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Ibezi Promises To Transform Idemili If Elected Rep

By Chuks Collins, Awka
16 January 2015   |   11:00 pm
THE choice of who representatives the Idemili Federal Constituency in next month’s election would surely be a very tough one, as the two main gladiators, Chief Charles Odedo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Chief Ifeanyi Ibezi of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), are both very popular in the area.    They have…

Ibezi-2-17-1-15THE choice of who representatives the Idemili Federal Constituency in next month’s election would surely be a very tough one, as the two main gladiators, Chief Charles Odedo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Chief Ifeanyi Ibezi of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), are both very popular in the area. 

  They have track records of achievements, projects execution and populist programmes to showcase in order to sway the electorate in their favour.

  Ibezi is a young politician, who has aspired for the seat before but was defeated by the incumbent, Odedo, who is also now seeking re-election.  

  Ibezi parades a list of projects on ground he claimed to have executed for the constituents, even as an ‘ordinary’ citizen. 

  These include streetlights, women/youth empowerment, community mass transit scheme, employment, local/overseas education scholarship, and 288,000 primary school exercise books for every pupil within the 17 constituting communities in the constituency, amongst others.

  He also mooted a unique scheme of dedicating all his salary, other earnings and entitlements within the four-year tenure period to the benefit and service of the communities in the area. 

  He insisted that these would be ploughed back to a centralised Trust Fund managed by a body to be set up by the communities.

  Admitting that much had not been done for the youth and the young at heart in the area in recent time, and to stem the urban drift, youth restiveness, anti-social acts and the rampant kidnap cases in the state that were logically traceable to idleness and joblessness, the APGA candidate had long before now initiated the above-listed programmes to keep the youth busy and enable them earn personal income decently.

  According to him: “Ibezi is about youth empowerment. I have the interest of the youth at heart. That is why I pioneer their empowerment programmes round the Idemili North and Idemili South councils that make up the constituency. 

  “I set up skill acquisition centre at Abatete, which will soon be replicated in all the remaining 16 communities. 

  “The mass transit scheme was to subsidise transport fares in and around the area, as the vehicles I gave out to the youth bodies in each of the communities under the Ifeanyi Ibezi Foundation would be managing the programme in a loan revolving form.

  “I am going to set up a bursary for indigent students from the area. I will also undertake to pay the NECO and WAEC fees of all the eligible students from the area.”

  These, he noted, were topical among other issues considered as major challenges of the people of the area that he intends to pursue if elected into the National Assembly, having been very close to the people in all the communities. 

  He described his house as open and accessible round the clock for all who have need to see, relate or consult with him, assuring that it would remain that way, as he would never close his door, knowing full well that the people would need him more when he becomes their representative.

  Instructively, he said he sponsored a Bill on infrastructure development in the National Assembly last year that has attracted federal projects worth about N526m to the area and also empowered over 200 youths, providing jobs for the skilled and skill acquisition for the unskilled ones. 

  Ibezi has gone round all primary schools within the 17 communities to distribute exercise books to the over 35,000 pupils, with each pupil receiving four books.

   He stated that it gladdens his heart to invest in human capital development, even when people wonder why he gives to children, who have no voting rights/powers. 

  But he said do so because, just like his free medical services, these are in fulfillment of his humanitarian programme to society and God, who have given him the resources and health to make the money.

  He said the streetlights were evenly spread across all the 17 communities in the area and expressed happiness that APGA has permeated the grassroots in the state and taken over permanently at all levels. 

  He, therefore, urged the Igbo to take back their political destiny in their hands and embrace APGA, like other nationalities within the six geopolitical zones of the country have all chosen a political identity and base with which they negotiate power.

  Ibezi commended Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano for taking up the building of the party and giving it a new committed lease of life and believing so much in the future and growth of party, as well as for transforming the state.

  He disclosed that based on the resolution at the last national convention in Awka, the party would hold congresses across board shortly after the general elections to inject new blood into its party’s leadership for growth, consolidation and expansion.

  He described himself as a selfless person and restated his interest in the growth of the party nationwide.

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