Anambra poll: Obiano has failed in his primary duty —Ojiba ACPN candidate
Comrade Akunwata Ejoh Ojiba is the flag bearer of the Alleged Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, for the November 18, 2017 governorship election in Anambra State. He hails from Onitsha in Anambra North Senatorial District and is a senior member of the Institute of Public Diplomacy. In this interview, he speaks on his chances at the poll, and the state of affairs in the state among other issues. Excerpts
WHAT is your assessment of the APGA government?
I wouldn’t want to start criticising Governor Willie Obiano so that it won’t look as if I am talking because I am contesting against him. But I want a situation where the masses will tell me that I am working. If Willie is actually working, the masses will know and advertise for him. Akunwata Ejoh Ojiba Today, the Obiano government is in a panic mood; they are taking caterpillars to abandoned road projects and pouring sand here and there because they have realized that the people are not fooled by the ‘Willie is Working’ signboards. In one of my media interviews, I told them that the initial step the Governor took after Peter Obi handed over as regards security was okay. But after some time, what happened to the security situation? It got worse that soldiers had to be deployed everywhere in Anambra State because the Governor has failed in his primary duty. When you stand along the road somebody will on Okada will snatch your bag and nobody can trace him.
You are in Church worshipping, somebody will enter and kill people without traces. No, I don’t think that is security. Agreement to share public funds He has done well in some areas but has he touched the lives of the masses that voted him into office? The answer is capital no. Hunger is everywhere in Anambra to the extent that you can see hunger on the faces of everybody. Go to any burial ceremony today in Anambra State, or any other ceremony in the State, and you will see people lining up and begging. It was not what it used to be. We were not known for begging. So, what you are saying, in essence, is that you don’t have a godfather? I don’t need a godfather. The only godfather I have is God in heaven. That’s my only godfather. In politics, if godfatherism is what it is today, for me to sign an agreement to share public funds with my godfather, then let there be no godfather. But if the godfather is the one that will encourage me to do more for Anambra people, to do good things that will benefit the ordinary person on the street, I will be happy to have one.
What are the things that Anambra people should expect from your government if you win? The first thing I will do is to make sure that Water Board comes up again. I move around; I see people suffering: children fighting to fetch water with their money. It’s a very sorry sight. I want to change that. I want to give water the way it used to be during the World Bank project of the 80s where we have water gushing out in a three-story building. What happened? How did we get to this mess? Is there no money budgeted for these things? I will build quality roads.
There was a case of a road I saw that was constructed in February this year and the first rain in March washed it away. Who supervised that road? Who signed the contract? Was money not paid? As the man at the helm of affairs, even if you cannot go to supervise the work in the daytime, move at night. Get the job done! Anambra is an ‘A’ grade state educationally, but what has happened? I will give quality education, train the teachers periodically to flow with the technological trend in the education sector in the world. We can’t be making noise over things that are not working. We have top political parties that fielded candidates in governorship election, what are your chances? Big?
They are self-acclaimed big parties. They are contesting in this election but none of them can stand a chance in a free and fair election in this state. The people are already tired of the impoverishment by the ruling APGA government. So, nobody is talking of APGA in this election. The same is goes with the PDP because the PDP is in disarray in Anambra State. And when you talk of APC, they do not exist anywhere on the ground in this state. The people at the grassroots, who are going to vote on November 18, don’t know them. They have long rejected the broom. They are competing among themselves. Who has the largest crowd? The same people rented by different political parties.
Politics has long passed the age of rallies and sharing of cups of rice to electorates. The electorate has become wiser. I can confidently tell you that our political structure will deliver in Anambra State; that is why the outcome of the November 18 governorship election will shock the world because ACPN will defeat what people now call the big parties in Anambra State. Is there any possibility of an alliance with other political parties?
Yes, talks are ongoing with a coalition of political parties and from all indications a date will soon be set for my adoption as their consensus candidate. They are members of the Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC), but when we get to the bridge we will cross it. Some candidates are already set to step down for me. They have come to realize that I have the capacity and the ability to win the election in a free and fair contest. And I shall be declared the winner by the grace of God because ACPN is fully on ground in Anambra State. Vanguard
