My rag to riches story, Greg Ibe, APGA governorship candidate

Dr Gregory Ikechukwu Ibe is the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in next year’s gubernatorial election in Abia State and founder of Gregory University, Uturu.

In this interview, he said that God has mandated him to transform Abia State into a modern city.

He unfolded his blueprint on what to expect if elected governor of the state in 2023, giving  reasons he dumped the PDP.  Excerpts:  

Tell us about your humble beginning and how you got this far?

Yes, I will make brief introduction of myself. My name is Dr. Gregory Ikechukwu Ibe, Ph.D and Chancellor/Visitor, Gregory University, Uturu. In recognition of my contribution to national development, I was conferred with Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) by former President His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan on September 29, 2014. However, in the past few days Nigeria media have been telling and showing to the world to see who I am. But who am I ? I’m a very shy person because of my poor upbringing during the early stage of my life. If everybody prays to God to make him or her great and if you want to know whom God first touched their lives, count me first because I never believed I will be what I am today or achieved all they said I have achieved. All my breakthroughs belong to God because I never had childhood care. I was two and half years when the Biafra/Nigeria civil war started. So, we were kept under the trees playing with snakes and other reptiles. After the war we were five children in my family. I thank God my father being a policeman and a tailor in the Nigerian Police Force survived the war. He moved to Enugu and I joined him first and because I was naïve and timid our people within the street were taking life off me. They didn’t allow me to play with them because of the kind of cloths I wore. So, I decided to develop my own resistant mechanism. I started practicing weight lifting as a child in Eugene Oba Street in Enugu State. Everybody knew me because I became a tyrant. What made me a tyrant you may ask? It was because when my mother joined us in Enugu we started to fry Akara on the street in Eugene Oba Street. As child I sold bread and akara in the Nigerian Police College, Enugu. I go to buy the bread after I must have fetched water in Owerri Road. Whenever I came back, I go to buy bread at Robson Street. That was how I suffered as a child. Also, my mother was a tailor too at Ogbotte Market patching dresses for people. I always go to the motor park to help people load, off load or carry their goods and once they pay me, I will buy food stuff and go home to cook. There is no person that doesn’t know me as a hard working boy. I started age grade farming from one family to another. Even though my mind was in education, but in the process of struggling to survive I learnt tailoring, surveying, electrical and carpentering works. I didn’t stop there, I later learnt aluminium fitting.

Looking at how much you suffered as a child, how did you acquire education which led to turnaround in your life? 

My father had no little education, but he was a skilled man and he always told us that education is important. He said if we had opportunity, we should not forget to go to school. He warned us not to look down on anybody, but advised us to encourage every child to go to school because if we did not advise children who were close to us to go to school those children would turn out to be our enemy. By and large both you and your enemy and your children will meet in the same market and that your enemy that you refused to train his child will mess you up. So, my father’s slogan was “never allow your enemy’s children not to go to school.” He urged us to encourage them to go to school so that when we come together, they will understand you. Education indeed, is the key to better life and it was through education I got breakthrough. Having heard my father, I started attending primary school and I was able to support my education with the amount I realized from the odd jobs I do. So, after my primary education I took up commercial studies and I learnt shorthand and typing in City Institute of Commerce. I later took common entrance and gained admission into Boys High School, Ihube. But I had advantage over my mates because I had known book keeping and statistics. I did economics and shorthand because it was a comprehensive school and there is a combination of job and skills. In order to pay my school fees, when the school goes on holidays I will write a proposal to maintain staff quarters, electrical works and broken classroom, just any job. I would submit the proposal to the principal and he would ask me who wants to do this job? I would say me. He would ask if I was skilled and I would tell him yes, I’m skilled. The principal would give me the job and if I finish doing the job he would pay me and I would go to the cashier and pay my school fees and take the remaining amount to Onitsha were I was learning surveying. You can imagine how difficult life was for me and I continued pushing in order to be educated. Because I did accounting in commercial school I was ahead of my mates at Boys High School, Ihube.  I sat for General Certificate Examination (GCE) as class prefect. I also sat for WAEC. Unfortunately, they seized our WAEC result, but I had my GCE. It was very discouraging when your result is seized hence you feel like to die. But I continued to study accounting until I took A’ level examination and I got my papers. I moved to another private school of Accountancy in Aba. Nobody can say he or she found me living a wayward life. At age 19 I have done my AT and T London as a foreign student and I had my CCA part 2, England and Wales. That was how an Israeli Company gave me a job and that marked the turnaround in my life.

Your multinational engagement and role as a consultant to foreign organization speaks volume, what would you say endeared you to the Israeli company?

I handled whatever assignment they gave to me because I became too strong with the weight lifting attitude and no matter the nature of the job I will execute it. I build Abia State University, Imo Airport and Teaching Hospital in Aba. My major area is Material Accounting. From there I was transferred to old Secretariat, Abuja in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. My international operations have impacted positively on the nation because like you know in all my capacities as a consultant to Ministries, Departments and Agencies, I brought various reforms. At 26 years I have lost N12million, in 1991-1992 during the building of houses in Port Harcourt. The man I brought as my chief engineer decided to take my money because I was too small, but God restored me. I came to Lagos in 1992 under the invitation of my boss to take up the job he promised me. He asked me if I was ready to work, I said yes as CEO and MD of my company, but I said I was still too young to do the work.  He asked me what I wanted and I said I want to be a management staff, I need a house, a car and driver since I had never lived in Lagos before then and my boss approved it. So, I started working in Dizengoff in May 14, 1992 until four years. I made their turnover from N30 million a year to N150 million up to N300 million a year and they paid 10 per cent of everything I did.

How did your international engagement affect the Nigeria’s economy?

While in Dizengoff, I opened branches in West Africa namely Ghana and Gambia as I was touring everywhere. Therefore, FHP, the Israeli company built Victoria Garden City (VGC), 14 kilometers out off Lagos at Ikota and people love the place. But they were asking, where is telephone? There was no telephone and it was problematic hence the road was on single lane to that place. So, when I saw anyone buying a house in VGC, I told them, sir, if you buy the house I would put air condition. That was the way I was marketing the company and they decide to tell my boss and he asked me to come to their company to help market it. So, I was the first like I did in Dizengoff to assembly air condition split units and the first non-Engineer to fix telephone in the place. Also, I ensured we bought Siemens and I laid the cable. I was part of it particularly from Ikota to Saka Tinubu House where we did the MPF. Anybody in telecommunication should know what I’m saying. I was also the first to sell the pay game as Festac line was filled up and the Navy Barracks was also filled up to get phone. But I made hundred lines available. You can see how I developed a lot of skills in telecommunication. Then houses were being sold because there was telephone, electricity and people started parking into VGC. A lot of influential people, including army generals came in there and from there we knew them and it was when the late Head of Stamte Gen. Sani Abacha came into government. That was how I got the opportunity to start working for the Federal Government of Nigeria.  I continued with my UNDP activity to stop urban migration in local governments. I did the Need Assessment in the 774 local government areas in Nigeria. In the 4th and 5th programme in the United Nations we were able to use my Need Assessment to bring a lot of money to build skill centres in all the local governments in Nigeria. Also, I wrote books on 42 skills and UNDP set up skills to engage Nigerian youths. You can see how I and the National Planning Office with UNDP succeeded in ensuring all the local government areas inherited it. But only in the northern part of the country you can see these centres with window of technical school, but none in the southern part. This is the reason people still talk about what I did in the past. Again, it was the same way I equipped 20 federal universities in 1999. Interestingly, in 1994 and 1995 I served as the Best Performing Engineer by taking equipment to all universities, installed them and taught people how to use them in labs. In fact, any equipment you see in my hands, I would teach you how to use it because I had the background of science. Because of my effort in bringing succour to the people, the World Bank adjudged me as the Best Engineer in a ceremony held at Durba Hotel in Kano State, yet I’m not an Engineer by profession. The issue is anything that is in my heart, I will like to do it. That is how I built myself until when I resigned from FHP when Gen. Abacha died. Meanwhile, when I was in Dizengoff I went to the university to study marketing because a marketing manager without a degree you are just stupid. I went to Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) and obtained a marketing degree. By the time I finished at ESUT the military left government and I went to the United States of America where I did my master’s degree and PhD.

With these achievements it became obvious that you possess a gift of how to serve humanity, what lured you into politics?

All your questions are interesting. I was a consultant to Federal Ministry of Transport on the review of Second Railway Master Plan in Nigeria. I was consultant on Transport and Maritime Education, I was consultant in Ministry of Trade and Development, I was consultant in the Ministry of Education and was a consultant to Review Public Transport. I was under the United Nations Organization (UNO) for all the ministries in the government of Nigeria. All these and whatever I told you that took place in the past are because of experiences in my head. I worked under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and with Obasanjo no child was left behind, no state was left behind in his thinking. He said after Nigeria nobody else. He is not after his sons, sisters or relations; all that was in his brain is the good of Nigeria. If you grow up in the house of President Obasanjo, your futuristic vision must be how to use people’s money and mandate to find how they can define their tomorrow. So, this is what we learnt from former President  Obasanjo. Unfortunately, what we see in the country, in our states and regions now is that people’s money never define their future anymore. In fact, the future of most Nigerian children can never change if nothing is done. Thank God by my experience I have children who are Professors, I’m a grandfather of children and my covenant with Almighty God is as He have done this for me, I have to take it back to the people and that is why I have private university. So, what else am I looking for? I said let me take all I have and use it to serve humanity and that Is why I want to be the first governor that will showcase what America called governance in Abia State.

Abia State is among the states where people are lamenting about poor governance, what is your agenda to transform Abia into a modern city if elected governor?

I don’t want to talk about what the subsequent governments in Abia State did or what the present administration in the state is doing. That is my state and whatever they have contributed the people know. I was the one that build Abia State University, Imo Airport and a Teaching Hospital. I want to know anybody from the state who will associate themselves with building anything. So, I have an address in Abia. I own a University, Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State and that university has employed Abians. That university has given credence to education from Abia end. Our sons and daughters study medicine and other courses. This is what I have done for my people. I’m not comparing myself with anybody and I don’t envy anybody, but let what I have done speak for the people. I was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and they made promises to me and I assisted the government in the state in many ways. During the COVID-19 pandemic I bought four ambulances for the state government,  I bought 800 bags of rice and I gave them COVID-19 test equipment. I did everything for the state government by intervening in the 17 local governments. At that time remember Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was a bit sick and the problem was too much so I decided not to wait as he was recovering, I intervened. I went to all the electoral wards in Abia and started giving food to the people. My buses were going to the people and delivering food to them because we thought the world was coming to an end. I prayed that, God I don’t want you to punish me in heaven because you gave me money and I did not use it to help anybody. So, I said of what use is this money God gave to me if it will just be in Nigerian banks and I’m seated in America facing the COVID-19 pandemic while my people are suffering and if this world as it looked then was coming to an end and I did nothing to help the people would I say there is no money? I said I will take over N200 million and food items to the people in Abia and Southeast. I bought rice, yam, beans and other food items and I started sharing them. Mind you I wasn’t in Nigeria then, but I sent the money to officials in the university and they were busy distributing the food items and money.  What I’m asking is, where were all the politicians in Abia? Where were all the governors during the COVID-19 pandemic? I even took food and medicine to Imo State during the COVID-19 pandemic and Governor Hope Uzodinma received me and my team and thanked me for coming to assist the people of Imo State. Tell me anybody from Imo or Anambra states that intervened? I did it because my money is meant for everybody. Now, you see politicians struggling to be the next governor of Abia State. Tell me what they have done to better the lives of our people? I gave another test last year December, I mobilized and bought more than four thousand bags of rice and shared them in the electoral wards in the state. Because I know the difficulties families are facing during Christmas period. I said no, I won’t be instrument of burden to my people hence I bought rice and shared to them including money in order for them to be able to buy items to cook. Tell me which of these people struggling to be governor who have helped the people of the state?

Did you dump PDP because you failed to clinch the ticket as PDP flag bearer?

We had an agreement with former Governor T.A. Orji. I wanted to succeed him because I have all it takes to actualize my ambition. But as our leader he told me that he wanted to apply zoning arrangement because agitation from Abia South was too much.  So, he advised me to wait for an Ngwa man to succeed him. He assured me that by 2023 the governorship ticket would come to Abia North. I even wrote a letter to PDP office and it was published in the Guardian. So, I thought I was working on that premise, only to get to this period and the story changed. Yes, they did what was right initially as all positions of PDP in Abia North went to Abia Central and all positions in Abia South went to Abia North. We were happy when the positions were shared. They said the governorship position won’t be discussed then because it was too early. They said in 2023 it would be the turn of Abia North to produce the governorship candidate of PDP. Only for them to start to scheme and suddenly the governor changed in his ways of thinking and decided to give one child to two zones. So, the wisdom of Solomon won’t work at this time hence we have to use knife and tear the governorship ticket into two and Abia North took half. I even reminded them that there was an oath taken carried out by the whole elders of Abia South and Abia North in my house where we all ate kolanut and agreed that they should continue with Governor Ikpeazu for second term and in 2023 they would support us. And after reminding them of this agreement they jettisoned it and decided to give the ticket to another Ngwa man. Governor Ikpeazu assured me that Abia North will produce the next governor and because of his promise, I’m the only PDP member who visited the 17 LGA. I met delegates until in the last minute for Ikeazu to give me the governorship ticket he gave it to a man from Isiala Ngwa. Therefore, the zoning agreement got messed up. They always believed I don’t have money; they regarded me as a common teacher and what can I do. But I said okay, thank God for blessing me. So, I left PDP on March 30, 2022. After I had bought buses for the party and after equipping the party offices, I decided to join the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), an old party to them, but a new party to Ndigbo.

Many expected you to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)?

Yes, many though I would join APC, but I want to say with all modesty, everybody in APC, including the first family and anybody around President Muhammadu Buhari are aware that Buhari knows about Gregory Ibe. I stood behind PDP for 16 years before the alliance of the major political parties in 2014 that gave birth to APC. When nobody was ready to respond to me and give me anything I remained in PDP. I started organizing Nigeria Political Summit. During June 12, 1993, Nigeria was highly disintegrated. I started organizing world Igbo conference to put Igbo together. I began to propagate Igbo presidency just to bring Igbo together. I was a consultant to the Igbo in the National Conference. I organized cultural festival for Ndigbo so that Igbo can be together. I also prepared a 50 years vision for Igbo, but having done all these for Ndigbo and Nigeria what did they reward me with? Nothing. Where do you think I should belong? In the ruling party, APC? No. Why should I join the ruling APC after what PDP has done to me? So, I have to join my people in Igbo land. Even if they say APGA is down, I will say what is down must go up. So, after some months I joined APGA, APGA is on top of the game in Southeast because my movement is divine.

How do you intend to contend your brother, the Minister of State for Solid Minister and the presumed candidate of APC, Uche Ogah in the governorship contest next year?  

Uche is my brother. This is his third attempt, but I wish him well. But typical of Ibe who is known to every Uturu man or woman as a just man, I gave him my simple advice to remain in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari till the last day. He shouldn’t come out now because the coast is not clear for him. That is the advice of a good brother to his brother. If I hate him I would have advised him to go and fight. But because I saw the hand writing on the wall that APC is totally divided, but he resigned and came to contest for governorship once again. But I prayed he outsmart Emenike, but I doubt if he can. Again, I wish him well. However, for the governorship race, I’m bold to say that I am the next governor of Abia State.

Abia State Government House is on a rented apartment since its creation, will you build a befitting State House if elected?

Former Governor T. A. Orji started building a State House and handed it over to Governor Ikpeazu to complete it and in few months time Ikpeazu’s tenure will end and I don’t know when it will be completed and commissioned. They should be held accountable for not doing it and not Ibe. Whether the State House is on rented apartment or not everything the administrations in the state did I put them behind me. My brother, if you see my blueprint for Abia State you will marvel because no community in Abia will not feel the impact of my government if elected by God’s grace. No child will be left behind in education, no pensioner’s money will be held by my government because a young man can live without money, but an old man or woman cannot live without money in their pocket. So, after my tour of the 17 LGA I saw what the downtrodden in the state are passing through, I knew there is danger in the state. We have been losing the elderly men and women in the communities because they don’t have money to buy panadol or even to buy food to eat after serving the state all their lives. They are dying like chicken. Whoever is holding their money is answerable to God on the last day. I assured them that I will make sure nobody is owed money. I don’t want to release my blueprint so that people don’t copy it because the first time I did it somebody is talking about it. I am a consultant to Economic Community of West Afrinca States (ECOWAS) in 15 countries. I’m a human capital expert and I’m consulting for Central Africa Republic in African Development Bank (ADB). They have conducted due diligence about me in UNESCO. I’m just a clean person. I have not done anything that will warrant me and any person to quarrel. I don’t get angry easily and I do everything God asks me to do to every human being because I am an umbilical cord that binds every human being together. I was born in Kaduna, so if you leave Abia State and ask about me in the whole of Nigeria you will hear what they will tell you about me because I have history of doing good to my fellow human beings. It was written in the Bible when the righteous is on the throne the people will rejoice. So, expect the people of Abia by next year to start rejoicing. (Sunday Sun)