Since Abia State
governor, Theodore Orji, commenced his campaign at Ohafia last weekend
with a heavy security escort, reactions have come from different
quarters accusing him of intimidation of the opposition. Action
Congress of Nigeria senatorial candidate for Abia North, Jerry Eze,
told journalists in Ohafia that the people of the area were amazed at
the “show of callousness” exhibited by the security officers in the
campaign train.
He said that the military men that came with two armoured personnel carriers fired shots carelessly.
“I know how our
people feel each time they see this type of thing because as a result
of their experiences during the war, no one should remind them of the
losses they recorded then,” he said.
Mr. Eze said that campaigns should be an avenue where the people feel better about their future.
“This do-or-die type of politics should stop and our people had already held meetings to make sure it did not recur,” he said.
He added that the
people of the area were desperate for a change, adding that if the
current administration had met at least 50 percent of their yearnings,
they would not be asking for a change.
“We should be
playing the type of politics where candidates should be walking tall on
the streets soliciting for the people’s vote as our candidate did when
he came to Ohafia and not imposing himself on the people even when they
don’t want you,” he said.
Mr. Eze said that
the opposition parties had long been humiliated, saying: “A night
before the PDP campaign, they destroyed all campaign billboards of
members of the opposition parties in Ohafia.”
Kalu Chukwu, a resident of the area, said that the people were now wiser and could no longer be deceived.
“We have long
supported this government with nothing to show for it and what we see
is the enrichment of those at the corridors of power to the detriment
of the poor masses,” Mr. Chukwu said.
A Lagos-based
businessman, Sam Ukoha, who spent the weekend in Ohafia, said that
militarising politics in the state was not good.
“If what I saw that
weekend is the way our people are being treated then we need to have a
re-think,” he said. “If you are coming for a campaign, why bring the
military and APC to an area like Ohafia? The sporadic gunshots
particularly in Asaga Ohafia should be condemned by well meaning
individuals. They suddenly announced the removal of the transitional
committee chairman of Ohafia and replaced him with someone else. All
these are signs of desperation and we implore them to allow our people
be and not to heat up the polity with their desperate acts.”
It’s routine
Reacting, Ugochukwu
Emezue, special adviser on electronic media to the governor, said that
the comments were “the ranting of enemies of progress”.
“The military have been around in the state for security reasons and
also remember that they have a base at Ohafia so their presence is not
new to us. In politics, you hear all sorts of things just to attract
sympathy, but we urge them not to attach any negative feelings to the
progress the governor is making,” he said, adding that the governor’s
strides were in the best interest of the state.
