By Afam Ilounoh
As the Anambra state governorship election enters its final week, Labour Party’s candidate Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah’s campaign has introduced a new dimension to attract huge crowds; the irresistible attraction an array of ex-football stars provide. The ex-Super Eagles icons include Jay Jay Okocha, Taribo West, Sampson Siasia, Austin Eguavon, Emmanuel Okocha, Aloy Agu, Bright Omokaro, Mutiu Adepoju, Wahid Akanni and other Ex-super Eagles. The 30 ex- international professional footballers on Sunday led Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah’s campaign in three Local Government Areas -Nnewi South, Ihiala and Ekwusigo – where they took the microphone from the politicians and urged the people to support the governorship ambition of Ifeanyi Ubah for change and total transformation of the state.
In one instance, Jay Jay Okocha, who spoke in Igbo language, on behalf of the other Ex-Super Eagles International professional footballers bemoaned the deplorable state of affairs in Anambra State – high rate of crime, epileptic power supply, infrastructural deficit, and high rate of unemployment etc and made it categorically clear that having known Ifeanyi Ubah and his antecedents, he has come to a conclusion that he is the man Anambra State needs today to rewrite the developmental story and rescue the sinking ship of the State.
“Looking at Awka, the Anambra State capital and comparing it with other capitals cities of the states around us, one wonders what has gone wrong with us. This is why we came down to support Ifeanyi Ubah of Labour Party and urge you not to make the mistakes of the past but choose the right person who will restore hope to all of us in the state” he said. He further stated tha he regards Anambra State as his home having grown up in the old Anambra State so the State is dear to him with a lot of memories. He said: “you all know that I am an Enugu boy. So I regard myself as an Anambra man for Anambra made me what I am today. I kicked my first balls on Anambra fields, and I can never turn my back on Anambra state; that is why I am here today to urge my brothers and sisters, my mothers and fathers of Anambra state to come out in mass and vote for a man who will deliver on his promise: that man is Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah. You can see that I am not alone. We are over 30 footballers whom you have supported and loved over the years. We have come to tell you to join us in supporting Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah and vote him in as the next Governor of Anambra state”.
Okocha said that “Dr. Ubah is humane, Dr. Ubah has vision, Dr. Ubah is an achiever. Vote for him and watch him transform Anambra state; vote for him and see him make your lives better”.
That same day, Alh. Galadima a party stalwart in Ukpor Nnewi South LGA also spoke in glowing terms about what Anambra State and her people stands to gain in Ifeanyi Ubah’s leadership of the State especially in the areas of urban renewal, employment generation, infrastructure build-up and general welfare of the people.
Also in his own remarks HRH, Igwe Damien Onyekonwu (Okekaibeya ll of Uli) extolled the sterling leadership qualities of Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah which he noted is what Anambra state needs today to stand at par with other progressive states in Nigeria. He reassured the Labour Party’s governorship candidate of the peoples belief in him and readiness to cast their votes for him in the election, however he urged Ubah not to allow power to becloud his enviable records when he ascends the leadership of the State eventually.
The Labour Party governorship candidate Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah told the people that a vote for him is the vote that will wipe away their tears pointing out that he returned to the state to seek the peoples mandate to help restore hope.
He further declared that he came to set a standard in leadership in the country, that will stand out through transparency, accountability, probity and total abhorrence of corruption, adding that if eventually voted into power, he will build two power plants in the state that will give the state steady electric power supply, support businesses and establish industries that will create employment opportunities for the people.
Signed: Barr. Afam Ilounoh
Head Media and Publicity
Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah’s Campaign Organisation.
