By Chinedu Ofomata
The scramble for elective positions has commenced in earnest. Candidates returned by their various parties after May/June primaries are neck deep in preparations ahead of the campaigns for the 2023 general elections. It does not matter that a good number of them may be without the competence required of public officials while many more are without the experience necessary to navigate the leadership thrust. From presidential aspiration through senatorial to legislative, none is spared the ruthless and intense competition unsolicited in the business of political leadership. This has called to question the whole idea of competing ruthlessly for public service. How many of those in the race for presidential, senatorial, Upper and Lower legislative positions are in it for the public good? How many can claim to have been tested and therefore deserving of public trust to ably influence the behavior of the people to voluntarily act for attainment of organizational objective which is the hallmark of leadership?
As it is often the case, every election season produces aspirants who cavort and prance around self-indulgently either to distract those with a mission to serve or to negotiate for some kind of settlement/ title change or both. Because of a potpourri of candidates on the ballot, it is difficult, most of the time, for the people to tell who is serious with the business of political leadership. This often leads to loss of election by parties or where otherwise, loss of quality service to the people upon whom a wrong candidate is imposed. But this situation is not expected to apply in Orumba North and South Federal Constituency where the candidacy of the parties has been decided based on competence and acceptability. The emergence of Hon Nikky Ugochukwu as the Labour Party candidate for Orumba North and South Federal Constituency is without prejudice to the aspiration of other contestants. However, unlike the others Ugochukwu’s performance rating in relation with others will take some beating. What she did in the constituency within the short time she held office as member representing Orumba South in the Anambra State House of Assembly can only compare with the best in the State. Outside the fact that it is the turn of Orumba South whence she comes, she satisfies the requirement to have a woman represent the constituency in order to encourage them to aspire to high political offices. Notwithstanding these considerations, competence is not compromised on the altar of such expediency. To that extent, the ambition of all the candidates gunning for the position is to be validated by performance/antecedents which Ugochukwu is not in short supply. She meets almost all the necessary requirements expected of a robust representative and will deploy her experience as an ex-legislator to the service of her people.
As a three-time legislator and a Deputy Majority Leader in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Ugochukwu also has advantage of rank and the opportunity of contesting for chairmanship of any committee in the House. Without playing up her efforts while a legislator in the State House of Assembly, she has an uncanny ability to get things done rightly and on time. She secured an impressive record of performance as a legislator and was adjudged one of the best in her time.Well versed in the art of legislation, she ensured that laws guaranteeing the rights of widows, the girl child were implemented to the letter. She sponsored a number of bills and resisted efforts to compromise her on issues that would affect the state and her constituency. She worked hard to keep a conscience that spites at filthy lucre and diminishes reputation.
Ugochukwu is well traveled and has cosmopolitan view about issues and development which easily manifests in her relationship with people and the projects she attracted to the constituency which mandate she held in trust. By the peculiar virtue of her birth and upbringing, Ugochukwu should be elitist, but she is not. She approximates some of the populist qualities for which the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu is still held in reverence to date. Her interest in the ordinary man in the street predates her entry into politics. Evidence of this can be gleaned from the mass empowerment she gives to widows from time to time through small scale entrepreneur and craftsmanship. Scholarship to the less privileged is not spared through well structured grants. There is no gainsaying the fact that within her period in office as a legislator, Ugochukwu was able to attract as many projects to her constituency as possible. Almost every community in Orumba South to wit Umunze, Onneh, Ogbunka, Umuomaku, Nawfija, Owerre Ezukala etc has a project that was attracted by Hon Nikky Ugochuwku. Her copious contribution to the development of the communities, especially in the provision of clean water and hygiene is yet to be surpassed since her time. A mass mobilizer of youths and women for active political participation, she believes in leadership as a call to satisfy and stimulate the people to positive action through mutually shared vision.
Born to the late Chief M.N and Lolo Agness Ugochukwu, the traditional ruler of Umunze in Orumba South Local Government, Princess Nikky Ugochukwu was educated in Nigeria and the United States of America. She had her primary school at Adroa International School, Victoria Island Lagos and her secondary school at Federal Government Girls College, Okigwe, Imo State. She obtained her first degree in Communication and a Masters in International Relations from Long Island University, New York, United States of America. She did her mandatory one year service with the Guaranty Trust Bank and worked there before venturing into private business. Now that her aspiration has received the endorsement of the Labour Party it is important to state that an Ugochukwu representation will profit not just the party as her choice is widely accepted in both local governments, but it will benefit the people of Orumba North and South more as she has the drive to replicate the Okey Udeh magic. Her experience in legislative matters will have another chance – this time a bigger opportunity to attend to the needs of the people of Orumba and indeed Anambra state. Ugochukwu will not be a bench warmer, a yes-nodding lackey on a vain-chasing mission. She will work to represent the interest of the good people of Orumba which presently suffer neglect. In addition, her election will help close the gap brought about by dearth of women in politics.
Ofomata writes from Ndikelionwu,
Anambra State