Owerri, Imo State – In a significant campaign kickoff event on Thursday, Sir Tony Ejiogu, the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the November 2023 Governorship Election in Imo State, outlined his top priorities for the state, emphasizing security and economic revitalization.
Ejiogu’s campaign event in Owerri marked the beginning of his bid for the governorship, during which he made strong commitments to address the pressing issues facing Imo State. He asserted his determination to rebuild the state by tackling insecurity and jumpstarting the economy.
Addressing the crowd, Ejiogu expressed his concern over the decline of Imo State’s fortunes, stating, “Imo has moved from the Eastern heartland to become the Eastern wasteland over the past three years.” He went on to reiterate his pledge to combat insecurity through a comprehensive approach, including strengthening law enforcement and engaging with communities to identify the root causes of conflicts.
Ejiogu urged Imo residents to recognize the pivotal choice they face in the upcoming election, saying, “This is a time of great tension between good and evil, progress and retrogression, and a time to choose whether to continue on the path of destruction or begin the process of rebuilding our dear Imo.”
Highlighting the alarming security situation in the state, he revealed that Imo had witnessed 209 violent attacks from August 2020 to July 2023, resulting in the loss of 289 lives and the kidnapping of approximately 100 individuals. Ejiogu stressed the importance of restoring security to Imo, allowing residents to enjoy the simple pleasures of life and feel safe once again.
In addition to addressing security concerns, Ejiogu outlined his economic agenda, aiming to combat youth unemployment, which has plagued Imo State despite its high literacy rates. He pledged to implement strategic economic reforms and initiatives to create an enabling environment for private enterprises to thrive, ultimately leading to job creation and a 50% increase in internally generated revenue (IGR) within three years.
Ejiogu also promised to set a liveable minimum wage of at least 80,000 naira per month for Imo workers while ensuring the prompt settlement of pensions and gratuities.
His economic agenda includes aggressive reforms in the agricultural sector to tackle food insecurity by harnessing the potential of the state’s communities through the “One-Community-One-Product (OCOP)” initiative. This initiative aims to develop specialty products based on existing comparative advantages in various communities.
Furthermore, Ejiogu committed to restoring the local government system by conducting free, fair, and credible local government elections, granting local governments complete financial and operational independence.
In his closing remarks, Ejiogu called on all Imo residents to unite and “choose to rebuild Imo by voting for the right leadership in the November Governorship election.” He emphasized his dedication to a people-centered leadership that prioritizes social justice, good governance, economic prosperity, and protection for all, positioning Imo State on a path of peace, growth, and limitless prosperity.