Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
A former Chairman of Edda Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, Dr. Eni Uduma Chima, who had contested for House of Representatives two times, has vowed to continue running for the position.
Chima said he will keep contesting until he wins the position.
The former House of Assembly member contested for House of Representatives in 2015 under Labour Party and 2023 under All Progressives Congress (APC), and lost to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iduma Igariwey, who has now held the position for over 10 years.
He stated this in his Ekoli Edda, Edda Local Government hometown at the weekend, during the Thanksgiving service of the 51 members of the community who were granted amnesty by Governor Francis Nwifuru in the crisis between the community and neighboring Cross River which led to loss of many lives with properties worth billions of naira destroyed.
Chima opined that anyone in the community who believes that he would be dwarfed politically, should have a change of heart.
There was attempt to disrupt the event which was held at Egbebu Central School playground in the community when suspected political thugs stormed the venue and dismantled the canopies mounted for the event.
The thugs also scattered plastic chairs arranged for the event and spoiled the decorations.
Chima, who described the thugs as supporters of his political rivals in the community, vowed to run for the House of Representatives position in 2027 general elections and that he owes them no apology for his declaration.
The Board Chairman of the state Fertilizer and Chemical Company, said some members of the community have been seeing him as a threat and have been doing everything to diminish him politically because of the love and overwhelming support the people have for him and that he will not quit politics for such persons who are not on ground in the community.
He commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for granting amnesty to the 51 members of the community that served as vigilante to protect the area when the people of Cross River State were killing the Ekoli people.
“Those that wanted to disrupt the Thanksgiving service our people held to appreciate God for what he used our dear Governor to do for them, are used by political opposition within the community.
“All of them are members of a political group and the funny thing is that they constitute about 5% of the entire community. They don’t have capacity to do anything.
“They came to disrupt the programme. They dismantled the canopies, scattered the chairs, spoiled the decorations but in honour of the words I gave to the law enforcement agencies that there won’t be any problem, we talked to our people and it was resolved and we have forgiven them.
“I’m contesting for House of Representatives in 2027. I am eminently qualified, sufficiently experienced and I am owing nobody apology. The people are with me, I will keep contesting until I win and I will continue to be law abiding in the aspiration.
“We will take the support for the governor for granted. We gave him the biggest votes in the last election. In 2023 general election, the governor got over 14,000 votes in Edda Local Government Area and this community alone gave him over 9,000 and that’s the annoyance of most politicians here.
“They are breeding internal infractions to make sure they distract us and to make sure that feat is not achievable again.
“In 2019, the whole local government gave over 20,000 votes for me and this community alone gave over 23,000 votes to the governor.
“So, it is something these politicians are not happy with and they are doing everything possible to distract the internal peace so that that feet will not be feasible again but by the grace of God, we have succeeded in resisting them.
“So far, so good. The community has come back to life and it is bubbling,” he said.
A member of traditional council in the community, Etta Egor, warned troublemakers in the community to desist from their actions.
He said the troublemakers will regret their actions if they continue to distract the peace of the community.
Earlier in a Church Thanksgiving service at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Ekoli- Edda, the presiding priest, Reverend A. N Ukaoma, counseled the beneficiaries to forgive their enemies and traducers just the same way God had mercy on them and forgave their own trespasses.
