The flag-bearer
of All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) in the forthcoming local government
election in Anambra State, Mr. Simon Onuora said that he is the best man for
the job in Anambra West local government area.
Speaking
recently with Daily Sun during his campaign, Onuora said that apart from
possessing the relevant academic qualifications, managerial skill and
experience, that he has the capacity and ability to implement economic policies
and ideas that can bring about development at the grassroots level.
He said that he
is motivated by the desire to continue with Governor Obi legacy and will
reposition the council and make its reputation for excellence and
forthrightness second to none in Nigeria.
According to
Onuora, the tremendous performance of APGA government is a great advantage, as
it will work in my favour. "The
present administration in the state has affected the lives of our people
positively. Therefore, love Peter Obi, or hate him, no sane critic can honestly
deny that Obi in seven and half years has done more for the state than all the
eight governors before him did in fifteen years. And this is the same winning
streak the in-coming government led by Chief Willy Obiano has promised to
continue.
"There is
one truth that must be respected, no matter on which side of the political
divide one is coming from; the Peter Obi phenomenon must be consolidated. APGA
government's legacy in the areas of infrastructural and human capital development,
industrialization, economic transformation, security of life and property,
healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and food security, transport, easily
stands us out.
"The
church, traditional institutions and the aged, all attest to the fact that APGA
as represented by Obi is God's answer to the developmental yearnings of
Anambrarians.
"I remember
an episode in January 2010 in my village when a politician was trying to
convince an old man to vote for a particular candidate. The octogenarian calmly
replied, "I have heard all you said about this your man but let us finish
with this young man (referring to Governor Obi), who gave us drinking water,
renovated our school and is constructing this only road for the first time.
After that, you can then bring that your man who will distribute airplane to
everybody in the land".
Onuora said that
he is worried that despite the fact that Anambra West is blessed with alluvial
soil for agriculture as well as human capitals and a geographical terrain
endowed with natural resources, but noted that it is disheartening that with
these potentials that abound in the local government, most of the youth engage
in enterprises like Okada riding or security guards that are demeaning.
"We must
develop and empower our people positively to become more productive through the
creation of favourable environment and training them on viable vocations that
will make them employers of labour rather than job seekers.
"My desire
to serve is borne out of definite understanding of what is needed and a clear
vision of where we ought to go and the leading role the local government needs
to play as the food basket of the state."
Onuora
differentiated himself from certain categories of visionless and unfocused
contestants whose only driving force is the acquisition of power and all that go
with it.
According to
him, "a visionary leader looks at now and thinks about the future most of
the time. In this vein, I think about and see clearly where I'm taking my
people that will be better than where they have been. I'm thinking about how to
create opportunities for tomorrow rather than focusing on personal gains and
aggrandizements.
"It takes a
person of vision to articulate the vision of others. It is mere self delusion
to assume that all it takes to occupy public office is self professed
intellectualism or have a fat bank account even if intellectually
bereaved."
My expectation
in the election based on indices on ground and opinion of political leaders in
the area, the race appears like a work-over for him largely because of intimidating
past records which appear to have doused opposition.
"I have learnt
the ropes through the administrative positions I held in the past. And the
internal wrangling in All Peoples Congress (APC), where Senators Chris Ngige
and Annie Okonkwo as the party leaders are singing discordant tunes about the
party's participation in the election in addition to Labour Party's accusation
that APGA is planning to rig the election seem to create the impression that
the oppositions may have gone to sleep, especially in Anambra West".
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