Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
25 October 2009
Awka — AS the 25 political parties enlisted to participate in the Anambra State February 6, 2010 governorship election get set for its electioneering campaigns, some of the candidates of the political parties who spoke to Daily Champion have stated their agenda.
Those who spoke on their agenda included the candidates of the Progressives People's Alliance (PPA) Hon. Mrs Uche Ekwunife; Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Mike Okoye ; Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN) Mike Nwafor ; All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Michael Ejezie ; and African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chief Okey Nwosu .
Others are National Movement of Progressive Party (NMPP), Hon. George Okoye; Action Congress (AC) Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prof Chukwuma Soludo; All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Governor Peter Obi and Labour Party, Chief Dr Michael Areh .
According to Hon. Ekwunife , she is a mother and a woman with milk of human kindness ready to restore the glory of the state, saying that time has come for a woman and a mother like her to heal the wounds of the state .
She said what women in the bible had achieved in their days so she would achieve now citing the prowess of Deborah and Esther who played important roles in saving the children of Israel as her mission in the race to govern Anambra state.
She said, "Being the first time a woman is running for the governorship position of a political party, I believe that there will be a difference, ".
PPA candidate maintained that she has the capability and capacity which is manifested in my political careers and also as a former bank manager who had excelled in the management of financial and human resources, even as she denied standing in for anybody as speculated in some quarters, insisting that she would never act as a stooge for anybody and described the insinuation as not just malicious, but wicked.
"The ticket is given to me by my people and I am not holding forth for anybody. I am the last person that will act as a stooge for anybody," she said.
She also maintained that her party (PPA) is the vehicle to achieve her ambition as the next governor of the state, as according to her, PPA is a party where democracy is alive, it is where the wishes of Anambra people will be listened to, where people would be allowed to exercise their franchise and where wishes of the people will prevail," hence her blueprint is to create an enabling environment where the issue of insecurity would be tackled head-on to curb the rising wave of crime,.
She also has in her agenda the mandate of addressing the problem of unemployment, as she lamented that a situation where about four to five unemployed graduates exist in a family is unacceptable, promising prompt attention to the eradication of poverty as she observed that there is a big gap between the rich and the poor with high percentage of people living below an average per capita income.
"If we must take the state to higher level, where people can feel secured, there must be an attempt to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor,", saying that her government would proffer solutions to Anambra problems. She promised to improve education by upgrading the laboratories, libraries, games facilities and employing professional teachers in all the schools throughout the state, adding that construction of roads would equally be given adequate attention.
For NMPP candidate, George Okoye , his agenda is summarized thus, "NMPP is the voice of Jacob emanating from the body of Esau. It is now clear that PDP cannot survive as one entity because of Anenih/Obasanjo spiritual face off. With Ibrahim Babangida, Alex Ekwueme , Goodluck Jonathan, Vin Ogbulafor all behind Anenih , they might as well take over the dead carcass called PDP today. We , the defenders of Obasanjo's legacy (symbolized) by the government of President Yar'Adua have chosen for ourselves this new bus . I look forward to a final showdown to prove our supremacy to the Anenia boys. The show down was averted on March 8, 2008 at National Congress of PDP when Anyim Pius Anyim and Sam Egwu squared up for battle. We maneuvered a consensus game plan to save the party. Ironically Ogbulafor took sides eventually with Pius Anyim team. That rift is threatening the stability of Nigeria so it's high time we settled scores in the very tough Anambra arena".
But the candidate of the RPN, Nwafor who spoke to Daily Champion during a stakeholders meeting for his governorship race at Zodiac hotels, Enugu where he unveiled his 'Udo Anambra Jubilee movement campaign agenda for the 2010 election.
"My agenda is all embracing and encompassing in Agriculture, Education, Youths re-orientation and mobilization, state capital development , Infrastructural development , Health , Security , Sports , Tourism and culture , Commerce and Industry as well as Information communication Technology ".
" All markets in Anambra state shall be upgraded to allow for the provision of primary, secondary and tertiary education in the market places....." while developing Awka , Onitsha and Nnewi as mega Business districts with appropriate impact on roads , street lightings , pedestrian walkways and designated centralized parking lots to reduce chaos in the city and the provision of transit terminal ....."
"The confluence of 40 and 50 makes the progranme of God for us as a people this period very clear and profound : liberation, peace , increase , restoration , prosperity and security", Nwafor informed.
Prof Chukwuma Soludo on his part used one sentence to summarize his mission in Anambra state when he said he would turn Anambra state to Dubai within his period of stay in office, while the candidate of Action Congress Dr Chris Ngige had severally said that he is coming back to perfect his agenda which he was unable to complete from 2003 before he was ousted in 2006. His 2003 manifesto is still current in the minds of the people of Anambra state but he was celebrated for his feats on roads. He told Daily Champion that he is the answer to the problems of Anambra people.
However, the incumbent and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Governor Peter Obi is staying back to consolidate his much celebrated achievement in all sectors of the state. Obi has used his ANIDS philosophy to revolutionize Anambra state that virtually every segement of the state is calling for his return ticket including the pensioners who are now said to be alive rather than dead.
Obi is insisting that he is the only capable hand to lay a solid foundation for Anambra state after which another selfless candidate would come and turn the state to the dream state but any mistake now may cause the state the foundation he has laid.
The ANPP candidate , Mike Ejezie is stopping at nothing in turning around the state both in infrastructure and orientation since the people have lost their glory. He maintained that security is nothing to write home about but his administration would fix it even as he said that in all sectors he has agenda for the state , while the Labour Party candidate Mike Areh could not speak about his agenda for Anambra at press time as efforts to get him say something during an interaction proved abortive. He wants a special time to speak on that. For the Hope Democratic Congress candidate Mike Okoye , he is the candidate to beat as he has the answer to the problems bedeviling the state adding that God is on the side of his party and people of Anambra North hence his tenure would bring solution to the numerous problems in the state. He said that he has solution to the problems of Anambra state and based on equity , he should be given a chance on behalf of his people of Anambra North to govern the state.
On his part the ADC candidate , Chief Okey Nwosu noted that his agenda is clear as ," part of the problem of Anambra state is job creation and since 18 years ago no job has been created . I will partner with the private sector to create Anambra Development and Investment Corporation which would be a consultancy to enable traders compete with their counterpart anywhere in the world".
Every year I would create 100,000 jobs and within three months in government we would start the Things Fall Apart village which is a potent weapon to open up Anambra as never before . The Village would be bringing 500,000 tourists to Anambra state every year across the globe. And because Anambra people are talented he said he would create an avenue for the local drum boys and other local instrumentalists to shine all over the world". He blamed the problem in Anambra as the conspiracy of the elite.
Other candidates could not be reached after several efforts to get them to comment on their agenda even as some of the names listed to be contesting have been alleged to be proxies for prominent political parties who initially taught they are going to have problem in their party for the December substitution of candidates. As the terrain gets tough, only the candidates who stood the test of time would be taken seriously as many are called but few are chosen. The journey to February 2010 starts now.
The list of the 25 political parties who submitted their forms with names of their candidates and running mates according to the Resident Electoral Commissioner Anambra state for the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) Chief Rowland Uwa included Citizens Popular Party (CPP) with Egonu Richmond Olisa and deputy Ezenoke Christian , Hope Democratic Party (HDP) Chief Okoye and deputy Joseph Igwebuike, Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Okolo Oliver Nnaemeka and deputy Chukwuogo Virginia Ego, Community Party of Nigeria (CPN) Arc Geoff Onyejegbu and deputy Okeke Nnodu Cyril, Labour Party (LP) Chief Areh and deputy Ndife Edwin, Nigeria Advance Party (NAP) Rev Ike Ezechukwu and deputy Bar Sunday Simon Ekwowusi, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Patrick Ogochukwu Egolum and Dozie Vitalis Odigboh and National Democratic Party (NDP) Prince Donatus Okonkwo .
Others include National Majority Democratic Party (NMDP) Emeka Harold Amobi and deputy Ikechukwu Moses Okoye, National Solidarity Democratic Party (NSDP) Chief Victor Anigbata and deputy Mr Nwokobelu Christopher Uchenna , National Movement of Progressive Party (NMPP) George Okoye and deputy Hon Paul Paker Onyeizugbo, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prof Soludo and deputy Senator Emma Anosike Obiajulu, Peoples Mandate Party (PMP) Eugene Ezekwuche and deputy Ibeneme Vivian Chizoba , United Democratic Party (UDP) Godson Ohaenyem Okoye and deputy Chief Charles Uchenna Okafor , United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP) Dr Okoli Christian Nwachukwu and deputy Olisakwe Charles Osita , African Renaissance Party (ARP) Hon. Emmanuel Nwalunor and deputy, Ezeife Chuks Uche and Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN) Nwafor and deputy Mrs Caroline Nwadiume Onweluzo.
The rest are Action Congress (AC) Dr. Ngige and deputy, Hon. Philip Obiora Agbasi , African Democratic Party (ADC) Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu and Mrs Adaora Raluchukwu Jerry-Ugwu, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief Ejezie and deputy Chief Oke Nwoke, African Liberation Party (ALP) Ikeotuonye Clement Imoyeto and deputy, Ejiofor George Udeghunam, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Governor Obi and deputy Mr Emeka Ndubuisi Sibeudu, National Conscience Party (NCP)Kenneth Ozoemena Nwuba and deputy, John Chuka Odenigbo , Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) Hon. Ekwunife and deputy, Emmanuel Emeka Igwilo, Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP) Onwugbufor Valentine .C and deputy Nwanko Tony Benson .C.
According to the REC, the display is in strict compliance with section 32 (30) of the Electoral Act 2006, which stipulates that INEC is to within seven days of receipt of the personal particulars of the candidates, publish same in the constituency where the candidates intends to contest the election. "Since INEC has been able to publish and release the photocopies of forms CF001 and CF002B to the Anambra office, the 25 political parties have complied with the stipulated provision of the law," .
Meanwhile , Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Maurice Iwu will visit Anambra state on October 28, 2008 to interact with stakeholders in the state ahead of the February, 2010 election.
Iwu is expected to address stakeholders on the preparedness of the commission to conduct a free and fair election even as he would appeal to the people on the need to cooperate with INEC to actualize the dream of conducting a free and fair election.
He would also speak on the modalities of the electioneering campaigns, thuggery and ballot box snatching and casting of votes as well as safe guarding the votes.
This is coming as the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Chief Uwa, is carrying out a three day stakeholders meeting in the three senatorial zones of the state.
Daily Champion learnt that INEC has displayed the particulars of the guber candidates and their running mates in the 21 local government areas of the state, in addition to the publication through the local media and public notices.
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