Unemployed youths, others queue behind Ubah

 Ifeanyi Ubah was born on September 3, 1971 into the family of late Mr. and Mrs Alphonsus Ubah of Umuanuka, Otolo in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations. Ubah, a successful business mogul, was the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director ,Capital Oil & Gas Industries Limited. He took the company as dominant leader in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry to its enviable height within nine years through visionary leadership.

He was at various times board member and chairman of Knoll & Hachfer Engineering Co Ltd; Chevron Oronite & Chemical Co Ltd; Hero Communications Ltd; First Nigeria Independent Oil Co Ltd; Commodity Giants Nigeria Limited; Capital Group Congo; Oil Force Nigeria Limited, among others.

He was profiled by the Oxford Brooks Magazine as one of the “Forty under Forty 2009”, that is, the top forty young Nigerian business leaders under the age of forty.

Strengths

Ubah’s manifesto of building and transforming Anambra State into a modern, safe and an industrial hub of Africa might not be a fluke going by what he was able to achieve in the private sector.  He has the drive, the youthfulness, and the connections to do and achieve his visions for the state. He has planned to touch the lives of the down trodden and create jobs for the teeming numbers of jobless youths roaming the streets of major towns and villages in Anambra. He is an avid philanthropist and a motivator par excellence. He established an Educational Foundation that gives students free university education, the first of its kind in the South-East, particularly Nnewi, sunk boreholes for his community, installed electricity transformers, engages in constant repair/grading of community roads and he provides free fuel to the popular “okada” riders and bus drivers every Monday in all his filling stations.

Weaknesses

His major weakness  was the allegation of unpaid bank loans which attracted inquiries from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He is from the same senatorial district with the APC candidate, Ngige, so there will be vote split.

Supporters

His greatest support is coming from the youths who believe that Ubah would find solution to their problem of unemployment.

The battle will be fierce today as a clash between supporters of APGA and those of LP was averted on Thursday in Nnewi during political campaigns. This came after  the APC candidate raised  the alarm that his campaign van was destroyed in Anaocha Local Government Area, the base of the incumbent governor, Peter Obi, and APGA national chairman, Chief Victor Umeh due to intolerance.

Meanwhile, the late entrance of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mr. Victor Nwoye, into the race may have gingered all others to work extra hard. For instance, it is alleged that the PDP is spending N7m in each of the 321 wards of the state to canvass for votes.