“Look at what one man, who has no budget, has done. Alex Mbata is not in the House of Assembly, not in the House of Representatives, not in the Senate. He is not a governor or a president, but from his personal sweat, he remembered his people.”
These were the words of Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State at the 2021 N1 billion empowerment programme sponsored by Prince Alex Mbata, as he highlighted the contrast between public office holders who receive government funding and a private individual deploying personal resources to support thousands of people. A video of the governor’s remarks at the event, held at Ndubuisi Kanu Square, Owerri, has resurfaced, bringing renewed attention to his public acknowledgement of Mbata’s intervention.
Over 10,000 men, women and youths drawn from the nine local government areas of Owerri zone had benefitted from cash gifts, thousands of sewing machines, motorcycles, and other items doled by his Mbata ans his PAM Humanitarian Foundation at the event.
Uzodimma, who was impressed by the scale of the initiative, said Mbata had undertaken the programme without occupying any political office or benefiting from a government budget. He specifically listed the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship and presidency as public offices Mbata did not hold, before emphasising that the businessman cum Philanthropist had nevertheless remembered his people through resources generated from his personal efforts.
The governor, accompained by top government officials and party chieftains at the event went further to offer prayers for Mbata, expressing the hope that God would continually enlarge his capacity to undertake more humanitarian interventions.
“I beg the Almighty God that, the way he (Mbata) remembered his people, God Almighty, who gave him the wisdom, the strength and courage to do this, will continue to increase, increase, increase him in multiple folds. May God bless all of us,” Uzodimma said.
Mbata has never occupied an elected or appointed public office. Beyond the N1 billion empowerment programme, which was designed to provide economic support and opportunities to thousands of beneficiaries, he has undertaken other humanitarian interventions, including road construction and community development projects across Owerri zone.
The resurfaced video has attracted renewed attention as Mbata currently flies the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as its candidate for Imo East Senatorial District, also known as Owerri Zone, in the 2027 general election.
