~ Says, blackmail by opponents cost me victory in last poll
By Ifeizu Joe
The senator representing Anambra Central in the national assembly, Senator Uche Ekwunife on Saturday gave account of her four-year stay in the Senate, to her constituents.
The senator who addressed her constituents during a townhall meeting convened by her at Senator Uche Ekwunife Centre in Awka, said she is leaving the Senate as a proud politician, after performing very well.
She said: “This is my fourth and last townhall meeting as your senator. The next townhall meeting I will call, will be in my personal capacity. I am here to give account of my four years journey because I held the position in trust for millions of my constituents.
“I’m a fulfilled politician, and I’m leaving the stage proud as a politician. Mine was not about occupying office and bearing the name of a senator, but service, and service to the people, and that was what we did.
“I sponsored 30 bills and moved 18 motions. I was the senator who stood on the floor of the Senate and spoke about the non-representation of the South East in the NCC (Nigeria Communications Commission) board, and President Buhari appointed an Igbo son as a non executive member to represent the people of the South east.
“We did roads in all the communities that make up the seven local government areas of my constituency.
“In Human Capital Development, we trained women and youths on skills, development and capacity building. We also trained President Generals of communities, present and past, and trained traditional rulers too.
“There was entrepreneurship training for youths. We facilitated employment for over 600 of our constituents. I worked hard to ensure that many projects are put in the 2023, and before the third quarter of this year, many of those projects would be completed. I sacrificed my personal gains, just to ensure I served you well,” the senator said.
Speaking on her defeat in the last election, the politician it was as a rest of blackmail by her opponents.
Ekwunife had lost the senatorial election in February to the candidate of Labour Party, Senator Victor Umeh.
“I feel bad that many people tried to pitch me against Peter Obi (presidential candidate of Labour Party), as if I was contesting the election against Obi.
“I was blackmailed by my opponents, to the point that every remark I made during the election was twisted against me. They even went as far as forging my letter head, and issuing out fake press releases with them.
“In Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during the flag off of the presidential campaign of the PDP, I was called upon to speak, and when I said that Nigeria needs a strong president, who can stand for the over two million Nigerians, and not a kindergarten president, they went to town that I was referring to Obi as kindergarten president.
“That event was televised live, and I did not mention anyone’s name. How could I have been referring to Obi? How did they know that out of the 18 presidential candidates, that it was Obi I was referring to.
“On election day, they circulated bulk SMS, quoting me as insulting Obi, just to blackmail me and pitch me against Obi.”
Earlier, the chairman of the townhall meeting, Senator Ben Obi, who was representated by Prof Au. Nonyelu eulogized Ekwunife for her sterling qualities, saying that the attendance at the meeting, which defied party lines was a testimony that not only members of her party, PDP were happy with her, but everyone.
