FOR UKWA PEOPLE: An Appeal Timely To Forestall Had I Known
By pastor Dike NWANKWO
My brothers and sisters i bring you greetings as the General election draws closer.
If you can’t stand for something, you will obviously fall for anything.
Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s most influential President once said” Be with a leader when he is right, stay with him when he is still right, but leave him when he is wrong ”
The above assertion is what makes man rational, independent and egalitarian in nature. The power of free choice based on your experience informs your ability to equally defend such choices when they are made.
Again, same great American leader Abraham Lincoln said” You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry ”
Ladies and Gentlemen, brothers and sisters from Ukwa ethnic nationality I am persuaded to appeal to your beautiful conscience once again.
Borrowing a leaf from what Abraham Lincoln said, how do you stay with a leader who disregards you, has no plan for you and thinks less of you. The leadership of Abia state government under the PDP may have favoured some people in Abia but definitely not the Ukwa nation. And we are talking about 8 solid years of no inclusion in the scheme of things. This is minus the previous 8 years of Sen TA orji which was colossal and abysmal in every ramification. What it means is that our 16 years is wasted on the altar of party supremacy and individualistic interests.
NDE ASA use to say” ma ola diginma nika ari agbagaria nika ikpa”
The PDP government in Abia state has not been fair to our people and all of us know it.
Look at my brother in ASOPADEC with so much passion to deliver, but I tell you they have starved him of funds. The road he flagged off in Obehie is still like that,i know he is not happy but what can he do.you think he doesn’t want to asphalt the road? There is no money. I love him and he knows but the system care less about ukwa people. We just bear oil producing and others are harvesting the proceeds.
In the process of attending campaign visits to all the LGAs in Abia, I discovered the wickedness of the state against Ukwa people. Very serious. It is so annoying that some places in this same Abia state look like normal cities in urban centres. E.g Igbere, Arochukwu, Abiriba, ohafia etc.
You recall how hostilities started in the Niger Delta? In 1998 when youths across the federation gathered in Abuja for 1m march for Abacha must be President.
The people saw how Abuja was developed and the fact that it was oil money that was used,they got back infuriated and resorted to kidnapping expatriates before it snowballed into all manner of criminality.
Far be it that I am prescribing criminality for all the injustices meted on NDE ASA but we must think twice. Leave this selfish interest for once and think Ukwa. I say Ukwa because ndoki our sister clan is not left out. The empowerment appointment they give you as SA, commissioner etc is not what will develop Ukwa. Since 24 years you have been in corridors of power in Abia, what do you have to show for it. That is because there is no genuine intention to lift our people out of poverty.
THE CRUX OF THE MATTER
Please I want to beg of every young man in Ukwa to be objective and think progressively.
We have many political parties jostling to take over power in Abia. Please do not be carried away by okey is okay. Or any other narrative for that matter. It is primitive and smacks of insensitivity if you allow anyone barb your hair at your back.
I hereby bring to you our negotiated bargains for nde ASA Ukwa with the incoming Governor of Abia state under labour party Dr Alex Chioma otti OFR.
- He covenants with Ukwa people to Relocate the headquarters of ASOPADEC to ukwa west where the oil is produced. This he will do immediately he takes over with an Executive Order.
The implication therefore is that development will come faster as that will be the vehicle to drive the infrastructural gaps and needs of Ukwa people. When he came to ukwa and we made him traverse the length and breath of Ukwa,he was almost in tears as to the level of abandonment. And he asked me “pastor do you mean your people genuinely support this okezie ikpeazu government? He will change all that for us NDE Ukwa. Dr Alex OTTI is not one who makes promises to impress you, his word is his bond.
- In line with his policy of industrializing the state. He promised that OGWE Golden Chicken will be revitalized on a public private partnership (PPP) Where ASA Sons and daughters will own the shares of the company. This is what he means by wealth creation. Umunem imagine what Ukwa will be if OGWE Golden chicken comes on stream, your guess is as good as mine.
- He covenants to ensure pensions and Gratuities of our Fathers, mothers, elder brothers and sisters are paid. You will say this one is generic, Do you know the percentage of pensioners we have in Ukwa. Imagine each of them getting their gratuity that runs into millions, there will be excess liquidity to run and improve the economy of Ukwa because the power of demand and supply will be enhanced greatly.
- He covenants to build a wharf in ukwa East because it is few nautical miles to the Atlantic Ocean. This will help all importers from Aba and Onitsha to follow that route and create unimaginable opportunities for NDE Ukwa especially our own Ndoki where it will be cited.
- Abia Palm is a money minting company waiting to be harnessed. Everything will be done as he said to get the benefit of the full value chain of that investment. Remember all these will be powered by PPP arrangement which will carry the interest of the locals as uppermost.
- He equally promised to make the necessary contacts and ensure a modular refinery is established in OWAZA.
You’re free to have your doubts, disbelieve and critique etc.
I want to use this medium therefore to throw a challenge to every political party parading a governorship candidate on our different platforms to show us what they have covenanted with their flag bearers.
Please tell NDE Ukwa what your Governorship candidate said he will do for them, our campaign must be factual. Not ukwa is PDP and PDP is Ukwa. we want to hear something concrete so that we can compare notes and evaluate them.
Gone are the days of blind politicking and expressions of desperation and deceit, empty party bandwagon syndrome without tangible agreements.
NDE ASA hold me responsible if we win and these things are not done.
In conclusion, I want to believe that ukwa being so backward in development does not enjoy the luxury of trial and error at this time. Dr Alex Otti is a man who has been blessed already by God.
Oriwele eriwe before aba okonko.
He is not looking for money to build a house, I am aware there are not too many govt houses in Nigeria that are better than his House speaking in all modesty.
He is not looking for money to buy the choicest cars, all those are in abundance.
He is here just to change the story and that is why the system and those who want to maintain the status quo don’t want to hear his name.
They fear he will remove feeding bottle from their mouths.
Dr Alex otti promised Abians that, what they call Security vote,he doesn’t need it. Saying that the fund will be deployed and shared to Abians to do business/ Agric under cooperative societies. Putting words to action, By his instruction we have already started collecting names in our different wards. Come and write your name whether you are a member of labour party or not. Believe me its a new dawn for Abia state,be part of history and take Abia away from the buccaneers.
Vote Dr Alex Chioma OTTI OFR. You won’t see his name but L P and where they drew MAMA PAPA PIKIN. Kponkwem press it there,and go and arrange your inauguration uniform. It must happen.
God bless you
God bless Ala ASA
God bless Ukwa Nation
God bless Abia state
God bless Nigeria
