Chris Uba’s decision to contest for the Anambra South Senatorial District has unsettled the camp of his elder brother and incumbent Senator Andy Uba in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Chris, who had obtained nomination form told TheNiche that he is in the race to give effective representation his brother has failed to provide.
His words: “My brother has been at the National Assembly (NASS) for about three and half years and there is nothing to show for it. He did not empower people in our senatorial zone and I do not know of any motion he sponsored, let alone any bill passed into law.
“So I am going into the race to put back smiles on the faces of our people of Anambra South.
“My brother called me some days ago to ask if actually I was contesting for Senate and I told him yes. I told him that our people are not happy with his representation hence I choose to contest.
“I told him to withdraw from the race now so that he will not be disgraced at the end of the day. I gave him one week to step down after thinking about what I told him. Even our family members are not happy with him since he went to the Senate.”
Countless groups in the PDP have been making attempts to settle the rift between Chris and Andy, expressing fears that it may affect the fortunes of the party in the senatorial district.
Kenneth Ezeokeke, leader of the Old Aguata Consultative Forum, said: “The two people are our brothers and we belong to the same PDP. We are not comfortable with this development.
“We have been reaching out on them, especially Andy to please step down for his younger brother Chris.”
“Our reasons are very clear. Without the help and political structure of Chris, Andy wouldn’t have won the 2011 senatorial election. But if Chris is allowed to contest, he has the capacity to deliver himself in the 2015 election, with or without his elder brother.
“Again Andy is not in the same political camp with Chris and you are all aware of the court pronouncements that upheld Ejike Oguebego as state Chairman of the PDP, which is also the same camp as Chris.
“Andy is not in that camp and we wonder how he can become the candidate of the party”.
However, Andy’s legislative assistant, Bright Nnebedum, said his principal “is still in the race and there is no plan for him to step down at this point.
“Those who claim that he did nothing in the Senate are just short sighted. The people of Anambra South are there to tell the world if Senator Andy Uba has done well or not.”