‘My people have no prospect in Anambra governance , says Hon. Peter- Obiano Madubueze

The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) House of Representatives-elect for Anambra East and West Federal Constituency, a lawyer, Hon. Peter- Obiano Madubueze

in an interview with www.odogwublog.com  on the just concluded National Assembly election speaks on his elections and prospect for Ndigbo in Nigeria Politics.

How would you describe your victory at the just concluded National Assembly elections in Anambra where the PDP dominated the seats, having only you and one other candidate emerging as the only APGA House of Representatives-elects? 

I owe my victory to the Executive Governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Obiano. He is everything that happened to me and I give God the Glory for that.

What was the contribution of the electorate towards your victory and what role did Governor Willie Obiano play in ensuring your victory?

The governor gave me the ticket, not only that, he supported me in all ramifications of the election even though I am popular among my people.

Again, my peoples’ show of love and acceptance of my candidature for the House of Representative seat was the reason PDP found it difficult to rig me out, because they were there massively, they voted and protected their votes.

So what do you say to them?

I will say thank you and thank you again. I promise them very effective representation; a representation that they will say, yes they indeed have someone representing them.

How would you describe the turnout of voters during the election?

The turnout was highly impressive and if we continue like this, this country would be better for that.

The failure of the card readers deployed by the Independence Electoral Commission (INEC) for the elections was widely reported, how was it in your constituency?

It was also a total failure in my constituency but we had to resort to manual accreditation. I think it affected the credibility of the entire election especially in Anambra, but all the same, the election was held and victory was giving to us.

Are you aware that an aspirant is claiming your victory? Do you have any evidence indicating that you are the authentic candidate of APGA for the election?

That’s the figment of the imagination of mischief makers. We have the result declared by the returning officer of INEC and it is with me. I have never heard anybody who says the victory belongs to him or her, am just hearing it today.  Someone mentioned Mrs Edith Ejezie, but I think it’s a complete lie. Recently, when I went to thank some of my constituency members, she was there and we ate and cracked jokes together. She contested primaries with me and she later agreed to my candidacy and she has never opposed it after that.

Given the fact that, PDP won in most of the seats and APGA lost in the same election, how would you describe the March 28th National Assembly elections in Anambra?

In the context of Nigeria, I would say the election was free and fair except in Anambra state, where the PDP people turned it into business as usual. They brought in thugs and armed security men to beat people up and intimidate innocent electorate.  It was open and everybody knows that it’s a very ugly situation.

I don’t ascribe to that result they announced in favour of PDP, because I know in the near future, APGA people will get their mandates back from them, definitely, very soon it will be so.

Can you tell us the most important issues, confronting your people that you would like to address when you commence your legislative business?

My people do not have prospect in governance. We don’t have people employed in the civil service.

There are lots of unemployed youths in my area. Engaging them based on qualification will be my priority to turn them away from crime. Also, scholarships will be given to our young men who desire to further their studies in the university. We will also look into agriculture, because our people are mostly peasant farmers. We will encourage them to make sure that our agricultural output is good for consumption and exportation and get revenue to feed themselves and income for the state government, these and more are parts of the things my people need.

Apart from that, ecological problems abound in my constituency. We hope that one day, Anambra state and the Federal Government will give us the attention to tackle the challenge.

I will also move to see that Anambra is listed among the oil producing states of the federation so that our benefit will be coming to us.

All the previous governments in the state had neglected my people except for the APGA government that remembered my people.

Since 1999 that the PDP government came into being in Anambra, they could not provide one single project in my local government, even under Sen. Chris Ngige’s administration.

They could not do anything in my local government, when former Governor Peter Obi came, that was when we had our first tarred roads and electricity in my local government.

We thank the APGA government and we will try as much as we can to urge them to continue the good work they are already doing in my constituency.

As politician and a legislator-elect, would you subscribed to some calls to expurgate INEC card reader machines in our electoral system. What do you think should be done to enable us get election right in the future?

I think one of the problems we face in this country is that we are saddled with management of institutions. The focus is more on personal interest rather than the common interest of the people.

If those who got the contract of supplying the card readers were patriotic enough, sub-standard devices would not have been imported into the country for the elections.

I would want a more efficient company to produce the card reader for the country because it will eliminate rigging. In other words, I would support the use of card reader, but it most come from a more technologically advanced countries that will give us the best card readers to use.

Do you think that the political arrangement between APGA and PDP to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan for another term resulted in the misfortunes of APGA in the national assembly elections of March 28?

You know what happened is that my party adopted President Goodluck Jonathan for the reason that he promised to implement the Confab resolutions which we believe will benefit Ndigbo and strike the balance the nation’s polity. We never had any problem with the candidature of Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd), though, but generally speaking then, the people wanted President Jonathan to rule. Now that President Jonathan has lost and has accepted his faith, I will say thank you to Almighty God, because God has reasons for that.

When you take a look at the country, you will see that General Buhari’s victory and President Jonathan acceptance of defeat has changed a lot in the country positively.

I always tell people that Nigeria needs a very strong character to pilot the affairs of this great country. President Jonathan is a very good leader, but the reality on ground does not allow him to rule now, he can’t rule now, because he is more of a western leader than a complete African man. We must now support Buhari to move this country forward and I assure you that Ndigbo will Support Buahri's Government.

What would Ndigbo expect from the new administration under GeneraL Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.)?

General Buhari (rtd.) should see himself as president of Nigeria. He should be fair to every person in the country, irrespective of where you come from.

Ndigbo wants APGA to be. We may form alliance if need be with other political parties, but the APGA shall remain. That’s the general feeling of the people. We also hope that at the end of his tenure, Gen. Buhari will be kind enough to support an Igbo President whether under his party or APGA.