2023 Labour Party candidate for Ebonyi North West State Constituency.
The Labour Party Candidate for the Ebonyi North West State Constituency, Hon Ikenna Nwele has expressed confidence that he would be returned victorious come 2023 general elections following his antecedents.
Hon Nwele who was the former Honourable Councillor representing Ndiegu Ward at the Ebonyi Local Government Legislative House between 2013 and 2014, believes his people are the greatest resources, to depend on to emerge victorious in the 2023 polls.
Reciting his antecedents in the few months he served as a ward councillor, Nwele said that he was able to attract an MDGs project of three classroom blocks with offices and toilet facilities to Ogbala Primary School in Ndiegu Ward in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Not relenting effort while serving as a ward councillor, Nwele attracted one borehole located in Ndiawoke village in Ndiegu Ishieke Autonomous Community, 'the only functioning borehole built in the village since the world began despite its numerical strength and vastness.'
The Labour Party Candidate also attracted covert situated at Osoba River in Ezenyi Ishieke village in his ward.
Notwithstanding, he gave financial assistance to indigent parents to train their wards in school, as a way of encouraging them education-wise.
According to Hon Nwele, "despite the meagre nature of my salary then, I made it as a point of responsibility, to assist children of the less privileged ones to go to school.
"It's because I promised my constituents to assist whosoever that was able to pass WAEC or NECO, that is would give the person money to obtain JAMB form, mobilized them to write the exam. And for those who eventually pass the JAMB and secured administration, I paid their school fees. These are verifiable but I don't want to mention their names in public unless I seek their permission.
"I began helping indigent students within my community in 2007 when I was elected as the youth leader.
"I have secured jobs for my people. I secured job opportunities for the widows and the less privileged mothers in my village. They are paid N30,000 monthly salary; get foodstuff, toiletries, and clothes respectively. These people are still alive today and two days ago, one of them sent a very sweet oil to me.
"I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to see my people's tears, especially the poor ones. That made me pay off the toll contracts at Ogbala Ishieke market for a complete year, because of what the people selling in the market were passing through.
"I met the contractor, those collecting the tolls, and asked them, how much will it take me to pay off the money, as a way of assisting the traders in the market, especially the peasant traders, who are struggling to earn a living, at this time of harsh economic proliferation.
"The contractor told me the total amount of money that would clear the toll for the year, and I cleared everything. It's verifiable, you can go and inquire.
"An aphorism, said, 'you never know where your next great idea will come from, so empower everyone up and down the corporate ladder to contribute and innovate - this is the best way to go to develop humans and their environment.
"In essence, I utilized my opportunity as a less than one-year ward councillor to assist my people. I secured employment for the youth, not as many as I wished, but they are working today, and I don't want to make their names public unless I get their approval.
"What was my salary then, as a ward councillor, just N97,000? I used to convey monthly meetings with my constituents, and gave them an update on my legislative assignment as their ward councillor, this single act was highly commended by my people and I know this time, it was a call to expand the gesture in a mega style.
He continued: "I remembered vividly, what caused me to secure job opportunities for one of my beneficiaries. He is currently working at the Ebonyi State Education Board. When I imagined what it takes for indigent students to graduate from tertiary institutions, staying home without jobs and having no people who will assist them, their pains pushed me to intervene.
"So, I'm well prepared to serve Ebonyi North West people, to make them proud. Under me, if I win, our voice will be heard at the Hallow Chambers of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, there will be quality representation, youth empowerment, employment, and valued constituency projects will be attracted for the benefit of our people.
"In the Labour Party family, we have the vision to encourage productivity, creativity, innovation and setting standards through entrepreneurship, agriculture and skill acquisitions. These, I must assure my people that an effective representation and integrity in legislative service delivery will be achievable under my watch.
"I know if one wants to lead people, he has to walk behind them, seek their opinions, know their needs and invoke necessary action by translating them into physical reality.
"The best leader is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants them to do. Therefore, if I emerge a winner, I will work with my people, by way of doing thorough consultation both in decision-making, lawmaking processes, project initiation and execution under my watch to advance our constituency."
