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By Josfyn Uba
Eunice Atuejide, a legal practitioner, is seeking to represent Apapa Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives under the Labour Party (LP). She tells Daily Sun in this interview why she thinks she is the candidate to beat and why affirmative action is disadvantageous to the feminine gender.
What informed your decision to contest for the House of Representatives?
The state of the Nigerian nation and the conviction that I can help redirect our steps are my primary reasons for contesting for public office. I know that the most important way to help our people is by joining the process of making and implementing laws and budgets.
I am a lawyer with vast experience in legislative drafting and policy implementation. I am also a people organizer with experience leading political groups, one of which includes the formation and leadership of the now defunct political party, National Interest Party (NIP), the party upon which I stood to run for the office of President in 2019. All of these are factors I feel make me a great candidate for the position I seek.
Why did you choose the Labour Party?
Peter Obi is the reason I am confident that I can thrive and do something great for my fellow Nigerians. It was his presentation about his tenure as a two-term governor of Anambra State that convinced me that I would be fine, and that I can do well in this corrupt political landscape.
So, when he defected to the Labour Party and picked its presidential ticket, I simply followed him.
We always hear of manifestos being presented by aspirants. However, these manifestos end up not being implemented. What is your manifesto and how is it different from others?
My manifesto says just what I am able to do, which is, “To give the people of Apapa the best possible representation they can ask for.” My job as a lawmaker is to propose legislation, policy drives and act as watchdog to ensure relevant authorities do their part of ensuring proper implementation of the decisions I lobby for.
This is not a promise I’d struggle to fulfill. So, because my manifesto doesn’t offer any kind of impossibility, I will definitely fulfill every bit of it.
But people would want to know about what have you done in the past for them to give you their votes…
I have set up a youth-led political party. I have raced for the Presidency. I have sponsored several candidates to race for different offices. I have worked as a lawyer here in Nigeria and abroad and I have also worked as secretary of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, among others.
Do you think you stand a chance to win, considering your ethnicity?
I have a very good chance of winning Apapa Federal Constituency because I am grounded there. Besides, there are lots of non-indigenes in Apapa.
Nigerians, especially youths, are looking for a candidate with experience who understands the plight of the common man. Do you feel you have these qualities?
Yes, I do.
What can you say about Nigerian women, and affirmative action?
I am not a big fan of affirmative actions because I consider them disadvantageous to women. We should be able to get as many top positions in politics and business as we are qualified for and interested in pursuing.
And why do Nigerian female aspirants always back out when elections draw near?
I don’t know that Nigerian female aspirants always back out prior to elections. I believe we generally follow through, if we are the elected candidate of our various political parties. The problem I know of is that women rarely emerge as the candidates of the parties. So, there are usually not a lot of us left at the last stages.
How do you hope to change the narrative, by raising the confidence of Nigerians, especially females, considering that you withdrew from the presidential race in 2019?
I didn’t withdraw from the 2019 race. Rather, I mobilized my party members and supporters to vote for Atiku Abubakar after the election was postponed. I realized that there was a grand plan to rig Buhari back in so he could continue for four more years, so I did everything I could, including mobilizing for Atiku to stop Buhari from getting rigged in.
Are you confident that INEC is capable of organising a free and fair election?
Yes, I do.
How would you address the incessant traffic in Apapa
I would bring it up for an address on the floor of the National Assembly, propose legislation to prevent trailers from parking along the bridges and roads leading to the wharfs. I will propose the creation of trailer parks in the affected areas, and also propose that other ports are made operational across the country, which would invariably reduce trailer traffic in Apapa. I would ensure that the budget committees make provisions for the short-term interventions that are proposed, and I will follow up to ensure proper implementation of those budgets once they are passed.
