Don’t cry over marginalization if you don’t vote in January poll – Achebe tells Ndigbo
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Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, has called on people of the South East States to shake off their historical apathy towards elections ahead of January general polls.
He argued that it would be folly for the people of the region to stay away from elections to later turn around to complain of marginalization.
The monarch spoke on Friday at his 25th Ofala Festival on the throne of Ezechima, themed, “Igba mbo, iga n’iru (Strive and Advance, from Resilience to Progress)
He said, “I call on the people of the South East States to shake off their historical apathy towards elections. We cannot stay away from elections and turn around to complain of marginalization.
“In Democracy, all votes count. Therefore, we must come out and vote for our candidates.
“The national elections are barely three months away. Expectedly, the attention of the political class has increasingly turned to political positioning, and away from governance.
“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.
The royal father also called on political parties to shun violence and engage in healthy, issues-based campaigns to enable the electorate to make the right choices.
“Except for the reports of violence and intimidation, the recent off-cycle governorship election in Osun State demonstrated robust campaigning, massive turnout by voters, and a reasonable performance by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The election has become a marker for the coming national elections, and all eyes are on INEC to deliver free and fair outcomes.”
While lamenting increasing hardship, which he said had thrown more citizens below the poverty line, Achebe regretted that the situation was worsened by unending insecurity in most parts of the country.
He called on the government to make urgent provisions for the poorest in society.
His words: “In my 2024 Ofala address, I remarked that the previous twelve months were marked by uncertainties following the general elections. I noted that the wellbeing of the polity has declined even more steeply in 2014.
“Unfortunately, the hardship has further deepened by 2025, thereby pushing more people below the poverty line.
“I referred to the World Bank development update on Nigeria that stated that some 104 million people had become classified as poor in 2023.
“The situation was worsened by unending insecurity in most parts of the country. I then called on the Government to make urgent provisions for the poorest in our society.”
The royal father also expressed concern over the politicisation of the recent visit of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria to President Bola Tinubu over persistent issues of national security and the severe economic plight of the majority of our citizens by certain government officials.
He added, “On Tuesday, 28 July 2026, the leadership of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria paid a courtesy visit to Mr. President and raised the persistent issues of national security and the severe economic plight of the majority of our citizens.
“Unfortunately, some Government officials politicized the visit by claiming that the bishops spoke only for their congregation. The officials asserted that all was well in the country. 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.”
The monarch listed some of the achievements recorded during the past one year, particularly in the area of security to include termination of illegal occupancy of over 50 percent of uncompleted buildings within Inland Town by combined team of Police and vigilante.
“The Vigilante group cracked down and arrested one Ifeanyi Ogbogu, a notorious criminal that burggled homes and stores. He was handed over to the Police along with properties worth millions of naira recovered from him.
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