By Okechukwu Onuegbu
The Traditional Ruler of Onitsha, the commercial of Anambra State, Obi Alfred Achebe, Friday, urged people of Southeast to shun cry of marginalisation and ensure their votes count on 2027 general poll.
Achebe gave the advice in a speech at 12th Ofala festival held at Onitsha and attended by people from all walks of lives including the presidential candidate of National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, a foremost anthropologist, Professor Richard Anderson, who authored a book on Onitsha after living with them for two years, among others.
"Still on the national elections, I call on the people of the South East States to shake off the complain of marginalization. In Democracy, all votes count. Therefore, we must come out and vote for our candidates," he stated.
The monarch also urged political parties to abhor violence and engage in healthy, issues-based campaigns to enable the electorate make the right choices during the forthcoming election.
He expressed concern that barely three months away to the 2027 general election attention of the political class has increasingly turned to political positioning, and away from governance even as he warned politicians to shun violence.
" Democratic elections are opportunities for the electorate to select the candidates that would deliver the best governance. It is, therefore, imperative for non-partisan stakeholder groups, including the traditional and religious institutions, town unions, and the civil society organizations, to intensify their advocacy, mobilization and enlightenment for free and fair elections," he stated.
The first class monarch also backed the leadership of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria on their comments on persistent issues of national security and severe economic plight of the majority which the presidency politicised, and told President Tinubu to urgently address them.
"But truth be told, the issues raised transcend political, religious and ethnic partisanship. Hunger, unemployment, poor and inaccessible medical service, insecurity, and such other inadequate factors of human development are pervading in the country. We plead with Mr. President to give urgent attention to the dire situation on the ground," he noted.
On the theme for the 2026 Ofala, Obi Achebe explained that "Igba mbo, Iga niru: Strive and Advance," was a call for consolidation on their breakthroughs galvanizing for future challenges, prevailing hardship, and empathy and encouragement for people to survive.
"A common thread runs through these themes over the past four years. They reflect on attributes that sustained our founding fathers on their long and arduous migration overs from the lands of Ado and Idu. Relying on their determination, courage, unity, self-sufficient, resilience, and the visionary leadership of our father, Eze Chima, they overcame all," he noted.