2023: Why I joined Ebonyi Guber race—Cleric

From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaliki

The general overseer of the Eternal Light World Christian Church, Prophet Adol-Awam Chris, said God he was personally sent by God to rescue and redirect Ebonyi State as her next governor in 2023.

MR Adol-Awam who is running on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) said he wouldn’t have joined the race, save for the fact that he couldn’t resist the voice of God.

He pledged  to ensure human capacity development and industrialization of the State, when he assumes office as the governor of Ebonyi State.

He stated this while briefing Journalists on his governorship ambition on Saturday in Abakaliki.

Adol-Awam said with human capacity development and industrialization, his administration would speedily lift Ebonyi people out of poverty and under development.

While acknowledging the efforts of the past and present administrations in the State, the Clergyman said Ebonyi State was still in dire need of serious interventions, hence, God had sent him to liberate and redirect the State.

“This our project is called God’s project. Why is it called God’s project? Those that have governed the state yesteryears and presently, have done their best, but the State needs an urgent intervention and God has sent me to rescue and redirect the State. When I asked God: what do you actually want me to do? He said to me, it’s spiritual liberation of my state,  physical liberation of my State and political liberation of my State. The State needs urgent intervention in the area of human capacity development and industrialization.

“The mandate I have come with is the mandate of the God of Almighty, by His people and for His people. We want to change the narrative here in Ebonyi State. If you look at the State, the only industry we have here is hotels, petrol stations and entertainment centers,” he said

The former Ebonyi Local Government Council Chairman under Governor Sam Egwu’s administration, said he would harness the numerous mineral resources the State is endowed with to develop the State.

 “I’m a business man and a miner and I know that Ebonyi State has mineral resources scattered all over,but who can harvest this? We’re dependent on oil not minding we have other mineral resources that the federal laws have allowed us to harness and enjoy, and to use to develop our state.

“When I was a Chairman of a local government council, I use to pay salaries before the federal allocation, but you can’t do that if you do not find another way of generating revenue, without over taxation. My government will see how to encourage investors to invest in our state and not to chase them with excessive taxation. With industries in the State, we will be able to have employment, peace and security. Anybody who is meaningfully engaged will not go to look for people to kidnap or where to cause crisis.”

He further promised to embark on aggressive infrastructure development, especially the construction of rural roads to boast agriculture and investment.

“I’m also comfortable with the structures already on ground, but we are going to expand it and construct roads in the rural areas so that investors can come in and our Farmers can transport their farm produce.”

Mr Adol-Awam who lamented the failure of successive government in the State to tap from the abundant human talents the State is endowed with especially on Sports, said he would embark on aggressive talents hunt for export, if elected governor next year.

“In the area of sports, we are going to invest in it. When I was a Council Chairman, I formed a football club called Ugbodo United and because of the club, Golden Eaglets of Nigeria brought their camping to Ebonyi State twice. And I was able to bring up so many players that are playing outside today.

“We have so many unharnessed talents here. What happened to those sporting activities that we use to do in those days in Primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary institutions?  I have  the vision to go back to those sporting activities so that we can harness talents and export. Because if we export those talents, they will come back to invest in the place they came from and they will be role models to the young ones.”

The Governorship Hopeful expressed optimism that he would emerge the winner of the governorship, election, next year, saying that God personally asked him to join the race.

“Naturally, I supposed not to run but when I heard this voice from the Almighty God, I could not resist it,” he said.

On the State’s health system, Mr Adol-Awam said he would replicate what Governor David Umahi did in Uburu in each of the three senatorial zones and each of the 13 LGAs, by the time he becomes Governor in 2023.

“When you look at our health system, you see that alot still needs to be done. What they did in Uburu, I mean the Medical Science school, needs to be replicated in each of the zone and each of the local government area. There is a place I have a property at Izzi but there is no hospital there, you can drive two hours without locating any hospital, people keep dying there everyday.”

While lamenting the poor standard of education in the State, he said, “We shall also revisit our education system to raise the standard, make it accessible and affordable.”

“I also intend to develop a seaport at Afikpo in order to attract importers into our State to do businesses,” he added.