Ebonyi group, Movement for Grassroots Mobilisation (MGM) said it has adopted Chief Elias Mbam, governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as its preferred candidate for the 2023 governorship election in Ebonyi.
The resolution is contained in a communiqué issued on Tuesday in Abakaliki after its two-day national conference held in Abakaliki with the theme, ‘Building a Free and Egalitarian Society’ attended by members from various parts of the country.
The communiqué was signed by Messrs Dan Okwuegbu and Nester Uroh, national chairman and secretary respectively and seven others drawn from the three zones of the state.
The group, an elitist movement said that its decision to endorse and adopt Mbam as its choice for Gov. Dave Umahi’s successor in 2023 came after a close scrutiny of the array of aspirants gunning for the governorship position in the state.
“We looked at the roadmap developed by each of the aspirants for the development of the state; we checked their public and civil service background and experience as well as leadership pedigrees.
“Mbam stood tall far ahead all of the other aspirants; non of the aspirants could march him in any of the criteria used in our assessment and evaluation.
“Mbam has served as a civil servant for close to two decades before serving as General Manager of Housing Boards in old Enugu and Ebonyi states.
“He was general manager, Rural Electrification Board in old Anambra and Ebonyi states and two times as Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transportation.
“Mbam also served as Minister of State for Finance in former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and served two times as chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
“It’s our view that a man with such credentials, intimidating profile, has acquired enough experience and expertise to steer the wheel of the state.
“The aspirant is time tested and trusted, hence our choice for him as successor to Umahi in 2023 governorship election and we call on the APC to consider him as the party’s flagbearer while urging Ebonyi electorate to make wise choice,” the group said.
The movement added that its endorsement was also hinged on Mbam’s vast experience in micro-economics which is what the state needed at this time to boost its revenue and lift the people out of poverty.
“Mbam will leverage his vast contacts and connections in attracting enduring socio-economic and infrastructural development to the state as well as bring the right minds into government to better serve the people.
“In all the positions Mbam has served, he discharged his duties with great humility, intelligence and skill; a quality needed for great leadership,” the group added.
Our correspondent reports that MGM is a political pressure group which membership is drawn from the academia, businessmen and professionals.
It is committed to providing grassroots political education, sensitisation and mobilisation to enhance democratic governance in Ebonyi and Nigeria at large through mass citizenship participation in the electoral processess.
