By Okechukwu Iboko
Abia Central Senatorial District is very unique. Some have described the zone as a “Confluence” Senatorial District because it is made up of two distinct blocs: the Umunneato Ngwa Bloc, consisting of Osisioma Ngwa, Isiala Ngwa North and Isiala Ngwa South LGAs, and the Ikwuano/ Umuahia Bloc, consisting of Ikwuano, Umuahia North and Umuahia South LGAs.
Six local government areas: divided into two culturally distinct blocs of three LGAs each.
In such a unique Senatorial District, fairness and equitable sharing of political positions becomes inevitable.
The forthcoming 2027 elections affords Abia Central the opportunity to reaffirm it’s unity, balance and fair play,so that both Umunneato Ngwa and Ikwuano Umuahia will have a sense of belonging.
In every election cycle, there are frontline candidates and there are pretenders.
In the 2027 election cycle, the frontline candidates for the governorship elections in Abia State are Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party and Chief Eric Opah of the All Progressives Congress APC. These are the two serious candidates.
The governorship position is currently held by the Umunneato Ngwa segment of Abia Central Senatorial District ( Alex Otti is from Isiala Ngwa South LGA), and barring any political upset, the governorship position will be retained in Umunneato Ngwa in 2027, since both Eric Opah and Alex Otti are from Isiala Ngwa North and Isiala Ngwa South respectively. Both are proud sons of Umunneato Ngwa political divide.
The two major political positions available to Abia Central today are the governorship and the Senate positions.
Presently, these two major positions are equitably shared among the two political blocs in Abia Central: Alex Otti from Umunneato Ngwa is the governor while Akobundu from Ikwuano Umuahia is occupying the Senate seat.
While majority of the people are of the opinion that this formula should be sustained they also express concern that the senator presently representing Abia central zone has not met the expectations of the people especially in the area of representation.
Since the governorship is already domiciled in Umunneato Ngwa and is likely to remain there till 2031, the Senate seat should as a matter of equity remain in Ikwuano and be occupied by the people’s choice Hon Emeka Atuma of the APC.
Put differently,
Ikwuano Umuahia Bloc deserves to produce the next Senator of Abia Central Senatorial District come 2027.
More than that, there is an undeniable consensus in Ikwuano Umuahia that Hon Emeka Atuma is the darling of Abia Abia Central Senatorial zone irrespective of party leanings.
Emeka Atuma has successfully represented the Ikwuano/ Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007.
He performed excellently well.
His achievements in and out of office is a strong pointer to the fact that he will excel if given the opportunity to represent Abia Central in the Senate.
His capacity has never been in doubt. His works speak for him. Testimonies abound.
Equity also speaks for him.
In the interest of brotherhood,in the interest of fairness, the entire people of Abia Central should elect Emeka Atuma as the next Senator of Abia Central on the 16th of January,2027.
The equation needs to be balanced. Let it be balanced with a man that will deliver; a man that can be trusted by all concerned to represent the six component LGAs of Abia Central;a man that will bring projects home without being partial.
Emeka Atuma is the man whom the cap fits. Let him wear it!.
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