Mr Chales Nzechi is Labour Party Abia State Candidate for Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, in the Federal House of Representatives, in the 2019 general elections.
In this interview with Igbere TV, Mr. Nzechi speaks about his achievements, chances, plans and personal assessment of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
May We Meet You?
My name is Charles Nzechi from Isingu, Ohuhu clan of Umuahia North local government, Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency of Abia State.
Sir, we learnt you are candidate of one of the politial parties in Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency. Is this true?
Yes, absolutely! I’m a candidate of the Labour Party for Ikwuano Federal Constituency in the forthcoming February 16 general elections.
We understand that you were once in APGA. Why did you defect to Labour party to contest this position?
You’re in the media, you know. You should be aware of what transpired in APGA where the issue of ticket buying became the order of the day. We came to APGA because we thought the party was defending the interest of the poor masses, the Igbo people and the poor masses. But we discovered that, that was not what the current administration of APGA stood for and it wouldn’t make any sense to continue in that line. I know you must have read what a big stakeholder in APGA like Bianca Ojukwu said, and the things she wrote. That should tell you how much the APGA has lost, and deviated from the objective of the founding founders.
Why do you want to represent the people of Ikwuano Federal Constituency in the National Assembly. What informed you of your ambition?
I have always said it and I have always made it clear, it’s very simple. The well being of my people and the development of the society formed the foundation of my ambition. The whole reason why I’m running for this position is for the people and the society sake.
Can you elucidate on your people and society agenda? Are there specific issues or challenges you hope to address, if elected?
We all know what people and society are. Say for instance, if you take away the people who live in Umuahia and the buildings, infrastructures, there won’t be any place again. So what makes up a society is the people who live in it. The basic structures that make up that city. The only thing you can do to keep a society is to give priority to the welfare and welll being of the people living in that particular society. And basic amenities such as hospital, schools, roads, water, that makes the live of the common man comfortable, must be put in place. So my concern is to care for the people who live in my constituency because they are complaining, they’re crying, they’ve been neglected, because of bad leadership. So my aim is to go to Abuja, speak for them, get what belongs to them, and come back and give it to them – in terms of quality education, quality health care, good road, basic economic empowerment, ans bring in various establishments that would uplift the society. The idea is to create employment, and attract meaningful developments.
But Sir, how do you hope to achieve all these, if elected?, Being that it’s not an executive position but legislative
The primary duty of a legislator is to to make laws. But we are quick to forget that such laws should be the laws that would affect the people in your constituency, and sometimes those outside it because we all belong to the same country. People still fail to understand that there are oversight functions, and those are not law making processes. They are activities that concern the welfare of the people and the development of the society. So there are provisions Nigeria has made for every person who represent the Constituency they come from, that’s why people go there and get constituency projects which is meant to develop the society. So, these are the sources I am going to use, not to develop myself, not to enrich myself, but to bring development back home.
What’s your reaction to the recent claim by your opponent and current member representing this constituency, Prof. Sam Onibo? He had claim to have attracted some road projects, specifically the Ikot Ekpene road. And what would you say about his achievements?
We had a debate the other day and we asked him this same question. You know it’s not honourable for an honourable member to come to the public and not being honourable enough to speak the truth to the people. The road you just mentioned, I wish you could drive to that road to see the condition of the road yourself and tell if that road was given the kind of attention being paraded on the media. I’m glad you are a journalist, so I believe there’s no place you cannot access to get proof. These are pure lies and simply propaganda just to make them appear to be working. However, they’ve done nothing. I wonder how long we’d continue to deceive our people in this manner. I challenged him right there at the debate, to show his score card for the period of four years he has been in the Federal House of Representatives so I could point to him how far better I have achieved with my personal money. I challenged him to take me to the said projects, and then I would take him to mine too, let’s see how much he has used government money to achieve, and how much I have used my personal money to achieve too. He couldn’t do that, that’s to show you these are just pure lies.
Does your party has a gubernatorial candidate in Abia in the 2019 polls?
My party has a governorship candidate in Abia. Like you may already know, INEC published the names of all candidates and their political party.
What’s your assessment of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu’s performances as governor in the last four years?
For this particular question, I’ll answer you to the best of my knowledge, I’ve always answered it in time past with utmost sincerity. To start with, you’ll not ask a governor to tell you the things he has done, and will ignore you. Ask our governor the things he has done, what he has achieved, he will tell you the things he has done. We have 17 local governments in Abia, I am from Ikwuano Federal Constituency, and my constituency is just three of these LGAs. I have not gone to Aba to ascertain the things governor said he has done — to verify if he truly did them or not. So, I have only listened to what he said he has done, and because he is an honourable person, I would believe what he said to have achieved until anybody comes up to proof otherwise. For, whatever we hear are the things from the media and you know it’s a 50/50 thing. Some would say “he has not done this”, and he will counter it with the things he said to have done. So, that tells you I won’t be in the best position to say what the governor has achieved outside my constituency.
Well, we would have loved you to give a straight and direct answer you know…?
I am only being frank with what I have said. You know, frankly speaking, if you ask me now, “Charles, what’s happening in Ikwuano”, whatever my response would be will be based on what I have read on the media because I have not been there. So, how do I begin to explain it?
Good. Talking about your constituency, what has the governor done there?
If you’re talking about my constituency, I’ll tell you exactly what the governor has done. If you go to my village now, they will tell you he has given twenty people SAs (Special Advisers) and these people are happy because they are SAs to the governor. But majority of the people there, say 50 per cent, will tell you “Is it SA we would eat?”, “He has not done this, he has not done that.” So, it’s a 50/50 thing. There will always be four against him.
…And to you, what’s your assessment about him within your constituency
(Cuts in) I just told you. My assessment could be based on what I get from my people. I have seen some who says “We are not happy with him”, and I have equally seen those who are happy probably because they are SAs, these people get their money from him, so they will definitely be happy with him.
In a couple of weeks, we’ll be having the Presidential elections of which the National Assembly election, which you are a candidate, will take place same day. What’s your assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari, candidate of the APC?
I want to be very honest with you. We went for a meeting the other day in my clan, and it will shock you to hear what my people said. It was a summit that had in attendance nearly a thousand people. About 80 per cent of them came out to say “Buhari and his administration has done better in Ohuhu more than any other administration did since 1999.” I was shocked and I asked what has he done?. And they gave us clear details of what he has done. They said he’s the only President that has given Uhunhun a first class Minister. Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, the Minister of Trade and Industry, is from Ofeme in Ohuhu. And that’s the first time between 1999 and date that any administration is giving a ‘son of the soil’ a first class Minister. Today, he’s the only Minister from Abia state, so the people see it as a credit to Buhari. Now, between 1999 and date, Enugu-Port-Harcourt expressway, the worse of it, happen to be the Ohuhu side, the Ofeme road link. You know this is the first time since I was born that the road is being given due attention. That place is motorable now. Before now, we don’t go there, it was that bad. But today, it’s a very smooth road. These are some of the projects being attracted by our Minister. Ikeji Emenike, the Minister’s wife, is an Ambassador right now under this same administration. So, one Minister, one Ambassador, roads all over the place, my brother, what would you say if you are from Ohuhu. And mind you, I am not talking of the Board Members appointed into various ministries by Buhari’s administration, we have a lot of them right there today. In fact, I can gladly tell you that we are seeing the dividends of democracy in Ohuhu under Buhari’s administration today. The people are feeling good about it.
What is your advice to Nigerians, specifically the electorates?
I would have love a situation whereby the candidate of the biggest opposition party and the sitting President would appear in a debate and tell us what they have done, and what they intend doing so we could assess them based on their performances, and pick the best. Democracy is more beautiful that way. We need to begin to learn to adapt to the Western system where the media shapes and inform the society on the ethics of governance. And that’s one thing I’m happy it’s happening now, like you are here. But the issue is we need to learn to get to a point where we can come out and tell the public “…Look I’m running for this office, this is what I’m going to do. And these are some of the projects I plan to achieve when I get there”.
Any word for us, Igbere TV?
Sure!. I want to specifically thank you, Igbere TV and the entire crew. I must confess, Igbere TV is one of my most preferred and admired news outlet today. Your news are genuine, your reports balanced, and your platform has never been known for misinforming the public or carrying fake news. So I love listening to your programs and reading your news. So, please keep it up. Igbere TV will always be one of my favorite and the best amongst others. Thank you!
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