Anxiety In Nnewi South 1 APGA Camp As Hon Ozobialu Mulls 2nd Term Bid.

All is not well currently within the ranks of ALL PROGRESSIVES GRAND ALLIANCE (APGA) camp in Nnewi South Constituency 1. The constituency which which is made up of Amichi(3 wards), Azigbo(1 ward), Ekwulumili(1 ward), Osumenyi(2 wards), Unubi(1 ward) and Utuh(1 ward) has Hon Sonny Ozobialu(Mmilimalugo) as her representative in Anambra state House Of Assembly.

Hon. Ozobialu who happens to come from Ekwulumili emerged from a nonexistent primary which was abandoned halfway due to violence as the party flag bearer in 2019, beating Hon. Chuddy Atuchukwu of PDP to clinch the seat. It took the intervention of key APGA stakeholders to persuade other APGA aspirants to felt shortchanged by the party in the manner the CoR was handed over to Hon Ozobialu when they were yet to file appeal for the conclusion of the abandoned primaries to work in the interest of the party to deliver Hon. Ozobialu.

One years old on the legislative seat, media Handlers of Hon. Ozobialu have inadvertently on a number of fora boasted that the lawmaker is already making plans to run for second term of 4 years. Our correspondent was meant to understand that the Mmirimalugo camp are buoyed by the fact that the immediate past lawmaker that represented the constituency Hon Chukwuma Kingsley Iruba of Azigbo stayed for two terms of 8 years, therefore, it is the “right” of the incumbent to complete 8 years too.

One of the ardent supporters of the lawmaker, Hon Elochukwu Udoye who happens to be the member representing Amichi ward 3 in Nnewi South legislative transition council, in one of his numerous efforts to launder the image of the lawmaker wrote:

“I want to tell Ndi Nnewi South Constituency 1 that Almighty God has given us the best leader, He know the what his people needs and when to give it to them.
The bags rice and entertainment u give to your people yesterday(25th May) infant Constituency 1 is very very happy for u sir, and u will go for this second tenor because God have confirmed it. Almighty God will continue to bless u more and more he will keep u out of dangerous people and wisdom will always be with u in Jesus Name Amen”(SIC).

The statement which didn’t go down well with the members of the platform drew the ire of the people who attacked him viciously. He wrote further:

“Please witching my party member good lock is not a bad thing and and all of us know that my Oga Hon.Iruba was their for two tenor, So please my brother’s and sister’s Ekwulumiri suppose to go this second tenor because they have not been their ever before, and not b/c of he share rice in our constituency. We are not Campaigning now.”(SIC)

When contacted by AMICHI MAGAZINE, a key stakeholder of APGA in the constituency, and a Senior Special Assistant to Gov Willie Obiano who pleaded anonymous said:

Our party’s major concern now is the forthcoming Anambra state gubernatorial election scheduled for 2021, how to make sure that APGA retains power. The Larry hierarchy is not disturbed by any 2023 charade yet. Whoever that is talking about 2023 House of Assembly is only being mischievous.

When our correspondent pressed further for his view on ambition of the incumbent lawmaker, the governor’s aide said:

My brother if I must tell you, Hon. Ozobialu should concentrate on how to bring dividends of democracy for the masses who voted him with his remaining 3 years. There is no second term ticket to take anywhere. Of course I know that our party leaders cannot allow the party to implode with such an uncharacteristic decision. In this constituency, we have a sharing formula anchored on mutual understanding, which is ONE TOWN, ONE TERM. Hon Iruba was a very lucky chap to have gone for a second term because our constituency had a chance of producing the next speaker as it them was, but it didn’t pay off eventually, he had to complete the ticket he already had in his palm. That does not mean automatic second term of Assembly members from our constituency.

Some APGA members across the constituency are of the opinion that Hon Ozobialu deserves a second shot, while others are adamant about him just completing his four years and allow another town to send a representative.

Hon Ozobialu recently faced wide criticism over his choice of “caprice” products distributed as palliatives, abandoning “Stinerice/Anambra Rice” domiciled in his constituency, Amichi town precisely.

amichimagazine.com shall continue to monitor the developments regarding this.