Anambra South Senatorial Hopeful in the August 16 by-election, Chief Emmanuel Nwachukwu, has promised all inclusive Representation where genuine attention would be given to issues concerning women and children as critical segments of any society.Chief Emmanuel Nwachukwu (Ọnọdugo), made the promise on Thursday during a media parley with journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Anambra State Council Secretariat, Awka, where he addressed wide range of issues, bothering on his political vision to sector-specific plans, security, environmental concerns, women and youth empowerment, party politics, and project continuity.Chief Nwachukwu, contesting on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) pointed out that APGA, as a party, had always been conscious of the place of women in any civilized society.According to him, women have contributed significantly in steering the ship of governance, progress and development around the world, and should not be relegated to the background.Nwachukwu condemned gender-based violence, pledging zero tolerance for perpetrators and strong legislative backing to protect victims.He commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s intentional inclusion policies, such as mandating female deputy mayors in all LGAs and reserving at least one female slot in local government leadership nominations. He promised to champion policies that protect women in vulnerable situations, create economic opportunities, and promote female participation across sectors — citing global evidence of productivity gains from women’s inclusion.He also described children and youths as the engine of the society and the future of any nation, therefore, should received utmost attention for a brighter future.Nwachukwu assured the people of the Anambra South Senatorial District of authentic, inclusive, and impactful representation if elected.The Sensorial hopeful noted that governance is continuum, expressing commitment towards completing all projects initiated by the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, as well as initiating more developmental projects to give his people a new lease of life.Chief Nwachukwu presenting what seemed a brief Resume, described himself as an accomplished accountant with over two decades of experience in corporate finance, consulting, telecoms, oil and gas, and the power sector. Hails from Ukpor in Nnewi South LGA, and had previously served as President-General of the Ukpor Improvement Union He informed that his tenure as PG was marked by impactful projects, including the modernization of the historic Afor Ukpor Market through the Community Choose Your Project initiative, where he leveraged state funds and additional community contributions to deliver quality infrastructure. He also revived the long-abandoned Nkwoha Market by constructing a concrete access road, opening it up for trade,legislatives among other key achievements.Chief Nwachukwu maintained that all those experiences garnered all through those service years both within and outside his environment, availed him the knowledge and opportunity to understand better, what leadership entails, all in all expanded his scope on Service to Humanity.Moreover, he declared that what sparked his interest to run for the position remains his desire to further offer “authentic and impactful representation” to the people of Anambra South, a zone he described as “very blessed,” especially in commerce and industry. His legislative priorities, he said, would focus on promoting industrial and commercial ventures to harness the entrepreneurial strength of the zone; youth empowerment through active engagement with federal ministries, agencies, NGOs, and multilateral organisations to secure job opportunities; constituency inclusivity via a cross-party “Anambra South Parliament” and regular consultations with both current and past community leaders to address local concerns; as well as establishing a fully functional “Anambra South House” constituency office to receive, process, and respond to constituents’ requests and concerns.Ọnọdugo, as he is popularly and fondly called, also pledged to leverage his expertise in power, rail, finance, and telecommunications to contribute meaningfully at Senate committee levels, where “the real work is done.”On the ecological challenges facing the area, Nwachukwu described erosion and flooding as national disasters, which are hitting Anambra state badly, with sand mining and poor drainage as major contributors. He proposed hosting a high-level environmental conference in Anambra to seek global best practices, while advocating bamboo planting and stricter regulation of sand mining to curb erosion.On security, he promised to collaborate with Governor Soludo, noting also, that calm had returned to areas once plagued by insurgency and violence, making it possible for him and his team to travel freely from Ukpor to Awka. He also pledged continued support for comprehensive security measures such as Operation Agụnechemba.Speaking on criticisms about his emergence as APGA’s candidate, Nwachukwu dismissed media reports of manipulation as false. He explained that the governor encouraged aspirants to adopt a consensus approach to avoid the high costs of primaries. According to him, when initial consensus failed, a straw poll was conducted among eight aspirants, in which he secured two votes — the highest — to emerge winner.Speaking on his relationship with his co-aspirants in his campaign, he highlighted that they maintain good relationship, adding that his co-aspirants are also the ones Chairing his campaign structures in their various LGAs, underscoring party unity. Baring his mind on election rigging, Nwachukwu acknowledged the influence of vote-buying, but stressed that legal reforms are the key to credible polls.He assured to regularly brief the Press for updates on progress and challenges, inviting collaboration and ideas for more quality and authentic representation of the good people of Anambra South.In their separate remarks, the Chairman of NUJ Anambra State Council, Comrade Dr. Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, and the Chairman of the Council’s Political Committee, Comrade Dr. Stanley Onunkwo, commended Nwachukwu’s detailed responses, describing him as a worthy successor to the late Senator Ubah, who was a friend of the union. They also used the opportunity to invite him to the grand finale of the 2025 NUJ Press Week and Awards holding on August 28 at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Awka, expressing confidence that he would return as Senator-elect after the polls.Nwachukwu was accompanied to the Media Parley by his campaign team members, APGA stakeholders, and other top government functionaries, including APGA Zonal Vice Chairman (Anambra South), Chief Ikem ‘Surplus’ Ewuzie; DG of Nwachukwu’s Campaign Organization and former Chairman of Nnewi South Local Government, Hon. Henry Chieloka Okoye; as well as the MD/CEO of Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ANSAA), Mr. Tony Odili Ujubuoñu, among others.
