By Martin Opara
Hon (Sir) Prince Eleazar Onyewuchi Ogbonna, a United Kingdom based business man and indigene of Umuanunu, Obinze in Owerri West LGA of Imo State has indicated his intention to formally declare for the United Progressive Party (UPP), today.
Prince Ogbonna who is Imo State Sports Ambassador and South East Ambassador of Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) and also a member of Anti Corruption Campaign International gave this hint when he paid a solidarity visit to the party executives at the UPP State Secretariat, along Okigwe Road, in Owerri Municipal Council, on Wednesday 3rd January 2018.
Prince Ogbonna, a devout Christian, a successful international business man, philanthropist and sports ambassador who was accompanied on the visit by the executives of the party in Owerri West LGA, said he is motivated to contest the Imo State governorship election in 2019 because he wants to alleviate the sufferings of the people, by providing, enabling environment for all to maximize their potentials.
He regretted that Imolites have recently been subjected to unmitigated hardship, hunger, pain, agony, frustration and oppression, by those they gave their mandate, hence the urgent need for liberation, from these and other corruption induced shackles and dilemma.
Continuing, he said, “the type of leader Imo people need now, is one who will ensure peace, harmony, justice, equity, fairness and the rule of law; we don’t need a tyrant, a dictator that places little or no premium on the welfare of the people. A situation where civil servants and pensioners are owed accumulated arrears of their statutory entitlements and subjected to hunger, penury and abject poverty is barbaric, and depicts bad governance at its peak.”
Responding to a question, the governorship hopeful, said he is on a divine mission to wipe the tears of the people, restore hope to the hopeless, empower the youths by providing jobs and an enabling environment. “You cannot ensure peace, security justice, harmony and mutual co-existence without addressing these issues because people must survive and an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”
The youthful sports ambassador said, he decided to identify with the UPP because, “it is a political party without dent, has a people-oriented manifesto, ideology and comprises people of proven integrity, reputation and track record.”
In his address, the state chairman of the party, Dr. John C. Egbuchulam thanked Hon. Ogbonna for deciding to identify with UPP and for his intention to formally declare in his Obinze ward today, 5th January 2018.
He noted that the party is disposed to receiving aspirants who intend to contest for various elective positions on the party’s platform. “Much as our doors are open, we prefer those with undented, clean and transparent records like Hon. Ogbonna, who will be given a level playing ground to showcase themselves and slug it out at the appropriate time in a free and fair contest.”
The chairman of the party in Owerri Municipal Council, Engr. Benjamin Ehirim, said, it is not surprising that UPP is now the beautiful bride, especially for people who have name and reputation to protect. He described Hon. Ogbonna as a qualified governorship material who will not disappoint the people if elected. “He is not a recycled politician and is in tandem with UPP’s pledge to provide Imolites with the best options for all elective positions.”
Chief Alex Okoroafor, a retired deputy Superintendent of Police, Hon. Augustine Chiedo, Chief Amaechi Aaron Chukwudi, Chairman, Vice chairman and assistant secretary of the party, respectively in Owerri West described Prince Onyewuchi Ogbonna as a round peg in a round hole. They enumerated most of his contributions and selfless services in the areas of human, capital, economic and infrastructural development the various communities in Owerri west LGA. “He before now did not belong to any party but his support and philanthropic gestures spread across board. He is a worthy son who has made Owerri West proud and will also make Imo State proud, if given the opportunity.”
Speaking in the same vein, Prince Kennedy Ikejiuba, a political grassroots mobilizer who hails from Umudibia, Nekede, and Lolo Kelechi Igbo, assistant state woman leader, who hails from Orogwe, also in Owerri West LGA said Prince Obinna’s acceptance to contest the governorship election on the platform of UPP after several appeals, is a divine call to service, because, “he is youth friendly, abhors corruption and is always concerned about the welfare of the poor, the needy, the indigent and the down trodden”. They assured that all hands will be on deck to ensure his victory, if he finally emerges.
