•RIVERS APC Candidate Engr. NDUBUISI NWANKWO
The race for who to represent Rivers East Senatorial District in February 25th 2023 is hotting up, as Engineer Ndubuisi Nwankwo the APC candidate in Rivers State is poised to defeat his opponents with programmatic approach, devoid of fanfare, but grassroot interface, with the electorate in his Senatorial district. He has been a vibrant politician from his youthful days, with his academic excellence as a scholar and entrepreneur.
Engineer Ndubuisi Nwankwo hails from Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State which was carved out from Ikwerre/Etche Local government Area of Old Rivers State, now under Etche Nation ethnic nationality, in the now Rivers State. He is popularly addressed as Bisi, by his political followers and admirers who cherish his gentle, but serious dispositions in solving societal developments. This clever and handsome gentleman is an accomplished politician who is still hungry to render more service to his people come 25th February, 2023.
On Saturday 24th of December 2022, at his Port Harcourt country home spoke to City People Magazine Port Harcourt Bureau Chief, Emeka Amaefula (+234(0)8111813069) on key issues pertaining to his love for politics and his obedience to honour Dame Judith O. Amaechi, the wife of APC leader in Rivers State, His Excellency Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi whose wife celebrated her 52nd birthday on 24th of December, 2022. Excerpts.
At what time did you develop interest in Politics?
I have been in Politics right from my days as a youth. When I was in the University, I was deeply involved in Students’ Union Government-SUG Politics. In fact, in 1997 in Kaduna, as I was working after the National Youth Service Corps -NYSC Scheme when this current political dispensation started in 1998, I had to run back home to Rivers state because of Politics. As for me, I don’t care what anybody will say, I am a career Politician. For me, Politics is a Career. And that is my career. It is not like I don’t have any other business, I have businesses that I am doing, of course I am a qualified Engineer being a COREN registered Mechanical Engineer. I have a Doctor of Philosophy Ph.D degree in Management. I am a member of Nigerian Institute of Management-NIM.I am a member of British Institute of Management. So, professionally I think, I am okay. But my passion, my love is in politics. That is why I am taking politics as a career.
How do you define politics?
For me, it is purely Service and making life better for our people.
Let us have a run down of your academic background?
I studied at Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-Orowurokwo, Port Harcourt, now Rivers State University Nkpolu Orowurokwo Port Harcourt. I studied Mechanical Engineering -Bachelor of Technology B. Tech Engineering degree. I have a first-degree B. Tech Bachelor’s degree in Technology, which is the highest in First degree in engineering while others will have Bachelor’s degree, B. Engineering or B.Sc Engineering but the highest in that class is B. Tech being Bachelor’s Degree in Technology. I am not saying that other first degrees are inferior. No, but B. Tech is better. After that I proceeded to the University of Nigeria Nsukka UNN the famous University of Nigeria where I studied for a Masters’ Degree In Business Administration, MBA. Then followed by a Doctor of Philosophy Degree Ph.D in Business Administration.
Now somebody will ask you if politics is all that you know, what are your working experiences like?
I did not say politics is all that I know. But I said that is my passion. Like I said, I read Mechanical Engineering and after NYSC Service in Kaduna, Kaduna State I was retained by the company where I served known as YS Technical Nigeria Limited, it is an Engineering Firm. That’s where I was before the current political dispensation came.
That’s before nature called you to politics?
Yes(laughs).
I am also a farmer. In fact, I have one of the biggest Farms in Rivers State currently. I am also a manufacturer as we speak, I have a water Processing company. I also have a Medical Equipment Company. I am a Consultant. I am an Investment Banker. But in all these my passion is politics. But for these other ones to me they are my businesses. But politics is what makes me fulfilled. It is what gives me joy. I want to serve. I like to serve. I am also a Philanthropist. That one gives me joy too.
What is the name of your Foundation?
I am the Executive Vice Chairman of Mercy Nwankwo Foundation, Mercy Nwankwo Foundation is named after my late mother. For over 20-years I have been involved in philanthropy where we offer helping hands to the needy. We organize Free Medical Outreach. We give out Scholarships. We assist those who cannot afford to buy Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME / Joint Admission Matriculation Board-JAMB organized Admission Forms to buy them. A lot of network that I am involved in.
When we look at politics, people seem to believe that those involved in it are not honest people, are you an honest man?
Well, you have known me for over 20-years so, you should know whether I am an honest man or not. Anybody who says politicians are not honest, it is like every other part of life. There are dishonest people everywhere as it’s not only in politics. I can’t blow my own trumpet but I can allow people to tell you what they know about me. Like I said that you have known me over the years, so you are supposed to say whether I am honest or not. But I try my best not to be dishonest. I do my best not to hurt the other person. I do my best not to tell lies, because there’s this common adage that if you tell one lie you need to tell ten lies to cover that one lie.
Since the creation of Rivers state in 1967 to date Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency has not produced any senator, Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Chief Judge of Rivers state except Deputy Governor under late Melford Okilo when Dominic Anucha was Deputy Governor for few-months, how did you find it easy to emerge as Candidate for Rivers East of APC?
First of all, our party, the All Progressives Congress-APC, zoned the Senate to the Etche Nation. If you follow up our campaign you will find out that for me Rivers East Senatorial Zone was keenly contested within our party APC. It was for me against Nnamdi Okere and Captain Sunday Nwankwo. Yes, three of us were those who went to the polls so it was a keenly contested election primaries and by His grace I won. Not that it was as a result of hard work but by His grace I won the Primaries.
Your party APC in Rivers State has not been in power for the past seven and half years since 2015 to date, how can you be able to galvanize votes for yourself during election into Rivers EAST Senatorial District in RIVERS STATE?
Don’t forget that PDP has been in power for 16 years and APC was able to topple them in 2015, APC won that election without being in power. We are also letting the people know the difference between our party APC and PDP that has been ruling this state since 1998 to date. The people will look at what we have for them vis a viz what Rivers people want especially what this current government has done in the past and they will take a decision. I can tell you if going by the way it is now, given the new electoral Act 2022, we are home to the people of Rivers State. We are loved by our people. I am sure they will be able to vote for us because the outgoing government is a big disappointment to the people. And they are yearning for positive change. People want change. That is why we are hopeful. That is why of course we are not God but we know that we will win the election. We are in touch with the grassroot and we are in touch with them every day. By His grace they will vote for us.
When somebody goes around Rivers East Senatorial District your campaign posters are not easily seen quite unlike that of Chief Allwell Onyesoh your PDP opponent, what went wrong?
Everybody has his own strategy; my strategy is to go around to the grassroot and have one-on-one contacts as I still have posters all over the place. Like you said, they may not be as many as that of others. But my strategy is to go down to the grassroot and have one-On-One contact with Voters in Rivers East as posters don’t win elections. But posters only remind people that this man is there. The major thing is to have an interface with voters, the people that is what we have been doing.
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