Prof Uche Ikonne 



Perhaps the non implementation of the full provisions of the Abia Charter of Equity  may be one of the factors hindering the State's advancement to it's full potentials, says Professor Uche Ikonne, the Peoples Democratic Party,  PDP governorship candidate in the  2023 General Elections.


 The academic-turned politician explains that beyond the provision on power sharing between Old Bende and Old Aba divisions, there also exists a provision on the building of a brand new State capital, Abia City on a virgin land stretching from Amakama to parts of Isiala-Ngwa South LGA and  towards the Enugu -Port Harcourt Expressway.


"If I am elected governor of Abia, I intend to build that capital city by advocacy", he told members of Abia Online Media Practitioners of Nigeria, OMPAN during an interactive session at his Uche Ndi Abia Campaign Organisation headquarters, Umuahia on Wednesday.


"I intend to build the capital city by advocacy because if we do it, we will see a new happiness coming upon the State. We need to purify ourselves of certain prejudices that hinders development of the State.


The governorship hopeful who rose from the lowest rung in the University and retired as a Vice-Chancellor explained that there is a spirit behind the Abia Charter of Equity as entered into by the founding fathers of Abia, people who have love for the State. He stressed that if Abians implement the Charter, they will purify themselves and let loose the spirit of oneness upon the State 


Prof Ikonne added that there are certain prejudices which hinder development in the State, and "...we don't need to transfer it,  we need to mitigate it so that you will see yourself as Abians wherever you come from, and you can stay anywhere and prosper.


In his response to a question whether there are ethnic divides in Abia,  academic reiterated that while Abians refuse to accept broad divisions in the State, there exists nonetheless "... psychological, age-long prejudice of division between Old Bende and Old Aba... psychologically, we can make all Abians feel as one", he affirmed, stressing that until certain visions of Abia's founding fathers are fully implemented, the State may not enjoy flourishing, unfettered development.


Am pragmatic, not arm chair administrator,

The former university administrator provided clarifications  to career politicians who are asking questions about him: who is this man? insinuating that having never  participated in nocturnal political meetings or sharing of political funds  he neither understands the sophistry of governance and culture of political bargaining


"It's all  about service", he asserted dismissing such  thinking as misplaced.  


He maintained that one  must have some verifiable experience to aim to govern Abia. Therefore questions to be asked of those seeking to govern Abia should be: 'What is your commitment?'; 'What is your capacity?", 'What is your experience?"; 'What knowledge do you have about the intricacies of governance in Abia State?';  'Do you know where it hurts Abians, and most importantly,  What would you do differently?'


The Professor of Optometry proffered that he is among the pioneer staff that built the Department from scratch to it's current position as one which offers combined Fellowship and PhD programmes that has global rating. "I am an active, result-oriented administrator, not an arm chair administrator," he asserted.


"Every human being is a political animal, and I am conversant with the nuances of politics. I have the capacity to harness the potentials in everyone and also remain focused. Abians are my priority and anyone who wants to distract me from serving Abians wants to play with my integrity, and I will not play with my integrity ", he declared adding that having administrative background, working with people with different characters and from different backgrounds up-to international level are more political than being in corridors of power, attending political meetings and sharing political money.


'Participatory Governance' captures the unique approach he is bringing to governance in Abia if elected, Prof Ikonne told Abia OMPAN, and  elaborated that 'Participatory governance' involves citizen engagement where policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and supervision would involve the people. "All Abians must be involved in consolidating Abia's pride and taking  it to global community. 


“The strategy I will use to do things differently is participatory governance. That means using village heads, traditional rulers, opinion molders and other stakeholders. The projects will come from the people, and they will form the basis for doing and supervising the projects. Each community can form a Development Agency where they will formulate, execute and supervise their own projects. The people should get involved in governance and government, a kind of Community-Government Partnership, where the community can even provide counter-funding to execute projects.


The governorship hopeful applauded Governor Okezie Ikpeazu whom he said has successfully marketed the 'Made in Aba brand and made it the pride of Abia, earning her the title: 'SME Capital of Nigeria'. He maintained that more still needs to be done to position Abia as a global brand. "My ultimate objective is to create a greater Abia and to uplift the lives of all Abians and to take Abia to a global level"


Ikonne noted  that though his manifesto is yet to be formally presented to Abians, some projects dear to his heart include creating by legislation,  an  Aba Development Authority, a self-governing entity which would generate it's own revenue and execute it's own capital projects.


He further added that a new Ariaria International Market at par with global standards would be built on a new site and would incorporate the business interests of Igbo entrepreneurs in popular Lagos-based markets like Alaba International Market, Trade Fair International Market and others.


He also promised to clear, within six months any salary arrears he may inherit and declared that he would end the issue of owing pensioners by domesticating the Federal Government's policy on pension and enrolling Abia Civil Service into the Contributory Pension Fund.


He further submitted that since Youths form a large chunk of the State's population, he would devote 40% of the State Executive Council to youths and that one youth from each LGA would be opportuned to get the best leadership training anywhere in the world and upon their return would become trainers for the their fellow youths.


In response to a question concerning the inability of Gov Ikpeazu to complete the New Government House project at Ogurube Layout whose foundation was laid by former governor T A Orji,  Prof Ikonne reassured that  “Gov  Ikpeazu must surely complete the project and will park in there, even if he sleeps there for just a night before leaving office next year”