BY MIKE EKEKE JNR.
The “Court room ” was filled with silence and suspense took over the atmosphere as the ” “Judge” walked in. Shortly, Chris Nkwonta’s case was called up as the clerk announced ” Hon. Chris Nkwonta versus the people of Ukwa Federal Constituency in ” suit No. Ukw/Peoples vote/ 2023″ . The “defendant” Hon. Chris Nkwonta was immediately ushered into the ” witness box” .
It was a celebrated case as the ” court” premises was filled to the brim including the gentlemen of the press.
The “defendant” was led in the Examination-in- Chief by his ” Lawyer” where he affirmed all the statements he made on oath before the ” Court” .
After the Examination- in – Chief, Counsel to the people of Ukwa Federal Constituency led Hon. Chris Nkwonta on Cross Examination where he was asked to prove the essence of his election into the Federal House of Representatives in 2023.
The evidence of Hon. Nkwonta reverberated the memories of the old good days as the parliamentarian took the people’s court to a long journey of achievements as the member representing the good people of Ukwa Federal Constituency.
Within the period under review it was discovered that Hon. Chris Nkwonta’s two years in the Green Chambers has surpassed over the past twenty-four years of representation of Ukwa Federal Constituency as the people have seen such visible impact of democratic dividends.
Having been a philanthropist whose life has positively touched his people even before he won election into the National Assembly, he already understood the plight of his people and kept his promise of attracting federal presence to them.
He has been very active in the Green Chambers with his legislative functions and there at home. It is on record that his people enjoyed the highest and ever in history of the federal constituency an empowerment program where thousands of beneficiaries of his constituents across party lines were empowered into different vocations, skills acquisitions, crafts and other sustainable business ventures. The empowerment was both physical and financial and his constituents can all attest to that. Encomuims were showered on him.Joy filled the hearts of his people with their faces beaming with smile for it has never been so for the people and they were proud of him and glorified God for His candidature.
But while he was reeling out the plethora and avalanche of his achievements in the ” court “, like the biblical story, the Pharisees and Sudducees of those of our Lord Christ days were there in some corners of the court , the Herods and chief priests of those days. They were not happy with his rising profile. How has he suddenly become a new king with new democratic prowess emerging from the federal constituency where some of them have spent the past 24years both in the Red and Green chambers without any physical presence of their impact.
How can Chief Nkwonta come to take the shine off them. How has he come to remove them from the high table and open the eyes of the people to know that a lot of positive democratic impacts are there in the National Assembly.
They tried to stop him during the 2023 election but couldn’t. He got the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket against their wish and went ahead to win the election.
Nkwonta was the only PDP candidate that won election into the National Assembly from the state and the votes he garnered was the highest since the present democratic dispensation in 1999. The other PDP candidate from the state today in the Senate, Sen. Austin Akobundu got his victory through the court.
Chief Nkwonta who serves as the Chairman, House of Representatives committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC) brought a new dimension of representation into Ukwa Federal Constituency and old failed and expired political big heads are not happy. He is assessable to all, men, women and youths and his doors are wide open to all. He patiently listens to his people, understands their needs and tackles them. His election in 2023 broke party ranks and he remains outstanding among all the political gladiators of the area.
However, These doesn’t come without envy. He has dislodged many of the old political big names from the Area who are now floating without bearing. So, their new workshop is how to get him down by any means.
The vultures have started gathering, scratching for any weakness even when there is none. But the good news is that they are very few without followership because they failed in their days with similar opportunities.
One outstanding credential of Hon Nkwonta is the undying and undeniable love he enjoys from the masses. He has the midas touch which has stood tall for many years and has remained un toppled. He is presently the highest office holder from Ukwa Federal Constituency and in all modesty beating him in any election in the area is like climbing the mountain barefooted on a scorchy sunny season . He has never lost any election in Ukwa Federal Constituency since 2015 and he was the presumed winner of the 2015 Abia South Senatorial Seat which he contested under the All Progressives Grand Alliance( APGA ) and Abians know how himself and the incumbent Governor who flew the ticket under the same platform were schemed out. Nkwonta even won his political enemies in their polling units and wards despite all their noise.
So it was not surprising that the masses all emptied into the “court ” on that day to hear and admire their own.
And as Nkwonta concluded his evidence in the People’s Court, drama ensued when the mammoth crowd of Ukwa Federal Constituency thronged the premises chanting songs saying ” retain Nkwonta again in the National Assembly” . The judge was overwhelmed by the credence of Nkwonta’s evidence which confirmed the demand of his people that Chris Nkwonta should be retained again in the National Assembly.
The Judge said ” having listened to the evidence of the defendant l am convinced that the man has satisfied all condition precedent for me to enter judgement in his favour, l hereby discharge and acquit the defendant of all the charges brought against him by his political enemies”. However, the Judge continued , l am constrained to wave away the wishes of the masses because that would be tantamount to the infringement of their fundamental rights.
He said ” l have listened carefully to the petition of Ukwa Federal Constituency brought before me, l have also read the inscriptions on the placards displayed by the people and having gone through the evidence as narated by the ” defendant” l am compelled in the interest of justice and that of conscience to honour the wishes of the masses which is in tandem with democratic principles, l hereby order that Hon. Chris Nkwonta although have not served out his first tenure in office but be retained to the National Assembly for a second term. I rise, the Judge Concludes”
And the gong continued after the Judgment was delivered as the people rejoiced among themselves all going to their different political wards and units to declare the Judgment of the Court that ” Hon Nkwonta should be retained For a Second term in the National Assembly. They also warned their people that it would be a total waste of resources and time for any of their sons or daughters to come face Hon. Nkwonta In any election come 2027. They said ” He remains our sole candidate. He has done well and made us proud. We should ignore every dissenting voices of detractors and wholeheartedly stand behind him come 2027.
But another group wants the Akwete born politician to brace up, team up with the ever working Governor of Abia state, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti and contest for the senatorial seat of Abia South Senatorial zone.
This group believes that the incumbent occupant of the position, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has served up his term and should retire. Whatever is the decision but one obvious fact is that Hon. Chris Nkwonta is a hot, marketable, acceptable and dependable candidate any day nomatter the position he decides to contest in 2027.
Note: writer’s diction applies in this article.
