Uba and the Task of Selling Buhari to Anambra

Senator Andy Uba is the chairman of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Campaign Council in Anambra State. He has the huge task of making Buhari and APC acceptable in a predominantly APGA State? DavidChyddy Eleke looks at how the senator can pull this off

Pship of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his stated that through hard work, the APC has gained ward, Uga ward one, Aguata Local Government Area acceptability in Anambra State, unlike in 2015 when the of Anambra State, to intimate them of the task ahead, party was dreaded by citizens of the state. which is delivering President Buhari in the state. He said, “In 2015, did you see this kind of crowd He said his reason for beginning his campaign at converge for APC? It did not happen. The people were the ward was to fulfill the saying that charity begins at aloof and not ready to listen to anyone, who would talk home. He however assured that he would use his posito them about APC or Buhari, but today the story is tion to mobilise voters from the state to vote for himself different. as the senator representing Anambra South and most “Just look around and see the number of people, of the state. importantly for President Buhari, whom he adjudged as who have converged here today, this is very significant. The presidential campaign rally, which held at the performing ‘very excellently’. It did not just happen; it was through the efforts of some Holy Trinity field in Onitsha, saw the president say that “There are a lot of things that the President is doing of us, who joined the party. The people know us, and his government was working hard on economy, security that the people do not know about, but what we are gowhen we approach them and tell them that APC is the and the fight against corruption. The president, who ing to do is to take those good works to the rural people best place to be, they don’t argue about it.” first moved to the newly completed Zik’s Mausoleum, of Anambra and ensure that they assimilate this, and Uba remained upbeat about Buhari winning the where he commissioned the project, was also at the use it to see reasons why they should vote the president. election, while also expressing optimism that he would palace of the traditional ruler of Onitsha Kingdom, Igwe “There are projects like the Zik’s Mausoleum win the south senatorial election and also become the Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, where he met traditional that have been abandoned for several years, but now Senate President, having been in the senate for eight rulers in the state. constructed by the Buhari administration. There is years and attained the status of a ranking senator with

Addressing a mammoth crowd, which gathered at the second Niger bridge, which is still ongoing and cognate experience. the venue, Buhari said, “I am happy to have commisseriously too, and there is also the Enugu- Onitsha “President Buhari in 2015 was ready to make an Igbo sioned the Zik’s Mausoleum. I am just coming from expressway. There are several more projects and our job man the senate president, but he could not find a good there now. The road from Enugu to here (Onitsha), is to tell the people of them and mobilise them to vote ranking Igbo senator from the area. We urge you to vote which was last done during the Abacha time, is being for President Buhari.” for president Buhari, and also for me as the senator. done again. We are also working on the Port Harcourt The senator also added that Igbos had a lot to benefit Senate Presidency is a bigger position than even the road to this place too, and I believe the minister of from Buhari if they voted him, saying he (Buhari) was governor of the state. So, if we get the senate presidency, Transport (Rotimi Amechi) has also told you of the ready to support the South-east to produce the senate it will mean having something more than a governor in railway project, which will also pass from Port Harcourt president in 2015, but could not find an APC ranking this area,” Uba urged the people. to Maiduguri, through some of your states.” senator from the zone, leading to the position being The candidate of the party for Orumba North and

In the area of security, Buhari assured that his clinched by another zone. He said if Igbos voted Buhari South federal constituency, Uchenna Okonkwo-Okom, government was doing his best, while also stating that in the coming election, he was sure that the senate who also spoke at Oko Community, where Uba earlier no local government in the North East was being held presidency would come from the south east, especially visited, said the people of Oko Community were lucky by members of the Boko Haram sect. On militancy, he as the people were also ready to vote senators from the to have Uba from their area, as his closeness to the said, “In the Niger Delta, we have reached an agreement zone on the platform of APC. presidency would help to attract projects to the area. with the militants, and production is going on. It is “You need to have people, who are ranking senators Okonkwo-Okom said Uba was the only senator unfortunate that production has come down from over from the zone, who can be made the Senate President. I that has represented the zone that had projects in every two million barrels per day to about half a million.” am vying for a seat in the senate for the third time, and political Ward in the zone, which was made up of seven

In Anambra, however, there exists a number of projthat among other things qualifies me to be a ranking local government areas. He urged the people to vote for ects by the present government, includinghim.thesecondsenator,whowouldbequalifiedtobeasenatepresiNiger Bridge, the Enugu-Onitsha expresswayU project dent. ba stated that the task of delivering President that is ongoing, the Onitsha- Owerri road project and of “There are some people, who are contesting for Buhari in Anambra State was not just a task for the course, the Nnamdi Azikiwe Mausoleum that has been the senate against me, but cannot as little as read members of APC in the state, just as he acknowledged completed and commissioned among others. documents. To be a senate president, you have to be that delivering Buhari in the state was the task of every

The President Buhari Campaign Council Chairman a ranking senator, and you have to have been in the well-meaning person, who appreciates the good work of of Anambra State, Senator Andy Uba, who is also senate for at least eight years and must have a number the president. the Senator Representing Anambra South senatorial of bills you have sponsored. So, Igbos must vote wisely He urged people of the state to rally round and work zone, in his maiden press conference to announce his in their choice of senators,” Uba said. for the victory of Buhari, especially now that the party appointment, promised to mobilise total victory for While speaking to THISDAY exclusively in Ufuma, is very acceptable in the state, and also has the chances President Buhari in the state. Orumba north local government area of Anambra State of producing a senate president in the event of their

Uba spoke in Aguata, when he met with the leader- on his plans to deliver the president in Anambra, Uba victory. resident Muhammadu Buhari was in Onitsha, Anambra State on January 24, 2019 to canvass votes for All Progressives Congress, APC, and himself as the presidential candidate of the party. During his speech, he begged the people of the state for votes, saying his government meant well for the people

Uba