Abia North Rerun: Nat. Assembly Deletes Ohuabunwa; We’ve Confidence in Kalu, Electorates

Abia North Rerun: Nat. Assembly Deletes Ohuabunwa; We’ve Confidence in Kalu, Electorates 


The management of National Assembly has finally deleted the bio-data and photographs of former Senate President, David Mark and eight other senators from its website, our correspondents report. Twice, our correspondents had reported that Mark and 11 other senators that were sacked from the senate last year by the Court of Appeal were being paraded as serving lawmakers on the website of the National Assembly.

Mark had been at the National Assembly since 1999, representing Benue South Senatorial District until November last year when his election was nullified. He was Senate President from 2007 until his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost control of the senate in 2015. Checks on the website of the National Assembly yesterday showed that the bio-data and photograph of Mark who is set to contest with Daniel Onjeh, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the February 18 re-un election has been removed. Also, the photographs and bio-data of Uche Lilian Ekwunife who was also sacked late last year have been deleted on the website. Until last weekend, she was being paraded as a serving senator representing Anambra central on the website of the National Assembly.

Others that were expunged from the website are: George Thompson Sekibo(PDP, Rivers East), Olaka Johnson Nwogu(PDP, Rivers South-East), Osinakachukwu Ideozu(PDP, Rivers West), Abdulrahman Abubakar(APC, Kogi east), and Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP, Abia North).

However, Nneji Athan Achonu (PDP, Imo North), Mohammed Abdulsalami Ohiare(APC, Kogi Central) and Ighoyota Amori(PDP) Delta central) who were also sacked last year are still serving senators on the website. While the pictures and bio-data of Achonu and Ohiare are still on the website, only the bio-data of Amori was seen there yesterday.

Meanwhile, the bio-data of Abubakar Yusuf Abubakar who replaced Abba Marafa Bashir of the Taraba Central senatorial district in the senate has been uploaded. Our correspondents observed that his picture is yet to adorn the website.

Meanwhile, indigenes of Bende Lo­cal Government Area of Abia State came out in large numbers in a carnival-like event on Saturday to show solidarity to former gover­nor of Abia State and Pro­gressive Peoples’Alliance (PPA) candidate for Abia North senatorial re-run poll, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.

Speaking on behalf of the organisers of the event held at Onu Ibina Hall, Igbere, Mazi Paul Uche expressed confidence in the candida­ture of the businessman-cum-politician, and noted that it would be in the inter­est of Ndigbo to have him in the Red Chamber. He added that Kalu is a patriot­ic nationalist who believes in a fair and just society.

“The forthcoming re-run election for Abia North senatorial district is a rare opportunity for us to correct the imbalance in our zone.

“Kalu has the skills and wherewithal to bring the desired change to the re­gion.
“He would use his vast contacts and political clout to ensure quality represen­tation which will lead to the execution of Federal Gov­ernment and other projects across Arochukwu, Bende, Ohafia, Umunneochi and Isiukwuato local govern­ment areas.

“In the past eight years, our roads, hospitals and other social amenities have been abandoned because our representatives at the National Assembly have placed personal interests above the collective needs of the people.

“The time is now to bring on board a charismatic and experienced public servant in the person of Kalu to draw the attention of con­cerned authorities to the marginalisation of the re­gion in terms of infrastruc­ture.
“We call on youths, el­ders, students, artisans, traders, traditional rul­ers and chiefs, religious leaders, among others, to come out en masse to cast their votes for the people’s choice, Kalu, on the elec­tion day. We have undis­puted confidence in the PPA candidate,” Uche con­cluded.

Speaking earlier, a for­mer chairman of Bende Lo­cal Government, Benjamin Kalu, who represented the front-line politician at the event, reaffirmed Kalu’s commitment and passion for humanity.

He noted that Kalu’s milk of human kindness transcends the political circle and added that his philanthropic gestures have impacted lives positively beyond the South East .

Kalu said the event has heralded a new begin­ning in the history of Abia North.
The show of love and support as demonstrated today was not only encour­aging but also a challenge for the former governor to do more.

“As a generous person, he will continue to expand his scope of charitable ac­tivities in the interest of the masses. It was our collec­tive decision to present a notable figure to represent us at the National Assem­bly.
“Kalu has performed well in all spheres of life and he remains the best choice for Abia North.”

The former chairman seized the occasion to cau­tion youths against violence before, during and after the rerun poll and noted that law-enforcement agencies will apprehend violators of the electoral act.

He also urged the elec­torate to cast their votes for the PPA candidate at the forthcoming re-run election scheduled for March 5.