by A front line contender for the Obudu State Constituency election comes 2023, Dr Godwin Agbor has stated that look up to Sen Prof Ben Ayade then when he was in the private sector. He started by giving scholarship where some of my close relations benefited. He became my role model looking at the trajectory of what he has achieved and done for our people.
Dr Agbor disclosed to TheLumineNews in an interview:
TLN: Can we meet you please?
Dr Agbor: I am Dr Godwin Agbor, Medical Director, Omega Agbor Clinic and Maternity, Okundi-Boki LGA. Currently, I am the General Secretary, Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Cross River State chapter. Businessman and politician.
I hail from Utugwang South, Obudu LGA of Cross River State. I am a member of the All Progressive Congress APC and was the party flag bearer for the December 2020 bye-election for Obudu State Constituency.
I served as the Supervisor, APC membership revalidation/registration exercise for Obudu, 2021. I also served in the reconciliatory committee that harmonized the previous factions in the party in Obudu.
I was the poineer ward Secretary of the defunct All People’s Party APP in 1999, during which time I donated an apartment for the ward secretariat, opposite St Paul’s Primary School, Ukpada. I am a Knight of St Molumba Nigeria, as the Sub Council Physician for St Patrick’s Parish Kakwagom, Boki Local Government Area.
TLN: What is your motivation to serve?
Dr Agbor: I have a strong passion to serving humanity. That is why I chose medical profession whose motive is ‘service to humanity’ This I have been quitely doing for more than a decade now. Quite a number of our constituents used to receive assistance by way of the health needs and empowerment. I feel fulfilled at providing such services.
Secondly, when I was still in the primary school, in 1989, I took first in a gifted scholarship exams, Organised by the then Minister of Education, Prof Jubril. Then our late Elderstatesman , Denis Akwaji, addressed and gave me support to be kind to our people after completion of my studies. He used to attract a lot of infrastructural and manpower development to Obudu and Nigeria at large. So he became my role model and I got inspired to aspire into position which I can serve my constituency to the best of my ability with God on my side.
Thirdly, l look up to Sen Prof Ben Ayade then when he was in the private sector. He started by giving scholarship where some of my close relations benefited. He became my role model looking at the trajectory of what he has achieved and done for our people. He has raised the bar beyond what any of us can think of as far as Obudu is concerned.
TLN: What is your plans for youth inclusiveness in your policy formulation and implementation?
Dr Agbor: I am a youth to start with. I don’t think my policy trust will be fair without the very strata I belong. The youths deserve to be fully involved in all level of governance because they constitute more than 60 percent of the entire population. The youth have the energy, the mental alertness and the proficiency to drive any process. Just as my leader, mentor and role model, Prof Ben Ayade has shown that 80 percent of his administrative drive constitutes the youths. I shall ensure that if voted into office to represent the good people of Obudu, sponsor bills that are youths centered in areas of Information and Communication Technology ICT, agriculture, entertainment and sports development.
TLN: How do you intend to harness the vast potentials in the youths to solving the myriads of challenges confronting us using the Tech Solution?
Dr Agbor: You have said it all that the youths are energetic, full of wisdom and they explore a lot as seen in ICT. It is unfortunate that some bad elements among us indulged in cyber Yahoo Yahoo activities, which is a criminal cyber security issue. I think this trend can be reversed. Those boys can be engaged, retrained by psychologists as to use same knowledge and ideas to provide modern security in technology, by government at all levels, private organizations or individuals instead of allowing them idle. “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop”
TLN: How do you intend to advance the course of empowerment in your constituency?
Dr Agbor: Giving of motorcycles, sewing machines and grinding machines is not a bad idea. But I will go a step further to include giving scholarship to intellectually sound constituents, skills acquisition, craftsmanship and business training to enhance small and medium enterprise as well as partner with organizations that provide credit facility for my constituents.
TLN: Bearing in mind that your constituents are predominantly peasant farmers, what is your plan to advance their livelihood?
Dr Agbor: The APC led government already have in place programmes like the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, which have seen a lots of our people cultivate more rice and cereal crops. I will facilitate more of my constituents to benefit from such programmes by working very closely with my leaders at the centre. This can improve their means of livelihood in poultry, fisheries, cassava farming etc.
TLN: How do you intend to change the narrative of poor stakeholder’s engagement in your constituency?
Dr Agbor: I wouldn’t agree with you completely on this, but I think more robust contributions from stakeholder’s engagement is the way to go. Yes our leaders need to be properly engaged, carry along with the policies of government to avoid friction in the politics. I will hold meetings regularly so that what the people want, government can provide with the limited available resources. Don’t forget, Cross River State has been denied her God given resources in the political lost of her 76 Oil wells to our sister state, Akwa Ibom. In the same vein, Bakassi was ceded to Cameroon. This by extension has drastically reduced our revenue base. I use to wonder what this present administration of Sen Prof Ben Ayade is doing that he has achieved so much with limited resources.
TLN: Your party, the All Progressive Congress APC, in recent times is known for consensus, do you have the confidence that the party will provide a level playing ground for you to advance your aspiration?
Dr Agbor: Yes I am very confident that my party, APC leaders, critical stakeholders and members will give us the level playing ground for all of us who want to aspire to achieve it. I am qualified by training, by political experiences, and what I have done as a private medical practitioner to my people.
I have no doubt in my mind that which ever modalities my party adopts for the primaries election, I will be supported again. And don’t forget, the last bye-election, for Obudu State Constituency, 2020, I emerged party flag bearer via a consensus.
More importantly, the APC led Chairman in the state, Barr Alphonsus Ogar Eba have shown tremendous capacity. He is a man who is simple and accessable who have galvanized the party and will want the popular person to emerge through a transparent, fair and level playing process, so that the APC can win the general election.
TLN: How have you impacted your people previously?
Dr Agbor: My dear, I think that question will have rather being for my people to answer, knowing what I have done for them so far. However, don’t forget I told you that I have been reaching out to numerous persons in my medical practice at Omega Agbor Clinic and Maternity Okundi-Boki, through free medical outreaches, organised sporting activities and graded 5km road from Eshankpe to Mbube in my community, just to mention but a few. I have a penchant to do more for not only my constituency Obudu, but for mankind at large, if given the opportunity to serve. This service will not be about me, but the people.
TLN: What is your campaign ideology and your advice to your supporters?
Dr Agbor: It is simply the ideology of my party which together we can do for Obudu “Yes we can”
I want to appeal to them to remain committed to this aspiration which is a collective decision for the good people of Obudu. They should continue to propagate our aspiration to all nooks and crannies of Obudu. I count on their prayers to ensure that collectively, we will achieve our aspiration.
Thank you and God bless you.
