Mr Onoh Olafor, an All Progressive Congress (APC) aspirant for Ogoja-Yala Federal Constituency by-elections into the House of Representative said that leadership in Nigeria was not about Mr President alone.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday in Calabar about his desire to run in the by-election, Olafor said if all Nigerians contributed their quotas, the nation would achieve the development it yearns for.

Ogoja, Yala Federal Constituency seat became vacant when the member representing the area, Mr Jarigbe Agom, contested and won the Cross River North senatorial by-election held in 2020.

He said he was vying for the position to empower his constituency because if the people have simple life amenities, crime would be reduced.

“Development is what I intend to bring to my people, I am going to ensure that there is deliberate empowerment that has never been done before in my constituency.

“The house has declared publicly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has come up with a timetable.

“Our party has also come up with its own timetable for us to start buying the forms from Jan. 18 and by Jan. 24, we should submit the forms.

“So am heading to Abuja to pick my form because I have a pedigree that cannot be contested, as a former member of the State House of Assembly and two-time commissioner.

“As a politician, philanthropist and advocate of grassroots politics who served this state and has been very loyal to the party and Gov. Ben Ayade, I have the capacity.

“More so, I am very lucky because I come from an area in Yala Local Government Area called Ukele that has never produced a National Assembly member.

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“So I think this is a great opportunity for us, as Ukele must be heard, let me go to Abuja, to do the needful, and ensure that we bring dividends of democracy to our state and Ogoja, Yala Federal Constituency,” he said.

Olafor noted that as an advocate of grassroots politics, he came in from the lowest in the society through hard work, and got into where he was because he learnt from everyone both rich and poor.

He said that APC had taken over in Cross River because the political bigwigs in the state have joined the party, adding that victory was certain for the APC. (NAN)