Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Abia natives resident in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and environs at the weekend unanimously endorsed the governor of Abia State, Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu for a second term.
Speaker after speaker at the well-attended town hall meeting held at the Women Development Centre, Abuja, endorsed the governor to continue with the ‘good work’ he has done in the state.
Showering encomiums on the governor, the senator representing Abia South at the National Assembly, Enyinnaya Abaribe, said that Governor Ikpeazu has done well to deserve a return in 2019, even as he pleaded with the natives to return home and pick their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
Ikpeazu’s predecessor, Senator Theodore Orji, other members of the National Assembly members, former Senate President, Senator Aldolphus Nwabara, elective and appointive personalities of Abia extraction and the different town unions gave Governor Ikpeazu warm welcome.
Speaking to the massive crowd, the highly elated governor said that he was happy to give account of his stewardship to the people, expressing confidence that he is on the same page with his people.
Chronicling his success story, Ikpeazu promised to do more if he is re-elected as governor in 2019, promising to continue with his administration’s four pillars of development.
While listing agriculture, commerce, industry, education, oil and gas as the main focus of his administration, he said that the targets enabled include easy of doing business, infrastructure, healthcare, housing, security, education, media and advocacy.
He promised to submit himself to the people at any slightest prompting, describing the town hall meeting as impressive.
“My joy is that it is an event well organised but it is not peculiar with this administration that elected sons of Abia are called upon from time to time to give account of their stewardship. I think it is the right thing to do that we submit ourselves to the people at all times, feel them and probably get feedback.
On his achievements so far, he said: “The strategy for Abia economic improvement for the main time is the four pillars we arrived at from the areas we have comparative advantage over other states.
“To drive these pillars we have to look for inputs by way of enablers that will help us achieve our agenda. So far, we can calibrate the successes and milestones we have reached so far based on what we have achieved on those enablers and how it has impacted on those pillars,” he said.
Asked if he is satisfied with his achievements in the last three years, he said: “I am a very ambitious man. I think we are doing well and we have done well, but I will do more if I get another opportunity. I am a very strong believer in the fact that you can hardly develop your people unless you mobilise them socially.”
On what he considered the biggest takeaway of the town hall meeting, Governor Ikpeazu said: “As I said, social mobilisation is very important so that at all times the people will be on the same page with you. If they don’t understand your agenda, they won’t know where you are driving them to.”
“The biggest takeaway is that all the stakeholders in Abia state – three of our senators and other National Assembly members, critical and major stakeholders, businessmen and women at home and in diaspora are all here.
“What it means is that my people have honoured me and I am happy with their response. I have equally noticed that there are few things we need to recalibrate but I am generally happy with their responses,” he said.