Dr Ojukwu Nzube, the consensus candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Amac/Bwari Federal Constituency, has pledged to prioritise youth empowerment, healthcare improvement and economic development if elected into the House of Representatives.
Nzube made the pledge in an interview with journalists following his endorsement by stakeholders and fellow aspirants as the party’s consensus candidate for the forthcoming election.
He expressed appreciation to the people of the constituency and other aspirants for the confidence reposed in him.
“I want to thank the people of Amac/Bwari Federal Constituency and my fellow aspirants for the confidence they have reposed in me by endorsing me as the consensus candidate,” he said.
According to him, his aspiration is driven by the desire to provide purposeful, inclusive and people-centred representation that addresses the needs of constituents.
Nzube said unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, insecurity, poor healthcare services and limited educational opportunities remained major challenges confronting residents of the constituency.
He pledged to attract development projects, support small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), and create opportunities for women and young people through entrepreneurship and skills acquisition programmes.
“The environment is currently not conducive for young people to thrive. Even some of the serving members share the same concern.
“If elected by the grace of God, I will ensure that at least 50 per cent of constituency resources allocated to our constituency are directed towards youth empowerment and engagement,” he said.
The NDC candidate said deliberate support for SMEs would stimulate economic growth and help reduce unemployment.
“Many traders operate with very little capital. If they receive support equivalent to or even double their current capital base, they will be able to expand their businesses and create more opportunities.
“This is one practical way of reducing unemployment. If Amac/Bwari Federal Constituency succeeds in lifting 50 per cent of its youths out of poverty and similar efforts are replicated across Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies, unemployment will gradually become a thing of the past,” he said.
On healthcare, Nzube described the state of some primary healthcare facilities in the constituency as disturbing.
He cited a recent visit to a health facility in Wasa, where he observed inadequate infrastructure, insufficient equipment and a shortage of medical personnel.
“I recently visited a health facility in Wasa and was shocked by the state of infrastructure.
“It is unfortunate that in the 21st century, communities within the Federal Capital Territory still lack adequate government presence in the health sector.
“What I saw were mainly tables and chairs, with little evidence of medical equipment or sufficient personnel. Many women in these communities, especially expectant mothers, face emergencies without access to proper healthcare services,” he said.
The candidate pledged to advocate for the revitalisation of primary healthcare centres and improved staffing of health facilities across the constituency.
“If elected, I will work to ensure that our primary healthcare centres are revitalised. We must address the shortage of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.
“More personnel should be employed so that our people can access quality healthcare services,” he said.
Nzube also stressed the importance of education and effective representation, noting that the responsibilities of lawmakers extend beyond lawmaking.
According to him, legislators must engage relevant ministries, departments and agencies to attract projects and services that improve the lives of constituents.
“The House of Representatives is not a place for retirement or complacency. It requires hard work and commitment.
“A representative must identify the challenges facing the people, aggregate their concerns and engage relevant ministries, departments and agencies to seek solutions,” he said.
Earlier, an aspirant of the party, Hon. Stephen Ukpai, said stakeholders in the Amac/Bwari Federal Constituency unanimously agreed to adopt Nzube as the party’s consensus candidate following consultations with party leaders and aspirants.
Ukpai said the decision followed discussions with the party’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, and other stakeholders to ensure unity within the party and avoid disputes associated with the primary election process.
“After meeting with our national leader, His Excellency, Senator Henry Isen, and other stakeholders, we came together and agreed on a consensus arrangement to project one person as the candidate of the party.
“The constitution and relevant provisions allow for direct or indirect primaries, but in order to save the party the stress, we decided to adopt consensus,” he said.
According to him, the aspirants unanimously endorsed Nzube as the party’s flag bearer and subsequently presented the decision to the party leadership.
“We will present him to the party leadership, and we believe the party leadership will do the right thing by uploading his name to INEC,” he said.
Also speaking, an aspirant who participated in the consensus process but requested anonymity said the arrangement became necessary after concerns were raised over the conduct of the party’s primary election.
The aspirant alleged that many contestants were not adequately informed about the venue and modalities of the exercise, making participation difficult.
“There was no proper primary election because you cannot conduct a primary where only one out of about 20 aspirants is aware of the exact venue of the exercise.
“Faced with the possibility of being disenfranchised, we decided it was better to come together and agree on a consensus candidate rather than allow the situation to divide us further,” the source said.
Similarly, a party chieftain, Dr Patrick Ezie, said the adoption of a consensus candidate followed the failure of the primaries to hold in the constituency.
According to him, both the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution provide for either consensus arrangements or primary elections in the selection of candidates.
“Since the primaries did not hold in the Amac/Bwari constituency, representatives decided that we should amongst ourselves have a consensus candidate in order that we represented the party,” he said.
Ezie said the aspirants subsequently agreed to support Nzube and urged the party leadership to complete the formal adoption process ahead of the general election.
He stressed the need for unity within the party, noting that internal disputes should not distract members from preparations for the forthcoming election.
“We have a serious election coming up against the APC, so it is in our best interest that it is resolved as soon as possible.
“If within us we are unable to present somebody as a consensus candidate, then we should be able to ensure that the party adopts the individual and move forward to the general elections,” he said.
Nzube reaffirmed the commitment of the NDC to providing alternative leadership and addressing governance challenges facing the country.
“The NDC is here to provide direction where the APC has failed. We are committed to getting it right and adding greater value to the lives of our people and to society at large,” he said.
