A former commissioner in Abia state, Chief Paul Chikezie Mba is currently on war path with the youths of his Umuhu Ezechi community in Bende council area of the state over alleged imposition of his brother, identified as Njem to represent Umuhu Ezechi Ward in the soon to be reconstituted Legislative arm of the council.
While addressing newsmen in Umuahia, leader of the youths who gave his name as Kalu said they were opposed to Mba imposing a candidate from his Umuokwe village to be a councilor since it was the same village that produced the immediate past councilor of the area; Igwe Okereke who is a blood relation to the former commissioner.
Kalu disclosed that Umuhu Ezechi is made up of six villages as the councillorship seat rotates among these villages in accordance with the sharing formula of the ward.
He added that it is unfair and runs contrary to the stand of the Gov. Theodore Orji led administration for the rotation of political offices among component units of a ward, local government and state.
Kalu further lamented that the candidate who the former commissioner was fronting for, ds not live in Abia state and has made no contribution to the development of the ward as he has spent all his years in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
Hon. P.C Mba is trying to cause crisis in Umuhu Ezechi; among many others, he single handed nominated the last councilor, Igwe Okereke who was his blood relation. Now, he has imposed Njem who has lived all his life in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and has never contributed anything politically to the community. We will not allow it this time. We don™t know his interest in making Njem a councilor of our ward when there are other people who have been labouring for the ward over the years.
The youth leader called on Gov. Orji and the PDP in the state not to succumb to the antics of the ex commissioner and appoint a councillor for Umuhu Ezechi Ward who must not be a native of Mba™s Umuokwe village which has sat at the position severally. He added that the youths under the umbrella of Umuhu Ezechi Youths Vanguard will resist the imposition to the last pint of their blood.
We are also calling on the Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, a true democrat and the PDP to call Hon. P.C Mba to order and ensure that justice and peace continues to reign in Umuhu Ezechi Ward.
Umuhu Ezechi youths vanguard pledges their loyal to the governor and we shall continue to mobilize support for his administration. What we are saying is that let this dominance by one man, Hon. P.C Mba in the political life of the people be stopped.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that Mba has since 1992, cornered every political appointment that accrued to Umuhu Ezechi ward to himself as he has served in all administrations in the state since then, serving as tow time commissioner, two time Local Government chairman, Special Assistant to the governor at various times and chairman of state Local Government Service Commission.
A cross section of the youths who also spoke to our correspondent alleged that the ex commissioner is known for imposing a secret sharing agreement with candidates who he sponsors for every political office that had accrued to the area.
This, they further alleged, accounts for why he had always employed every means to ensure that his nominee emerges councilor. The youths added that most of the former political office holders sponsored by the ex commissioner blamed their inability to do anything for the ward due to the latter™s meddlesomeness.
When contacted on phone, Hon. Mba who is now a member of the Governing Council of the Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, said the candidate is not from his Unuokwe village and denied imposing him on the ward.