Third Term for Chukwumerije

The Senator representing Abia North District, Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, receives a third term endorsement from his constituents.

The Isuochi, Umunneochi council area country home of Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, Senator representing Abia North District, has lately been a beehive. Chukwumerije’s constituents want him back to the senate as their representative in the next general election.

Abia North senatorial zone comprises Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Umunneochi Local Government Areas respectively. Although the cerebral law maker is currently serving his second term, his Umunneochi kinsmen and, indeed, the generality of his constituents across the senatorial district have continued to mount pressures on him not to back out of the senate in 2011.

Recently, stake-holders of Umunneochi council area paid a solidarity visit to the senator in his Abuja residence, urging him to continue with the superlative representation he has been giving the people of Abia North zone at the floor of the Nigerian senate.

Apart from the membership of the Progressive People Alliance (PPA), the stake-holders, led by Comrade Oliver Egeonu, the council’s chairman, included chieftains of other political parties from the senatorial district such as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Action Congress (AC) and All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) among others.

Interestingly, Chukwumerije’s constituents had to deploy subtle threats to get him to accept their proposal.

“Senator, it is the resolution of the people of Umunneochi Local Government Area that you should return to the senate. We are not begging you. If you refuse to return, we shall be left with no other option than to ostracize you from our zone”, the people warned the outspoken and fearless senator.

Although this rather weird threat was greeted by a prolonged laughter and thunderous ovation from the delegation, the import of the occasion was not, in the least, lost on the ‘Comrade’ Senator who, according to his people, has made countless contributions towards the development of Abia North in particular, and the Nigerian nation in general.

Prince Uchenna Ezekwesiri, Leader of Umunneochi legislative council, and one of the leaders of the delegation, explained that the stake-holders had to insist on Chukwumerije’s continued representation because, according to him, Abia North, at the moment, does not have his replacement.

Stated Hon. Ezekwesiri: “Chukwumerije is a political Iroko tree, not only in Nigeria but in the African continent, and we are simply lucky to have him as our son. Comrade has no rival in the entire senate in terms of qualitatively representing his people. That is why we want him back”.

The achievements of Senator Chukwumerije include the provision of social amenities to his constituents. In the course of his senatorial assignments, he has embarked on water and electricity schemes across the senatorial district. Particular mention is made of the Amuda water scheme and the Umunneochi electricity scheme.

Under the intervention of Senator Chukwumerije, the Mmam Dam (located in Mballa-Isuochi) and linking Isuochi people with their Enugu state neighbors, is in progress. Apart from distributing electric transformers across the wards of the senatorial district, and, particularly, ensuring the award of contract for the reconstruction of the long neglected Mballa road, the senator has, also, embarked on poverty alleviation (through skill acquisition) and scholarship schemes across the senatorial zone.

It is on record that Chukwumerije was the only Nigerian senator to have successfully embarked on a comprehensive tour of the local governments in his constituency, tutoring the constituents on the need to support the on on-going review of the Nigerian constitution. And he is, similarly, in the reckoning of his constituents for organizing the first ever Umunneochi Cultural Day, a forum for showcasing the cultural lives and values of the people.

Commenting on the giant strides of Chukwumerije, Chief Obi Aham, Chairman, Abia state chapter of the Action Congress, said: “My party supports Senator Chukwumerije because, unlike some other politicians, he is a humane person. And he is always willing and eager to come to the rescue of the less-privileged and oppressed”.

Amidst these accolades on a worthy ambassador of his people, Chukwumerije’s return to the senate is, for now, a question which answers lies in the womb of time. Will he hearken to his people’s pleas? Or will he back out?