Why I Want To Host Inauguration Banquet In Awka — Agbodike

Rt. Hon. Dr. Paschal Arinzechukwu Agbodike, the Reps member-elect for Ihiala Federal Constituency has outlined very cogent reasons he decided to have his inauguration banquet cum town hall meeting at Hollywood Event Centre Awka on Sunday, 18th June, 2023.

Agbodike, who spoke exclusively with our correspondent, said he chose Awka to enable everyone to attend the event especially the people of Ihiala local government area who voted massively for him to secure their mandate to be in the Green Chambers of the National Assembly.

He said he wanted everybody to grace the grand occasion as he does not want people to spend fortunes coming over to Abuja for the same ceremony as he believes that Awka was easily accessible and nearer to the people.

Although he said the actual inaugural ceremony of the 10th National Assembly is scheduled to hold on Tuesday 13th June, 2023, his own celebration will hold on the 18th of June at Hollywood Event Centre Awka which will be preceded by 9am church service at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral Awka.

He said the celebration which would take the semblance of a town hall meeting will be a veritable platform to interact with Ndi-Ihiala and take suggestions from them on the best way to represent them at the Green Chambers in Abuja.

Agbodike stressed that party members and non-party members were invited to his inaugural banquet, adding that it would be an atmosphere of conviviality for all and sundry at the occasion.

Again, part of the reasons Agbodike gave was that June 13th would be a very hectic day as he is leading the campaign for Rt. Hon. Dr.Tajudeen Abba’s Speakership and Rt.Hon.Ben Kalu’s Deputy Speakership of the House of Representatives, stressing that he would be engrossed in the election process of the duo.

He therefore maintained that the success of Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as  Speaker and Hon. Ben Kalu as Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives would be very beneficial to the people of Ihiala federal constituency, adding that he is the chairman of the Anambra caucus of the duo’s campaigns.

He said people should not border coming to Abuja because the day will be very hectic for him even as he reiterated his promise of quality and efficient representation for Ihiala federal constituency; a type that has not been witnessed in the area before.

Agbodike however thanked his brothers from Ebonesie zone in Ihiala who contested the House of Reps election with him, saying that without any form of inducements, they still went to court to withdraw all their cases against him as well as vowed to standby him as they believe that his mandate is the mandate of Ndi-Ihiala federal constituency.

He therefore mentioned Hon. Hez Okonkwo of the Labour party and Hon. Akachukwu Maduako of Young Progressive Party as his brothers who withdrew all their suits in court against him and assured him too that every conspiracy against him has failed.

Agbodike said his brothers stopped their litigation in court because they said the reason  people didn’t come out to vote in Ebonesie on 25th February, 2023 in either House of Assembly, House of Representatives or Senatorial election was well known to the people of the zone as there has not been any form of ceremonies or social gatherings in the area since November last year till date due to security problems.

He said the people of Ebonesie were more concerned with resolving security challenges in the zone rather than talking about elections. That no corpse has been given befitting burial since November last year in Ebonesie as a result of insecurity in the zone.

Agbodike whose Deputy Speaker position of the Anambra State House of Assembly elapsed on 11th June, 2023, thanked the people of Ebonesie and Okija for their support all through the 8 years he represented Ihiala 2 state constituency in the state assembly which he said made Okija people to vote him massively in the February 25th general elections.

He said Okija people had not forgotten the N3.2 billion road projects currently ongoing in the community courtesy of his quality and efficient representation at the state assembly.

He however assured the people of Ihiala federal constituency that he would run an all-inclusive representation irrespective of party affiliations; that they should be free to call him at any point in time to offer suggestions and advice as his inroad into the House of Representatives is anchored on open door policy.