As PDP political stakeholders in the Oji River local government area of Enugu state continue to press for one of the aspirants from the local government area to be elected as the next House of Representatives member for the Aninri/Awgu/Oji River federal constituency in 2023, based on rotation/zoning culture of the party in Enugu state, One of the aspirants Dr. Eric Oluedo has disclosed that Achi – Agu community within Oji River council area is the most favored to produce the consensus candidate of the party.
Dr. Oluedo, who is from Achi -Agu community explained that he is banking on the 1996 agreement reached by the seven communities that make up the Oji River local government area of rotating the chairmanship position of the council area and other political positions, stating that the agreement specified that it will be the turn of Achi Agu community to produce the House of Representatives slot of Aninri/Awgu/Oji River, at any time it is zoned to Oji River local government area.
According to him. the Seven communities that make up Oji River local government area include Achi Agu, Achi Uno, Inyi, Awlaw, Oji River Urban, Akpugoeze, and Ugwuoba.
Dr. Oluedo who briefed newsmen in Enugu stated, “Before 1996, No Ugwuoba nor Akpugoeze citizen smelt the seat of Oji River local government area as chairman. With the rotation in place, Ugwuoba took the seat in 1996 and Akpugoeze followed immediately after, before PDP came on board in 1999”.
“In the same 1996, the committee that produced this 1996 agreement headed by Sir Sam Umesie, DG, Government house, allocated House of Representatives seat to Achi Agu community any time it is zoned to Oji River. This was in consideration of the 1992 incident, where a son of the Achi Agu community, Dr. Eric Oluedo won the primary election for the seat but it was later awarded to another Oji River citizen. However, since 1996 till date other demands of the committee have been implemented except that of the Achi Agu community to produce a federal lawmaker for the Aninri/Awgu/Oji River federal constituency, whenever it is the turn of the Oji River local government area.
Dr. Oluedo, who described ” Value Addition” as his blueprint for the empowerment of the grassroots in about 90 communities in the Aninri/Awgu/Oji River federal constituency expressed optimism that Justice, equity and fair play will in the long-run play out in the choice of next candidate of PDP for Aninri/Awgu,/Oji River, said he is the candidate to beat based on the zoning culture of the party, in addition to his experience in government business.
However, Dr. Eric Oluedo e affirmed that he will fully comply with the choice that will be made by the Leader of PDP in Enugu state, Rt Hon Dr. Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi on the House of Representative Seat for Ojiriver/Awgu/Aninri Federal Constituency.
It was gathered aftermath of the National Assembly screening exercise held at the Enugu state PDP secretariat on Tuesday, April 27, that about five aspirants in the contest are from Oji River. They are Dr. Eric Oluedo from Achi-Agu autonomous community, Ozobu Gab Onuzulike, and Hon Okey Nnadozie both from Achi Uno autonomous community, Engr. Dr. Anayo Onwuegbu from Akpugoeze autonomous community, Hon Johnny Obidinma from Ugwuoba, and Hon KGB Oguakwa from Inyi autonomous community.
Maurice Okafor,
Writes From Enugu State.
