A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Sam Onwuteaka Jr, says his aspiration to represent Anambra North Senatorial District in the Senate in 2027 is driven purely by the desire to enact laws that will improve the lives of the people and address pressing national challenges.
The security expert while speaking during a media briefing in Awka on Friday, said his ambition to contest for the Senate seat in the National Assembly of Nigeria was motivated by altruistic reasons and a commitment to contribute meaningfully to development in the district, Anambra State and the country at large.
The senatorial hopeful, an alumnus of the Air Force Military School and Imo State University, identified environmental degradation, particularly erosion in the South-East, as one of the key issues he intends to tackle through legislation.
According to him, the South-East is currently battling over 5,000 erosion sites, with more than 2,000 of them located in Anambra State alone, a situation he described as a major environmental crisis requiring urgent federal intervention.
Onwuteaka explained that communities such as Nanka, Ekwulobia, Oko, Ogidi, Nnewi and Nnobi, among several others, have been severely affected by gully erosion, leaving homes, farmlands and public infrastructure devastated.
He described the situation as a “raging environmental war,” stressing that Anambra State has gradually turned into a centre of severe ecological degradation.
“It is not something we should continue to gloss over. What we are witnessing is a raging war against our environment. In many communities, there are massive craters swallowing homes, farms and public buildings,” Onwuteaka said.
He noted that several delegations from the Federal Ministry of Environment had visited affected sites in the past, but lamented that little concrete action had followed those visits.
According to him, the magnitude of the erosion challenge is beyond the financial and technical capacity of individual states in the region, making it necessary for the Federal Government to take special interest in addressing the problem.
Beyond environmental concerns, Onwuteaka said youth empowerment would also form a key pillar of his legislative agenda.
He emphasised that sustainable empowerment initiatives rooted in technological innovation and skill development would be more effective in tackling youth restiveness than temporary palliative measures.
“Giving out motorcycles or bags of rice may provide temporary relief, but they do not solve the long-term problem. What our young people need are practical skills and opportunities that will sustain them for life,” he said, adding that teaching people how to create value is better than short-term handouts.
The former Senior Special Assistant on Security to ex-Anambra State governor Willie Obiano also pledged to champion legislation aimed at improving the welfare of security personnel across Nigeria.
He argued that better welfare packages, including insurance benefits for families of personnel who die in active service, would significantly boost morale, patriotism and commitment among members of the armed forces and police.
According to him, many security operatives hesitate to confront dangerous threats because they fear that their families may be left without adequate support if they die in the line of duty.
“A depressed soldier or policeman cannot effectively defend the nation. If their welfare is properly addressed, it will strengthen loyalty and encourage more young people to join the security services,” he added.
