Who is Oba
Senator Bassey Albert Akpan popularly known as OBA is the gubernatorial candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in Akwa Ibom State.
He is a successful businessman, a prominent politician, and a philanthropist who hails fromIdidepUsuk village, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area. He is a grassroots politician who represented Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District at the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Previously, he was Commissioner of Finance in Akwa Ibom State from 2007 - 2014.
He was first elected to the Senate in March 2015, to represent Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District and he won re-election for a second time in the February 2019 senatorial elections.
Road to the 2023 general elections
Akwa Ibom is on the march again as all roads lead to the 2023 gubernatorial elections.
It is also interesting to note that, just weeks away from elections, the heat and pressure for who will win and emerge as the next Governor of Akwa Ibom has greatly increased.
The Young Progressives Party (YPP) has taken quite the clap back in recent weeks. Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, the gubernatorial candidate for YPP has greatly been tested through the fire. But just as gold passes through the heat and comes out shiny, so has Senator Bassey. Despite challenges, Senator Albert Bassey leads the race to the government house.
OBA was recently arrested and held in jail for several days. His arrest seemed to be politically motivated and aimed at stimulating the defection of YPP members to the PDP. However, the reverse was the case as Senator Albert has rather received more love and support from the Akwa Ibom people. After his release, the celebration of Akwa Ibomites was enough proof that indeed he has the unwavering love of his people. No prison has stopped the yearning of the people.
The senator's campaign which is still on is focused on education, healthcare, the environment, and his work to address poverty in the state. He is a passionate advocate for the youth of this country who are struggling with unemployment amongst other economic challenges.
Oba is in the lead
The senator's campaign has received so much love and acceptance, and the response to vote for him (OBA) has been massively positive.
OBA has been able to garner support from all sectors of society including lawyers, doctors, engineers, as well as those behind bars, who are all committed to seeing the long-lasting change in Akwa Ibom through education and development.
As we enter the final stretch before the 2023 elections, it is vital that we remember that there are still many obstacles standing in the way of a senator Bassey governorship. The road will be difficult and long, but I am confident that we can overcome these challenges together.
Oba, the right choice for Akwa Ibom
OBA understands the need to harness resources from the state's oil sector to grow the non-oil sector and prepare the state for the post-oil economy amidst uncertainties in the global oil market. Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) need to be optimized to complement efforts made in the past decade to diversify the economy, create jobs, and boost the revenue base of the state. Therefore OBA is determined to build economic prosperity and infrastructural renaissance by launching a 50 billion Naira prosperity trust fund and training youths in 21st-century oriented and market-demanding skills.
The handwriting on the wall is clear, and it is beyond reasonable doubt that Akwa Ibom and the Nation are currently facing several security challenges. These challenges are related to unemployment, poverty, inadequately trained personnel, and lack of equipment. OBA intends to strategically solve this crisis by establishing a reliable State security trust fund as well as the digitization of security and other related services in the state capital, major cities, and townships.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Also, the development of an efficient state Agricultural sector is crucial to the creation of employment opportunities and wealth for the people. Hence, Senator Bassey is invested in reviewing existing policies and programs aimed at developing the sector and identifying any existing gaps while ensuring the advancement of knowledge-driven agricultural practices.
These and more are the heartbeat of OBA's selfless drive to lead Akwa Ibom to a place of economic productivity and overall human well-being.
Taking these into consideration, we must not fail to consider OBA as the right choice for Akwa Ibom to
come to the 2023 general elections. Indeed, OBA is in the lead to become the next Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
