John Nwaigwe
REJOINDER: WHEN ARGUMENT FAILS, INSULT TAKES OVER — A STOIC AND MATURE RESPONSE TO THE INFANTILE ATTACK ON THE ORJI FAMILY AND MANDATE 27 GROUP
By MANDATE 27 GROUP
WE READ YOUR RESPONSE
We have read your unprovoked and unprofessional response to a harmless post, which did not disparage Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara but only drew a comparative analysis with regards sustainable development and economic advancement of a people. The post never insulted Dr M.I Okpara. It revered him. It drew lesson from his agricultural revolution at Ulonna Farm Settlement and other farm settlements to ask why same settlement in Ohuhu today cries for help under her own son. That is comparative analysis, not desecration.
DR M.I OKPARA REMAINS REVERED
Let it be clear: Dr M.I Okpara remains revered. His legacy is selfless service, enduring agricultural revolution and visionary leadership. No one in MANDATE 27 GROUP has ever dragged his hallowed name into mud. We invoked him as benchmark of what selfless representation should achieve — farm settlements that feed people, roads that carry palm produce to market. If you truly revere Dr Okpara, you should weep that Ulonna South Farm Settlement in Ohuhu, his brainchild in Ohuhu domain, is today in abject neglect with Mazi Ndudim Iweha crying for help under a Representative from Ohuhu. That was our point. You missed it.
THE ORJIS HAVE NO CONVICTION
You condescended to assassination of character of the Orji’s, branding them unprintable names when no court of competent jurisdiction has convicted any of the Orji’s of any crime while in public service. Senator T.A Orji served as Chief of Staff in 1999, Governor from 2007 to 2015, Senator from 2015 to 2023. Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji served as Member representing Umuahia Central, Majority Leader and Speaker till June 2023. They have been investigated, charged, granted bail like every public officer in Nigeria — bail is not conviction. Till date, no court has convicted them of stealing Abia treasury dry. In law, innocence remains until conviction. Your “ALL THIEF NA THIEF” is not judgment of court, it is judgment of gutter.
STOP SPREADING SEED OF DISCORD
More so, you are spreading seed of discord through your vituperation between Ohuhu and Ibeku. This is dangerous. Ohuhu and Ibeku are brothers in Ikwuano Umuahia Federal Constituency. They intermarry, trade in same market, farm same land. When you attempt to pit Ohuhu against Ibeku to save a failing incumbency, you stain good family name of Ohuhu, not Orji. Ohuhu has rich history and long memory, indeed. Ohuhu remembers Dr Okpara’s unity, not division. Ohuhu Ma Nma Nu — Ohuhu is beautiful when united, not when used as weapon for infantile abuse.
THE ISSUE IS PERFORMANCE, NOT PERSONALITY
The issue before Ikwuano Umuahia is not whether Orji is saint or sinner. The issue is performance of incumbent. Where is Olokoro-Ahiaukwu-Amangwo-Umuajata- Road, Contract 6063? Where is Iyi Umudere Bridge construction after visitation with Mayor Chinedu Enwereuzo? Where are thousands of bags of Federal Government rice to Ikwuano Umuahia? Where is Ulonna South Farm Settlement road that carries palm produce to market? Where is distribution list? Why does Emeka Ohabuiro say “I regret ever supporting you. You are a failure and must be voted out”? Why does Mazi Ndudim Iweha lament neglect? Answer those, not attack Orji.
DESPERATION DOES NOT NEED INSULT TO SURVIVE
The real desperation is when an incumbent who cannot brag with his achievements recruits urchins to call Orji family names. You have confirmed our thesis. We raised road, rice, bridge and farm settlement. You answered with “stolen wealth”, “dreadful looters”, “political jesters”. That is not response, that is desperation personified. A sitting Rep who has nothing fresh to offer Ndi Ikwuano Umuahia but display of gluttony and insults has already been rejected by his own constituents — Fayose, Ohabuiro, Iweha videos are not creation of MANDATE 27.
ORJI’S MOTIVATION IS NOT SIPHONING
You claim Chinedum Orji has mastered art of siphoning public funds and that is sole motivation for seeking to represent Ikwuano/Umuahia. Facts betray you. When he had public funds as Speaker, his mini-stadiums still stand in Umuahia Central and groom youth in 2026. His transformers still power welders and cold rooms. His empowerment still feeds families. He publicly acknowledged Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as funder — transparency, not siphoning. A man whose projects outlive his office is not looter, he is builder.
WE SHALL TOE THE PATH OF HONOUR
While you choose path of insults, the Orji’s shall toe the path of honour. Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji will not join you in calling unprintable names. He will not sow discord between Ohuhu and Ibeku. He will not abandon Ulonna South Farm Settlement because it is Ohuhu. He will continue to present himself as man who would fight for what belongs to Ikwuano Umuahia Federal Constituency, who would not divert from burning issues through name calling. That is honour. That is maturity.
BUT HE WHO SOWS THE WIND
However, these charlatans must be aware that he who sows the wind must be ready to reap the whirlwind. You cannot assassinate character of a family that has no conviction, brand them thieves without court judgment, insult a father and son who left office and hold no public funds today, and expect silence forever. Democracy allows interrogation of incumbent. If you replace interrogation with insult, you invite whirlwind of truth. Truth is: Aguocha is incumbent since June 2023. Orji is private citizen since June 2023. Accountability lies with power presently held, not past.
FINAL WARNING STOICALLY
Finally, we warn stoically and maturely: Stop dragging Dr M.I Okpara’s revered name into your attempt to cover failure. Stop spreading Ohuhu vs Ibeku discord. Stop unprovoked character assassination without conviction. Face the questions: Where is our rice? Where is Ulonna South Farm Settlement road? Where is Contract 6063? Where is Iyi Umudere Bridge? If you cannot answer, then accept that Ikwuano Umuahia Federal Constituency has rejected you, as manifested by your own constituents — Emeka Ohabuiro, Iyierioba Fayose, Mazi Ndudim Iweha — and that clamor for emancipator is natural. Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji remains the bastion of emancipation, and no insult can erase his preparation for Green Chamber.
Ohuhu Ma Nma, Ibeku Ma Nma, Ikwuano Umuahia Ma Nma Nu.
