From Steve Oko, Umuahia
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Hon. Charles Ike, has described the 2019 senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for Abia North, Chief Bourdex Ogba as “a political rolling stone”.
Hon. Ike who made the remarks while reacting to the defection of Ogba to the All Progressives Congress, APC, said the owner of the defunct Bourdex telecommunications “lacks the political discipline to be trusted with any public office.”
He expressed shock that Ogba who has dumped APC for APGA before the 2019 election could so quickly “pick the same broom he said was not sweeping well.”
Hon. Ike accused Ogba of “jumping from party to party in his desperation to go to the senate at all cost.”
He recalled that Ogba had in less than four years belonged to at least three major political parties in the state including the PDP, APGA and APC.
“How can you trust a man whose antecedent is jumping from one party to the other ?” he queried.
The PDP chieftain further lambasted Ogba over a comment credited to him when he visited the APC national secretariat in Abuja where he was quoted as saying that the senate should not declare the Abia North senatorial seat vacant.
Recall that since the incumbent Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC) was sent to prison in December 2019 for a 12-year jail term following his conviction by a Federal High Court on a N7.2 fraud charge, the zone has remained without a representative at the red chamber.
Although Kalu is still challenging his conviction at the court of appeal, there have been calls by the constituents for the senate leadership to declare his seat vacant to enable the people elect his replacement.
Hon. Ike expressed disappointment over Ogba’s comment which he said was at variance with the will and wishes of the people he seeks to represent.
The PDP chieftain said Ogba only returned to APC to position for the party’s senatorial ticket in the eventuality of “likely bye-election” but added that “his anti-people remarks have made him unfit to be sent to the senate.”
He advised Ogba to rather face his business empire instead of ‘wasting his resources and time in politics where he obviously has no calling.
“I don’t know why some people think that politics is a game for failed business men; Abia North needs competent men with legislative acumen and national appeal to represent her and not inexperienced money-bags.”
The PDP chieftain who lamented what he called “total eclipse” of Abia North at the senate, called on the senate leadership to quickly declare Kalu’s seat vacant to enable the zone elect a replacement.
He disclosed that the zone had already set machinery in action towards recalling “the imprisoned senator Kalu”, a process he said would soon accelerate on speed gear.
