By Chief Edwin Igbokwe
Exactly twelve months (365 days) from today Saturday, February 18, 2022, registered Voters across Nigeria would file out to vote for the President that would preside (for the next four years thereafter May 29, 2023 swearing-in) over the affairs of this most populous black nation in Africa, nay the world.
The same day would also witness casting of votes for the return or replacement of the serving members of the 9th National Assembly – the Nigeria Senate and the Federal House of Representatives. Rightly, most serving members of the National Assembly would seek return to their seats, provided they got to bear the flags of their respective political parties; to so contest for the seats. It is believed that the Voters will not be willing to return most legislators without probing how they performed in their respective outgoing tenure.
One of such persons that has performed creditably for the nation in general and for his constituency in particular, is Sen. Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah , who his colleagues in the Red Chamber, in their utmost wisdom found in him a worthy representative and decided to name him the “Prince of the Senate”. Such accolade for a first-time Senator at the time, must have been for probable reasons.
One guesses that among the reasons are that: Senator Ubah stood out as an “independent candidate senator” so to say, as he ascended the seat through relatively unknown Party (Young Progressives Party, YPP) and therefore remained the only person in elective position on that Party’s platform – from Council to the State House of Assembly, and up to the National Assembly – what a feat? Senator Ubah all through till today has stayed unwavering against all odds and the pressure supposedly mounted on him to join the ruling APC in particular or other opposition (PDP) at seeming stages. Senator Ubah it was, as sort of “whistle-blower” in the matter of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act Bill, in 2019. This particular Bill restored to Nigeria (almost N700billion annually) that she has been losing in the past twenty years. This Bill has on record as the first Bill that was passed in the 9th Senate and subsequently signed into Law by the President while holidaying in faraway UK, at the time. The urgency with which the Bill went through, remains unequalled. This was achieved within the first year of Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah’s arrival on the seat.
There are other Bills of his that are of federal in character and nature, like: The Petroleum Tankers Bill, 2019; Erosion Control and Prevention Commission Bill, 2019; Institute of Rice Research and Development Bill, 2019; etc. There are numerous Motions not restricted to his immediate constituency, which he moved on the floor of the Senate. As well, there are so many interventions he carried out not only to his immediate constituents but also for the benefit of the entire Anambra State, the South-East and the entire Nigeria nation.
All the above and more as you might read hereafter support the easy chance of earning Senator Ubah a second tenure at the Red Chamber, come 2023. Since it does not simply work out that way, the Voters that will bring him back are not located outside his immediate Anambra South constituency. Turning to that area, Senator Ubah seems to have surpassed, within his first tenure, what other earlier occupiers (put together) of the seat could not achieve in the past long years on seats. Physically, Senator Ubah has brought federal presence to his constituency through many Bills, naming few of such, like: National Institute for Business Study, Nnewi, Anambra State; Power and Petroleum Safety Institute, Oraifite Bill, 2019; Institute of Aviation Safety and Management, Mbosi, Anambra State Bill, 2019; National Institute for Security and Strategy Studies, Orumba, Anambra State Bill, 2019; A Bill in 2019 for the upgrade of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Orumba-North, Anambra State, to Federal University of Science and Technology; Metallurgy Training Institute, Orumba, Anambra State, 2020; A Bill to establish The National Center for Sickle Cell Anaemia Research and Treatment in Aguata, Anambra State, (SB. 439), 2020; A Bill to establish Federal Medical Center in Uli, Anambra State, (SB. 487), 2020; A Bill to establish Institute of Information and Communication Technology, in Uga, Aguata, Anambra State, 2020; and so on. Some of these had Budget allocated to them in 2021 and 2022.
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah has also, by his individual effort, continued towards total completion of the Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Cathedral, Nnewi, which recently hosted the 75th Birthday anniversary of His Lordship, Most Rev. Hilary Paul Odili Okeke, the outgone Bishop (Emeritus) of Nnewi Catholic Diocese. Also just on February 10, 2022, the activity marking the installation of a new Bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Jonas-Benson Okoye was held at the new Cathedral; which event was attended by a number of Bishops from other Catholic Dioceses across the globe. Incidentally, physically present at the event and must have marveled at the magnificent edifice, included the Governor of Anambra, Willie Obiano together with the Anambra Governor-elect, Prof Soludo and a couple of former Governors and top dignitaries.
Outside of his senatorial duties, Senator Ifeanyi, a go-getter, it should be recalled, during the ravaging COVID-19 was able to rally his friends and allies under an umbrella called Anambra Progressives Development Union and was able to raise almost N600million with which they bequeathed well-equipped Hospitals to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi and another to UNIZIK, Awka. It was proposed that each of the three Senatorial Districts should have one.
The third one is almost being completed on the site provided by the Anglican Diocese, Odoakpu, Onitsha; as an alternative Site after an alleged refusal of the Anambra State Government to allow its original preferred location at Nsugbe. Unfortunately, this refusal was after the Anambra Progressives had sunk about N10million there. The Onitsha as the new location serves well since it is in the same Anambra North, as Nsugbe.
There are two other well-executed hospitals at Uga and Ekwulobia, which come under Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s legislative constituency projects. His constituency projects are numerous that one cannot bore the readers with their complete details. They include building of houses for the poor and widows, and various empowerments to the Youths, etc.
It should not be forgotten in a hurry the fact that Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah was the only politician (while others went into hiding) that took the risk and went out during the #ENDSARS protest to talk with the Youths at the beehive of destruction of properties, for them to see reason why they should stop the wanton destruction, hence it was abated.
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, had all things been equal, stood the chance of being the Governor-elect from the last Anambra State governorship election. He could not make it due to the fact that he was duped. There were some unfriendly friends that he had trusted but at the appropriate time, they sabotaged him. He was also sabotaged by his fellow Nnewi billionaires’ brothers who deviated from their supposed and agreed-to “Nnewi Agenda”. He should watch out for such category of persons to avoid sabotage in the forthcoming Senatorial Election for now. Unfortunately, these people may not have recognized that as they have acted, before Nnewi person will become a Governor of Anambra State, as in turn, it would take about twenty four years in the future.
Nevertheless, it is believed that Senator Ifeanyi has moved on and thanked God that none of his YPP members was killed or harmed during the politicking and electioneering; a divine grant from God, one may adduce. It is noteworthy that the setback seems not deterring him from carrying on with projects he had initiated for the betterment of his Senatorial District constituency and for mankind; like the Nnewi Catholic Cathedral project.
