A former member of the Federal House of representatives and Ebonyi south senatorial Aspirant, Hon. Irem Oka Ibom, says if elected senator in 2019, he will step down for Governor David Umahi in 2023 and even purchase his senatorial form.
Ibom who made this known in Abakaliki, said by 2023, Afikpo South local government(Edda) would have occupied the senatorial seat for the past 12 unbroken years and since five local government areas are jointly in ownership of the position, it would be unjust and unfair for Edda people to occupy the seat beyond 2023.
He added that since David Umahi would be rounding off his 8 years as a Governor in 2023, it would be right for him to go to Senate in 2023.
“If an Edda man serves till 2023, what it means is that Edda has served for 12 unbroken years at the Senate.It will be unjust and unfair for anybody from Edda to aspire to go to the Senate beyond 2023; because it is a position five local government areas of Ebonyi south zone jointly own.
“Because of the magnanimity of the Governor, we would have enjoyed it for 12 years. So, I, for one, have a living conscience. After 2023, Senate will be rezoned to Ohanivo and it will be up to the people to determine.
“But for me, I would want the Governor to join his colleagues in the Parliament; because that is where they go to rest after 8 exhaustive years.
“If God willing, I go to Senate by 2019; I will not re-contest in 2023, because that would have been enough for Edda people. And if by then, Governor David Umahi wishes to contest, I will buy his form”, Ibom said.
He said the zone has had poor representation in the Senate for the past 8 years, a situation he blamed on imposition of unqualified and greatly inexperienced candidates by the powers that be.
“If we are complaining of poor represention of the zone for 8 years the question we should be asking ourselves is: what is the problem? It is because the candidate was imposed on the people who did not pass through the party”
“He was imposed on the people by the powers that be in Abakaliki here. He does not attend ward or local government meetings of the party. Why won’t he alienate himself from the people? Because, he is not the product of the system unlike us who are grounded in the party”, he said.
Ibom said he was among the 10 persons who started the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the state and has paid his dues and deserved the senatorial seat more than anyone else from the area.
“If we were to be in a place like South Africa, where party follows hierarchical order, nobody will be contesting this senatorial seat with me; because I am up there in the party hierarchy.
“But here, because of the kind of society we are, that is why you see every Thom, Dick and Harry coming to contest for the senatorial seat including those that have never contested to be ex-official of a party in their wards. All of them want to go and represent Ebonyi south senatorial zone in the Senate. Do they know what it means to represent in the Parliament?
“You know, God is wonderful. He created man in a way that if you are born, you learn how to sit down, you learn how to stand, before you learn stepping out and then, you start walking and before you start running. Senatorial representation entails running, call it 400metres running if you like, because you have four years to either put your name in the sands of time or you destroy yourself”.
Ibom who had also served as a Commissioner for four years under former governor Dr. Sam Egwu, administration, said he has used his past positions to empower and brought development to his people, and was well connected to bring quality representation to his people.
“It is not a place you send a rocky to go to start learning parliamentary roles. No. That is not what it is, and Ebonyi should be developmental conscious. We should be in a hurry to catch up with other States within the Southeast. That is my position”
He added that he will focus on infrastructure development and human capital development if he gets to the Red Chamber of the National Assembly.