By IFEANYI Maduako
Preparations for the 2027 general election have begun in earnest. The 21 political parties in the country are already strategizing with congresses while some had concluded theirs.
The next phase of the electioneering processes will be nominations of candidates by these political parties for the main general election which will take place in January all things being equal.
The primary elections for the nominations of candidates are about the most important phase in the whole processes because of their importance or cumulative effects on the general performance of the political parties in the main general election.
In Ideato Federal Constituency, the 2027 elections will have a consequential effects because of the importance attached to it. Therefore, it’s important that political parties should underscore the imperative of nominating or electing credible candidates.
Ideato Federal Constituency is made up of two local government areas; Ideato South and Ideato North. The two LGAs alternate the position albeit disproportionately since the beginning of the Fourth Republic democratic dispensation in 1999. A little illustration at this point would suffice.
In 1999, Hon. ThankGod Ezeani from the Ideato North represented the constituency between 1999 and 2003.
From 2003, Hon Patricia Udogu from the same Ideato North took over. She was there from 2003-2007.
In 2007, the seat was shifted to the Ideato South when Hon Hon Rufus Omeire was there from 2007-2011.
In 2011,it went back to the Ideato North when Hon Eddie Mbadiwe was elected from 2011-2015.
After him, another person Hon. Austin Chukwukere from the same Ideato North retained the seat from 2015-2019.
In 2019, Hon Dr Paschal Obi, (Ugwumsinachi,) from Ideato South was elected between 2019 and 2023. He was supposed to continue in office judging by his stellar and unprecedented performance in office, but unfortunately that didn’t happen.
The incumbent member, Hon Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, from Ideato North has been there since 2023 till date. He’s reportedly angling for a second term.
Against the following background, the seat, as I pointed earlier has been rotating between the two sister LGAs in a most disproportionately manner. The Northern part had had a lion share of representation of 20 years while the southern part had been allowed a paltry eight (8) years out of the 28 years of the current democratic dispensation.
Aside from the unjust and inequitable proportional representation, the art of law making requires experience, gravitas and competence.
Of the whole lot who have had the opportunity to represent the zone at the Green Chambers of the National Assembly, Hon Dr Paschal Obi (Ugwumsinachi) remains the best representative that the federal constituency had produced in its history.
Before his election as a member of the House of Representatives in 2019, Hon Dr Paschal Obi ( Ugwumsinachi) had a reservoir of experience in terms of public administration and governance. He was a core civil servant who rose to the position of a Permanent Secretary in the state civil service. He was also a Principal Secretary to a former governor in the state.
These cognate experiences he garnered prior to his political predilection could be responsible for his unprecedented and unrivalled performance as a legislator for a brief period of 4 years.
Within four years of representation, Hon Dr Paschal Obi, secured a permanent and pensionable employment for over 100 youths from the federal constituency in ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government.
Within four (4) years, his Constituency projects were visible in the 27 electoral wards of the federal constituency as new health centers were built in the electoral wards and those already existing but moribund at the time, were rebuilt, refurbished and equipped with hospital equipment and adequate drugs.
It’s important to note at this point that it was during his time that the maternal and child birth mortalities reduced drastically to the barest minimum because of his intervention in the health sector of the federal constituency. His achievements as a legislator are innumerable which space and time won’t permit at this stage but will be listed subsequently.
The 2027 election in the federal constituency will be dicey. That’s why it has become very imperative that every political party must present their best candidates. The incumbent member is a very noisy one but not a push over judging by the manner of his election in 2023 and his noisy activities so far in the Green Chambers. Make no mistake about it, the various political parties need credible candidates to defeat him.
Therefore, for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the election, it must present its best candidate. That candidate is Hon Dr Paschal Obi ( Ugwumsinachi). APC cannot afford to present a green horn in the race if it intends to win the federal constituency. Among the lot showing interest for the ticket of the party, Hon Dr. Paschal Obi remains the most marketable in terms of his past experiences as a civil servant and a former federal legislator.
