Today, I officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

You will recall that the election which returned me as your Senator was mischievously cancelled. The reason which the court adduced was that I was not duly and legitimately nominated as the PDP flag bearer for Anambra Central Senatorial election in 2015.

I also wish to let you know that a Federal High Court Abuja has Prior to this judgement upheld my candidacy in a suit filled by Chief Sylvester Okonkwo challenging the validity of my candidacy.

But then, even if I were not the valid candidate, the right thing for the court was to declare whosoever came second in the PDP Primaries as the authentic candidate and thereby replacing me as it is purely a party matter.

But the court which was FATHER CHRISTMAS granted Victor Umeh what he did not pray for, as his prayer was for the court to declare him winner of the election.

The court which has before it enough evidence that Umeh lost went ahead to nullify the election on the basis of what they called invalid primaries of the Anambra State PDP. A reason which is not strong enough to cancel the election in an appeal filled by APGA and Umeh as other political parties also contested in the election.

The questions remain,

i. How can invalid PDP primaries affect an election which other political parties participated in?

ii. Why should the invalid PDP primaries be a source of granting Umeh who took me to court the nullification of the election which other political parties (which did not go to court) participated in?

iii. Why was my own election the only one that was canceled when the same invalid PDP primaries produced other PDP Senators, Members of the House of Representatives as well as State Assembly Members?

My good people of Anambra Central, the outcome of what we witnessed was a conspiracy between some elements in PDP and the State Government who were panicking over what they referred to as my rising profile.

I am focused and my major concern is to bring back the dividends of democracy to my people. These I have done so far by

i. Being the first woman to be appointed the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream.

ii. Sponsoring, moving and leading many Bills and Motions on the floor of the Senate among which is the motion on FLOOD AND EROSION DISASTER IN AWKA, ISUANAOCHA, OBOSI AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN ANAMBRA CENTRAL.

iii. I also influenced and led the Senate Ad hoc Committee to Anambra State to see and have a first hand touch of what my people are experiencing.

iv. Partnering with the Federal Government to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products

v. Assisted Seven youths to gain employment in the Federal Service since I became a Senator six months ago.

vi. Among others quite numerous to mention here.

Even after these minor setbacks, I advised PDP to conduct primaries in other to produce a candidate who will fly the party’s flag in the oncoming repeat election, but since then, nothing meaningful has been done as they are busy creating more confusion in the party. A confusion which will lead the party nowhere.

My good people of Anambra Central Senatorial District; taking cognizance of these developments, I took time to make wide consultations and have decided to join the All Progressive Congress (APC).

We Ndigbo cannot continue to be relegated from the national bargain which we are co-owners. This is the time to join forces with the Federal Government to move our country forward.

I remain your amiable lawmaker, I remain your dogged Senator, I promise to give you a much better representation.

Accept the assurances of my best regards.

Thanks.

There was a mild drama at the Anambra Central Senatorial zone Election Petition Tribunal few days ago as two out of four witnesses brought by the All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate, Chief Victor Umeh testified in favour of Senator Uche Ekwunife.

Four witnesses brought by Chief Victor Umeh against Senator Uche Ekwunife (PDP-Anambra Central) testified over the March 28 senatorial poll.

They testified before the Justice Nayai Aganaba three-member tribunal after adopting their written statements on oath under cross examination by respondents’ counsel on Wednesday.

One of Chief Umeh' s witnesses and APGA’s collation agent for Idemili South Local Government Area, Mr Chijioke Agbayim, said that the election was peaceful in all the polling units in the area.

Agbayim however said that INEC collation officers created a barrier from allowing him to compare results being collated from forms EC8B to EC8C.

Also in his testimony, APGA’s constituency collation agent for the senatorial district, Mr Chikodi Anarah, maintained that the election was peacefully conducted at the polling units while results were l recorded in form EC8A1.

“However, other constituency collation agents and I were confined away from where the Returning Officer was entering results from forms EC8C1 to EC8D1,” he said.

Dr Pius Okoye, the Returning Officer for the senatorial election and a lecturer at the Department of Accountancy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, however maintained that Mrs. Uche Ekwunife won the polls.

“After collation of result, it was my duty to announce the final result. 

“I declared the result on March 30. I mistakenly wrote March 29 because collation started late on March 29 and ended early March 30. 

“I did not refuse any party agent from witnessing the transfer of results from forms EC8C1 to EC8D1.

“I collated all results from the seven Local Government Areas of the senatorial constituency and at the end, declared the PDP candidate, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife winner having obtained the highest number of votes cast.

“The figures collated were not fictitious,” Okoye, who said he was a Chartered Accountant, maintained.

He added that the election was free and fair, and was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act, 2010.

On his part, an Industrial Training Consultant and Computer Expert and Forensic analyst, Mr. Lawrence Ede, after his analysis, observed that he was not an expert in election matter.

The Forensic expert who was brought by APGA candidate further said his final computed figure was different from the declared result.

The witness also concurred that some mistakes made during computation rendered his report inaccurate, adding that PDP still won the poll by both his report and that declared by INEC.

Daily Sun reports that the tribunal adjourned the petition till July 30 when Umeh is expected to testify.

Senator Uche Ekwunife, representing Anambra Central Senatorial Zone has condoled with Odenigwe family of Enugwu-Ukwu, the Spiritual Director of Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry (aka Ebube Muonso), Rev Fr. Emmmanuel Obimma and Anambra State Government over the death of Okey Odenigwe and some members of his family in an auto crash along Onitsha-Enugu expressway on Sunday.

Senator Ekwunife in her condolence message described the incident that led to the death of Okey, his wife and one of his sons as tragic and a calamity for the entire family of Odenigwe and Anambra State Government.

She called for special prayers for the repose of the deceased souls, adding that the sad news of the auto crash kept her awake all through the night as she meditated over the incident that almost wiped out entire family of six and called on Odenigwe family to bear the irreparable loss courage.

"I received with shock the painful death of Okey Odenigwe, his wife and a son on Sunday along Agu Awka in a terrible auto crash. These deaths though avoidable call for special intervention on the state of federal roads across South East zone and Anambra in particular. I am more saddened over the death of these persons leaving behind very little and innocent children to suffer the pains of loss of parents"

"I therefore send my heartfelt condolences to Odenigwe family of Avo-Omimi, Enugwu-Ukwu and the Spiritual Director of Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma whose Personal Assistant the deceased was before his death and the government of Anambra State. This is a very sad moment for all of us but we must accept in good faith this which we cannot change and do more to save our people from such careless deaths in future" she said.

Senator Ekwunife however promised to make a legislation that would minimize deaths on Nigerian Highways when the 8th National Assembly reconvenes.

It has been a mixed bag of challenges and opportunities. I say challenges because our nation has gone through some trying moments in the last couple of years and as you know, we represent the people so whatever happens to our people affects us, especially in the discharge of our responsibilities as lawmakers. It also presented us with opportunities on the other hand, because the diverse challenges thrown up allow us to look critically into our extant laws and see how we can amend relevant sections to fit into the realities of our time. Other laws that are obviously obsolete are also repealed and re-enacted.

Debates on the floor of the 6thand 7thAssembly have been very robust and I am glad to be a part of the process in the last eight years. It is not for me to blow my trumpet but I have represented my people very well in the last eight years and they can testify to this. I have so far sponsored 15 Bills and 9 motions in the House of Representatives and I believe that is a significant feat.

How would your experience rub off on the senatorial seat and why do you want to be at the senate?

The reward for hard word is oftentimes greater responsibilities. It is simple: I am going to the senate as an experienced lawmaker and as such will be eligible to handle some responsibilities that first time legislators might not be entitled to or considered for. As a matter of fact, the debates on issues on the floor of the green chamber is often more intense than those in the red chambers because of the larger number of representatives. 360 representatives usually imply that you have about 360 opinions on a particular issue at each point in time.

So whenever you are to present your Bill or motion on the floor, you have to be prepared to accommodate varied opinions and what I called ‘hard tackles’. So you see that such a background has equipped me better and placed me on a vantage position than even those who go straight into the senate from other fields of leadership. I now understand the politics and intrigues of the game as a legislator. This will definitely translate into more dividends of democracy for my people. Make no mistakes; the legislator is not just there to make laws for the good governance of the country, high level politicking is involved in who gets what for their people.

Also the fact that I am a member of the ruling party, the PDP gives me an edge over all my co-contenders when it comes to connecting our people to the Centre. My aspiration for the senate is not motivated by the desire to go to Abuja and bench warm the seat in the red chamber; but to enable me bring dividends of democracy and double all what I have done in Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia Federal Constituency across the entire Anambra Central.

Your party, the PDP has been enmeshed in confusion over the authentic candidates for the 2015 election. How do you feel about it?

By the Electoral Act, it is the exclusive preserve and prerogative of a political party to present its candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for all elective positions. Doing otherwise will be an aberration. It’s this kind of rascality that exists in partisan politics that fuelled the seeming imbroglio in Anambra PDP. Thank God the verdict of the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday February 6 has done justice to this issue.

What is your reaction to the recent legislation in Anambra State House of Assembly?

The passing of such unpopular Bill into law was an aberration. It was fatal to the legislature that embarked on such futile but avoidable exercise. The worse misfortune that can befall a legislature is to make a law that cannot be enforced or executed. If you look very closely at the ingredients of that law, you will discover that its substance or base is founded upon the exclusive list of the Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended) which falls squarely within the exclusive jurisdiction of the National Assembly. However, as you are aware, those are issues of the past and we have to move forward. Our victory at the Appeal Court clearly puts paid to all of that and we thank the judiciary for remaining the bastion of the oppressed.

You were in APGA before, what actually led to your dumping the party for PDP?

Let me make it clear that I am still a firm believer in the core values and ideals propagated by our leader, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu of blessed memory which is to improve the lots of the Igbos. In order to realise these ideals, I think it is necessary for us to play at the centre. We cannot afford to come to Abuja and be playing opposition politics which will only further disadvantage and impoverish us. All these, coupled with wide consultations with my Constituents informed my decision to defect to the ruling party. Regional politics will not take us anywhere in the nation’s political space. My people have long been in the relegation and I believe it is time for us to play at the centre.

Recently, the APGA candidate, Victor Umeh accused you of destroying his billboards, what is your take on that?

I am not a crude politician neither do I indulge in campaign of calumny. I like playing by the rules and giving others their due respect. Let me say for the umpteenth time that I do not employ the services of miscreants and mischief makers in my campaign organisation like Umeh does. Umeh has personal scores to settle with people all over the state and beyond. It is rather unfortunate that despite the fact that he knows where his problems are coming from, he still prefers to shift his woes on my campaign organisation.

It is a known fact that Umeh has created a web of enmity around himself in the manner in which he has led the party for 13 years. Besides, the way he conducted APGA primaries in Abia, Imo, Ebonyi and Enugu states where he is alleged to have openly favored unpopular aspirants against the interest of his party faithful for material reasons left much to be desired of good leadership.

Here in Anambra State, the conduct of the Local Government Elections and the selection process adopted by Victor Umeh as the party Chairman left majority of his party faithful disgruntled to the extent that the whole world is aware that they do not mean well for him. Just the other day, a group of unhappy young people, numbering over 800, under the aegis of one Association of past Councilors, openly protested against Umeh’s candidacy and made it clear that they will work against him in the coming elections. Do not forget that I was also a member of that party until my aspiration to represent my people at the Senate, Anambra Central.

His sins are uncountable. One can go on and on and I’m wondering if he thought the people are so naive. He should be advised to look inwards for his woes. Violence remains his stock-in-trade and this is evident in the recent several attacks by his supporters on my teeming supporters and campaign materials.

A lot have been said about insecurity in Nigeria, would you score Jonathan high?

President Goodluck Jonathan has done tremendously well to hold this nation as a united entity for this period of time, given the spate of insecurity induced by some disgruntled elements who do not have the interest of our nation at heart. If Jonathan could perform this well in the face of these challenges, we can only imagine what he would have done given a conducive atmosphere. Insecurity is not about Mr. President alone, it is the collective responsibility of everyone. I believe he is on course and very soon all these will be in the past. The history of every nation is usually replete with notable high points. This is certainly one of the high points in our nation’s history. You will agree with me that Mr. President is having to weather the storm generated by past regimes in this country and I tell you that on a scale of 10, President Jonathan has scored no less than 7.5. He deserves to be given more opportunity to continue the Transformation of this country which he has set in motion.

There is apprehension within the PDP that the APC may win the Presidential election, do you agree with that?

The elections would soon be around the corner so let us watch and see how they are going to do it. Nigerians are beginning to see for themselves now that those who are chanting the ‘change’ song do not have any blueprint on how to go about it. The tactics of campaign of calumny, intimidation and threats as employed by the opposition does not win election. They rather throw out the harbingers as lacking confidence in themselves and further expose them as unfriendly elements to the society and the electorate.

But the South East people are lamenting that despite their support for Jonathan, they are still being marginalised?

I do not know about any marginalisation by Mr. President to short-change any part of this country. It is almost the same outcry from all the other geopolitical zones. Each zone is crying foul that Mr. President is less favorably disposed to them. The question to ask is: Who is the president giving all the favors to? Mr. President is one of the most detribalised leaders this nation has ever produced and he has shown it in all the awards of major projects across the country. The facts are there for you to find out. The Federal character has been in place even before President Jonathan came on board and I believe every action of government has been guided by this same method.

If you win this race and become the Senator for Anambra Central, what would be your priority?

My answer to this is very simple. Service, Service, Service to my people. My priority will continue to be the people of my senatorial zone whose mandate would have placed me there as they have done in my last two elections to the National Assembly.

Source: Dailytimes