Recently, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC released the list of gubernatorial candidates for the 2027 general elections.
In Enugu state, 15 candidates, including the incumbent governor, Dr. Peter Mbah will be contesting for the seat in the elections.
WITHIN NIGERIA had an exclusive interview with the candidate of Alliance for Democratic Congress, ADC, Chief Obodoeze Ocho where he explained why the state has been lagging behind in development index.
Excerpts
Briefly tell us about yourself.
My name is Ocho Obodoeze Chukwuma. I am the Guber candidate of ADC in Enugu State from Aku in Igbo Etiti LGA.
A business man that plays in the oil and gas sector. I have a BSc in cooperatives and Rural development from Enugu state University of Science and Technology, ESUT.
An Executive master’s degree in finance and banking UNIPORT business school.
A masters degree in marketing UNIPORT.
You are a Guber candidate of ADC in the forthcoming general elections. What informed your decision contest this coveted seat with the incumbent?
My love for Enugu state and the desire to bring governance close to the people and restore the state to her traditional medium class economy is what informed my decision to contest for this seat.
The current administration has unleashed policies/levies and tax regime that are unbearable, leaving residents to suffer depression/anxiety/ frustration and hopelessness. I am stepping in to provide succor.
What have you done in your state or community to make them believe that you can be of a leader if elected the governor come 2027?
It’s a verifiable fact that I am involved providing scholarships for indigent students for decades under ocho scholarship program.
Provided free health services for my community
Gave out start up business grants etc
Enugu state executive seat has been on rotational cycle among the three senatorial zones; Enugu East, Enugu West and Enugu North. Why do you want to thwart this rotational formula given the fact that the immediate past governor was from your zone?
First my party ADC doesn’t have zoning or rotation in our constitution.
I have also asked for a copy of the zoning agreement, nobody had provided any to me.
If there’s any such document, it will be better you make it public for scrutiny.
The public needs to know the background and methodology of selecting a candidate when it’s turns to a particular zone.
What will be your government agenda if elected the governor of Enugu state come 2027?
My agenda will touch every sphere of the economy but the highlights are
Reviewing upwards the salaries of civil servants and teachers.
Intervening in agriculture through cooperatives societies.
Intervening in Medium and small enterprises though same cooperatives societies.
Establishment of an Agricultural campus of esut at uzo uwani
Establishment of an agricultural research institute attached to the school with a n executive bill to make the financing of the school and institute a first line charge from state revenue.
Extending the branches of the institute to Aninri and Ezeagu.
Establishment of a paramedic units to reduce loss of lives due to lack of fist aid, this will be a private partnership program.
Expanding on enugu marketing board to include processing, purchases and export promotion
Embarking of urban renewal program with new heaven as a pilot scheme.
Establishing of well equipped sports council in the three senatorial zones of the state.
Partnering with LGAs to establish situation rooms for fast response during crime also to create a functional emergency number for the state.
Hire and install a 50mw power barge to boost the power need of the state.
To revolutionize conversion of waste to wealth.
Provision water through private partnership.
Etc.
APC seems to be unbeatable in Nigeria politics at the moment. What will you do to smash the power of incumbency and win election in Enugu state?
APC thrives in voting buying and other forms of undemocratic activities that is evident in the signage fees Gov Mbah imposed on political parties before they can publicise their activities, using thugs to disrupt opposition meetings/ rallies, this is characteristic of unpopular and unstable party.
All we need is to protect our votes and they are out.
Gov. Mbah seems to have won the hearts of the state in terms of democracy dividends. What will you do differently if elected the governor come 2027?
Gov Mbah is the most unpopular governor in Nigeria today, who has been forcing himself to be popular by spending so much in image laundering. His tax regime and brutal agenda has impoverished our people to the point of depression, but let them worry no more because they will smile when ADC take over.
How prepared is your party ADC in the forthcoming council election in Enugu state?
ADC is well structured in all the wards in Enugu state, currently they are beginning to form their polling units executive, first of its kind in party structure.
Talking about huge Agricultural output as part of political agenda of ADC in the state, how realistic will this be given the fact that most of our rural areas have been overrun by bandits and kidnappers?
We have an effective plan to security in Enugu state,first we are going to partner with network providers to build masts and provide network to cover every nook and cranny of the state,we will work with LGA to establish and operate 24hr emergency response call centers for effective mobilization to crime areas, we will integrate all security outfit to log into our call centers for quick response,
We are going to train local vigilantes on investigation and prevention of crime.we will intervene directly on divisional police offices/ other security posts inorder to boost their morale.
Uzo-Uwani, Isi-Uzo and other areas are gradually loosing their glory as the good baskets of the state. What will you do to restore this glory?
I will establish an Agricultural campus of Enugu state in Uzo-Uwani and also create and attach an Agricultural research institue. The institute will be funded from a direct legal charge from state account. Branches of the institute will be extended to Aninri and Ezeagu.
I will intervene directly in food production/ small and medium agro based industries through encouraging farmers/ industrialists to form cooperatives societies.
I will expand the Enugu marketing board to include storage, purchasing and export promotion, this is to make sure that farmers all have value for their labour.
I will designate some micro finance bank to act as farmers bank to help disburse state backed loans to state approved produce cooperatives socities.
I will re introduce the Agric festival to boost the morale of farmers.
What is the stance of ADC on the local government fiscal autonomy in the country?
I will respect the LGA autonomy, and collaborate with her to deliver quality developmental projects for our people.
What is your assessment of Gov. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s administration in Enugu state?
He runs an elitist administration and have no connection with the state.
On a final note, what is your message to the good people of Enugu state for the forthcoming 2027 general election especially given the increasing case of voters’ apathy in the state?
2027 is another opportunity to take back 042, let them vote ADC all the way.
