Ogwuejiovo Albert Okoye, simply known as Ejiovo Albert has thrown his hat into the ring to represent the Anambra West Constituency at Anambra State House of Assembly. He said the local government deserves better representation than it has so far. Ejiovo Albert popularly called Ojichukwu bulu Uzo by close friends and age mates said his ambition is nothing personal, except the desire to ensure that his people enjoy dividends of democracy. He said that aside from making laws that will benefit his constituents as a legislator, he will also use his position to draw attention of the state, federal and foreign governments to the plights of Anambra West. Ejiovo hails from Umudora Anam in Ezi Anam ward of Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State.
Ejiovo, a graduate of business management, information technology, Financial Training & Management Services (FTMS) said, “Looking at the challenges facing Anambra West, it is clear that it is either that those who have represented us do not understand how to articulate the challenges facing Anambra West or that they have ran out of ideas. This is the reality coupled with the fact that I decided to heed the call of my people to serve them.
“I have been in the political space right from my school days. That is why I am seeking to represent the good people of Anambra West at the State House of Assembly in 2023. I believe it affords me the platform to launch my ideas for the good of the people. I belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I recognise party loyalty and superiority. But like I always told people, in Nigeria, political parties are mere vehicles. If you look at the manifestos of most of them, you hardly find striking differences. My advice to people is to look beyond party affiliations and consider the personalities seeking to represent them, on personal merit.
“I’m prepared and hope that the stakeholders as well as delegates will see reasons to consider me for the ticket on the platform of PDP. The time is ripe for the youths to get actively involved. Whatever flaws there are in the system, can only be corrected when we get involved. This is one of the reasons that propelled my decision to fully go into Nigerian politics. Complaining, as we can see, isn’t enough. But for us, especially young people, to participate in politics and make the changes they think are lacking in the system.
Lamenting on the devastating state of neglect and abandonment in his constituency, Ejiovo Albert said that Anambra West must be one of the most neglected local governments in Nigeria. He alleged that the only serious government project since the creation of the local government is the road that Mr. Peter Obi constructed as governor from Umueze Anam to Mmiata and another one the Federal Government started to construct to go from Umueze Anam to Oroma, to Nzam, to Abaji in Kogi state; which according him was abandoned after about a kilometer of asphalted road.
He said, “The potholes on that road have become death traps. There is hardly any resident doctor in the whole of Anambra West. No doubt, there are health centers in some of the towns. But they are all very rudimentary, poorly equipped and poorly staffed if not abandoned. There is no standard public school in Anambra West. Most of the elementary schools have no more than three to five teachers for all the levels. The few public secondary schools are in sorry states and almost completely dependent on youth service teachers for the little teaching that goes on in them. There is no reliable electricity in any town in Anambra West. The ramshackle power connection in a few communities is due wholly to community efforts. In fact there is hardly any single significant government project anywhere in the LGA. These and many more reasons are why I seek to represent my people.”
