2027: Desperate Aguocha Unleashes Ethnic Attacks on Non-Indigenes in Ikwuano/Umuahia – By Chidi Omar

2027: Desperate Aguocha Unleashes Ethnic Attacks on Non-Indigenes in Ikwuano/Umuahia – By Chidi Omar

The member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Hon Obi Aguocha has instructed his aides to whip up ethnic sentiments and unleash verbal attacks via the social media on non-indigenes resident in the Federal Constituency who called for his scorecard in office

Aguocha’s latest action was in response to the widespread query over the two truckloads of palliative rice valued at over ₦100 million which President Bola Tinubu allocated to National Assembly members in 2023 for sharing to their constituents to cushion the biting economic effects of subsidy removal in the same year

Aguocha who allegedly sold the allocation for Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency to an Anambra State-born businessman recently came under scrutiny as he could not provide records to support his claims that he shared the rice palliatives and other food items to his constituents.

In desperation, Aguocha has reacted like a wild dogs by unleashing verbal attacks on politically proactive non-Abians who also joined the call for accountability from the lawmaker, one of those specifically targeted is Ikechukwu Kelvin Okorie aka Ikukufied who through his social media posts shows unequivocal support for Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, Aguocha’s opponent in the 2027 election.

Aguocha in the post used ethnic stereotyping to discredit non-indigenes demanding accountability from their elected representative and portrayed non-indigenes as outsiders who had no business questioning the poor performance of a representative they had voted for.

Aguocha’s aide, Promise Nwokocha, conveyed the impression that only indigenous residents of Ikwuano and Umuahia were entitled to question Aguocha’s poor performance, while non-indigenes should return to their respective States of origin to seek answers from their own representatives.

He also alleged that non-indigenes are jobless and unfocused because they were asking questions about the lawmaker’s scorecard

Observers had however described Aguocha’s reaction as that of a drowning man reaching for straws, noting that his attempt to divert public attention from governance and accountability issues to ethnic profiling demeans the office of a honourable member of the National Assembly

In his reaction, Mr Tony Icheku, a journalist reminded Hon Aguocha that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, as amended, provides important safeguards against discrimination and protects fundamental rights of citizens.

“By authorising his aide, Promise Nwokocha to invoke ethnic sentiments against bona fide Nigerians, Hon Aguocha has acted in a manner that undignified the office of a member of the National Assembly. Perhaps he is ignorant of Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution as amended which prohibits specified forms of discrimination against Nigerian citizens on grounds including ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion and political opinion

“In a representative democracy, elected officials are expected to account for their stewardship to the electorate. Political accountability should ordinarily be determined by performance, legislative contributions, constituency interventions and the fulfilment of public commitments—not by the ethnic origin of those asking questions.

“Residents who are not indigenous to a constituency may also be registered voters there and may participate in elections in accordance with the law. Where they are eligible voters, their right to question the performance of their representative cannot legitimately be dismissed merely because they originate from another State.

“Even where a person is not registered to vote in a particular constituency, that fact does not automatically extinguish the person’s fundamental rights to freedom of expression and peaceful participation in public discourse. Consequently, the suggestion that non-indigenes should refrain from demanding accountability simply because they originate from other States raise serious questions about the principles of democratic representation and equal citizenship

“Aguocha’s failure keep public debate focused on governance, performance and in his manifesto conveys the impression of a candidate with nothing to offer. A lawmaker who has spent over three years in the National Assembly and seeks a second term should showcase his legislative activities, constituency projects, interventions and other measurable achievements if any exits” Icheku maintained