With few weeks to the general elections, the gubernatorial candidate of Action Alliance party in Enugu state, Barr. Chukwunonso Daniel Ogbe has declared that the party will take over Enugu government house in May 2023. WITHIN NIGERIA reporter had a chat with him in his party house Enugu where he x-rayed his programs of action for Enugu state if elected.
Excerpts
What gave you the courage to contest the gubernatorial seat in PDP-dominated state like Enugu, knowing full well that your party is relatively not popular in the State?
Admittedly, my political party Action Alliance was not popular in Enugu State before this political season. However, without sounding immodest, my emergence as the gubernatorial candidate of AA in Enugu State has changed the narrative, as many people in Enugu State are beginning to embrace AA as a better alternative. I am not a new voice in the opposition fold in Enugu State, and my consistency over the years as a young man who was not bought over by the ruling PDP in Enugu State, has endeared me to many electorates who are yearning for something different in the political terrain of Enugu State.
Furthermore, many electorates are fed up with the PDP-led administration in Enugu State, and the political arrogance being exhibited by many PDP faithful, who now regard Enugu State as their political fiefdom, is that which offends the sensibilities of many right thinking members of Enugu society, and accordingly has made many electorates this time to exhibit that willingness to assert their political rights in my favour in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Enugu state.
You are wrestling power with the PDP which has been in power in the state for over two decades. What gave you the courage that you will win the election?
Empires rise and fall. PDP will not be in power forever in Enugu State. The party has governed Enugu state since 1999, and I think a vast majority of Enugu people are not happy with the performance of PDP as a political party so far. Furthermore, PDP has not been winning elections the way they claim in Enugu State prior to now. Most of the electoral victories recorded by PDP in Enugu State are products of electoral malpractices; which interestingly, a former member of the PDP in Enugu State who is currently a Chairman of one of the political parties in Enugu State has openly confessed in a live radio programme in Enugu State how he participated in rigging election for PDP in Enugu State and also apologized to Enugu State people. So, with the current reforms made in our electoral system, the heightened political awareness existing among many citizens, and the fact that the time for PDP to come, are enough to let you know that something good awaits Enugu State in the forthcoming governorship election. It is going to be a battle akin to that between the biblical David and Goliath.
How far have you gone in educating the voters that your party will perform better if you are elected into office in March 2023?
Most voters have become enlightened politically in Enugu State. They know the antecedents of those of us vying for this office. The beauty of the forthcoming governorship election in Enugu State has to do with the fact that the electorates are looking beyond campaign promises. They are looking at the antecedents and pedigree of the candidates. Going by my activities over the years in attending to the needs of Enugu people and also refusing to be bought over by the ruling party in Enugu State, many people believe that I am of a different stock, and would like to vote me.
What have you done for your people to give you the courage that they will elect you come 2023 general elections?
I have defended the interest of Enugu State people in time past on issues bordering on governance before this election season, as I earlier pointed out; and many people in Enugu State are aware of that. The EEDC action helped save the energy-prepaid meters of Enugu State people and they are benefitting from it. The Court action I filed in Enugu State following the absence of a functional standby power generator which previously stalled cases of litigants in Court in Enugu, gave rise to the installation of a functional standby power generator in the premises of the Enugu Judicial Division of the High Court of Enugu State, and this has helped the cases of many Enugu State people not to suffer undue delays.
My Court action when Enugu State Government exhibited unwillingness to conduct local government council election in 2020, made the conduct of that election possible, inasmuch as many of us are not comfortable with the manner in which that election was conducted. I am still in Court fighting for the pensioners in Enugu State, and which action was commenced even before this election season. As I said earlier, Enugu State people are asking questions about what those of us who seek to govern them have done in time past, and I think that going by my antecedents in Enugu State, many people are willing to give me a chance to implement my leadership ideals in Enugu State.
Do you believe in equity? If yes, why will you be contesting for a seat with a running mate who came from a senatorial zone that has held the seat for eight years?
Anyway, the issue of zoning is the brainchild of the ruling PDP in Enugu State. I have never been part of it. I preach and believe in competence. What is paramount is that we should elect individuals who can make our society better. However, if you also wish to bring in political consideration, I do not think I did any wrong by choosing my running mate from Enugu North Senatorial District, in the person of Hon. Iyida Ikechukwu Onyedika, from Igbo Eze North Local Government Council of Enugu State. When Senator Chimaroke Nnamani left office in 2007 as the Governor of Enugu State, the Deputy Governor Hon. Sunday Onyebuchi emerged from the same senatorial district with Senator Nnamani, being Enugu East Senatorial Zone. When Barr. Sullivan Chime left office in 2015, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s running mate also emerged from Enugu West Senatorial Zone, being the current Deputy Governor of Enugu State Chief Mrs. Joy Ezeilo. Interestingly, Barr. Sullivan Chime hails from Enugu West Senatorial Zone. I am from Enugu South Local Government Council which falls under Enugu East Senatorial Zone, and my running mate is from the same zone with Governor Ugwuanyi, being Enugu North Senatorial Zone. So, I do not think I did anything wrong. If the zoning arrangement should be raised at the end of my tenure as the Governor of Enugu State if God permits that I become the Governor through the vote of Enugu State electorates, the Governorship position would be going to Enugu West Senatorial District.
What is your program of action for the development of Enugu State if you are elected the Governor come March 2023?
Good governance and nothing but good governance. An action-oriented government, fuelled by my youthful passion to revive many moribund sectors of Enugu State, is what is in the offing for the good people of Enugu State when I become the Governor of Enugu State.
If you are elected the governor of Enugu state next month, what will form your priority programmes in the next six months?
Sports Revolution, scraping policies that frustrate budding businesses, setting up of the infrastructure needed to address water scarcity, and construction of critical roads in Enugu State which are in a bad state, will be given attention within the first 6 months of my administration before I delve into other areas of governance.
So, how will you rate the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi vis-à-vis infrastructural development and other issues in the State?
I am an interested party in this case, and ordinarily, you won’t expect me to say that Governor Ugwuanyi has done well, assuming he did. However, in all fairness, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi did not live up to expectations as a Governor. I admit that his good side as a leader has to do with the fact that he is tolerant, and does not have the record of intimidating the opposition fold. However, in terms of leadership, I am not satisfied with the performance of his administration. It’s embarrassing that we still talk about water scarcity in Enugu State, many roads are in a terrible condition in Enugu State. There is frustration and despair in the land, occasioned by insensitive policies implemented by his administration, such as the inhuman demolition of the structures of poor people by Enugu Capital Territory, amidst the harsh economy that has pervaded Nigeria. Our educational and health sectors are in comatose. Above all, insecurity has heightened in Enugu State under his watch. Nevertheless, Enugu people who are not vying for the office of Governor of this State would be the ones to decide if they are comfortable with the achievements of Governor Ugwuanyi or not, and that would take place during the forthcoming governorship election in Enugu State.
What is your message to the people of Enugu State vis-à-vis 2023 general election?
I would like to appeal to the good people of Enugu State to keep hope alive. Let us not be deterred by the pessimism of those who believe that we cannot change the narrative. We should appreciate the fact that the decision we make in the forthcoming election shall determine our fate in the coming four years. Let the message be proclaimed across Enugu State that we have been liberated from the shackles of forces of retrogression and that the time to enjoy good governance has come.