I’m Bringing Global Experience To Local Politics – Okwong

Mr Uya Okwong, a United Kingdom-based petroleum engineer, relocated to his native state of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, and now seeks to represent Urue Offong/Oruko constituency in the state’s House of Assembly under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. He spoke with CHIBUZO UKAIBE about his ambition, his chances of winning, and his plans for the office.

Why would a UK-based petroleum engineer, who recently relocated to Nigeria, want to vie for a state assembly seat in Akwa Ibom? What’s the catch?

I will rather ask why a Nigerian and Akwa Ibomite UK-based Engineer is doing this, and to clarify, there is no “catch” but rather a clear purpose.

Yes, I am a Senior Automation Engineer with international experience in the energy sector, having worked in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom. More importantly, I’m from Urue Offong Oruko local government of Akwa Ibom State, and I’m interested in contributing to policy and development back home. My professional career has given me the privilege of serving in academia as a lecturer, managing engineering operations, industrial automation, and the application of modern digital and data-driven systems, including work on data governance and policy frameworks within complex technical environments. My professional exposure across different continents has given me a broad perspective on technology, energy systems, and development.

Despite working internationally, I always maintain a strong connection with my community by visiting frequently, interacting and contributing my quota to a plethora of development initiatives. Having grown up in the community, I am deeply connected to the different strata of society and have a clear understanding of the challenges, realities, aspirations, and opportunities of my people.

My decision to return and run for the State Assembly is driven by the belief that real impact starts at the grassroots level. At that level, you are closest to the people and can directly influence policies on infrastructure, education, and youth empowerment. As someone who believes in policies and bills as the framework for wholesome development, my desire by the grace of God is to represent the good people of UrueOffong Oruko LGA in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in the 2027, where I can bring my knowledge, discipline and network to serve my people in contributing to policies and initiatives that promote youth empowerment, education, infrastructure development, technology adoption and economic opportunities.

So, rather than a “catch,” I would say it is a journey of purpose from building systems in a corporate environment to helping build systems that improve everyday livelihood for my constituency and community.

Did you get any assurances from your party, the APC, that you would get the ticket and win?

I believe that credibility builds trust, and trust is what drives effective leadership. With my good track record of community service, overwhelming grassroots support, and a genuine commitment to serving the people of Urue OffongOruko Local Government in Akwa Ibom State, I am optimistic that I will receive the final nod from the party, its leaders, and members to fly the party’s flag at the polls.

Ultimately, I consider myself a strong candidate because of what I represent: competence, a fresh perspective, and a clear focus on delivering real impact. I am prepared to earn the party’s ticket and the people’s mandate. Politics, especially at the grassroots level, is about who has the people’s support to win the party’s elections, and since I have that, I am optimistic about the APC ticket.

Representation in the State House of Assembly should be about giving our constituency a stronger voice and ensuring that government policies are created with the grassroots in mind and the benefits reach the most remote communities. It also means working collaboratively, while respecting the various arms of government, to deliver dividends for our people. I am prepared to do all these.

What’s the significant difference you want to make through that office?

I want to shift representation from largely symbolic to genuinely results-driven. First, let me say that I have great respect for those who have represented our constituency before now. Leadership is not an easy responsibility; everyone who has served in the past has contributed in one way or another to the progress of our people. When given the privilege of the party’s ticket to run in 2027 and after winning the election for the APC, I intend to strengthen the connection between the constituency and government through more proactive representation and consistent grassroots engagement. One of the ways I intend to achieve this is to prioritise active community engagement by setting up a Constituency Liaison Office, as none currently exist in my LGA. I do not believe that representation should be limited to the House of Assembly Complex in Uyo.

This will open up the channel of communication with constituents to ensure that our people are fully aware of and able to benefit from government programmes and opportunities. Sometimes such opportunities exist, but our communities are not adequately positioned to access them.

In addition, I believe representation should involve continuous consultation with the people. I intend to restore the culture of regular stakeholder consultations, constituency briefings, and town hall meetings to ensure the constituency’s voices remain central to legislative decisions. This will be at least quarterly.

I would also place strong emphasis on youth empowerment and economic opportunities, because our young people are the greatest asset of Urue-Offong/Oruko and, I dare say, make up the largest population. Creating pathways for skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, and employment would be a major focus, and this will commence within 6 months of my swearing in.

Finally, I will leverage my professional experience and networks to attract partnerships, development initiatives, and investments that can improve infrastructure, education, and economic opportunities in our constituency.

To summarise, my goal is to ensure that Urue-Offong/Orukoha has a strong voice, effective representation, and tangible development outcomes so that when my constituents think of representation, they think of measurable progress, not just promises.

The House of Assembly seat is a grassroots position. You had your primary to tertiary education in Nigeria before travelling abroad – what makes you think you’re in touch with grassroots realities?

That’s a fair question, and I don’t take it lightly.

While I’ve had the privilege of international exposure, my foundation is here; I was born, raised, and educated in Nigeria, and those experiences don’t disappear because I worked abroad; rather, they shape how I understand everyday realities. So, I would say my strength is a combination of understanding the system from within and bringing an external perspective that enables me to question inefficiencies and drive better outcomes.

More importantly, I’ve been intentional about staying connected. Relocating isn’t just about coming back physically; it’s about re-engaging. I have, on multiple occasions, engaged with people across the wards in Urue Offong Oruko LGA and have taken time to study the realities on the ground. This has helped me understand that the constituency is facing numerous interconnected challenges.

The truth is that our people are hardworking and resilient; the problem is not a lack of human potential. The real challenge has been limited opportunities and insufficient advocacy, as many people feel that the constituency’s voice is not strong enough to attract development and sustained government attention.

What I see, therefore, is not a hopeless situation, but an opportunity for more proactive and effective representation, someone who will consistently engage government, mobilise development partners, and ensure that our constituency benefits from the many opportunities available at the state and federal levels.

My goal is to help strengthen that connection between our people and government, so that Urue-Offong/Oruko can experience the level of development and opportunities that our people truly deserve.

Do you have the governor’s blessing for this electoral journey?

I have a lot of respect for the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, and the leadership he provides.

I am confident that my aspiration will earn the governor’s goodwill and fatherly support. This is because my intentions and commitment to serve are genuine, my background is solid, and my focus is on contributing meaningfully to the well-being and development of our people.

As you can see, this is a grassroots mandate. I will leverage the trust I have earned from my party members, stakeholders, and the people to build a mandate that is people-driven. I commend Pst Umo Eno’s administration on its key achievements, and I will attribute his administration’s greatest achievement to his ability to unite the state and ensure peace across Akwa Ibom.