AA candidate says Ndokwa/Ukwuani must turn oil, gas and electricity resources into jobs, investment and wider economic opportunities
By Emmanuel Enebeli
The Action Alliance (AA) candidate for the House of Representatives seat in Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, Ogbuefi Nicholas Onyekachukwu Enubuzor, has called for a stronger connection between the constituency’s oil and gas resources and the economic opportunities available to its people.
Enubuzor, who spoke in an exclusive interview with Ndokwa Reporters ahead of the 2027 general election, said Ndokwa/Ukwuani should not remain economically poor despite its natural resources.
“We should not live in a resource-rich environment and remain economically poor,” he said.
According to him, the objective should be to move beyond the extraction of natural resources and develop an economy in which local people and businesses participate meaningfully in the value chain.
He said young people should be trained for technical, professional and commercial opportunities within industries operating in the area, while local businesses should be positioned to provide legitimate services to the oil and gas sector.
‘We must go beyond extraction’
The AA candidate said oil and gas should serve as a foundation for broader economic development rather than remain an end in itself.
He identified electricity, good roads, educational institutions, student accommodation, recreational facilities and a safe environment as some of the conditions that could encourage investors to look beyond oil and gas.
He said such development could open opportunities in tourism, hospitality, real estate, agribusiness and small businesses, thereby giving young people more economic options.
“A beautiful community is not merely beautiful. It is an economic asset,” Enubuzor said.
He argued that improving the physical environment of communities should therefore be viewed as part of economic development rather than merely an aesthetic exercise.
Electricity as an ‘economic emergency’
Enubuzor also identified electricity as one of the major issues requiring urgent attention in Ndokwa/Ukwuani.
He said it was difficult to explain why communities associated with major power generation could continue to experience persistent darkness.
“I believe we need to approach electricity as an economic emergency,” he said.
Rather than making a general promise to provide electricity, the candidate said his first step in the National Assembly would be to establish the precise technical problems responsible for poor electricity supply across the constituency.
He listed possible challenges including transmission, distribution, inadequate substations, insufficient transformers, overloaded feeders and communities that may be technically underserved.
According to him, identifying the specific problems would make it possible to pursue the appropriate legislative, budgetary and oversight interventions.
He said he would engage relevant ministries, agencies and electricity authorities and push for Ndokwa’s electricity challenges to receive serious attention.
Beyond the national grid
The AA candidate said his proposed approach would not depend entirely on the national grid.
He advocated exploring solar-powered mini-grids and other decentralised energy solutions for communities requiring them.
Enubuzor said the success of any electricity intervention should ultimately be measured by actual improvements experienced by residents.
“The goal should be measurable,” he said.
He added that by the end of a first term, constituents should be able to identify specific electricity infrastructure pursued and delivered, as well as tangible improvements in electricity supply within their communities.
From resources to opportunities
For Enubuzor, the electricity question is closely connected to the wider economic future of Ndokwa/Ukwuani.
He argued that reliable electricity can allow businesses to operate, while good roads can connect farmers to markets and improved education can equip young people to participate in the modern economy.
His proposed development model therefore links infrastructure with employment, investment and human capital.
He said the constituency needs agricultural processing that can create jobs, tourism and hospitality opportunities, student housing that can stimulate economic activity, and attractive communities capable of encouraging businesses to establish themselves.
He also wants young people connected to opportunities created by companies operating within their environment.
“I want the day to come when a young man from Ndokwa does not look at a motorcycle as the highest economic opportunity available to him,” he said.
Instead, he wants young people to be able to say:
“I have a job. I have a career. I have a business. I have a future.”
He described that as the kind of empowerment he wants to promote.
A development agenda beyond oil
The candidate’s position is that Ndokwa/Ukwuani’s natural resources should be used to create an economy capable of surviving and growing beyond the oil and gas sector.
That vision, he said, requires the constituency to connect its natural resources with infrastructure, education, agriculture, tourism, business development and employment.
His proposals include stronger local participation in the oil and gas value chain, improved electricity infrastructure, alternative energy solutions and an environment capable of attracting investment.
The AA candidate said he would ultimately want his performance judged not by speeches but by measurable outcomes.
“Not speeches. Not promises. Infrastructure and results,” he said, outlining electricity intervention as one of the five areas by which he wants constituents to hold him accountable if elected in 2027.
