The leadership of Obudi/Aro Ward of All Progressive Congress (APC), Oguta Local Government Area, have unanimously adopted Christian Okoro Ogbonnaya, popularly known as “Fine Boy,” as the Sole Aspirant in the upcoming Local Government Elections in Imo State. This bold decision was made recently in a meeting presided over by the Oguta APC Apex Leader, Dr. (Bishop) Gideon Uchechukwu Nwaeze, in his Owerri residence.He commended the massive turnout of the six officially selected representatives from the sixteen INEC Polling Booths in Obudi/Aro Ward for attending the meeting with the spirit of electoral victory.Bishop Nwaeze, also thanked His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Executive Governor of Imo State for his sterling leadership performance, and for creating a level playing ground in the upcoming Council Polls across the 27 LGAs and 305 INEC Wards; as well as the leadership of APC in the State, LGA, and the wards.According to the Apex Leader, four people from Obudi/Aro Ward approached him, informing him of their interest in contesting for the September 21st Councillorship position of the ward.They are Hon. Williams Chinedu Okenesi, the current LGA Secretary of the party; Hon. Ugo Aguocha, former councilor; Engr. Lucky Agor, former Youth President of the Ward; and Mr. Christian Okoro Ogbonna, the immediate past Ward Chairman.Having seen the weightiness of their intentions and political resources in the ward, as a father and leader, he called all of them for a meeting where he asked them to choose one person among themselves. Because he had only one vote and one person to support in the upcoming elections.According to Nwaeze, the outcome of their meeting produced Christian Okoro Ogbonna as the person to be considered for the position, instead of all of them going into the contest, which will amount to a waste of scarce resources, and as well, create room for unhealthy political rivalries.Speaking, Ogbonna thanked the Apex Leader of APC Oguta LGA for his dexterity in piloting the affairs of the party. He also appreciates all party members for responding to the call especially those who shelved their political interests to accommodate his. The immediate past APC Obudi/Aro Ward Chairman hints that he has used his foundation in reaching out to people for the good of all in different fora, and promised to do more if elected as the Councilor of Obudi/Aro Ward.”When I was your ward Chairman, it is on record that I worked tirelessly with my leaders and ward executives to stabilize the party and won elections from national to State”.Ogbonna seized the opportunity to officially introduce the Acting Ward Chairman, Engr. Lucky Agor, after resigning his position as the Ward Chairman according to the Electoral Act pleaded with the people to accord him the same respect and support they unanimously gave to him during his reign as the Ward Chairman.In appreciation, Agor emptied his heart to the members for finding him worthy to assume the leadership of the party at the ward level as the Acting Ward Chairman.”Thank you for choosing me to serve you in this capacity. Having served as the Deputy Ward Chairman, it is imperative to state unequivocally before you here that Christian Okoro Ogbonna and I enjoyed a healthy working relationship working for our great party, APC, and ensuring victories. I, therefore enjoined all of us to join forces together to deliver Christian”, Agor said. Adding to this Clarion call, Hon. Ugo Aguocha said “As our father Dr. Gideon Nwaeze said, I was one of those who indicated interest to contest for the position of Councilorship of Obudi/Aro Ward, but when the Apex Leader called us to chose among ourselves, I accepted a popular argument that favored Fine Boy. This struggle is not a personal project, but an Obudi/Ward APC project.Other people who spoke in favor of Ogbonna include Sir. Jude Egbu, one of the LGA leaders of the party, Hon. John Mbonu Uchenwoke-Ekperechi, former ADP 2023 Candidate for Oguta State Constituency Elections, and the Convener, Renaissance Oguta Constituency-ROC, Hon. Williams Chinedu Okenesi, APC Oguta LGA Secretary and Mrs.Theresa Uchenwoke (Woman Leader).”Politics is a game of wider objectives, consultations, and consents. “Politics is not the business of one person. Every political aspiration must have a base, and such a base is the ward. Any aspirant who fails to get the aggregate buy-in of the leaders in its ward has already lost the real contest.We are here today to endorse an aspirant who has served the ward diligently and has consulted widely to get the support of the stakeholders of the party faithful in Obudi/Aro Ward. That aspirant is no other person than Mr. Christian Okoro Ogbonna. Please, let us support him to win the elections”, Egbu, said. Speaking, Uchenwoke-Ekperechi, thanked everyone who has taken his time to speak.” In case you do not know, I consulted widely amongst the legacy APC Oguta leaders within Imo, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Delta, and Enugu States for the position of the Executive Chairman of Oguta LGA, but had to withdraw because of some factors that were not politically aligning with me as they were and may portray me politically in a bad light if I had insisted on contesting.Fine Boy is our project. He has a public spirit to serve and has been serving Obudi/Aro Ward APC. Let us sing his name to the electorates as we go back home, and, of course, vote for him come September 21, 2024, to represent the ward at the council.”To that effect, I had earlier seen Fine Boy as a cool-headed fellow with an agreeing disposition to serve as my councilor if I became the chairman. Suffice it to say that I am one of the persons who encouraged and earlier supported Mr. Christian Okoro Ogbonna to vie for this position.But my love and support for him grew much when, during my consultations in Lagos, one of our leaders remarked positively about him. Relating his humanitarian reach out to people when he was doing business at Onitsha Main Market, fortunately, I happened to be one of his benefactors as a mineral hawker at No. 21 Notage Street, then without fully knowing that he was the one doing those charities to as many Obudi-Agwa people as he could find in need.” Uchenwoke-Ekperechi, concludes. Also, Hon. Williams Chinedu Okenesi, the APC Oguta LGA Party Secretary, appealed to everyone to support Fine Boy.”My entrance into politics dates decades ago when some of you here have not been born.All along, the interest of the women, who in the actual sense bore largely the electoral victory because of our voting population and indices during voting, yet we have been roundly neglected in the sharing of political positions.””I want to challenge you to make a detour from such a neglectful path. See the woman as your project. Although the women in this meeting are well represented, let your reign be a memorable one in the annals of women of Obudi/Aro APC leaders.As for the main elections, you have won already because the faces of the women here are the salt of Obudi/Aro Ward politicians, and as such, no electoral victory is without them.” Theresa remarked. Meanwhile, Comr. Osita Ezeocha, one of the Ward leaders, moved the motion for the adoption of Christian Okoro Ogbonna as the Sole Aspirant for the Obudi/Aro Ward Councilorship position, and it was upheld by the ward member.Other dignitaries in the meeting were:Elder Bartram Uzoma, Mr. Kyrian Iromaka, Hon. Marvelous Egbula former Government Liaison Officer (GLO), Chief Vitalis Chimezie Ekeh, President-General, Obudi Development Union, Comr. Maurice Ukaonu, Obudi/Aro Ward APC Ward Youth Leader, Hon. Justin Eze Asor, Immediate IMC member, for Obudi/Aro Ward, Comr. Anayo Obodo, former Coordinator, Obudi/Aro Ward, Mr. Ifeka Nwoke, Youth Leader, Obudi Development Union, Mrs. Stellar Maduka, APC Ward Woman Leader, among others.
