An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Abia State, Eric Opah, on Wednesday, formally declared his intention to run for the governorship of the state in 2027.
Mr Opah, accompanied by a large crowd of supporters to the party secretariat on Azikiwe Road, Umuahia, was presented to the party executive by one of the party chieftains, Charles Ogbonna.
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In a speech, Mr Ogbonna said, “We have come to present our aspirant, who will soon become the candidate of this great party, APC.
“Opah is a man of honour, who has established himself in business in Africa and beyond.”
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Addressing the party members, Mr Opah said his aspiration was driven by the need for accountable governance, job creation, and infrastructure development in Abia.
“My aspiration is not borne out of personal ambition. It is focused on clear agendas.
“I am yearning for a more accountable government built on transparency and honesty,” he said.
The entrepreneur, who reportedly has over 20 years of experience in international transportation, shipping, aviation, and oil and gas logistics, said his priority would be to industrialise Abia and unify the state.
“Abia needs job creation, clear infrastructure, and someone who can unify the state. We don’t have two Abias.
“My aspiration is to industrialise Abia and utilise it as a model,” he said.
Mr Opah outlined plans to revive moribund industries, brand Abia as a trade hub, and establish the state as a centre for vocational education and manufacturing.
He cited the Canton Fair in China as a model for trade exhibitions that could be replicated in Abia to attract investment and create jobs.
He emphasised the need for Abia to connect to the federal government for development, saying that the current revenue inflow was not reflecting in visible progress.
“Today, APC is the government at the federal level. Abia needs that connection to develop. We are not going to be in opposition,” he said.
On governance, Mr Opah said his administration would prioritise workers’ welfare and ensure salaries were commensurate with government revenue.
He further said that he was running on competence built from managing businesses in five countries.
Receiving the aspirant, the Abia APC Chairman, Chijioke Chukwu, said the party would provide a level playing field for all the aspirants.
“We encourage more people to come out and tell us they want to do something different. This is not the time for grammar; it is time for action.
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“Every aspirant must show capacity, ability, and the numbers to convince the party,” Mr Chukwu said.
He warned that aspirants who failed to formally notify the State Working Committee about their ambition would be wasting their time, and urged party members to support credible candidates.
He described the APC as the fastest-growing party in Nigeria, saying that all aspirants would be treated as equal stakeholders in the process.
(NAN)
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