The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Chief Ikechi Emenike has assured the people of Ibeku that if elected into office, his government will transform Umuahia into a city worthy of a state capital, adding that it is painful that in 31 years since the creation of the state, the capital city still adorns a very provincial outlook lacking in modernity.
He made this pledge during a meeting with the stakeholders from the ‘four corners of Ibeku’ held at the Nkata Ibeku country home of King Lucky Fred, in Umuahia North Local Government.
The event, convened under the aegis of Ibeku Constituency Stakeholders Forum, the stakeholders at the announced their adoption of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), High Chief Ikechi Emenike as “Ibeku APC Project”.
They hinged their hope on the governorship hopeful, who holds the title of Onwa n’Agbara Ibeku(the moon that shines on Ibeku), to develop Umuahia to a befitting status of a capital city.
In the welcome address read by Professor Chris Nwamuo, the stakeholders lamented that apart from underdevelopment of their land which is hosting the Abia capital, Ibeku people have also “continued to be treated as second class citizens in our land”.
“It is ironical that today Ibeku is a home of underdevelopment, marginalisation, selective youth empowerment and discrimination in appointments and Infrastructural development.
“Today, things have fallen apart. The politics of underdevelopment and marginalisation has eclipsed the pace of development in the once beautiful Ibeku kingdom,” he said.
The professor of communications, who is also the orator of the University of Calabar, said that with Emenike in the governorship race, the Ibeku people would lament no more but would rather support him to become governor and rebuild Umuahia and the entire state.
“This is the time to clean up our tears, gird our loins and cheer Ikechi Emenike to victory,” Prof Nwamuo stated, adding a rallying call, “Fellow Ibekuans, we are at the bridge-head. We must cross the river and shout for joy at our victory and liberation from bad governments”.
Chief Emenike who was touched by the lamentations, including that of pensioners that came to pledge their support, assured them that if given their mandate he would end government- inflicted tears and anguish in the state and develop Abia to an enviable level.
“I will bring light to Ibeku land; the darkness we see today will be no more,” he said, adding that part of his mandate “is to clean the faces of anguished people of Abia and clean the city”.
The APC governorship hopeful regretted that Umuahia which was one of the best planned city in Nigeria by the colonial masters, has been made “the worst state capital by 24 years of direct destruction of a state and its people” by successive PDP-controlled governments.
“The only thing you need to rescue Abia is your votes and your vote is very important and you must it to set Abia free,” he said, adding he would “remove the hands of looters from the state treasury so that there will be enough money to pay workers, pensioners and build infrastructure.
Some notable Ibeku personalities at the event include the President General of Ibeku Egwuasa, Chief Jerry Onyemachi, Rtd Justice Igbo Akomas, Prof Abarikwu, Hgh Chief Onwunaruwa, Chief Nwanne Nwabuisi, who represents Southeast in the National Population Commission(NPC).
Several groups, including professionals, pensioners, business men, students, youth organizations, widows association, Hausa/Yoruba communities, among others were on hand to show solidarity and support the rescue and develop Abia agenda of Chief Emenike.
Many stakeholders that spoke at the occasion harped on the need for Ibeku people and all Abians to support Emenike to chase out “greedy, inept leaders” from government house and develop Abia for the benefit of its people.
The chairman of Ibeku Stakeholders Forum, Chief Jerry Eleonu, vowed that “we are ready to use our votes to usher Emenike into government house” while the woman leader, Princess Christy Ekeke pledged “solid support of Ibeku women”.