TRENDING: HOW GOV. UMAHI DENIED ME MY RIGHT, ENTITLEMENTS - MARIA REVEALS

During the 2015 general elections, I was one of the privileged few (if not the very first female) to be overwhelmingly elected into the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to represent my people of Afikpo North-East State Constituency under a relatively unknown political Party- the Progressive People's Alliance, PPA. It is already in history in Ebonyi that my election was one of the two elections that the domineering PDP government in Ebonyi could not upturn because of the love, solidarity and massive support accorded me by my people.

As archetypal of the Umahi administration, I was not only 'summoned' and threatened to apologize to the Governor but was immediately and unilaterally suspended indefinitely, the first perhaps in the history of Nigeria to be axed just a few months after taking oath of office. The House, directly under the unholy and excessive control of the Governor, led by Rt.

Hon. Ogbonnaya Nwifuru as the Speaker quickly released its sledgehammer on me without first setting up any disciplinary committee to investigate and perhaps, discipline me.

I had not only spent months without any remuneration but was almost hobbled out of the State, causing deep worries and concerns among my revered constituents who massively elected me to represent them. While I scratched myself just to sustain my life, I was deeply worried about the lofty expectations of my people from me because of their peculiar love and believe in me to fix whatever are their problems. Such I had severally done as an ordinary citizen even without occupying any public office.

Without any form of hesitation, I had to answer this call because I know their overwhelming and undying love of my people for me and trusted the very fact that they would not only campaign for and vote for me but would do their best to defend any mandate given to their Maria. Even the electorates in Afikpo South, many of who had not only heard of my selfless works in Afikpo North but even voted for me in 2015 (not knowing I was not under their own State Constituencies) were excited and eagerly waiting to vote for me in the February 28th, National Assembly elections.

Following a vigorous campaign and counting on my pedigree, the electorates massively cast their votes for me. But the Governor in keeping to his vow that he would NEVER want to see a Maria go farther than his chosen slot in the House wherein I had been horribly humiliated and pummeled just for standing up for my people's interests and welfare used the instrumentalities of the State to manipulate the entire process and declared my opponent the 'anointed' candidate of the PDP, Hon. Iduma Igariwey who lost woefully in the entire Afikpo North as the surprised 'winner' of the election.

In what has never been done in the political history of my town Ehugbo, in such brazen style, Hon. Igariwey in connivance with his political acolyte and ally in vote manipulations since the return of democracy in 1999, a Delta-born Barr.

Mudi Erhenede patently rigged my election to their favour, all at the watchful eyes of election observers, security agencies, the helpless populace and INEC officials who were dutifully working for the PDP-led government of Engr. Umahi.

The records of their threats and serial vows even in the public to stop me from going to the Green Chambers are manifestly evident; audible to the deaf and visible to the blind. At last, they had their way but the generality of the masses and the electorates know the sincere truth about how my electoral victory was upturned at the Afikpo North Council Secretariat INEC office where the fgures were cooked and announced.

Because Governor Umahi denied me of rightful entitlements for years prior to the election, I had no funds to run for my election. It was some of those who admire my body of work in the assembly that contributed some of the funds used.

I also borrowed heavily, to finance my election; running into 10s of millions of Naira, but luckily I have been able to pay back almost a 100% of what was lent to me by people of goodwill, who saw my passion of putting my people 1st before myself. My image-making clients that owed me money for previous services did come to my rescue on paying off the dept.

Through out my tenure, I did not do a single thing for myself. I built nothing for myself.

I started major projects with my personal funds a week after we were sworn in in 2015. Every penny I made through my photography, image-making, media works and whatever I was paid as a legislator went directly to projects I started for my people.

It is my pleasure to let you know I painstakingly concluded all the projects; leaving me constantly insolvent, but it was worth it. I came into politics with a moderately healthy bank account and left with ZERO in my bank account.

Because I just had to do what I had to do for my people.

I was embarrassed and vowed NEVER to call Governor Umahi who takes joy and pride in humiliating people for no just cause. Or what crime did I commit that I decided to exercise my constitutionally-enshrined right to freedom of association and also to answer the yearnings of my people to seek public office under the ANN platform as I did in the last general election? What is my crime again in choosing to be guided by my own principles and wanting to go higher, so as to be able to do more for my electorate?

Since I have no stakeholder or anyone to speak for me, I am forced to open up to the world on my ordeals as I urge all lovers of fairness, equity and justice to ask Governor Umahi to pay me my entitlements. These are my rights and not privileges.

I sincerely urge Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs within and beyond Nigeria, (particularly Women Rights Groups), human rights defenders and all fighters of oppression stand up for me and fight this gross acts of injustice meted to me and my aides by the Governor and government of Ebonyi State. This is an absurd affront on womanhood and if nothing is done to checkmate and remedy these damages, the collective bargains and clamour for equal rights among women seeking and occupying political offices would become history!

It is not shock to Nigerians that many state governors treat their fellow humans beings like a piece of garbage due to the enormous power they have. But governor Umahi has taken this to a whole new level; a level discovered and practiced by only him in this country.

I will have him know that as loves and takes care of his family, that is how I love my own family and would also love to take care my own family. His cruelness towards me has effectively hampered that.

For Governor Umahi, I and the rest of Ebonyians had thought that enough should have been enough but for him, his crude pettiness never rains but pours. I further urge the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, to intervene and call the Governor to order hence he appears not to listen to anyone in the State. I would be compelled to seek LEGAL REDRESS IN A COURT OF LAW if these issues are not immediately resolved and my entitlements and benefits paid as soon as possible.