By Dickson Omobola
Strong indications have emerged that the Special Assistant to the President on Ecology during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Martin Agbaso is the most favoured to clinch the governorship ticket of the Labour Party (LP) for Imo State.
The primary election is scheduled to hold tomorrow in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Apart from Agbaso, others in the race for the LP ticket include Chief Joseph Ukaegbu, Tochi J. Ehirim, Ike Ibe, Kelechi Nwagwu, Basil Maduka, Chinedu Amadi, Charles Agomuo, David Mbamara, Lincoln Jack Ogunewe, Athan Achonu, Humphrey Anumudu and Chief C.Ishiguzo.
Agbaso, a former member of the New York Securities Exchange appears to be the most popular aspirant in the state, first, because he is from Owerri zone, where political stakeholders have zoned the governorship seat to.
Checks indicate that there is massive support and mobilization by LP members from across all the local governments who have also told their delegates that it is only Agbaso that can defeat incumbent Governor, Hope Uzodinma because of his popularity in the state.
Other odds in favour of Abgaso, according to insider sources, include that the former lawmaker has an unmatchable clean and transparent service record, both as a successful businessman and in his public service life.
Of all the aspirants, Agbaso is said to be the highest employer of labour in the private sector, the most educated with several university degrees acquired from some of the most prestigious universities across the world.
He is also said to have made political sacrifices for the good of the state by subsuming his personal ambition for others in addition to his unalloyed friendship and loyalty to the presidential candidate of LP, Mr. Peter Obi.
According to a member of the Imo State chapter of the party who did not want his name mentioned because he was not authorised to speak, it was Martin Agbaso who first embraced the vision of the Labour Party in the state, immediately Peter Obi moved to the party and was instrumental to the provision of party structures in the state.
The official said immediately Obi declared for Labour, Agbaso, who has been a friend and confidant of the party’s presidential candidate since their days in APGA, took thousands of his loyalists and supporters from their former party and moved to LP, adding that they followed him due to his humility and selfless leadership attributes.
The source said- “The truth is, Chief Martin Agbaso is not your everyday kind of leader. The man is not only the most qualified in terms of education, because he has acquired several degrees from some of the best universities from across the world, he is the most competent in terms of leadership positions that he has held both in the private and public sectors as well as his humanitarian and philanthropic nature.
“You will recall that Chief Agbaso was the pillar of APGA in Imo State and helped so many politicians win positions as senators as well as federal and state assembly seats, all at the detriment of his personal ambition.”
It would be recalled that Agbaso had earlier this week, reinstated his commitment and resolve to empower young people in Imo state through technology, to unleash the fullness of the human potentialities for the development of the state and Nigeria.
Agbaso had lamented the level of unemployment in the state, revealing that about 500,000 Imo youths who are mostly graduates are not employed. He also frowned at the pitiable situation of Imo civil servants, pensioners and others, promising massive investment that would turn the ugly situation around, if he wins LP and ticket and eventually becomes the state governor.