You must work hard to win election in Anambra –Okelekwe, Senatorial Aspirant

                 

Chief Kodilichukwu Okelekwe, a politician and businessman was a governorship aspirant for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State in 2011.

Presently aspiring to represent Anambra Central Senatorial Zone in the Senate, he fielded questions from selected Journalists in his country home, Nibo, Awka South Local Government Area of the State, where he offered reasons for his ambition, promised effective representation if elected and how he made it from nothing among other issues.

You are seeking the Senatorial mandate on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). How confident are you that you will not be disappointed as it happened in 2011, when you aspired for the governorship of the State?

First of all, let me say that, according to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the greatest glory in life is not for one not fall, but rising each time one falls. Again, I believe in the promise of God in the affairs of men, God is the one who elevates and He is the one who dethrones. I believe that without God, one cannot achieve anything in life. If it is the will of God that I will be a Senator, no human being will stop it. But if it is not the will of God that I will be Senator, no human being will make me a senator.

So, I am looking up to God, let His will be done. Mine is to present ‘myself but I know, looking at the cleanliness  of my intention, looking at the fact that what is propelling me is  to have a platform to reach the greater number of people possible, He will bring it to pass to His own glory. So, I am confident, that He will see me through.

  But specifically, speaking, how organized is PDP in Anambra state today because we know that you are one of the stakeholders of the party that is involved in the peace making?

Despite the seeming crisis in our party, Anambra State is a PDP state. APGA has been doing its pretentious ‘abracadabra’ because of the crisis in our party but we must take that which belongs to us. APGA has been winning by default and we are not going to allow that any longer.

 How do you intend to contend with the forces in other political parties like Senator Chris Ngige, the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh who are in the same race with you? If you eventually clinch the ticket of PDP do you hope to beat them?

Again, like I said before, it is God who elevates and crown kings. Ultimately, my faith is in God but talking as a human being, I have done so much with my personal resources, the evidence is there. I have empowered a lot of youths, and have seen over 100 graduates through the university with my personal resources. These are verifiable facts because I have a board chaired by Prof. Isreal Okoye of Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

So, if a man could do so much with his personal resources, not that one is in government. That is why foremost of the traditional rulers like Prof. Laz Ekwueme, immediate younger brother of the former vice president, in 2009, deemed it fit to confer a chieftaincy title on me, (Ezechimere of Oko), meaning a king crowned by God.

Again in 2011, another traditional ruler of Awka, Igwe Gibson Nwosu, conferred on me the title of (Ochendo-Umuogbenye of Awka) meaning the provider of shelter for the poor and needy. These are the attestation of what I have been doing. So, people know what I stand for, I am one of them, the poor and needy. They know that if they send me there, I will go there as their representative, to help to pull them out of poverty. God has pulled me out of poverty and it is incumbent on me to help to pull others. I know that people have been taking note of what I have been doing and they will not let me down.  I will tell you, this election will not be won on the basis of big name or being a veteran but on the basis of your good work.

 As you talk about effective representation, are you saying that Senator Chris Ngige from APC has not offered Anambra Central an effective representation?  

Thank you. Dr. Chris Ngige is a very good friend of mine, but as a policy, I don’t discuss individuals. I discuss issues or things that I will do.

If you go through my mission statement, I stated in black and white, those things that I will do. I don’t want to talk about my good friend, Dr. Chris Ngige. I am talking of what I will do if the good people of Anambra Central deem it fit to elect me to represent them in the senate, what I promise them is efficient, effective, selfless, dynamic, altruistic and result-oriented representation. I don’t what to talk about who has done well or not, rather, it is for the people to judge.

We have had many senators and they have played their own parts and you have been on ground to know what everybody did. What is the difference you  want to offer the people of Anambra Central which others that have represented the zone in the past have not done?

The key point I have is accessibility. If you also look at my mission statement, I stated there that I will  be having monthly town hall meetings with my constituency, which will be rotating from one local government to another. In Anambra Central zone, we have seven local government areas. So, this town hall meeting will rotate among the local government areas on monthly basis and I personally will be there to listen to them.

It is part of me that I answer every phone call, even when you call and it is not possible for me to answer, I return those calls later because I don’t make promises I will not keep. Those who know me when I was nobody can still attest to the fact that my behavior has not changed in any way.

Therefore, accessibility is my first promise I made to my people and then, youth empowerment which I strictly believe in . It is the road I passed and when I see a poor person, what I have for such person is empathy; I can feel what he is feeling.

Mind you, poverty cannot be explained by just laziness. No, it is an opportunity because if it is hard work that determines richness, those who carry heavy load in the market could have been the richest people, but they are not. So, poverty is an economic and socio-political problem in the society.

That is part of the uniqueness I am bringing, people will know that they have elected somebody to represent them, who can be their voice.

I may not be Dangote or those money spinners but the little God has given me, I can pay my bills, I can meet my needs. Honestly, God has taken care of me, so, I need also to use those resources to take care of others. That is why I am running for the senate.