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By Madu Obi
As the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, prepares for a by-election in Anambra South senatorial zone for the replacement of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, the Coalition of Anambra South Progressives, has called on all the political parties for the election to field their candidates from Nnewi, the home town of the late senator.
The late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah was elected on the platform of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, although he had defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, and was aspiring for the November 8,2025 governorship poll before his death in the United Kingdom.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had three weeks ago, declared late Senator Ubah's seat vacant, thus paving the way for INEC to conduct by-election for his replacement.
Addressing reporters in Awka on Monday, a member of All Progressives Congress, APC, and leader of the coalition, Mr. Obi Chukwuemeka, said that nominating their candidates from Nnewi only, would be a way of sympathizing with Nnewi people, who lost their illustrious son and leader in the prime of his political career by the political parties.
Other members of the coalition who were with Chukwuemeka came from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the Labour Party, LP, and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
The coalition said: "We gather here to advocate for a fundamental principle of democracy, which include equity and fairness. As you may be aware, the Anambra South Senatorial District has been without representation in the National Assembly for some time now due to the unfortunate passing of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
This void has left our people without a voice in the highest legislative body in the land. It is imperative that we take immediate action to address this anomaly—not just addressing the anomaly, but doing so in such a manner that the status quo is maintained and justice is seen to have been done.
In light of this, we call on INEC to set the stage by fixing a date for the immediate conduct of a credible by-election to fill the void. Our constitution does not envisage a situation whereby a constituency is left without representation.
It has been more than seven months since the death of our dear Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah, and all this time, Anambra South has been denied the right to have a say in various governance issues affecting the federation.
We want to seize this opportunity to entreat all political parties to field candidates for the forthcoming Anambra South senatorial by-election from Nnewi North LGA whenever INEC declares the contest open. This is not just a matter of political expediency; it is a matter of equity, fairness, and closure.
We believe that the people of Anambra South deserve to have options and to exercise their democratic right to choose their representative. However, we believe that this right must be exercised in the spirit of fair play, justice, and equity, which is a hallmark of the spirit of Ndigbo.
By fielding candidates from Nnewi, it will be a show of solidarity with the people of Nnewi North, whose son died in active service. We are of the opinion that political parties need to be empathetic before thinking of political expediency, and there is no better time for political parties to prove these empathetic considerations than with the Anambra South senatorial by-election.
We call on APGA, the APC, the PDP, the Labour Party, and every other political party desirous of producing a candidate for the by-election to see it as a call to duty and selfless service."
Chukwuemeka recalled that in 2023, many voters cast their votes for Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah on the strength that it was necessary for Nnewi North to do a second term, adding that it is necessary to continue to respect that opinion and also ensure that the political terms of each zone within Anambra South are respected and do not become subject of controversy in the future.
He said further: "We are also aware that Nnewi North is not lacking in quality and intellectually deep thinkers who will champion the cause of Anambra South at the Senate. Thus, reserving the position for Nnewi North will enrich the process rather than diminish it by limiting the quality of candidates.
Furthermore, we urge INEC to ensure that the by-election is conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner. The commission must provide a level playing field for all candidates and ensure that the will of the people is reflected in the outcome of the election.
We also call on INEC to fix the date for the by-election within the next two months. Infrastructure is decaying in Anambra South while our youths and women yearn for empowerment, but because we do not have a representative in the Senate, we have no means to access what is due to us.
We are aware that the 2025 federal budget has been passed, and the absence of a representative has robbed us of our constituency allowance. We are also aware that by Q2 of 2025, the budget process for the 2026 budget would begin. INEC must ensure that this abandonment of Anambra South ends immediately."
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