From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Stakeholders in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State have declared their support for Dr Obinna Uzoh, the Labour Party (LP) candidate for Anambra South Senatorial District in the forthcoming elections.
The stakeholders declared their support during a meeting held in Ihiala town where free medical services were also offered to the people of the LGA, courtesy of the senatorial candidate.
Former Chairman of the LGA, Sir Ikenna Uzor, said that the people declared their support for Uzoh because of his numerous contributions to the growth and development of the area.
He said the senatorial candidate had all it would take to represent the people of Anambra South in the Senate and that they were confident that he would make them proud considering that they have not produced a senator before.
“The people of Ihiala are supporting him for Senate. There was somebody that asked, ‘Is Ihiala too poor to have a senator since the inauguration of Anambra State?’ They said no. Is it that Ihiala does not have people that are well read? They said no.
“What is the problem that we have been denied Senate for the past 22 years? And now that it is the turn of Ihiala, everybody including the clergy, the men at the helm of affairs, the businessmen, the professionals and others are supporting him for Senate.
Asked what the people of Ihiala are doing to convince others to support them, he said: “We are reaching out to the other six Local Government Areas and we are trying to convince them that it is the turn of Ihiala. We are saying that we need to produce a senator from this local government.
“So, everybody down here is supporting him. And we are making the right moves to reach out to the other six LGAs. In fact, we have so many committees and they are going to meet the other LGAs so that they can give us support to produce a senator.”
Chairman of the party in the state, Eme Ugochukwu, said that LP had prepared for the election and that they were confident that they would win the polls both in the state and at the national level.
“LP is campaigning seriously in the markets, villages, house to house. We are doing everything possible to see that the Labour Party wins Anambra State and Nigeria at large.
“We are strengthened by the influx of the PDP, APGA and APC members into our party. By now, you see that LP is fully prepared”, he said.
On his part, the candidate, Uzoh, told the people that he was ready to make a difference in the Senate if given the opportunity to do so. He told them that he would present good bills that would add value to their lives and push them to become laws.
Speaking further, Uzoh said that the free medical treatment he was offering his people was not new as he had been doing that over the years. He recalled that he had done so many things for his people out of his love for them.
“I am a philanthropist; it is in me; it is a natural thing. It is what we have been doing over the years; not because I am running for an election but this is a very peculiar time.
“The country is tough and we need to give that succour to our people; offer free medical care, check them and be sure that they’re okay; get treatment in readiness for Christmas”, Uzoh said.
The Coordinator of the LP Presidential Campaign Committee in the state, Chief Joe-Martins Uzodike, on his part, said that he had no reason to doubt the chances of his party to come tops in the forthcoming polls.
But asked how prepared the Labour Party was to face the elections both in the state and in the country as a whole, he responded that LP was very much ready for the polls.
“Well, people say res ipsa loquitur, the fact speaks for itself. You can see action everywhere; it is spontaneous, it is God’s willing. So, to ask me about what God is doing will be for me to go in front of God.
“You can see it by yourself. It is mass mobilisation. People are queuing in and there are responses everywhere. I think we are even lagging behind here.
“The northerners and people in the other parts of southern Nigeria have taken over. We’re only calling behind. But that is God’s doing. I think it is going to be well”, he said.