Valentine Ozigbo, a leading Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Anambra State, on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, took his message of revolutionising governance to indigenes of Anambra living in Enugu.
The Enugu town hall meeting, tagged “VCO Meets Ndi Anambra in Enugu,” is the fourth instalment in a series of interactive sessions Ozigbo has hosted. It follows the successful events held in Ikoyi and Amuwo-Odofin in Lagos over the weekend and Abuja on Monday.
At the well-attended event at Kobbs Civic Centre, Ozigbo unveiled his Ka Anambra Chawapu Manifesto, which details his grand vision to bring unmatched development to Anambra State, if the respected business leader is elected come November.
Speaking on his ‘5-Cluster Development Strategy,’ Ozigbo said, “We have brought creative and strategic thinking into the process. We cannot afford to approach development in the old way. Times have changed. We need to bring fresh ideas to governance.”
“Onitsha and environs, including Idemili, will be developed as a proper commercial hub to suit its unique demography. Nnewi Zone and Ihiala cluster will be transformed into the biggest industrial hub in German Information Centre Africa,” Ozigbo, who is the immediate past president and group CEO of Transcorp Plc, continued.
“The Omambala areas of Oyi, Ayamelum, Anambra East and Anambra West, plus Ogbaru and Awka North, will become an agricultural goldmine.
“In our agricultural sector, we will leverage the power of technology, so we can go beyond crop production and move into the processing of our farm produce. That way, our farmers will control the entire economic chain. It will bring untold prosperity to that sector.
“Awka cluster will be developed into what it should be, a state capital we can all be proud of. Our ‘Visit Anambra’ agenda will showcase the Awka cluster as a welcoming gateway for tourism and business travel. It will also be a hub for transformation of our educational system.
“We will create a new technology city in a place like Ekwulobia in the Old Aguata Zone cluster. We must tap into developments in the global economy. We must chart a path for our youth to unleash their creative and entrepreneurial potential to bring wealth to our state.
“Technology is the world’s biggest economy. Imagine a city where we bring together big data, connectivity and artificial intelligence for our youth to leverage to make a mark in the global economy. That is what we want to do.
“Our development strategy is the masterstroke that will bring the real rapid transformation that we all earnestly seek,” he declared.
Ozigbo, the founder of the Valentine Chineto Ozigbo (VCO) Foundation, urged the people of Anambra State to see themselves as partners in the Ka Anambra Chawapu Project, a project designed to serve future generations.
“The work of rebuilding Anambra State demands the collective effort of every one of us,” he said. “As one who has spent over 20 years of my life managing people, I am pretty sure that our state has the right human resources to do unimaginable exploits.
“It is imperative that we work together towards our set goals. I cannot do it alone, neither can you, but if we come together, we will build an enviable state.”
Ozigbo took questions from the audience and concluded by assuring them that he was committed to building an Anambra they would “all be proud to call home.”
Several special guests spoke at the event. They included Lolo Kate Ezeofor, president-general and founder of Umuada Igbo Worldwide; Chief Ignatius Nnubia (Anya Ihembosi), the former national secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN); and Prof. Greg Mbajiorgu, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who gave a poetic rendition, titled “And There Shall Be That Great Anambra We Envisioned.”
Other prominent guests in attendance were Chief Linus Mbgakaogu (Attah I Obosi), Eddy Chukwurah, Chief Obiora Mbadiwe (PDP zonal protocol officer), Chief Oguejiofor Nwakoby (PDP Anambra State exco member), Chief Donatus Okeke, Chief Anyaso Chinedu (chairman, IPMAN and depot community), Chief Nobis Elendu (Odenigbo Umuchu) and his wife.
Prince Ezechukwu Chike led the planning committee for the event. Other planning committee members were prominent agri-business mogul, Ichie Sunday Ezeobiora, Chief Vincent Dim, High Chief Jideofor Ezeofor, Prince Tony Ikebudu, Emeka Ezeofor, Hon. Pamela Abindu, Chinedu Ozoude, Francis Oruchalu, Uche Umeozulu and Ichie Donatus Okeke.
Ozigbo was accompanied by his lovely wife, Mrs. Ojiugo Ozigbo, and his siblings, Mrs. Emilia Onwuka, Mrs. Chinyere Ezeobiora, Mr. Gerry Ozigbo, and Mr. Samson Ozigbo.
Some directors of his campaign team were also present, including Hon. Tim Egboka, a former member of the Anambra State House of Assembly; Chief Ejike Oguebego, a former chairman of the PDP in Anambra State; Hon. Ejike Nwene; and Lady Juliet Anaeme.
Others are Sir Izuchukwu Oraelosi, the general manager of the VCO Foundation; Dr. Willy Emenari, a former chairman of PDP in Njikoka Local Government Area; Dame Love Ebeh, the immediate past woman leader of the PDP; Chief Damian Nwafor; and Innocent Ugwo, the leader of the VCO Youth Movement.
