Former Abia State Governor and the senatorial candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), in tomorrow’s general elections, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, has said Aba will reclaim its lost glory as the town stood still when he stormed the area. He stated this while addressing a huge crowd that received him at Recreation Club yesterday when he toured the city to inform them that he has answered their call of seeking for the Senate seat of Abia North.
According to him, Aba people can achieve this through voting out unpopular candidates who have dealt unkindly with Aba people all these years, adding that politics has outgrown the stage where the electorate vote people because of their party.
He urged Aba people to vote President Goodluck Jonathan, whose administrative capability in running the nation’s affairs cannot be equated to any other, and other credible candidates who can serve them selflessly.
He said any vote to the unpopular candidates will amount to elongating their sufferings.
Kalu, who left his Camp Neya residence at exactly 11.35 a.m.,for the tour of Aba, arrived Osisioma Junction, along Enugu-Port-Hacourt Expressway was by 1.09 pm, with a huge crowd already waiting to receive him.
At Osisioma, traders abandoned their wares, tricycle riders abandoned their businesses and transporters, shop-owners and even children, all lined up at the roadsides to catch a glimpse of the man who had touched their lives in different ways as governor.
The crowd that surged towards him was so unprecedented that Kalu opened the side door of his branded bus to acknowledge their cheers.
There were songs of solidarity as he walked with them to a distance before going into the bus. From Osisioma junction, the crowd surged on, passed Brass Street and got to the Asa Road, which can be described as the heart of Aba, but instead of the crowd reducing, it was increasing the more.
At this point, Kalu alighted from the bus, went into the crowd and started hugging, shaking, touching and waving to the ever- increasing crowd which one can describe as having been hungry of him for too long.
He walked several poles with them, acknowledging cheers from them before he entered into his open-roofed black Toyota Sequdia platinum jeep, he acknowledged more cheers from all sides.
From Asa Road, the convoy went through Azikiwe, to Ngwa Road, past through East Etreet, and landed at Recreation Club through Park Road.
By then, the news of Kalu’s arrival in Aba had spread to every nook and cranny of the city and the club premises became filled up with people, to the point that it took the convoy about an hour to enter the premises.
After the necessary protocols and introductions, Kalu mounted the podium and spoke.
“In the election that is coming, you should vote for credible candidates and not party. Politics has graduated to the stage where people should now look at what candidates can do for them because it is the people in the party that make up a party. You have seen that the debtor has sent people out to come and contest, and if such candidates are voted into power, they will continue to owe like their master. You know what we are talking about.
“President Jonathan is a very credible and reputable candidate who can move this nation forward, no other presidential candidate is more credible than him, so you should vote for him. I will also urge you to vote for all candidates that are contesting through the party that has hands in prayer, vote for PPA. You know that I am contesting for the Senate seat of Abia North, so if you are here and you are from Abia North, come home and vote for me. I will not disappoint you,” Kalu said.
“Before, Enyimba Football Club used to win all her matches, even when they play with foreign teams, but today, it is no longer like that due to bad leadership. If you vote the right candidates, the lost glory of Aba will come back. Enyimba will come back and start winning once more,” Kalu explained
“You people asked me to come out, now I have come out, you should not put me to shame. I am not afraid that you will throw pure water at me because I know that Aba people know those who love them and show them love. But I am sure that there are some people who will not dare come here because they know that Aba will throw pure water on them because of what they have done. I am not afraid that you will throw stones at me because Aba knows Aba people. You people should vote for PPA because it was the party that looked after you and they will also look after you if you vote her into power.
“Permit me to go and see Ariaria my people because it will be a disservice that I come to Abia without going to Ariaria to see my people,” Kalu pleaded
He thanked them for their warm reception and left Recreation Club, through Asa Road, Azikiwe, Okigwe Road, Faulks Road, into Ariari, from where he hit the Enugu-Porthacout express road, back to Igbere. It was a visit Aba will not forget in a hurry.
