It was a German Poet, Playwright, and theatre director of the 20th century, Eugen Bertolt Friedrich Brecht, who said that the worst illiterate is the political illiterate. According to him, 'The political illiterate hears nothing, sees nothing, takes no part in political life. He doesn't seem to know that the cost of living, the price of beans, of flour, of rent, of medicines, all, depend on political decisions. The political illiterate doesn't know that from his political non participation comes the prostitute, the abandoned child, the robber and, worst of all, corrupt officials, the lackeys of exploitative multinational companies.'
The above quote is exactly what the people of Anambra central senatorial district should be wary of as they go into voting come February 16, 2016. The forthcoming re-run election in the zone is indeed a litmus test for both the ruling party, APGA and Gov. Willie Obiano who is presently campaigning for his re-election in 2017. The election would definitely serve as a fulcrum for the survival of the party in the state. This is a time the people of Central need to prove to the whole world that once again they are not ingrates having, benefited from APGA government. It is on record, that Sir Victor Umeh as the national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) enthroned Chief Peter Obi who served the state for two tenures (8years) as the Governor of Anambra State and and he made sure that Obi's government handed over power to another APGA Governor.
This write up is not aimed at telling you anything new about Chief Sir Victor Umeh that most constituents do not know, all has been covered by those who knew him politically, admmistratively and professionally. All am attempting to do here is to provide a comparative perspective of while the people of the zone should send their best to the Upper Chamber. It has not been quite long I came in contact with this court Martial and political giant. After careful and unbiased analyses about his person and having gone through his political profile, I have come to appreciate his leadership qualities and people oriented nature
Ohamadike has paid his political dues both as leader and as a follower. He has been tried severally and yet he came out unscathed. He emerged victorious in countless court cases. His friends and foes can attest to it. Without prejudices and bias, I make bold to say that Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh towers above every other contestants. His traducers nay political opponents should look beyond personal gains and allow the Victorious Victor to take us to the next level. I am convinced that his going to the Senate will bring about good tidings for the people of Anambra Senatorial Zone by extension Ndigbo. He understands the game of politics Nigeria. The only sure way any reasonable voter can prove he/her political alertness is by ensuring that Chief Sir. Victor Umeh (Ohamadike) gets to the Senate without much hassles.
Victor Umeh has made it abundantly clear to the people that his prime motivation to go to the Senate is for him to go there and give a very strong voice on issues that affect his people in Nigeria. He once said that his political opponents do not know the problems the Igbos are facing in Nigeria. They do not know the core issues that affect the Igbos, he has identified it ever before now, that the major problems facing the Igbo people had been the political structural disadvantage the Igbos have been subjected to due to the programmes and policies of successive military regimes that had been in-charge of affairs of Nigeria.
He pointed out clearly that the military balkanized Nigeria after the civil war into States and local governments and consciously and deliberately consigned the Igbos to the insignificant minority. He said military created 774 LGAs and gave South east 95 Local Governments and five (5) States; they the South south 123 local governments and six (6) States ; they gave South west 137 Local governments and six (6) States. Up North the gap is wider. Now, how does it affect the Igbo people negatively? You share money (Federal revenue) on basis of Local Governments and States, statutory allocation goes to States and Local Governments, employment of people of into Federal Parastal, agencies and Federal Civil Service people are drawn from Local Governments; selections are done on the basis of Local Governments and States.
Truly if you go out to any national political activity like national convention of a party that you want elect somebody who will be presidential candidate of a party and things like that; delegates come from Local Governments. So, when you look at this you see that the Igbos get the least amount of money during revenue sharing because we have the least number of Local Governments and States to take the smallest money. As for the contributing delegates to any national political activities we the Igbos will come with the least number of delegates. But the most annoying thing is that when you begin to recruit people into the Police, Army, Air-Force, Navy, Customs, Immigration and other paramilitary organizations in Nigeria, people are taken from Local Governments either one or two per Local Government. You can see that the Igbos have been put at the rear in all national affairs.This is major reason we want Chief Victor to go for us.
He was at the National Conference in 2014 where he did wonders, he was very vocal; he was every where calling for a redress to this structural disadvantage the Igbos have been locked into and he also campaigned for additional State along with other delegates. He led the campaign at least, during plenary, he was the first Igboman to speak about the unwholesome issues that the Igbos should be given an additional State, even though, other delegates from the Southeast supported it .But he was the one who initiated it at the plenary which led to verbal exchanges between he and some Northern delegates .
At the end of the National Conference, Chief Victor Umeh alongside few others were able to secure an agreement that the Igbos should be given an additional State. The conference accepted and passed a resolution that the South east should given an additional State making it six (6), courtesy of Chief Victor Umeh's resilience and doggedness.
He was also able to make a case that the present 774 local governments recognized in the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria should be dropped. It was a tough fight but at the end of the day, the Conference also agreed that the 774 LGAs recognized in our constitution should be expunged, so that money meant for Local Government administration will be shared among the States. These are things we are to expect from Victor.
He is going there to right the wrongs. Having proved himself during the national delegate conference (Confab), I believe he will do much better. Vote Chief Victor Umeh, Vote Igbo Emancipation
