Maduako Igbokwe l Wednesday, October 20, 2021
AWKA, Anambra, Nigeria – Candidate of Zenth Labour Party (ZLP) for the Anambra State governorship election Dr. Obiora Okonkwo has stated that he will not do anything without consulting the Academics if he is elected governor of the state.
Okonkwo gave the assurance on Wednesday during a Town Hall Meeting with the Nnamdi Azikwe University Community on the state of polity at the institution’s auditorium, Awka. Okonkwo said that research was critical to quality leadership ,noting the state is nose-diving due to negligence of those in the universities and research institutes .
He said that if he becomes governor , he will be giving research grants to the academics and researchers to grow the system for the benefit of all .
According to him, Anambra is not growing because the leadership sees nothing good in prioritising on research through the academics.
” If I become the governor of Anambra state ,I will not do anything without consulting you. Academics are needed in driving the state economy of any country” he said. He also promised to focus on rural development ,peace and security as well as youth empowerment in the state, noting that if there is no peace there cannot be any development.
According to Okonkwo ,what is happening in Anambra and Nigeria today did not come as an emergency but an accumulation of failure over the years. He said that if the people have what is due to them there would not have been any cause for agitations and insecurity in the state and the country .
He also said that the state have not had economic growth despite having produced many billionaires whose business are scattered all the world , tracing the cause to unfriendly business environment occasioned by insecurity .
He said that if he is elected as a governor in the less than six months crime rate will drop by 50 percent in Anambra state .
According to him, the easiest way to tackle insecurity and crimes is to create jobs for the people, saying that when people are engaged there will be peace.
“If I am elected ,I will meet the president and tell him about my plans for security in state” he stated. He also promised to conduct local government election in the state six months in office , stating the present state government sees the local fund as free money for the ruling class.
“Local Government recruitment was done last in 2001, that is 20 years ago and the salary of workers are increasing every day , who eats the money” he asked . However , Okonkwo said that leadership cannot only be blamed always , noting that sometime the leaders are to be blamed because they chose wrong people who offer them money at the election day.
Okonkwo said he will be governor for everybody not only for his friends and families as obtainable now in the state. “I discovered that the leadership in the state is for friends and upper class and leaving the poor in pains,” he said .
