Abia 2019: I’m the Governorship Candidate to Beat, Nwagba Warns Opponents

Sunday Okobi

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Abia State, Mrs. Blessing Nwagba, has said she was most suitable candidate running for the governorship position in the 2019 general election that would deliver the change needed in the state.

Nwagba stated that she would anchor the governance of the state on three pillars-economic revitalisation, infrastructural transformation and social development-adding that time was ripe for total emancipation of the state from bad governance.

In a statement made available to THISDAY yesterday, Nwagba, who spoke in Umuahia, the state capital during the official opening of her campaign office, pointed out that Abia leaders would be deceiving themselves to believe that there was still enough time to develop the state if they continued with the same ritual of recycling the leaders that have neglected the development of the state.

According to her, “I have seen the rising poverty like none other. I have seen industries crumble, and businesses taxed and levied to their own death. I have seen our young people go from being industrious and savvy to sycophants rallying around politicians for cheap handouts.

“I have seen our hopes and aspiration dashed. A child born in Abia State today is taking a big gamble, being left behind by the rest of Nigeria and the world.

“Yet, every four years, we go through the same old ritual of choosing our governor for other reasons but competence. We say ‘he is a man, he is anointed by the godfather, he is from the party, he gave us money, we do this all the time and yet we expect a different result’.

“Today, I want to tell my fellow Abians that they deserve better governance than swimming out of the market when it rains.’’

Nwagba further stated that as a lawmaker who had travelled across the state, she stood a good chance of providing Abia residents with basic amenities that would better the lives of the people.

“Twenty years ago, I made a bargain with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that I would stand with the party, if they stood for the people. I gave my time, blood, sweat and sacrifice in a belief that we would liberate our state, of course all kinds of people entered the party, and the struggle was greatly diluted and we lost our principles.

“It was based on these facts that I’m running to continue with my dreams for our people as the governor. We deserve better than borrowing to pay basic school fees, we deserve better than hunger. We deserve better than massive unemployment, we deserve to be free,” she said.

The governorship hopeful, however, said if elected into office, she would change the ugly trend of the negligence of women and youths in the governance of the state, which she said was against the democratic norms.

According to the lawmaker representing Aba North constituency in the state assembly, “Governance in the state lacks the basic indicators of democracy and for the women, only token appointive positions that amount to little or no opportunities to make a difference in the lives of our people is given, and this must change.

“We cannot stand and watch while the world leaves our state behind. The future is now, and the time to unveil the total transformation of the state is now.”