Frontline politician in Imo State and Okigwe zone senatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Prof Nnamdi Obiaraeri has said he is aspiring for Okigwe senate seat in order to correct what he described as “deficient representation” of the zone at the senate by the incumbent Senator, Benjamin Uwajumuogu.
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Obiaraeri said he wants the zone to be respected because Senator Uwajumuogu has failed to live up to expectation of the people of the zone and has fallen short of legislative gravitas expected of a senator.
The Imo State Information Commissioner who spoke to select journalists in Owerri said it is a shame that in the 2017 Budget, Okigwe zone was not captured for the provision of projects, heaping the blame on the ineffective representation of the Senator. The Commissioner who has received the open endorsement of Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha for his senatorial bid expressed concern and regret on the poor representation of the zone by the incumbent senator for Okigwe zone which he fingered as some of the reasons for the stunted growth and development of Okigwe zone.
He said “Okigwe zone has lacked behind. This is so because Uwajumuogu’s voice is not heard at the senate and he has disconnected himself from the people of the zone- the youths, the women, everyone. The zone lack electricity, there are many abandoned projects littered all over Okigwe Zone. NTA Okigwe ought to be revived but it has been abandoned for several years and this is one of the things I will certainly ensure it is revived when I get to the senate”
“We cannot compare Uwajumuogu with Senator Samuel Anyanwu who represents Owerri zone at the senate. Anyanwu is a legislative super star. You cannot say the same of Uwajumuogu. However, he (Uwajumuogu) has done his best but his best is not good enough and we need to make a change now.
“My job as a senator is to ensure that Okigwe zone is respected at the senate and beyond. There is the need to take Okigwe zone to Olympian heights”
“I intend to be a respected legislator, the way United States Congressmen are respected. I have the expertise, qualification and I m very well connected to the people. I will deconstruct and dismember anachronistic laws and be a legislative delight. A senator should be able to speak on issues and speak truth to power just like Senator Ben Bruce, Senator Shehu Sani and Senator Dino Melaye are doing. These are vocal senators. And we must have such a senator for Okigwe zone, a senator that will be respected by all, make great impact on his people and also make useful contributions at the senate”
Reacting to a question on why he and others supported Uwajumuogu’s senatorial ambition in the first place, he said “At that time, he was a better choice. We had only two of them. Athan Achonu and Benjamin Uwajumuogu and we felt he was better than the other man at that time. But all that has changed because his best is not good enough for the people of Okigwe zone and because of his poor representation he has disconnected himself from the people of Okigwe zone. We need to make a change and the time for that change is now”
Speaking on the governorship ambition of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Chief of Staff, the erudite professor of law said “There is no law that forbids anyone that is an in law to the Governor from vying for an election. I call on our people to vote for merit and not zoning. Let us place emphasis on merit. Uche Nwosu is very qualified to be Governor of this State. To say he should not contest because he is an law to the Governor is not fair enough. In Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi was Governor and the wife was a Judge. Governor Nyesom Wike is the Governor and the wife is a Judge. Abdulsalami Abubakar was a Head of State and the wife was a Judge. So what should ours be different”
On the performance index of Governor Rochas Okorocha he stated “I joined the Rochas Okorocha administration because of his administrative policy such as his efforts in ensuring free education and giving a new way of life for the people. This is the only government that has 27 commissioners, one from each of the local governments of the State.
“We also have 27 General hospitals that are at various stages of completion, Rochas has made young millionaires from each of the 27 local governments in the State. Imo State is now a destination point for investors both local and foreign investors. The opposition against the government are just the voices of the minority. The majority are behind this government. Those against this government are politically displaced politicians. That is why we now see emergency philanthropists and emergency activists all over the place. We now have the influx of ‘ touch and follow politicians now in the State. Rochas is a visionary Governor and he is level headed and he has done well”