‘Chime is Enugu’s Best Ever’

Chime

A pioneer member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Dalington Agwu, spoke to Anayo Okolie on Saturday’s local government elections in Enugu State. Excerpts:

Now, looking at the successful merger of the major opposition parties in APC, what are the chances of PDP in the Saturday local government elections in your state?

I am not scared at all because no party can unseat PDP in Enugu State. As far as Enugu State is concerned, PDP is a party to beat.

Even with the crisis in PDP?

As far as I am concerned, from now till the next 10 years, I don’t think any political party can compete with the PDP.  Sentiments aside, the PDP-led government has not really done badly. President Goodluck Jonathan really means well for this nation and I think what he needs presently is our support. The insecurity problem people are condemning the president for has been there even when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was the president.

The late Umaru Musa Ya’adua came in and gave amnesty to the Niger Delta militants and before he gave amnesty to them, they studied the environment; went into negotiation with the group and they agreed on it. Thank God that today, Jonathan, with wisdom has been able to calm the situation by declaring state of emergency to some areas of the North.

In terms of comparing the PDP government and the opposition government, apart from Fashola, how many ACN governors or CPC governors can you compare with Governor Sullivan Chime, Amaechi or Akpabio of Akwa Ibom? Are they not all PDP governors? They have done excellently well in their respective states. The opposition must always oppose the programmes of the ruling party. It is the work of the opposition and that is why they call them opposition. But that does not mean that we should overlook them. PDP must put its house in order.

Enugu north is advocating power shift and there are speculations that Governor Chime supports them? Is that true?

Enugu State is into zoning system. Enugu east has produced a governor and our amiable Governor Chime is from Enugu west and the next governor should come from Nsukka which is Enugu North senatorial district.

Recently, indigenes in your community Ugwuaji sponsored some publication in some national dailies about the area being marginalised. What do they mean?

Yes, my community sponsored advertorials in some newspapers because it was necessary. Since the creation of Enugu, Ugwuaji has been marginalised. In Enugu South Local Government, we have four communities, Amechi, Obeagu, Akwuke and Ugwuaji but since the state came into existence, only Ugwuaji has been denied the opportunity of effective and active participation in the development of our dear Enugu State. We urge Governor Sullivan Chime to address this injustice.

But has the governor intervened on the matter?
We believe that the governor has seen our write-up and is aware of the injustice going on in the area and will put a stop to that because we all know him as somebody who believes in equity and fairness.

So why are you contesting the Enugu South chairmanship election?

I took the decision because of my passion to serve. No doubt, the present chairman has done very well but somebody will need to start from where he stopped. I have been assisting my people in my own little ways and I believe that if I emerge the chairman, I’ll be able to do more, especially, in keying into the four-points agenda of our governor and also improve the harmonious living amongst our people.

Do you stand a chance?

I believe that power belongs to God and it is God that will decide or determine who will emerge winner of the election.  For me, my chances are clear in the contest and I believe that the people know the best man for the job. I joined PDP since inception and I have been a dedicated and active member of the party and I believe I will do well. I am more qualified than other aspirants.

How can you assess Governor Chime?

The governor has done marvelously well. To me, he is the best governor that Enugu State has ever produced since the inception of democracy in Nigeria. Chime has done well in all sectors and cannot be compared with anybody. I can only pray that the good Lord grants him the wisdom to choose the right man to take over from him in 2015.