Abians will choose their governor in 2023, not godfathers – Norman, Chairman of ADC

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

A seasoned journalist, Obinna Don Norman, was on Thursday, May 12, 2022, elected the Abia State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during the state congress of the party held in Umuahia, the state capital.

Norman was appointed the State Chairman of the party in November last year, and having built the ADC into a formidable, credible alternative in Abia, the delegates happily returned him as an elected Chairman. Since all the candidates had no opponents, the election was conducted by affirmation.

In his acceptance speech, an emotional Norman said time has come for Abians to get angry and sack the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for allegedly not performing and squandering about N2 trillion from  2007  till date.

Identifying while governors were not performing in Abia, Norman said it was because they were imposed on the people by godfathers, stressing that for any governor to perform; the person must be elected by the people.

“For 23 and half years, they have been giving us who they want. Now, it is the time for Abians to choose their governor. It does not matter where the governor comes from, whether Abia North, Central or South, as long as that man is the people’s choice and we voted for him, he will work.

“Why he will work is that he will no longer be afraid of godfathers, he will rather be scared of the masses. And for the fact that he will be scared of the masses, he will be forced to work because he knows that if he fails to work, he will be voted out in four years’ time. We are not going to vote by emotion this time,” he told the crowd.

The Abia ADC Chairman described the raging controversy in the PDP over zoning as a game to deceive the people and have their way again.

“They know that they will lose (2023) elections, that is why they are playing with our minds: It is the turn of Isuikwuato, it is the turn of Umunneato or Ohuhu or Ngwa. Listen to me, there is no problem between an Ohuhu man and Ngwa man; there is a problem between the elite. Even if they vote to give it to Umunneato now, and Prof. Ikonne emerges as Abia State governor, as long as he emerges from the lineage of the same people that have held Abia down, nothing good can come from him,” he said.

Norman, therefore, challenged ADC faithful and the entire Abia citizenry “to rise to the challenges of democracy and elitism” to free Abia from the shackles of underdevelopment engendered by godfatherism.

He disclosed that ADC would float Polling Unit Executives as a mechanism for winning elections in Abia. “Because of our seriousness to win this (2023) election, we have what we call Polling Unit executives. That means that in all the polling units in Abia State, ADC will form an executive that will man and deliver that polling unit,” he said.

He added that with the crises rocking the major political parties in the state: PDP, APC and APGA, “ADC has the best opportunity right now to grab Abia State.” he assured.

He appealed for the support and cooperation of all and sundry to enable the party to achieve its goal of winning Abia in 2023.

Also, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the party, Bishop Ndukwo Onuoha, said Abians were tired of poor leadership in the state.

“I am going to run for governorship and I am going to be the next governor of Abia State. We are here on a serious journey. We are not just here to show off. We are here because we have got the mandate from God and Abians will make a choice and I trust that Abians are God’s Own People and that they will choose God’s Own Servant,” the Methodist Bishop said. He urged all members to join hands to make their dream a reality.

Addressing the delegates, the Congress Chairman, Comrade Nkemakolam Ukandu, who conducted the Congress and inaugurated the new Obinna Don Norman-led executive, expressed happiness over the growth of ADC in Abia.

 “Our National Chairman, Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu, said that I should inform you that ADC is prepared to take over the leadership of Abia State government in 2023 and the journey starts now with the state congress we are conducting today,” Ukandu said, vowing that ADC was out to rewrite the negative Abia leadership narrative.

The congress, which was often punctuated with songs and choruses rendered by both female and male faithful, was peaceful.