All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) aspirant for 2014 Anambra State gubernatorial election, Barrister Chinedu Idigo has given insights on how he is going to drive the state to greater heights if given the mandate. In an interview with Saturday Sun, Idigo paid glowing tributes to Governor Peter Obi, promising to do more is a Prince from the renowned Idigo royal dynasty of Aguleri, Anambra East LGA and a governorship aspirant in Anambra State on the platform of APGA.
How would you score the government of Mr. Peter Obi?
I will score Governor Obi very high because he exceeded my expectations.
This young man was a green horn in politics and from inception, he faced a lot of oppositions from various quarters that tried to destabilise his government and the state, but he stood his ground. If you will recall, certain people held Anambra hostage for a long time; they first denied him his victory and were determined to frustrate him, but he fought through the law courts and persevered for about three years.
During that trial period many had given up hope of Obi ever regaining his mandate, some thought he was fighting lost battle but God proved Himself. Obi’s patience, resilience, determination and vision paid off.
The oppressors came in via purported impeachment, but he came back. They put all types of obstacles and accusations against the governor, he kept moving. The second term came and they all connived and said never again, he also proved them wrong. Despite all these, Obi has meticulously and systematically taken care of all sectors of development applying the scale of preference and reviewing as he went on. Today, the legacies of this great son of Anambra State are evidently scattered throughout the state for people to see. Obi brought genuine peace to the streets of Anambra.
During the previous governments we used to be on alert all the time because no one knew when and where the next mayhem would come from. He eradicated thuggery and political banditry in the state and removed Anambra’s name from the notorious black book of perpetual bad news. In the past, it was an embarrassment to identify oneself as an Anambrarian. We were laughing stocks even to our closest neighbours, but Obi has washed us clean and moved us away from “Home for all” to “Light of the Nation”, since then we have been the light of the nation indeed. Governor Obi redefined political relationship by being an insider to federal government of different political parentage.
You will agree with me that the harmony that has existed between the federal and our state is much better than the relationship that exists between the federal and most of the state governments of same political parentage. He has used this relationship to secure all that belongs to Anambra State without any struggle.
It is this harmony that brought about the recognition of Anambra as an oil producing state by the Presidency. All the federal appointments and other things due to Anambra have never been withheld or put in the story bank. Gone are the days of opposition to central power at the detriment of the masses of this state and may God never allow such to come back again.
Obi brought shrewd financial management to bear in governance and taught us to plan and live within our means, with our minimal resources compared to other states in the country. Anambra State does not owe anyone a dime, yet we are making astronomical progress in all areas. I think it takes a genius to be able to achieve all these. People talk about uncommon transformation, for you to appreciate such a great man with very modest and humble life style, visit Anambra today and see for yourself.
He is consistent, reliable, patient, resilient, visionary and rugged; you cannot push him around even in his subtlety. He is not a noisemaker; his style remains to let his works speak for him as he has shamed his enemies and the opposition.
The Anambra State Integrated Development Strategies (ANIDS), an original initiative of Obi remains the basis of the master plan of moving this state forward, it is evidently tested and it is working right now all over the state. We are on continuity of the winning formula; Anambra people have found their destiny as a people, thanks to Mr. Peter Obi. You can see the reason why I insist that his services to the state must not end with his tenure.
He is a very young man and is the originator of the ANIDS program for the development of the state, we shall always need him to advice as his relevance will be more needed in the next dispensation. His contacts and mine combined shall take Anambra State to greater heights.
From your background as a successful lawyer, why are you into politics? Lawyers all over the world are renowned not just for the dispensation of law and justice and as the last hope of the down trodden, we are equally administrators. Since I left school I have been consistent with my practice.
Part of my duty as a lawyer has been to help the helpless, I have represented many of our people in legal matters without accepting any official fees where I felt they were being persecuted wrongly may be because they did not have money or influence. I am very pleased with my contributions in developing our legal system so far and that is the reason why I have not done any other thing than my practice. Being in practice for more than 28 years now and the urge to help make things better has inspired this move. Being the governor of Anambra State shall afford me better and greater opportunity to touch more lives as everyone must not be involve in a matter.
As a fan of the success story of Obi, a great motivator, a man I share his ideologies and principles, I believe that a capable hand is needed at this moment to carry the torch from him so that the light does not go off and we relapse to our previous terrible conditions as a people. I am motivated by service, the hunger to add value to the lives of people. I have seen firsthand the effects of bad leadership on the masses, which is driving so many from responsible backgrounds to terrible crimes. I know that policies made by government impact on the people.
It takes very calm, focused and determined person to govern properly and if I get the opportunity I will also make a great difference that Governor Obi. I will continue with the visions of this present administration. I am confident that my experiences and natural skills are match made to continue the perfect articulation that is already in place in the state.
One thing is to have a vision and another is to interpreter and defines the vision accordingly, so, I understand the direction of the visions of Obi for our people and fully and wholly buy into it. As the visions are already tested and proven, my job will then be made easy to move the state to the next required and necessary levels. My motivation is service and nothing more, passion to continue the process of setting the poor masses of my state free, passion to move the ANIDS vision of APGA forward.
What are your programmes for the state?
My manifesto is simple, we shall continue and improve on the ANIDS agenda of APGA and initiatives of the present governor, Mr. Peter Obi. APGA as a party already has manifesto, which is covered by ANIDS, and that is what I intend to continue, though on a different level and that is why we have come up with ISSEH. This stands for Industrialisation, Strategic Infrastructure development, Security, Education and Healthcare, which also encompass the vision of ANIDS.
The government has done so well by opening and developing all areas of the state through a deliberate attempt to liberate Anambra. There are bridges and roads in most parts of the state, hospitals and medical centres have not only been equipped but doctors are now on call at least on particular days of the week, our schools are renovated and equipped so that our children will grow with modern knowledge and confidence. My programme will be to supervise the next phase of the ANIDS agenda, which is job creation through industrialisation and development of vital infrastructures necessary to activate jobs.
I will pay attention to agriculture and manufacturing recognising the strength of my people. I will encourage modern skills that will equip our youths with modern world class skills that will enable them get jobs anywhere in the world. I shall offer specialist trainings to develop the stipulated sectors and make them attractive for our teaming unemployed youths.
Governor Obi favours Anambra North for the governorship position, are you from that zone?
I’m from Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government in the North Senatorial Zone. I thank the governor for being sensitive to this anomaly. I believe that the reason for such a decision is for fairness and equity. Since the inception of Anambra State, the North Senatorial zone has never produced a governor even though our votes determine who emerges. However, I don’t think that being a northerner is a qualification of its own. I will not campaign to that I’m running or should be voted for because I come from the north. I am running because I am qualified, proven, reliable, electable, trustworthy and most importantly, have the interest of all Anambra people at heart. I do not want to be the Northern Senatorial zone governor; I want to be the better governor from the North.
My responsibility is over the entire Anambra and just like the present governor who has been very fair in the distribution of amenities, I shall apply same principles if nominated by the party and elected by Ndi Anambra. Coming from the North Senatorial zone is an advantage but Chinedu Idigo is in the race because I am of the right pedigree and have the capacity to deliver. You seem to belong to Obi’s faction of APGA We do not have factions in APGA. It surprises me when I read about all these problems in the papers. Obi is the Deputy National Leader of APGA and has done a lot for the party. Without Obi, there is no APGA. I will only say we had a slight family misunderstanding, which is quite normal.
I always like to look at things from realistic angles, if he had joined PDP, as has been the rumour from time, APGA would have long been dead, buried and forgotten. His loyalty to the party has been unshakable and I respect that. I need say also that Obi is a human being therefore fallible like anyone of us he is not above mistakes.
In all, his loyalty to the party has been consistent and I respect and admire that in him. However it is unfortunate that some people who do not have the interest of Anambra, APGA and the Igbo man at heart want to use this misunderstanding to cause confusion.
What actually are the problems that could not have been resolved internally?
My confidence is that the governor has been consistent, he has a proper grip of the party structure up to the ward levels, as we all know, God will vindicate us once again.
I have every reason to be loyal to the party and Obi as our leader. I have never seen a state where an incumbent governor does not have a say on who succeeds him. I am really saddened with the activities of these very few individuals. APGA must win Anambra state if we do not want a recall of all the bad omens of the past leaderships in the state. We cannot afford to leave the destiny of the Igbo man in the hands of strangers, rascals and aliens. How confident are you to emerge the APGA flag bearer? Very confident and I will tell you why. Obi is a man who looks at things critically putting all cards and all considerations on the table; he deals with reality, no sentiments.
I believe that the primary consideration would be based on who best to carry the continuity torch without being blown off by the political evil wind, a fearless, Godly, understanding personality, who will protect everything that this APGA government has done and then move the ANIDS agenda to the next level, a consistent, reliable and trustworthy ally who will respect the leadership of the party and involve them in all decisions concerning Ndi Anambra at all times, someone who will defend and protect the legacies of APGA government since the last seven years and more. Someone who will not come to ferment trouble with the government at the centre thereby denying Ndi Anambra their rights and benefits and heating the polity, someone that is electable and sellable to our brothers and sisters in the north, south and central zones, someone that will not turn around to fight the people and the powers that made him. I am the man.
I have integrity and respect for all that the governor has done and keeps doing; I respect his vision for Igbo race and the leadership of our great party. My interest remains that the governor must not finish at the expiration of his tenure, but see to an upgrade of Anambra ANIDS project, which he is the head. We need him more in the next dispensation, not just because he is the leader of the party, he is equally the initiator of the ANIDS agenda of APGA, who has the master key, more so, the only one that can guide us to stair the ship of governance towards the right direction. I come from a well known royal background where our word is our bond, if I become the flag bearer of our great party, I will never let Obi, APGA or Ndi Anambra down.
If eventually you emerge APGA candidate how do you intend to contain the forces of the other political parties? I really want you to understand that there is nothing to contain, as there will be no competition. The election is there for APGA to take so far we make the right moves and the right decisions. The successes of the present government speak volumes and reduce APGA workloads to the barest minimum.
No right thinking Anambrarian will want to go back to the days of burning of government properties and confrontation with the federal government. We have not forgotten the chaotic days when Anambra was mostly a home for criminals, rascals in government and political thuggery.
We have not forgotten the days of confrontation with federal government where Anambra people became the victims of power struggle between the then governor and the president. The peace, sanity and progress that we have made in the past seven years under APGA government led by Obi shall speak for us. Coming to the individuals, Anambra people know that integrity matters in everything most importantly leadership, background and achievements. We cannot afford to sacrifice all these efforts made so far for another round of political rascality we have had enough. I am a strong believer in continuity and believe so much that it is through such that we can achieve our destinies in all chosen areas, we must not allow the efforts and achievements of this government to be wasted by gambling our political future in the hands of individuals who have shown they do not mean well for all of us.
We are also in a digital age where we require creative thinkers and managers to continue the ANIDS vision. I will sell all these great messages to Anambrarians and I am confident we shall cruise home to victory, with God on our side. Please be reminded again that Anambra State is the home of APGA, the political gathering of the Igbo nation, we cannot betray our own for another, and it is not the characteristic of an Igbo man.
What of other aspirants in APGA?
There are so many of us but the truth is that there is Prince Chinedu Idigo and others. I respect all my contemporaries in this race and I wish them well as my brothers and sisters; they are all eminently qualified but I am not perturbed at all because I remain the candidate that stand out.
I have the qualification, experience and integrity. I am the man that has clear understanding of the direction that the party needs be navigated towards being a complete party man. I shall do that with great passion, respect and conscious of the responsibilities involved while carrying all positive minded and proactive individuals along. I am positive that I am what Anambra State need at this moment of our progressive and political evolution, God forbid that I let my people down.
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