ABA—RESIDENTS of flood- ravaged areas in Aba, Abia State, have threatened to boycott the 2019 general elections if the federal and state governments as well as their representatives at various levels fail to address the situation.

The residents drawn from Mathew Avenue, Railway Avenue, Ahuruonye and Nwaogu Street, all in Obuda community, told Vanguard that they are blaming their predicament    on the representatives of the area  and are urging them to correct the ‘errors of the past’.

They lamented that they have been forgotten by the state and federal governments as every rainy season is a mourning period for them and threatened to boycott the elections if nothing is done.

A resident of the area, Japheth Charles Oforji lamented that a boycott in 2019 is the only way to express their anger, stating that it is unfortunate that an area that could boast to be the second highest populated area in Aba behind the Ndiegoro axis, has been left in ruin.

“We are tired of talking and complaining. We will boycott the 2019 elections. When we talk about elections in Aba, every politician that misses our vote is as bad as losing. This area plus our neighbouring streets around can boast of over 6,000 to 10,000 people. We are not  asking for a wonderful road network, we are not demanding for asphalted roads. All we ask for is for them to come and open the blocked drainage  so that more lives will not be lost as the rainy season approaches.

“We don’t want after the impending flood, for them to bring their inaccessible relief materials. We don’t need any relief material. If you are giving me food when flood has destroyed my house, where will I keep it? If you are giving me blanket, where will I lie down?

“If you are giving me mosquito net, where will I place it? What we are saying is this, let them save the money for their usual relief  materials and save us from the impending doom.

“You can’t  channel water into my house and give me rice to eat on top of the water.   It doesn’t make sense. Let them give us good environment, we can feed ourselves. I cannot eat rice today and live in the bush  tomorrow. We wasted all our energy to vote them in and up till now, we are still suffering. We are not against anybody but we beg them to save us before we perish.We are tired of government’s neglect and maltreatment.”

Leader of the affected streets, Pastor Chisom Oriaku stated that politicians only visit the area during electioneering campaigns and disappear after the elections.