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From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
As the campaign for the 2023 general elections gathers momentum, candidates of the political parties for the various elective offices have continued to unfold their strategies to win the polls.
In this interview, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, Hon. Smart Nonso Okafor articulates why he is running to represent the constituency in the National Assembly. Excerpts:
Why do you think you are the best candidate to represent the Federal Constituency in the National Assembly?
I believe I’m the best candidate for Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in terms of legislative experience. I’m currently in the Anambra State House of Assembly. I have crossed my Ts and dotted my Is in legislative work. I have learnt the job very well. Lagislative work is tedious. It requires experience, ideas and even prowess. I believe that when I get to the House of Representatives, I will do far better than beginners. Others, of course, are competent in their own way. I know none of the contestants has any legislative experience even at the local government level except myself. I’m not going there to learn the job.
In some quarters, people think you are in a hurry politically based on the fact that you came out for governorship in the last election in Anambra State and now you are contesting for House of Reps while still in the state Assembly. How can you justify that?
Well, that’s a good question. But what is important is that it is a passion to serve. It’s all about calculation in politics. I’m contesting for House of Representatives today. It’s important to know that whatever I have contested for is to package and programme me for the task ahead. And you know it’s not possible for me to contest for Anambra State House of Assembly twice given the political arrangement in my Nnewi community. Nobody is allowed to run state House of Assembly twice in Nnewi. I never thought of that let alone trying it. I feel this is an opportunity for me to serve in a higher capacity. The governorship election I contested was a clarion call by the youths of Anambra State who said that they would like one of them to be the governor of the state. Don’t forget that I have been the state chairman of the youth council in Anambra State. The youths said they needed somebody to represent them, to go for the governorship and I said well, if you need that, you have to fund it because I’m not financially prepared for that position. The youths came together and contributed money to buy the governorship elelction form. They bought the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) form for me at N22 million to contest. I didn’t put N1million in that form. Some contributed N500,000, N300,000, N200,000 and so on just to make a statement in line with the philosophy of ‘not-too-young-to-run’. They made it for the political class, the elite to know that we have youths in Anambra State. How old am I to say that I’m not capable of running for governorship of my state? I believe that if you have started to allow youths to take over leadership as we tried in the state when I came out for governorship, we will be able to extend the same correction that youths are capable at the national level. We need to put to a stop the recycling of the old politicians within the corridors of power. Recycling old politicians is one of the greatest problems we have in this country. They come and lead us with old ideas. We are in a digital age and you can’t operate analogue ideologies in a digital environment. You see someone upto 40 years and he says he wants to run for governorship and you say he is too ambitious. That’s ridiculous.
Could you talk more about your legislative experience?
By virtue of being in the state House of Assembly for over three years now, it’s given that I have had the experience on how legislative work goes. I was appointed the Chairman of Gender Committee in the state House of Assembly. I’m the Chairman, House Committee on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); Deputy Chairman, Finance and Appropriation and also to man the newly created Committee on Petroleum and Mineral Resources. Even some were asking why Smart, asking whether there’s any petroleum deposit in Nnewi. Don’t think that the state governement was not aware that Smart was given that position. To be given these sensitive positions shows there’s something the House sees in me. These things will translate to bigger dividends when I go to the National Assembly.
You were elected into the state House of Assembly under the APGA platform, but you later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Don’t you think this will severe your relationship with the APGA-controlled state governement, as a lawmaker?
Yes, I was elected on the APGA platform and I was supporting the state governement. There were a couple of things that happened which made me to move. Something happened during that period. But I wouldn’t like to go into details because that era is gone. I went to former Governor Willie Obiano to tell him that youths of Anambra said they want to run and that they have chosen me to run for them. He accepted that and promised to provide an enabling environment for the youths to run. But he said he would not sponsor us. I told him that the youths would sponsor themselves. The youths then bought a form for me to contest only to be disqualified. And the question was why? I have the competence and all it takes to be the governor of my state. So, the youths were angry and if I had kept quiet, as I would have wished to, the interpretation would have been that I was paid to step down or bought over. That was one of the major reasons I defected to the APC. Of course, it is on record that I’m the only person that has supported the governement to a large extent even when I had joined the APC. You know I’m in the state House of Assembly to primarily represent Nnewi and I wouldn’t like Nnewi to be in opposition to the state governement, to become an attacker to the governement of the day. When Governor Charles Soludo attended the 2022 Ofala festival at the Igwe’s palace in Nnewi he said to the hearing of everybody that I fought to see that Nnewi roads are built. The governor said I took him round bad roads in Nnewi that needed reconstruction. That tells you that Smart doesn’t attack the state governement. We are in good relationship. If Smart were attacking the governement, how possible would it be for him to discuss with the governement. I’m close to the Executive arm of the governement and we discuss the affairs of Nnewi Constituency which I represent. I’m not in opposition to APGA governement. I support it, but if there’s any unfriendly policy by the government, I will not hesitate to oppose that.
Why the choice of APC at the time you decided to leave APGA?
One of the major considerations then was that it was quite clear I was leaving the APGA. And at that time there were underground plans to make sure I was retired in APGA as a party. There were clear indications by some people to do that. I was the highest ranking APGA office holder in Nnewi. Campaign Committees were constituted and I was not involved. They were calling meetings of APGA in Nnewi without inviting me as a sitting member of the state House of Assembly. What it all meant was that I was no longer needed in the party. So, it was clear I was going to leave. At that time, there were some of our brothers who were already leaving the party and PDP to join the APC. I sat down and gave a serious thought to it. Now, it’s a wrong political calculation to leave the party in power in the state and join the opposition at the national level. I don’t want to place Nnewi in opposition in the state, as it were, and opposition at the national level, too. That would have been suicidal. Inasmuch as I have my own personal sentiment about the party, I must understand that I’m leaving the party in power in the state. There were many considerations before I took that decision. There is a party I might join, maybe today I wouldn’t remain in the state House of Assembly.
What’s going to be your major focus when you get to National Assembly?
My major focus will be to take care of the needs of my constituents. I know the needs of Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo local governement areas which make up the Federal Constituency I’m going to represent. They have 15 communities. As a member currently representing Nnewi North Constituency, I know their problems and I have researched further to know that of Nnewi South and Ekwusigo. One of the major problems of Nnewi North, for instance, is road. An average Nnewi person doesn’t need water. Water poses a minor challenge. What the community needs mostly are constant electricity supply, good roads and other social amenities. Every local government has its own peculiarities. I have discovered, after a careful investigation, that there are agencies and commissions that can be used to do roads not necessarily the Ministry of Works. The Ministry can be approached for federal roads. There are ecological funds and some other funds from the Federal Government that could be used for certain projects in a state. You asked whether I won’t be swallowed in the Green Chambers (House of Representatives). How can I be swallowed? I have not been swallowed in the state House of Assembly where you have three terms Generals, where you have people that have been there for eight years, 12 years, yet my voice is well heard. Just recently, I was given an award. Three best Honourable members were selected in each of the 36 states of the federation. I was among the three selected from Anambra State. We were given the award in Abuja. It was published in your newspaper (October 3, 2022 edition) of The Sun. In less than 25 years of age as a student, I was a Students Union President controlling over 30,000 students. I have led more than a million youths of Anambra State, among other leadership positions. So, why should I be swallowed in the National Assembly? I’m going there for a greater onslaught for the people who give me the mandate.
Are you assuring your constituents that power will not get into your head to close your gates against them when you must have won the election?
It is said that power intoxicates, and absolute power intoxicates absolutely. That’s not for me. Power has not got into my head as a lawmaker in Anambra State House of Assembly. I visit home at will, interact with my constituents both big and small. Ask anybody, if you are in doubt. I can never go to the National Assembly to change that cordial relationship I have continued to enjoy with my constituents. It’s not possible. I’m very accessable and when I leave Awka as an Honourable member of the House, I return to my Nnewi Constituency as Nwa Nneya Neghe Akara (a boy whose mother fries akara-bean cake). I’m free with my people who give me the power because he who gives you power is more powerful than who you are. Power can never get into my head for any reason.
Is there any written agreement for zoning in Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency because some people lay claims to that?
There is no zoning agreement in Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency and nobody can lay claims to that. If there’s, I for one will be the first person to respect it. In Anambra State House of Assembly, I never for once made any attempt to run for a second tenure because there’s an agreement in Nnewi for a single tenure representation. If you say there is a zoning agreement in Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, there is nothing to prove it because there have been contestants from the three Council Areas that make up the constituency in every election period who file out and keenly contest in the Federal Constituency. A better candidate, in the final analysis, has always won the election in the constituency.
