By Steve Oko

Senator Mao Ohuabunwa has said that he would not be surprised if President Muhammadu Buhari, declines his assent to the amended Electoral Bill transmitted to him Monday by the National Assembly.

Ohuabunwa stated this while fielding questions from newsmen after his consultation with Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stakeholders from Arochukwu/Ohafia federal consituency at the Ohafia Council headquarters.

The former Leader, House of Representatives who described the act as the panacea to Nigeria’s electoral challenges, regretted that the President had refused to align himself with the yearnings of Nigerians “to save our democracy”.

“If he signs it, fine, if he doesn’t, I won’t be surprised because he has disappointed so many expectations of the people.”

Ohuabunwa tasked youths and all eligible voters in Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency to ensure they get their Permanent Voter Card, PVC, ahead of the 2023 general election.

Senator Ohuabunwa who represented Abia North senatorial district at the eight senate, pledged to bankroll the exercise along with other political elite from the constituency.

Ohuabunwa who decried political apathy among youths in the constituency, urged Council and ward Chairmen in the constituency to mobilise all eligible voters in their respective domains to ensure the constituency did not take back seat in voter registration in the state.

Addressing the stakeholders earlier, the former Leader, House of Representatives, regretted that Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency which once commanded the highest voting population in Abia state, suddenly nosedived.

He said that a calculated attempt by some blacklegs to sabotage his political fortunes in 2019 ended up hurting the general interest of the entire constituency “which is now relegated” to the background in Abia and national politics.

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” Some worked against me in 2019 because of their selfish interests not knowing they were pulling down their champion. Today you have seen where we are; how our constituency has been completely relegated because we have no voice any more!

” It’s not about Mao Ohuabunwa; it’s all about Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency which I was privileged to be the first representative.

“While I was in office, I regularly held town-hall meetings where we interacted and I presented my scores cards. But nobody has invited me for any town-hall meeting since 2019”.

The former Leader ECOWAS Parliament, called for rediscovery of the constituency, unity and patriotism among political gladiators in the area to recover the lost grounds.

He noted that though he had cause to be angry owing to the way he was sabotaged in 2019, he had however, decided to lead from the front to ensure the constituency regained its place of pride in the Abia political map.

Senator Ohuabunwa said mentorship was necessary in politics, avering that those who have no respect for their political mentors do not go far in politics.

” If you don’t respect your political mentors, you won’t go far in politics and your tenure will not be stable”, he said.

Decrying the political condition of the constituency, Ohuabunwa said :” Parliament is not for everybody, any camaraderie can be in the executive where he uses aides to do the work but not so in the parliament”.

Various speakers at the meeting decried the political condition of the constituency and vowed to synergise to change the tide come 2023.

They pleaded with Ohuabunwa to put behind him the wrongs of 2019, and join the 2023 contest, vowing to give him massive support to return to the senate.

The stakeholders regretted that since Ohuabunwa’s exit from the red chamber in 2019, “Abia North senatorial zone has become voiceless and an object of comic relief at the senate”.

In a remark, former member representing Arochukwu Ohafia federal consituency,
Hon. Kalu Igu Uduma, lamented lack of unity and the sorry-state of things which he warned, posed grave danger to the political future of the constituency.

He urged Ohuabunwa to heed the calls to return to the senate for a rescue mission of both the constituency and Abia North senatorial district.

Former member, Ohafia State constituency, Hon. Mba Ukaha, said “our constituency is now a laughing stock”, and threatened to fight Ohuabunwa if he failed to heed the appeals to contest for senate in 2023.

Former PDP Legal Adviser, South East, Chief Ukpai Ukiro, said the stakeholders were resolute in the appeal for Ohuabunwa to join the senatorial race.

He also said that the people had realised their mistakes, and were now determined to right the wrongs for the future of the constituency.

Former State Women Leader of PDP, and Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief Nnenna Obewu, vowed to mobilise Abia North women in support of Senator Ohuabunwa.

The meeting was attended by PDP stalwarts in the constituency including the Security Adviser to the Governor, Capt. Awa Udensi; immediate-past Commissioner for Joint Project, JJ Okoro; Rev. Onyema Agbai; PDP State Publicity Secretary, Love Ezema; among others.