ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Chief Ikechi Emenike, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has promised to set up industrial clusters in the 17 local governments of the state, to drive and boost rural development, if elected.
The governorship hopeful made the promise Tuesday at the beginning of his Local Government campaign rallies after observing a week-long break in campaigns in honour of the late governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Uche Ikonne.
Speaking at the venue of the rally, Emenike said: “Ikwuano is an agricultural belt of the South-East zone and we are going to add value to your farm produce by setting up processing factories that would create jobs and improve your livelihoods.”
Emenike encouraged Ikwuano people to cast their votes for APC and reap the rewards of good governance.
He added that nobody should entertain any fear that their views would not count as obtained in the past.
“We’re asking everybody to believe in APC, work for APC and vote for APC to make Abia better,” he said, adding that, “when the victory comes it will be for the good of Ndi Abia.”
On his part, the National Vice-chairman of the APC, South-East, Dr. Ijioma Arodiogbu, said that the party has found in Emenike the best governorship candidate that can transform Abia.
According to him: “Abia is very important to us (APC) because we need to change the narrative in God’s own state.”
Also, APC chieftains from Ikwuano drummed up support for the candidates of the party at all levels, saying, “Ikwuano land is totally for APC” as had been demonstrated in previous general election.
The Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Henry Ikoh stated that Abia APC has got a formidable governorship candidate who will rebuild Abia.
He said that: “Ikwuano will continue to support and vote for APC 100 percent”.
Mr. Emeka Atuma, the former House of Representatives member, said that Imwuano people have chosen to identify with APC because every development project in the area was courtesy of the party at the centre, Vanguard reports.
He lamented the “total neglect and marginalisation” of Ikwuano by the PDP-led administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, saying that not even a kilometre of road in Ikwuano has been tarred even though the LG falls within the Umuahia capital territory.
“Ikwuano will see development; Ikwuano will see the impact of good governance when Emenike becomes the governor of Abia State,” he assured his Ikwuano people.
Earlier in his opening remarks the chairman of Abia APC, Dr Kingsley Ononogbu said that the 2023 general election is a very good opportunity for Abians to bring the change they have been yearning for “to rewrite the sad story of Abia.”