By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
JUSTICE For All (JFA), a socio-politi-
cal advocacy group, has urged the lead-
ership of the All Progressive Alliance
(APC) to ensure that justice is done
with regards to electing a representa-
tive for Ebonyi South in the South
East zone for the Senate following the
appointment of Engr. Dave Umahi as
Minister for Works. According to the
group, the party should be progressive
in its conducts in line with the spirit of
its motto.
Maintaining that all eyes are on
the party, the group appealed to the
leadership to do justice and uphold the
will of the people because, according
to them, the voice of the people is the
voice of God.
A statement issued in Lagos at by
Sam Imodibe, Project Co-ordinator,
and Francis T. Nyame, Director of
Press, said: “We preach peace, equal
right and justice all over the country
because we believe that no country
can develop without peace, equal right
and justice. Justice in this case is that
the original candidate of the APC for
Ebonyi South senatorial election, Dea- con Austin Umahi, should be given his
ticket to run.
“This is because Deacon Austin
Umahi displayed uncommon loyalty
when it mattered most. Men of lesser
reasoning could have caused some
problem in the state. So, it could be said that this arrangement is divine; let
him have it.
“We believe that anything short
of handing the ticket to the original
candidate, Deacon Austin Umahi, is
unacceptable and it is against natural
justice. It is not expected that APC
will prevaricate on this or choose a
different path, but if that happens, the
party will contend with a heavy moral
burden.
“Most importantly, we believe that Deacon Austin Umahi will represent
the people effectively. Our investiga-
tion shows as follows: He is tested and
trusted. He is a man of the people. He
is celebral and connected. He is the
right man for the job.Everyone says
he has the capacity or credentials to
deliver.
“We are concerned and, indeed,
shocked about the strange or nebulous
argument in some quarters that he
should not be considered because of
his relationship with the minister.
We think it is a function of dysfunc-
tional social complex to entertain such
thought. The question to ask is, should
someone suffer unjustly because his
brother is holding an offce. Or he
should not have any aspiration because
someone else is in offce.”For us, those
canvassing such arguments are being
mischievous or silly. We are bewil- dered that in today’s society, people
are still so pathetic in their thinking
and display of abject poverty of the
mind. It is advertisement of a sense of
victimhood while playing politics of
sentiments.”
The group urged the constituents
to reject politics of bitterness for the
overall good of the zone.
Indeed, political and non-political
actors in Ebonyi South Senatorial
Zone and beyond are clamouring for
Deacon Austin Umahi to represent
the zone in the Senate considering his
antecedents.