Son of the late Biafrian War Lord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Jnr, has described former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh as the only senatorial aspirant that will serve the interests of Anambra and Igbo people at large.
Ojukwu Jnr, who spoke to journalists in Abuja over the weekend, said that the Senate requires a mature, experienced seasoned politician as a representative, not people with youthful exuberance.
He said: “Our system here in Nigeria is based on the American system, we have the Senate and the Federal House of Representatives.
“We need someone who commands respects, who has touched lives across the state, the nation and of course their constituents, someone who has had a track record of success, a track record of maturity.”
Ojukwu Jnr pointed out that “when you put all these in context, not many people would disagree with me that Senator Umeh fits into that, as qualified as anybody may be,
“Senator Umeh is head and shoulders above the other two persons. In terms of representing the interests of Ndi Anambra and Ndi-Igbo at the Senate and then when you tie that to my father’s legacies, with the closeness, with the fact that he is a student of Eze Igbo, he learnt from him politically, my choice is Victor Umeh and I think that the people of Anambra Central will be well served by him.
“He is strong minded, he is mature, he has a strong intellect, he has connections throughout the nation, he is respected politically and he is a mature, sensible Igbo leader.
“Having served before and with level of exposure, his relationships, Umeh will more likely attract better committee assignments which will result in greater dividends for his constituency.
“With Umeh, we know what we will get: Good representation. He is a known entity with a proven track record of fearless leadership. Merely seeing that tall red Cap on the table, everyone instinctively knows that Umeh is in the building!
“Ask yourself, of the three, were Eze-Igbo alive, who would he endorse? Victor Umeh!”
While describing Uzuegbunam Okague and Dozie Nwankwo as young, dynamic, upcoming young men, he said: “It is not just about them or who they are but the position they are vying for, which is the Senate.”
On the relationship between Umeh and his late father, Ojukwu Jnr said: “I don’t think anybody needs me to expound on the relationship between Senator Victor Umeh and Eze-Igbo. He was very close to my father, right from the onset of the party, before he stepped up to be the National Chairman, then the relationship grew from there; he was somebody that my father trusted and he is somebody that I trust based on what my father taught me.
“He has stood for Eze-Igbo, he has stood for the Igbo interests within the party, the state and the federal levels. In fact you may have come across many of his interviews that he has done as National Chairman and as a Senator. He is somebody that has the interests of our people at heart and his foundation is based on the teachings of my father.
“So that goes without saying, he is a patriot. On the race for Anambra Central Senatorial Seat, Okagbue Uzugbenem the former Chief of Protocol to former Governor Obiano and Hon Dozie Nwankwo, who are also in the race, first of all, I know the three of them, I know Senator Victor Umeh better than I know the other two but I know them.”
Speaking on the issue of level playing field, he said that “what happened with the nominations in 2018 was a low point for the party and certainly not what Eze-Igbo stood for when he was alive.”
According to the former Commissioner of Special Duties in the first tenure of the immediate past governor, Willie Obiano, the mistakes of the 2018 nomination is not something APGA is known for. “My advice,” he said, “is that they stay away from such behavior in the future. We are yet to mend fences with all those that were aggrieved. This may not be the time to do that but they should try and settle the ones they can and move away from such behavior and allow a level playing field for all the aspirants.”
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