2027 guber race: My plan for Abia – Henry Ikoh

Henry Ikoh (Ozurumba) is an industrialist cum politician. He is the founder of Harmony Foam; chairman, 15th Governing Council Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri; former Board member Federal Polytechnic, Bida Niger State; former Board member, University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcout, former commissioner for Industry and Technology in Abia State, former minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation. In this interview, he spoke about his gubernatorial ambition, his plans for Abia, among many other issues. Emmanuel Salawu brings the excerpts:

Why do you want to be the governor of Abia State?

I want to create wealth through jobs and other opportunities for the middle class. I want to industrialise Abia State as the mainstream of exports because Abians are very industrious people. If I stimulate the middle class, Abia will be a big state for exports like tiles because we have good quality of clay, and of course, coupled with our industrial and acute business nature of productivity. We can export glass and you know that our Glass Industry is moribund and I want to reactivate that and the modern Ceramic Industry in Umuahia. I will make sure that we have roads that will connect rural areas in the state so that our farm produce can be transported very fast. However, I will also want to add to most of our raw materials so that we will have a better value for raw materials available in the state. Our workforce particularly government workers will earn better salary because we have a lot of money now because of the removal of oil subsidy.

Moreso, I want to connect Abia State to the centre which is the key focus now because it is not good to play regional politics because regional politics will not get Abia State anywhere and if we connect to the centre we have much more benefits of dividends of democracy. If we have handshake with the center things will be much better for us in Abia State. So, in a nutshell, we will make sure we have quality healthcare system that can work.

Why should the people of Abia entrust you with the highest office in the state?

First, I want to tell you that I had tried to be the governor of Abia State in 2003, 2007 and 2011, besides, I am a grassroots politician with human face that is verifiable in the state and as an industrialist who has excelled in my private capacity and as a man who has represented them for nine months at the Federal Executive Council, and also as a man who has served as a commissioner for Industry that built a cluster in Ovom Mechanical Village, that has stayed there for more than 30 years and is still standing today, but unfortunately up till this moment as we are talking the government has not deemed it necessary to relocate those mechanic people that are littered everywhere. When I built that cluster, government did not spend a cent because I built under PPP as a commissioner for Industry that is still standing. In fact, in my private business, I have excelled because my company, Harmony Foam, has stayed for more than 30 years which is one of the best producing foam industries in the country. Even at the height of economic hardship that company has stayed. You and I know that company is in the rural community where there is no light and road but today through my personal intervention, we have light and road there and the company is still functioning till tomorrow, and we are the best in terms of foam manufacturing. Why won’t they not trust me when they know the roles I have played in managing my own business and company? Those are the reasons why Abia people must trust me. I am going to be a unifier who is going to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor because I know what people are going through, I am in the village, close to the people and I interact with them. We will do something to check urban migration and will provide the necessary things so that they will not have any need of going outside and that is what I have more than other people aspiring for the governorship seat of our dear state. I am the best aspirant, I am a mature man, a unifier and I will make Abia great again.

Historically, Abia is not an APC state, why do you think the people of the state will give you and the party a chance?

I have told you we need to connect to the centre and if we connect to the centre which is an APC government, we will have much more dividends of democracy. And whatever thing we are saying today it is because APC government was able to remove fuel subsidy whereby states are now having more money. As we speak today, every state collects up to N40 billion to N50 billion every month. You know fuel subsidy was a scam and when subsidy was removed, every state makes surplus of money and there is good money going to states and local governments now and that is why I say we should connect to the centre. It will be better for us to connect to the centre and as we speak, nobody is owing because of APC-led Federal Government has done so much for the states.

The Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representative, Benjamin Kalu said that power should remain in Abia Central. What is your take?

That is how it is supposed to be because as we speak now, the party chairman is from the North so the governorship position has been micro-zoned to the Central which is equity, fairness and balance. I want to thank the deputy speaker who is a fine gentleman who has deemed it necessary to stand on the side and part of truth and I can assure you that zoning it to Abia Central, APC will win. And if I emerge as the flag bearer, I want Abia people to trust me because I am going to win a landslide.

Are there other governorship aspirants from Abia Central?

Yes!

Who and who!?

We are three in the state; there is one Opia and the other one that just joined the race recently. But I am prepared and I know I can win by the special grace of God. I am not just saying I am going to contest by mere saying, and I am going to take Abia to the next level.

What have you identified as the three major needs and problems of the state and how do you intend to fix them?

Well, every government all over the world pays serious attention to the welfare and security of its citizens. The civil service workforce needs to be taken care of and we need to secure the state. One of my priorities is to create the middle class because what we have is the poor and the rich up there. I am going to be a bridge between the down-trodden and the rich so that we create the middle class where government workers will receive adequate salary that can match and cushion the effects of any economic meltdown worldwide.

How will you continue your grassroots relationship with the people, if you become the governor of Abia State come 2027?

I am a very simple person by nature and my needs are not much. My major take home is to leave a legacy of being a grassroots person. I am 66 years old and if I am able to remain the way I am because I built my company when I was less than 30 years till now, why would I not ensure that the grassroots benefits from my government? Why will I leave my calling and begin to do another thing?

What will be your take on healthcare especially as it concerns rural communities and villages?

I have told you earlier that healthcare will be a major priority like education. I will take healthcare to every community and you know that local governments now receive huge amount of money every month. So, I will allow local governments to use their money. Local governments will take care of healthcare in their locality. Every local government chairman should be able to build a sustainable healthcare because I will not be interested in their money rather, I will monitor them to make sure they use the money effectively because money comes into local government in a large sum in such a way that no local government receives nothing less than N400 million every month.

My government will not allow wastage of money by local government chairmen because I will monitor them effectively.

What is your relationship with the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti?

Dr. Alex Otti is a great man and has been able to put certain things on ground but with APC government coming in Abia come 2027 what we are seeing today will be like a child’s play because the money is there and we are going to prove it and people will know that what is on ground today is a child’s play compared to what APC will do if emerged as a governor.

In the next few weeks, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be celebrating his three years in office. What is your assessment of his government so far?

My assessment of the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is that the government has made a lot of money coming into the system which is a pass mark. The dollar rate now has stabilised and you drive from Enugu to Port Harcout within two hours now because of the beauty of the roads unlike before. My assessment of the administration is that they are doing great and if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should stay in the next four years, Nigeria will move from consumption to production economy, that is why we are saying let Nigerians support him to finish his second tenure so that he can put the economy on the high way so that the next government will only consolidate what he has started.

What is your message to Abia people as you prepare to be their governor come 2027?

My message to my people in Abia State is simple- let them continue in prayers because there will be light at the end of the tunnel. If I emerge as the flag bearer of the APC there will be celebration and I will provide dividends of democracy to the people because I know what and what to do to make sure that things will begin to work much better than what we are seeing now.