Okoye: Why I want to govern Anambra

Maxwell Okoye is one of the governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 6 election in Anambra State. He is a founding member of the party and the Director of the Southeast Presidential Committee on Political Matters. He spoke with NWANOSIKE ONU in Awka on why he wants to succeed Governor Willy Obiano, zoning and the allegation that he is being sponsored by the presidency.

Why do you want to govern Anambra State?

I am contesting because I have looked at the development in my state and realised that it is nothing to write home about. I have found out that there is an absolute need for change. The ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has taken the people for granted for too long. It is only in Anambra State that is yet to build a permanent Government House, despite the fact that the APGA has been in power for over 15 years and not less than N5 trillion were received from the Federation Account within the period. No major project has been completed by APGA during that period; no single youth empowerment programme and no single industry that APGA government can boast of. They will always tell you that their projects are ongoing. There is no signature project that APGA can showcase. The airport project the governor is talking about is still ongoing. So, looking at the developmental decay, I am in the race to rescue my state from the situation it finds itself. I am seeking the nomination of my party’s ticket for the November 6 governorship election. I know that I will be a candidate to beat, if I win my party’s ticket, by the grace of God, because the APC has good chances of winning the election.

What other areas do you think the APGA has not done well that you are coming to correct if elected?

There is what is called the Elders’ Council. It is a group made up of some elders in the state. This is what this government would have used as a platform to attract the Federal Government’s attention. If we have elders like Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Dr. Mbazuluike Amaechi, Chief Simeon Okeke etc. These are elders that would come together to meet Mr. President and ask him to add Anambra to the oil-producing states, which will benefit the state. Our elders should have intervened long ago, to resolve the land dispute between Anambra and Kogi, which has arisen due to the oil deposit there. This is what the government should have done to make the state a better place to live for the people.

My major target is to reposition the state, unify it and take it back to the federal level so that we can utilise the potentials of federal might. I know that the Central Bank has a lot of agricultural loans that are ongoing, but the Elders’ Council and the traditional rulers should be involved in supervising the loans to ensure that it is well utilised. Each local government should be given targets each year with some incentives to encourage them to fully engage in agriculture.

What is your position on the zoning arrangement in the state?

As a Director, Southeast Political Matters within the presidency, I am not aware of zoning in Anambra State, as far as my party is concerned. There is no way such decision or discussion will be made or held without my knowledge or my consent. The zoning merely exists in the minds of some persons. The people of Anambra South senatorial district are canvassing for it to favour their zone in the election. So, if such a thing will happen, my office should be aware. If there is anything like zoning, it should emanate from my office in Abuja, whether in Anambra or any other state in Southeast because I am the Director of Political Matters. There is no zoning in the constitution of the party, but zoning arrangement could be important at the national level. What we should be talking about is competence, not zoning because zoning breeds a lot of incompetence. If not for the zoning arrangement in APGA, Governor Willie Obiano would not have emerged as governor. Former Governor Peter Obi practically imposed him on the state. Have you seen the consequences of zoning in the state? He is a failure and has brought infrastructural decay to the state because he lacks the tenets of good governance. Look at where we are because of the zoning APGA brought us into. So, we are yet to recover from the zoning arrangement that imposed Obiano on us because it has disorganized the system and there is nothing like good governance. As far as I am concerned, zoning breeds underdevelopment. Look at our state, no road, no water, no industry, no other infrastructure, nothing to show after eight years because we said let Anambra North produce the governor. So, we are yet to come out from the zoning APGA brought to the state which is counter-productive. Zoning is good, especially at the national level, but with a lot of critical in-depth and roundtable discussion where their credentials would be critically checked and considered thoroughly.

If anybody said he is contesting the election under APGA, let the electorate ask the person what advice he gave Governor Obiano that has kept the state where it is today. If the person is giving the governor good advice, we would not be where we are today and a lot of roads would be completed and a lot of infrastructures will be put in place.

Given the calibre of contestants within the APC, do you have the financial muscle to match them?

This question is one of the things that kept us where we are today in Nigeria. If you talk about financial muscle, President Muhammadu Buhari did not have financial muscle when he contested for the president of Nigeria. I think he was the least person among the candidates that contested for the party’s presidential ticket in 2015. But, he secured the ticket and later won the election due to his pedigree and track records. If you talk of financial muscle, Governor Obiano when he contested for the first tenure in 2013 did not have the financial muscle. But he won the election. So, I believe that once God approves something, it must surely come to pass.

How do you intend to win the primary?

Definitely I will emerge as the party’s flag bearer because I am a grassroots man. I am also very young, dynamic and intelligent. You can see that the pendulum is shifting from old to young people in order to bridge the gap. So, under a free and fair election, I will win. The only thing I am seeking is a free and fair primary election. If I lose, I will congratulate the winner. But, if I win, I also expect the other aspirants to congratulate me and we will move on.

So, you are canvassing for the contestants to back anybody that wins the primary to avoid a repeat of 2017 mistake…

My office has initiated a process that each aspirant should sign an agreement that whoever wins the primary other aspirants will accept it and move on. Whoever emerges should be supported by all, provided that the primary is free and fair. From the arrangement of the party, both at the national and state levels, they are making arrangement for a free and fair election.

What is your take on the APC revalidation and registration exercise in Anambra State, particularly your zone, Anambra Central?

It went well and I am happy with the way people turned out for the exercise. I believe people turned out in my zone, male and female, old and young, to enlist in the party because of my sake. They said it is their project, irrespective of the party I am aspiring to represent. They said since I am contesting the governorship election, they will follow me to my party. Believe me, when the statistics of the registration is out, you will see that Anambra Central will have the highest number of registered members in the state in the APC. I am sure that they will translate to voting strength to ensure that I will win on the APC platform. I know that they are looking forward to a free and fair primary and the November 6 governorship election. There is an arrangement to collapse the APGA structure in Anambra Central to the APC structure. I am negotiating with six local government party chairmen to collapse APGA structures in those council areas. So, I am mobilising seriously for the election and remember that I am a youth and youths and women are ready to support and vote for me. My day in, day out interactive meetings are quite encouraging. So, I am looking forward to a brighter future ahead of the primary and general elections. I am sure that the whole Anambra Central senatorial zone is solidly behind me in the race.

You wept over the collapsing flyover bridge at Awka; why?

Yes, you notice that the bridge is collapsing gradually. That calls for concern from major stakeholders and that is why I am raising the alarm. I am pleading with the Federal Government to do something positive to save the lives of road users who ply the route. You know that the road where the bridge is, belongs to the Federal Government, but it was constructed by the Willi Obiano-led administration. The reason for the collapse of the bridge is because unqualified contractors were used in building the bridge. So, the earlier the Federal Government intervenes, the better for us to avoid disaster. It is either the Federal Ministry of Work scraps the bridge and construct another one or they do serious amendment and rehabilitation on the bridge. Don’t forget that the essence of constructing the flyovers is to decongest the road for a free flow of traffic. As it is now, the bridge is causing more congestion and gridlock. Many road users are now taking alternative routes to avoid the bridge. I am appealing to the Federal Ministry of Works led by its hardworking minister, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), to come and see for himself and do something before it is too late. It is dangerous as it stands now; I am appealing to the Federal Ministry of Works to intervene.