Radical surgeon and a governorship aspirant in Imo State, Dr. Phllip Njemanze has revealed that since since 1902 Owerri became the capital of the British empire South East province, no one from Owerri has become Imo State Governor.
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He said Owerri deserve the governorship seat in 2019 because they have made huge sacrifices for the State.
“Owerri people have sacrificed all their lands and homes for the sake of development” Njemanze said
The whistle-blower said he is a founding member of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA having brought the late founder of the party, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to his home.
“I personally drafted DIM Odumegwu Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburugburu) to run as Presidential candidate of APGA and announced his candidature to the World at Concord Hotel Owerri. I was a very good friend to His Excellency Odumegwu Ojukwu.
On his plans for the State, Njemanze who blew open a contentious law that seek to encourage abortion in the State, said he has outlined a comprehensive plan for the people of the State.
“I have had a longstanding interest in improving the lives of Imo People and Nigerians in general as a medical doctor, international scientist and human rights activist. My governorship would be a major departure from what is known to many people in governance. In Nigeria, you can distinguish three types of governors in Nigeria (a) Allocation governors (b) Tax-and-spend governors, and (c) Innovative governors. I intend to be an Innovative Governor of Imo State. My program acronym is I.G.B.O – Innovative Governance with Brilliant Originality.
“The biggest resource I want to tap is the talents and creativity of Imo people, who are the most creative people in the World. In 1964, according to the World Bank, Eastern Nigeria was the fastest growing regional economy in the world based mainly on agricultural palm produce in Imo State. We will diversify the economy into other areas of science and technology. We will become the center of software production in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the world. We already have developed the science at my center here in Owerri, that is, the most sophisticated human brain-machine interface system on which artificial intelligence is based on. We have mapped out a whole area in the Mbaise-Ngor Okpala axis for the High-Technology Development Zone specializing on Artificial Intelligence software development.
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“We planned Solar Power and Wind Renewable Energy in Okigwe for 24-hour power in Imo State, this project would be built by our Nigerian engineers in collaboration with the Chinese under the One-Belt One-Road initiative (OBOR). As a member of the Nigeria-China Business Council we are interested in Alternative Renewable Energy mainly Solar and Wind, and I coordinated the effort of the council to develop the template for Renewable Energy both for Urban and Rural Electrification in Imo State.
“The Imo-Ring Road project to every LGA will assure transportation of goods and services to rural areas. The Oguta Olympic Village would provide sports training facilities for our youths. We have designed the Orlu International Free Trade Zone and areas for agrotechnology development.
“The Owerri Cultural Heritage City will reveal the Cultural Heritage of Our People dating back millennia and will become a source of tourism development” Njemanze stated.