By Ikechukwu Odu

The Igbo-Etiti Traditional Rulers Council, weekend, endorsed the All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Representatives candidate for Uzo-Uwani/Igbo-Etiti Federal Constituency seat, Chief Samuel Ekwueme.

The royal fathers hinged their endorsement on Chief Ekwueme’s philanthropic gestures, adding that if he was able to attract the asphalted 11.5 kilometers Aku-Lejja-Nsukka Road and  sank solar-powered borehole, effectively reticulated in Aku community, he would do more for the people when he wins the election in 2023.

The chairman of the Council in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, HRH, Mike Odo, who led other royal fathers to pray for Chief Ekwueme, asked God to bless his political endeavours.

In his response, Chief Ekwueme, while thanking the traditional rulers for praying for him, said  he couldn’t have started his political journey without seeking the blessings and support of his royal fathers.

He equally pledged not to short-change the people of the Constituency when he wins the contest in 2023, adding that plans are in progress to attract another 45 kilometers Ugwu-ogo Nike-Diogbe-Nkpologu Road from the Federal Government.

While assuring the royal fathers of effective representation at the National Assembly, he further pledged to attract more basic amenities to the people of the Constituency, adding that he was optimistic that the traditional rulers would convince their subjects to support his political dream.

In a chat with newsmen, the candidate equally spoke on what inspired him to vie for the political position.

“The inspiration to vie for this political office is about the desire to serve my people. We need a lot in this part of the country in terms of services and provision of social infrastructure. This Constituency has been badly neglected by government in the past 23 years of People’s Democratic Party, PDP rule in Enugu State.

“I have worked in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning. I was a co-coordinator for the drafting of the National Development Plan for 2021-2025. That plan is really comprehensive. The plan  was able to identify the growth factors, and the strategies for those growth. It also has strategies for human capital and infrastructure development. The human capital development aspect focuses on youth development; to make sure that every youth is either employed in school, learning a trade or an employee of labour.

“One of those strategies is to ensure that subsequent budgets by the executive arm of government aligns with that plan. With that plan, we would be able to grow the economy on the average of five percent and provide direct jobs for 35 million Nigerians and reduce hunger and poverty. One of my key priorities is to ensure that we execute the plan because everyone knows what it contains.

“Critical to the fact that the plan will lift the whole country up, is also the fact that I look forward to facilitating the completion of some critical projects that would change lives in this Constituency. We would complete the Aku-Lejja-Nsukka Road before or after the election. We will equally do the Ugwu-ogo Nike-Diogbe-Nkpologu Road which would give us easier access to Enugu metropolis. We would also focus on skills development. We insist that the executive arm of government does that but in addition to that, we are looking at the extent the Federal Government could empower the states. We don’t want the sub-nationals to be begging for allocations, so, we would move a lot of items from the exclusive list to the concurrent list so as to enable the states in Nigeria be independent,” he said.

Chief Chief Ekwueme, further said that time has come to change the status quo in the political leadership in his Constituency and urged the people to participate actively in emancipating themselves politically by voting out bad leaders.