to him, Ukwa/Ngwa people are very united politically, even as he tipped Senator Nkechi Nwaogu as one of the governorship aspirants that could do well if given the mandate.
“As it stands at the moment, you said that names are being touted, let us just said that we haven’t seen all of them yet. It is a contest, so more and more people will come out. But I am sure that when the time comes we will look at integrity, we will look at the kind of character who will not disappoint the state, and we will look at track records above all things. We will look at what the person promises and what he honestly can deliver.
“There are of course, as you said, people who have indicated interest, there are also those who have interest, but haven’t come out. There are people of course like Senator Nkechi Nwaogu who we know is doing a wonderful work in Abia Central, who knows, it might be an opportunity for the state to make it the first time in having an elected female Governor.
“The women folk have been fighting a just fight, saying that women should be represented more. It will do Abia, His Excellency, the Presidency and Nigeria a great good to see that one of the states actually represent the women. That is just a suggestion, I am not saying that that’s what is going to happen, but if it happens it is not wrong. But there are many people who are coming out and we will look at the situation at the right time”, he said.
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