Okey Ahiwe, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the March 11, 2023, governorship election in Abia State, is a combination of youthfulness, enthusiasm and robust experience that traverses the public and private sectors. He has harnessed these to enunciate a covenant with Ndi Abia for the better governance of Abia State and the greater good of its peoples.
The covenant captures the immediate areas of attention for the government when the people elect it on 11 March.
“I will do completely new things in Abia. I know the issues, so I will hit the ground running. I will pay pensions and the salary arrears of our workers in the parastatals and offset leave allowances. I will build additional infrastructure to support and boost the Abia State economy,” Ahiwe declared in the statement.
Ahiwe, popularly known as Kikas, is a Catholic Knight. He is reputed as a God-fearing man loved across party lines. He is known to be more action and less words, but he keeps his word.
His promises hint at the advantage of knowing what to do, from seeing what was done, what was not done, and what could be done.
Ahiwe’s mantra is inclusive and participatory governance. Ahiwe affirms, “Our programmes, policies, projects and the politics of Abia State will be enablers for even faster growth of our education, health, agriculture, manufacturing and entrepreneurship and youths. Women and the aged among us will experience hope and prosperity.”
The race for the governorship of Abia State is a contest between continuity and new paradigms. Ahiwe, for the PDP, represents continuity in government with different paradigms. His most prominent contenders are the Labour Party’s Alex Otti, All Progressives Grand Alliance’s Prof. Greg Ibe, Young Peoples Party’s Nana Nwafor, and All Progressives Congress’ Chief Ikechi Emenike.
Continuity has its advantages, which Ahiwe wants to exploit as someone who knows how government works. A new perspective of continuity has emerged from the public perception of how PDP ran Abia State in 23 years. Continuity cannot be all negative. The LP candidate rides on the billows of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, nationally to fancy himself as the candidate of change.
The point needs to be quickly made that being in Labour Party does not approximate to being another Peter Obi in words and deeds. In the same way that Ahiwe was Chief of Staff to exiting Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and that does not make him Ikpeazu.
Ahiwe’s version of continuity is broad with new paradigms that accept that mistakes were made. He heads to the future with relevant experience to beat that past and define a refined future.
“My experience is an advantage. My participation in government places me ahead of other candidates. There is so much to do that there is too little time to learn how to do them. Government processes, the needs of people across the state and their management require who knows what to do,” he said.
Ahiwe said Abians should expect a new impetus and some quick wins once he assumes office as the person who knows where all the bodies are buried: “I affirm that I know the issues, the challenges and the road map to their solution. These and other key issues will be targets for immediate and special attention.”
With these, he promises to make Abia State one of the most functional, liveable and sustainable states in Nigeria. Ahiwe wants to make Abia a conducive environment where people can live peaceful, comfortable and fulfilling lives.
Ahiwe invites all Abians to work with him to create an economy where everyone will prosper. The economy will be predicated on participatory, resourceful, accountable and competent governance to engender belief, trust and confidence in government, and create and sustain conditions for continued support and loyalty of the citizenry. But these start with the people electing Ahiwe as the new helmsman of Abia State with PDP candidates in the state House of Assembly.
He promises competence, integrity, accountability and transparency in governance, responsible and prudent utilisation and management of resources for sustainable growth and development of Abia State and its peoples.
There are possible quick wins. They include fixing the Port Harcourt Road in Aba and giving effect to the ongoing work on the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road. The Inland Container Terminal planned for Ntigha would promote trade and enable the commerce that is the locus of Aba. Ahiwe will take on the project and the many outstanding projects along the Ukwa corridor and complete projects in different parts of the state to open them up for economic and social activities that he has planned.
Promotion of trade and investment through seamless and technologically propelled ease of doing business and access to finance and market for goods and services are other matters on the agenda of the in-coming Ahiwe administration. Abia will be home to industrialisation, functional and adequate social and economic amenities. Functional education and manpower training and development to provide the requisite manpower with cutting-edge knowledge and skills that would boost the productive capacity of the Abia State and improve the standard of living of Abians are matters dear to Ahiwe.
Of special interest to him is the development of Umuahia to a befitting state capital, sprouting new estates, businesses, and infrastructure that would support these ventures. He will do it.
His philosophy of a participatory, shared and pragmatic governance is meant to harness and effectively utilise Abia’s resources for sustainable transformation, advancement, development and welfare of Abia State and its people. Ahiwe will see to these.
The promised inclusive, integrated and sustainable development of Abia State will ensure the socio-economic well-being of rural dwellers, close the developmental gap between urban and rural areas and stem the unhealthy tide of rural-urban migration, which has been undermining rural economy and development.
Ahiwe rose through the challenges of early life and had his basic education in different parts of the old Imo State. Some of his most practical and profound life lessons were drawn when he studied Building Technology at Ahiara Technical School. He was a clearing agent at the Lagos ports, a trader dealing in electronics and shoes, before earning a master’s degree in Political Science at the University of Lagos.
He is a successful entrepreneur experienced in logistics and oil and gas.
The choice before Ndi Abia is to reason beyond momentary anger and elect a governor who will change the circumstances of the state and lift up Ndi Abia. It is a tough one but a reasonable choice shorn of the kind of anger that gave Nigerians the incubus of Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and its consequences that still swirl round the country. It took less than nine months for citizens to rue that anger-fuelled decision.
Ndi Abia can avoid all these, if they choose Ahiwe, who has the zest and experience to get the work done.
•Isiguzo is a public affairs commentator