2027: Why I’m Seeking Senate Seat After Eight Years in House of Representatives — Nkole

 

 

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Abia North Senatorial District, Hon. Uko Nkole, has explained that his decision to contest the 2027 senatorial election is aimed at extending the development initiatives and projects he attracted during his eight-year representation of Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency to other parts of the senatorial district.

 

Nkole, who spoke with journalists at his residence in Abam, said the infrastructure gap and what he described as underperformance by successive representatives in parts of Abia North informed his decision to seek election to the Senate come 2027.

 

He said his experience as a federal lawmaker gave him an understanding of the developmental needs of the people, stressing that his objective was to replicate his interventions in Arochukwu and Ohafia across Bende, Isuikwuato and Umunneochi Local Government Areas.

 

The former House of Representatives member alleged that the senatorial district had experienced a decline in infrastructure and electricity supply since he left office, describing the situation in some communities as a return to an era of darkness and underdevelopment.

 

He specifically mentioned Abam, which he described as the largest community in Ohafia Local Government Area, as well as other parts of Ohafia, Bende, Isuikwuato and Umunneochi as communities that had suffered from inadequate electricity supply.

Nkole also highlighted several projects he said he attracted during his tenure, including the Ndiebe Bridge, Akanu/Ohafia Water Scheme and various electrification projects, expressing concern that some of the projects had either been abandoned or allowed to deteriorate.

 

On roads, he said projects he attracted were handled by two Grade A construction companies but that the contractors eventually left the sites because of lack of funding. He, however, acknowledged the intervention of Governor Alex Otti, who inherited and continued work on the Ohafia-Arochukwu Road.

 

Nkole also spoke extensively on the Akanu-Ohafia Water Scheme, which he said has a capacity of more than 400,000 cubic metres. According to him, he facilitated the rehabilitation of the project, including the provision of solar street lights around the Akanu/Ohafia axis and the commencement of water reticulation.

 

He said the Akanu-Ohafia water project relied on clean energy and that he facilitated a 100KVA solar power system to support the lifting of the water. He explained that the water scheme was originally constructed in 1986 by the then military administrator of Imo State, Allison Ojo Maduekwe, but had subsequently become moribund.

 

According to Nkole, the project was handed over in 2022 after about two years of rehabilitation, with residents beginning to receive water in their homes. He attributed the subsequent setback to a lightning strike that affected the solar system powering the high-lift pumps.

 

He said the reticulation phase of the project had also stalled, urging the state government to direct relevant officials to revisit the project. He also called on the current federal lawmakers representing the area to consider appropriating funds to ensure the completion of the reticulation phase.

 

On electricity, Nkole said elected representatives had the responsibility to interface with relevant authorities to address power challenges in their constituencies. He expressed concern that electricity supply had deteriorated in Ohafia and other parts of Abia North since his departure from the House of Representatives.

He stressed the importance of electricity to households, skilled and unskilled workers and small businesses, particularly at a time when employment opportunities remained limited.

 

The NDC candidate also recalled interventions he made in the public service during his tenure, saying about 162 people were facilitated into federal employment. He further stated that civil servants during his tenure received better support, including opportunities to migrate from state to federal ministries.

 

Nkole also criticised the records of some of his opponents, particularly the Labour Party candidate, Bourdex, who previously served as a Transition Committee chairman. He questioned the management of funds released during Bourdex’s tenure and challenged him to account for the impact of his executive experience on the welfare of the people.

 

He also raised concerns over the condition of the Ohafia High way from old soldier, arguing that the road should have been addressed from funds made available during Bourdex’s tenure as Transition Committee chairman.

 

On the Ndiebe Bridge, Nkole said the bridge he facilitated had been completed, but the connecting road had deteriorated, leaving the bridge without an effective road network linking it to surrounding communities.

 

He also criticised what he described as the leasing of a community recreation centre by Bourdex to government for revenue generation, arguing that legislative representation should primarily focus on delivering development and improving the welfare of constituents.

 

Nkole said the National Assembly should not be used as a ground for experimentation, adding that his eight years in the House of Representatives, coupled with his 12 years of public service experience, placed him among the experienced candidates in the contest.

 

He acknowledged the contributions of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to Abia North, but maintained that he intended to build on existing efforts and deliver what he described as better representation for the district.

 

The former federal lawmaker also highlighted projects he said were approved during his tenure, including the Omenuko Bridge, Nmori Bridge{Iyi Uduma} among other projects.

 

He commended the Abia State Government for taking over and completing the Omenuko bridge but expressed concern that the access road connecting the bridge remained unfinished. He described the road as a 44-kilometre spine from Umuahia Tower to Ohafia, of which the bridge forms a component.

 

On the Nmori Bridge, also referred to as Iyi Uduma, Nkole said he facilitated the reconstruction of a new bridge.

 

He further stated that on the 35-kilometre Ohafia-Arochukwu road, work had reached about 65 per cent at binder course level and five per cent at wearing course level, with drainage and culvert works also undertaken before he left office.

 

Nkole said his record of interventions in Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency informed his decision to seek the Abia North Senate seat, stressing that he wants to extend what he described as his development-oriented approach to other parts of the senatorial district.

 

He also dismissed claims that the NDC and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, were absent from Abia State, arguing that the party was fully present in the state but was operating within the provisions guiding the electoral process.

 

Nkole noted that the presidential contest was national in scope, covering the country’s senatorial districts and federal constituencies, and said the NDC remained committed to its political activities in Abia.

He maintained that his footprint in Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency remained unmatched and that his experience in the House of Representatives had prepared him for the broader responsibility of representing Abia North in the Senate.

 

He said his central objective was to bridge the existing developmental gaps across Abia North and extend his interventions beyond Arochukwu and Ohafia to Bende, Isuikwuato and Umunneochi, if elected.