As Written by Hon. Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State.
On the third day of February 2024 and precisely this week's Saturday, some Nigerians would be participating in a bye-election to fill in vacant positions created by the death or resignation of members of the national and state houses of assembly that's the legislative arm of government.
This historic event would be taking place in two senatorial districts of Ebonyi South and Yobe East as well as four federal constituencies in Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo and Taraba States while three state constituencies in Benue, Borno and Kaduna would be also gearing up for the same democratic process.
As the clock ticks, it is an incontrovertible fact that the key issues of performance especially for a political party in power and the credibility of the candidate would likely propel and determine the outcome of the aforementioned election in parts of the country.
In Ebonyi State where the five Local Government Areas of Onicha, Edda, Ivo, Ohaozara and Afikpo that constitute Ebonyi South Senatorial District would be faced with the choice of choosing among about six candidates to represent them at the upper chamber of the National Assembly, there are strong indications that the people are unvarying in their costumes and dancing steps in favour of an academic juggernaut and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Anthony Okorie Ani.
A cursory glance at the primary election where other political parties had turbulent outings that produced multiple candidates and subsequent legal skirmishes, the emergence of the erudite professor of Agriculture and humanitarian par distinction, Anthony Okorie Ani was seamless, transparent and hitch-free - a situation political pundits described as a huge plus for the ruling APC in the upcoming bye-election.
The distinguished scholar and academic genius, Professor Ani has not only built an impressive and intimidating reputation in the education sector through painstaking, critical and result-oriented research works, but he has also mentored innumerable career individuals who are towering high in life.
Notwithstanding the above advantages, the electorate is most thrilled with the human-oriented administration of the APC under the indefatigable and benevolent leadership of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Right Honourable (Dr) Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru who has consistently changed the narrative.
From increasing salaries of civil servants, paying gratuities and pensions of retirees, investing in infrastructure and catering to the wellbeing of all, the people of Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone are inching to cast the ballot in absolute favour of the Governor's party and her candidate.
The wisdom of the Governor as the leader of the party in filing the Onicha-born harbinger of excellence and University Don, Professor Ani as the party's standard bearer has remained a mystery to the opposition and practical dividends of democracy for the good people of Ebonyi South Senatorial District.
The choice of Prof. Anthony Okorie Ani lays credence to the altruistic intention and practical evidence of Governor Nwifuru's resolve to bequeath the good people of Ebonyi South with a holistic qualitative representation at the upper chamber of the national assembly popularly known as the Senate. The Governor's sterling performance unarguably is a strong selling point for the party and her candidate in the forthcoming poll.
As an impeccable academic, uncommon politician and advocate of an egalitarian society, distinguished Professor Ani has several achievements in the ivory tower, there are also countless influential government officials he has interfaced with both policy formulation and implementation for a better society. These experiences of the academic Einstein, reveal his all-round stability as a man prepared for the task ahead.
Laying credence to these facts, the Professor's irrevocable victory at the poll would usher in a new trajectory of total youth empowerment, agricultural revolution, and infrastructural advancement, among other holistic and sustainable developments in the zone using legislation as a genuine and unmitigated compass.
Without rhetorics, the ebullient researcher and indisputable academic sage of repute whose personal and meagre resources have been deployed several times to heal souls injured by poverty and diseases, Prof. Anthony Okorie Ani would be empowered to decisively invest more in community service and development especially in brewing innovative ideals and attracting government ultimate presence to make life meaningful to the constituents.
Going by the leadership robe at the state and federal levels as well as placing the pedigree and antecedents of Prof. Anthony Okorie Ani on the weighing scale, the electorate is therefore urged to ensure that APC remains afloat to inaugurate a new dispensation of qualitative representation in Ebonyi South Senatorial District.
There is beauty and power in unity, the Ebonyi State APC is joining the famous and consummate leader of the party, His Excellency, the Executive Governor, Right Honourable (Dr) Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru whose people's charter of needs mantra has ameliorated the plights of the less privileged and narrowed down the gap between the rich and the poor, to once again beckon on the good people of Ebonyi South in their large numbers to call the shot on Saturday in her favour.
To God be all the glory!
