In this interview with PETER OBIORA, online Editor, Chinedu Emmanuel Ezeh, Enugu State House of Assembly aspirant for Nsukka West Constituency discusses issues relating to better life for people of his Constituency, how he would participate in the enactment of good laws that would ensure this better life for the  People of his area through quality and accountable representation and his major agenda if elected.

 

Other issues discussed are the reason his constituency wanted him to represent them, why most politicians fail to deliver on their promise if elected, why he is vying through the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, assessment of the current Representative of the Nsukka West People and advice to fellow contestants. Excerpts:  

 

Background

 

Chinedu Emmanuel Ezeh is an Accountant by Profession and a Politician by training. I was born at the Bishop Shannaham Hospital in Nsukka and had my early education in Ekulu Primary School and Union Secondary School Enugu where I finished in 1982 and 1987 respectively. Thereafter, I proceeded to the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) where I studied Accounting and after graduated in 1995. I was posted to Mobil Producing Nigeria in Port Harcourt for my National Youth Service where I served at the Accounts/ Marketing Department. I was retained at the end of the service year. And I worked there briefly and later resigned my appointment to go into private practice. I have been a Private Businessman since 2001when I left the services of Mobil and within this period, I have been doing my business; moving between my my place and Port Harcourt; my business base was initially in Port Harcourt before I relocated to Enugu and subsequently Nsukka in 2007.

 

However, since the year 2007 elections, my people have been urging me to come back and represent them. They have been agitating for quality and accountable representation. But I felt that it was not yet the time; because there were people on the queue and I am one individual who believes in due process in all I do.

 

I do not believe in struggling for anything; because I have the conviction that God’s time is the best. Finally, I have decided to answer the call of my wonderful people to come and represent them at the Enugu State House of Assembly.

 

My people have been calling me to represent them since this period; but like I affirmed earlier, I felt it could have been too automatic and some people may have to be displaced and there would be animosity and grievances; but I am not cut out for that kind of politics. I believe that there are some gentlemen who should be in politics to carve out a niche for themselves. I didn’t feel like dislocating those who were already on the queue and then creating enmity and disaffection, so I decided to withdraw. Meanwhile, I have been with them doing my underground work in readiness for the incoming dispensation.

 

On Private Business

 

Well with my experience in Mobil, you know that the Nigerian economy is Oil and Gas based. So when I left Mobil, I was consulting for Oil Companies and you know that they are all predominantly in Port Harcourt. I was consulting for these Oil Companies in different areas. For instance, as an Accountant; sometimes when they have Accounting problems, I liaise between them and Chartered Accounting Firms and we do trainings for their staff and other related matters. This was quite lucrative.

 

Reasons for your call by your constituency to represent them

 

First and foremost, you are aware that Nigeria came back to civil and democratic rule in 1999, from that time to 2003 was a political dispensation, and then from 2003 to 2007 was another political dispensation. So each term of unbroken democracy was enough for the people to know whether they have had quality representation or not. They saw that Nigerian politics is maturing and its democracy growing. We have heard different terminologies as to this regard and that is true. It is the masses that are been represented and not the elite, they are the ones that will see that the level of representation they are having is not quality enough; it may not be transparent or accountable, people go there to represent themselves and not the people.

 

I would say that selfless service, responsiveness and humility are some of the characteristics that I feel have made the people call out for me to represent them at the Enugu State House of Assembly. If you take a trip to the rural areas of Nigeria, you will discover that it is where people appreciate kindness and gesture. They appreciate gesture, the fact that you cared even without you spending money. These rural folks take note of that without your noticing it. So when the time is ripe for things like representation, they would begin to ask questions and seek your whereabouts to come and represent them.

 

Whenever, there are occasions in my place, even up to burial ceremonies, I take time out to attend to console the widows or deceased families. People take note of some of these gestures like I affirmed earlier. But the Nigerian Politician is all about personal interest; doing things without caring for the people. Politics from my perspective and understanding is and should be a grass root venture. It should be all about how good and well you have touched the lives of your folks. I know that in my place, the several communities celebrate one thing or the other at all times. For instance when they have things like Church functions; I participate and contribute my quota.

 

I have built boreholes in so many areas in my Constituency, apart from these, I have assisted in building Town Halls where people meet to comfortably deliberate on issues as regards the communities.  They meet in these Town Halls to celebrate occasions; you know in the olden days, there used to be village squares in the open where people meet and discuss issues relating to their well being or celebrate occasions; but these days, it no longer exist because of certain reasons; so you build Town Halls for them and if you can assist them achieve this, they would not forget you. Also, when they need water, you assist in Boreholes; they wouldn’t forget such gestures either; even when you do not have any ulterior motive.

 

So, it was out of all these magnanimous gestures that people now started agitating that I must represent them; I never had that in mind; until they started sending delegates to me that I should come and represent them at the State House of Assembly; that they need me.  Like I affirmed earlier, I have had contributions in the development of Churches, Markets, drilling of Boreholes and building of Town Halls.

 

Do you think that these are enough reasons for the people of Nsukka West to ask you to represent them?

 

It may not be completely; now they need intellect and you know in intellectual property you do not pay money for it. They need somebody with the education and exposure; an individual who should be able to go in the committee of the other constituencies and give them quality representation; not a yes man or bench warmer. They need somebody who can go and get something good for them.

 

Previous experience in politics

 

Way back in School, I was in the Students Union and in the Faculty, I was an Officer and in the entire University, I was also in Parliament of the Students Union Government (SUG). You may say that these appointments were in School. However, sometimes you need tutelage and coaching, these are the little things that prepare people for bigger tasks ahead. Naturally, every human is a political animal; it is only when you are exposed to it that you begin to reveal your potentials. A typical example is our dear President Goodluck Jonathan; it was the same agitation from my people to represent them was what he had. He was representing his people at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). From the NDDC, there was a vacancy for the post of Deputy Governor in Bayelsa State and the people remembered his previous good works at the NDDC and called him to come and fill that vacancy. From being the Deputy Governor, he was made Governor of the State, subsequently; he became the Vice President of our great Country Nigeria and now the President. He never had prior training or experience in politics, which was the reason I said that every human being is a political animal; because the moment an individual is put in a particular office, he has no choice; but to perform.

 

Your agenda for Nsukka West Constituency of Enugu State

 

What we are going to do is legislation; it is not as if we are going there to pluck water, electricity, good road, employment or other good things of life to the Constituency. Before, I proceed, let me make reference to late President Umaru Yar Adua’s administration, when he came into Government, the first thing he held unto was the rule of law. With the rule of law, all other things about live will take there proper position. Once you are obeying the laws of the land, there will be good roads, employment, electricity and other good things of life.

 

Why do we need laws? For instance when you travel abroad, that is where things work. From the Airport, things are well organised, if we obey laws, things would begin to work out well, there would be no corruption. If you are in a position, apart from your salary, you cannot take any other money away; because you know that if you do that, it is criminal; this happens if there are laws that are being obeyed by the citizenry.

 

At the Enugu House of Assembly, I would represent my people by participating in the making of good laws for them; these laws would be beneficial to our people.  Going to the House of Assembly is legislative and not executive. You as a Law Maker, you are different from a Governor or Commissioner that would attract amenities to your Constituency. However, if you make the right laws, these things would spread allover the State and subsequently affect your Constituency.

 

The Laws we would enact will ensure that Government give employment to the people, because the most disheartening problem is going back to your Constituency and see youths roaming the streets and jobless. This is a major reason they get into kidnapping to make money; which is not proper. But with my involvement in the Legislature, I would make sure laws that would affect employment are put in place so that employment would be generated and Government would begin to once again function properly.

 

Unemployment is one of major agenda and the Millennium Development Goal (MDG). Also, the Government is serious battling poverty through its Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP). These two programmes which the Government has employed to alleviate poverty and better the lives of its citizens has not benefited the people of my Constituency in Nsukka West of Enugu State.

 

When I am elected into the State House of Assembly, I will ensure that laws are made that would make our people tap into the Millennium Development Goal; So that industries would be built for us and our people get employment. Also hospitals would be built, people would be employed and the sick have access to good medical care.

 

Let me share an experience with you, when I visited my Constituency during one weekend, a widow had headache for two weeks and subsequently, it degenerated into migraine. The problem was that she didn’t have enough money to buy drugs; this was disheartening to me. I decided to take her to Bishop Shannaham Hospital in our area, they attended to her and let her go; but I insisted that she must be observed even if it is for three hours. They did this and gave her thorough medical examination and at the end of it; I had to pay the bill.

 

This is one of the reasons; I eventually decided to listen to the call of my people to represent them. I would ensure that proper laws are put in place that concerns infrastructural development; even Agriculture.  My area is very fertile, we have rice, yam and the kind of yams we produce are so big like a human being. Government should look also at this area of Agriculture and not necessarily Oil all the time; so that we can produce in large quantity and begin the exportation of some of these agricultural products.

 

Our grain is so thick and not like the Chinese rice that is so tiny and are being imported into Nigeria. If we develop the rice in my area, we can sell it to other parts of the world. These are some of the things that are making me have the fire to represent my people.

 

Why do Politicians promise and do not deliver?

 

I think it is a major cankerworm that has being bedeviling our polity and it has eaten so deep; that even those who have the mind to do better works for their Constituencies would get infected by this bug once they are elected, they would forget about their campaign promises.

 

For instance, if I had seen what the widow without money to treat migraine has gone through and I get elected without doing anything to solve such medical issues, don’t you think that God will not forgive me? The test of the pudding is in the eating, there are still some God fearing and decent politicians out there; who are not involved in funds looting; especially those made available for their Constituencies.

 

There are still some politicians who are concerned about the people, because it is people that make politics. If you forget the people; then there is no need for politics. Thus, I see that as a major problem which I have also fought with my conscience and won the battle.  It is good to make money no doubt; but I would not allow that to becloud the sense of my reasoning.

 

In Black Africa, 90 percent of the populace are poor; which explains the reason for that attraction for money. So anybody who has the opportunity would like to secure the future of his or her three generations coming; but this is not all. The best legacy to leave for your children or upcoming generation is to put in place good infrastructure. If all these are in place, there is no need for securing money. That is why in the developed nations, you hear of only one or two rich men, 90 percent of the people have just enough to pay for their bills. I am not saying that there are no poor people; but it is not in our own rate. In the developed nations, Government takes care of its citizenry; in Nigeria there is no social security; that is the reason when they get into government, they want to grab enough to secure themselves and up to their third generation.

 

This is not the solution to the problem; the solution is the provision of amenities, employment, good agricultural and medical policies by Government. The late President Yar Adua’s Government was talking about the seven-point agenda and these were poverty alleviation agendas. These are legacies that should be left behind, if you do this, your children and their future would be protected.

 

Assessment of the current Representative of the Nsukka West Constituency at the Enugu House of Assembly

 

The representation has been mundane, that is why the people of the Constituency are calling upon me to represent them in the next dispensation. They have had a lackluster and ineffective representation; below average. Therefore, they need somebody who would bring the representation to normal and probably above average.

 

Why use the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform to contest?

 

Well the different geo-political zones have bases controlled by certain political party. The South East geo-political zone is predominantly PDP apart from APGA; the rest are PDP and APGA is just one State, and in that State, APGA took over from PDP. So if in any of those geo-political zones, you want to represent the people, you must choose the right platform.

 

It is like somebody from the South West coming under any other Platform apart from the Action Congress (AC), you will have a stiff competition on your hand; but if you are in the right party, it doesn’t take much, it becomes easier. What you are required is to show people what you are capable of doing. This time around, one of the major things that encouraged me is that the PDP Government said that there would be no imposition of candidates; that the issue of God Fatherism would no longer be given preeminence in the party. These two factors have been bedeviling the party and now they are been pushed to the backburner; every vote would count; meaning total transparency and if every vote counts, it means quality representation; because whoever is going there, will definitely be the candidate of the people and I am the candidate of the people of Nsukka West Constituency of Enugu State.

 

Assessment of the Attahiru Jega led Independent National electoral Commission (INEC)

 

So far so good, under his leadership, they have umpired the handing over of baton in two States; Osun State and Ekiti State; it was not under his tenure that these elections were conducted and cannot be judged based on that.

 

Based on Jega’s antecedent, his is going to do well if given a freehand to operate. I think Government had assured him that he would have a freehand. When President Jonathan visited the United States, he told them that he has never met the man he was going to appoint to head the Nigeria’s Electoral body in his entire life; meaning Jega was a neutral fellow and a fearless democrat that would not be easily influenced; therefore, based on this, we expect to have a good INEC.

 

On the missing DDC machine

 

For the fact that election machines arrived the country is a pass mark for him. If the Security Agencies at our Airport are not doing their work, I don’t see why we should involve Jega, he has done his work and didn’t send anybody to go and steal election machines. I don’t think we can use that basis to judge him. So if the Agencies at the Airport are not doing their job properly, I think this is the right time for Government to sit up and make sure that the right people are put in the right place. They should remove the current Security Agencies at the Airport; because they have failed; and put in fresh people with a mandate that such must not occur again. To my mind, I don’t think Jega has any blame in that direction.

 

Advice for fellow contestant for the Nsukka West Constituency at the Enugu State House of Assembly

 

My advice is that they must be people-oriented representatives; because without having the people at the back of their minds, they are just going there to waste their time. But if they have people at the back of their minds; before they take any step, they will remember those they are representing. Like I affirmed earlier in this interview, 90 percent of our populace are poor and if they have ever experienced poverty, they would realise what the people are facing. Apart from that, if people do not have money in their pockets, they should be able to drink clean water, have good road, electricity and so on.

 

We are going to the State House of Assembly to make laws that would bring about these amenities. Good laws has no alternative anywhere in the world, we have been facing all our troubles in Nigeria; because the appropriate laws are not put in place. But the moment these laws are put in place, everything would begin to work out for good. Also, with good laws that will stop corruption, people will no longer see Government as an attraction; because when you go there, you depend only on your allowance.

 

End