Ebonyi PDP Governorship Candidate To Prioritise Education At All Levels

The Governorship Candidate of People’s Democratic Party PDP in Ebonyi State Southeast Nigeria, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii has held a town hall meeting with students in various tertiary institutions in the state.

The meeting was to discuss how he could invest in Education if elected Governor of the State in the forthcoming General election.

Dr Odii, addressing the students, represented by their different Students Union Governments (SUGs) leadership said that his administration would prioritise higher education to improve learning and research if elected.

He promised to revamp the ailing state-owned tertiary educational institutions including the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki and the Ebonyi State College of Education Ikwo (ESCOI) for better service delivery.

Improve infrastructure

The PDP Guber candidate who highlighted the importance of higher education in nation-building also pledged to improve infrastructures in the federally owned higher institutions in the state.

He urged the students to shun cultism and all forms of antisocial behaviour that could put their future and educational attainment in jeopardy.

Resist being used

He further urged them to shun substance abuse and to resist being used as political thugs by politicians in the forthcoming general elections.

Odii called on the students to join in the ‘Take-back’ Nigeria campaign by participating effectively in the election process.

“I urge you to remain change agents. As you know, youths are nation-builders; you must shun all acts likely to undermine the current electoral process by doing the right thing and voting according to your conscience.

” By the grace of God, our government that is coming will tackle the decay in the various institutions of higher learning so that you can learn under a very conducive environment; this is our commitment, and we must bring it to pass,” Odii said.

Industrialisation

Odii, who also promised to grow the state’s economy through industrialisation if elected announced that he would award scholarships to the best students from secondary, tertiary and higher degrees students.

“We have no fewer than 2000 students benefitting from our university scholarships pursuing different academic programmes in universities and other institutions of higher learning within Nigeria and overseas under the Ebele-Anyichuks Foundation,” he stated.

The director of Students Affairs in the PDP Governorship Campaign Council (GCC), Mr Humphrey Nwukuru who spoke on behalf of the students said that students were poised to bringing the desired change through voting for credible candidates during the election.

He commended the guber candidate for his intention to prioritise education in the state giving assurance that the Nigerian students in the various institutions of higher learning were solidly behind his aspiration.

“Your Excellency, we thank you for finding time to meet with us despite your very tight programme.

“We thank you for your promise to revamp tertiary education in the state for improved learning and research because sound education is the best form of legacy to bequeath to the people.

” We assure you that we will continue to be good ambassadors of our various institutions and that we will project the positive image of the state and the country in general in all our conduct.

“Again, we assure you of our support and commitment towards the realisation of the governorship project,” Nwuruku said.

Students’ union representatives from Ebonyi State University(EBSU), Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo (AEFUNAI) and Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Uwana in Afikpo attended the meeting.

Lateefah Ibrahim