By Dickson Okafor
A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Mr. Emma Nweke has faulted South-East governors for under-development of the region. He said instead of closing rank and move the region forward; the governors are busy pursuing their personal interests. Nwoke who spoke in Awka, Anambra state.
He expressed regret over non representation of Anambra Central Senatorial district in the 8th Senate after the exit of Sen. Uche Ekwunife. He speaks about the forthcoming Anambra guber election and other issues. Excerpts:
Last attempt to represent the people of Awka North/Awka South in the House of Representatives failed what is the situation now?
So far so good and as God would have it, we are still strong on the race. I won’t comment much because we are still in court. We are hopeful that soon we will get justice so that we can settle down to participate fully in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State. my next step politically will be the determined by the outcome of the court judgment.
Are you saying indirectly that you may dump your party if the judgment did not favour you?
I’ am in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and have no intention of leaving the party irrespective of outcome of the case even though PDP is beclouded with crisis after we loss in the last presidential election but peace will soon return. PDP remains truly the people’s party considering the state of the nation. Nigerians want to see their representatives bring about change in their lives.
The crisis in Anambra PDP has cost your party political fortune, what are members your doing to reconcile all the factions?
To some extent it has affected the party’s fortune, but I assure you it will be a different case in subsequent elections. With the coming together of Sens. Modu Sheriff and Markafi factions, I’m optimistic that PDP will reclaim power in Anambra State and the presidency in 2019.
How do you rate South-East representatives in the NASS since the inception of the present political dispensation?
They are elected to serve and impact lives through provision of infrastructure, create conducive atmosphere for people to live and go about their businesses without fear. That is what the governors the South-East representatives in the National Assembly were elected to do. If they fail to do these things, they have failed to give the people good governance. Unfortunately, the South-East governor and federal legislators in the recent time has not rendered good governance to the people. We have a lot of sycophants in the politics of the South-East even some of the traditional rulers are in this category. Our people should hold leaders accountable. They should not be deceived by their representatives and governors who believe that by constructing town halls that are supposed to be built by the communities themselves, they are doing the people favour. We should rephrase the way we rate elected officials so that whosesoever is elected into an office whether as a representative or governor must do the needful. I call on the people to make demand from those representing them so that these leaders will struggle to meet the desires of the electorate.
It is expected that South-East governors would have emulated their Southwest counterparts and form a cohesion in order to develop the region, why haven’t this happened?
Again, that is an unfortunate situation we find ourselves and that is the major reason there is agitation for Biafra. That Igbo leaders have not found the need to come together to develop the region is worrisome. Battle for supremacy and rivalry among the South-East governors by seek unnecessary recognition at the detriment of the people which is hindering them from coming together to chat the way forward. They forgot to strive to leave behind legacies which they will be remembered. The ordinary man on the street will not be remembered because he did nothing to be remembered hence to whom much is given much is expected. Like you rightly observe, the Ooni of Ife, Southwest governors and leaders have in the recent time be promoting and building platforms to develop the region irrespective of party affiliation. But their counterparts in the South-East are divided along party line thereby failing to construct roads that link their states. They forgot that the position they occupy is for a period and they will be judge by posterity with regard to the legacies they left behind. They need to form a synergy that can enable them develop the region. Until governors from the South-East region begin to visit each other and form a common front to develop the area, good governance will be far from us. We have waited in vain for the Federal Government to develop the region, it’s time for us to come together and transform the zone. That is why you see roads leading from one state to another in bad shape because the governors felt less concern, but they forgot that their people are not far away from each. Every day you see and hear governors donating millions of Naira to churches while their people who pay tax lack basic infrastructure. I pray that they will see reasons and join hands together and salvage the region.