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2015: The Battle For Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency: A Rejoinder

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   The article written by  one Goddy Osuji titled ,” 2015 : The Battle
for Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency” published by Daily Sun
Newspaper on 7th July, 2014 cast an inflammatory aspersion on Barr
Ikeuwa Omebe, the immediate past Chairman of Ezza North Local
Government Area. That the former council boss during his reign at the
council seat of power had a poor performance amongst others. And
therefore, not saleable to his people for a higher elective position.


    I had wanted not to react to Mr. Osuji’s accusational aspersion on
the distinct achiever;Barr Ikeuwa Omebe but for the reason of honest
record and for the sake of the reading public whose Mr. Osuji’s
intention is to misguide,knowing fully well that  write up is a mere
figment of his imagination which is an aberration in the tenet of
journalism profession, I make bold to say that Barr. Ikeuwa romanced
history with giant  strides in the council area .Mr. Osuji found truth
abhorrent and at variance with his misguided objectives.


   There are obvious indications that Mr. Osuji had merely done a
hatchet job. In as much as I do not want to join issues or accuse a
journalist coming under the influence of brown envelopes, I  would say
that anybody with such hack  on the administration of Ikeuwa is
seemingly magnifying  mediocrity and parochialism .I do not intend to
push against Mr. Osuji an indictment of such a sordid write up ,  but
to objectively right the wrong framing and contents of Mr. Osuji’s
lousy and misguided article. I will call a spade a spade with
sustainable facts and tangible evidence, the flagrant lousiness of his
aspersion and ambiguity of its conjectural manner.


   “Barr Ikeuwa Omebe ran an exclusive administration where the
stakeholders and even large chunk of the people were isolated.”
    This is quite untrue of the administration of Ikeuwa.His
leadership was all inclusive and very people oriented,Ikeuwa could
have made up his mind to confine himself  in law chambers without
bothering about what happen to his people out there, or he could have
been contented delivering judgments  in the court of justice.  But he
painstakingly /selflessly denied himself all that.He has been very
constant on the  side of his people and what would benefit them
notwithstanding his personal comfort.


         He maintained a very harmonious relationship with the
stakeholders of the council. He saw to the completion of late Deacon
Nworji’s bungalow and financed his  burial , donated five hundred
thousand naira  to the traditional wedding of a  prominent
stakeholder’s daughter of the council. The council chairman’s lodge
was like Mecca during his administration with a lot of manna.
Tournaments were organized for the youths of the council at different
occasions.


   There is no basis to draw the conclusion that Ikeuwa ran his
administration in isolation as Osuji would have readers believe.
   “That the council did not see reasonable development during
Ikeuwa’s reign because of his obsession to perpetuate himself in
power.”


Again, Mr.Osuji failed altogether to adduce any proof to corroborate
this insolence and emotive blanket opprobrium on Ikeuwa that he did
not deliver. What he believes in as “reasonable development” is not
known because Ikeuwa’s administration witnessed numerous physical and
life touching projects across the communities in the council.


   During his reign at the council, Ikeuwa was given an African Grass-
root Award on good governance as the best Chairman” in the South East
geopolitical zone rated by Concerned Media Limited.A failed system as
Osuji claimed could not have been identified with such prominent
award. One should not forget that House of Representatives Committee
on Local Government ,Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development equally
gave Ikeuwa award as the best performed Chairman , Ebonyi State in
2008 , which was held atYara’dua   Centre,Abuja.The same award was
also given to the former council boss by the same committee of the
Senate in 2009 . Or is Osuji saying that the both hallowed chambers
of the National Assembly made a mistake? Remember, Ikeuwa was
democratically elected Chairman and therefore could not had his way
through for a second term if he was an abject performer as Mr. Osuji
would have his readers believe.

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      Ikeuwa employed over three hundred teachers and local government
junior staff as approved by the waiver of the Governor. In addendum,
on 8th April 2013 in address of accountability presented by
Barr.Ikeuwa Omebe during a thank you visit , inspection and
commissioning of projects by His Excellency,Chief Martin Elechi (CON),
Ikeuwa had this to say “We have carefully presented all our meaningful
projects in a very colourful pictures in the  project album already
before your Excellency as they would say, pictures do not lie .It may
not have been necessary to reproduce these projects for want of time
and need for  brevity, but let me  for the benefit of doubting
Thomases who may not have  access to the Album nor would they consider
it expedient to visit  the project sites, recap some of these projects
here even at risk of prolixity”. This avers confidence in numerous
achievements of his administration. He embarked on regular road
maintenance and grading of over 400km roads .Constructed over 46
culverts across the communities, built three major bridges of unity
,namely Ekam, Onunwitecha and Iyor bridges. He provided electricity to
Evara- OmegeUmuezeokaoha community, Ndegu Ekka-Inyere and several
others.


     His administration provided over nine million naira cash
incentives to one thousand rural farmers. He built five classroom
blocks each at Odeligbo primary school and Community Primary School
Omege.He awarded scholarship to over 20 indigenes of Ezza North at
University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital,Ituku Ozalla.He awarded
scholarship to a  physically challenged person  currently studying at
College of Education ,Ikwo.He paid the sum of two hundred thousand and
one hundred and fifty thousand each to over twenty eight female and
male students studying in the Nigerian Law School and donated a laptop
computer to each of them to aid their learning .He donated a hilux van
 to Achiegu Divisional Police Headquarters, over thirty motor bikes
to vigilante service group,Civil  Defence Corps, Police Criminal
Investigation Department(CIB), Department of Security
Services(DSS)Ezza North Local Government Chapter and built an ultra
modern Police viewing centre at Achiegu Police Headquarters and other
incentives to security agencies to enhance their effective operation
within the council, just to mention but a few.


     Virtually, Ikeuwa touched every aspect of governance viz :
education, health, security, agriculture, capacity building, women and
youth empowerment, rural electrification, traditional institution,
roads, water/sanitation , various financial assistance to stakeholders
and indigent members of the council area at their point of needs,
clearance of inherited debts  of over one hundred and  eighty million
naira arising from projects execution and sundry transactions of
previous administrations.

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       Of course there is room for improvement because resources are
scarce and human needs are unlimited.It is a fool that will come to
the conclusion that every thing that could be achieved was achieved.
But in summation, Ikeuwa did his best.


      “In 2011 Ikeuwa was accused of complexity in the triumph of
opposition,ANPP in Ezza North”
    Thus Mr. Osuji case that Barr.Ikeuwa was accused of  what could
best be described as “anti party activities” failed to make any
reference to any statement or query by PDP either from the ward ,Local
Government or State executives so as to provide the evidential basis
of  which he launched  his damning indictment on Barr.Ikeuwa led
administration .This is a mere tissue of fabricated falsehood meant to
pinch the Peoples Democratic Party against their true party loyalist.
     However, Barr. Ikeuwa was and still a true loyal and committed
member of PDP .


            “That Ikeuwa is a very unpopular politician; it has become
difficult to see how he could win his people to his side”.
    This is a naked falsehood, and by implication means that Osuji and
his paymasters are not comfortable with the popularity Ikeuwa had
garnered over the time and still enjoys same till date.Ikeuwa is a
grassroot politician with a difference .Mr. Osuji alluded to the fact
that Ikeuwa is a God fearing ,gentle, but vibrant and articulate
politician who does not resort to violence which Osuji might believe
to be popularity.Ikeuwa is tested and trusted and a household name in
Ezza North Council Area and could win any elective position in Ebonyi
State.  Ezza North people gave him their mandate in first and second
tenure as Chairman and he delivered and believes that if bigger
position is given to him, he will do more, to whom much is given, much
is expected.


   “His betrayal to all those who helped him ascend to power is

another stumbling block on his way”.
    Mr.Osuji vehemently derailed in his usual fabrication on  indictment
     against Barr.Ikeuwa for betrayal.He did not cite one or point to
one single  example of those whom Ikeuwa betrayed or make reference to
any statement they might have made to him, so that in the event their
names were withheld readers could draw the unjustifiable conclusion
that  their identities were being protected.Yet no such effort was
exerted in that instance .


     Finally the purported impeachment of Ikeuwa as mentioned by Mr.
Osuji was reversed because it lacked merit in both  principle and  law
,it was morally debased, it was the handwork of some disgruntled cabal
who wanted to hijack power in Ezza North Local Government Area for
their selfish interest. Youths, traditional rulers, stakeholders all
went in protest against their councilors. Thank God His Excellency
ordered for tranquility and reversal .
    Mr Osuji embarked on marketing fallacies, a very sordid conduct
that promotes mediocrity.


    Those who are interested in representing Ishielu/Ezza North
Federal Constituency come 2015 should therefore not be afraid of
Ikeuwa or resort to cheap blackmail using hatchet writers to achieve
their selfish objectives. The public should always be made to know the
truth for conscience is an open wound only the truth can heal it.


  Emma Igwe(07037874865) wrote from Abakaliki,Ebonyi State

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