Yesterday, 23rd July, the floor of the Nigerian Senate witnessed the presence of His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, GSSRS, as he came to personally welcome his friend and brother, Distinguished Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi to the All Progressives Congress from the Labour Party.
Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi who was elected for the first time to the Senate on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had defected to the Labour Party in the run-up to the 2023 General election from where he was eventually reelected for a second term in the Senate. His followers argue that his legislative achievements and the confidence that the majority of his constituents have in him earned him reelection.
The governor of Imo State, in keeping with his mandate as the undisputed political leader of the Southeast provides the leadership required for unity among key political players, hence, the massive influx of opposition politicians to the APC. His sincerity and dedication to the improvement of the Southeast region, especially, in terms of key political and economic decisions, have continued to yield massive fruits to the region.
Nigeria’s peculiar politics driven by tribal and regional sentiments makes it imperative for the Southeast which had held the wrong end of the political bargain in the Nigerian political equation, especially, since 2015, is looking set to reconnect to the centre as the undisputed third leg of the tripod on which Nigeria stands. But to achieve this, it would be important that as many politicians of the Southeast region as possible, coalesce behind the ruling APC, so that we would be at the table where key decisions regarding the fate of our nation are taken.
Already, the Nigerian structure is skewed against the region in a way that is most unfair, and it would be ill-advised for the region to continue to champion the opposition against the federal government. This has informed Governor Uzodimma’s unyielding determination to mobilise the region to key into the progressive agenda of the APC.
Dr. Uche Obiora, a political scientist with the University of Nigeria praised the governor’s efforts in reconnecting the Southeast to the centre, and urged other key political players in the Southeast to join the initiative in the interest of Southeast development and political liberation.
“Democratic politicking all over the world is determined by the majority. That is why we have a common aphorism that; “the majority will have their way while the minority will have a say.” The Southeast has played opposition enough, and we have lost so much ground in the Nigerian political equation due to our disconnection from the mainstream, and this is the time to correct the error. Let us be at the table where key decisions concerning our country are being made.”
Distinguished Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi’s defection to the APC is expected to open a floodgate of defections to APC by lawmakers from the Southeast as the Chairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum continues to reach out to more opposition lawmakers to join the progressive train. With Ezenwa Onyewuchi Imo now has three of its Senators as members of the ruling Party, while six out of the ten House of Representatives members from the State were elected on the platform of the APC.
THE DEMARGINALISATION OF THE SOUTHEAST IS SURELY ON COURSE!
Onwuasoanya FCC Jones is the Special Adviser to Governor of Imo State on Public Communication.
