2023: Abia ADC Governorship Candidate, Bishop Onuoha Unveils 11-Point Agenda

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A governorship aspirant under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abia state, Bishop (Dr) Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, has unveiled an 11-point agenda to turn around the fortunes of the state.

Onuoha, while addressing the media yesterday, said he decided to run for the post of governor following calls from groups, stakeholders, eminent personalities, market women, artisans, youths, and student groups, among others.

The philanthropist said he is the governor that the people of Abia have been praying for and has garnered a wealth of experience in administration, business, public and private sectors, and, of course, in the religious sector.

Bishop Onuoha said, “Over the years, we have failed as a people to identify leaders who can heal our land—I am here to serve Ndi Abia with all my strength and knowledge.” Over the years, we have failed as a people to identify and utilize our abundant human resources. I am that unifier that will galvanize Ndi Abia professionals for the common good of our people.

“Today, I wish to officially announce that I am the Gubernatorial Aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a political party that is currently the 3rd largest political party in Nigeria with regard to national spread and the 4th largest political party in Nigeria with regard to the number of elected positions occupied by ADC in Nigeria,” Bishop Sunday Onuoha declared.

He noted that his eleven-point agenda will dwell on “security and social welfare; digital economy and information technology transformation; transparency and accountability; international relations/development agencies; job creation; youth and women’s empowerment; agriculture and rural development.”

Others are: “Participatory governance, education for sustainable development, accessible basic health for all, trade and commerce, and faith community for development.”

Read the full speech:

BISHOP DR. SUNDAY NDUKWO ONUOHA’S FORMAL ADDRESS; ABIA STATE GUBERNATORIAL ASPIRANT OF THE AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (ADC) AT THE MEDIA PARLEY WITH JOURNALISTS
The twentieth of May, 2022.

Protocols and Formalities

The State Chairman of ADC,
Members of the ADC State Working Committee (SWC),
ADC, Chairman & Executives of L.G.A,
ADC Ward Chairmen & Executives
ADC, ADC, ADC, ADC, ADC, ADC, ADC, A
Gentlemen of the Press,
Ladies and gentlemen…

Welcome

I humbly welcome each and every one of you to this media roundtable, and I thank you for coming today and at this time, despite your personal and professional commitments. Your presence here reflects, first of all, the love you have for the state-our dear Abia. Your presence also shows that you believe it is possible to renew, transform, redeem, and cleanse our dear Abia State. I appreciate your first show of confidence and immediately promise that your collective trust in me will not be misplaced.

INTRODUCTION

Permit me to introduce myself to you once more. I am Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha. I joined the ministry at a very young age in 1983 and was consecrated as Bishop of the Methodist Church Nigeria in 2006, having served as the first Bishop of Evangelism at the Lagos Headquarters for many years. I hold a Doctorate Degree from Southern Methodist University (SMU), after my Masters’s Degree from the same institution, and then studied Infrastructural Development at Harvard University.

You can describe me as a humble servant of God and of the faith communities represented in and around Abia State. I am an administrator, educationist, technocrat, and entrepreneur. Philanthropy is a deep passion close to my heart, as I have championed the causes of the indigent, the voiceless, and the disadvantaged, not just from a sense of duty, but from a sense of service to God, without which my worship and reverence of the Almighty would be incomplete.

People who know me closely call me “the Bishop of the Masses”, a name I may have earned from the way and manner I reach out, look out for, and do my best to address the core needs that will improve the people around me. For I believe that humanity feels pain and loss in the same way and that our hierarchy of needs remains basic and mundane regardless of our social strata.

The reason for this media parley

My party leaders, distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen of the press, you may recall that a few months ago, a group called Cleanse and Clean Abia Group (CACAG) issued a press release demanding that I make myself available to run for the office of the Governor of Abia State in the forthcoming 2023 Abia Governorship Election. That call by Cleanse and Clean Abia Group (CACAG) opened up, as it were, a floodgate of similar calls by Abia stakeholders, eminent personalities, market women, artisans, youths, student groups, Ndi Abia in Diaspora, and friends of Abia State. At first, I ignored the calls, the burden of leadership, and what I thought were distractions.

A personal friend and fellow Bishop encouraged me to look beyond the calls and see the opportunity in addressing Abians’ true needs.

I have retreated into deep prayerful thoughts; I have given this a series of personal reflections; I have consulted widely and held meetings with a vast selection of stakeholders, and I have found out that Ndi Abia wants to change and a re-direction to the path of development; redemption from the old trends of governance; and cleansing that will ensure ourselves and our children can dance to the song of hope and thanksgiving.

I had humbly expressed my reservations to a few close friends about giving in to Ndi Abia’s desire; and immediately, I gave my nod and consent. A group of friends and associates contributed funds and purchased my Governorship Nomination and Expression of Interest Form. As if pushing me from the precipice, this kind gesture humbled me and, at the same time, gave me the assurance that I have the support of the critical mass of Ndi Abia in this gubernatorial journey. To all who have contributed and still contribute time, money, energy, and resources for this task, I assure you that I do not take your support for granted.

Change is possible, but it is a journey we all must be resolute to take. Unanimous in our belief that your call for me to contest will not be wasted. We will win together, and hold hands in victory, as I walk with you to lead our dear Abia state to positive transformation.

Without being too modest, I am the person Governor Ndi Abia has been praying for. I have garnered a wealth of experience in administration, business, public and private sectors, and, of course, in the religious sector, which is my place of primary assignment, calling, and ministry. Let me be the balm and solution to the challenges in Abia State.

Over the years, we have failed as a people to identify leaders who can heal our land. I am here to serve Ndi Abia with all my strength and knowledge. Over the years, we have failed as a people to identify and utilize our abundant human resources. I am that unifier that will galvanize Abia professionals for the common good of our people.

I will not mince words in saying this-this is not the time to sound “politically correct”, rather it is time to address the pains and sufferings of our people, which is what compelled me to join the race. Bishop Desmond Tutu once told me…” Sunday, if African faith leaders and men of character do not actively participate in politics, Africa will soon be governed by idiots”. We can do better in Abia if we all rise up and say “E Don Do!”.

Today, I wish to officially announce that I am the Gubernatorial Aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a political party that is currently the 3rd largest political party in Nigeria with regard to national spread and the 4th largest political party in Nigeria with regard to the number of elected positions occupied by ADC in Nigeria.

Interestingly, the motto of ADC is “Arise and Shine”, and it personally resonates with me because the Christian scriptures in Matthew 5:14 say that light cannot be hidden under a bushel; and this is synonymous with our joint desire to arise, reclaim, transform, and restore the shining light of our dear state, Abia, as the city on a hill.

The mission, vision, manifesto, and core values of ADC are in tandem with our desire to enthrone the Abia State of our dreams. Today too, I will equally share with you a brief summary of the Abia of my dream; perhaps it will resonate with you too as you envision it in your mind’s eye.
Abigail from My Dream!

Abia State was created on the 27th day of August 1991. According to the 2006 census, Abia State’s population is estimated to be about three to four million people. Abia State is blessed with large deposits of oil, gas, and other mineral resources. Abia State is blessed with abundant human resources. Over the years, the challenge has been how to elect a leader who can transform and restore the glory of Abia State as God’s own State. Our leadership recruitment process has been wrongly driven. The hour has come to liberate Abia State. The time is now. Ndi Abia, history beckons!

Having crisscrossed all parts of Abia State, I can humbly tell you that I know the issues, problems, and challenges amongst my people. I have sat and talked to, and sometimes felt the ache of people who want nothing more than a change from the bleak status quo. After a solemn mediation about our dear state, I have developed and summarized an 11-point agenda that covers all critical sectors of our lives as a people, and I believe that addressing these needs will transform this city as we hoist our light high on the hilltop and shine proudly like we are truly meant to.

This 11-point agenda is:

1. Security and Social Welfare
2. Transformation of the Digital Economy and Information Technology
3. 3. Transparency and Accountability
4. International Relations/Development Agencies
5. Job Creation/Youth and Women’s Empowerment
Agribusiness and Rural Development
Participatory Governance
8. Education for long-term development
9. Basic Health Care for All
10. Trade and Commerce.
11. Developmental Faith Community

Ladies and gentlemen, I take this 11-point agenda as my covenant and my social contract with Ndi Abia.

First, the primary essence of governance is the security and welfare of the people. It is a key scorecard for governments globally. This is because a working economy must be propelled by people whose lives, dreams, and aspirations are secured and well protected. Our immediate aim will be to provide an all-rounded, secure package by first minimizing the risk of insecurity to our economy in Abia. Closely tied to this is to ensure an easy and accessible social services welfare scheme for the assistance of disadvantaged groups, as we fine-tune ways to critically address food security for our people.

My team and I will work to create a digital economy and information technological transformation. For example, we are going to create a technology hub that will make Abia State the Silicon Valley of Nigeria. We will digitize the way we trade in Ariaria and how government functions, exposing our state to the enormous benefits available in an ever-expanding digital world.

To achieve these dreams, there is a need for transparency and accountability. If elected as Governor, I will lead the charge for transparency and accountability. I shall lead by example and ensure due process in all affairs of the state. You can count on Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, God being my witness, to stretch the value of our resources and be open in my stewardship to my people.

We need the collaboration and partnership of well-meaning international bodies, development agencies, Ndi Abia in diaspora, and all men and women of goodwill as we explore the poverty challenges facing our state. Therefore, we shall operate a participatory system of governance that provides room to analyze your ideas and suggestions as we consider the interconnection between politics, economy, and the law. Regardless of one’s political or religious leanings or place of origin, my team and I shall never discriminate or create room for discord.

Job Creation and Youth/Women Empowerment will be another milestone on our scorecard. We will ensure the provision of new opportunities for paid employment, especially for our youth, women, children, and the disabled community. We will strive to create enabling business environments to support job creation, enhance youth empowerment, and facilitate skill acquisition opportunities for unemployed youth and women while providing start-up grants and equipment for each and every trainee.

Concerning agriculture and rural development, if elected Governor of Abia State, I and my team will bring back the golden days of the Agricultural Revolution championed by our dear late Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara. We will reintroduce agricultural extension workers, mechanized farming, and modern facilities and infrastructure in our rural communities. This will stem the tide of rural-urban migration and increase the participation of Nidi Abia in agriculture.

The Abia of my dream will provide quality, accessible, and subsidized education (SDG 4) because we recognize that with education, we can achieve the upward socioeconomic mobility that is the key to escaping poverty. Our out-of-school youths litter the streets; it is time we cure the eyesore this has become to us, and I shall declare a state of emergency on education in Abia, to ensure that every child of school-going age must be in school. Never before have so many children been out of school at the same time, disrupting learning and upending lives, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized.

I think it is enough! Don’t do it, E!

To address the poor state of health management in Abia, we will implement a special social contract for health development aimed at helping us achieve the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG3) by the year 2030. It will be our mandate to reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to less than 200 per 100,000 live births. We will do everything possible to prevent our mothers and wives from dying while trying to give life. To reduce the neonatal mortality rate and under-five-year-old mortality rate; to strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol. To achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and empower every resident in Abia State to be able to purchase health services through a universal mandatory health insurance plan. All of these, while ensuring that every Primary Health Center (PHC) is well equipped with medical equipment and resident doctors and nurses. In due time, I shall publicize the full details of our social contract on health development for Abia.

In the area of trade and commerce, I shall restore the glory days of Aba, the commercial nerve center of Abia State. I will do this with an intentional and deliberate approach, which shall include: evacuating the age-old heaps of waste in Aba; reconstructing the entire Aba roads with proper drainage channels; lighting up Aba and bringing back nightlife and trading; ensuring adequate security; providing grants for upcoming entrepreneurs; and creating the enabling circumstances and environment for business to thrive in the entire Abia State.

Evidently, a faith community for development is necessary for our quest to transform the Abia state. As a result, if I am given the mandate to lead Ndi Abia, I and my team will cultivate a faith community, a community that believes in the possibility of a functional, caring, and responsible government. This will require value reorientation, awareness, and social orientation. It will also require accountability and transparency in sharing the dividends of democracy with Ndi Abia. It will require honesty on the part of the government. With these in place, the people of Abia will renew their faith in governance and join hands with the government for the benefit of all. I pledge to do all these when given the mandate to lead our people.

This is just a glimpse into the many milestones I want to achieve with Ndi Abia. In a few months’ time, we shall invite you to witness the unveiling of our manifesto, which embodies this 11-point agenda elaborately.

CONCLUSION

Ladies and gentlemen, let me thank each and every one of you for your patience so far. I pray that God will lead each of you safely to your various destinations. I am grateful for the honor you accorded me.

God Bless Ndi Abia.
Best wishes to everyone!
Bishop Dr. Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha

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