As the agitation rages over which zone produces the next Governor of Abia State in 2023, President, Supreme Council of Ukwa Ngwa Youths, Comrade Dannie Ubani has said the demand by the Ukwa Ngwa people in Abia Central zone to succeed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is receiving overwhelming support from leaders of the Old Bende zone.
Ubani, who insists that the Ukwa Ngwa people in Abia Central zone should be supported in the interest of equity to succeed Ikpeazu to make up the 16 years done by the Old Bende through former Governors, Senators Orji Uzor Kalu and Theodore Orji between 1999 and 2015.
He disclosed that his group has been engaged in shuttle diplomacy consulting influential leaders of the Old Bende zone, stressing that the support for a governor of Ukwa Ngwa bloc in Abia Central zone has been overwhelming.
According to him, “his group has met and gotten support from the Member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency, Hon.Uko Nkole and other great political leaders of Abia North. In the days ahead, you will see us going to leaders like Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, and emerging leaders like Hon. Mascot Uzor Kalu, Hon. Alex Ikwechegh, Hon. Chima Anyaso and people who have influence. We have been appealing to their sense of justice and fair play with overwhelming support.
“If there is any geopolitical zone or group in Abia state, that has a more indisputable, justifiable and justiciable claim to the governorship position of the state in 2023, it is the Ukwa Ngwa people. Why do I say this? There are two political zones that make up Abia State; the Old Bende zone and Old Aba zone. Old Bende zone did 16 uninterrupted years as governor. The first governor between 1999 and 2007 was Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. At the expiration of his mandate, he handed over to his brother from the Abia Central side of Old Bende zone, Senator Theodore Orji and when his tenure was about to expire, his conscience pricked him and he supported another Abia governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu from Abia South zone which is an integral part of Old Aba zone. We are about concluding 8 years, at the expiration of 8 years, justice and equity demand that we should be given another opportunity to leverage on the same duration that our brothers from Old Bende have had. Now that Ikpeazu comes from Abia South of Ukwa Ngwa zone, we demand and plead that the conscience of our brothers from Old Bende should concede as a matter of fairness and equity that the Ukwa Ngwa people in Abia Central should have another 8 years in power. After that power will naturally move to the Old Bende zone with the full support of the Ukwa Ngwa people.
“2023 holds much meaning and significance to the people of Ukwa Ngwa in the Old Aba zone and most importantly to my generation. We are engaging in shuttle diplomacy; trying to awaken the sense of justice, fairness, equity and fair play in our brothers from the Old Bende extraction into realizing that what is good for the goose is also goose for the gander. We are extending hands of friendship and cooperation to them, making them see the need to support the emergence of another Abia Governor from the Ukwa Ngwa extraction in 2023. We are not telling them what they don’t know, but we are only rekindling what they already know. Our mission is that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.”
On the agitation by the Abia North zone that is their turn to produce the next governor, having been out of power for 16 years since 2007; Ubani who is a former Commissioner for Youth Development in the state , explained that the Ukwa Ngwa people were also patient and supportive during the 16 year -period their Old Bende brothers held power.
“Ukwa /Ngwa people were out of power for 16 years and we didn’t pull down the roof, we were patient, supportive and loyal. Natural justice supports the demands of the Ukwa Ngwa people. We are reaching out to our Abia North brothers to support us achieve what is just and fair. No one section of the state can produce the governor without the support and alliances of the zones. We are not asking for the governorship of Abia state for our exclusive welfare, but for all Abia people.
“After all, Ikpeazu’s policies and actions have been more beneficial to the Old Bende than the Ukwa Ngwa. Our message is; reciprocate our support for you. We have the population, but it is expected that the governor must have widespread acceptability. We have gone far in consultations with many political leaders of the Abia North zone. We have been appealing to their sense of justice and fairness and the support is overwhelming. Our demand is that all the leading political parties should cede their governor tickets to Ukwa Ngwa zone. Any party that fails to cede its tickets to Ukwa Ngwa zone has lost the election.”
He alleged that Ikpeazu has done more for the Old Bende zone than his Ukwa Ngwa kinsmen in terms of political appointments and siting of projects.
“Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has been very much amenable to favouring the Old Bende people, both in the appointment and in sitting and completing projects up there than here in Ukwa Ngwa Land. For him, what concerns his people most shall be lastly treated. Tell me in any part of Ukwa Ngwa Land where you have a project as long and gargantuan as the Nkporo ring road that you have in Abia North? If not this Osisioma Flyover in Aba, what other thing of monumental acclaim has he done for us? Both in appointment and quality infrastructural delivery, Governor Ikpeazu has been more of a Governor of Old Bende extraction than Ukwa-Ngwa.
“But we’re telling him that it’s high time he started thinking about home because, in the next one and half years, he’ll not be the Governor again. He has built so many road infrastructures in Aba. But when you talk about Aba, you talk about Abia. Aba is the melting pot of Igbo land. When he builds Aba, he had not built Ukwa Ngwa Land. Let him go to Ukwa East and West, my home town of Isiala Ngwa South and his home LGA, Obingwa and do what Orji UzorKalu did for his own people of Bende. He shouldn’t always concentrate on pacifying and satisfying our Old Bende brothers at the expense of his own people.”
