By Augustine AKPAN
Ahead of the 2019 General elections, one of the frontline contenders for the Uyo Senatorial District seat, Mr. Ide Owodiong-Idemeko has made a strong case for a paradigm shift in the choice of who represents the district.
Speaking with The Explorer last week in his country home, the Ibesikpo-Asutan-born Oil and Gas guru turned politician said it was high time the people started seeing the need “to bring her best hands forward to help enthrone good governance” rather than basing their decision on sentiments and pecuniary benefits which he described as unsustainable.
Mr. Owodiong an accomplished professional who has put in more than 26 years in Human Resources Management with extensive work experience in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry, and across countries in Europe, the Middle-East, North America and South America said the burning passion to impact positively on the lives of his people was the motive behind his aspiration.
Speaking on what constitutes effective representation, Mr. Owodiong expressed reservation that the concept of empowering the people by creating opportunities to the poor and lifting people out of poverty has been so bastardized and limited to giving meagre handouts and a few unsustainable items to an insignificant number of persons often bandied as ‘empowerment’ was too primordial, a way of empowering people in the 21st century and must be discarded for a more sustainable approach which he said can only be made possible by people who think outside the box.
He averred that Uyo Senatorial District needs a thorough bred professional who would be willing to “Provide a ‘New Voice’ in Abuja that truly inspires, develops and empowers people”.
He however added that aside the fact that the zoning arrangement of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party favours him, “his rock solid professional experience” in the oil and gas sector also put him in the better stead to give the people of Uyo Senatorial District, quality and effective representation they deserve.
He however seized the privilege to appreciate the people of Uyo Senatorial District for what he described as their “overwhelming support” to his aspiration saying that he feels encouraged by their show of love and solidarity.
He however called on them to ensure that they go back to their communities to sensitize the people on the need to participate at the ongoing voter’s registration exercise in order to validate their support for him on the day of the election.
Commenting on developments in the state, Mr. Ide Owodiong commended Governor Emmanuel for his laudable strides in the state pledged his support to the reelection bid of Governor Udom Emmanuel.
He also added that once he secures the mandate to represent his people in Abuja as Senator in 2019, he will “Support the industrialization and human capital development objectives of the Akwa Ibom State Governor and government through effective representation in the National Assembly that would attract more federal presence and investments to the State”.
Meantime, a peep on Mr. Ide Owodiong-Idemeko’s manifesto reveals that creating sustainable wealth and employment opportunities to his teeming constituents sits top on his agenda.
According to his manifesto, once given the mandate, he would ensure that he “Stand up for the poor and vulnerable by genuinely seeking greater opportunities and better lives for them, through the promotion of laws and policies that uphold human dignity, guarantee and protect the rights and responsibilities of all citizens, establish healthy communities, achieve equity in wealth and power distribution among the people, build a society free from discrimination, provide decent schools and up to date educational system, decent living, health facilities, etc. for all”.
As one passionate about the wellbeing of workers, Ide (via his manifesto) also promise to “Champion the review of laws related to the dignity of work and the rights of workers to: productive work, decent and fair wages, organize and join unions, private property and economic initiative” to create opportunities for teeming Akwa Ibomites.
