Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
President of Vision Africa and high ranking Methodist Church cleric, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, has formally entered the governorship race to become the next Abia State chief executive in 2023, saying that he has embarked on a mission to transform the state.
Onuoha made his official declaration at the state secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the political platform he would use to actualise his dream to govern Abia and “address the pains and sufferings of our people”.
He said that he was encouraged to seek to become the successor to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu due to the massive support he had been receiving from not only the ordinary folks of Abia, but also stakeholders and groups yearning for a positive and impacful change in Abia.
“Change is possible, but it is a journey we all must be resolute to take. Unanimous in our belief that your call for me to contest, will not be wasted, we will win together, and hold hands in victory, as I walk with you to lead our dear Abia State to positive transformation,” he said.
“Without sounding immodest,” he added, “I am that Governor Ndi Abia have been praying for. I have garnered wealth of experience in administration, business, public and private sector, of course, in the religious sector, which is my place of primary assignment, calling and ministry.”
The cleric regretted that Abia has, for too long, failed to live up to the expectations of its people because “over the years, we have failed as a people to identify leaders who can heal our land.”
He therefore urged Abians to support him to “be the balm and solution to the challenges in Abia State,” adding that he has come “to serve Ndi Abia with all my strength and knowledge.”
To further explain his motivation to seek to become Abia governor, Onuoha, who is so far the only cleric in the race for Abia Government House, referenced what he said the late renowned, fiery South African cleric once told him on the need for men of God to get involved in politics.
“Bishop Desmond Tutu once told me,” he recounted, ‘Sunday, if African faith leaders and men of character do not actively participate in politics, Africa will soon be governed by idiots’.
The cleric fondly called “the Bishop of the masses” due to his philanthropic and empowerment activities, insisted that “we can do better in Abia, if we all rise up and say “E Don Do!”(enough is enough) to bad governance.
Onuoha said that he is a home boy and has crisscrossed the entire state and felt the pulse of the people hence he knows the issues, problems and challenges facing Abia and its people, adding that he equally knows the solution.
He therefore outlined “11 points agenda which covers all critical sectors of our life as a people” and which, if given the mandate in 2023, he would implement with a firm conviction that it “will transform this state as we hoist our light high on the hilltop and shine proudly like we are truly meant to.”
The ADC governorship aspirant listed the items in his agenda to include, security and social welfare, digital economy and information technology transformation, transparency and accountability, international relations/development agencies as well as job creation/youth and women empowerment.
Other areas of focus include agriculture and rural development, participatory governance, education for sustainable development, accessible basic health for all, trade and commerce, and faith community for development.
