Abia State coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo Mandate group, BOMG, Mr. Onyedi Okwulehie has
congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari, on his victory at the March 23, poll, saying that
Buhari integrity and good intention for the country was his strength during the election. He also
commended the leadership and members of the All Progressives Congress, APC for a successful
outing during the historic poll.
In an exclusive interview, the scion of the late Chief Sam Okwulehie political family of Abia State
observes that Buhari’s acceptance cuts across all the regions. He is of the view that APC did well
in the South East despite the fact that a faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo rebuffed the APC
presidential candidate for their selfish reasons. He thanked the APC in the South East and Abia
State in particular for believing in the vision of Mr. President to take Nigeria to the next level of
development. Okwulehie, also commended the Board Chairman and Director-General of
BOMG, Dr. Sani A. Abdallah and the Secretary cum administrative Director, Pastor Sam
Ugochukwu for doing a good job.
The Abia State Coordinator of BOMG and House of Assembly aspirant for Umuahia Central
State Constituency disclosed that in spite of the propaganda mounted by the opposition PDP to
blackmail the ruling party and deceive the electorates, Nigerians made their choice. “So it is
gratifying that the Nigerian people spoke with one voice irrespective of tribe or religion to
return President Buhari for another term in office, he stated.
He pointed out that the group is emboldened by the approval and commendations from the
international community of the electoral process, “which they described as credible”. He said,
“since the announcement and declaration of Buhari as winner, world leaders have continued to
send their congratulatory messages, and prominent on the long list is the USA, Britain, China,
Russia, South Africa among others”, adding that it is a validation of the election against the
backdrop of opposition claims.
On the allegation that some APC leaders in Abia State compromised during the February 23,
poll, the Mayor as he is fondly called appealed to the party’s hierarchy to investigate the
activities of some chieftains of the party in the state, whom he said allegedly connived with the
PDP government to suppress APC votes in their various local government areas. He added that
the March 9, governorship election is a referendum on maladministration in the state.
He further said that concrete measures should be put in place to check mate the PDP rigging
machine, as past experience has shown that the party usually use the back door to climb to
power in the state against the wish of the electorates. He then noted that he projected votes
for Buhari in Abia State was in excess of the 40 per cent mark, but for the obvious betrayal by
some party leaders.
The Mayor called on APC leaders to unite and work together to deliver the governorship
candidate and other candidates of the party in the interest of the suffering masses, while he
appealed to party chieftains of Ukwa-Ngwa origin to be good party men and women. “I’m
calling on APC leaders to consider the plight of the suffering masses in Abia and forge a
common front to take back our state and reposition it on the path of greatness”, he stressed..
According to him hardship does not discriminate, neither does it recognize ethnic tribe or party
affiliations. He said the hardship the PDP government visited on the people of Abia is
unbearable and calls for concern.
“We are talking of a government that is insensitive, that does not pay workers salaries and
pensions running into several months, in spite of the bailout fund and Paris Club refund. There
is also the monthly federation allocation, the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, and other
intervention funds available to the state, yet there is nothing to show for it, he lamented.
He said it is a shame that Abia State is now a laughing stock among its peers to the point that
the state government could not start and complete a flyover after four years in office, whereas
Ebonyi state with no oil revenue has built and commissioned three number standard flyovers in
record time. So, this election is about the future of Abia, he concludes.
