The governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP) in Imo, Uche Odunzeh, has promised to engage the youths in meaningful ventures as a means of tackling insecurity in the state.

Mr Odunzeh, who made the promise at the party’s stakeholders’ meeting in Owerri, said that empowering youths and reducing unemployment would ensure lasting peace and security in the state.

“It is time for us to hand over the state to the youth so that we can bring lasting peace to the state.

“If you do not carry the youth along, there will always be problems,” he said.

Mr Odunzeh, an entrepreneur, said he was running for the November 11 governorship poll with an “executive experience and track record of providing private sector jobs for over 20 years”.

He said: “A new Imo is possible; the people are yearning and are ready to take back their state through the NNPP.

“Nobody will stop us.

“We might not have the financial capacity like other parties, but what we know is that we have the voice of the people and it is high time the people took back their state.

“This will be a consensus campaign, so I urge all leaders in the state across party lines to join the NNPP campaign for a better and new Imo,” he said.

The gubernatorial candidate further promised to improve the lives of the people, especially children, education and health sectors, road infrastructure and real estate development.

“Imo will thrive again because I will be that bridge builder between the youth and all the citizens,” he further said.

Earlier, the state chairman of the party, Mandis Duruimo, commended the party faithful and stakeholders for turning out en masse for the meeting.

“NNPP Imo family has shown that it is the highest and strongest in the whole of the South,” Mr Duruimo said.

He urged them to prepare for the commencement of grassroots campaign in August.

In a remark, the director-general of the Hon. Uche Udenzeh campaign council, Sen. Jude Iroegbu, said the journey to the Imo Government House required collective efforts.

Mr Iroegbu, who expressed concern over the security breaches in the state, said that an NNPP-led government would ensure security of lives and property, if elected.

“Do not feel bad because these challenges will not last forever.

“The best we can do to ensure a new Imo is to vote in NNPP,” he said.

Also, the state woman leader of the party, Franca Okoli, and youth leader, Kenneth Opara, promised to mobilise women and youths for the party and its governorship candidate ahead of the poll.

(NAN)