As Ugochinyere Eyes the Green Chamber…

Udora Orizu writes that the spokesman of Coalition of United Political Parties and PDP’s House of Representatives Candidate for Ideato North, South federal constituency, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has started mobilising for support towards victory at the February, 2023 poll.

The spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, is the House of Representative candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ideato North and Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State.

This mandate has placed Ugochinyere in the position to lead his party in the forthcoming battle with the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and other political parties in the 2023 house of representatives poll.

If he wins, it will be his first time as a legislato. However Ikenga is not new to the political sphere and has carved a niche for himself within the political circle, despite his young age.

The 40 year-old lawyer turned politician has become a force to reckon with. The activist is known by many for his confidence, fearless stance especially with how he speaks the truth to power at different fora.

Ikenga has never shied away from speaking on what he considered ills and shortcomings of the federal government. As a vocal critic of Buhari’s administration, any national issue that concerns the well being of the youth, he’s always in the fore front calling out the government.

When he started off many years ago as an activist against maladministration in governance, little did he know that within a short period of time, he would become a household name in the political sphere of the country.

He began brushes with the law right from 2015 when his outspoken voice as President of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) was noted and considered too strong to be ignored by the federal authorities. Despite his travails in the hands of security agencies, Ugochinyere as the people’s spokesman never abandoned his cause of speaking openly what he considered as ills of the government.

He becomes more courageous after each release. He later became Special Adviser on Students and Youth Matters to then Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in 2016, shortly after his tenure at NYCN. But on October, 2017, he resigned his appointment when the Independent National Electoral Commission  registered his Action Peoples Party (APP) as one of the political parties eligible to operate in the Nigeria.

Few months later, in July 2018, he emerged as the spokesman of CUPP, a coalition created as a result of deliberations between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and over 40 other political parties who signed a memorandum of understanding in which they pledged to work together to unseat the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressive Congress (APC) government.

After PDP’s loss in 2019, Ugochinyere continued his duty as the opposition coalition spokesman. His statements regarding national issues didn’t go unnoticed. Reappearing on October 6, 2021 after over a year break, he called a press briefing at the CUPP headquarters in Abuja.

Addressing journalists, he spoke on worsening insecurity, the economy, the forthcoming election and other pressing issues.

As the nation gears up for 2023 general elections, Ugochinyere decided to contest for the House of Representatives seat to bring the dividends of democracy to his people in Ideato Federal Constituency.

Getting Clearance Certificate from PDP

On May 13, 2022, he received clearance certificate to vie for the National Assembly seat in Imo State. The House of Representatives aspirant was presented the clearance certificate by party’s National Organizing Secretary, thus confirming earlier statement by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the party that Ugochinyere was not disqualified, contrary to media speculations that the CUPP spokesperson was eased out of the race.

The Party issued the Certificate to Ugochinyere after examination of the controversial circumstances of reports of his disqualification despite the existence of Panel reports by both the Screening Committee and Screening Appeal Committee that he was duly cleared to contest the election.

The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had resolved that going by records in the party secretariat that Ugochinyere was cleared and that reports of his purported disqualification were mere fabrications and rumours from adversaries who are scared of his impending victory and not from any national officer of the Party or indeed the Party.

While reacting to the presentation of the Certificate of Qualification, Ugochinyere hailed the PDP leadership for presenting him with the certificate which clears the pathway for him to contest the primaries.

He also thanked the party at both the State and Local Government levels and also the Nigerian public for their support and confidence which they reposed in him pledging that he would ensure he does not disappoint the people.

Emerging as Candidate for Ideato Federal Constituency

Days later on May 26, Ugochinyere was declared winner of the party’s primary election by the Chairman of the PDP electoral Panel. He was declared winner with a landslide 71  votes that saw him flooring seven other challengers with 91.5 percent margin.

In a thank you speech, Ugochinyere thanked the delegates for their confidence in him and declared that as the candidate of the Party, he would stop at nothing to return the Federal Constituency to the Peoples Democratic Party after over 10yrs inability to win.

He also extended hand of fellowship to his opponents to rally round him and the party as the victory was for all of Ideato nation and not just him. He enjoined them to close ranks as they work towards taking the Constituency to the Party.

The Independent National Electoral Commission also monitored exercise and declared it as peaceful, free, fair and in line with the Electoral Act and the INEC Guidelines.

Will He Do Well as a Lawmaker?

Ugochinyere is loved by Indigenes of Ideato and believers of good governance around the country. Recently, he doled out cash and other items worth over 40 million naira to the 27 wards of the Ideato North and South. The items included laptops, printers, handsets and 5000 PDP membership cards. He said the items were part of his contribution towards rebuilding the party in the Constituency.

He has attracted good reviews from different political leaders such as former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, his former boss and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and so on, based on his contributions to the political discourse of the country, despite his relatively young age.

As a lawyer, politician, activist who cares about the youths, he’s expected to do well as a legislator in the National Assembly, knowing the needs of the people.

If he finally emerges winner in the 2023 poll, Ugochinyere will replace incumbent lawmaker Hon. Pascal Obi (APC) who was disqualified by his party on the ground of anti-party activities.

Commencing Election Campaign

In line with INEC’s timetable, Ugochinyere has started mobilising for support towards victory at the general election. He has visited several villages in his constituency soliciting for their vote and assuring them of quality representation.

At Arondizuogu, Umuadimoha the women said it’s Ugochinyere for House of Representatives or no other person.

He also met with Ogboko women who assured him of their support. At Queen’s of Apostle Urualla, he assured the mothers of effective representation while in Umuchima and several other villages, the indigenes agreed that he’s the best man for the job.