Senator Samuel
Anyanwu is the chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges. A
top player in Imo politics, the lawmaker is vying for the governorship
of the state on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A two-time Chairman of Ikeduru council
and erstwhile member of the state assembly, Senator Anyanwu said he is
in the race to rescue the state which he said has been in the throes of
misrule.
Why do you want to be governor?
It is clear to me that the right
leadership can propel our dear state to a higher level that will secure
the future of its citizens. I want to focus on security. Security of
lives and property, food security via agricultural innovations, job
security – both creating and sustaining jobs in the private sector by
creating a real enabling environment that is conducive for economic
advancement, while indigenes are dignified by the jobs they do and have
the ability to earn a living. Securing a formidable health and
educational framework that would be re-designed to meet the needs of our
people, both rural and urban dwellers, and ensuring that civil servants
are paid on time and well, not as a matter of luxury, but as a norm. In
a nutshell, I want to spearhead the movement to bring succor, security
in all its ramifications to our dear state.
What makes you think Imo people will prefer you to others from Owerri zone and Okigwe zone?
I can only humbly pray that the people
will prefer me to others from anywhere in Imo vying for the same
position because only one person can emerge. The seat is for Imo State
not for a zone. The people will prefer a person who they feel would have
their best interest at heart, with a feasible plan to improve the state
of affairs, and is committed to making sacrifices and building bridges
that would uplift the lives of our people. The capacity to do all these
without rancour and acrimony, but with harmony and unified vision would
make Imo people prefer me by God’s Grace.
You have been a council chairman
and also a member of the Imo State House of Assembly. That takes you
through the executive and legislative arms. What did these exposures
teach you about human resource and fiscal resource management?
In the course of my sojourn in politics,
understanding people, the challenges, the issues, and expectations, it
has become clear to me that leadership is of the essence if a worthy
future must be secured for the citizens. That leadership will encompass
assembling the best brains and hands to ensure that all are on deck to
move the state forward. In my experiences in business and public office
both in the executive and legislative arms, I have learnt that in
managing human, fiscal, and natural resources one must have the right
experts, efficient systems, process, and framework to ensure
sustainability. Prudent and judicious use of resources should occur in
the backdrop of due process, rule of law, transparency, and
accountability to ensure that it can withstand the test of time.
The basic issue confronting
states today is the poor economy which is premised on poor revenue for
the states. How will you address this problem and get the money needed
to address infrastructure deficit in Imo State?
Frankly, one can simply say that creating
jobs across all sectors will solve about 50percent of the economic
outlook of the state because if infrastructure deficits are addressed
effectively, jobs will be created in the six major sectors of the
economy. Infrastructure development, agriculture, health, education,
housing, and security are paramount and crucial to galvanizing the
economy of the state.
However, the problem of poor revenue and
economy is more complex than that. The quality and orientation of our
educational system must be reviewed to address issues of employability
(quality workforce pool) and preparedness for the 21st-century
workforce. Local, national, and international investors must be made to
feel secure to invest in Imo, this means we have to map out investment
potentials from rural areas to the state capital, with assurances of
healthy investment incentives, feasible and reliable ROIs, and
guarantees of basic security of life, properties, and investments. With
investments, proper harnessing of IGRs and taxes, infrastructure
deficits will be addressed adequately.
If you get it, what will be your basic focal agenda and why?
Our focal agenda will be to restore the
dignity of our state, so that things that are meant to be basic citizens
rights, like paying salaries in full and on time, paying pension owed
retired workers, basic health care, and qualitative education, are
normalised and sustained; while introducing innovations that would
secure the lives and properties of our people, ensure jobs, food, and
health security.
The average Imo citizen irrespective of
class, influence, or pedigree should look forward to an agenda that
includes their aspirations, dreams, and needs. Now to the why aspect of
your question, Abraham Maslow, a philosopher and psychologist through
his theory of self-actualisation, used the hierarchy of needs to prove
that all of us need to have food, shelter, and clothing before we can
begin to yearn for security and safety and these make for the foundation
of basic human needs. Unfortunately, ndi Imo cannot boldly claim to be
at that stage in our development.
Imagine that Rochas Okorocha hands over
to you. How will you address the alleged issues of corruption made
against him and members of his immediate?
We would have to follow the rule of law.
If any violation is found, we will not hesitate to hold whoever needs to
be held accountable responsible. What I would not be a part of is any
witch hunt, as I would also not be a part of any cover-up. There are
enough laws in the books to checkmate whatever violations that may be
discovered.
As a public figure, you may be
seen as interacting with all manner of people. Some may be concerned
that some shadowy characters are the likely persons that will work with
you if you become governor, what do you think?
You see, this is where I differ from a
lot of other people running for this same seat. I do not discriminate
against my people in my interactions. I believe that as a person whom
the people have given their mandate, I represent the good people, the
bad, the ugly of my Local government when I was limited to just Ikeduru
council of my zone, now that I am limited to Owerri zone and Imo State
when God finds me worthy to represent them, I will be respectful to the
dignity of every human being; but please do not mistake my open nature
in interacting with different people as lack of discernment of what is
good and noble. I will ensure that square pegs go into square holes and
round pegs, go into round holes. When it comes to the affairs of the
state experts who are trusted, reliable, tested, and dignifying would be
charged with the onerous task of putting Imo back on track.
There are insinuations that Imo
state has never at any time zoned the governorship. Do you support the
idea by some persons from Orlu zone that the governorship is open to
everyone who is qualified to contest?
Equity is an integral part of democracy,
especially in a heterogeneous society such as ours. Hence, in the spirit
of fairness, we must ask ourselves, does only one geographical zone
have the capacity to govern the state? The answer is NO! In the young
life of our democracy of 1999, one zone has governed the state for 16
years, another for four, it is only just and fair that the 3rd zone,
Owerri zone, be allowed to showcase that they also have the capacity to
spearhead the affairs the state. The fact still remains that whichever
zone that is in power or is seeking power to serve, must carry all the
zones along because we need each other and none can lead to isolation.
Some persons who know you very
well say that without Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu you wouldn’t have had a
political career. What role is he playing in your quest to be governor?
You can liken it to saying ‘if I did not
have my mother and father I wouldn’t be alive.’ I am saying that God
works through people. Chief Iwuanyanwu is the man God in His own
infinite wisdom chose to use to bring me into the journey of politics
and he has been a father to me. However, much like the analogy, I shared
earlier, even if he was my biological parent, it takes a village to
raise a child. I have encountered so many people and had so many
experiences through my sojourn in politics and I must honestly say that
God has shown me abundant grace through the people (mentors, leaders,
contemporaries, etc.) and experiences He has afforded me. With this
quest, it is no different, Chief Iwuanyanwu is there like a man with
numerous children, but he equally knows that one man alone cannot make
these things happen, it would literally take the entire village, in this
case, the entire state to fulfill this most divine mandate movement.
If an arrangement is worked out for you to become a running mate to a one-term Okigwe zone mandate, will you settle for that?
While there’s nothing wrong with
deputising anyone, as the focus is having the privilege to serve our
people; however, at this time and for this election of 2019
gubernatorial race, my people, my capacity, my vision, and my God has
mandated that I run for governor of Imo State not as a running mate. And
it will surely end in praise.
Source: The Sun
