The battle to replace Senator Sonni Ugborji has intensified as Dr Uchenna Okoro, the MD of Ebenezer Hospital Abakaliki, has declared his interest to contest for the plum post.

Okoro in a press conference in Abakaliki yesterday said that the people of Ebonyi South senatorial zone need a peaceful, experienced and people oriented personality like him to represent the people of the district.

Senator Ogbuorji, member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is on his second tenure had been reported to have attended South-East zonal meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and two weeks later under controversial outing at the floor of the senate moved to officially announce his defection to the APC.

Dr. Okoro, the senatorial aspirant for the Ebonyi South district told newsmen that his people had suffered much hardship in the areas of ecological challenges that had led to the collapse of the greater portion of one of their local government headquarters, for which reason he had been invited to rescue them and generate friendship than enmity for his people.

He stated that it was for the reason of the realisation of Governor David Umahi that his people had suffered much that he agreed that the slot should go to Edda people.

“We need a person, a personality who is close to the people, a person who will work in collaboration with our incumbent and people oriented Governor, David Umahi. We don’t need trouble makers. We need someone who will make friends and bring in federal authorities to wade into the ecological problems, as well as grant us the rights to harness the

solid minerals that abound in Ebonyi south.

“I have the belief that our people will come together, join hands together and support Governor Umahi, with that, we agreed to give the slot for the senate to the lower Edda at least, for the fact that our kinsmen in the upper Edda had since taken the slots of elective

positions.

“I have stressed the need for unity of purpose amongst our people so that we can correct the errors of the past that even gave those in the Edda flank the wrong name of Afikpo south local government area.”

“I shall correct all that. By the grace of God, I have been in politics for a reasonable time, currently, a Board member of Presbyterian Church of Nigeria. I have been the Vice Chairman NBA Ebonyi State; I have been Medical Director of the second oldest hospital in Igboland, the Uburu Joint Hospital. Accordingly, I am well qualified and suited to give quality representation to my people and I so present myself.”