Ikpeazu’s emergence, an insult on Abians – Sen. Adighije

Sen. Chris Adighije represented Abia Central Senatorial District in the past and now a stakeholder in Abia politics in the All Progressive Congress, (APC) in the state. He spoke to SUNDAY NWAKANMA after monitoring the Saturday re-run election in the local government regretting that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has not done well but was quick to add that he has no problem with the state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as a person. Excerpts:

Conduct of the re-run election in Umuahia South?

I commend INEC for putting up a good principle, and to a large extent I commend the security agencies as everywhere was quiet except in Umuahia South, where there were reported cases of ballot snatching. Some of the miscreants have been identified as PDP agents. I have met the Resident Electoral Commissioner, who confirmed that at their security meeting, they decided that at local government collation centre, only accredited persons of only one person would be allowed in. I want to quote the REC, “if the governor of the state prefers to be an agent of PDP, he will be allowed. But if he is not an accredited agent of the party, he will not be allowed into the collection centre”. I was alerted that the new Transition Committee chairman of Umuahia South was encouraging fraud. Remember that the government changed the TC chairmen two days to this election, hurriedly screened them and hurriedly swore them in. It is unprecedented, and if you look at the names mentioned as TC chairmen, you will be certain they were appointed for the purpose of this election. This is because these are the people we know and have their records and demonstrably, the chairman in Umuahia South quickly took over his office and filled his office with the likes of a former TC chairman in isiala Ngwa who everybody knows his antecedents.

The incident of ballot snatching in Umuahia South was never heard before. Now there is a serious case of ballot snatching, the people can be identified. At Nsirimo, the voter turnout was low, but there, they are almost turning out 90%. The question is: why the desperation and this violence crime in Umuahia South? All the evil things are done, pointing at Umuahia South and you know in the last election, Umuahia south recorded victory for APGA in all the elections and now, Umuahia South must be taken by all means. So it is very strange. There is no such turnout in Nsirimo, it was a matter of thumb printing. There is no place with up to 20% turnout. There, we understood INEC staff was slapped, the people were driven out by armed thugs and ballot papers were thumb printed and ballot boxes stuffed. Simply, the thugs overwhelmed ordinary citizens there who were chased out and they did the havoc. In his own booth, Ohiocha and Umuokpara, where he comes from, the PDP candidate lost. As an elder statesman, I would not like to watch the irate youths vent their anger on what PDP is doing and take laws into their hands. So I was at the police command to intimate the police with what was happening in Umuahia South so that they can take appropriate and lawful action to pre-empt breakdown of law and order.

What he wants?

I want the cancellation of those areas involved. That has been confirmed by the REC who already has the result. It is not fair and we should not encourage ballot snatching. We should have passed that age. Somebody who wants to become a lawmaker, ab initio starts going round snatching boxes. That person is not fit; he is not fit and proper to represent us at the House of Assembly. I pray that the more popular APGA candidate would win.

Performance of PDP in the state?

In the governance of the state, my worry is the appellation, PDP. I hope they still bear the appellation, PDP as we don’t know what name to call them. That party is in disarray. As for whether the party is doing well, I think they have excuses. The excuse is that they have been in the court. So, we have not seen anything yet. So let us hope that now the court issue has been resolved, that we will begin to see the other side of them. The predecessor in his own time, said that Orji Kalu took him hostage for his first term and it does appear he did better in his first term than in the second term. I hope that is not the pattern that we are going to see now. This one (Ikpeazu) would say he has been held in the court. The courts are over now. Nothing is on the ground. If you drive around Umuahia, you will see that nothing is on ground.

Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as a person?

People change. At the point and time I knew him some years back, he looked like a humble person and somebody willing to learn, but I don’t know him now when he is in higher office. I don’t have anything against him. My quarrel emanated from the manner he emerged and I remain on that. It is an insult to Abians. I think that is why there is a quiet revolution in the state. Even the election that has taken place in Umuahia South today shows that people are resisting the government. Government is being resisted and so government party has resorted to ballot snatching. This is an indication of what is going on. Government party, government in office in Abia, party of that government is resorting to thuggery, hooliganism and ballot snatching. That is what they are doing. Why? If they are a popular government, do they need to do all that?

Advice to INEC in view of what happened in Umuahia South

It is very clear that INEC will abide by the Electoral Act. They will not depart from it. They will not add and they will not subtract. That was what the REC assured me.