All seems unwell with the Ohafia Local Government Area chapter of the Labour Party (LP) as the zoning arrangement for the chairmanship position is believed to have torn the party apart ahead of the council elections in Abia State.
The Whisperer reports that Ohafia Local Government Area with eleven federal wards is politically divided into Ohafia North (Abiriba and Nkporo) and Ohafia South.
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, had earlier this month told journalists that he was waiting on the state House of Assembly to put in place some legislative matters before it will conduct local government election.
Despite the unannounced date for the conduct of the local government election by Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), a group of government-backed traditional rulers from Ohafia Local Government Area on Tuesday adopted the current Mayor of Ohafia LGA, Chief David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex as its consensus candidate—through a motion moved by Eze Igwe Ojike.
Another group of traditional rulers led by the Secretary of Ohafia Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Elder Dr Ezera Uduma Ezera on Wednesday, dismissed the endorsement through a rejoinder, describing it as “highly regrettable”.
The Whisperer reports that a barrage of verbal attacks have trailed the recent adoption of the current Mayor by a section of the government-backed traditional rulers—leading to a deep political division among the stakeholders in Ohafia Local Government Area—especially in the Labour Party.
A source close to the leadership of the party in Abia state, told The Whisperer that some political stakeholders have angrily reacted to the action of the traditional rulers led by Eze Igwe Ojike.
“Some of them felt that they were not consulted by the Mayor, and traditional rulers before the adoption,” the source said.
“No party leader or traditional ruler had the temerity to endorse someone as the council chairman when Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu was the Deputy Governor. This is the Local Government Area of the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Ikechukwu Emetu; the Member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, Chief Ibe Okwara Osonwa; Former Attorney General of Abia State, Chief Umeh Kalu; Businessman, Chief Agbai Jackson, Nwaka Inem, and many more in the Labour Party. Were these stakeholders carried along? If not for anything, the deputy governor and Rep Ibe Okwara Osonwa should be respected as the highest ranking members of the party from Ohafia LGA,” another chieftain of the party who refused to be named told The Whisperer.
Another source told The Whisperer that there is a sharp division among the stakeholders on which clan to produce the next chairman of Ohafia LGA.
“In Ohafia North for example, nobody is looking towards Nkporo. The immediate past council chairman(elected) is from Abiriba, the Mayor is an Abiriba man. None of them is talking about Nkporo outside trying to pick someone from their communities. Nkporo is likely going to rally round one of their own in APC. I heard APC are working towards endorsing Hon. Robinson Otuwe Kalu as its candidate.
“In Ohafia South, we heard that some leaders are plotting to install Engr. Obinna Odum from Asaga as the next chairman. I have heard of other aspirants from Okagwe, Amangwu, Elu, and so on; nobody is even talking about the highly marginalised Okamu ward, and smaller communities like Ndi Ibe and others. Our leaders must unite and have a common front. It is time for the deputy governor to assert himself as the leader of the party in Abia North Senatorial District,” he said.
