Yemisi Izuora
Former bank boss, Nick Opara-Ndudu, has declared interest in the 2019 Imo State governorship race, pledging purpuful leadership and to return the state to its past glory. He hopes to run as the flag bearer for the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
Opara-Ndudu, who was a commissioner across three ministries (Budget & Economic Planning; Works & Transport; Internal Resources (IGR) and Pension Matters) in Imo State also promised to address the challenge of providing jobs and sundry forms of productive engagements for Imolites as veritable instruments for preventing them from engaging in crimes and varied forms of negative behavior.
In a letter addressed to “my dear compatriots”, titled “Imo State Governorship 2019 – Declaration of Intent,” Opara-ndudu noted that Imo State was in dire straits, being faced with uncommon challenges and therefore needed new skills set as well as shift in leadership paradigm to reposition and revive it.
“For Imo people these are trying times and we must collectively resolve to change the status quo. Addressing the challenges require a new skills set and shift in our leadership paradigm. Imo State is in dire need of a governor who has capacity to provide the consequential leadership to face these challenges and surmount them for our collective good. That governor must be mature, experienced, knowledgeable and accomplished in his field and above all, God-fearing and truly compassionate in his dealing with people,” he declared.
Opara-Ndudu ,who detailed the challenges presently plaguing Imo State, pointed out the state’s high debt profile, which is in excess of N100billion, high level of poverty exacerbated by the destruction of markets and other traditional sources of productive engagements by the present administration, total decay of the health sector, battered and crippled infrastructure across the state and the scourge of unemployment.