COMMUNIQUÉ BY THE PEOPLE OF UKWA/NGWA ON THE OCCASION OF GREAT UKWA/NGWA DECLARATION 2 MADE THIS FRIDAY, 2ND MARCH 2018 AT OKPUALA-NGWA, THE ANCESTRAL HOME OF NGWA PEOPLE.
The Ukwa/Ngwa People are the indigenous people of Old Aba Administrative Division. In the present administrative composition of Abia State of seventeen local government council areas, nine local government areas are indigenous to the people of Ukwa/Ngwa.
In their alphabetical sequence, the nine local government council areas are; 1. Aba North, 2. Aba South, 3. Isisalangwa North, 4. Isisalangwa South, 5. Obingwa, 6. Osisima Ngwa, 7. Ugwunagbo, 8. Ukwa East, 9. Ukwa West.
As a people that are highly, though peacefully, conscious of their political environment needs an realities, their leaders were at the vanguard of demand for the creation of Abia State.
In order to make sure that Abia state, on creation, would be one where equity, justice, fairness, unity, peace and progress would reign, the founding fathers of the proposed State initiated, developed and agreed on a document they aptly named ABIA CHARTER OF EQUITY.
In their broad-minded estimation, the intendment of Abia Charter of Equity was to guarantee brotherhood and peace in the State through equitable distribution of political offices.
During the military tele-guided semi-democratic era of the former military president; Ibrahim Badamusi Babagida to which credit for the creation of the State in 1991 goes, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu from Afikpo was elected Governor of Abia State.
With the return of a full-blown democracy in 1999, and the Afikpo group having being joined with the Abakiliki people from Ebony State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu became the second democratically elected Governor of the State.
By the present composition of the State, Abia is mainly or broadly composed of two geo-political zones; the old Bende Divisional people and the Old Aba Divisional people, also known as Ukwa/Ngwa.
Determined to make chief Orji Uzor Kalu’s second tenure seamless and less rancorous in 2003, the convener of this great Ukwa/Ngwa declaration 2; chief Reagan Ufomba had convoked the first Ukwa/Ngwa declaration in that year at Aba Township Stadium.
The whole essence of that declaration at Aba was to assure Chief Kalu of the overwhelming support of the people of Ukwa/Ngwa for his reelection. Therefore, by that declaration, the people of Ukwa/Ngwa had collectively adopted Chief Kalu of the PDP, then, as their conscientious Governorship candidate.
Having knowingly taken the above stated political stand, the people of the zone had resolved to jettison the governorship aspiration of even their own sons in the 2003 general election.
Like the political animals they were, and still are, the people of Ukwa/Ngwa had a goal in mind when they left all their brothers who nursed governorship aspirations in 2003 for someone from old Bende. The philosophy of the great Ukwa/Ngwa declaration at Aba was to Support Old Bende complete her 8years so that Old Bende will support the Ukwa/Ngwa produce, the next Governor of the State in 2007.
True to the said philosophy, at least 60% of the votes cast for the Governorship in Ukwa/Ngwa n 2003 was a reflection of this understanding. Chief Orji Uzor Kalu won overwhelmingly in 2003.
Disappointedly, in 2007, chief Orji Uzor Kalu who was exiting as Governor of the State did not only renege on the tenets of the Great Ukwa/Ngwa’s declaration, he equally discarded the spirit of the Abia Charter of Equity.
Another son of old Bende; Chief Theodore Ahamefula Orji emerged as the Governor of the State in 2007. In the natural peaceful disposition of the people of Ukwa/Ngwa, they carried on peacefully with Chief T.A. Orji as the State and equally played major roles in his reelection in 2011.
The people of Ukwa/Ngwa feel morally obliged to use this great Ukwa/Ngwa declaration being made today at Okpuala Ngwa to, for the umpteenth time, express their heartfelt gratitude in appreciation to Sen. T. A. Orji who, as Governor of Abia State in 2015 successfully threw his weight behind the actualization of the people of Ukwa/Ngwa to have one of their own as Governor of the State.
In 2015, a humble, highly educated, progressively visionary, transparent and law-abiding son of Ukwa/Ngwa in the person of Okezie Victor Ikpeazu (PhD) was democratically elected as Governor of Abia State.
For the first two years of Dr. Okezie’s administration and unprecedentedly too, the enemies of equity and progress almost literally dragged him through the length and breadth of the Nigerian judiciary. Our son; Okezie Ikpeazu Ph.D is the first and only Governor that had been pulled twice to the Supreme Court of Nigeria on account of the same election.
We thank God that the Nigerian judiciary, in either case, acquitted itself as the last hope of common man. Truth prevailed in each case and justice emanating from constitutionality held sway.
To be candid, we the people of Ukwa/Ngwa, have been wondering how Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has consistently been able to finance and execute the numerousity of projects his administration has delivered and the ones still under construction.
For a Governor who was excruciatingly subjected to an indescribable wave of unwarranted distraction to have shown concrete evidence of not less than 130 projects within a space of less than 3years, whoever that does not appreciate him must be a sadist of the worst order.
The people of Ukwa/Ngwa are very proud that the first Governor of Abia State, of Ukwa/Ngwa extraction, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has indisputably raised the bar of performance in governance. He has shown unprecedented political will to in tackling the problems of the State.
In the sectors of Agriculture, Education, Health, Trade and Commerce and Oil and Gas, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has proved that a leader should be capable of thinking outside the box.
Only a short step back to history would remind the good people of Abia State that Chief Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia-North governed the State for two consecutive tenures. The same democratic opportunity was enjoyed by chief Theodore Ahamefula Orji of Abia-Central.
Based on the above, the people of Ukwa/Ngwa under the aegis of Great Ukwa/Ngwa Declaration 2, today; this Friday 2nd, March, 2018, being Nkwo, do issue the following Communiqué;
1. That the entire people of Ukwa/Ngwa applaud Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for his performances as Governor of Abia State within the period he has presided over the affairs of fe State,
2. That the entire people of Ukwa/Ngwa are proud of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu for the maturity and discipline he exhibited all through the period of his persecution.
3. That the entire people of Ukwa/Ngwa do, hereby, pass a vote of absolute confidence in Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu,
4. That the entire people of Ukwa/Ngwa do, hereby, adopt Okezie Victor Ikpeazu Ph.D as their conscientious Governorship candidate for 2019 governorship election,
5. That no other true indigene of Ukwa/Ngwa shall present himself or herself to run for Governorship of the State in 2019.
6. That no true indigene of Ukwa/Ngwa shall present himself of herself to run as a Governorship running-mate to any Governorship candidate in the State in 2019,
7. That in the Abia spirit of Onye Aghala Nwanne ya, the entire people of Ukwa/Ngwa do, hereby, plead with their brothers, sisters and friends of Old Bende to give their maximum support for the reelection of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu in 2019 and
8. That the entire people of Ukwa/Ngwa do, hereby, reassure the entire people of Abia State that Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu will continue to treat every section of the State with equity, justice and fairness.
9. That any Ukwa/Ngwa son, daughter, or community that violates this agreement as contained in this communiqué shall be ex-communicated.
This Communiqué was signed by the representatives of all Ukwa/Ngwa Socio-Economic, statesmen and Political groups some of which are;
~Barr. Chibuike A. Nwokeukwu (SAN)
~Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
~Chief Ike Onyenweaku
~Chief Reagan Ufomba etc.