Anambra 2014 guber race of crowded aspirants. Next year, the governorship election in Anambra State will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Already, the State has again turned into a melting point of political activities with no fewer than 60 of her citizens jostling to succeed the incumbent Governor Peter Obi. Among those putting finishing touches to their plan to fully join the race are Senators Chris Ngige, Alphonsus Ubanesse Igbeke, Andy Uba, Hon. Nicholas Ukachukwu, Estate Surveyor Patrick Obianwu, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, Comrade Goddy Ibekwe, Oseloka Obaze, the incumbent Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Nkoli Imoh, Dr Obinna Uzor of Gocuz fame, and Chinedu Idigo. Others are Ugochukwu Okeke, Tony Nwoye; the former State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Ifeanyi Uba; Chief Executive of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Chief Goddy Eemmo, Chike Obidigbo, Emma Nweke, Osiberoha Uche Osibe; a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Uche Ekwunife, the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, who is representing Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia federal constituency. Of all these gubernatorial aspirants, political watchers have been commenting on the interest of Ekwunife believed to have returned a familiar terrain having had a shot at the gubernatorial slot ii 2010 on the platform of the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA). The two-time member of the House of Representatives is widely believed to have declared the intention to take over the governorship seat from Peter Obi as a mere smokescreen to prepare the ground for her eventual selection as running mate, especially to Ifeanyi Uba. But at a media chat at her Crescent Spring Hotel, Awka, the state capital, Ekwunife described such reports as uninformed and calculated to dent her aspiration. Ekwunife, who was irked by the insinuation that has been making the round for some months, expressed surprise that detractors are yet to reckon with her as a big political force, having won the House of Representatives seat twice and taken a shot at the governorship seat in 2010. She explained the reason why she would not settle for deputy governorship slot after investing her time and money for the past one year in the preparation for the governorship race, stressing that the position of deputy governor was not contested for but strictly on appointment. She said if she was interested in becoming a running mate, she would not have been spending time and money on her gubernatorial ambition, stating that “I have the capacity to contest and win the governorship election and that’s what I’m going to do”. Ekwunife dismissed the permutation that her coming from the same federal constituency with the incumbent Governor Peter Obi would deny her the chance to become governor since Obi had said that it is the turn of the Anambra North Senatorial District, saying such permutation which had no basis could not work because ability to fulfill electioneering promises was the real issue. The federal lawmaker, who is also the leader of the Anambra State Caucus in the House of Representatives, said what the people of the State needed was good governance. She pointed out that Obi’s preference for the Anambra North Senatorial Zone of the State was his opinion which he had right to express. “I’ve no problem with my governor’s opinion because he has every right to do so. But I know what the people want is someone who can deliver and continue from where the governor stopped. Like I always say, the governor has done well and has been executing the manifesto of our great party APGA,” Ekwunife stated. She dismissed insinuation that she had either dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) over the lingering crisis or planned to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stressing that there was only one recognized APGA. She stressed that she had “no intention to leave APGA which is a peaceful party” and gave an assurance to unveil her manifesto the moment campaigns started. Ekwunife, who is the Chairman, the House of Representatives Committee on Environment, said the country is generally challenged by peculiar environmental problems which sitting governors across the States of the federation should give attention to in order to contain them. She listed the environmental challenges as including desert encroachment in the Northern part of the country, oil pollution in the South-south zone, ocean surge in the South-west and erosion menace in the South-east. Ekwunife stated that erosion in the South-east for instance remained a big problem, noting that the erosion menace in the Nanka and Oko communities in Orumba North Council of Anambra State cannot be handled by a local contractor, considering the point that the initial designs of the project had some serious defects. For this reason, she said her committee had recommended that the project be given to a more competent contractor like Julius Berger or similar companies with the required equipment to tackle the magnitude of the menace caused by the disaster.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:16:12 +0000
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