By NewsCritic Reporters
Ohuhu-Umuahia born businessman and philanthropist, Hon (Chief) Uchenna Patrick has warned that Ohuhu people should not be part of any move to return power to their Ibeku brothers in 2023, adding that if power must come to Umuahia again it should be reserved for the Ohuhu stock for the sake of equity and justice.
Chief Uchenna Patrick in an interview with NewsCritic online said that he is aware of efforts being made by Ohuhu leaders to attract the Umuahia/Ikwuano House of Representatives ticket, saying that Ohuhu people should go for the big one because there is no harm is doing so.
The Umuahia born businessman and socialite said he hinged his position on the clear fact that the Ibeku people had taken two terms of four years each on the Abia State governorship seat, insisting that Ohuhu people would be doing themselves great injustice to support the Ibeku to go for another term leaving the Ohuhu people behind.
Said he “well I heard about the efforts they are making to ensure that Ohuhu gets the House of Representatives ticket for Ikwuano/ Umuahia federal constituency seat and that sounds funny to me. Not quite long ago, our Ibeku brothers occupied the office of the governor of Abia State for eight-years, that position could have come to Ohuhu if not that our brother Chief Onyema Ugochukwu didn’t handle it well.
“So, we are not complaining that they were governor for eight years because they are our brothers. But in that eight years if you know the impact of that position in Ibeku you will understand what it means to have a governor, who is from your community. Ibeku people were empowered beyond their imaginations and if you want, I will mention names of people in Ibeku who became multi-millionaires, overnight courtesy of the governorship been in their hand.
“Now I expect us to negotiate with our Ibeku brothers that the next time the governorship is coming to Umuahia, Ohuhu must produce the candidate. Let us do eight years like them, therefore, it will be unheard of for any Ohuhu man to support Ibeku clinch the governorship for another eight years again. Ohuhu has capable people that can run for governorship, Dr Aham Uko, Connak foundation etc, if we know the consequences of supporting Ibeku to run for governorship again, we should understand that we will become their political slaves for ever. We and our generations will suffer it because there won’t be any chance again for Ohuhu man to come up politically.
“If the governorship ticket is coming to Umuahia Ohuhu should get it, and if senate ticket is coming to Umuahia let it come to Ohuhu. We are saying that the House of Representatives is the small one, why not we take the big one. Is anything wrong asking for the governorship? All Ibeku youths have been empowered, what is House of Representatives? Let us fight the right battle, I think they are fighting the wrong battle. I will mobilize both human and material resources to help the leadership once they are fighting for the right cause. Even though I commend them for the security initiatives to secure our people and land it is not enough, it is not the main issue.
Ohuhu is being marginalised in the scheme of things in Abia and we need to change the narratives. Any person that comes out to run for governorship in Ohuhu I will support him financially irrespective of political party.
