Imo should be among the top states in the country - Tony Nwulu

- Young Nigerians from Imo say they are fed up with the recycling of leaders in the state

- They have decided to take their own destiny into their hands by choosing new set of leaders

- One of such leaders identified is the young and vibrant Honourable Tony Nwulu, a 39-year old federal lawmaker

A member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Tony Chinedu Nwulu, has stated that Imo should be among the top states in Nigeria.

Nwulu, 39, a native of Eziudo in Ezinihitte Mbaise local government area made this comment on Monday, May 28, when he received a delegation of the Imo Youth Renewal Movement, a political but non partisan group championing youths in governance in Imo state.

Nwulu, a House of Representatives member representing Oshodi- Isolo Federal Constituency under the political platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos state, lamented that many political actors in his home state of Imo are more interested in their personal development than that of the state.

“I feel so sad whenever I think of a state that ideally should be among the top states in this country, with the resources we have, Imo state should not for any reasons depends on federal allocation.

“This is what happens when you have people that don't create but deplete. When you have a state that has been managed by caterpillars and cankerworms, that is what becomes of it. That is what you have when you have a state where youths have being defrauded,” the lawmaker lamented.

Speaking earlier, the leader of the group, Comrade Chukwu Kelechi Kingsley, said their visit to Honourable Nwulu was to beckon on him to contest for the position of governor in Imo state in the 2019 general elections.

The group comprising various youth and student groups from all parts of Imo had earlier adopted Nwulu as their chosen candidate in the election during its annual summit in the state.

“We have resolved to take it upon ourselves to ensure we initiate how things begin and how they finish as long as Imo state politics is concerned. We have been in existence for about two years with a formidable structure that cuts across the 305 wards of Imo.

“Last two weeks, we had our usual annual summit, which recorded an unprecedented success It was during that summit, we painstakingly looked at Imo sons and daughters as regards Imo guber election, we were careful to examine each and everyone of them, looked at their antecedents and their track records.

“We ensured internal democracy had it's fair play there. We took cognizance of the zoning arrangement in Imo and the odds overwhelmingly favoured Honourable Tony Nwulu, hence we unanimously made a clarion call with over 3,000 youths. This is a delegation to follow up that call,” Comrade Kingsley said.

Responding, Honourable Nwulu said he would heed the call and throw his hat into the ring for the 2019 guber contest, but urged the group and other young people in the state join him the race.

He said he will run a decentralized leadership whereas everyone in his campaign trail will be part and parcel of the whole process to elect him as a governor.

“Our biggest challenge is what they call Chimpanzee politics. 70% of their time is spent on politics, they keep plotting how to conquer territories and overthrow. That has made us seen too much politics and less leadership.

“But on this side, we are going to have 70% leadership and 30% politics. When we get into office, that means 70% of my cabinet will also be young people. We'll leave the 30% for the old men to do politics,” Nwulu said.

He tasked the group to be ready for real change and not be carried away with the money politics that has been a part of Nigeria's political space for a while.

His words: “You will need to assure me that come 2019, like they did in Lagos state, you would vote and you would watch the vote to be counted. You will protect our vote and none of you or your siblings will be used to perpetrate violence.

“They call us all sorts of bad names. They say the youths are not ready, that the youths are disillusioned. Any governor that says the youths of his state are not ripe or mature for leadership, they should also look at themselves as a direct product of their decision.

“If the youths cannot make good decisions, that means you are a product of a bad decision.”

He assured the group that his government, if elected, will focus on returning power to the people, “because the people count the most.”

He promised that his government will create wealth, revive the economy, make Imo state the cynosure of all eyes and preferred destination for tourists.

On his part, one of the conveners of the Not Too Young To Run movement, Samson Itodo, congratulated Honourable Nwulu for being selected by Imo youths to run for the office of the governor in 2019.

He stated that his movement is committed to ensuring that young people emerge in various leadership positions across the country in 2019.

He however noted that it is not only about young people emerging, but young people with content and capacity, assuring the group that having worked with Honourable Nwulu to sponsor the Not Too Young To Run bill in the House of Representatives, he can vouch for his integrity, character and capability to occupy a higher office.

Honourable Nwulu sponsored the now famous Not Too Young To Run bill in the lower house and has been an active member of the movement since its inception.

Nwulu is a committee member of works, telecommunications, pension, inter-parliamentary affairs, emergency preparedness and disasters management.

He is also currently the deputy chairman, House Committee On Capital Market and Institutions and chairman, Sub Committee on Market Regulations and Compliance.

He recently concluded a course on public leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School in the United States of America.

Meanwhile, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, is currently receiving a lot of backlash from Nigerians for publicly gifting his wife a Mercedes G-wagon during her 50th birthday in Lagos on Sunday, May 27.

The move has infuriated many Nigerians who accused the lawmaker, who represents Surulere Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, of displaying opulence in the midst of poverty.

Many took to social media to condemn the move by the 55-year-old lawmaker, describing his public gesture as insensitive.