The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UBAH

  • Ubah’s campaign tempo ‘slows down’

    Barely three weeks to the governorship election, there are indications that Ifeanyi Ubah, the Labour Party candidate, may have run out of cash.

    This is coming on the heels of the recent clearance by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), that his company, Capital Oil, is on receivership for two years.

    Investigation showed that contrary to the defence of Ubah that Capital Oil was not a failed business, the Anambra businessman was said to have run the company aground because of his profligacy.

    A source said when he launched his campaign, he had money, but between that time and now, he had wasted the fund on showmanship that it had become difficult for him to pay those working for him.

    This has generated discontent in his camp.

    The source went on: “Recently, the over 60 bouncers he hired for the campaign almost lynched him because he owed them. They created a scene. He looked for money to pay them. They have left him.”

    Another source hinted that it was because of lack of fund that the rallies planned for the 21 local government headquarters and 326 wards had not been held.

    He said the slowdown in his campaign, commercials on TV and radio and adverts in the print media in the past three weeks could be attributed to Ubah’s inability to make funds available.

    “The money supposed to be released to the wards to use for the campaign has not been released. He has not paid any of those working for him and nobody is happy with him. So how do you think such a man will win an election in the state?” asked the source.

    Feelers show that some of his workers are planning to organise a protest to collect the money he owes them before the election.

    Efforts to get a response from the Ifeanyi Ubah Campaign Organisation and the Labour Party Election Committee were unsuccessful at press time.

    Phone calls to both organisations were not picked.

  • Propaganda will not save APGA, says Ubah

    Propaganda will not save APGA, says Ubah

    Anambra State Labour Party (LP) candidate Dr. Infeanyi Ubah has said that falsehood and propaganda will not save the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the proposed governorship election.

    He said the people will reject APGA at the poll because the governor, Mr. Peter Obi, failed to generate employment and boost human capital debvelopment.

    “This election will be defined by issues, not by empty boasts about achievements. It will not be won by the invocation of the revered name of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu., who would be turning in his grave at the great rape carried out inthe state”, his campaign office said in a statement.

    Ubah objected to the campaign of calmuny against him by the agents of the government. He said the misinformation and propaganda will will because the eyes of the people are open.

    He lamented that political and business illeterates were smearing his name becaue of the Capital Oil controversy, which they have used to to maximum advantage by twisting the facts.

    “We expect the aide of the governor, Valentine Obienyem, to challenge Ifeanyi Ubah’s plans for the state, rather than make up stories to support his attack on Ifeanyi Ubah. It is lamentable that, in all the years of Peter Obi as governor, human capital development and job creation took a back seat. It was deemed  unimportant”, Ubah said.

  • Disabled persons support Ubah

    National President of persons with disability Chief Cosmas Ikechukwu Okoli yesterday reiterated that his over -100,000 members have no regret endorsing the Labour Party candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah.

    Okoli, who is the national president, Association for Comprehensive Empowerment of Nigerians with Disability (ASCEND) earlier announced Dr Ubah as its candidate at a function in Awka.

    Okoli said: “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of people with disability in Nigeria, as we take the first decisive step in the politics of Nigeria , with the endorsement of Dr Ubah.

    “We opened our doors to all aspirants to engage us, but except Ubah, no other aspirant responded. Ubah informed us of his plan to reach out and empower our members even before the election.”

    He said each member would attract at least two votes for Ubah, adding that solving the problems of people with disability would reduce joblessness among its members.

     

  • Ubah and his many promises

    Ubah and his many promises

    Going by the promises he has made so far, even his critics agree that the Labour Party’s candidate in the Anambra State governorship election, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, has indeed raised the bar. This is because most of these promises minister closely to the needs of the common people in Anambra, an indication that Ubah knows where the shoes are pinching his people.

    One of such promises is that his administration would make sure that local government elections in the state take place periodically as provided for in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  He added that holding the elections at the third tier of government would be the only way of ensuring that democratic best practices get deeply rooted at the grassroots.

    Noting that democratically elected local government councils are guaranteed under section 7 of the 1999 constitution as amended, Ubah said: “my administration will, within 12 months of my coming into power, conduct local government election in Anambra State.”

    Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah also promised to ensure that only credible persons are chosen by the people to run the local government councils to avoid a situation where wrong persons get to oversee the affairs of the people at the local government level.

    According to Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, “we will put in place a fully functional local government system to ensure that the dividends of democracy flow down to the grassroots.”

    Ubah, who promised that the Labour Party administration would respect and consult with traditional rulers and institutions, also emphasised the point that due entitlements of the traditional rulers under the chieftaincy law of the state, as amended, are given to them.

    It will be recalled that the Peter Obi administration has not been able to conduct local government elections since 2006 when he came into office; a situation that has led to serious bickering in the state.

    On why he wants to govern Anambra State, Ubah said, “Anambra State needs a governor who will reposition and transform the state and make it a place of excellence in all spheres of life.”

    Ubah added that successful businessmen normally make great leaders, and citing the instance of an icon in the person of Nelson Rockefeller who as governor of New York, United States, vastly enhanced the state’s capacity to provide quality education, environmental protection, transportation, healthcare, welfare and the arts.

    On job creation, Ubah had said, “I promise you, Ndi-Anambra, to create 40,000 jobs before my first hundred days in office as the governor of Anambra State.  I have already developed a master plan for the creation of these jobs, both in the public and private sectors of the economy. The youths and women will take centre-stage in my efforts to create jobs for our people. Women will be empowered financially and otherwise so that they can establish their own business endeavours.  My government will provide financial assistance to the youths in the 21 L.G.As to set up and grow their own businesses. Furthermore, I will encourage the State House of Assembly to enact a law to enhance the capacity of our women and youths to have easy access to bank credits with which to co-operatively participate in the establishment of small and medium scale industries.

    – Ibeleme is the Deputy Director, Media to the Labour Party’s governorship candidate

  • Anambra polls: deaf and dumb campaigns for Ubah

    DEAF and dumb people yesterday stormed Onitsha in solidarity match for the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah.

    Addressing newsmen at the Post Office complex, Onitsha, the Chairman, Anambra State Deaf and dumb Movement for Ifeanyi Uba, Prince Ikechukwu Ogugua said they are throwing their weight behind Ubah as his policies were favourable to them.

    Prince Oguguo said the Deaf Movement decided to adopt him as their candidate ahead of the November 16 governorship election.

    His words, “This is a purely peaceful match, it is not a protest, why we carried placards was to tell the people what we meant since we are deaf and dumb and can’t speak, so what we would have said if we were not deaf is what we put down in these placards, so anybody that sees these will think it is a protest, we are on a solidarity match for Ifeanyi Uba, our choice and a man who has touched the lives of the downtrodden in the society”

    He said solidarity match will continue in other major cities of Awka, Nnewi, Ekwulobia and other major industrial and commercial cities in the state to enlighten the electorate especially the physically challenged, deaf and dumb members to vote en mass for Ifeanyi Uba and the Labour Party.

    Contributing, the Public Relations Officer of Anambra State Movement for Ifeanyi Uba, Mr. Ebuka Uche said the choice of Onitsha as the first place for Ifeanyi Uba solidarity match was because of the population and its commercial activities.

    Uche described Ifeanyi Uba as a humane man whose love for the less privileged persons in the society is total evident in his support towards their members and expressed optimism that if he becomes the governor of the state, he will not abandon them.

     

  • Security, unfettered judiciary my priority, says Ubah

    Security, unfettered judiciary my priority, says Ubah

    Anambra State Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate Chief Ifeanyi Ubah has unfolded his manifestos in Awka, the state capital. He promised to ensure security and independence of the judiciary, if elected as the governor on November 16.

    The state has been under the scourge of insecurity for some years. Kidnappers and ritual killers have been on rampage. Thus, security is on the front burner during this electioneering as people want to know how the candidates will tackle the menace.

    Ubah promised to comprehensively review the security situation by making it a joint enterprise involding the government and the governed.

    The flagbearer, who addressed the youths at a rally, pledged to guarantee a peaceful atmosphere for investment.

    He said: “We will implement a comprehensive plan to tackle the root causes of insecurity. The reliance on the use of force alone will not stem the tide of insecurity in the state. We will focus on preventive measures to stop crimes from being committed, rather than waiting to detect crimes and apprehend offenders after the act has been committed.

    “We will implement job and training programmes to take idle youths off the streets and keep them meaningfully engaged”.

    Ubah also said that his administration will involve the citizens in neighbourhood security, which shall broaden intelligence-gathering capabilities.

    He added: “We will deploy helicopters and hightech surveillance equipment for the police and other security stakeholders for use in the monitoring of our borders for criminal activities and to nip them in the bud.”

    The politician lamented that security votes are often not used for the intended purposes, assuring that that misuse willl end.

    On the administration of justice, Ubah said he would initiate a broad-based system that will meet international best practices and reduce delays in the dispensation of justice.

    He also promised to ensure the independence of the judiciary so that the arm of government can discharge its duties without let and hinderances.

     

  • ‘Ubah is traders’, youths’ choice’

    Traders and youths in Anambra State have described the Labour Party’s candidate, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, as their choice. They said in separate press statements  released during the week that since he declared his intention to vie for the governorship ticket under the platform of Labour Party, the politics of the state had taken a new turn, and it has become clear that he is the candidate to beat in the November election.

    Also, Emmanuel Ibeleme, a public commentator and one of the youth leaders campaigning for Ubah, while explaining why he and others consider the Labour Party candidate as the man to beat, said:  I watched, not on television, the flag-off rally of the Labour Party in Onitsha some days ago.  I was on the rally ground.  In fact, if the Anambra governorship election is held today, the Labour Party candidate will have a straight and convincing win.  Yet, this was a party that was not talked about some weeks ago.  Come over to Anambra State and see things for yourself. “For your information, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah is Traders’ choice.  The youths were also there in large numbers. One reason for which they attended the rally was because they believe in the message of hope which the Labour Party candidate preached.”

    He added: “In the rural areas are usually the majority of voters.  Having money and putting it to good use help out in politics.  The Labour Party governorship candidate lives among his people.  He knows them and their needs. So, he urged them to ensure that they registered and participate in political activities.”

     

  • Anambra 2013: NLC endorses Ubah

    Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has endorsed the Labour Party’s (LP’s) candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah.

    A statement by Ubah’s Media Adviser, Ayo Akinola, said NLC President Abdulwahab Omar endorsed Ubah and his running mate at the weekend in Abuja when the LP candidate visited the NLC headquarters.

    The governorship candidate unfolded his manifesto in which he emphasised security of life and property, provision of qualitative education and focus on human capital development, besides creating and providing jobs.

    Ubah said: “We all know that security of life and property comes first. We will provide this and ensure that investors do not see insecurity as a reason for not coming to Anambra State. We all know the place of education in the world of today. We will provide quality education, make it affordable and accessible and invest heavily in human capital development.”

    It was the first the time in the history of the state that the NLC was endorsing a candidate for an election.

  • Crisis rocks Labour Party over Ubah

    These are not the best of times for a governorship aspirant in Anambra State, Ifeanyi Ubah, as his hope of contesting under the platform of the Labour Party hangs in the balance.

    The guber hopeful has been accused of factionalising the party, even as party stalwarts have disowned him as a member of the party.

    While addressing newsmen in Nnewi at the weekend, a chieftain of the party, Comrade Peter Nwosu said that Comrade Christopher Chukwudi Okonkwo remains the true state Chairman of Labour Party and not Sam Oraegbunam where Ubah purpotedly registered.

    Ubah’s brother from Uruagu , Nnewi , Comrade Peter Nwosu disclosed this while addressing newsmen weekend. He said he is the authentic Labour party candidate not even Aspirant as the party leadership at its last Executive council meeting solicited him to salvage the state as its governorship candidate.

    “All the 21 local government chairmen of Labour party rejected Ifeanyi Ubah and said it can’t happen in our party. There is an existing party executive and he created his own executive to create confusion in our party but we would resist it,” he said, adding, “Anambra does not need somebody who will be speaking to them from his jet or somebody who they would run into the bush for two hours for his convoy to pass but a humble governor not arrogant an governor.”

     

  • Row over Ubah’s LP status

    The governorship ambition of oil magnate Ifeanyi Ubah has suffered a setback, with some leaders of the Labour Party (LP) denying him.

    Ubah went to his Nnewi ward to register after which he visited the party’s secretariat in Awka to declare his ambition last week.

    He was received by the State Chairman, Sam Oraegbunam and other executive members.

    But party leaders in his Nnewi ward said Ubah would tell the people where he registered when the time comes, adding that as far as they are concerned, he is not a member of LP.

    One of the LP leaders, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “You know we have factions in LP; where he claimed to have registered in Otolo ward I in Nnewi is not the real LP.”

    But Oraegbunam said: “Ubah is now a member of Labour Party; national recognises states, states recognise council areas and that the councils recognise wards, as far as we are concerned, Ubah is an authentic member of our great party.”