By Orji Sampson
The twist and turn usually associated with politics especially in Nigeria played out again when suddenly the Imo State commissioner for finance, Hon (Barr) Obinna Mbata in Abuja over the weekend switched his political aspirations from state assembly to Federal Reps seat.
Trumpeta gathered that Barr. Mbata who last week was warmly cheered by his kinsmen at Amawom village in Owerri Municipal Council during his official declaration to join in the run for the municipal assembly seat may have been asked to step up his ambition and rather pick nomination and expression of interest forms for the Owerri zone federal Constituency seat by the state governor.
According to sources close to the state government house, the governor is said to have viewed Barr. Mbata as a strong and better option for the Owerri zone reps seat instead of the State Assembly where he had already been endorsed by many and favored by all.
It would be recalled that the state commissioner for finance who is one of the trusted allies of the state governor, made his intentions known to contest for the state house of assembly under the All Progressive Congress (APC), a decision which has received many endorsements from various groups in the council area especially from “Ndi Oha owere” “Ndom Owere”, Alaenyi and many others.
However, words emanating from the campaign organization of Barr Obinna Mbata indicates his optimism over the new development as one of the campaign officials who spoke in anonymity described the switch over from state to Federal Assembly seat as an act of God.
He maintained that if the governor, Owelle Okorocha has deemed it fit for Barr. Mbata to run for Owerri zone reps seat that he must have seen those wonderful leadership qualities and humanitarian attributes which makes him outstanding amongst his equals and endeared him to the hearts of his people who in unison asked him to originally represent them at the state assembly.
The campaign official insisted that Owerri Municipal progressives wanted Barr. Mbata to represent them at the state assembly so that he can correct the ill-representations they have been getting in recent past adding that same divine calling has been made so that he can do it from the federal level maintaining that as a successful lawyer he remains the only one that can offer Owerri zone effective and efficient representation.
Reacting on the recent change, Barr Mbata who spoke to journalists after his return to Owerri from Abuja while explaining the intricacies that led to the sudden switch described it as a higher responsibility asserting that he was more than qualified and possesses the qualities to give the good people of Owerri Federal Constituency a worthy representation considering that he has served meritoriously not just as commissioner but also at the federal level where he was unanimously chosen by all commissioners of Finance from the 36 states.
He however charged members of his campaign team to shift into higher gear as they now have higher scope to cover maintaining that some of them have already been acquainted with the latest development and are more than ready to ensure that the work is properly done.
