The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Barr. Kelechi Anosike, has declared that no resident of Abia State will go to bed hungry under his administration, describing himself as a committed welfarist.
Addressing journalists at the PDP secretariat in Umuahia, Anosike said what Abia needs is proactive, responsible and responsive governance that delivers tangible results rather than empty promises.
He explained that he had developed a governance philosophy anchored on seven welfare pillars, including economic welfare, healthcare, education, youth empowerment, women empowerment and other people-centred initiatives.
According to him, the economic welfare pillar will focus on prosperity and wealth creation through financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“We will not joke with SME financing, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship grants, market expansion and agricultural support. It is prosperity for everyone,” he said.
Anosike stated that the essence of fuel subsidy removal was to enable states introduce programmes that would cushion its impact on citizens and help stabilise their economic wellbeing.
The Ohuhu-Umuahia-born international lawyer said he believes in providing grants and microcredit facilities to small businesses because SMEs remain the backbone of every economy, warning that policies that cripple them only deepen poverty.
He argued that with the level of revenue accruing to states, hunger should not be a major challenge, adding that his administration would draw inspiration from the agricultural and industrial achievements of the late Dr. Michael Okpara, Premier of the old Eastern Region.
“It is not by accident that our philosophy aligns with what Dr. Michael Okpara believed in and achieved. If you examine the industries established under his administration within a short period, you will realise that some of today’s governors have not matched that vision.
“Even my philosophy of Operation Feed Abia (OFA), the back-to-farm policy, and the revitalisation, retrofitting and rehabilitation of farm settlements across the state is in line with his vision. I believe that wherever he is, he will be pleased with the direction we are taking.
“Under OFA, everyone in leadership, as well as every citizen, will own a farm, no matter how small. Under my administration, nobody will be permitted to go to bed hungry. We will flood the markets with farm produce to reduce food prices, while the commodity board we intend to establish will purchase surplus produce and reintroduce it into the market, ensuring farmers earn fair returns without suffering losses.”
Anosike also announced plans to establish the Abia Rural Development Agency (ARDA) to curb rural-urban migration by developing rural communities and making them more attractive for residents, particularly young people.
He reiterated that his administration would pursue people-centred policies.
“A welfarist considers the people first when making policies. I view development through the lens of the people. It is the people first, and Abia always. The people will not suffer, and Abia will prosper,” he said.
