Victor Umeh’s march to the senate

As the nation gets set for the forthcoming general election, the people of Anambra Central senatorial zone are once again faced with the daunting option of electing a man of strong moral and political fibre to be their voice at the Senate of the Federal Republic. Interestingly, there is an array of individuals stepping forward to be counted in the race to the hallowed chambers of the Senate.

At the risk of sounding rather immodest, I make bold to state that one man that towers higher above all the candidates who are aspiring to represent Anambra Central senatorial zone at the Senate is the indefatigable Victor Umeh, Ohamadike Ndi Igbo. Since his emergence in Nigeria’s political scene, Umeh has always stood tall whenever the issue involved representing the Igbo interest. He has never been found wanting.

Apart from Umeh, who else amongst those clamouring to be elected as the people’s senator could genuinely claim that he/she has fought to restore the apparently battered image of the Igbo person? This question ought to guide us in making our choice at the polls come February.

It is pertinent at this juncture to remind the people of Anambra Central to be mindful of where we are coming from, and where we are headed. We must be quick to jettison the politics of yesteryears that had in the recent past denied us of the much-touted dividends of democracy. Over the years, can we, the people of Anambra Central, proudly point at any developmental project attracted to our zone by those we had sent to the Senate to be our voice? If your answer is no, just like mine, then do not be faint-hearted for finally, Ohamadike has stepped forward!

As a rugged fighter known for deploying every vivid constitutional means in championing the Igbo cause, Umeh comes with a dazzling political resume. Apart from the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu, it is safe to say that no other figure has fought for the Igbo cause more than Umeh since the commencement of this present democracy. The successes being attributed to the immediate past governor of Anambra State wouldn’t have been possible if not for Umeh’s political sagacity and acumen. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) would have been buried and forgotten if not for the doggedness and brilliance of Ohamadike. The list is simply endless.

Moving forward, this is the time to ask hard questions. This is a period that has presented us with the golden opportunity to look back at our history with a view to making very logical corrections. The forthcoming general election is another window of opportunity for the good people of Anambra Central senatorial zone to call political buccaneers to order. We must show them the red card as punishment for their total neglect of the Igbo cause while lining their pockets and boasting of building “VIP toilets”. What a shame!

What we need now is a collection of cerebral individuals who have as their calling the eternal pursuit of the revamping of the Igbo nation. We need politicians who do not see politics as a vehicle of primitive acquisition but as a call to duty – a divine acceptance of the need to offer selfless public service. It is on good record that Victor Umeh has demonstrated severally his ability to be a voice for the voiceless and a firm believer in the timeless beauty of democracy.

In this 21st century, our major preoccupation should be with drafting brilliant citizens who have the love of God and man in them to represent us. We must reject henceforth the age-long practice of accepting the warped intrusion of godfathers in our political space; people who are more interested in rubbishing the wish of the people at the altar of greed and sheer wickedness. This is a time for soul-searching; a time we must demonstrate our God-given ability to think and make choices that would

affect us for good. The adage that “if you don’t say I am, nobody will say thou art” should be the lamp at our feet, guiding us towards making the right choice come February 14.

This is why I call upon the good people of Anambra Central senatorial zone to make haste to stand behind Umeh, a man who is clearly ahead of his time in politics; a man who has been ordained to carry the weight of Ndi Igbo on his young shoulders. History will record that truly, Victor Umeh, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) flag-bearer came, saw, worked and excelled! This is our time to excel; this is a moment

of truth, a time to send unpopular and lacklustre representation to the stinking dustbin of history (where they rightly belong). God will surely bless us all for being part of the making of history! I salute the courage of Victor Umeh for stepping forward to put the smiles back on the faces of Ndi Anambra!

Ikenna Chukwuemeka