By Chukwudi Nweje
Professor Gregory Ibe, a legendary Nigerian Business Executive, entrepreneur par excellence, a philanthropist and humanitarian speaks on his governorship ambition, vision, mission to liberate Abia people from bad governance, poverty and hopelessness.
How far have you gone in achieving your ambition to be governor of Abia State in 2023?
So far, so good. It is a herculean task leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to a new party. But I thank Almighty God who does everything in his terms and ways, so the rest is news now and I am very hopeful that at the end of the governorship election in 2023, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) will return victorious in Abia State and in other states of the country.
How far have your party gone in resolving the governorship crises between your group and that of Senator Enyinnanya Abaribe camp?
I don’t know, there was no crisis and I don’t believe in the English language you use.
Can you reframe it?
The question is there is a faction in APGA supporting Enyinnanya Abaribe and another faction supporting your ambition.
What is the true position of things now?
Our dear Senator Enyinnanya Abaribe is from Abia South whereas I am contesting for the governorship seat from Abia North, so there is no crises at all.
So what is your mission and vision of running for the governorship seat of Abia State?
I want to make the state (Abia) to be the best in terms of developments both in human capital and the economic development of the state and that is what is taking me there. I want to see a new Abia where you treat people according to the definition of democracy. So I am prepared and ready to make sure that power returns to the people and the people will manage their resources through their Chief servant whom they have recruited to handle their finances for the given period of the years I will be there so that they can thank God Almighty for the choice they have made.
What will you do to handle the infrastructural development of the state if elected governor come 2023 because Abia State is rated the most backward in infrastructural development in Nigeria?
Well, this is contained in my blueprint as I have a pedigree and have conquered where there was nothing before. And I surely believe that I am going in there to return the past glory of Abia State and to return the dream of every Abian because I have the experience that befits a worthy life before now. That is exactly what I am doing now so I am not afraid because I know I will do it. I have so much experience in the construction industry consulting for ECOWAS speaking countries, Central Africa, great Lakes, UNPD, African Development Bank and the Federal government of Nigeria.
Looking at the other candidates in PDP, APC and others in the race, what are your chances at the election?
Well, I have to sound very modest to say that I am a candidate of choice to every Abian because I am the highest investor in Abia State. I have been supporting successive governments since the past 24 years and the reason I chose to govern Abia is because I am an investor in human capital development in Abia State; so if I tell Abians that I will bankroll myself, they will have a place to hold on. So I don’t even have any thought of failing, rather I am already running and assuring myself that we must hit the ground running and make emergencies were necessary.
Like in Aba, we are declaring a state of emergency in education and unemployment. I can assure myself of sustained progress before I leave that area.
How will you rate the performance of the governor, Okezie Ikpeazu in the last seven years of his administration in Abia State?
You see as a world Bank, UNDP and ECOWAS consultant, I place some yardsticks and implications that I used to rate him in the past.
And generally I discovered in one or two key areas he is trying to perform but what he is doing is not commensurate with what Abians expected of the government of somebody of his type and that is why I will focus my campaign on issues.
What is your take on the performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari administration?
Well, generally, the government is having problems with insecurity, lack of money, divide and rule became the order of the day and total neglect of some people from a certain region. But every average person is scared of the other. They are scared of the Igbo and the Igbo are worried about the North and you cannot follow through with any discussion. You might be scared.
There is nothing to rate in this situation because the four essentials of life which is food, security, water and housing is lacking; so there is nothing to rate, therefore, they have performed very low as the case may be.
Finally, what is your message to Abia people as the election is drawing closer?
My message to the good people of Abia is that everybody should get his or her PVC. The government should be taken over by Abians and handed over to who that will do their bidding and that person is professor Gregory Ibe. I will do the bidding of lovers of democracy with the wealth of knowledge I have over the years so that every household, every community, every child who have been left behind in the past will not be left behind again. So, they should expect a total change through Christ our savour.