Ikonne promises inclusive governance

Dedicates Smart House of campaign outfit

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

The Smart House of Uche Ndi Abia Campaign Organisation, the campaign outfit of the Abia State Governorship Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Eleazar Uche Ikonne, has been dedicated to God, with the candidate promising to run an all-inclusive government and take Abia to greater heights, if Abians give him their mandate in 2023.

The Smart House which promises to be the engine room of the Uche Ndi Abia Campaign Organisation, is fully equipped with Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) facilities, complete with communication equipment connected to the internet that would enable the campaign outfit to identify problems of communities; and as well have one-on-one  personal interaction with the electorate when the campaigns begin.

Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev, Dr. Godfrey Ibeabuchi, presided over the dedication service held at the work station located at Onyerubi Close, beside Danijoy International Schools, off Secretariat Road, Umuahia on Friday, July 22, 2022.

Addressing the gathering during the two-part event which featured Dedication Service and introduction of the Smart House to critical PDP stakeholders, the Abia PDP Governorship Candidate, Prof. Uche Ikonne,  promised to involve every Abian in his government if voted into office, urging Abians to think globally and strategise locally.

The Professor of Optometry said he was not seeking the elevated office of governor for self-aggrandisement but to render a people-centred service that would improve the life of the average Abian and to develop the state in all ramifications, promising even development based on comparative advantage of the communities, assuring that he would not disappoint Abians.

He made it clear that the ceremony was not a campaign rally. “The business we are into, the foundation is from the word of God, and that is what we are doing here. This is not a campaign office and what it means is that the gathering here today is not a campaign rally.”

Explaining that the House would serve as the heartbeat of research, policy formulation and gateway to the global community and ultimately reduce cost of governance, Prof. Ikonne said: “This is a smart building. From here, we can reach every citizen of the state; from here, we can reach any part of the world; from here, we can gather data from every community in this state and when we are trying to proffer solutions to whatever problems that is peculiar to any community, we can reach any consultant any day in any part of the world without going there.

“Here, we can hold conferences, virtual conferences with anybody anywhere in the world. From this place, we can meet, discuss and enter into agreement with any partner anywhere in the world without our going there. By so doing, we reduce the cost of governance.

“This is the place where we promote intellectualism, this is the place we bring out policies.”

He also disclosed that the Smart House would serve as training ground for youth of the state with the aim of upgrading their skills and make them part of the government.

“This place is for the youths, this place is to upgrade the skill of our youths. If you go upstairs, you see over 60 youths who have been trained, they are already at work. They are already in ICT activity now, on their own. We have already engaged them.

“We have all the gadgets we need to offer training to our youths here. But because they need environmental exposure, if it is a six-month training programme, we can do three or four months here, then they will go to that place, even Harvard, anywhere in the world, and complete the training there so that they can experience what they are being taught because what we need to do is to raise leaders of tomorrow from our youths whose leadership qualities are of global standards, not of local standards.

“In this place, as at now, we have consultants that are helping us train the youths. They have undergone training here, we had the first set of training, about 34 of them, two from each local government area, who were research-oriented. With their phones only connected to our server here, they have been able to gather necessary data from each local government that is fed to our server and by so doing, we are familiar with such problems.”

He said that the youths would drive the implementation of the data they have generated in their local governments, and by so doing, they were already part of the system.

He said if voted into power, his administration would partner with Abians both at home and in the diaspora to develop the state. “Wherever Abia manpower are, we will attract them. If they are financial gurus, we will bring them here, then we will partner with them; irrespective of your ethnic group, party affiliations, if you are interested in developing Abia, come, we will partner with you. My duty is to provide strong leadership, leadership you can trust, leadership you can invest in and get the return of your investment,” the former Vice Chancellor of Abia State University said.

In his vote of thanks, the PDP Deputy Governorship Candidate, Hon. Barr. Okey Igwe, thanked all who graced the occasion and enjoined them t be steadfast in their support to ensure victory of the party’s candidates in the 2023 elections.

 Highlights of the event was the dedication of the Smart House to God by Bishop Ibeabuchi who commended Prof. Ikonne for putting God first in his quest for the Abia governorship seat; and tour of facilities therein.