By Victor Erhabor
The personality in this discourse is no less a quintessential gentleman of legendary integrity, father-figure, consummate and renowned professional Petroleum Engineer, and an accomplished manager of men and resources, former Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. (Dr.) Sir Chris Aigboviosa Ogiemwonyi FNSE, KSC, JP, who has thrown his hat in the ring of contest, bringing to the table his salutary and enviable 34-year experience as a top-notch in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry, in his determination to contribute his quota to the upliftment of the socio-economic and political wellbeing of the people of Edo state.
Over the years, especially since his well-deserved retirement from his glittering career and professional service to the Nigerian nation, and humanity at large, at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, the story of Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, who humbly hails from Idumwebo community in Orhionmwon local government area of Edo State, has become a publicly-known, hugely-digested and roundly-appreciated, pungent narrative.
It would be quite apt to say that he has spent the last fifty (50) years, and more, of his life in full scrutinizing public glare, thirty-four (34) years of which he served, body, mind and soul, the nation at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, helping to develop and advance the nation’s Oil industry. Engr. Ogiemwonyi, whose excellent career at the NNPC began in 1975 as Petroleum Engineer II, grew admirably through the ranks and challenging leadership positions, and retired, without blemish, after rising to the enviable position of Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production.
It could be safely said that though he constantly related and interfaced with a cross section of Nigerians across socio-economic, political and communal strata on professionally official level while at the NNPC, it was actually his inspiring and impactful stint, as Minister of State, a hugely enormous political position, that resonated his unblemished and jealously-guarded name in the nation’s political space and delightfully etched his name in the consciousness of the political Nigerian.
It is, therefore, in recognition of his refined, distinct, and exclusively personal qualities that this writer, as National Coordinator, in collaboration with a rainbow collection of other informed Edo indigenes, under the socio-cultural aegis of Edo Select, has come forward to sensitize the people of the state and lend its voice for the realization of Engr. Ogiemwonyi’s gubernatorial aspiration.
The Edo Select, as a coalition of passionate Edo sons and daughters out to energize and mobilize support for the much-desired socio-economic growth and advancement of the state, has carefully been following the impactful contributions of Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi’s first, as a worthy son and exemplary ambassador of the Benin race; and second, as one who possesses a visibly, palpable crave for a better Edo State.
The frontline governorship aspirant is a rare bred personality who exudes the confidence that only can flow from an enabling informed capacity and sense of responsibility. We, as a group, have carefully followed his antecedents, his contributions to the bigger Benin Kingdom and Edo State picture; and his contributions have been delightfully salutary. We reflect on his personality and drive, as we do with some other prominent Edo sons and daughters; and each time we do that, as a group, we strongly believe his kind of personality is what we wish for the political leadership of the state.
This is because if he could make such outstanding personal contributions to the socio-economic wellbeing of indigenes of the state in his modest private capacities, he would expectedly do more by guaranteeing the speedy, overall development of the state and its people if he presides on a more elaborate political platform.
Engr. Ogiemwonyi has always been desirous of serving his people, his country and humanity, by contesting the Edo State governorship primaries of his political party; he was there in 2020 as a frontline aspirant; and it would be recalled that as a decent and highly loyal party man, he threw his weight behind the then party’s choice who emerged from the consensus arrangement that was the party leaders’ preferred option at the time.
His democratic, gubernatorial desire underscores his unquenchable readiness to provide effective political leadership for the emancipation of the people from under-development. We, as a group, salute his integrity, his courage, his humility, his righteous yearnings for the development and advancement of Edo State; we appreciate his unquenchable quest for a better humanity.
As the race for who clinches the gubernatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the Edo 2024 election continues to gather momentum, and in consideration of the significance the party leadership has rightly attached to the election, it would be instructive to concentrate on a personality, who has visibly distinguished himself on the bigger stages of professional and humanitarian endeavours and humbly presents himself for service to the general wellbeing, development and growth of all and sundry across the state.pp
So, as the search is on, especially in the All Progressives Congress, APC, for a decent, roundly qualified and ebulliently remarkable personality to fly the flag of the party’s ahead of the September 2024 Edo gubernatorial election, we enjoin the entire party leadership and membership, all and sundry, across political divides, to enlist their support for the Ogiemwonyi governorship aspiration; it is an aspiration that holds the best for Edo State.
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