By Celephina Onovo
One of the aspirants for the senatorial seat of Anambra South, Ifeanyi Ubah, has called for peace and unity among the different interest groups routing for different aspirants in the interest of development for the people.
Ubah, Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Limited and widow of late Ikemba Nnewi, Bianca Ojukwu are set to slug it out for the position with different supporters across the state and beyond routing for either Ubah or Bianca.
Late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu’s children are in the fore front of the opposition for their father’s widow who has received endorsement from different political quarters, but from the Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano for now.
Ubah has also got the backing of many of the grass root Nnewi supporters as well as tacit support from Obiano because of the backing he gave to the governor when he sought for reelection.
Feeling that their interest may pit the supporters against one another and affect the overall interest of the senatorial zone, Ubah on Tuesday wrote a statement where he told the aspirants and their supporters to put the interest of the Anambra South above theirs and work to ensure their is peace and unity in the area.
The statement read in full:
Dear Friends, Well-wishers and Supporters
I would first of all like to use this opportunity to formally thank you all for your profound and continued support as well as your steadfastness in pursuit and actualization of my cause. The milestones we have achieved so far would have been a mere mirage without your constant words of encouragement and staunch belief in all that I represent. Words will never be enough to express the depth of my gratitude to you all. Daalu!
However, I have read with dismay, several distasteful and unscrupulous comments that have been made to greatly malign my name and person as well as that of my fellow Anambra South Senatorial aspirants. This has often been followed by certain spurious stories aimed at creating discord between various camps and plunging names that have taken ages to build into disrepute. This is highly inappropriate and repulsive as it does not bode or speak well of Ndigbo as a people.
To this end, I wish to use this medium to humbly admonish and call on our vibrant youths, especially those who operate within the social media sphere, to please desist henceforth from maligning and mudslinging any Anambrarian and Nigerian (especially politicians as they have become easy targets) in an attempt to either promote the cause of whom he/she supports, curry favour or draw attention to oneself. We must stick to issue-based arguments and offer constructive criticisms when necessary. Eyes on the ball should be our watchword.
Against these background, I wish to reiterate my position as was stated during the much-heralded Mentorship programme which held in Awka on the 27th of August, 2018 where I implored every youth to embrace the virtue of forgiveness which eschewing prolonged bitterness as this could hinder the blessings directed our way by God.
It is pertinent to note that these antagonistic exchanges between the various media teams have a high tendency to devolve into an ugly and hate-filled scenario. We must ensure that this does not happen. We must make sure that the debate is solely focused on the Candidates and their ability/capacity to improve and better the lives of their constituents.
To my fellow aspirants, elections and the debates that follow should be solely focused on issues that will be beneficial to the electorate, not about throwing everything, including the kitchen sink at each other. Our conduct during this pre-election period reflects on our ability to perform our duties dutifully if/when we become public servants. I wish to implore every one of you to do the right thing with respect to ensuring that our campaigns are bereft of calumny and conducted in a proper and sane manner.
It is time for all camps to sheathe their swords in the interest of peace and unity, as these are the core elements needed to build a solid foundation upon which we can enthrone an era of purposeful narratives that would change the tide of our polity positively.
Once again, thank you all once again for the support so far and staunch confidence in me. It is my earnest prayers that God will crown our efforts with resounding success.
Signed: Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah