– A frontline aspirant for Abia North Senatorial Zone under the Platform of PDP.

RT. Hon. Nkole, Uko Ndukwe is a member of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to represent the good People of Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in the 8th and currently the 9th National Assembly of the fourth Republic.

Birth
Hon. Nkole, Uko Ndukwe was born to the family of Late Chief and Mrs Ndukwe Uko Nkole of Ozu-Abam in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State on the 20th of October, 1975.

Education
Hon. Nkole attended Okweji Memorial Primary School Ozu Abam where he obtained his first school leaving certificate 1986, both Government College Umuahia Ovukwu Secondary School, Abam, Arochukwu LGA where he obtained his Junior School 1989 and Senior School Certificates 1993 respectively . From there, he proceeded to the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he graduated with a B.Sc Honours Degree in Geography 1999 and M.Sc in Environmental Management 2019 with a Ph.D in view.

In Furtherance of his quest for academic excellence, he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Urban and Regional Planning 2008 and an Advance Certificate in Marketing 1995. He is an Alumnus of the RIPA – London 2008 and the Alumnus of the United States International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the US State Department 2016.

Working Life
Hon. Nkole began his career as a Youth Corps Member at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Minna Branch, Niger State 2001.
After his service year, he joined the services of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) where he rose to the rank of Principal Town Planner 2002-2014.

While working at the Federal Capital Territory Administration, he undertook the following internal, external and professional assignments.

· Secretary, Inter-Ministerial and Departmental Committee on Flood Disaster in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
· Secretary, Restoration of Kubwa Masterplan
· Secretary, Presidential Committee on International Seminars/ Conferences of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners.
He is a registered and practicing Town Planner and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (FNITP) 2020.

Political Journey
It must be noted that even while in Abuja carrying out his official duties, Hon. Nkole was very active in student union politics ,the affairs of his native Abam in Arochukwu LGA, the Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, Abia North Senatorial Zone and Abia State as a whole. He was actively engaged in philanthropic and socio-cultural activities around Abam and beyond.

Thus, it was no surprise that in 2014, Hon. Nkole harkened to the call of his people and joined the race to represent Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

He clinched the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party to contest the elections and went ahead to win a resounding victory at the polls. He resumed Legislative duty at the 8th National Assembly in June 2015. In 2019, he offered himself for re-election and won an even more resounding victory due to the huge impact he made in the lives of the people within 4 years at the National Assembly.

Family Life
Hon. Nkole is happily married to Mrs. Blessing Nkole, an Assistant Director in the Federal Civil Service and they are blessed with three lovely children: Emmanuel, Ada and Tony.

Committee Memberships in the House of Representatives
· Chaired the Sub-committee on Lands of the House Committee on Federal Capital Territory in the 8th and currently the 9th National Assembly.

· During the 8th National Assembly, he was a member of the following committees in the Nigerian House of Representatives:

• Appropriation
• Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
• Public Accounts
• Public Service Matters
• Urban and Regional Planning
• Navy
• Drugs and Narcotics
• Petroleum Resources (Downstream)
• Governmental Affairs.

In the 9th National Assembly, he was appointed a Member of the Selection Committee of the Leadership of the 9th National Assembly- House of Representatives.

· Hon. Nkole is a currently a member of the following Committees in the 9th National Assembly:

• Appropriation (representing Abia State)
• Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
• Selection
• Banking and Currency
• Defence
• Rural Development
• Science and Technology
• Water Resources
• Sports
• Inland Waterways
• Works

A widely travelled adventurer, He is excellently endowed with interpersonal and communication skills maintaining a network of friends and associates across diverse divides. He is very dear to his people and for that, they have honoured him with countless Awards and Chieftaincy Titles among which are:

• Abaji (Pillar that holds) Abam Onyerubi Clan, Arochukwu LGA, Abia State Ugwumba Aro Okeigbo (Pride of the land) Aro Okigbo Clan, Arochukwu LGA, Abia State Ugomba (Pearl of the land) Ukwa la Ngwa .Abia State

Nwanni di N’mba Ndi Elu, Ohafia.

-Ekwueme Ibeku (Talk Na Do)Abiriba Enachioken Abia State.

-Ikeoha Amangwu Ohafia Udumeze Atita Abia State.

• Ike Oha Ugwu Onyeriegbe Of Akaanu Ohafia.
• Omereoha 1 of Amuma Ohafia.
• Enyioha 1 Of Abia State.

And Many More.

His rise to prominence and relevance in National Affairs has been meteoric, not by happenstance, but by dint of hard work, constant self-development and diligent application.

An unparalleled grassroots mobiliser, he is a man of the people and enjoys the confidence and unimpeachable support of his constituents and beyond.

Indeed, during the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020, he was at his country home in Abam Onyerubi for 6 months at a stretch all through the lock-down period handing out palliatives to his people and diverse other groups and going a long way to cushion the effect of the pandemic on the people.

As a federal law maker, he sponsored bills and motions in the following areas;

I. A Bill for An Act to establish the Federal Polytechnic, Abiriba.
II. Motion on the deplorable condition of Arochukwu-Ohafia Road in Abia State.
III. Motion on threatening gully Erosion in Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in Abia State.
IV. Motion to mandate the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration to Restructure the Park and Pay Policies in line with the Best practices
V. Motion on the Abandonment of Nkporo-Abiriba-Ohafia Road.
VI. Motion on Urgent need for intervention to resuscitate the 132/33 KV Arochukwu Electricity, substation.
VII. Motion on Urgent need for the continued voters Registration Exercise to be conducted in Ward and Registration units Nationwide
VIII. Urgent need for intervention to address the Emergency Humanitarian situation at Ndi Ibe Ohafia, Ama-Ibezioke Ward in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State.
IX. Urgent need to address the subversion of due process and outright corruption by the management of Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC).

He also attracted and completed the following developmental projects in Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency.

(A) WATER:

• Construction of Ndi Okereke Abam Water Scheme – Completed
• Ongoing construction of Abam Surface Water Scheme and Treatment Plant
• Rehabilitation and ongoing reticulation of Abiriba water scheme which has been moribund for over 20 years
• Construction of a borehole in Asaga, Arochukwu – completed
• Construction of Ibina Ohafia Water Scheme – completed.
• Rehabilitation of Ekeluogo Water Scheme – Ebem Ohafia
• Rehabilitation of Ishi Mmiri Elu, Ohafia and the inclusion of reticulation in the budget
• Construction of borehole at Amuke Ohafia – Completed
• Construction of Borehole at Umuzomgbo, Ihechiowa – completed.
• Rehabilitation of Achara Ihechiowa Community Water Scheme.
• Construction of a motorized borehole at Umuchiakuma, Ihechiowa among others.
  -Provision of solar powered borehole in Ndi Okorie Abam
• Rehabilitation of Moribund Ohafia Regional Water Scheme, – Akanu Ohafia.

(B) BRIDGES:

• Rehabilitation of Anyim bridge Atan Abam that links Abia to Akwaibom State in Atani Abam – completed since 2016
• Rehabilitation of Afagala bridge , Idima Abam – completed since 2016
• Rehabilitation of Ndi Ebe Abam bailey bridge – 95% completion.
• Palliative repairs of Mmuri bridge, Ebem Ohafia and its approaches for ease of movement in all seasons
• Attracted the construction of a brand new Arochukwu/Ohafia bridge (Omenuko Bridge) , Igwu river, Ozu Abam ongoing.
• MMURI BRIDGE Along Route F107 Umuahia -Bende-Ozu Abam -Ohafia Road, Bailey Bridge Rehabilitated and re-opened to traffic with new Concrete Bridge besides it delivered. (C)
• ELECTRICITY:
• Extension of Electricity at Ahuma Abam; a community in Abam that has never had Electricity
• Power Enhancement for Ndi Ememe, Odonyi College road, Abam.
• Provision and installation of Transformers for Atan Abam community,
• Have taken up and addressed the issue of overbilling of members of his constituency by EEDC and equally restored Abam electricity.
• Provision of 33KVA Transformer for Atani Abam who has been without electricity for over 9 years.
• Provision and installation of Transformers for the following locations;
• Hospital road, Elu
• Isiama Layout, Amaekpu,
• Akanu Ohafia,
• Timber shade, Ebem.
• Enhancement of Electricity with a substation within the premises of Hope Waddel University and her precinct in Okagwe Ohafia.
• Restoration of light in Ndi Ibe and Oboro Ohafia.
• Installation of solar street lights in Okagwe, Oboro and Nkwebi Ohafia
• Restoration of Mgbaga, Ebem Ohafia Electricity.
• Provision of low tension cables to support rural electrification in Ndi Okpo and Umuzomgbo Ihechiowa.
• Extension and enhancement of electricity at Upper Umuye, Ihechiowa- near completion. (D) ROADS:
• Work has commenced on the Abandoned Arochukwu-Ututu-Ikot-Okpora Road facilitated through FERMA.
• Attraction of asphaltic overlay at Onyerubi close, Umuahia.
• Attracted the Rehabilitation of Ozu Abam-Oboro-Okagwe Ohafia Road
• Attracted the ongoing rehabilitation of Amuke-Elu Ohafia Road
• Attracted the ongoing rehabilitation of Umuahia- Bende-Ozu Abam-Ohafia federal road, F107 by the Federal Government.(FERMA since 2016)

Attracted the ongoing Bende-Ohafia- Arochukwu Road Section 1 and 11 since 2017.

• Attracted the rehabilitation of Amaogbu-Abam road and Ndi Nkpachara-Eze Ogo Road, Ozu Abam
• Attracted the construction of Ndi Okorie-Eziafor-Atan- Ndi Oji Abam Ring Road by the Abia State Government.
• Ongoing Construction of Agborji-Abiriba-Nkwebi road and Earthworks/culvert job at Agborji Abiriba-Okagwe Ohafia Road
• Attracted the Maintenance Repairs of failed portions of Ohafia-Biakpan road.
• Ongoing construction of Amaukabi 1km road in Amangwu Ohafia which is @ 90% completion.
• Payment of counterpart fund Okon-Aku Ohafia community to enable Abia State Community Social Development Programme (AB-CSDP) rehabilitates the Amafia road in Okon-Aku Ohafia.
• Attracted the construction of Abiriba-Nkporo-Ohafia road to be executed by the Federal Ministry of Works with the project scope: Abiriba through Amurie-Etitiama-Elughu Nkporo-Nguzu Junction, Ohafia.
• Rehabilitation of Okagwe-Nkwebi-Oboro Ohafia road.
• Okagwe-Osso Edda road that will link Ohafia and Ebonyi State
• Ensured the funding in the National Budget and the return to site of Messers Beks Kimse (Now KDI Engineering Ltd) at ongoing rehabilitation of Arochukwu-Ohafia-Abiriba Federal road (Agbagwu -UTUTU -OBINTO Section)

Attracted the ongoing Arochukwu- ASECTA-Itu Road .

(E) EDUCATION/PROVISION OF ACADEMIC MATERIALS:

• Attraction of a solar-based E-learning centre with over 40 computer sets at Abam High School, Ozu Abam.
• A bill for An Act to Establish the Federal College of Agriculture, Ozu Abam in Arochukwu LGA is on the process
• Registration of First School Leaving Certificate Examination for over 600 indigent pupils in Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency.
• Block of Classrooms at Okweji Memorial Primary School, Ozu Abam-Ongoing.
• Provision of School Desks and Exercise Books for Amaogudu Community School, Abiriba.
• Sponsored a Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal Polytechnic Abiriba which has scaled through the public hearing stage and Recommitted to the House of Representatives Committee on the Whole for Reconsideration.
• Already, the take-off site and the facilities at Onarubi Technical Secondary School, Abiriba have been inspected and approved.
• Provision of School Desks for Amamba/Ukpo Community School, Abiriba.
• Provision of school desks for Ofali Agwu Community School, Amaekpu Ohafia.
• Ongoing construction of 5 classroom blocks in Amankwu Ohafia.
  -Ongoing rehabilitation of Ndiememe Abam Primary School
• In partnership with CHAMA (A Canada-based NGO), Hon. Uko Nkole built a six classroom block at Ndi Aku Ohafia, a village in Ohafia that has existed for 100 years without any Elementary school.
• Construction of five Classroom blocks and a Laboratory for Obiene Technical School, Ututu.
• reconstruction of Utughuiyi Primary School, Isu
• Construction and furnishing of an Administrative block for Nkporo Comprehensive Secondary School, Nkporo Ohafia.
• Provision of school desks and executive office furniture to Nkporo Comprehensive Secondary School, Nkporo Ohafia.
• Attracted the construction of classroom blocks at Umunneabuo Secondary Technical School, Umuchiakuma, Ihechiowa.
• Rehabilitation of a block of 5classrooms at Ndiememe Abam Primary School.
• distribution of Educational and Instructional materials to the over 180 Public schools across the 22 wards in the Federal Constituency being part of Rt. Hon. Uko Nkole’s 2020 constituency projects he attracted through the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC in the 2020 FGN budget
• Attraction and Supply Of Modern Instructional Materials, Pupils Tables Chairs/Chairs, Textbooks, Parade bandsets, Head Teachers and Teachers Tables, Computer sets ,Printers, White Boards, Power Packs, etc across all 80% of the public primary schools in the 8components clans representing the 22wards in the Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency.

(E) HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

• He secured employment for more than one hundred and Fifty 150) graduates from Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency into Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies
• Facilitated the training of Youth from Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituncy to learn their desired handwork and skill.
• Offered financial assistance to numerous constituents (mostly youths/women) as start up capital/support for their business.

This is an abridged citation as a full rendition of the life, achievements, projects and interventions of Hon. Uko Nkole will continue for many more pages.

Suffice it to say that Hon. Uko Nkole has dedicated his life to service. Service to his people and service to God. He is at home everywhere and at peace wherever he finds himself because he has invested in physical and human infrastructures everywhere.