*Vows to establish alternative voice, work for APC
An APC senatorial aspirant in Abia North in the recently concluded primary, Dr Philip Nto, has said that he won’t congratulate his opponent, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, because the former governor didn’t win the election.
“Orji Uzor Kalu didn’t win the primary. I defeated him in the field, but since the party declared him the winner, I would not contest it, but I would also not congratulate him,” Dr Nto declared in a radio programme in Umuahia.
He disclosed that the Abia North APC primary was neither free nor fair, as fictitious votes were manufactured for Orji Uzor Kalu over and above the registered members of the party in the zone.
According to him, it was also strange that, contrary to the party guidelines that the results of the primary should be declared at the ward and state levels, the National Secretariat decided to declare that of Abia North in Abuja.
“However, because the party is supreme, I have decided to accept the declaration, but I wouldn’t congratulate the man who stole my mandate through manipulation,” Dr Philip Nto insisted.
The former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in Abia State explained that, because he was not desperate to be in the Senate, he has accepted the outcome in good faith.
While pledging to work for all APC candidates in the state, he vowed to ensure that he will provide an alternative voice to ensure that the people of Abia North are availed of quality representation and dividends of democracy.
According to him, “My primary mission in contesting the election was to enhance the welfare of the people of Abia North, who have been shortchanged in the last eight years.”
He said his focus on ensuring that laws that would end grinding poverty and escalating unemployment in the zone are enacted would still be pursued through his Alternative Voice Platform, which will act as an ombudsman to the Senate.
“Anytime that they make any law that is inconsistent with the wishes of the people, that doesn’t align with the welfare of the poor masses, the world would be made aware of it through my Alternative Voice Platform,” Dr Philip Nto disclosed.
He said the Nigerian people should hold their elected representatives accountable in addressing the fundamental issues of unemployment, poverty, and inequitable distribution of wealth.
On why he did not pick the ticket of another party to contest the Senate after he was schemed out, the former Provost of Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, noted that he could still make his input into good governance without necessarily holding any elective position.
“If you go through my CV, you would see that I have helped in shaping policies that would address all the issues I have been canvassing. Like I said, I am a loyal party man, and I will work hard to deliver APC both in my ward and local government,” he declared.
