Signposts of Victory As Ihedioha Campaign Train Berths at Ngor Okpala, Aboh Mbaise
By Dr Austin Uganwa
In apparent continuation of his campaign tour to the local council areas,
the People's Democratic Party(PDP) governorship candidate in Imo state,
Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha's campaign train berthed amazingly in Ngor Okpala
and Aboh Mbaise local governments Monday, 2nd of February, 2015. Indeed,
content and action, it was evidently homecoming for the Indefagatable
Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives.
For the twelve years Hon Ihedioha has been holding sway in the National
Assembly like a colossus, he has been representing Aboh Mbaise /Ngor
Okpala federal constituency. He hails from Aboh Mbaise while his maternal
home is Ngor Okpala, emphasizing the uniqueness and symbolic nature of the
visit.
These realities reflected palpably and unmistakably as his entourage
connected Ulakwo en route to Nguru , straight down to Umuneke, Ngor
Okpala local council headquarters on campaign voyage for PDP's
consolidating efforts towards reclaiming Imo state. Vehicular
traffic built exceedingly, stretching over three kilometers as more and
more Ngor Okpala sons and daughters ecstatically joined the entourage half
way into Umuneke
The crowd at old county council, venue of the event was unprecedented. All
the canopies were filled to the brim and many other people surged to the
centre circle. The youths had a field day with their solidarity songs and
victory dance steps
Ngor Okpala political leaders, royal fathers, entrepreneurs came out in
their large numbers to welcome their own and to show solidarity. The roll
call is lengthen but includes; Okenze Ngor Okpala, Sylvester Obinna, PDP
caucus and campaign leader in the local council; Chief Emmanuel Nwaorgu
Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission; Canaon Onyeso
Nwachukwu, member Eastern Region Parilament; and C.C Nwigwe, Chairman PDP
of the local council.
Others were; Barrister Soronnadi Njoku, former Attorney General and Imo
state Commissioner of Justice; Professor Jude Njoku, former Federal
University of Technology Owerri Vice Chancellor and Imo guber aspirant;
Barrister Kingsley Nzemechi, Special Assistant to Deputy Speaker, House of
Representatives, Chief Goddy Onyebuenyi and a host of others
The situation was similar in Primary School Orie Opara, Nguru venue of
the Aboh Mbaise event. Cheerily but astonishingly large crowd waited
patiently from 10 am till 6 pm when Hon Ihedioha arrived the place from
Ngor Okpala and after paying courtesy visit to the traditional rulers.
The Youths who could no longer control their passion and emotional
attachment to the PDP guber candidate surged as the coaster bus that
brought him and other dignitaries screeched to a halt.
In hordes, they moved apparently to embrace him, chanting solidarity
songs. They formed ring around, followed him as he acknowledged cheers and
walked briskly to the well-laid-out podium. Manifestly euphoric Ihedioha
danced hilariously to the soothingly inviting high life music that rent
the air that delightful evening.
As the cheers and solidarity songs continued to soar unabated, Ihedioha
changed his dance steps to that of victory to the admiration of many.
Other dignitaries on the podium including Senator, representing Owerri
zone, Chris Anyanwu; PDP Women Leader, Dr Kema Chikwe and the state
chairman of the party, ebullient Nnamdi Anyaehie joined and even tried to
outdo the Right Honourable, reinforcing the reality that success beckons
to Ihedioha.
Apart from the remarkable reception, electrified environment,
passion-laden and jubilant crowd at Ngor Okpala and Aboh Mbaise events,
the cream of personalities on the entourage is instructive of Ihedioha's
sure-footedness. Virtually all the known and relevant political leaders
across the three zones of the state have bought into the project. Hordes
of them were on the campaign train to Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala and
other local councils
The list includes all the former civilian Governors of the state who are
living- Achike Udenwa; Ikedi Ohakim- their deputies; Ebere Udeagu and
Ada Okwonu; all the former speakers of Imo state House of Assembly and
their deputies; all the current members of the House and Senate from the
state; all the PDP national working committee members and Board of Trustee
member, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and so on.
To drive the point home that Ihedioha was really on homecoming and the
people are exceedingly happy for it, Ngor Okpala women gave him special
gifts. These include; oil, garri and plantain. Overtly, he expressed
appreciation over the gifts
Understandably, Ngor Okpala and Aboh Mbaise people have every reason to
celebrate Ihedioha and to be extremely overjoyed on his homecoming,
governorship ticket and campaign train. Ihedioha's twelve years
representation of the federal constituency turned the place around in many
ways particularly infrastructural development and empowerment programmes
In fact, the record of Hon Ihedioha's road infrastructure, electricity
projects, education facilities, water projects, hospital facilities is
significant and verifiable. For instance, Ihedioha got NDDC to award
contract for OKpala-Igwuruta Road, linking Imo to Rivers with the first
phase costing N4.2b; facilitated award of contract for the dualization of
Owerri-Elele (Omayelu) 35-kilometre road at N23b. He also attracted
contract for the design of the famous 63-kilometre Mbaise Ring Road
cutting across three local councils at the initial cost of N1bn.
Besides, Ihedioha facilitated the award of N5bn contract for the award of
construction of roundabout at Ahiara junction along Owerri-Umuahia Road
with two spurs and got the Federal Government to take over the
construction of Airport Junction, Umuohiagu-Uvuru Road. He also initiated
the process of constructing N1b jetty at Imo River and construction of a
giant size 133x333KVA substation at Mbaise located between Nguru and Ibeku
with initial contract cost of N2.2b.
Specifically, other projects the Deputy Speaker has attracted to Mbaise
include; 15MVA substation 1xMVA-33/11 KV and completion of electricity at
Mbutu, Mbaise; reactivation and rehabilitation of Uvuru Amawo water
project, Aboh Mbaise; construction of Nigerian Immigration Service in
Mbaise; Rehabilitation of Chikoneze-Mbutu-Logara Road, Mbaise;
Rehabilitation of Umuopara-Ibeku-Umuhu-Uvuru Road , Aboh Mbaise and
several others.
In Ngor Okpala, he has in addition embarked on over 40 projects including;
five-kilometre road that links Umuowa and Nguru, which Governor Okorocha
abandoned. Others are; Umuneke-Obike Road and erosion control project;
construction of power injection sub-station in Umuneke with 15MVA 33/11
capacity; construction of Okpala-Obokwu-Alulu Road; electrification of
Umuekwune community and so on. These are just a tip of an ice berg as
Deputy Speaker has attracted many other projects to his federal
constituency and to Imo
These legacies explain why Ihedioha told the crowd in Aboh Mbaise and Ngor
Okpala that he did not come to campaign but on homecoming as his great
accomplishments would speak for him. He is right. It is indeed
unmistakable that Ihedioha would too certainly replicate in the state,
even in greater proportion, what he has done in his constituency
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