Internal Disagreements In PDP Edged Me Out Of Senate Race In 2019, It Can’t Happen In 2023 — Ohuabunwa

Political stakeholders from the Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State have agreed to resolve their differences to forestall a repeat of the 2019 misfortune of the party in the 2023 general elections.

The stakeholders who spoke during the ongoing familiarisation cum reconciliation tour of the State Executive Council of PDP at the Council headquarters weekend admitted that there were some cracks and internal wranglings that led to the party’s misfortunes in 2019, but agreed to put their house in order ahead of 2023.

In a remark, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa said he was among those who should be angry following internal betrayals and sabotage that scuttled his return bid to the Senate, but explained that he had decided to put everything behind in the interest of the Council.

The former Leader ECOWAS Parliament regretted that Arochukwu which occupied a strategic place in Abia politics had suddenly been relegated to the background because of needless internal bickerings.

He, however, said that stakeholders from the Council had decided to resolve their differences and strategise ahead of 2023, vowing that “the mistake of 2019 will never happen again”.

The former Senate Committee Chairman on Primary Health and Communicable Diseases regretted that those who were dragging projects with him while he was at the Senate had not been able to Commission any new project since he left office in 2019.

” There was a time project were being dragged in Abia North. Somebody said he attracted Mmori Bridge, Ndi Ebem Bridge, Ugwuakuna Health Centre and others. But since I left I don’t know if the person has commissioned any new project?

” Why have all the projects been abandoned? The truth is now obvious to all”.

On the growing tension over which zone will produce the next governor of the state in 2023, Ohuabunwa tasked the leadership of PDP to take a position on that, insisting that it is entirely a party affair to zone political offices.

He argued that since providence power began with Abia North in 1999, it would be reasonable and fair that power, having gone round, should rotate back to the zone in 2023 so as to sustain the prevailing peace in the state.

Senator Ohuabunwa thanked the PDP Chairman, Rt. Hon. Asiforo Okere for his efforts to unite the party, submitting that the greatest legacy he could bequeath to the party is to sustain the power rotation arrangement.

Former Commissioner for Commerce and PDP chieftain from the Council, Dr Sampson Orji, noted that every LGA had its own unique challenges but expressed optimism that the party would triumph over its challenges in the area.

He said that “whatever does not encourage reward for party loyalty is a monster which must be confronted”.

PDP Vice Chairman, Abia North, Elder Amah Abraham, said Arochukwu had produced global players, and could not afford to be relegated to the background in the political leadership of Abia North.

He said he was convinced that if PDP stakeholders from the Council decided to work together as one family, no political party would be able to dislodge the party.

” In 2019 we defeated ourselves. We can contain the opposition if we are together. What we need now is to forgive ourselves and forge ahead”, he submitted.

He bemoaned the deplorable condition of the Arochukwu-Ohafia federal road and appealed to the State Government to prevail on the federal government to rehabilitate the road.

Some key stakeholders present at the event were the member representing Arochukwu Ohafia federal constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Uko Nkole; former Secretary to State Government, SSG, and the incumbent Commissioner for Cooperative Societies, Mazi Donatus Okorie; and former Commissioner for Finance, and Provost, Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, Dr Philip Nto.

Others were the PDP House of Assembly flag bearer in 2019, Hon. Eric Aso Kalu; Arochukwu Council boss, Prince Dan Kalu Orji; former Council Chairmen, Dr Okerie Afia, Princely Kingsley Ngunu, among others.

The PDP Chairman, Okere thanked the stakeholders for their resolve to unite ahead of 2023, describing Arochukwu as a PDP stronghold.

Vanguard