Political momentum in Imo State is already gone wired, setting the stage for the upcoming Council Polls in Imo State as declared by the Chairman of Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC), Chief Dr. Charles Ejiogu, slated to be held on the 21st of September, 2024.
This exclusive interview with one of the major front liners contesting for the Executive Chairman of Oguta LGA, Hon. Collins Ugo Jumbo, Inside Agwa News (IAN), brings you some of the useful ideas and thoughts of the interview.
Excerpts.
Good evening, Sir.
May we meet you?
I am Hon. Collins Ugo Jumbo, from Mgbala/Ubah Ward, Agwa in Oguta LGA, Imo State. By His grace, I am contesting for the Executive Chairman of Oguta LGA in the upcoming council elections the primary elections that are coming this August 2024 as we were today by the Party.
Okay. What do you do for a living?
I am a businessman. A CEO of three companies; one is an NGOand the other two companies. I am also a politician and a contractor with Sterling Global Oil Resources.
Going by your experiences, we want to ask, “What inspired you to run for the position?”
The quest to bring development and empowerment destinies. I have done a lot of things in the communities and LGA and if asked to mention, I can do that.
Go ahead!
Okay, thank you.
I have been part of the development of the Agwa Clan. I sunk water boreholes in my communities, offered scholarships to so many students, organized a football tournament for my community, and hosted a talent hunt program for the youths which attracted some sports lovers from Heartland FC, Owerri. This act was done to keep the youth busy.
Again, during the COVID-19 time, I distributed half a trailer of 25kg of rice to the Mgbala Community to ameliorate their suffering. During the construction of the Agwa Police Divisional Headquarters, I did my best to ensure that the project was done. Also, during the renovation of Agwa Secondary School Agwa, I singlehandedly renovated the Science Laboratory.
As a devoted Christian, when St. John Catholic Parish Mgbala Agwa was de-roofed by rain wind, I helped the church to re-roof the building.
I have done so many things that I may not be able to establish all here.
When this government was formed after the Supreme Court Judgement that brought in Senator Hope Uzodimma as the duly elected governor of the State, I was one of the three persons in Imo State who mandated people with his pictures and mine which I paid them for one year. It was later increased to five different people in other LGAs promoting the government and party both in LGA and State.
Some other times, I have made a strong move of becoming the Managing Director of Imo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (ISOPADEC), but at the dying minute, I was asked to wait for another time.
During the 2023 elections, I again vied for the Oguta State Constituency seat. I was asked to step down in the interest of the party and the governor’s candidate. Although I did not step down, I allowed the whole thing to be history. Now that I’m running for the Chairmanship position of Oguta LGA, by the grace of God, I’m confident of emerging at the primary elections and the main polls.
You seem to be a grassroots man who has contributed to the growth of the party and can be tagged a party man. Do you like the situation in the LGA in times of development, if no is your answer, “What are the things you are going to do if elected to change the narrative?”
As far as I am concerned, my answer is no. Oguta LGA has North and South. Oguta North is far more developed than other parts. Yet in the same Oguta North, some parts also lack the necessary social amenities. Coming to the South, some communities in the South are also developing. For example, Agwa is in Oguta South and is lagging. Let me use Agwa as an example. From Ejemekwuru to Agwa are no go areas. Their roads are terrible. It is a death trap for road users. I am going to bring development to Oguta. So, I’m coming in to ensure that those areas that need development get the attention of the government if elected. I will encourage education massively. I will grant scholarships to students. So they will be sent overseas to pursue their academic careers. Some will be empowered to pursue their life dreams.
Importantly, the youths are going to be my major priorities, because when the youths are engaged positively, crime will be reduced and other young related violence.
What is your program for insecurity?
If elected, I will run an inclusive government to ensure that insecurity is a thing of the past. My government will be peaceful. I will take care of insecurity in Oguta. This will be done by making sure that the youths are trained, and empowered. My administration is going to pay adequate attention to erecting a basic structure that aids quality and effective learning from the proper perspective. When the youths are skilled, the level of idleness will reduce because they are doing something positive to earn a living.
Thank you, Hon.
Don’t you feel concerned about the other eleven contestants, including you, making it twelve for the same ticket you are vying for across the eleven wards?
Not at all. I know where you are driving to.
Let me tell you, the party will give their ticket to a party member. What I mean by a party member is a loyal party man. You don’t just come into the party, and things will work so fast. I am part of the people in Imo State and Oguta who built APC.
The first APC party registration in Mgbala/Ubah Ward was done in my house which I funded. At the first Oguta APC convention, I was the assistant Publicity Secretary. I have been part and parcel of the development of the APC in Imo State. You don’t just come in and the party gives you their ticket. You must have invested in the party before you claim ownership…so I have been there before any of them. The party knows its members just as Jesus said, “I know my people and my people know me.”
Okay, Hon. What do you have for your people, Oguta?
My message is that I want them to be wise in their choices about who they vote for. The Bible says, “When the righteous reigns, the people will rejoice.
But when the wicked reigns, there will be crises”. And you don’t use crises to arrest crises. I want my people to vote for me. I need their support to win because the Bible says, the united will stand, and the divided will fall. By the grace of God, I’m coming to serve my people not to lead them. Whoever wants to be the Chairman of Oguta Local Government must be a servant-leader who will think of Oguta first in all he or she does. That is why my campaign slogan is “Think Oguta First”. You don’t come to serve the people without possessing the character of a leader.
So, I want my party APC to look at my scorecard as a committed party member who has invested in our great party and vote for me in the primary elections and the Oguta voters to come out en mass on Saturday, 21st September 2024, and vote for me.
Together, we shall bring development to every part of Oguta.
Think Oguta first!
Thank you.
.
