Former governor of Abia State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Abia North senatorial district, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, said Ariara Market traders have “unanimously agreed to give the APC presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari and APC candidates in the state minimum of 65 per cent votes in Saturday’s elections.”
This was even as he warned the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the senatorial district, Mao Ohuabunwa, to desist from recruitment of youths for thuggery while keeping his own children abroad.
Kalu said these in Igbere, in response to questions from newsmen on his arrival from Abuja, yesterday. He said Ariaria market traders, through their leaders, arrived at the decision, after several considerations.
Said Kalu: “The leadership of Ariaria, led by Chief Peter Iheke, has made the best choice by their willingness to give president Buhari minimum of 65 per cent votes.
“Ariaria market traders comprises people not just from Aba but from different places including Abia North and Enugu State. They told me their decision to support president Buhari is rational. No one has done for Ariaria market what president Buhari has done for them. Do you know that, until the president visited Aba, on February 19, many of the traders did not know that it was the president who built Ariaria market Independent Power Plant (IPP)?
“The PDP government in the state claimed it was their project but their lies and propaganda have failed. People that can’t even pay salaries or pensioners are claiming to be instituting projects. Can you imagine?”
Speaking further, Kalu said Buhari’ s visit to Aba has defeated so many lies and propaganda.
“You saw what happened in Aba where the people, majorly traders from Ariaria, came in their large numbers to welcome and thank him. Those of you present also saw the level of jubilation which erupted when I gifted president Buhari the signature of Enyimba (football).”
He explained that the good news in Aba is that with president Buhari’s IPP project, “about 37,000 shops belonging to traders and small business owners in Ariaria market will, one after another, be connected to the dedicated electricity supply.”
The former governor said the PDP-led state government should stop their hallucinations by claiming to support Buhari and to give Buhari votes.
“What happens to their own candidates? These people just want to take our credit and they are too daft to think that president Buhari believes their lies. Aba North and South will deliver Buhari and Ariaria market has vehemently assured me of that.
“You know Aba people are my own people and we have emotional attachment to each other. One great thing about Aba is that they know their own people and, as today, president Buhari has given Aba one of the important things it needs.”
Meanwhile, the former governor, has said Ohuabunwa is raising false alarm about being restricted on election day.
“If you see any strange face in your community, you should report to the security agencies immediately. Since Ohuabunwa is always desperate in using thugs to rig elections, why can’t he use his own children?
“That is the fairest thing to do. He should bring back his children from abroad instead of working hard to destroy the future of the youths with thuggery,” Kalu added.