‘Every loyal PDP stalwart must work with Emodi’

Chief Kodilichukwu Okelekwe, frontline governorship aspirant under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State

—Chief Kodilichukwu Okelekwe, frontline governorship aspirant under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State
By Okechukwu Obenta, Awka
Ninety per cent of the governorship aspirants in Anambra State is found in PDP, the party in which you are also aspiring to govern the state. Given the perception of the PDP in the minds of the people and what the party stands for, and given the background you have given to us – your humble background and the driving force behind your aspiration, how do you marry your background, your aspiration with what people believe against the PDP, and how do you hope to get the ticket amidst the sea of aspirants?
Let me start by saying that I am a strong believer in the primacy of God in the affairs of men. it is only God that can determine who becomes the governor of Anambra State. My job is to present myself, my policies, my vision, my programme to the good people of Anamabra State. The rest is up to them. If at the end of the day God says yes through Anambra people, so be it. And if God says no, I go back to my business because, my desire is to serve Anambra People. And when you want to serve and when the sincere desire is to serve and nothing else, you don’t have to be desperate about it. So, I am not desperate, I am looking up to God and up to the people of Anambra State. If they look at my programmes, look at my vision and say this is the man we want to serve as Governor, glory be to God. If they say no, glory be to God also because the Bible says “ in all things give glory to God” so I am looking up to God that God will use the good people of Anambra State to enthrone me as the Governor of Anambra State come March 2010.
In Anambra State as of today, the general perception of the people is that PDP in the state is basically made up of a bunch of people whose primary motive is to loot and not actually to bring about improvement on the welfare of the people. Now, don’t you think that the situation may undermine the realisation of your governorship aspiration?
I don’t, I don’t at all. The PDP in Anambra State is made up of good people, people who have the interest of the state at heart. They are people who are genuinely interested in moving Anambra State to the next level, but, mark you also that even though I am a member of PDP, because Anambra State is 90 per cent PDP, I don’t want to say 99 per cent because that would smack of immodesty, but people of PDP in Anambra State are credible people, there may be one or two persons but such none-conformists exist in all the political parties because parties are a reflection of the society. And the any society, you cannot see all the citizens of that society being good, being excellent. There must be few none-conformists for which laws are made. If everybody keeps laws in a society, then there won’t be any need to make laws. The essence of law is that it must be capable of being broken by the few bad eggs here and there but that doesn’t make PDP party of looters, I take exception to that statement. PDP in Anambra State has good and credible people, when I emerge as PDP (Governorship) candidate, my first job will be to unite PDP, and to work with everybody – both PDP members and non-PDP Members, to work with every man, every woman that has the interest of Anambra State at heart, that is genuinely interested in moving Anambra State to the next level, I will work with such people regardless of their background, regardless of their political party, regardless of where they come from so long as they are interested just as I am in moving Anambra State to the next level, in making Anambra State a model state in Nigeria, I will work with such people.
You want to be Anambra State Governor come 2010, but the incumbent governor, Peter Obi from every rating is doing well by way of providing infrastructure to the people, and he has also indicated interest to serve for a second term. Now, what difference are you going to make as Governor of Anambra State?
Thank you so much. Let me acknowledge that the incumbent governor, His Excellency, Peter Obi is doing well relative to his abilities. If you put him on a scale, he has performed above average, that is the truth. But the point I want to make is that Anambra State has the potentials to do much more, we have the potentials God has so endowed in Anambra State both human and materials. We have the capacity to do much more. So where better is possible, you don’t look at good, and where best is possible you don’t look at better. Governor Peter Obi is good, but I am better. All I need is an opportunity to prove this to the Anambrarians because we have the potentials, but they are latent, all we need is the right leadership, a type that is inspirational leadership to create the enabling environment for the potentials of our people to explode, and that is what I intend to do – to prove that platform for the potentials of our people, for their ingenuity to explode.
You were at the PDP stakeholders meeting yesterday that was convened by the Uchenna Emodi-led executive. I will like to know why you chose to be with Emodi and not the Ifeatu Obi-Okoye group?
Thank you very much. That’s a very critical question that you have asked. I am with Uchenna Emodi group because I am a loyal party member. Today, the National Working Committee of our great party has accorded the Uchenna Emodi – led executive recognition. And because I am a loyal party member, I have no other choice but to work with the Uchenna Emodi-led group because that’s what every loyal party man should do. You see, the National Working Committee is like the father. And when children are fighting and their father comes and says, “children, children, please stop fighting, I want you to be here," an obedient child should hearken to the voice of his father. Today, the National Working Committee has recognised the Emodi group, so every member of PDP who is loyal to PDP should and will work with the Emodi – led group. If, however, tomorrow the NWC says well, we are no longer recognising Uchenna Emodi, we are recognising Mr. A, as a loyal party memer, I will also work with that person. So my own is that I will be wherever PDP is. And today, PDP is with Uchenna Emodi and that’s why I am with Uchenna Emodi.