I return today again in this edition of Aro News. Aro Onyokometer, the secret eyes of Aro Kingdom. Many thanks to you for reading me here. Your comments and reactions are very well noted. You will get the secret stories you asked for that exist in Aro, pretty soon. The story about the logjams between Eze Ibom Isii, Eze (Dr) Kanu Nwa Kanu and Nde Ibom is still being investigated. Yes, I have been served with many court charges and injunctions that led to the purported suspension of Eze Ibom Isii by Ibom people. The Eze has reacted to those allegations. As I said earlier, the matter is still under the microscope, and so, Aro Onyokometer will burst the bubbles for your readership.
Again, Aro Onyokometer beamed its searchlight at Ugbo village and caught in its net, the war between Ugbo village in Aro Kingdom and Ikpanja people in Akwa Ibom state. Aro Onyokometer observed that the matter has not been settled as we were meant to believe in previous reports making the rounds. We guttered that Ugbo people are yet not free to enter their territories for fear of another attack by their Ikpanja neighbours. Yet Nde Eze Aro have celebrated their heroic exploits in the settlement of the matter. Aro News can tell you that the water is still boiling as Ugbo people still cannot go to their farms, streams, palm plantations among other things. Aro Onyokometer will like to get feeds from Nde Eze Aro on this matter. As a matter of fact, this issue should not linger any further.
Aro Onyokometer as usual has a lot of stories on “Old men and ‘Uzi’ relationship with girls who can be their daughters. Soon, you will have your ears filled with stories on that. I must tell you, these evil men and their women counterparts have no hiding place. Aro Onyokometer will search them out and expose them all. You reach me on 08066757546 if you have such stories.
Welcome to Easter edition of Aro News!
What exactly am I in for in this special edition? Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps, you are clueless, not to worry, I am about to unveil this juicy story. Just seat back and fasten your belt as I take you on a ride into the world of politics. This edition will be centered on the events of the recent past as Dr Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) was pronounced governor-elect for Abia State by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Wednesday March 23, 2023. Perhaps, you haven’t heard the events that took place behind the scene. I will do well to give you the precedent of the trouble that took place as aftermath of the March 18 gubernatorial election in Abia State.
Wednesday, 23rd March, 2023 started like every other day. The announcement of the 18th March governorship election in Abia was stalled by the result from Obingwa Local Government Area – the same Obingwa that denied Dr Alex Otti the Abia top job in 2015. The election in Obingwa that 18th March was as envisaged marred by unprecedented irregularities, intimidation, bullying, thuggery, harassment, threats to life of INEC officials, collaboration between PDP faithful and security operatives. Good for Abians, the Electoral Officer for Obingwa is a man of principles. He refused, bearing all intimidations and threats to endorse and announce the Obingwa result because according to him, the figures manufactured did not agree with what the Bimodal Verification Authentication System, B-VAS recorded as voters. The Electoral Officer (E.O), a medical doctor at the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia paid dearly for his stubbornness as he was brutalized and his neck twisted by angry PDP thugs.
At a point, when the going became tougher for PDP, the governor himself, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu moved to the collation centre with touts and thugs and persuaded the Electoral Officer to collate and announce the results, but the man stood his ground. The deadlock drifted to Sunday, 19th March when the Returning Officer for Abia State – the one God sent to rescue Abia, Prof. Nnenna Otti contacted Abuja and called for the result of Obingwa to be brought to Umuahia. That was how Obingwa result was moved to Umuahia collation centre with INEC officials in heavy security. And then, the results from Obingwa was taken to Abuja on Monday, March 20, 2023 for review.
Meanwhile, the result from Obingwa had increased at intervals, from. The first record had 50,000 and later 81,000, then 86,000 came before it was finally pegged at 108, 000. Later on, more results surfaced out of the blues which was claimed to also be part of the result from Obingwa. The situation became complex and kept every Abia man and woman sitting on edge. Tension was rife, anxiety rose to the high heavens. What would be the fate of Abia should power return to PDP in an election that Dr Alex Otti already won 10 out of 17 local government areas. Abians turned to prayer warriors and handed the situation to God, hopping for a miracle. Some went as far as threatening to abandon worship of God, should their wishes not get granted muscle Abia out of the shackles of the powerful Pharaohs in Abia. Graciously, God showed himself a mighty God.
Despite the threats, the pressure and huge monetary inducement at the Abia Returning Officer, (Akwaa Akwuru), Prof. Nnenna Oti turned it down and the pendulum swung in favour of the Labour Party candidate, Dr Alex Chioma Otti. The BVAS recordings were used and thus Obingwa’s 108, 000 votes were nullified. The calculation of Obingwa result was then based on the 27,000 as recorded by the BVAS which was distributed among all the parties that got votes according to their number of votes.
On Tuesday 22nd March, the INEC Returning Officer and her team returned to Umuahia to compile the results. Prof Nnenna Oti announced on Wednesday 23rd March, 2023 the accepted result from Obingwa, declaring Dr Alex Otti as the winner of the governorship election in Abia on the platform of the Labour Party. You know the rest of the story well. That was what happened in nutshell. And Dr Alex Otti became the governor-elect in Abia, to be sworn in on May 29, 2023. Praise God! Perhaps, the story is common knowledge to you. That of course is not in contest. What is interesting in the journey is what happened in Abia after the declaration of Dr Alex Otti as the governor-elect.
But there, there was a wave of confusing which enveloped Abia. Tension was high. Even my wife, Madam Bibian Okechukwu, in the heat of the confusion sold her wares without bothering to collect money. Rumour had it that PDP had won and they were celebrating the alleged victory with gunshots. Even yours sincerely developed runny stomach.
The declaration of Dr Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) as the governor-elect put Abia State in joyful mood. Abia State collapsed into joy. Ceremonial masquerades adorned the streets of Abia, flames of celebration lit the dark sky. Even the weather opened its floodgates and showers of blessing came down . Beer parlours gave out free drinks. Umuahia, Aba, Arochukwu and indeed every part of Abia was agog! People went into the streets to show their gratitude to God for wrestling Abia Pharaohs to let God’s people go..
At the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, patients discharged themselves in joy. Love was returned in many homes, between husbands and wives. Many who had abandoned God in this wise, returned to God for answering their prayers. People gave out free foods. Old men and women, teachers, pensioners, civil servants, business men, all attributed the declaration of Dr Alex Chioma Otti as divine. Dr Alex Otti ruled Abia State at that instant. He became the Messiah for Abians who has come to save his people from the present woes. Abians in the greater beyond celebrated because those they left behind would heave a sigh of relief. The celebration went outside the shores of the country, those in Diaspora were not left out.
In fact Dr Alex Otti (OFR) fought a good fight. What we saw was accumulation of years of hard work. I can only say it is a victory well deserved. While we celebrate, expectations are high. Having been through years of maladministration in Abia, the masses expect the fortunes of the state to change. They expect the narratives to change. The ball is now in the court of Dr Alex Otti. Abians have reposed their trust in him to manage their affairs in the four years. We pray that God will be his counselor, strength and inspiration to pilot Abia to a promised land.
To whom much is given, much is expected.
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