•Says people's vote must be allowed to count

By PETER ANOSIKE

The Convener of Ihe Abia, Ichie Dr. Emeka Okpara, has called on the government of the day to ensure that institutions of government serve the people for the reasons they were established.

Okpara said this at the celebration of his 50th Birthday at the Bon Sunshine Hotel in Enugu. Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion are Special Guest of Honour, former permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, Enugu State Secretary of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Chukwujekwu Nebo, Hon. Chukwudi Obi, Sir Emeka Nwandu, CEO Bon Sunshine Hotel, Hon Barr. Emeka Okeke, High Chief Frank Ogujiuba, Chief Bethel Onyekachi Eze, Ogbuefi Frank Egwu and others.

The keynote speaker at the event Dr. Jasper Uche delivered a lecture on the merits of good governance through transparency and accountability and emphasised the need for the people to continue to hold the leaders to account by voting into power decent people who have integrity with a track record of community service.

Speaking to the audience on the issue core mandate of Ihe Abia and the reason for the occasion, Okpara said it is his life ambition to see good governance in his life time and called on Nigerians to be proactive in ensuring that they change the course of our national history by choosing the right people.

"I'm happy to be alive to see this day in my life when I turned 50. I give all the glory to God and I appreciate all who in one way or the other contributed to what I and Ihe Abia have become today. Our work as an organisation is not done yet until we achieve good governance through accountability and transparency", Okpara said.

Furthermore, he said: "There can never be good governance if we do not vote in the right people into positions of authority. The work must start from the selection process. In our communities, we know who is good and who is bad. We know people who made clean money, we know people who can deliver for everyone. Let us elect good people into offices. That is the surest way to achieve good governance. We cannot elect bad people and expect that they will give us good governance."

According to him, another important point we must note is that the votes of the people must count.

He admonished the people not to sell their votes for a morsel of food and stay hungry for the next four years.

His words: “When people vote, they should expect your vote to count, protect your vote to protect your future."

Okpara thanked everyone who found time out of their busy schedule to celebrate him on his 50th birthday anniversary.