Nnaya Okemini looks at how the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Abia State, High Chief Ikechi Emenike has sustained his quest for women political inclusion, as well as justice and equity for Ukwaland.
It is by courtesy of Ukwaland, comprising Ukwa East and Ukwa West local government areas, that Abia State is counted among oil producing states. It is also by this status that it is a member of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC).
Even as one of the least in terms of oil yield among the oil producing states, it had the honour and privilege of producing the pioneer chairman of the NDDC in the person of Chief Onyema Ugochukwu.
And since 2007 when he debuted in the race for the Government House, Emenike has insisted on running with a deputy governorship candidate from either of the two oil bearing areas. This time around, his choice is Barrister (Mrs) Gloria Akara.
He has assured that his development plan for Ukwaland would be massive hence it would require an insider in government of no less status than the number two office to work with him to actualise his laudable plan for the neglected oil producing area.
Since his maiden outing when Emenike ran on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, he has persistently maintained that Ukwaland was yet to enjoy what it deserves as the hen that lays the golden egg for Abia.
The development economist and publisher, has always maintained that if elected into the office, he would build institutions and infrastructures in the oil bearing areas that would link with the economy of the neighbouring Cross Rivers, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa States.
While presenting his 2023 running mate, Mrs. Akara, before her own people at the residence of Sir Marc Wabara in Ohambele Ndoki, the headquarters of Ukwa East local government, Emenike announced a new deal for Ukwaland. This include the establishment of a specialized university in the area during his administration.
The governorship hopeful explained that the proposed university he would build in Ukwaland if elected Abia chief executive next year, would specialize in health and petrochemical studies.
He said: “The University will leverage on both Ukwa East and Ukwa West local government areas which are the oil bearing areas in the state and their proximity to both Rivers and Akwa Ibom States which are also oil bearing.”
The APC governorship flag bearer also promised to develop the full tourist potential of the Azumiri Blue River in Ukwa East, which is the only one of its kind in the country, as well as other tourist sites in the area.
“We will create jobs and unhindered business opportunities. We will make Ukwa East the centre of tourism in the South East courtesy of the Blue River. Ukwaland should enjoy the benefits of their natural endowments,” he said.
While he bemoaned the very poor condition of roads leading to and within the oil communities despite the fact that Ukwaland is the cash cow of state with oil and gas revenue, Emenike assured the neglected Ukwa people that he would change their situation for better.
“We will harness every resource in the area both human and natural to bring real development across the communities if we take over the government next year.”
He said it was unthinkable that almost 24 years since the return of democracy in the country, the oil producing communities are still complaining about the state of roads, adding that no section of Abia is immune from the pervasive maladministration in the state.
He noted that even “people in Obingwa local government where Governor Okezie Ikpeazu comes from are equally complaining. Both civil servants and pensioners from there are not treated differently. But, we will fix the situations.”
“Our economy will cause rivalry among the states in the country. We know what the people want, how to achieve them and how to source the funds to finance them,” said the development economist.
Rev Mrs. Gloria Nanya Akara from Ukwaland was formally unveiled to the public as the deputy governorship flag bearer of Abia APC on August 21, 2022 during a stakeholders consultative meeting held at Item in Bende local government. Her choice was hailed as a game changer. Emenike described her as “a lady of faith, a true mother and a loving wife”, who would add value to his “rescue mission” in the state.
“Abia women have never had the opportunity to sit in the executive wing of the state,” he said, adding that, “APC is promising something positively new in the state.”
The governorship candidate underlined the significance of his choice of Akara for the office of deputy governor, pointing out that nobody from Ukwa, the oil-bearing areas has ever been in the executive wing of government right from the old Imo state.
“It has always been my desire that Ukwa people must be deeply factored into the political equation of the state,” he stated, adding that Mrs. Akara is a quality woman with intimidating credentials, including 40 years of legal practice.
In fact, during the formal presentation of the Ukwa woman to to her own people at the stakeholders’ meeting attended by a mammoth crowd from across Ukwaland, Emenike told Ukwa people that his choice of a woman to be the deputy governorship candidate was not accidental. He said that it is a demonstration that “in the APC, we don’t just preach gender equity, we practise it.”
However, the choice of a female running mate did not come without raising of eyebrows, given that our society is still male dominated. Emenike revealed that he encountered immense pressure in the process of selecting Mrs. Akara, but by seeking the face of God and through divine inspiration he was able to stick to his decision.
According to him, with her as his deputy, women and Ukwaland would no longer suffer exclusion and marginalization in the state.
Undoubtedly, Mrs. Akara, a legal practitioner of over 40 years and an ordained minister of God as well as an administrator and model mother, was pleasantly surprised at the political role she has been called upon to play. The woman of God not only accepted the new role assigned to her and left nobody in doubt that she is equal to the task. The Deputy Governorship hopeful expressed her appreciation to Emenike for the confidence he has reposed in her and pledged to work with the man leading the liberation movement to make Abia a first class state.
She said: “I believe the emergence of His Excellency, a world class, well renowned economist, a businessman, tested and trusted dynamic leader with the mandate to rescue and develop the state, is an answer to prayer.
“It is evident that our prayers for God’s divine intervention in matters of this Abia state and governance are being heard. God has not abandoned the state and the residents.”
The Deputy governorship hopeful noted that God put Abia in a strategic geographical location in this part of the country and endowed the state with natural and human resources. This, divine endowment, she said, was meant to attract a lot of goodies and massive development to Abia as an oilbearing state, a well known industrial hub in Africa and a place with great tourism potential.
Akara pointed out that God’s own state is blessed with one of the most hardworking, industrious and innovative people in the Nigeria, and indeed in the world. But she regretted that successive governments have failed to leverage on the abundance of natural and quality human resources of the state to deliver the true dividends of democracy
“The state is generally in such a deplorable condition with lack of roads, electricity and functioning health care centres. Commerce and businesses have fizzled out and the people are getting poorer and poorer,” she lamented.
She noted the state could be better than it is today and deserves much more than it is getting from those presiding over its affairs. Furthermore, the deputy governorship flag bearer stated that if placed in good hands, Abia would become aglow with massive transformations.
“I see Emenike as one who is primed to bring changes from the basic to the truly knotty issues of state and governance – from education, infrastructure, health and tourism to the economy and security.”
The Deputy Governor in the making enjoined her people to ensure that no effort is spared to help Emenike succeed in his quest to rescue and develop God’s own state. Just like she had done at the very first occasion she was unveiled at Item, Akara, again profusely thanked Emenike for his vision and incusiveness of women as reflected in her selection, adding that it represents a huge recognition of Ukwa people in in this dispensation.
“His hand of fellowship extended to Ukwaland to produce a deputy governor for the first time in the state is a gesture that those of us from here cannot thank him enough,” she said.
The Abia APC chairman, Dr Kingsley Ononogbu noted that having watched Emenike by his words, actions, character, he means well for the state and will deliver as promised.
“Our focus is to rescue and develop the state after 24 years of the Peoples Democratic Party painful misrule highlighted by infrastructure decay, high unemployment, and poor quality service delivery,” he said.
The man, whose wife is the incoming number two citizen of Abia, Rev Felix Akara was happy with the development in this election season, especially the hand of inclusiveness the main Abia opposition party has extended to Ukwa people. He said that the visit of Emenike and members of the State Working Committee(SWC) of the party offered them a good opportunity to observe the state of infrastructure dilapidation in the area due to the ruling party’s neglect or Ukwaland.
Akara, who is of God’s Heritage Ministry, said hope was not lost yet for Abia. He urged the people to get ready for the election and use their votes to user in a government of their choice now that “every vote will count.”