By Chigozie Igbo Jr
I remember with zest, our vigorous exercise for the governorship of Anambra state in 2021, although it's now history, but it reminds me of my July 20th, 2021 piece titled, IFEANYI UBAH: THE GRASSROOTS GENERAL. Since then, a lot has changed as Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has gone a notch higher to show that his interest is for the people and not just himself alone.
In that piece I started with Mohammed Ibrahim's quote which stressed that, "If we are to build grassroots respect for the institutions and processes that constitute democracy, the state must treat its citizens as real citizens rather than as subjects." Mo Ibrahim.
Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has shown that the citizens matter to him, he has shown true representation, he has indeed shown that he loves his people by the many interventions he has brought to bear, even as a first time senator of the federal republic of Nigeria. He is indeed a Grassroots General, he has shown capacity in that direction, having touched lives over the years with Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation, an NGO of repute and his business ventures scattered all over Anambra and Nigeria respectively.
Senator Ubah's foray into politics is truly a blessing to humanity. He is not just a blessing to his close political associates, or direct family members, but his acts of kindness transcends the length and breath of this great country, Nigeria. There is no gain saying the fact, that Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah remains the only candidate in the contest of Anambra South Senatorial District election with an enviable social capital, which permeates down to the grassroots. His name reverberates in the hinterlands, despite his worth and wealth. He is not new to the locals, his name alone is a brand in itself. One can no longer say that the Young Progressives Party the YPP is a new party as the party is set to shock naysayers in the forthcoming election in the state. With the parade of many heavy weights in Anambra South, Central and North with the likes of Dr Chinedu Anthony Umeadi, Hon. Uchenna Okafor, Ezeokonkwo Kelvin (Kabyesi) Comrade Afamefuna Ezeife Ezeonyenwe, among others, one can only imagine what will happen next year.
His vision and passion towards Job creation especially for the youths has endeared him to the grassroots also, reason I call him the Grassroots General and he remains the general of the locals, the people that matter in any democracy. Is it not amazing that a first time senator can achieve most of his milestones without hitch?
Recently in a live radio programme on Authority FM, 91.9, Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah highlighted some of his projects in Anambra South Senatorial District. He said and I quote,
• "I am determined to make history as the first Senator and a first-timer to deliver at least one project in all the wards in Anambra South Senatorial District in three years of focused representation." Who has done that before in the history of the Senate in Nigeria?
• "I entered the Red Chamber and immediately set to work and delivered a bill signed into law by the president while on his hospital bed outside the country." This shows capacity.
• "I got nicknamed the Prince of the Ninth Senate in an unprecedented move at giving accolades to a member who has really impressed.. It has never happened before now at the Red Chamber"
• "My foray into politics is to leave an enduring legacy. That is my way of paying back to God and humanity for the numerous divine blessings that I have received from a young age." This is love for humanity and the people.
• "The time has come to secure and light up Anambra South Senatorial District and break the yoke of hunger occasioned by insecurity in the land "
• "This is aimed at bringing to an end , the present ugly trend of holding social events like traditional marriages, weddings, burials, etc, outside the state and by doing so halting heavy capital flight from the zone."
• "50 Million Naira Ward Football tournaments(Male) to kick off this Yuletide as lights get set to shine all over the zone."
• "Ndi Anambra South are enjoined to make plans to come home this Christmas and be part of the economic renaissance of the zone."
• "Training of one youth per ward under the Train The Trainers (TTT) scheme whereby enhanced knowledge of weapons handling, information/ intelligence gathering, and general vigilante security networking will be impacted on the participants"
• "Security Equipments including walkie-talkies, security cameras, and others not mentioned for security purposes will be made available by the Senator for use in securing the zone"
( This will be done in collaboration with the state government and the Nigerian Police Force (NPF)."
• "Female football tournament to be conducted at the local government level."
• "50 youths per local government to benefit from the 500k each start-up fund for businesses. Tax-Free!"
• Senator Dr Ifeanyi Ubah overturned the disadvantage of being the only YPP Senator in the Red Chamber by invoking a clause in the books that said every party must belong to a certain number of committees, as a result, was allowed to belong to many committees through which he works hard to bring empowerment and development back to our people.
• Soon, to embark on the commissioning of his numerous projects constructed around the 7 local governments that make up the Senatorial District
•These projects range from Healthcentres built-in Ula, Ekwulobia Aguata LG , that of Uga in Aguata is already commissioned, Oraifite (inside the proposed petroleum tankers safety institute) in, Ekwusigo Local government, Nawfija in Orumba South and Mbosi (Inside the proposed aviation services catering institute.
• 21 units of three-bedroom bungalows built for the less privileged and the elderly, to the classroom blocks in Ihembosi, Azigbo, Awgbu, Ihiala, Amesi etc, to deep solar powered boreholes (with overhead safety tanks) in Awa, Ajalli and others.
• He called on those ones fighting him to understand that what he is doing is merely fulfilling his divine promise to God by ensuring that the resources attracted from the government tickles down to the people in the grassroots irrespective of the person's status in the society.
With the above, I still maintain my stand, that Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah remains a grassroots general. The February 25th election, for his re election will be landslide, because with him at the 10th Senate, Anambra South Senatorial District and indeed Anambra will continue to enjoy the much needed dividends from the prince of the Senate.
Indeed a new Anambra is possible with Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah .