BY EMEKA NWOKE JNR.
As the Nation heads into the 2023 General elections, one of the battle grounds that would elicit interest and tension in Abia state is the Ukwa Federal Constituency made up of Ukwa East and ukwa West Local Government Areas.
The year 2023 will be 16 years between 2007 – 2023, Hon Uzoma Abonta from Akwete in Ukwaeast Local Government Area of Abia state has been the occupant of the position having succeeded Hon. Maceabuy from Ukwawest who held the position for two tenure between 1999-2007.
There was an unwritten but gentlemen and brotherly agreement between the two local Government Areas that the position of the Federal House of Representatives should rotate between the two councils after every two tenure of eight years.
But the people of Ukwaeast are alleged to have betrayed this agreement with conspirators from Ukwawest who have supported an Ukwaeast man for their ulterior political ambitions. This gave Hon. Uzoma Abonta from Ukwaeast unfair opportunity and advantage over the people of ukwawest.
Unfortunately those who supported Hon.Uzoma Abonta for these years thinking it would be their turn come 2023 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were all defeated and disappointed in the last Party Primary Election where Chief Chris Nkwonta, a billionaire Oil Magnate from the same Akwete, Hon. Abonta’s home town in Ukwaeast Local Government Area of Abia state bulldozed his way and picked the PDP ticket for the ukwa federal constituency.
The people of Ukwa West were dealt a big political blow when their hopeful candidate Chief Sam Nwogu, a former NDDC Commissioner, two term Chairman of Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC) and the state immediate past commissioner for Environment was defeated after strong alleged promises from the state Governor but was betrayed at the eleventh hour.
Since then Ukwawest people have been politically devastated and all is not well with the PDP in ukwa federal constituency as majority of the people are against an Ukwaeast candidate especially from the same village with the present occupant emerging as the PDP candidate.
In fact a reliable source told our correspondent that even the present BOT chairman of the PDP and a former Senate President Chief Adolphus Wabara also from Ohambele in Ukwaeast is opposed to the ticket handed over to an Ukwa East candidate.
He was said to have publicly disowned Chief Chris Nkwonta and his ambition during the last Stakeholders meeting of Ukwa East Local Government Area of the PDP which held last month at the Destiny Villa, his residence.
He has refused to be pacified and openly told Chief Nkwonta that he bought the PDP ticket with his money but should be ready to face the people in the General election.
Wabara is said to insist that for equity and justice sake the position of Ukwa Federal Constituency should move to Ukwa West.
His insistence has thrown the party into confusion as he is the leader in Ukwa Federal Constituency and was said to have been sidelined by the state Governor and state Party Chairman in the choice of Nkwonta and it’s obvious that all his followers are already rooting for an opposition candidate in Ukwa West. He is said to have vowed to teach the PDP and their candidate Nkwonta a bitter lesson in the February 28 National Assembly Election.
Apart from the former Senate President Chief Adolphus Wabara majority of Ukwa people align with this opinion that the position of House Representatives for Ukwa land should move to Ukwa West.
Many are opposed to the candidacy of Chief Nkwonta who has contested for the Senate for three consecutive times for Abia South Senatorial zone and failed only to stoop for the House of Representatives to scuttle the zoning formula in ukwa land with his stupendous wealth.
In 2015 Nkwonta lost the PDP Senatorial ticket of the party to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and angrily joined the opposition in APGA where he picked their ticket and contested and failed.
He repeated again in 2019 in the same APGA and was again roundly beaten.
He became frustrated only to return to the PDP last January 31 2022 and be handed over the party ticket for the House of Representatives. Having fought the party in the past years during all the elections many are opposed to his candidacy.
Infact the people of Ukwa West are worse hit in this political arrangement because they have been reduced to political lackies and weaklings with no political value and strength to defend their territory. They are seen as used and dumped. Despite all their support for the PDP the party attaches no relevance to them.
For Hon kingsley Nwankpa from Ukwa West the option to all ukwa people is to write the wrongs by proving to the PDP that power belongs to the people.
He stated that the 2023 general election will shock many people as political party emblem will no longer be the criteria for the choice of candidates.
Nwankpa who is also a staunch member of the PDP stated that the party disappointed them and that for the House of Representatives he’s rooting for the candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP) Hon. Sylvanus Nwaji from Ukwawest local Government Area.
He stated that the people of Ukwa West are mobilising to make Nwaji their consensus candidate and urged the people of Ukwa West and Ukwa East to queue behind Hon Nwaji based on his pedigree, experience and political antecedents.
He stated that Nwaji’s records of achievements as an elected Local Government Chairman in 2007 has not been equalled even by those who have occupied other political positions.
He stated that Nwaji built functional health facilities across the local Government. He built markets sank numerous borholes across the local Government as well as the famous Umuenne primary school which he furnished and equipped with over N10m.
He said “my brother we are not playing party politics this time but we are talking about capacity to deliver for the people. Nwaji was the only chairman who engaged over ten aides from our brothers in Ukwa East while he was chairman in Ukwa West. He extended his leadership proficiency and sagacity to others and stakeholders from all Ukwa land can attest of his benevolence.
He said “we of Ukwa West from Asa have been challenged and it is time for us to prove our political prowess, integrity and character. No sane man from Asa can make the mistake of voting against an Ukwa West candidate ”
He said ” Asa people have been seen as political neophytes and it is time for us to prove people wrong. How can Uzoma Abonta from Akwete after eight years handover to his brother Chris Nkwonta also from Akwete that would be an insult to the sensibility of all ukwa people “
