By Dr Chinedu Declan Ugwu
With keen interest, I watch the way the chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Igbo-Eze North LGA, Mr. Alexander Urama muddle things up because of his partisan interest in a particular candidate gunning for the House of Representatives. It is preposterous that a party chairman who is supposed to be open and fair to all the aspirants for different political offices has decided to throw caution to the winds because in his petty nature he has mortgaged his conscience by indiscriminate endorsement of aspirants without recourse to his office as a supposed umpire or regard for the leader of the party in the state His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Some weeks ago, he was seen in the palace of HRH Igwe Wilfred Ogbonna Ekere of Ogrute in conjunction with the Zonal Chairman of the party Nze Michael Onyeze, Comrade Uwakwe Ezeja, Nze Chidi Nwa Omeh, HRH Igwe Cyril Ayogu, Okpoko ijike 1, Hon. Johnson Ikechukwu Ogbu and other mischievous politicians endorsing Hon. Simon Atigwe to run for a second term for the House of Representatives. The charade of endorsement was aired audio and visual media without the state leadership of the party cautioning them.
I’m not quarreling with endorsements but the fact that party officials who are supposed to be transparent and equitable are the ones selecting there preferred aspirants to the chagrin of other aspirants.
On the 30th of April, 2022 immediately after the 3 man delegate elections, he was seen in the company of some persons notably Hon. Onyekachi Eya leading some elected delegates to Engr. Simon Atigwe’s Aji home to collect monetary compensation for a job well done.
I make bold to ask; “is what is happening in Igbo-Eze North obtainable in other local governments or is our own different?” If the slogan “ebe asiri anyi jee ka anyi na eje” is anything to write home about, why this show of desperation by Alex Urama and his pay master? The fact that Mr. Urama and Nze Michael Onyeze as party leaders has taken sides by endorsing particular candidates is already demoralizing some aspirants and is making them to loose faith in our great party the PDP.
While we are patiently waiting for our servant leader the Governor to give us directives the duo of Alex Urama and Nze Michael Onyeze are already insinuating that His Excellency has already given them the nod hence their desperation in anointing and endorsing candidates for the houses of Assembly and Representatives.
Some days back, a meeting was held in Engr. Atigwe’s house where attempt was made to handpick candidates for Igbo-Eze North 1 & 2 state constituencies with impunity. Among those that attended the meeting were Alex Urama, Nze Michael Onyeze, Hon. Onyekachi Eya SSA to the governor and others with Engr. Atigwe superintending the meeting.
May I humbly posit that if nothing is urgently done to arrest the situation, the effrontery being shown by these people will attract the opprobrium of the greater majority and this might lead to chaos and breakdown of law and order in Igbo-Eze North LGA.