Ebonyi People Will Not Regret Voting For Ifeanyi Odii, PDP - Onwe

The pioneer Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly and former Acting National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Onwe S. Onwe has said that Ebonyi people will not regret voting for the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, and the candidates of PDP in the 2023 general elections. Onwe made this disclosure in an exclusive interview on Thursday, February 23, in Ebonyi State capital, Abakaliki. Speaking further, the legal practitioner who currently serves as the chairman of PDP Elders Council, Ebonyi State, said that although many people who supported Engr. David Umahi to become governor of Ebonyi State in 2015 are full of regrets and have come to publicly apologize to Ebonyi people over Umahi's misrule, he is confident that Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii who holds an unassailable profile of a radical philanthropist with investments in humanity that stand him out as an ambassador of the common good even as a private citizen is different from Umahi. Onwe said that Odii has used his private resources to build about 150 houses for indigent persons across the state, a well equipped secondary school known as Isu Technical College, 7 churches, palaces for traditional rulers, over 2000 scholarships among other things. According to the former legislator, "Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii is a man chosen by God to deliver Ebonyi people from the misrule of Umahi and his APC."

In a review of the business and labour sectors in Ebonyi State under Umahi's regimes, Onwe took a swipe on Umahi for forcefully taking people's shops which are their means of livelihood in Abakpa Market, Abakaliki Regional Market and Nkaliki Timber Market without paying compensations or giving them opportunity to secure shops in the new markets. In his words: "I am a lawyer and I know that when government acquires someone's property, government is supposed to pay compensation. Many of the people denied this compensation have died. The same thing happens to Ebonyi retirees. They retire to their graves as Umahi has refused to pay gratuities and pension. All these combined to increase poverty in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi is the poorest state in Southern Nigeria. Odii, a humane welfarist, has sworn to prioritise the welfare of Ebonyi people, pay pension and gratuity, engage in human capital development, pay the retirees their dues and compensate traders whose means of livelihood were destroyed by Umahi's forceful acquisition of Abakpa, Regional and Timber markets in Ebonyi State. No Ebonyi worker and business man wants to vote for APC. I charge Ebonyi people, youths, business class and civil servants to vote a man who understands Ebonyi people's plight and wants to wipe Ebonyi people's tears. That man is Ambassador Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii."

Chief Onwe blamed the APC administration in Ebonyi State who is hellbent on succeeding itself for the killings and other security challenges in Ebonyi State. He hailed the abrogation of Ebubeagu by the court of law saying that Ebubeagu was invented to kill members of opposition political parties and stifle democracy in Ebonyi State. He mentioned the instance of Nonso Elom who was killed in broad daylight near Okwor Ngbo market by people in Sienna bus branded with APC logos and insignia. The former lawmaker said three of the assailants already produced by Ohaukwu council chairman were all members of APC. Onwe called on security agencies in Ebonyi State to ignore the lies of Governor Umahi and APC chairman and enforce the abrogation of Ebubeagu because: "Ebonyi people are safe and comfortable with official security agencies and not the APC militia of Umahi. Above all, peace has gradually returned to Ebonyi State since the Federal High Court judgement which was celebrated by the masses in the streets and all corners of the state."

The Ohaukwu - born author and opinion leader is hopeful that PDP which is Ebonyi people's traditional political party will sweep the polls in the 2023 general elections as it had done in the six previous elections in Ebonyi State.