By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
A House of Representatives hopeful for the Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency, Hon. Ibrahim Luther Kitchener, has decried what he described as “generational stagnation” caused by the failure of past leaders to harness the area’s vast economic and natural endowments.
Speaking with PERISCOPE NIGERIA in Jalingo, Kitchener said the constituency sits on enormous untapped wealth that could transform lives if properly linked to federal support, private investment, and international development partners.
According to him, the long-abandoned Ibi Bridge project remains the clearest symbol of underdevelopment and leadership gaps that have slowed progress in the constituency for years.
“Our forebears dreamed of a connected Wukari/Ibi. Instead, the Ibi Bridge has become a monument to neglect. If completed, it would open trade routes linking northern markets to the South, attract investors, and boost commerce and tourism,” he said.
He argued that Wukari/Ibi has enough resources to become a major Blue Economy hub, citing rivers suitable for marine transport, rich fisheries, fertile farmlands, and vast tourism potential capable of creating thousands of jobs.
“Our rivers alone can sustain boat transport, fish processing centres, cold-chain systems, eco-tourism, and export hubs. Investors—both Nigerian and foreign—are looking for places like this. What we lack is leadership that can attract and negotiate these partnerships,” he added.
Kitchener, who is a Special Adviser to Governor Agbu Kefas on E-Government and Digital Development Services and a former Information Manager/Quality Assurance and Senior Documents Controller in the United Kingdom, said his interactions with global investors show that the constituency could be positioned as a regional economic gateway.
“I have worked with international teams. I know what investors look for. Wukari/Ibi has everything—location, resources, and a youthful population—except strategic representation. We must change that,” he said.
He also pledged to champion digital empowerment by targeting 10,000 youths for skills in software development, data analysis, digital marketing, artificial intelligence, and online freelancing, insisting that the constituency must “join the world, not watch it from the sidelines.”
On security, he said strengthening community policing, improving federal deployments, and addressing farmer-herder tensions must form part of a long-term peacebuilding strategy.
Kitchener added that women traders, farmers, and artisans would be prioritised through grants, low-interest credit schemes, and access to digital commerce platforms.
“No community grows when its women are economically stranded. We will ensure women and young people have the tools to compete locally and globally,” he said.
He insisted that Wukari/Ibi must not continue to lag behind while similar constituencies across Nigeria leverage partnerships and legislation to unlock growth.
“This constituency is at a turning point. If we fail to act now, the world will continue to move while we stand still. I am committed to reversing that story,” he said.
Residents who spoke with PERISCOPE NIGERIA welcomed the call, saying the constituency needs a fresh approach led by someone capable of connecting local aspirations with national and international opportunities.
