By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Barley 48 hours to the end of submission forms in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Prof. Bath Nnaji has said that he has the requisite skills to transform Enugu state into an industrial tiger in the South East if he elected as the next Chief Executive of state.
On the same note, Obong Akan Udofia said that God has annointed him as the next governor of the state just as Sen. Emma Nwaka said that he enjoys acceptability across the length and breath of Abia state to be the successor of the incumbent governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Prof. Nnaji in an interaction with journalists after submitting his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms at the PDP headquarters in Abuja on Friday, said that as a former Minister of Power, he worked for the implementation of the power sector reforms but lamented that he could not pursue the reforms to its logical conclusion as his appointment was cut short.
He said, “When I came to the ministry, there was power reform agenda, there was an act made as far back as 2005 and this act was basically put on the shelf. We dusted it off and started the reform program, which is the practical implementation of it. And the outcome is privatization of the power sector. But of course, I left before the finalization of the privatization because what we wanted to see was that anybody who was going to take off any of the assets will come with two particularly important capacities, the financial capacity and technical capacity. So they we’re not coming up with those then and that has been part of the challenges in the country today.
“I am coming with a lot of experience both in this country and government, and private sector. We have built the only power project that is a complete utility of itself that has generated better generation and distribution to ensure 100% reliability 24/7 power supply in Aba region”.
He said that with a reliable distribution company, his administration will import power into Enugu and ensure that activities in the production sector will be stimulated to contribute to the GDP.
“If we get the distribution company in such a way that it becomes credit worthy then you can actually import power into Enugu and have reasonably reliable electricity. But also we have a lot of stuff in Enugu. We have gas in Ugwuoba, and other places in Enugu. We can harvest the gas and build power plants and generate power embedded in Enugu state. There are all kinds of opportunities to have reliable electricity”.
Prof. Nnaji while assuring that he is willing to work with any candidate that might come out from a consensus arrangement was quick to add that the zoning formula in the state favoured his candidature.
“Now you’ll come to Enugu East senatorial zone, which according to the zoning formula should be the beneficiary of the zoning now. You have Enugu East local governments, you have Isiuzo and Nkanu East that have not produced governors. We come from Nkanu East and we are saying that we have people who can take up this position and do well for the state. That’s why we from Nkanu East are putting ourselves forward’.
Also speaking with journalists after he submitted his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms in Abuja, Udofia said that despite insinuations that the governor has a preferred candidate, he is the annointed candidate of God.
“I’m not aware that he anointed anybody. I just hear that he has a preferred candidate. But I tell you something, only God gives power. Only God will make me a governor. I don’t have any Godfather, but I have God as a father.
“So I really don’t care what you call it, preferred or anointed or anything, but I’m telling you here, that I’m the only one that God has chosen to show mercy and God has anointed me*.
The 52 year old oil magnet who is a neophyte in politics was quick to state all the qualities that gives him an edge over other aspirants.
“There’s not any of the co-aspirants who has been in the private sector, who has accounted for the success or the failures of the masses. I have employed over 4300 Nigerians across the length and breadth of this country, including experts. I have built capacity amongst people. I still remain the largest enterpreneur in the history of Akwa Ibom state. I still remain the largest number one philanthropist in the state. Six years ago, His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel awarded me a title and also the accolade of being the greatest entrepreneur in the history of Akwa Ibom, that’s the difference between me and them.
“I come to bear upon the people of Akwa Ibom state with a wealth of experience. I’m not telling people what I’m going to do, I’m telling people what I have succeeded to do in my industry, the oil and gas industry, am telling them that I’m going to guarantee a future for them. When I talk about Social Security, when I talk about human capital development, am a man who knows how to do it. I’ve done it several years and I will continue to do it.
“My people are urgently in need of emancipation. Poverty Alleviation is going to be prime in my government. When I talk about human capital, I’m going to build people. I’m going to skill people. I’m not talking of education, I’m going to make people aware. I’m going to join Akwa Ibom people with the rest of the world. That’s what I mean by human capital. I have trained the first and only female pilot in the history of Akwa Ibom state. I’ve built the one and only female hotel in Akwa Ibom State University. I am a man with a rich culture of giving, I’m not only giving I’m talking of mentorship”.
Also in his submission, Sen. Emma Nwaka said that he has the capacity and acceptability to win Abia State for the PDP even as he is favoured by the zoning arrangement.
Speaking with journalists after he submitted his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms on Friday at the PDP headquarters in Abuja the aspirant said that he will emerge as the Party’s consensus candidate.
“There are many of us who are running but I believe inside me that at the end of the day, I’ll be the consensus candidate. And that is the only way we can keep Abia for PDP”.
On how he will reinvent the glory of the state know as an industrial hub, the aspirant said,
“We are industrialists, we are enterpreneurs. So, you need a situation where there would be easy access into the state and then you need to develop more market. In fact, Aba which is the economic nerve centre of Abia state is like a market all over the place. We are not expanding.
“You see as a governor, it will not be my business to provide jobs, it will be my business to encourage business men to really do well, so that they can engage people. We want to do it in such a way that when somebody leaves school, whether it’s a secondary, university or anything, he doesn’t come to say I want to be a civil servant, there will be a big company to attract his enterprise”.
