ABIA APC GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE, DR UCHE OGAH FLAGS OFF CAMPAIGNS IN UMUAHIA, ADDRESSES THE PEOPLE ON HIS DEVELOPMENTAL PLANS FOR THEM.

Uche Ogah.

It is a great honour and privilege to address this rally today and to speak to the good people of Abia State and Nigeria.

I wish to thank our members and our party leaders in Abia for the confidence they have in me, to fly the flag our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

I also wish to extend a word of gratitude to our dear President and our national leaders for the manner in which they approached the process of choosing candidates for our great party. By allowing the will of party members to prevail in choosing who flies our flag in the election, you have set in motion a groundswell of opportunity for our victory in the coming elections. The direct primaries held in Abia State has prepared us for the general election. My choice as the candidate of our great party, not only reflect the choice our party members, it points to the fact that the masses of Abia State are ready for a change that will transform our state into a magnificent success.

I am here to render service to Abia State and our dear nation Nigeria. I am here to complement the significant progress that is being made by our president in several areas of development. 

I believe that our people are not yet enjoying the full benefits of Mr President's effort because there is no complementary effort by the ruling party in Abia State. Th failure of the PDP government in Abia State has been misconstrued as the failure of government at the centre. Despite Mr President's effort to help our people to enjoy the dividends of democracy, the people in charge of Abia State Government have continued to undermine his good intentions. Mr President has released Paris Club Refund to Abia State Government to enable it solve pressing financial issues like workers salaries and pensions but to no avail. Mr President went further to give Bailout Fund to this maladministrators in Abia State, yet they could not do anything with it. Over 14 billion naira was given to Abia State as bailout even when salaries being owed workers was in the region of 7 billion. Yet they refused to pay. 

Over the last 3 years, Abia State has received income in excess of 400 billion from; IGR, Federal allocations, oil derivations, Paris Club Refund, Bailout fund, partnership sponsorships and the likes. Yet there is nothing to show for it. Our infrastructure has collapsed. Our people are impoverished, oppressed and intimidated by those who think that the resource of the state belongs to them. They have turned themselves into overlords using all manner propaganda and intimidation to hold the people down. They consistently sought to lay the blame of their failure on the doorstep of the federal government. They forage in lies and deceit. They are lacking in vision and they are heartless in their attitude towards the people of Abia State. 

But I am here to tell the good people of Abia State that now is the time for ABIA TO REJOICE. 

I am confident that this election is a ticket to our glorious future. In the coming election we have the opportunity to make a choice between those who have kept us impoverished and dehumanized and those of us who are intent on transforming Abia State. This is election is the only window of opportunity that we have to deliver ourselves from mediocrity, poverty of leadership and underdevelopment. We have the power to change our narrative for good. 

Because the defining characteristics of a democratically elected government is that it assumes power at the pleasure of the majority of the electorate voting in a transparent and credible elections. If the majority of us are not happy with the state of affairs in our dear state, this is the time to proof it. In the coming elections in Abia State we will ensure that our votes count and that nobody is intimidated or stopped from exercising his or her right to vote. 

I am urging you to vote for me and my running mate through our dear party the All Progressives Congress  (APC). 

I know your pains and I share in your aspirations. I have been one of you and I have never shied away from identifying with you. Over the years, I have demonstrated how much I love you and how much I want our dear state to make progress. I have invested my resources and I have helped every individual who came my way within the limit of my resources and I am determined to do more both in my private capacity and when elected your governor. 

I am a man of big dreams and I am a man of vision. I have great ideas on how we can transform Abia State. I and my running mate Rt Hon Martins Azubuike and our team have taken time to find out what the challenges are and we have identified the solution. We have a working document and our manifesto shows clearly what we intend to do in government to make ABIA REJOICE. 

I want us to have a renewed hope and confidence in the robust sanctity and legitimacy of our quest for the realization of our shared dreams of a brighter rewarding future for our beloved State.

I want us to look forward to better days ahead. Because my running mate and I are compassionate and vision-driven in our quest. We are here to inspire you and to roll up our sleeves to work to make Abia State the land of progress and prosperity that we all desire.

We are here to bring radical transformation in Abia State.

Personally, I believe that true greatness in life lies in fulfilling a purpose higher than self. I have always had the progress of the State and the well-being of the people on my mind. The noble passion for selfless service to humanity drives me and my success in business also inspires me to want to use my private sector experience to help in liberating our state and to help her to prosperity, growth and development.

As encapsulated in my manifesto, which will be given out to the public, I  envision a greater Abia State of the future where there will be:

1. Better welfare for our workers and pensioners

2. Massive Agricultural Revolution

3. Extended Integrated Infrastructure and Industrial Revolution

4. Refocused Aba and New Abia City Development

5. Integrated Rural Development, Urban Renewal and Sanitation Scheme

6. Inclusive Economic Empowerment

7. Job and Wealth Creation

8. Citizens Participation

9. Leadership Anchored on Consultation, Good Governance, Fair Play, Justice and Equity

10. Investment-friendly Policies to Attract Direct local & Foreign Investments

11. Invigorated Technology-based Crime Control and General Security

12. Quality Education and Human Resource Development

13. Quality Healthcare

14. Rural Electrification and the Provision of Potable Water

15. Promotion of Trade, Commerce, industry and Tourism

16. Women, Youth and Sports Development.

This is not a mere political statement, it is my passion and I have a roadmap to achieving them. I am aware that current holders of office in Abia State have mismanaged our resources and we are all concerned about how we are going to be able to achieve our plan. I want to assure you that we know how to go about it. We have strategic ideas on how to get resources to achieve our plan. I have the experience, I have a running mate and a team of people who will be working with me along other Abia professionals with the creative ingenuity to make great things happen. 

Time will not permit me to show you here all we are going to do and how. Hence, our manifesto captures it all. 

I urge you to vote for the All Progressives Congress in all the elections, from presidential election to governorship election, down to state houses of Assembly. As you vote for me, vote for all other of our candidates so that I will have the opportunity of working with those that will be willing to support my vision for our dear state. 

I am confident that a vote for our great party is a vote for ABIA TO REJOICE. 

Thanks and God bless you.

I remain your friend and brother Uche Ogah.