A media war has erupted in Abia State over where the successor of Okezie Ikpeazu, the incumbent governor should come from. The media war, which was sparked by an online post made by a veteran journalist, Prince Clinton Uba, has continued to rage, four days after it was made.
Uba, a former Chief Press Secretary to the former Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Barr Martins Azubuike, had last week, described politicians of old Bende political bloc as “Fulanis of Abia State” , regretting that old Bende has produced 10 Governors, seven ministers, as well as other top appointees.
Uba, in the Facebook post, said he was reacting to a claim by the Head of Department, Mass Communication of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Dr Uwaoma Uche who claimed that power should return to old Bende bloc, when Ikpeazu, an Ngwa man finishes his second term in office.
Dr Uwaoma Uche, also a journalist, according to Uba, cited a written document by the founding fathers of Abia State in supporting his claim on why power should return to old Bende.
However, the post by Uba electrified the political space in the state, the atmosphere became charged, as powerful politicians, drawn from the Ngwa axis and their counterparts from old Bende axis threw verbal jabs at one another.
While Evangelist John Ekekwe Egu (Otimkpu Jesus), a top politician and activist from Bende and other stakeholders condemned the “Fulani” tag, Clinton Uba, received a wide support base from his people of Ukwa /Ngwa extraction who saw nothing bad in the write up, believing that every zone is free to contest the 2023 governorship polls, including the Ngwas.
However, Uba later explained his reason for the choice of “Fulani”, saying it was not a deliberate attempt to insult any clan but only used to draw a political illustration. Also speaking to News Echo reporter on Sunday, Prince Uba added ” Dr Uwaoma Uche claimed that there was a written document where it was clearly stated that power should go to a certain place in 2023. But up till now, he has not been able to back the claims with any evidence. I still ask, where the document is and in what chapter was it written,” Uba further pointed out.
However, his explanations did not solve the problem as more interest groups have now used the opportunity to lunch their political relevance or to win the patronage of 2023 governorship aspirants from the State.
It would be recalled that Abia Advisory council, led by Dr Anagha Ezeikpe, while responding reacting to questions from Journalists on where power should go in 2023, evaded the question. The Advisory council members only urged Abians to pray for a sustained peace and development in the State. Abia State Advisory Council is the highest decision making body in the State and rather used the opportunity to advice the state government on various policies.
