By Emeka Nwokocha
A pro-Niger Delta development organization, Niger Delta Equity Forum (NDEF), has called on Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to desist from hurling insults and calumnious statements against the honourable member representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Nicholas Ossai.
NDEF, through its National Coordinator, Comr. Gideon Onyebuchi, gave the charge recently while reacting to what he referred to as unfounded allegations made against Hon. Nicholas Ossai by Chief Eze C. Eze whom he described as a naysayer and jobless antagonist.
He said, “our attention has been drawn to a hateful publication to malign the hard earned reputation of Hon. Nicholas Ossai, entitled, ‘Plot to derail the Eastern Rail Modernization, Eze Pleads with Clark’ sponsored by Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC). The publication, in every sense of the word was ill-conceived, malicious and intolerable. It was a shocking display of animosity starkly fixated on demonizing Hon. Nicholas Ossai and denting his good image, that it mortgaged decency and decorum.
“We are taken aback that Chief Eze can lend himself to such intemperate and sentimental opinions as his write up was more of name-calling and insults. Needless to say that campaign of calumny is no longer fashionable in modern politics.
“As a responsible organization charged with responsibility of promoting the welfare of the people of Niger Delta region, we forbid any act of bigotry against a noble personality in mold of Hon. Nicholas Ossai. In the same vein, we will not allow any mischievous elements to cause disharmony and fracture existing peace among the people of Ndokwa and Ukwuani federal constituency.
“We condemn in strong terms the barrage of vindictive allegations and campaign of calumny being leisurely sponsored by Chief Eze C. Eze, wherein he mischievously threw caution to the winds and recklessness deployed a full dose of his ignorance of the happenings in Nigeria to promote hate speeches against Hon. Ossai with callous intent to tarnish his hard earned reputation before the good people of Ndokwa and Ukwuani people.
“Chief Eze’s desperation to malign the reputation of Hon. Ossai and discredit his good work and achievements was taken too far as his publication was variously coated with reprehensive words and baseless lies that sillilly rode his ignorance in the media with inexplicable loath for Hon. Nicholas Ossai.”
He further stated, “playing out bigotry in full dose, Chief Eze didn’t even attempt to hide his bias as he made it clear that he had Hon. Ossai in his crosshairs and, thereafter, went berserk with use of uncouth words to denigrate the federal law maker.”
Continuing, Comr. Onyebuchi, chastised Chief Eze for being judgemental and fixated on fragments of unsubstantiated lies that seriously indicted Hon. Ossai as the obstacle in execution of the eastern and southern rail project.
He said, “Chief Eze feeds its prejudice by referencing a purported comment from Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi thus: ‘It was apparent that the Chairman of the Committee investigating the Loan from China, Hon. Nicholas Osai, was determined to deny the people of the South-South and the South East the opportunity to be connected by rail.’ Then we ask, if Chief Eze understood the narratives and adriotness of legislative duties, he should’ve known that all applications for foreign loans, most especially from China must be subjected to thorough screening and investigation prior to approval. It is weird for Chief Eze to feign ignorance of massive incidents of corruption and misappropriation of foreign loans by past administrations in Nigeria, much of which is responsible for the country’s economic woes with worsening devaluation of the naira.”
Comr. Onyebuchi queried, “why would Chief Eze think the people of Ndokwa and Ukwuani federal constituency are not well schooled in legislative matters as to not to be abreast of the political development in the country? Why would he stiffle truth in his statements and wants the people to believe his baked lies hook, line and sinker?
Comr. Onyebuchi mandated Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze to retract his vindictive publication without further delay so as to redeeming his image from serious reprimand.
He added, ‘In case Chief Eze didn’t know how much Hon. Nicholas Ossai is loved by his constituents occasioned by his towering and administrative footprints, we implore him to put his ears on the ground and have a feel of it. Better still, he could carry out a survey to ascertain how popular Hon. Ossai has become in recent times in his constituency.”
