The youths of Abia State on Monday, issued what they termed a political red card to former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu.
The youths who are mainly of the Ngwa extraction marched round Aba with the picture of Orji Uzor-Kalu, who is currently the Senate Chief Whip.
The youths tagged Kalu whose younger brother, Mascot Uzor-Kalu got defeated by Hon. Chimaobi Ebisike of the PDP in Saturday’s Aba Federal Constituency by-election, “a problem to their political development.”
They said the victory of Ebisike over Mascot Uzor-Kalu of the APC is the final nail in the coffin of the Uzor-Kalu family who has practically dominated the political landscape of Aba over the years.
The member representing Isiala-Ngwa North in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe, said that they have reclaimed Aba for its indigenous owners.
He stressed that the victory of Ebisike on Saturday shows that people will never allow anyone who is not from Aba to represent Aba people at any level of election.
“We’ve come here today to say that we’ve reclaimed Aba for the indigenous people of Aba. Enough is enough.
“Not again that somebody who’s not from Aba will represent the people of Aba at any level.
“Everybody who is interested in contesting elections should go to his place and make himself available for his people.
“We’ve come to say no to one family business. Our people can no longer be taken for a ride.
“Orji Uzor-Kalu bringing out his brother is a collective insult to the people of Ngwa. It’s a red card to Orji Uzor-Kalu and his family today.
“He has done this before and he feels he can take our people for a ride. We’ve said no and we’re celebrating our victory today.”
We’ve come here today to say that we’ve reclaimed Aba for the indigenous people of Aba. Enough is enough.
“Not again that somebody who’s not from Aba will represent the people of Aba at any level. Everybody who is interested in contesting elections should go to his place and make himself available for his people. We’ve come to say no to one family business. Our people can no longer be taken for a ride. “Orji Uzor-Kalu bringing out his brother is a collective insult to the people of Ngwa. It’s a red card to Orji Uzor-Kalu and his family today. “He has done this before and he feels he can take our people for a ride. We’ve said no and we’re
celebrating our victory today.
Barrister Charles Esonu, a former PDP state Secretary in Abia State and former Aba North Local Government Chairman said their victorious march was meant to thank the Aba people.
“Over time there was protest vote against PDP in the state because of infrastructure decay.
“But today, Aba people have resolved to reciprocate the gesture and the hand of fellowship extended to them by the leader of the party in the person of Okezie Ikpeazu who took it upon himself to transform Aba.
“It is unprecedented and the only thing Aba people can do is to tell him thank you by voting PDP. Just few days ago, we recovered the House of Representatives mandate for Aba North and South which was held by APGA.
“As God would have it, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu is an Aba boy and he has showcased what I don’t know how to talk about..
“That is the more reason we had to organize this meeting today to say that APC in Abia should be buried. I am particular about APC because in APC, a family can decide to take charge of every affair.
“They would come from everywhere they would think it is business as usual and the Aba people have said No, we don’t need APC in Aba here.
“That is what we are doing here today, to bury APC and APGA and chase them away from this place.”
Also speaking, Special Assistant to Gov. Ikpeazu on Special Duties, Erondu Junior Erondu said the march was to send a strong message to former Governor Orji Uzor-Kalu.
“We are Abia youths as you can see. We have come to make a simple demand. To plead with Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu to present to Abia people, the papers, the award letters, the contract papers of the reconstruction of Aba roads as Orji claimed last week.
“With all the contract documentation for the reconstruction of Aba roads as issued by NDDC as he claimed. He told us last week that he would bring the papers when he gets to Abuja next week which is this week.
“We have come to demand and prevail on him to kindly make available this contract papers by NDDC and he entered into with NDDC. Failure to do that, he should tow the honorable part of tendering an unreserved apology to the government and people of Abia.
“And if he fails, we shall give him a run. We will not allow him to enter any part of Abia from Abia South to Central and North. A repeat of what you have seen today is going to be done in Umuahia by next week.
“We are going to shut down Umuahia. If he fails we will hit the streets of Abia North and declare him a persona non grata in Abia state. We are pleading with him to make available those contract papers.”
Indications so far appear that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is still keeping the South East as its stronghold what with its dominance of the area in both the main and bye-elections. When and how the APC will dislodge them remains a matter for conjecture.
