REPORT PRESENTED BY DR. UDUMA NNATE, DG ABIA NORTH POLITICAL PROJECTS AND TEAM LEAD ABIA NORTH CONSENSUS GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE SCREENING COMMITTEE ON THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE FOR THE UNVEILING OF THE ABIA NORTH CONSENSUS GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE FOR 2023 ELECTION
Dear Compatriots,
Gentlemen of the Press,
Elders of Abia North,
Ndi Ezies,
The Clergies,
Abian and Nigerians.
I welcome everyone present here today to witness today’s historic International Press Conference to unveil the Abia North Consensus Governorship Candidate for 2023 Governorship election in Abia State.
It should be recalled that the Abia North Political Projects advocacy group was formed and registered few years ago by good spirited Abia North sons and daughters to be a political mouthpiece of Abia North people whose immediate mandate was to ensure that the next Governor of Abia State is from Abia North extraction in line with the Abia charter of equity propounded by our founding fathers and has been practised since 1999. The group has been at the forefront of promoting and encouraging aspirants from Abia North from different political parties till the conclusion of primaries.
After the Primaries, we discovered that 10 out of the 18 political parties gave their party Governorship ticket to Abia North son or daughter. It became obvious that as a people, we cannot go for the Governorship election in 2023 with 10 Candidates at the same time and expect to win or miracle to happen.
We had to setup a Screening Committee that will among other things consider the chances, capacity, credibility, competence, political party, and individual contact network of the different Candidates from Abia North and select one. Members of the committee were men and women of proven integrity drawn from the 5 LG s of Abia North as well as 5 Elders from Abia North for advisory and Concurrence.
Three key considerations for the committee was Capacity, Credibility, competence, Sound health, political party and knowledge of good governance.
It is important to note that all our Governorship Candidates in all the parties are qualified and met our selection criteria but we must present only one person. It is also important to note that other groups and establishments are narrowing down and adopting our Consensus Governorship Candidate.
We therefore humbly request our other candidates who are not chosen to rally around the chosen Consensus candidate to ensure victory for God’s own State. We are aware that the flag/ticket you hold belongs to your political party and will definitely consult your party before stepping down for the Consensus Candidate for the overall interest of Abia North people and Ndi Abia in general. We commend your poise and political sagacity and hope that in future you will be a willing tool or resource person for Abia North people and Ndi Abia in general.
- The following Candidates invited our team for screening in their homes:
a. Arch. Ndukwo Anagha – APM Candidate
b. Chief Kalu Ijomah -NRM Candidate
c. Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha – ADC Candidate
d. Chief Mascort Uzor Kalu – APP Candidate
e. Apostle Dr. Ngozika Gladys Johnson Ogbuneke – SDP Candidate
f. Prof. Greg Ibe – APGA Candidate.
UNVEILING THE CONSENSUS GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE
Our Consensus Candidate after all due considerations of Capacity, Integrity, Sound health, Manifesto and Knowledge of Good governance is BISHOP SUNDAY NDUKWO ONUOHA Of ADC Party
Profile:
Bishop Dr. Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha hails from Abia State. An avid advocate of a unified nation where tolerance trumps our diversity. He is a peace-loving Nigerian, traversing the country, uniting Christian and Muslim Religious leaders to take action against issues that affect his beloved country, as shown in his ability to mobilize a remarkable event (in collaboration with INEC) to ensure peaceful elections in Abia State, as he got governorship candidates to come to an agreement and sign a ‘Peace Accord’ for the 2019 elections. A peace-builder, quintessential community mobilizer, and an astute Program Strategist, successfully implementing various community-based peace campaign and health programs in collaboration with the following organizations: United Nations, World Bank, USAID, Global Fund, GHR Foundation, Presidential Malaria Initiative/MSH, Center for Interfaith Action against global poverty (CIAAGP), DFID/Malaria Consortium, Kaiciid, and many more.Bishop Onuoha has diligently built a wide range of strong International relationships across the world, traveling across the globe as a resource person on peace-building and religious tolerance. Examples include: his role at the First Edition of the World Tolerance Summit, held from 15th to 16th of November 2018, in Dubai; and his participation at the “Religious Actors’ Role in Sustaining Peace”, held in New York from 15th to 16th July 2019.He was a recipient of the ‘Global Peace Award’ (Malaysia 2013); and the ‘NRB Media Award for International Individual Achievement’ (2016), among several other awards received.Currently, he is serving on the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication in Nigeria with National Primary Health Care Development Agency.He has served in numerous National capacities including, but not limited to the following: Served as SA to the President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on privatization matters.Member, Presidential Committee on Ports Reforms, under the former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.First Chairman, Abia State Youths during Governor Ogbonnaya Onu’s administrationMember World Methodist Evangelism Institute Committee, Emory University, Atlanta GeorgiaCouncil member, Abia State University, Uturu.Pro-Chancellor, Eastern Palm University, OgbokoMember Presidential Taskforce on Polio EradicationBoard member of the World Methodist Evangelism and member World Methodist CouncilCurrently serving on the Presidential Community Policing Committee in Abia StateEducational Qualifications: Doctorate Degree from the prestigious Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USAMasters Degree also from the Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USAStudied Infrastructural Development at John F. Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University, USAB. A Hons. from University of Ibadan, NigeriaDiploma in Religious Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Diploma in Theology from Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan, NigeriaPastoral Training at Methodist Theology Institute, Sagamu, Nigeria.Leadership Experience: Vision AfricaHe is the President/Founder, Vision Africa & Vision Africa Radio- attracting foreign human and capital resources to Nigeria including world class Doctors, Engineers, Media Professionals and Philanthropists who have reposed so much confidence in his visionary community service efforts. With the Vision Africa platform, free medical missions reaching over one million people in Nigeria has continued over the years, with orphanage, prison rehabilitation and collaboration with the disabled community as part of the organization’s objective. Vision Africa Radio 104.1 FM in Umuahia, Abia State, has a reach of millions of people. Vision Africa’s objective of reaching more youths is shown in its records: trained hundreds of University students on Industrial attachment/Internship from different Universities, Colleges of Education and Polytechnics; attracting a total of 655 youths who have participated in its annual ICON Music Reality Show in the past five years. Nigerian Inter-Faith Action Association (NIFAA)Bishop Sunday is the first and current Executive Director of NIFAA, a non-governmental organization set up to mobilize Nigerian Faith Leaders all over the country to take action against diseases, poverty and violence in Nigeria- thus significantly galvanizing a collaboration of Christian and Muslim religious leaders in what is believed to be the largest inter-faith action in the World. The organization is Co-Chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) – ‘product of NIREC’. In September 18, 2018, Bishop Onuoha facilitated the signing of a ‘Peace Declaration’ with Christian and Muslim religious leaders- with the U.S Ambassador to Nigeria as an observer. Interfaith Dialogue Forum For Peace (IDFP)He is currently the Co-Chair of IDFP, an organization that is committed to promoting religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians. Bishop Onuoha led the IDFP team in advocacy and support visit to stakeholders in many states of Nigeria in view of the security challenge facing the country. Item Development Association (IDA) Bishop Onuoha served as the President General, Item Development Association (IDA) for 11 years (2007 to 2018), and now seats as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Development Association (now Incorporated), due to his exemplary leadership. Bishop Dr. Sunday Onuoha is married to Rev. Ugonna Onuoha and blessed with Agnes, Jane and Isaac.
With God on our side, we have delivered a winning Governorship Candidate of Abia North extraction in the person of Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha to Abians.
We did not take for granted the confidence and trust reposed on us by the good people of Abia North. We were fair to all and the template for selection transparent and available to all who desire to see it.
May God help us.
Dr. Uduma Nnate.
DG/Team Lead, Screening Committee.
Nnaukwu Peter Ogbuji
Secretary, Screening Committee
