A gubernatorial aspirant running on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ebonyi State, ahead of the 2023 general election, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, yesterday, said he was not contesting for the Governorship position, because he is from Ebonyi North, South or Central, but because he is a bonafide citizen of the State.
The PDP Governorship aspirant stated this during a media chat with journalists at his country home of Isu, in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Odii emphasized that what was most important, was someone’s capacity to deliver on his mandate and make notable impacts towards improving the living standard of his people, and not necessarily where he or she hailed from.
“It is only God who knows the heart of any individual. For me, I am an Ebonyian. I am running the election because I am an Ebonyi man and not because I am from Ebonyi South, North or Central. What I believe is the capacity. Leadership is all about who can deliver.
“Every other person may be running because they are from North or Central, but I am running as Ebonyi person. I anchor my running because I am a bonafide son of Ebonyi State. All my projects are cut across every local government area of Ebonyi State, which means I am a true Ebonyi person.”
The businessman turned politician, who has dotted the landscape of Ebonyi with infrastructural projects and implementation of human capital programmes, stated that his administration would focus essentially on wealth creation, job employment and empowerment of youths, women and the aged.
“If you go to Izzi land, I have projects there, if you go to Ikwo, I have projects there and I am doing it with my private resources.
Anywhere you go, you will find Anyi Chuks projects there. I have so many people under my scholarship. I don’t discriminate because I am not from Izzi. So, we should be talking about the Ebonyi interest and not clannish interest and that is why I want to run.
“So for me, I started a business and I was able to grow that business and I have a lot of people working under my private enterprise. So, what it means is that if I replicate that template, there will be more jobs created for our people.
“So for me, it is all about wealth creation. Every other governor, even the present ones, they may have done well, but for me, I will focus on wealth creation.”
He promised not to allow his political ambition to become a source of the problem to the State as all that he will do would be anchored on God and the peace of the State.
“We look forward to a society that we can be proud of. As I mentioned earlier, I would want to partner with you as long as you are reporting objectively. You will not find me trying to blackmail any person or trying to use the press to cause problems. You have always known me as a man of peace and I represent peace anywhere I go in the world.
“I told God whatever thing is my ambition, it should not be one that will create a problem for the state. It should be an ambition I will pursue with all sincerity anchored on God.
“As we move forward trying to actualize my ambition, you will not find me causing violence in the state. The same way others should emulate and try to conduct themselves peacefully.
“Power belongs to God and the people. People must always choose whom they want to lead them. I have been on my charitable gesture over the years. Leadership is when somebody say this will happen and it came to pass. Even when it cannot happen, you should be able to call the people and tell them why it cannot happen.
“And again, it’s accessibility.
I have been a businessman. I have been an entrepreneur. Government is all about wealth creation, because when you create wealth, you have tackled a lot of problems. The youths will be able to get jobs and the tendency of reducing social vices will be there. Our people will be gainfully employed.”
