By Kenneth Udeh

After careful assessment of other candidates vying for the Abia North senatorial seat in the February 25 polls, Orji Uzor Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been declared as the most credible and dependable.

Kalu, the senator representing the zone at the National Assembly, was given the nod  by political wards of Ohafia council on Wednesday at Ohafia South state constituency when he visited the area in furtherance of his re-election campaign.

Alongside his team and party stalwarts, the two-time Abia governor visited five Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) wards, namely  Isiama, Ebem-Oha, Ohafor, Amaibe Ezeoke and Owuwuayanwu.

Prominent stakeholders in the areas said their decision to accord Kalu, the Senate Chief Whip with such honour was due to the fulfilment of majority of all the 2019 pledges he made to their respective communities.

Receiving the lawmaker at Achichi Square, Elu Ohafia, the campaign venue for Isiama ward, APC Chairman in Ohafia Local Government Area, Emma Nwosu, while addressing a large crowd of community dwellers, reeled out Kalu’s landmark achievements.

He said some of Kalu’s impacts as ranged from infrastructures to empowerments, including construction and reconstruction of Ebem-Asaga-Ndi Ibe-Amuma-Okon-Amangwu, road; construction of Ndi Uduma Awoke, Akanu Ukwu, Isiugwu and Abia roads with asphalt and double drainages, scholarships to Ohafia youths to study medicine and surgery in South America and solar streetlights in Ohafia communities.

The stakeholder lauded Kalu for engendering economic development through massive construction of rural roads and improving the lives of the people, reaffirming support for the senator’s re-election bid to ensure continuity of his performance which they described as credible.

Nwosu announced the decision to back Kalu’s re-election, saying: “We have no choice than to support the senator to sustain his developmental strides across the senatorial district. We are going to support you with our permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) on February 25.

“We have seen other candidates but we have decided to stick with Kalu because he remains the most trusted who has kept to his promises. Kalu is a good man and leader; he has transformed our constituency and our weapon to vote for him is our PVCs, which we are going to use on that day in his favour.”

Kalu, in his speech, appreciated the people of Ohafia South state constituency for their continuous support and prayers.  He said his visit to Ohafia was like a homecoming, “because the Ohafia people and their Igbere counterparts are one.”

While naming some of the projects he executed as Abia State governor, he also highlighted some of the projects he attracted to Ohafia South state constituency as a senator,  vowing to complete the Eziafor Ohafia road project.

Kalu recalled the previous terrible state of some roads before he constructed them within his three-year tenure, especially the Uwaram to Asaga, Elu to Amagwu, Asaga to Ezeiofor roads. 

He said seven roads were also constructed in Amaeke, stressing that his signature projects are dotted around Ohafia communities in addition to solar lighting.