By
Chief Uche Nnaji (Nwakibie)
Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology
I stand before you not in silks of vanity, but in the humble cloth of service, a garment woven with the threads of faith, duty, and love for my people. I am Uche Nnaji, a son of Enugu, born of the soil, raised by its values, and shaped by its struggles. They call me Nwakibie, a name that speaks not of pride but of responsibility, one who stands firm for the community.
For over two decades, Enugu has lived under the shadow of a single-party narrative. "17/17" became more than a slogan, it became a symbol of political suffocation, of voices silenced, of potential unfulfilled. But the people, Ndi Enugu, have awakened. They no longer seek loyalty to a party above loyalty to progress. They no longer trade hope for ritual.
When the winds of political redirection blew in 2023, Ndi Enugu spoke clearly. They massively rejected the PDP. And in that moment, they declared: We are not captives of history. We are authors of the future.
Yet dreams require stewards. When the structures of that dream began to falter, the people did not retreat. They looked again, not for charisma alone, but for character. Not for noise, but for nation-building.
And in that silence, a question arose: Who among us walks with integrity? Who among us has built, not just spoken? Who among us serves, not seeks?
Ndi Enugu has shown rising disaffection with PDP due to its insensitivity to the needs of the people. APC has a surge of new members. It is a bold statement. Ndi Enugu has rejected PDP and it's leadership.
I do not claim perfection. But I can stand before you and say this: My hands are clean. My heart is fixed on service. My life has been lived not in the glare of self-promotion but in the quiet work of building businesses, empowering youth, and restoring institutions once deemed beyond repair.
As Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, I did not inherit a ministry, I resurrected one. From obscurity, we have launched satellites, trained thousands in digital skills, and positioned Nigeria at the frontier of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Why? Because I believe Nigeria deserves more than mediocrity. Because I believe Enugu deserves a voice in the future.
But my calling does not end in Abuja.
I returned to Enugu South not as a VIP but as an agent of democracy. I stood at the polls, not to command, but to protect the sacred right of Ndi Enugu to choose their own. When attempts were made to subvert the will of the people, we stood firm. When the results emerged, Ndi Enugu spoke out against oppression of PDP through a free and fair process. It was not victory for labor party, it was victory for principle.
That is the cloth I wear: the garment of service, stitched with humility, dyed in integrity, and worn without pretense.
Today, I see a new movement , not of division, but of awakening. Thousands of Ndi Enugu are joining the APC, not out of betrayal, but out of belief. Belief that change is possible. Belief that leadership must return to the people. Belief that a new chapter must be written — one where Enugu leads not with slogans, but with substance.
To my brothers and sisters in the PDP: I do not come to scorn your past. I come to invite your future. For the sake of our children, our state must rise above tribal politics, above insensitivity, above the politics of exclusion.
I am a Catholic, yes — but my faith calls me to serve all. I am a family man — but my family is Enugu. I am a servant leader — because power is not a crown but a cross.
The year 2027 is not far. And when that day comes, let it not be another cycle of recycled promises. Let it be a renaissance. Let it be the rise of a leader who does not beg for votes but earns them — through work, through truth, through love.
I am Chief Uche Nnaji.
I am Nwakibie.
I am Uche Ndi Igbo.
Now, the people have called for change, I shall answer —
Clad not in power, but in purpose.
Not in pride, but in prayer.
Not for myself, but for Enugu. For Nigeria.
The time has come.
I, Chief Uche Nnaji Nwakibie, invite All Ndi Enugu to join the APC train.
Together we shall connect Enugu to the center and enjoy the benefits of RENEWED HOPE.
Enugu Shall Rise Again
