Diaspora Anioma Leaders Kick-Off Search For Delta Governor 2015

An interactive session of Anioma leaders and representatives of Anioma associations and organizations in Diaspora from countries across five continents met on Saturday, April 13, 2013 with a prominent Political Economist, Professor Patrick Okedinachi Utomi, to kick start the series of interactive sessions in the search for a viable Anioma candidate for Delta State Governor in 2015.

The meeting was initiated and facilitated by Anioma World Assembly (AWA).  AWA Chairman, Dr. Charles Oseji, in his opening remark noted that:

 “Anioma World Assembly (AWA), an inter-continental interest group which represents leadership of all Anioma Associations in Diaspora, embarked on this mission to ensure that a tested and viable candidate with enviable track record emerges as Delta State Governor in 2015”.

AWA is partnering with twenty-six Delta State organizations cutting across ethnic divide, local and international, by collaborating with diverse advocacy groups in designing a platform to vet candidates of Anioma extraction with a view to presenting to the entire Delta State with a candidate without “excess baggage” that would be  acceptable to all ethnic nationalities in the state.

AWA’s guest at the interactive session, Professor Pat Utomi, decried the deteriorating security situation in THE COUNTRY. He expressed concern that development in Delta is not where we should be compared with some other South-South States; and expressed relief that the State has begun to do something about Schools where we had followed far behind Rivers State. He noted that we are still behind Akwa-Ibom State and emphasized that we should focus more on the future than on passing the bulk about who to blame about the past.

Prof Utomi condemned the politics of personal aggrandisement by current Nigeria leadership and queried the viability of quick fix regime of rent seeking being promoted as economic empowerment. He decried the extent of poverty in the land which has greatly reduced the quality of life of PEOPLE OF NIGERIA.

He noted that in a recent review of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) publication- ‘The Human Development Report’, Human Development Index (HDI), a composite index measuring average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development- a long and healthy life, knowledge and decent standard of living, indicates that Delta Region is at the same level with Northern States.

Utomi, pointed to how UNICEF Country Representative lamented on the state of Niger Delta Region during a recent presentation at Lagos Business School (LBS), and more recent concern expressed by stakeholders at BRACED Commission Retreat held in Akwa-Ibom State.

He emphasized that his mission in Public Life at any level, including the Gubernatorial one in Delta State, would be to replace politics with governance pointing at his effort to create a Silicon Valley around Illah, Delta State, about ten years ago which was deliberately frustrated by the then Government of Delta State.

Prof Utomi indicated that he shares the yearnings, wishes and call of the good people of Delta State of different ethnic extraction to become actively involved in Politics in Delta State, and promised to make himself available to such service.

He emphasized that Delta People should focus on finding persons of capacity, commitment, character and compassion rather than ethnic origin. He indicated that he would be active in that regard through the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) or through any other Party that it may become part of.

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS WERE REACHD AT THE MEETING:

Anioma World Assembly (AWA) resolved to and urges politicians in Delta North to pursue cooperation and collaboration with Delta Central and Delta South Senatorial zones as no zone can independently produce a governor for the entire state without the support of the other zones.

·AWA believes in equity, justice and fair play, a united Delta State and open to working with all lovers of progress for the common good of all Deltans.

 AWA is vehemently opposed to and rebuke the double standard of Delta politicians and their rent seeking cabals who place their personal interest above the common good of Deltans and perpetuating poverty and underdevelopment in Delta State.

AWA believes that the survival of the oppressed and impoverished Deltans in the current political and democratic dispensation in Nigeria rests on presenting a common front and forging a political alliance across Delta North, Delta Central and Delta South Senatorial zones.

 
ABOUT ANIOMA WORLD ASSEMBLY.

 Anioma World Assembly (AWA) is the union of Leaders and or Accredited Representatives of Anioma Associations in Diaspora working towards the unification of Anioma people in Diaspora.

Motto: “One People Boundless and Indivisible”

Our mission is to improve upon lives of Anioma in their various communities by mobilizing the caring power of concerned individuals around the world to advance the common good of inhabitants of Anioma Nation.

Aims and Objectives:

(a) To advocate for Anioma at the highest level
(b) To internalize Anioma matters and work for the general good of Anioma
(c) To seek to attain one global Anioma voice by perfecting a global Anioma Union.
(d) To render selfless and positive services for the wellbeing of Anioma

Anioma nu, ofu obi, udo n’oganihu

Sign:
Dr. Charles Oseji, AWA Chairman (Atlanta, USA.),
Collins Uche Moweta,   AWA, DSG Publicity & Media (Moscow, Russia),
Echiemeze Chizekene Ofili, AWA Secretary General, U.S.A