A former Speaker of Imo House of Assembly, and presently the Senator representing Okigwe Zone in the Red Chamber, Rt Hon Benji Uwajumogu has opened up on how he battled to be a Senator of the Federal Republic, after his election was cancelled by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Speaking to Newspaper Publishers in Imo State, Uwajumogu said he went through hell in the hands of the out-going Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha whom he said pretended to be helping him to be a Senator, while in the real sense Okorocha was secretly frustrating his efforts.
Uwajumogu who is running for a second term under the All Progressive Congress, APC, said that if not for President Mohammadu Buhari who persuaded Rochas Okorocha to allow him run for the Senate, the Ihitte Uboma LGA born politician said by now he would not have been a Federal Lawmaker.
The Senator said that a lot of people have been carpeting him over his relationship with Okorocha while he lasted as the Speaker of Imo House of Assembly, not knowing that he went through a lot in the hands of the Governor.
Uwajumogu said that with zeal to serve Imo State as the Speaker he agreed with the Governor to implement what he Capital Development Plan that would roll Imo State into an Economic stable State, through investments that would create jobs and boosts the State’s economy.
He however regretted that rather than follow what was agreed on Governor Okorocha derailed the programme by pursuing his own personal agenda that was not included in the arrangement.
“What we planned was for to create a Capital Development Plan that will run for four years, but with a plan for each year, by drawing funds from the budget to actualize each item as stipulated each year” he said.
The Senator said part of the plan was to make sure that each political zone in Imo State had one Higher Institution, with about 221 Investment plans that would have gone round the twenty seven Local Government Areas of the State.
He maintained that the plan would have improved township roads, revived Imo ailing industries, Build Housing Estates, with a projection of over N45B/N50B Annually from the Federation Account and Interally generated revenue.
The Senator however said that he has moved on, and is now focusing on how to change the lives of his constituents in Okigwe Senatorial zone.
He lamented that while fighting to win his seat in the Senatorial race, he lost a lot of legislative months and was able to participate in only two Budgets, which he said he used to put some projects for the Area, which include some of the current roads being flagged off in the Senatorial zone now.
Uwajumogu assured that if he returns to the Senate for a second term, he would do more than his first outing which was dogged by election- reruns and other distractions.
“When I return for a second again I will be one of the APC oldest Senators from the Southeast and this will enhance my chances to attract a lot of dividends of democracy for my people” he said.
He therefore appealed to the people of Okigwe zone to vote for him to return to the Senate as he has garnered enough Legislative experience to serve his people better.
