By Charles Ifeanyi Obi l Thursday, September 1, 2022
ANAMBRA, Nigeria – There is an adage in Igbo Language that says: “Ogoli ṅụọ dị n’abọ, ọ mara nke ka mma” – which literally means: when a woman leaves her husband and tries another, she’d be able to know which of the two men is better…
The people of Anambra Central Senatorial District have within the past 5 years had 2 distinctive Senators. While Senator Victor Umeh had served for only 17months (after recovering his stolen mandate through a rigorous court process) but made exceeding records, Senator Uche Ekwunife has been in the Senate for more than 3 years yet struggling to achieve something significant. The people of Anambra Central are now aware of the clear differences and are ready to do the right thing in the forthcoming General Elections.
Under Senator Victor Umeh, Anambra Central witnessed robust legislative actions, a representation at the quintessence; a representative with eloquence and dynamism who never missed any plenary of the Senate nor sat down cold while important issues were being debated especially one that affects justice and the unity and progress of the Nation.
A Senator that his opponents said was going to be a lonely Senator, ineffective and relegated because he was the only APGA Senator but turned out to become the most pivotal figure; a man that the Senate President regularly anticipated his wise contributions to issues. Whenever he stood up with his long red cap to speak on any matter, that matter was already confirmed (if it was of good omen and favorable to Nigerians) or ruined (if it was not good). He obviously brought a special aura to the Senate, little wonder the present Senate President (Senator Ahmed Lawan) described him then as an “Added Advantage” to the Nigerian Senate.
He was assigned to 7 Senate Committees and was Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity. The man they said would be a lonely Senator rather became very influential and wooed Senators from the majority parties into joining APGA in order to form APGA Caucus in the Senate. He was very resourceful that he represented the Senate President at important National Events.
The Bills and Motions he sponsored were celebrated as bests. As a matter of fact, on the 10th of November 2018, he received a National Assembly Award as the Senator with the Best Motion in the Year. He was ranked very high among his colleagues. Truly, Anambra Central rose to Eminence under his watch.
Aside performing his legislative responsibilities judiciously and effectively, he decorated Anambra Central communities with amazing projects. From distribution of tricycles to 34 constituents to Youth Skill Acquisition and Empowerment Scheme partnering the National Directorate of Employment. He didn’t stop there, Senator Umeh like an eager beaver continued brazing the trail with unprecedented achievements. For the first time, Anambra Central people witnessed a Constituency Scholarship Programme which was designed to sponsor hundreds/thousands of poor indigent Anambra Central students in various High Institutions.
To be transparent enough, he set up a Committee to transparently screen entrants and select 10 persons from each of the 7 Local Governments in Anambra Central. Consequently, 74 students were enrolled through the first exercise in 2018. When unfortunately he could not return to the Senate after the 2019 Election, he did not abandon the students who were already on the Scheme. He absorbed them into his Victor Umeh Education Foundation and continued to sponsor their Education. About 50 of them have graduated with flying colors from different universities across the country.
Furthermore, Senator Victor Umeh went on project spree. Contrary to the practice of diverting monies meant for executing constituency projects, he worked so hard to attract projects worth over 1.3billion naira and transparently allocated them to the various communities in Anambra Central.
Unfortunately, ndị Anambra Central can no longer boast of same qualitative representation in the present dispensation thus, they yearn for the return of Senator Victor Umeh to the Senate. We have been relegated and our constituency entitlements are missing. It is no longer about the interest of the people but self-serving.
Nevertheless, it is crystal clear that God has heard the prayers of Nigerians and has given us a Leader who will lead the country out of ruins thus, the alignment and realignment of well-meaning Nigerians including Senator Victor Umeh rallying round His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi to ensure he succeeds.
Indeed, the ‘old political parties’ have failed us… PDP and APC alike. They contributed to the wreckage of Nigeria and the untold economic hardship in the Country which have culminated into insecurity and near-total collapse.
The 2023 General Election is the turn of the Labour Party to fix Nigeria with Mr. Peter Obi as President/Pilot and Senator Victor Umeh in the Senate gathering every necessary support (together with others). Anambra Central shall rise again!
