Anti -Kalu protest :’We aren’t faceless political hirelings’, Abia North concerned citizens replies Jonas

Anti -Kalu protest :’We aren’t faceless political hirelings’, Abia North concerned citizens replies Jonas

By Steve Oko

Patriots under the aegis of

Abia North Concerned Citizens who staged a protest in Abuja on Monday, demanding that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s seat be declared vacant following his long absence from the red chamber, have lambasted  Kalu’s ally, Chibuike Jonas  over his media remarks that they are political thugs recruited by Kalu’s traducers.

Jonas had in a swift response to the group’s protest described them as rented political thugs sponsored by Kalu’s opponent to project him in bad light.

But piqued by the former Council boss’ comment, the group in a press statement Thursday jointly signed by Comrade Eric Chukwu , and  Dike Ezenta, Coordinator, and Spokesman, respectively reprimanded Jonas for “his unguarded and careless comment”.

“We received with utmost concern the  myopic and unguarded utterances credited to one Chibuike Jonas ,  said to be an APC thug attached to Senator Orji Uzor  Kalu , over the lawful protest organized by this organization at the National assembly on Tuesday June 2 : 2020 urging the Senate  President  to immediately declare the seat of the  Abia North  Senatorial  Zone vacant as our representative is now inadmissible for constitutional infractions.

“In the widely circulated statement, the said  Mr Jonas displayed crass ignorance by questioning the identity of the protesters and alleging that they were sponsored, rather than consider the validity of their request, or is he attempting to divert attention from the fact that his pay master, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu abdicated his responsibility at the senate owing to his rightful conviction and incarceration  over criminal charges? Or is he so insensitive to the fact that the people of Abia North Senatorial  Zone  have been without a voice in the senate for six months? This organization considers his outburst unfortunate and a new low in the communication temperament of a sane person

“To put the record straight, Mr Chibuike Jonas and indeed the general public is invited to note the following:

(1) That the protesters are not faceless but are indigenes of Abia State from Abia North extraction, whose names local governments of origin  are duly appended in the petition submitted to the office of the president of the senate.

(2) That the  concerned citizens of Abia north were pained by the continuous absence of their former Senator, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu at his duty post at a time of economic uncertainties occasioned by the pandemic,  hence the need to immediately declare his seat vacant to pave way for a Fresh election in the zone, since it is abundantly clear by the provisions of our extant laws that admitting former Senator Orji Uzor Kalu back into the senate will amount to a rape of the intent and spirit of section 68 (1) (f) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

(3) That we consider his allegation that we were sponsored laughable and an unintelligent attempt to discredit our  good intentions, and divert attention from our legitimate request. We hereby  state equivocally that neither Senator Mao Ohuabunwa nor any other person for that matter  sponsored  our lawful protest.

(4) This organization is curious about the the mental state  of this fellow called Chibuike Jonas when he averred that “the existing ban on interstate movement makes the entire claim that the protesters are from Abia North  irresponsible and unbelievable” by this statement, it is manifestly apparent that Mr Jonas’ desperation to please his pay master former Senator Orji Uzor Kalu blinded his sense of reasoning to forget that just as he being a citizen of Abia state could address the press with cacophony of lies  in Lagos state, that the protesters being citizens of Abia state could as well protest peacefully in Abuja. We have no doubt that the fear of his pay master loosing his seat in the Senate aggravated his desperation and depression.

“We hereby call on the good people of Abia North and indeed the general public to disregard comments from individuals like Jonas  who traffic  in lies, as we shall not allow ourselves to be cowed or intimidated by desperate individuals. We wish to restate that we are apolitical and not sponsored by any politican (s)  but simply propelled by our passion for our zone which has been plunged into political eclipse by Kalu’s long absence.

“Sign : Eric Chukwu , (Cordinator;

Dike Ezenta (Spokesman)”