Afrigather The All Progressives Congress senatorial candidate for Anambra Central, Kolichukwu Okelekwe, tells IKENNA OBIANERI about his ambition and what the legislature ought to seem like within the subsequent political dispensation
What is your mission in politics and why you wish to be a senator?
One of many issues we’ve got in our management course of is that many individuals who aspire to public workplace haven’t any clearly-defined imaginative and prescient that paints the image of their aspiration. What they do is: I’ve made cash, and since I’ve made cash, I wish to be a governor or a senator or I wish to be a president for the sake of private ego, as a result of they’ve cash, however management is rather more than that. And that’s the reason most individuals derail once they take up public workplace as a result of there isn’t any clear imaginative and prescient that underpins or informs that aspiration. The one factor that propels their aspirations is ego. I’ve acquired the cash and so, why don’t I reply a senator or a governor, so for them, that place turns into an finish in itself.
Nonetheless, for me, I’ve a clearly-defined imaginative and prescient that informs my choice to run for senate. And what’s that clearly outlined imaginative and prescient? I had a really humble starting. We had been so poor that even the poor known as us poor, and I’m not ashamed to say that. It taught me empathy, and in these making an attempt instances, each time I kneel to hope, tears will roll down my cheeks, and in these tears, I can be telling God that if he removes poverty from my life and makes me profitable, I’ll use the wealth to work for humanity, which is precisely what I’ve been doing. God has been good to me. He has blessed me and I’m holding to that promise. I’ve given scholarships as a result of I grew up in a leaking mud home that had no doorways. I’ve additionally been constructing homes for individuals who don’t have a roof over their heads through the years.
Over time, I found that I’m only one particular person. The wants on the market are monumental, so my private effort is sort of a little drop within the ocean. That was what gave rise to my choice to run for public workplace to have a larger platform to succeed in fairly an enormous variety of individuals. For me, it’s about touching lives. It’s about service as a result of I consider, like Albert Einstein stated, “Solely a life lived within the service of others is a life value dwelling.”
How lengthy have you ever been nursing this ambition?
This isn’t the primary time I’ve aspired. Truly, in 2015, I aspired on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Social gathering however I didn’t get the ticket. For me, politics is nothing however the public good. Another factor that’s not for the general public good shouldn’t be politics. I’m not in politics to search for what to eat. Pope Francis famously stated, ‘We stay to serve and to not stay’ however sadly, most of our flesh pressers serve to stay, they don’t stay to serve.
So, for me, it’s about service; it’s in regards to the public good, nothing extra, and nothing much less. And that’s the reason, in case you have a look at my model of politics, maybe, I’m the one politician in Anambra State that has not gone to court docket with anyone or any political social gathering. Are you aware why? As a result of for me, it’s about service, and if actually it’s about service, why would I wish to go to court docket as a result of I wish to serve you?
What’s your evaluation of the present legislature and what do you assume Nigerians ought to count on from them within the subsequent dispensation?
Let me reply your query by quoting the nice Algerian revolutionary, France Fannon’s principle, and I quote, “Every technology should out of relative obscurity uncover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it.” What I imply is that the present legislature has accomplished one of the best it may, given the circumstances. It’s anticipated that the subsequent legislature will do higher. It’s a continuum. The subsequent legislature has the chance to enhance and higher what has been accomplished by the present legislature.
What’s your view on restructuring?
Sure, I consider sincerely that restructuring is the appropriate factor to do in the meanwhile however I’ll let you know the type of restructuring that I imply. Restructuring signifies that there must be fairness, there must be justice, there must be equity. I consider that how far one can go on this nation shouldn’t be decided by tribe or faith. I consider that how far one can go on this nation must be decided solely by his talents. This nation is so blessed. No state shouldn’t be endowed with human and pure sources. We’re a big nation. I consider that the states must be granted some degree of autonomy. Many of the gadgets on the unique checklist haven’t any enterprise being there. They need to be on the concurrent checklist, the place each the federal and state can legislate.
So, taking, for instance, the nationwide grid and energy technology, I don’t see why states can’t be allowed to generate their very own energy and distribute it as they deem match. If restructuring is deemed match for this nation, the Federal Authorities ought to shed some weight, after which these extra kilos must be faraway from the Federal Authorities and given to the federating items so that every state can develop at their very own tempo. So, I consider restructuring will do all of the federating items good. It would do the North good and likewise do the South good. It would do all six geo-political zones good.
What’s your view on governors’ going to the senate after serving eight years in workplace?
That’s democracy. It isn’t solely accomplished in Nigeria; it occurs in the USA or elsewhere. Folks function a governor after which transfer to the Senate. It’s now left for the Fourth Property of the realm to coach the individuals to make sure that the appropriate leaders are elected. Folks ought to interrogate the method that throws up leaders on this nation. We should transcend the rhetoric within the management choice processes. Let’s transcend what they are saying and have a look at their antecedents; what have they accomplished of their private lives? I consider that if you’re not profitable in your private life by way of public service, you’ll be able to’t get into authorities and change into a saint.
Lots of people assume that the nation ought to undertake a part-time legislature, wanting on the dwindling sources. Do you assume Nigeria is ripe for that?
Sure, I agree {that a} part-time legislature will do that nation a whole lot of good. And once we do this, it’ll entice the appropriate calibre of individuals. It would curiosity you to know that when we make the legislature part-time, individuals like Dangote can volunteer as a result of it’s part-time and the nation can profit from their expertise. I’m in assist of it in order that the big sources expended on the full-time legislature could be ploughed into different ventures.
After all, I assist a bi-cameral legislature due to our multi-ethnic nature. That’s the reason if you have a look at the Senate, it has the standard of the states. The senators symbolize their states, the Home of Representatives members symbolize their constituencies, and it’s based mostly on inhabitants, so balancing is sweet. It would entice the appropriate calibre of individuals in order that those that haven’t any enterprise within the legislature can be wielded out. While you do this, you now start to have individuals who wish to actually serve. If we do the legislature part-time, we can have individuals like Dangote, who’re made already coming in to offer again to society. The nation will profit enormously from the part-time legislature.
One other recurring situation is the state police. Do you assume the nation is ripe for state police and might it resolve the issue of insecurity and crime dealing with the nation in the meanwhile?
Once more, it’s a part of the restructuring we’re speaking about. If you happen to bear in mind, within the first republic, we had native authorities policing, or native policing; we had state police, which had been the areas as of then; and we had central police. That’s a part of the restructuring I simply talked about. Sure, we want state police. It would scale back crime. Nigeria is just too giant to have a central police drive.
Even within the US, the place we copied the presidential system from, they’ve county police, they’ve central police. Even universities have their very own police. So, a rustic as giant as Nigeria wants state police, and it’ll even have a optimistic impact on crime prevention and management as a result of these individuals know the terrain higher, to allow them to higher police their setting. There could also be some downsides, so we will craft a regulation that can insulate the state police as a lot as potential from political manipulation by the governors.
Speaking about your ambition, what are the weather you assume could offer you an edge over different contenders?
From Nibo, the place I come from, the entire conventional establishments, the president-generals, the youths, the ladies, everyone got here collectively and publicly endorsed me. It has by no means occurred within the historical past of that group. It exhibits that there are issues I do this they like. So, my individuals know me, they know my antecedents, they usually know who I’m. They know what I’ve been doing. They know I’ve empathy.
There may be this unfavorable notion about your social gathering, the APC, within the southeast. What do you assume is liable for this?
There may be nothing like a unfavorable notion. Perhaps that’s your opinion. I’ve not seen something of the kind as a result of in every single place I’ve been for the marketing campaign, they’ve embraced me. However in addition to, what’s a political social gathering? It’s only a car to take you to your vacation spot, particularly in Nigeria the place impartial candidacy shouldn’t be allowed. So, to go to any public workplace, you want a political social gathering. I’ve not observed any dangerous perceptions about APC within the southeast. You might be simply informing me.
