Emmanuel Iheanacho former minister of Interior, while speaking on his governorship ambition at Orlu in Imo, said that only experienced professionals like him can bring about the needed positive change in the Eastern Heartland state. BEN EGUZOZIE & VICTORIA NNAKAIKE were there. Excerpts:
How prepared is your party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for elections in Imo?
What me and my party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) would do is to take over the reins of governance in Douglas House, Owerri come 2015. Today, as I talk to you, APGA is celebrating the Ihioma Clan Day celebration in Orlu senatorial zone. We cannot afford to continue to waste time and resources. Time is not on our side. The money and resources we earn as a nation from the sale of crude oil is diminishing very fast. So, we need to be able to exchange that for an inbuilt capacity to manufacture all that we need to consume, and all that we need to export. With all the disappointments we have had over the past 15 years, we do not have time anymore. This is the time for the professionals: people with experience; people who have the capacity to come on board (in Imo State) and do things that need to be done. We need to create jobs for our teeming youths. Why is it that for a country like Nigeria, we have youths who go to school and they never end up with jobs? It is because there are no factories for them to go to work and because what some of them studied have no relationship with the skills that are needed to drive the economy forward.
READ ALSO: Nigerian CEOs rethink business models to ride economic storm
So what are you coming to offer to Imo people as a governor?
We need to address the issue of youth unemployment. We need to put in place the necessary structures in terms of roads, electricity, and security. These things are not there in the state. Somebody has to deal with these issues, so that our people can be guaranteed of better livelihood. For instance, why is it that there is inadequate provision for healthcare; primary healthcare which should provide initial care for people who are sick. We do not have subsidised housing for a lot of people. Most of our youths are absolutely directionless. Somebody who has the necessary capacity has to do it. That is why I am offering myself, with all sense of humility, to be the one that would rescue Imo State come 2015. I advise Imolites (Imo people) to hold on, the time is coming. When I get there, their problems would be solved. I am not going to assess the incumbent (Governor Rochas Okorocha) now. l won’t get into that business at all. You look at things yourself and you can draw conclusion as whether or not you are happy.
