By Gabriel Chy Alonta
The leadership of Academic Frontier Initiative (AFI), has congratulated Prof. Lillian Orogbu on her emergence as standard bearer to represent the Labour Party for Awka North and South Federal Constituency, ahead of the 2023 general election.
Orient Daily recalled that Prof. Orogbu, who was the immediate past Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, defeated her rivals – Hon. Chinedum Samuel Onwuaso, who is a current lawmaker representing Awka North and South in the House of Representatives and Hon. Nnamdi Okafor, who is also representing Awka South 1 in Anambra State House of Assembly.
AFI, in a statement on Monday signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Chinedu Onyeizugbe and Secretary of the Anambra State Chapter of AFI, Engr. Dr. John Paul Iloh, and made available to newsmen, the group described Prof. Orogbu as a quintessential scholar and astute administrator, who will use her wealth of experience if given the opportunity to attract democratic dividends to good people of Awka North and South Federal Constituency.
The statement reads in part, “On behalf of AFI, we want to use this opportunity to congratulate Prof. Lillian Obiageli Orogbu, on her victory during the Labour Party primary election held recently at the Beautiful Gate Hotel, Awka.
“As an erudite scholar, we are convinced she will bring her expertise to bear when she eventually wins the main election. The victory is worth it especially as a person coming from the classroom. It is a sign that academics need to be more involved in partisan politics to reshape our nation. This is no longer the time when academics are arm chair spectators when matters of politics are being discussed.
“We, therefore, call on ‘Ndi Anambra’, especially the good people of Awka North and South Federal Constituency to throw their weights behind this academic guru and a seasoned administrator to represent the region at the national assembly especially going by her track records”.
This paper further reports that Prof. Orogbu polled seven (7) votes to defeat Hon. Okafor (2 votes) and Hon. Onwuaso (1 vote) at the primaries.
Orogbu is a professor of strategic human resource management (Business Administration), who rose meritoriously through the ranks as a trainer of Business Administrators. She once held sway as the Chairman, Board of Faculty of Management Sciences, and Postgraduate Studies Committee, as well as the Chief Administrative/Academic Officer of the Faculty of Management Sciences of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.