By Emmanuel Enebeli
KWALE/Nigeria: As political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general election, the Action Alliance (AA) candidate for the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, Ogbuefi Nicholas Onyekachukwu Enubuzor, has said his ambition to represent the constituency is driven by a desire to pursue a broader development agenda for the people.
Enubuzor, who spoke exclusively with Ndokwa Reporters, said he believes Ndokwa/Ukwuani can achieve significantly more in terms of economic development, environmental planning, infrastructure and opportunities for young people.
According to him, his interest in the 2027 contest goes beyond becoming a member of the House of Representatives, as he wants to contribute to building communities that are “clean, green, safe, beautiful and economically vibrant.”
“Ndokwa/Ukwuani can and should be much better than it is today,” Enubuzor said.
He said his vision includes properly planned communities with public parks, green spaces, recreational facilities, pedestrian infrastructure, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and better-managed roads.
He also spoke of the possibility of incorporating modern security technologies, including CCTV systems, into public spaces and major pedestrian corridors.
According to him, his exposure to other African communities has strengthened his conviction that many of the changes he envisages for Ndokwa/Ukwuani are achievable through deliberate planning, maintenance and purposeful leadership.
“I have travelled to different African countries and deliberately showcased small towns to our people, showing them what is possible when communities are properly planned, maintained and secured,” he said.
Enubuzor argued that the difference between some of those communities and Ndokwa/Ukwuani is not necessarily the availability of resources, but the choices made in planning, development and leadership.
“Why can we not have that in Ndokwa?” he asked.
‘Our challenges are interconnected’
The AA candidate said the challenges facing the constituency should not be treated as isolated problems.
He identified electricity, roads, youth unemployment, flooding, education, security, urban planning and economic opportunities as interconnected issues requiring a coordinated development strategy.
He said his approach would be to pursue a comprehensive development philosophy aimed at giving Ndokwa/Ukwuani a clearer economic and environmental identity.
Enubuzor said local government headquarters and major communities should receive greater attention in terms of planning, drainage, public spaces, recreation, pedestrian infrastructure and security.
He also proposed exploring student housing in major local government capitals as a way of attracting students, professionals, businesses and other residents, arguing that increased population and economic activity could stimulate demand for restaurants, shops, transport services, entertainment and other businesses.
“I want our communities to become places people want to visit, places where people want to invest and places where people are proud to live,” he said.
On the incumbent, Ezechi
Asked to assess the performance of the incumbent member representing the constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi of the APC, Enubuzor said he would not personalise the contest.
He said he respected both the office and the mandate given to the incumbent by the electorate.
“I do not believe political competition requires personal attacks,” he said, adding that his responsibility as a candidate was to explain what he believed could be done differently and better.
Enubuzor, however, argued that the constituency still faced significant challenges in electricity, roads, employment, education, healthcare, flooding, agricultural development and the general physical development of its communities.
His argument, he said, was not that nothing had been done, but whether the constituency had reached where it ought to be.
“Are we where we should be? If the answer is no, then the people have every right to consider another direction. I want to present that direction,” he said.
He promised that his proposed representation would be more focused on advocacy, transparency, development planning, investment and economic opportunities.
‘Vote for a vision, not against somebody’
Explaining why voters should consider changing their representative in 2027, Enubuzor said the decision should be based on the standard of representation the electorate wants.
He said he was not asking constituents to vote against an individual but to vote for a vision.
“I am not asking them to vote against somebody. I am asking them to vote for a vision.”
Enubuzor also criticised what he described as a political culture in which voters receive small gifts during elections and are subsequently expected to surrender their political future in exchange.
He said Ndokwa/Ukwuani people deserved representation that could be measured by the opportunities and development created rather than merely by items distributed.
“There is a profound difference between dependency and development,” he said.
He said his ultimate objective was to create an environment where constituents could obtain sustainable livelihoods, build businesses, secure employment and participate meaningfully in the local economy.
For Enubuzor, the 2027 contest is therefore not simply about occupying a seat in the National Assembly, but about testing whether the constituency can adopt a different approach to political representation and development.
The AA candidate’s broader proposals on electricity, oil and gas, youth employment, agriculture, education, flooding and economic development will be examined in the next instalment of this Ndokwa Reporters exclusive interview series.
