Why I Say Ikwuano Is Dominated By Umuahia, Must Be Liberated- LP’s Aguocha (See Photos.)
By Charity Uwakwe
Why I Say Ikwuano Is Dominated By Umuahia, Must Be Liberated- LP’s Aguocha (Photos).
By Charity Uwakwe
The Labour Party’s (LP) candidate for Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency of Abia State, High Chief Obi Aguocha says his views of Ikwuano LGA, of Abia State being controlled by her Umuahia counterparts is borne out of the aged-long domination by ndị Umuahia as currently being suffered by the people of Ikwuano.
“I wish to congratulate my brothers and sisters of the great Ikwuano ancient nation and join them to celebrate this laudable Ahamefula Development Initiative and its wide-ranging benefits to Ikwuano.” “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” (Rosalyn Carter).
Obi Aguocha stressed that the Ahamefula Development Initiative is a clear indication of great leadership with purpose and the direction needed for such a time as we have found ourselves and the nation now, and to further drive Ikwuano away from the era of economic and political marginalization.
Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency is on the threshold of a new era, one that demands a brand of representation in the Green Chamber of National Assembly, Abuja; a representative that is accessible, respectful and not arrogant; one who would not be contaminated by the prejudices of the past ineffective 24 years of governance but rather committed to inspiring new democratic norms and values for the future innovative and positive citizen participation, especially at the grassroots.
The former President-General of Ohuhu Welfare Union expressed disappointment over the rate some people whom he described as “oppressors” of Ikwuano, amass public wealth, confiscate and convert government projects, public funds and properties for their own exclusive private use to the detriment of Ikwuano people and beyond.
“Why all these transformers which belongs to the Ngwa portion of Abia Central Senatorial Zone as Constituency Project, awarded by the Ministry of Rural Electrification etc now? These are nothing but a repeated culture of deceit and subjugation by one family gang who have held the state bondage for twenty four years, why have they not been able to provide transformer, football viewing stands etc before now, only for ceremonial election purposes?”
“Why has the ring road awarded in 2009 by a certain governor not been constructed till now despite a padding of over N5 billion? These are nothing again but a culture of repeated fraud, waste and corruption by a widely known criminal gang parading themselves as “Robin Hood” with stolen public funds.”
The Ogwumabiri Umuahia made these assertions during the just concluded Ahamefula Ikwuano Socio-economic Summit with the theme: Sustainable Economic Development For Ikwuano: A Road Map In the 21st Century, under the distinguished Chairmanship of Dr. Barr. Monday Ubani and Chief (Dr.) Sam Eke among other notable dignitaries.
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the Council’s headquarters, the former President-General of Ohuhu Welfare Union articulated the basic fundamental problems of Ikwuano, stressing that Ikwuano needs very urgent attention both in its administration and socio/economic development.
“The local government, being the fastest route to community development in Nigeria, has therefore made it absolutely very important that they collectively determine or at least agree over their political future as a people. He said it has become very necessary that Ikwuano should collectively determine who represents them, while they, the people, determine their core needs and areas of preference.
“This interest and participation will ensure that they hold politicians accountable. They can not continue to allow professional hereditary politicians who have successively failed them to continue to plunder our collective heritage to the detriment of our children and generations unborn. This is time to ask questions and expect answers.
It MUST now be Ikwuano First Agenda.” 
High Chief Obi Aguocha
Citing some abnormalities which he posited often played out in the distribution of power and basic projects between the three sister local governments which make up the Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal Constituency.
Moreso, Aguocha argued that projects of economic value that ought to be evenly distributed to both Ikwuano and their Umuahia counterparts are being usurped by the latter.
He regretted that the subjugating acts had consequently and concomitantly thrown the former into miserable conditions, a state of perpetual hopelessness and despair over the years.
According to Aguocha, his quest to run for the exalted office is driven by the perceived dehumanization which, he restated had resulted in the apparent neglect of both economic and political development of Ikwuano, hence his unflinching zeal to restore their lost pride and dignity, when elected at the Green Chamber.
In his words: “My view is that this summit will help awaken ndi Ikwuano to be conscious enough of their economic, political priorities, opportunities and development.”
“On Political development, I personally observed that Ikwuano have been so dependent on Umuahia to the extent that it now looks like they are mere servants to the people of Umuahia when they have the likes of you and many others.”
“Ikwuano have produced formidable political leaders, men and women, giants and captains of industries but when it comes to issues pertaining to the local government, it seems like they are on the run; it appears their tongues are tied. Well, how can they speak for Ikwuano when the majority of them are domiciled in Umuahia? When they call for Ikwuano meetings, they all converge in Umuahia. Obviously, the problem of Ndi Ikwuano is also Ndi Ikwuano.
“We once had a local government called Ikwuano/Umuahia, which was eventually split into three: Ikwuano has one while Umuahia has two. That same local government has five State Constituencies, Ikwuano has one while Umuahia has four; it has 32 INEC Wards, Ikwuano has just 10, whereas Umuahia has 22. That same local government also has six functional commissioners. Ikwuano has one, and Umuahia has five. In the current Abia State budget, out of the 32 stipulated projects, Ikwuano has just five, whereas Umuahia has 27. And the list is endless. All economic activities are dependent on ndi-Umuahia. If you go to Ibere, they have major economic crops, yet their prices are decided by their Umuahia counterparts. Statistics don’t lie…go and verify.”
“No Ikwuano person can be anything politically without the influence of the Umuahia Political Dynasty. It is they that determine their political realities/destiny, and they have so made it routine that the people themselves are voiceless.”
“You go from Ariam to Umuariaga. There is no functional government hospital for a population of over 400,000 persons. There exists no state government presence or project(s) with an economic value of N10 million. If you are sick, you are simply dependent on ndi-Umuahia, whether you end up dead or alive; Politically, the political leaders live in Umuahia, none of them resides in Ikwuano, hence Ikwuano meetings are frequently held in Umuahia, he bemoaned”
“Now, the only way out is to awaken Ikwuano to take its rightful place, to create and foster its local economy and to also realize that they are equal stakeholders in Abia politics, thereby pulling themselves out of acute dependency from their neighbouring communities, especially, Umuahia. Chief Obi Aguocha reiterated that he is determined to take Ikwuano out of this dependency through legislation, by the creation of two local governments for Ikwuano…which means Ikwuano by having two LG’s will now have two members of House of Assembly and also a Federal House Constituency. These things are possible, ” he assured.
He, therefore, pleaded for the unalloyed support of the inteligencia, elites, the academia and grassroots to enable him emerge as the next Federal Legislator, stressing his plan and priority areas for Ikwuano to include:
i. To freely express the desires of ndi Ikwuano in recognising Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s ideals of equity, justice and fairness for ndị Igbo within the context of true federalism, in upholding his dignity, rights of expression and unconditional release and freedom.
ii. Promoting the local economy for Ikwuano people to be less dependant on communities around them, especially Umuahia.
iii. Healthcare provision, since they do not have any functional government hospital in Ikwuano to cater for upmost of 400k people in the area.
iv. To ensure the erosion problems faced at Ariam Usaka and Ibere are tackled by the FG.
v. Provision of infrastructure and agricultural processing and storage facilities,
vi. Provision of modern daily markets at Ariam and Ndoru, and (
vii. To initiate legislation in honor of Barr. K. C Ugboajah for proper border adjustment and legalized self-defense mechanism in view of the prevailing high rate of insecurity and border clashes in the land.
“These are government responsibilities, but Ikwuano first needs to come together to build bridges of hope through self private or community development initiatives to elevate it into an urban status as do, Abiriba and Ohafia.”
He closed his speech by saying, that he is a self made man who laboured the street. My father was a respectable German trained medical physician of the highest order and repute, a State Commissioner in the old Imo state under Governor Sam Mbakwe.
“He trained us to always lean on the ways of community service and sacrifice to God and the humanities. My late father was not Chief of Staff for 8 years, Governor for 8 years, Senator for 8 years nor a sitting Speaker for 8 years. I am not a billionaire and did not become one looting people’s money with no cognisant business or work experience.
“I believe in Ikwuano, its people, its vast natural endowments and human capital resources to light a new candle of hope in redefining its economic sources of growth, higher human capital accumulation, improvement of educative institutions as well as healthcare and economic freedom.
“When elected, I commit to work assiduously to be the constructive, constant, and proud voice of Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency in particular and Ndi Igbo at large.”
