Opinion: Professor Gregory Ibe is the man we need

2023 will be a defining moment for Abia state as the state will need an individual who will sustain the various strides of Dr. Ikpeazu, impove upon his records and add much more value to the lives of Abians. The state is in dire need of a Governor who will understand the intricacies in the management of limited resources for greater results, prudence, entrepreneurship, human capacity building, sustainable economy development, social safety programs, private sector participation in government, health care delivery, education, industrialization, infrastructural development meaningful youth employment and empowerment. The world is now a global village interconnected with the speed of technological advancement in ICT, Internet connectivity providing solutions on almost every facet of our lives. We need a Governor in 2023 who understands the time and power of this online global interconnectivity to plug in Abia into the fast moving hitech world. Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has incontrovertibly rejuvenated the best in made-in-Aba producers, worked on their confidence with a resultant improvements in quality and standard; the next Governor should take it further by creating millions of tecnopreneurs who will leverage on technological solutions to create wealth off the products of these creative artisans in Aba through online marketing and other sundry symbiotic activities beneficial to both themselves and the producers.

There is no other Abian better suited to provide leadership in these all important areas than Professor Gregory Ibe. He is a serial entrepreneur, a celebrated scholar, highly connected with world leaders and an astute investor who has excelled in his private business life.

Abia State must ditch parochial sentiments and must go for the best of the best. We have tried different individuals as Governor from 1999 till date and they all have brought their best to bear as Governors. OUK was a businessman Governor, T.A Orji was a public servant and administrator Governor, Dr. Ikpeazu is an academic Governor but Prof Gregory Ibe will be a Governor who is a business man, an administrator, an academic, an investor, a human resource developer and much more. He will be an embodiment of excellence by fusing all the professional attributes of all the past governors in one individual. Abia under this great man will experience a more robust relationship with the international community as he is actively involved in the US department of state, Ecowas and many others.

Prof Gregory Ibe is also actively involved in many professional bodies, cultural groups and many others within the county. He is in close relationship with almost every important Nigerian and shares healthy ties with individuals across different ethnic nationalities in the country.

Professor Ibe is a philanthropist who teaches people how to fish than give them just fish. He empowers individuals to become wealth creators who in turn empowers a community. Many are beneficiaries of his scholarships. He has not benefited from state Government contracts but has invested more in the people of Abia State. During the covid-19 economic meltdown, he was the highest single donor of palliatives to vulnerable Abians. He provided vehicles and other logistics to assist the state combat the dreaded corona virus.

He is a proud Abian who brings his investments down to the state. He is unarguably the highest employer of labour after the state government. He understands development, sustainability and can easily turnaround the fortunes of Abia.

We must all rise up to support this great son of Abia to lead us to eldorado come 2023.

Courtesy of the independent support for good governance project 2023. A non partisan group.