A former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in Abia State, Dr Philips Nto has finally accepted to vie for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in order to contest the Abia North Senatorial seat.
He has for long been bombarded with calls and requests by various groups, stakeholders and prominent personalities to enter the race and represent Abia North in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly come 2027.
But on Friday, April 24 Nto heeded the calls when some pressure groups led by Old Bende Political Forum and Abia Christian Youth Assembly, besieged his Umuahia home seeking a definite answer to their demands for him to enter the senatorial race.
He gave a positive answer and declared that he has accepted the genuine calls by well meaning citizens and would contest the Abia North Senatorial seat under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2027.
“With obedience to the will of God, with humility and respect to my teeming well wishers who have urged me to enter this race, I wish to offer myself for service at this critical and pivotal moment in our democratic journey, I accept to run for Senate in 2027 under APC,” Nto declared.
His declaration was greeted with thunderous various and cheers from the crowd of supporters composed of Abia North constituents and party faithful that thronged his home in the capital city of Abia.
Early this month Nto, who is a former Provost of Abia State College of Education, Technical, Arochukwu (ASCETA), was pressured by the groups rooting for him to get ready to occupy the Abia North seat in the Senate come 2027.
They cited his rich antecedents of academic, administrative, and philanthropic activities, adding that he as already demonstrated that he has the capacity to make Abia North feel a real impact of quality representation devoid of theatrics.
The groups had also expressed dissatisfaction with the current representation of the zone, lamenting that Abia North has been reduced to a family affair comic with no tangible benefit to the people being represented.
Nto had told them to give him time to seek the face of God and consult with his family, friends, and associates before giving them a definite answer.
As they surged back to his residence on Friday, the university lecturer affirmed that he would indeed run for the Senate to assuage the feelings of constituents of Abia North who feel shortchanged by the current representation.
“God has the final say in this historic journey that we are embarking on today. I feel encouraged by your support. I will immediately begin wide consultation with the people of Abia North so that together, we shall overcome, “he submitted.
He described Abia North as a zone blessed with enormous potentials in every sector but regretted that the zone was being sidelined politically as a result of weak and selfish representation.
Nto therefore insisted that “Abia North deserves a voice that would genuinely speak for them”.
“In line with my philosophy of inclusiveness, I will build a bridge between the young and the old and between the rich and the poor to ensure efficient wealth distribution,” he added.
Nto also pledged to focus on his primary duties of lawmaking by initiating bills that would impact directly on the people of Abia North in particular and the state in general.
He canvassed support for the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the election of Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu as the governor of Abia State, saying that the state can no longer afford to be in the opposition.
According to him, “for us to align properly with the centre, we should return Tinubu as President and elect Ben Kalu as our governor. We urgently need this synergy to fast-track the development of the state”
While commending the various groups that drummed support for him to enter the contest for the Senate seat, Nto made them understand that they still have much work to do in order for their collective dream to come true.
“You still have enormous sacrifices to make. It is only when we turn Abia State into an APC state that we can say that our task is completed,” the former ASCETA Provost told the support groups.
Earlier in their separate speeches, speaker after speaker extolled Nto for his sterling credentials, saying that Abia North need not look any further for the right person to give the zone high quality representation in the Senate.
A former Commissioner in Abia state, Hon Ngozi Oji described Dr Nto as the most qualified among those angling to occupy the Abia North Senate seat, citing his track record of service in the state.
She recalled that when Nto was the finance commissioner he won an award as the most productive in the then Abia Executive Council based on the quantum of Exco memo he generated among which was the harmonisation of payment of levies in the state.
She also said that Nto has the age advantage as he is young, energetic, and resourceful, noting that the new generation should be given opportunity for leadership.
In his remarks, Bro Vitalis Igbokwe of Abia Christian Youth Assembly expressed happiness that Dr Nto has eventually answered the clarion call by the group for him to contest the senatorial election.
He pledged that the ACYA would mobilize its members and other Abians to support Dr. Nto in his quest to seat in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly, and prayed God to grant him success.
Rev. Ama Nwankwo of Old Bende Political Forum said the choice of Dr. Nto for the Abia North Senatorial zone was in order, saying that he had confidence that he wouldn’t disappoint the people.
Lending his voice in affirming the choice of Nto, an oil magnate and prominent son of Ututu, Chief Stephen Kalu Nwankwo described him as “a sellable product” who will deliver when he is elected into the Senate come 2027.
The event was climaxed with a prayer session during which the gathering entreated God to grant Dr Philips Nto resounding success in his political quest to become the next Senator representing Abia North Senatorial zone.
