The proverbial tale
of the Tortoise who went to his in-law’s house to ask for their daughter’s hand
in marriage, but got carried away by the food offered,while a more serious
person came and took the lady away is quite popular.This tale applies to the
situation in which the people of Anambra North Senatorial district have found
themselves since 2011 when they elected Senator Margery Okadigbo to represent
them in the Senate.
Since then,four years
ago, they have not heard wim! from the Senator.Okadigbo has not initiated any
bill that would address any problem of the Anambra people or used her influence
as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to attract any Federal project
to the area rather she has been enjoying the goodies of senators in Abuja while
her people gnash their teeth in suffering in the villages. Anambra North is
made up of seven local government councils including Oyi and Anyamelum, Ogbaru,
Onitsha South and West, Anambra West and East.
Now the people have
said, enough is enough’ nbanu They want strong, dedicated and purposeful
representation in the Nigerian Senate.The leaders of the people have found a
worthy voice in Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, who for a long time,they and
their people have been mounting pressure on to stand election to go and
represent them in the Senate.Oduah’s catalogue of achievements as Federal
minister of Avuation stand her out as a stellar performer. Check out her
massive revolutionary remodeling and refurbishment of 22 Federal airports and
the ongoing building of four new international airports.Which Aviation minister
has done that in the past 40 years? Who gave the Igbos their first
international airport at Enugu after over 50 years of Nigerian indepedence?
Princess Oduah.
The antics of Senator
Okadigbo are rather funny.if not pathetic.She even abandoned the PDP in
Anambra North area on whose platform she became senator.The party had no
befitting office or functional vehicle.there was no party meeting and she never
called one. Is Margery saying that it was the court that voted for her
even though she got there by court judgment?Oduah has changed all that.
When people started
asking—where is our senator ? Mrs Okadigbo quickly gathered refrigerators, TVs
and DVD players which she threw at the people to buy their votes.But their
answer was the same—Nbanu.No! You cannot come and insult us with greek gifts!
When that did not
work, Margery Okadigbo decided to play on sentiments to sway people of Anambra
North to support her-- yet again, despite her lackluster performance. Her ploy
is, ’Don\t forget, I am the widow of Oyi of Oyi’ But the people of Anambra
have shown their love and respect for the late Okadigbo over the past four
years by first electing his widow and secondly,supporting her.
But now, we must ask
the question: what have the good people of Anambra North comprising seven local
governments gained from four years of Mrs Okadigbo representing them at the
Senate? The answer is: Nothing!
Yet there are a
legion of burning issues and knotty problems that have been affecting
‘Anambrarians’ for so long that need urgent attention by the Federal government
of Nigeria. These include increased federal development projects in Anambra,
effective tackling of gully erosion, more jobs for Anambra youth, more
technical schools and colleges, good roads,Federal Medical Centre,among others.
We all know that
Princess Stella adaeze Oduah is a stellar performer.While many are
waffling over the problem,she takes her time to study it, analyses it
unsentimentally and come up with innovative solutions.And then, she boldly
makes things happen.
Since the former
Aviation minister bowed to pressure to be their voice in the Nigerian Senate
many communities and stakeholder groups have been showing their solidarity and
support for Oduah..
Last week, Members of Omambala Progressives Forum, OPF, a
socio-political movement from Anambra North Senatorial Zone paid a
solidarity visit to Oduah.The OPF members said that the recent decision
of Princess Oduah to pick a nomination form and contest the 2015
senatorial election in the Anambra North,on the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP is a step in the right direction.
Leader of the forum, Hon. Osy Chinwuba who led the OPF delegation to
Oduah’s country home, at Akili Ozizor in Ogbaru Local Government Area of
Anambra State, commended her for hearkening to the voice of Ndi Anambra North
to contest the election, pledging their unflinching support to ensure her
victory at both the party primaries and the general election.
According to Chinwuba who is a former chairman of Anambra East LG,and
member of the Anambra House of Assembly,the Ogbaru Federal constituency which
Oduah hails from is the only one among the four federal constituencies in the
area that has not produced a senator.
The situation was the same at Onistha the famous centre of Igbo
culture and commerce when leaders of the Onitsha community threw their weight
fully in support of the decision by Princess Stella Oduah to vie for the
Anambra North Senatorial seat on the platform of PDP.
At a stakeholder’s meeting convened at the Knights of St. Mulumba
Retreat Center, Onitsha, the Obi in Council, the Agbalanzes, the Odu
women society, the Ikporo Onitsha and the President General of Onitsha
town union home and abroad were unanimous in arriving at a decision that Oduah
is not only eminently qualified to be the voice of the people in the National
Assembly but that they will support her all the way to ensure that she clinches
the seat during the election.
The representative of Obi in Council, the Akpeh Olodi, Chulo Asika while
offering the kolanut prayers asked God to bless all and most importantly to
bless and grant the aspiration of Princess Oduah for whom they have gathered.
Chairman of the Princess Stella Oduah Campaign Organization and former
two time Member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the National
Assembly, Hon. Okwudili Ojiba Uzoka said at the occasion: If you see Adaeze
Oduah doing anything noble, it shouldn’t surprise you because she is only
following the footsteps of her parents. Her father, the late Igwe Dennis Oduah
in the early 70’s set up an endowment fund in the name of Zik at the University
of Nigeria Nsukka for the training of engineering students. Her mother, Josephine
Oduah also set up another fund for the training of young girls in school at
that time when many young girls were literarily sold into marriage.Princess
Stella is following their footsteps.”
Continuing Uzoka said:“ We cannot forget in a hurry her foot prints in
the aviation sector. For the first time in the history of the nation, Ndigbo
now have an international airport in perpetuity
The Campaign Director General,who is a former PDP Chairman in the state,
Chief Pandola Okwuosa noted that Princess Oduah is vying for the Senate because
it is only the brave ones like her that can struggle for the benefit of the
people during the allocation of resources by the Federal Government.
Okwuosa also noted that Oduah was not the first Aviation Minister
of Igbo extraction but she was the first to remember the sufferings of the
people while at the helm of affairs.
Former PDP Governorship aspirant in the state, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu,who is
an Oduah supporter appealed to Onitsha people that this is the time to forget the
animosities of the past so that we can get our own share from the
federation.”There are Senators and there are Senators and that is why we
require the best foot to step forward,”he said.
Obiogbolu restated the fact that all other areas in Anambra North have
produced a senator except Ogbaru where Oduah hails from. Said he:” In the four
political blocs in the seven local governments in Anambra North, Oyi and
Anyamelum have produced Chuba and Margery Okadigbo, Anambra West and East have
produced Emma Anosike and Alphonsus Igbeke while Onitsha South and North has
produced Joy Emordi leaving Ogbaru with zero.
Adding:” We have seen a capable hand in Ogbaru in the person of Oduah
and we need to support her fully” Obiogbolu said.
Therefore, it is crystal clear that Oduah enjoys the support of the
leaders of key communities and stakeholder groups in Anambra North.
In response, Princess Oduah thanked the Onitsha people for their
support. Then the goodies came. Oduah pledged to build a befitting town hall
for the people among other development projects after only just learning that
the great Onitsha city does not have a befitting town Hall!.
Said Princess Oduah:“Part of my promise
when I get to the Senate is encapsulated in making sure that Anambra becomes a fully
gazetted oil producing state. I will also attract Federal government hospitals
in conjunction with the state government. The harnessing of our nature endowed
potentials will be a priority by making Onitsha a real operational business
port where people cannot suffer to clear their goods anymore. Onitsha must be
recognized, rebuilt and upgraded to that modern city. The accruing benefits of
true representation will translate to infrastructure rebuilding and provisions”
Oduah stated.
Those who know the former Aviation
minister closely know that she doesn’t make promises lightly and that she has
the strength of character and determination to make these promises come to
light. Her brilliance and creativity in finding solutions to some of our tough
national problems have been well acknowledged in the Aviation sector where in
only three years she transformed the entire industry,putting it on a phenomenal
growth path.
For Mrs Okadigbo,one would say, going round playing on sentiments of ’ I
am the widow of Chuba Okadigbo, of Oyi of Oyi fame, support me’-- will no
longer work. The people of Anambra North are suffering and need strong
representation in the Nigerian Senate in order to change their story for good.
Princess Stella Oduah has bowed to the wishes of her people to run for the
Senate seat, in order to provide them with that strong voice in the Upper
legislative chamber.She is set to deliver on that mandate, if given the
opportunity. Surely, the opportunity beckons and she intends to take it.