From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The people of Anambra North senatorial district and Omambala people have been warned to desist from clannish sentiments campaign of ‘turn by turn’ but should insist on good, quality and transparent representation for the betterment of the people of the zone.
It was gathered that since the current campaign season kick-started, there has been a clamour by certain people of Omambala extraction whose advocacy, tends to be clannish and divisive which would be counterproductive.
Some of the constituents of Anambra North senatorial zone who spoke to Daily Sun including Chief John Orjiako, Hon Izunna Madu and Mrs Theresa Dim condemned the clannish campaign of ‘it is the turn of Omambala to produce senator’ and should be talking of character, antecedence, quality representation and attraction of dividends to the area.
A native of Nsugbe in Anambra East LGA and a beneficiary of Senator Stella Oduah Metallurgical Training Institute (MTI) Onitsha scholarship scheme Ijeoma Atuanya said that what the people of Omambala and others should be talking about is a quality representation and not where they person comes from, saying that eras of clannish politics are over.
According to her, “Senator Stella Oduah is a good representative and just like Onitsha and Ogbaru supported our son, the former governor, Willie Obiano we should never play the role of ingrates by working against their Sister.
“We hear statements like “it is Omambala’s turn” or “Senator Stella Oduah only favours Onitsha North and Ogbaru” and I feel that we have to really be careful how we go about this so that we don’t come across as fighting these communities for as you well know, no one has a monopoly of such divisive antics.
“We were all alive when our brother, Chief Willie Obiano held the reigns of power in Awka for eight years and there remains no doubt that Ogbaru and Onitsha heavily supported his emergence and if the truth must be told, we as Omambala people did not reciprocate these gestures because we held on tenaciously to the Speakership position rather than ceding it to our Onitsha or Ogbaru brothers.
“Again we were all alive when Senators of Omambala extraction, held sway in the National Assembly and I daresay that if we really want to tell ourselves the truth, devoid of sentiments, none of us can really say or pinpoint to visible projects or programs they left behind.
“When our Omambala Senators held sway, none of us actually believed that it was possible for a representative to build free homes for widows in all 7 LGA’S, construct well over 200 boreholes in our various communities, build market stalls, orchestrate quarterly free medical outreaches in the seven LGA’s, diagnostic centres, ICT centres, directly facilitate the COVID-19 fund for well over 18000 constituents across the seven LGAs, institute skill acquisition training and programs for over 15000 constituents.
“Oduah also installs solar-powered street lights in strategic locations of our various LGAs, donates solar-powered grids to some hospitals, scholarships for the indigent, provides employment opportunities for many in the various MDA, Ministries and parastatals and pushing for people-oriented laws with bills like the one for the establishment of a Federal Medical Center at Onitsha, which are some of the projects and programs the current Senator has opened our eyes to their possibilities.
“Sincerely speaking, it amounts to a self-seeking agenda if we as Omambala people think that we can continue disrespecting our Onitsha and Ogbaru brothers and Sisters by openly pushing this divisive agenda when we know in our hearts that in Senator Stella Oduah, Anambra North has a unique chance of reelecting a hardworking ranking and senior legislator who is poised to become a principal officer in the next Assembly.
“How on earth are we supposed to not vote for the current Senator Oduah when we know that as a ranking legislator, she will always have an eminent seat in any room or table where the dividends of Democracy are being shared?
“Or are we supposed to pretend that we don’t know that the legislature is run along seniority lines and it is almost impossible for a newcomer to be able to make the kind of inroads and wield the kind of leverage needed for attracting and ensuring projects and programs are attracted to Anambra North? Do we cut out noises to spite our faces purely on the altar of unhinged sentiments?
“Did our brother Obiano even do as much for Anambra North? Please show me the roads, the school blocks, the water schemes, the ICT centres, the skill acquisition programs and projects done by our Omambala governor in Onitsha and Ogbaru?,” asked Atuanya.
