By Dickson Okafor
Former aspirant for the House of Representatives for Nnewi North/South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency of Anambra State, Ernest Elochukwu, has admonished candidates of all the political parties to see the race as a contest and not a do-or-die affair.
The Chairman/CEO Nestello Gateways Group and former President, Association of Nigeria Customs Licensed Agent (ANLCA) expressed confidence that the electorate will make the best choice out of the candidates.
He speaks on other issues.
You are expected to be among the candidates for the election; why are you not participating?
The reason I’m not in the governorship race is best known to me even though a lot of people expected me to contest. However, on my past political exploits, I did not get the nomination of the political parties through which I sought to go to the National Assembly. You know that a political party is the vehicle that takes an aspirant to his political destination. The time I aspired was on the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the second time was for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). It was a botched attempt because I was later meant to understand that I did not meet the standard. And because I have second address (I’m engaged in private enterprise), I have something to fall back to, hence I didn’t see it as a do-or-die affair. Therefore, my not being in the race for the November 6 governorship election is a matter of personal decision.
From experience, what is your advice for aggrieved aspirants who could not clinch their party’s ticket and did not switch party?
Thyat they are yet to switch party till this moment does not mean that they won’t move to another political party to actualize their ambition. It is a matter of time before the closing of nomination of candidates as required by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It is either reconciliation is ongoing to pacify aggrieved aspirants and members or they are negotiating with the other political parties. So, at the level of political party nomination and election proper, those that lose nomination should not feel so bad of their loss in order not to support those who got the nominations. And even after the main election, all those that will lose because in every contest there must be a winner and a loser, should also know that it is for the sake and welfare of Anambra. Like the catch phrase of some of the aspirants says, “Ka Anambra chawapu” and the other one is “Ka Anambra dinma”. It’s all for the interest of Anambra and when they have that in mind, the contest won’t be do-or-die affair. I have also said that the winner must be magnanimous even at the party level. The winners should realize that these other people who lose also put in resources in the same contest and should treat them like those who have also participated in the contest.
Tell us about your experience while trying to represent your people in the National Assembly?
Like you rightly observed, I contested to represent the good people of Nnewi North/South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives twice and the reason I could not be nominated by both APGA and PDP was or should I say my fault was that some persons felt that I couldn’t be control if they allowed me. Because the subsequent rule is that they will always control those they nominate. I was also told that in politics, those who have their opinion are usually not welcomed. For you to be accepted by those that call the shot which is leaders of the party or what we refer to as cabals, you must not have an opinion. So, one of my weak points is having my own opinion on issues and being emphatic about it including being ready to deliver democratic dividend to my people as well as being willing to be answerable to the electorate instead of being accountable to few individuals. To these cabals, if your intention is to serve and deliver on your mandate to the people, then it becomes a minus to them in politics.
What are some of the economic benefits you expect in Anambra from Obiano’s successor?
I’m not a contestant, but there are those who are in the race having secured their parties tickets. I think there are a handful of them and I have a whole lot of friends among them. My take is that it is when we have healthy contest that we can start talking about benefits. I’m of the view that the contestants should see this as a contest realizing that all of them can’t be there at the same time. Part of the problem we have is the winner takes all syndromes. It is unfortunate that in the political party you find people who got nominated still continue treating the contestants who fail to get nominated as enemies. They don’t want to call them and say to them, yes, my brothers and sisters, the contest has come and gone. I realized who have spent these amount and I am still spending towards the main election, please join me let’s work together and win the election proper and If I win, I won’t forget that you helped me to get it because it is a collective effort. It will go a long way to change the narrative, but may be because of praise singers, those who could not clinch the party ticket are seen as enemies. Therefore, the only thing you see and hear going around is hostility and hurtful words. Sometimes, people don’t know that hurtful words are more dangerous than physical wounds because physical wounds will heal, but hurtful words won’t be forgotten. That is why I said let’s first pray for healthy contest before we can talk of the benefits we hope to derive from Governor Willie Obiano’s successor.
Do you see power of incumbency at play during the race?
Anambra is a peculiar state with high level of political awareness. It is a state of the ‘big boys’ with a lot of rich individuals who dicate the political tune. So, I don’t think power of incumbency will intimidate the electorate or make them forget who their best choice of candidate is. The people know all the candidates and their antecedents, hence they cannot be fooled or bought over. Like I said earlier, the candidates should engage the electorate with issue-based campaign and not campaign of calumny because it won’t change the position of voters. Only what you can do to better the lives of the people is what matters to voters and that will make sense to the people and will make them vote for you irrespective of political party.