By Kalu Ukpai Ota
There is a saying that a people who forget yesterday’s wounds invite tomorrow’s pain. For me, as an Ohafia man, it is pertinent that I remind myself and others why David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex should never be allowed to become the senator representing Abia North Senatorial District.
As someone from Ohafia LGA, I witnessed firsthand how Bourdex openly disrespected, intimidated, discriminated, bamboozled and clearly exhibited a high level of segregation against my people. If he had the opportunity, he would have wiped the entire people away. This is someone I respected so much and held in high esteem until his short stint as the Caretaker Mayor of Ohafia LGA.
Bourdex exhibited animosity towards Ohafia and Nkporo people and had zero regard for the monarchs and traditional rulers, except a few of them who were close to him through personal relationships or out of mutual benefits. In case we have forgotten, he never carried the monarchs along in any of his decisions, and he openly told the revered monarchs to go to hell in a conversation I overheard.
The highlight of his idiosyncratic approach was when he openly slapped a civil servant from Ohafia, a move totally unacceptable for a public servant. Is this the man we intend to trust?
Bourdex then thought he was the alpha and omega and had little regard for elected Ohafia politicians. He openly called one of them, now supporting him, a half-educated illiterate. He thought he was going to emerge as the elected Mayor, remain in office until the senatorial election, until he was kicked out by those smarter than him.
It was after he was kicked out that Bourdex remembered the importance of the Deputy Governor and that the Deputy Governor was his political leader from the LGA. He pretended, got the ticket, and in his usual way, avoided appreciating the Deputy Governor in his acceptance statement while thanking others.
Before that, Bourdex engaged his friends and data boys to run down the image and achievements of the immediate past Deputy Governor, Rt Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu, in his desperate bid to emerge as the candidate of the party. Such a desperate character, ready to destroy everything in a bid to get power.
He has been heard calling a sitting member representing him unprintable names, calling Ohafia people names too and accusing them of domination. Such a jealous fellow. Bourdex will use and dump Ohafia and its people. He thinks we are dominating him and his people. Everything is about him.
If others are willing to be used, count me out. I haven’t forgotten so soon how he sidelined our Ezies, called us names and slapped my relative. Bourdex should not be trusted with power. He is coming for our sons, Emetu, Ibe and others ahead of 2031. A word is enough for the wise.
The Senate is not a place where we should send someone simply because another election season has arrived. It is a position of enormous trust, influence and responsibility. Before handing anyone such power, Ohafia people must remember how that person allegedly treated them when entrusted with a much smaller office. If these were the experiences under a local government caretaker administration, what should we expect when greater political power and influence are placed in the same hands?
This is therefore bigger than party politics. It is about protecting the dignity and political future of our people. Ohafia cannot afford to forget yesterday because of today’s promises. Our traditional rulers deserve respect. Our civil servants deserve dignity. Our political leaders and sons deserve to pursue their legitimate aspirations without anyone seeking to demystify or pull them down simply because they are perceived as obstacles to another man’s ambition.
In 2027, we must remember. We must ask ourselves whether power should be handed to someone whose previous conduct, in my experience, gave us reasons to be worried about what he could do with even greater authority. Once bitten, twice shy. Those who forget the lessons of yesterday may be condemned to experience them again. For me, the answer is clear: Bourdex should be rejected at the ballot box. A word is enough for the wise.
