– Says Only Conscienceless Politicians Jostle For Position
The immediate past speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon (Dr) Acho Ihim, has described those indicating interest to represent Imo North at the senate, barely few days after the exit of Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu, as heartless and inhuman.
Speaking to our reporter in a telephone chat over the weekend, Acho Ihim, expressed deep sense of grief over the death of his predecessor, saying that Uwajumogu was everything to him.
He revealed how even as a ranking member of Imo State House of Assembly,ex-Governor Rochas Okorocha didn’t consider him for the leadership position but had preferred one of the first termers from Okigwe zone as speaker but it took the intervention of Uwajumogu to stop such moves.
According to the ex-speaker and running mate to Uche Nwosu during the last general election, Uwajumogu had to reinstate the ranking rule which he did for the best interest of Imo people and the business of legislature.
Ihim, described Uwajumogu’s death as an incalculable loss to Okigwe zone and Nigeria at large and warned that no one should mock him at death. He said, “no one should think that Uwajumogu has no persons”, adding that, “any person that is contending for the position should go and sleep. Chidinma Uwajumogu will go and finish Benjamin’s tenure. She has capacity and I will be at the forefront of the project of ensuring that she emerges”.
Speaking further, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Acho Ihim advised that Chidinma’s emergence as senator is the only way to heel the wound inflicted on Okigwe zone and Uwajumogu’s family by his early and untimely demise.
We must close ranks to deliver Chidinma Uwajumogu as mark of respect for the brother. Those clamouring for the position should go and seat down. There is no vacancy for Okigwe senate until after 2023”, he stated.
Umualumoke Okigwe born politician and Onwa Okigwe as fondly called informed our reporter that he is not alone on this decision, saying that real leaders in the zone have decided and it will come to pass. He boosted that all his life, he has never lost an election and the project to replace Uwajumogu with sister is his pet project.
It would be recalled that late Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu died in active service. It was gathered that his death occurred while he was having his bath in Abuja, where suddenly he slumped and could not make it to the hospital before he gave up. He had just survived several petitions against his re-election but the appeal court affirmed his victory.
Till the time of going to press, events and circumstances leading to his death were shrouded in top secrecy. There were reports that while the incident was still a speculation, Owelle Rochas Okorocha who had earlier vowed to stop him from getting back to the senate, released a public statement, announcing the death of the Okigwe Senator.
As reported, Uwajumogu was tipped to step into the big shoes of his former close business associate as Eastern comfort hotels, Umuahia before his sudden death, throwing Okigwe political leaders into disarray.
