It is disheartening, if not surprising to watch those whose duty it is to speak up when things go wrong, but rather chose to remain nonchalant.
If not, how can one describe the mood of Abia State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ever since the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, on Thursday 5th December 2019, sentenced a serving Senator and ex-governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, to 12 years in Prison for N7.65 billion fraud.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu who until his incarceration, represents Abia North Senatorial district of Abia State at the upper chamber where he also doubles as the Senate Majority Chief Whip.
Ever since, the Abia North seat at the Senate has remain vacant, this is even as the people of the zone who are feeling the negative impact, have remain worried as to what become of them as well as many abandoned projects that is scattered all over the zone due to the recent court verdict.
One is thrown into a state of amnesia as to why Abia PDP has chosen to remain standoffish in this situation. It appears Abia PDP is enjoying the present state of affairs in Abia North, if not, they should have risen up to call for either a fresh election to take place in the zone, or for a concrete action to happen so that the zone will not remain isolated.
All thanks to Senator Mao Ohuabunwa who once represented the zone. It was he who took the bull by the horns barely a week ago to speak up on this matter.
In an interview with posse of newsmen in Umuahia, Senator Mao has challenged the people of Abia North to stand up and let their voice to be heard again as the people seems to have lost it in the scheme of things politically.
Senator Ohuabunwa’s anger, hinges on the fact that ever since he left the seat, things no longer go the way it suppose to be, regretting that even his numerous projects which he attracted while in office have all being abandoned and called for an urgent action from the zone.
In Abia North Senatorial districts, there are five local government that made up the zone, namely Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Umunneochi local government areas.
Between 1999 to 2003 Senator Ike Nwachukwu represented the zone, followed by Senator Uche Chukwumerije who was on the seat from 2003 to 2015. Senator Mao Ohuabunwa tenure began from 2015 to 2019 and the incumbent Senator is Chief Orji Uzor Kalu who took his seat since June 2019 till date.
The people of this zone must never be left out in the scheme of things in our political trajectories therefore, this is the time for Abia chapter of the People Democratic Party to speak out on this all important issue in order to give the zone a sense of belonging.
Kalu Chukwuemeka writes from Umunneochi LGA
