2027: FOND Holds Interactive Section With Anambra South Aspirants, Reafirms Commitment To Promoting Good Governance
By Jude Nwankwo
The Federation of Old Nnewi Division, FOND, has restated its commitment to promoting accountability, transparency, unity and sustainable development by providing a platform for elected public office holders and political aspirants to engage directly with stakeholders across the division.
The National President of FOND, Dr. J.A.P. Okolo, stated this during a stakeholders’ engagement held at St. Cletus Church, Otolo Nnewi, where he said the forum was designed to deepen political consciousness, encourage constructive dialogue and enable the people to assess the stewardship and development plans of their representatives and political aspirants.
Dr Okolo explained that FOND is a non-partisan platform comprising the eighteen communities of the Old Nnewi Division across Ekwusigo, Nnewi North and Nnewi South Local Government Areas, with a mandate to promote unity, collaboration, dialogue and peaceful resolution of issues affecting the people.
One of the major politicians at the gathering was the NDC senatorial candidate for Anambra South, Chief Ebuka Onunkwo, who promised to make poverty reduction, agriculture, education and economic empowerment major priorities if elected.
Onunkwo, who is also Chairman of Seahorse Lubricant Industries Limited, said his interest in public service was rooted in his personal experience of hardship. He recalled that despite performing well academically, he once came close to dropping out of school because his family could not afford his fees.
He said the experience shaped his commitment to helping others, stressing that his ambition was not driven by personal enrichment but by the desire to expand the philanthropic interventions he had already undertaken.
The Member representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Peter Uzokwe, also used the platform to defend his record and announce plans for another term.
Uzokwe said his representation would continue to focus on education, healthcare and infrastructure, citing classroom rehabilitation and scholarships among his interventions.
He further announced plans to distribute more than 400 blood pressure monitors, continue his annual free medical outreach, provide solar-powered streetlights across communities and introduce skill acquisition programmes in correctional centres.
The lawmaker also based his bid for a second term on the existing zoning arrangement of the old Nnewi Federal Constituency, which he said places the House of Representatives seat in Ekwusigo until 2031 before rotating to Nnewi South.
The gathering which also witnessed the presence of the Federal House of Representatives’ candidate of the Labour Party, Chief Ikenna Okafor, NDC Candidate for Anambra State House of Assembly (Ekwusigo), Engineer Theo Egbe, featured interactive sessions between the stakeholders and aspirants for various elective positions, during which the aspirants outlined their plans and pledged to prioritize the development of the zone if elected into the various offices.
