2027: I won’t embark on white elephant projects, says Odii

…PDP candidate harps on issue-based campaign

By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki

ABAKALIKI — The Ebonyi State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2027 election, Chief Ifeanyichukwuma Odii, has said he will not embark on white elephant projects if elected governor of the state.

Odii said his administration would prioritise projects that directly affect the lives and livelihoods of the people, particularly farmers, education, healthcare and security.

The PDP candidate stated this while addressing party stakeholders in his country home, Isu, in Onicha Local Government Area of the state.

He said that within his first year in office, his administration would construct access roads to enable farmers to reach their farms and transport their produce to markets.

Odii also said he would not embark on the construction of flyovers, which he described as a low priority, but would instead complete viable projects initiated by the incumbent administration.

“I will not embark on a white elephant project. I won’t build flyover. I’m not going to do that because it is not a priority. I won’t talk much, but take me by what I said,” he said.

The governorship candidate said his decision to contest the election was driven by his desire to contribute to the development of Ebonyi State and improve the welfare of its people.

He said his priorities would include improving access to quality education, strengthening primary healthcare, supporting peasant farmers and enhancing security across the state.

“We want good governance. We want our children to have access to good education. We want our primary healthcare to work. We want our peasant farmers to be able to go back to the farm.

“We want security to be well adequate for every son and daughter. We don’t want any communal crisis anymore,” Odii said.

He also urged his supporters not to be intimidated during the electoral process, calling on them to maintain decorum and engage in issue-based campaigns.

“If you vote, protect your votes. Do not allow any person to intimidate you. The time for paying back is almost here. If you deliver your polling booth, you have written your name in a golden book,” he said.

Odii said his campaign would focus on his record as a private citizen and challenge other candidates to demonstrate what they had done for their communities before seeking public office.

He said: “When we start campaigning, I’ll be campaigning as a private citizen. And that is my campaign slogan. Tell me what you’ve done.

“I will show you what I’ve done. If you can do it as a private citizen, then I will bow before you and I will surrender, I will resign and allow you to continue.

“But if you have not been able to care when you are a private citizen, to show love to the people, to be able to take care of the needy, to pay hospital bills, to make sure that children go to school, to give houses to people, to get people to start businesses, then I will say, no, you don’t have what it takes to govern right now.”

He said the PDP campaign would be issue-based and centred on constructive criticism of government policies and programmes.

“Our campaign message is going to be an issue-based campaign. Constructive criticism in the areas where government has not done well. And then if there’s any place we found they’re doing well, we acknowledge it.

“I’m not a sadist, and I will never be. But our campaign message is going to be an issue-based campaign,” Odii said.

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