By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A lead aspirant for the Anambra South Senatorial Zone in the forthcoming general election, Chief Emma Nwachukwu has pledged to make a difference, give the people of the zone a quality representation and authentic voice at the Senate, if elected to represent their Senator come 2023.
Nwachukwu disclosed this in an interview with newsmen, in which he also noted that the zone needs a change in the status quo, as well as someone with fresh ideas, as the old ideas have not served the zone well.
According to him, every good representative should know what the yearnings and the desires of the people are, and what keeps them awake at night, in order to represent them with their true voice.
He also explained that he has served the people, both at the grassroot level and at the highest level of corporate leadership, which, according to him, is on of the things that differentiate him from his rivals.
He said: “Without being immodest, I have served at the highest level of corporate leadership; I have served as the President General of a large town like Ukpor, a town with six wards in Nnewi South. So, I can claim more than any other, that I know the yearnings of the people, I know how to solve them, and I know how to put policies together that will impact the people. I know the needs of the people more than them.
“More than any thing else, I am not an Entrepreneur; I’m not a ‘Boss’ in the real sense of it. I have always served the people —from umunna level up to town level, up to local government level, and so on. So, this alone is a good distinguishing factor between me and some of the people I’m running with.
“You should know that, to represent people well, you have to know them, their yearnings, what they are thinking, what their desires are, what keeps them awake at night, and so on; so that when you represent them, you represent them with their true voice. That is what I mean by authentic representation —authentic voice —because you’ll actually be speaking for them. And that is one of the things I’m assuring the good people of Anambra South.”
Continuing, Nwachukwu said: “At the toppest level that I have operated, you learn all kinds of skills, including negotiation skills and others. But that alone is not enough to represent a people, let alone dynamic people like Ndị Anambra South or Ndị Igbo as a whole.
“For instance, you know we are very dynamic, enlightened and hardworking people; we are also traders. And you know that overtime, our people have suffered so much in the hands of some security forces. Not just in Igbo land, they go all the way to Lagos to clear their goods. And they get extorted along the roads by all forms of security forces; except for people who have not travelled through the roads.”
“So all these things are to be brought to the floor, when I’m elected. All these things will be discussed openly and genuinely with people from other parts of the country. So it will be my job to shine light to some of our concerns, and some of our grievances as a people, and some of the things that make us unhappy in the ‘union’,” he said.
On recycling known but failed politicians on the ground that they claim to have the experience, Chief Nwachukwu, who noted that everybody started new at some point, also said it’s high time the people stopped supporting and sending those failed politicians back to office to lead or represent them, if they truly expect a change in the status quo.
He also noted that good idea and skills (especially negotiation skills) are of more importance than the so-called experience when it comes to representation and legislation.
He said: “The reason people like us, who would naturally not get involved in politics, decided to do that now is that it is not enough to be sad. The reason I’m running is that things have remained the same all through. Early stage of insanity is when one keeps doing the same thing over time and expects a different result. No! It doesn’t work like that.
“I have the pedigree, I have the knowledge, I have the exposure. I have the experience, though not in the chamber; but my worldview is completely ultra. That is why I want to get involved.
“Two: Do not forget that what we have now is the Soludo Movement. And good people should come and declare interest and cause a change to what is happening, rather than allowing failed politicians remain, on the claim that they have the experience. That is why I’m in the race.
“I’m in the race to make a difference. I’m coming with new ideas. The old ideas have not served our people; you know that; everybody knows that. So, we can’t keep sending this people back. That’s the simple truth, if we hope for a difference.
“If we truly expect a change in the status quo, then our people should stop sending this people back. Since 1999 till date, what has changed? What has changed? Absolutely nothing!
“We’ve been sending people who claim to have the experience; and what exactly is the experience? Everybody started new at some point, but after a while, they start to claim that they have the experience; experience to do what?
“Legislation is something that you need more of ideas than experience to do. When you come up with an idea, you have legislative aides and experts to assist you. So, whatever motion or bill you want to present before your colleagues in the legislative chamber, you should simply have the idea; and that is the most important thing.
“But when you talk about experience, is it an experience to have the idea or what? Or, is it an experience to negotiate with people from other places?
“When they all started, did they have the so-called experience? And now that they claim to have it, what has really changed? What we should be concerned about here is idea, and not necessarily experience, because that is why this country has remained the same —we keep recycling old and failed politicians because we think or they claim they have the experience. My brother, we need to have fresh ideas in the chamber; and that is why I’m running.”
Popularly known as Ọnọdugo, Chief Nwachukwu, whose mantra is ‘ỌGANIRU’ also pledged to ensure and promote equity, fairness and justice when he gets to the Senate.
Concerning arguments about Nigeria President of south-east extraction, he stated categorically that such arguments, which have ensued overtime, need not to come up again, for the sake of equity.
He said: “In 1999, the whole country had a concensus, based on equity, that the south-west should produce the President. And the two presidential candidates of the then two major political parties were of south-west extraction. And then, Ogbonnaya Onu was holding the presidential ticket of the All People’s Party (APP) then; but he had to relinquish that position so that Olu Falae from the south-west would represent. That is on the side of equity. So, this argument does not need to be reoccurring anymore. We all know the truth and the right thing to do.”
Nwachukwu, who spoke extensively on restructuring, further assured to contribute his voice to get things right in the country, through initiating and supporting quality bills and motions at the Senate.
Further, he said: “Again, the south-east is one, and the Igbo nation, another. All these need to be projected to the people who are not from the area. There are certain things that are not very clear. So, it would be my job to breathe life on some of these things, and to negotiate too, because negotiation is also a good quality of a good representative.
“So, principally, I want to be the authentic voice of my people in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is also why I’m running. That is the assurance I’m giving to the people; and that is what they should expect that I will do when I get there. I want to serve them honestly and be their authentic voice.”
Chief Nwachukwu, who hails from Ukpor in Nnewi South Local Government Area, also expressed optimism that his party, the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, will do the right thing in choosing who will be the party’s flag bearer in the zone ahead of the election, even as he reposed his trust in God as the giver of victory.
“Victory belongs to God,” he said, adding that he also trust the members, leadership and stakeholders of APGA, whom, he said, are readable people who know the right thing to do.
He said: “Also, I trust the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, my party. They know me as a true party man. They have known me for years for supporting them over the period. The know that if they give me the opportunity, they will be happy that they have strong and effective representation in the Senate. And they know that I have what it takes, both the intellect and the resources to fight to the end, on behalf of the party.
“So, I’m very optimistic that the readable people within the party will do the right thing in choosing their flag bearer for the senatorial race of the Anambra South senatorial zone.
“Everybody (down to the grassroot) in APGA knows now who Emma Nwachukwu is and what Emma Nwachukwu stands for. They do. Surely they do. And there’s no doubt about that.”
“The new leadership has also assured us of a level playing field. So, I believe that APGA is a party made up of readable men and women; and they will do the right thing at the right time,” he added.
Recall that Ọnọdugo, on April 4, picked his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, at the APGA national headquarters, Abuja, in company of some top-notch APGA stalwarts from the Zone.
