A chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndi Ngwa, a socio- political group in Abia State, Elder Emmanuel Adaelu says ex-governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu told the Ukwa/Ngwa people in 2007 that it will take the zone more 35 years to produce a governor of the state.
Adaelu who disclosed this while addressing a general meeting of the group in Aba decried the marginalization which has been meted out to the zone since the era of the Old Imo state, commended Gov. Theodore Orji for his sense of justice and equity in insisting that power must shift to the Ukwa/ Ngwa zone in 2015.
“Orji Uzor Kalu told us in plain terms that Ukwa/Ngwa people will wait for more 35 years before they can produce a governor. He said it to the hearing of well meaning Ukwa/Ngwa sons and daughters. We have not forgotten that, it is in our memory. Orji Uzor Kalu did not mean well for Ukwa/Ngwa people. He was our enemy number one. It is only the incumbent governor, Chef Theodore Orji who said no, that he will hand over to Ukwa/ Ngwa people in 2015. We are convinced Gov. Theodore Orji will shift power to Ukwa/Ngwa zone in 2015,” Adaelu said.
He called on all political parties in the state to nominate their governorship candidates from the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc which he said boasts of personalities who have made marks in their different fields of endeavour.
Adaelu pledged that his group is prepared to support Gov. Orji fulfil his promise of producing a successor from Ukwa Ngwa zone in 2015.
“We are ready; we have spelt out the road map; our people have been adequately sensitized and ready to play their part. We are only waiting on the governor to act according to his promise. Our people are ready to support whoever he chooses.
“2015 is the time for Ukwa/Ngwa people to produce a governor of Abia state. We cannot allow anybody to come from any other zone than Ukwa/Ngwa to take it away from us. We are calling on the PDP to make haste and zone this contest to Ukwa/Ngwa area and for the governor to also make haste to name who his successor is. We are waiting to hear from the governor because he is the leader of the party who has made this promise to us. If we hear him today, our people will be made to know.”
