Ahead of 2023 general elections, a social innovator and philanthropist, Mr. Chukwuka Monye, has declared his intention to contest for the office of the President of the country.
Monye made his intention known on Saturday at a formal declaration ceremony in his hometown of Onicha-Ugbo in Aniocha North council of Delta State.
Anchoring his declaration on the theme ‘Our Future is Now’, Monye, a University of Oxford-trained innovation strategist outlined three focal points for the rapid transformation of the nation: security, institutional reforms and job creation.
According to him, the slogan, “Our Future is Now” serves as a reminder that it is time for young people to take charge of the nation’s affairs.
He told a cheering crowd of supporters, mostly youths, that he is uniquely positioned by age and experience to serve as the bridge builder for the nation to realise its desired future.
“I have lived a life of faith – one steadfast in our creator and another in our human capacity to influence our own destinies. So much of who we are depends on the choices we make. I firmly believe with all my heart that if together, we make the right decisions that employ all the human, mineral and natural resources we have been endowed with, we will see a better Nigeria in our lifetime”
“For this reason, I, Chukwuka Monye present myself to serve as the President of this great nation, Nigeria. I love Nigeria and I believe that Nigerians matter and deserve a better today,” he said.
Lamenting the state of the nation, Monye regretted the alarming poverty rate, stating that 83 million people live below the poverty line in the country.
“The poverty rate is alarming, with the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics in 2020, estimating that 83 million people live below the poverty line, a figure that equates to the population of 20 of the least populated states in Nigeria. These people go to bed hungry with many of them not knowing where their next meal will come from.
“Above all is the fact that Nigerians are at a high point of hopelessness and despair. The foundational structures of Nigeria are at a brink of collapse with institutions such as justice, education, health, and the security infrastructure unable to effectively meet the needs of Nigerians,” he said.
Earlier, Monye began the day with a special visit to the palace of the traditional ruler of Onicha-Ugbo Kingdom, Obi Victor Chukwumelieze to inform him of his decision to run for the office of the President and seek his support.
