People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant for the November 6, 2021 election in Anambra State, Hon Chris Azubogu has lamented that it does not make sense importing someone to become governor in Anambra State anytime there is such vacancy in the state, arguing that it discourages those who labored to build the party.
Addressing stakeholders while formally presenting himself to the PDP Anambra State executive at the party’s secretariat in Awka, Azubogu, who is a member of the House of Representatives for Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo federal constituency, reminded them that PDP has a date with history in November this year, having been out of governance in the state for the past 16 years.
According to him, it is important that PDP should give its ticket to someone who is fully on ground and has been in governance at various levels to be able to sell the party properly to the electorate.
He said: “The person PDP should present must know what it takes to win an election. The party must present a better choice for Anambra State. My intention to present myself to be the flag bearer of PDP is something I have duly considered. I have looked at it and I know that it is not going to be an easy journey, but we can make it happen.
“For our party, we are grossly disadvantaged in this election. I don’t want to dabble into the details, but if you know the extent of battle we are going to face, we will get fully prepared.
“As at today, the APC, which is the party at the centre, has indicated a strong interest to contest the Anambra election. For your information, in the last governorship election in Anambra State, our party did not come second. APGA won the election; APC came second and we came third. And you know that the party in the state, no matter how you look at it, cannot be totally ignored because it has structures on ground.
“I want to warn us that coming to govern Anambra State is not an easy thing. People will tell you what they will do. It is not necessarily about what you will do, but how do you intend to do those things?
“I have a clear knowledge and strategy on how to govern and how to raise money to finance projects. We need someone who understands what it means to govern; someone who will drive us to begin to do the right things.”
Azubogu said he had developed a blueprint that would put PDP in government for 24 years unbroken in Anambra State, boasting that he had never failed any election and would not fail this one.
He said further: “I have spent a cumulative of 14 years in proper art of governance. I worked under Peter Obi for four years and contributed immensely to the success of that government. I have been involved in core public policy decision and I am telling us that Anambra State is yearning for someone that has the right, requisite and relevant experience in governance.
“There are inherent powers that are there for a governor. Most people want to govern without knowing the powers of a governor. Go and look at the concurrent list. Every time, we are shouting about restructuring, but the one that is to our advantage, what have we done with it? “Any governor that knows what he can do can do something on health, education, agriculture, industry, environment. These are core areas that you don’t require the federal government. They cannot stop you from developing a clear policy programme and driving it.
“I can do projects worth N100 billion with only N20 billion and have seven years moratorium. I have core competencies, relevant and requisite skills about governance. It is not about going to Abuja to collect allocation. Very soon, revenue may not be coming from Abuja as oil is not good business anymore. We are also in COVID-19 era and post COVID economy is something that you cannot predict.”