Former governor of Imo state, Chief Ikedi Ohakim on Tuesday, threw his weight behind the senatorial race of the Widow of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu.
He asked other candidates eyeing the position to perish the idea and step down for her, describing her as
Addressing party chieftains and loyalists at Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ohakim said the Igbos could not afford to sit and watch the wife of their former leader be denied the seat.
He maintained that losing the seat to another candidate would be a disservice to Ojukwu who he described as the most selfless leader the Igbos ever had.
“Those who are contesting the poll with the wife of our leader may have the money and wherewithal to muzzle down Bianca but they don’t have the same integrity.
According to Ohakim, no fewer than fifteen billionaires from the south east have been mobilised to ensure the victory of Ojukwu’s wife who she referred to as a spirit.
“Bianca Ojukwu is not an ordinary human being, she is a spirit. She has double-barrel identity and double-barrel legacy.
“The people of Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, have asked me to beg you(Anambra) to accomplish this mission and project in memory of our great leader, Dim Chkwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
“Ojukwu sacrificed his Oxford education, his personal comfort, his father’s wealth to save the Igbo race at the most auspicious time.” he added.
Responding, Bianca Ojukwu said her decision to contest for the Senate was in the best interest of the people whose rights have been denied them over the years.
She pledged to ensure that the right of Igbos were no longer denied them if voted into power.
“Our people have suffered. A lot of graduates engage in meager jobs for want of employment. Traders suffer at custom offices. Igbos are suffering and that is why we are insisting on a restructured nation.
“We need a different type of representation, of showcasing what we can do for the people. We can’t remain where we are. The role of a senator is not only legislative but also oversight,” she said.
Speaking about her late husband, Dim Ojukwu, Bianca reiterated the sacrifices he made when he saw that his people were being shortchanged and massacred.
“Evil prevails because good men do nothing. To sit back and be an arm chair critic is not good enough,” she added.
She said she has been part of the party from the genesis, and have been part of several committees that saw to the sustenance of the party.
“The blood of this party runs in my veins,” she said.
