The Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly and the PDP standard-bearer for Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency at the February 25 polls, Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji MNSE has fulfilled the cash promise he made to some women of Okwulaga Afaraukwu who graced the final match of the Ikuku Unity Cup (Okwulaga 2022) on January 2, 2023 at the Afara Technical School field, Okwulaga Afaraukwu.

While presenting the cash donation on behalf of the Speaker, the sponsor of the tournament and Chairman of Ohobo Okwulaga Afaraukwu Community, Chief Charles Offor (Ochikaribe 1) explained to the women that he had been mandated by Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji to do the presentation since he was unavoidably absent to do it himself.

The Ohobo Chairman thanked the Speaker for keeping to the promise he made to the women during the final of the tournament and described him as a reliable leader whose word is his bond. He reminded the women of how the Speaker had also earlier fulfilled his promise of an electric transformer to the people in December with the community enjoying the yuletide with light after three months of darkness due to their broken down transformer.

While further extolling the virtues of the Speaker, Ochikaribe applauded him for also fulfilling the cash pledge he had made to the women in November at their fund raiser for the construction of a “Corpers’ Lodge” in the community. He therefore urged the women to reciprocate the kind gesture by ensuring they canvass and vote for Ikuku Oma Abia, as he is fondly called, at the forthcoming elections.

On his part, the President General of Okwulaga, Chief Levi Ogbonna reiterated the virtues of the Speaker and urged the women to ensure the Soeaker is delivered at the polls.

On her part, a chieftain of the PDP in the community, Madam Love Ezebuiro thanked the women for always supporting the Speaker and implored them to ensure that their support translates to victory for him at the polls as a reward for his unwavering commitment to the welfare of the women in particular and the community in general.

In his own remarks, the President General of Afaraukwu, Chief Ugwumba Oriaku spoke highly of the Speaker and commended him for his untiring efforts in catering to the people’s needs whenever called upon, saying that such care and provisions even go beyond Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji’s immediate constituency. He therefore urged the women to ensure that all votes by them are for the Speaker and also get their husbands and children of voting age to do same.

On his part, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Chief Jude Chijioke Ndukwe  who also hails from the community (Ohobo Okwulaga) emphasised that issues  concerning women are of utmost importance to him because of the special roles they play in the development of society, saying this was part of the reason the Speaker sponsored and saw to the passage of the Female Persons Right to Inherit Properties Law in addition to several other empowerment programmes for the community. He further said that having been tested and trusted, the Speaker is the people’s best chance at having greater dividends of democracy from Abuja once elected into the Federal House of Representatives. He therefore urged the women to ensure they coĺlect their PVCs and use them to reward the Speaker for hus good deeds to them over the years.

In her response, the Chairperson of Okwulaga Development Union (Women Wing), Mrs Adaugo Melody Uche-Eluwa thanked Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji for always putting smiles on the face of women of the community as with other communities. She recalled his kind gestures to the women in particular and the community in general in the past including cash gifts, empowerment, transfofmers etc which she said have improved greatly the lives of the peopke. She promised to galvanise women of the community for the election and ensure that the Speaker wins it with a landslide.

The Vice Chairperson of Okwukaga Development Union (Women wing), Ugwudiya Geraldine Charles Ikeduwa led the women in prayers for the Speaker.