By Donu Kogbara

THE other day, an article titled “WHY I STAND WITH OSITA CHIDOKA (AND WHY YOU SHOULD TOO)” popped into my inbox. It had been written by my friend, Patrick Okigbo III (pokigbo@gmail.com), who has enthusiastically thrown himself into Chidoka’s gubernatorial election campaign in Anambra. I have so much respect for Patrick, a very competent and discerning power sector expert, that I’d seriously consider supporting anyone he recommends.

But I don’t have to think about taking Patrick’s word for it on this occasion because I’ve been a Chidoka fan for some time myself for a number of reasons. Firstly, I’ve briefly encountered him and his wife at events in Abuja; and I just like their vibe. They’re a fine young couple. Modest and charming and smart.

Secondly, I clearly recall how well Chidoka, then the Minister of Aviation, handled a tough Hard Talk interview on BBC TV…on the eve of the 2015 polls and at a time when the PDP government he served (Jonathan’s) was under tremendous pressure.

Tremendous pressure

Faced with aggressive questions about problems like Boko Haram, Chidoka was calm, firm and persuasive. I was pro-APC at the time but was so impressed by Chidoka’s performance that I wholeheartedly praised him on this page.  And when I bumped into him a few weeks later, after his party had lost the election, I told him that I hoped that when Igbos eventually got a chance to produce a President of Nigeria, he would pitch for the top job and win. He thanked me quietly.

Now I’m praying that he will get a chance to run his own state because I think he’ll be a dynamic Chief Executive of Anambra. And I’ll leave it up to Patrick to explain why we are standing with Osita Chidoka and want others to join us:

I met Osita in 2012 when he invited my firm to document his tenure at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). With unfettered access, we chronicled 44 initiatives under his five strategic themes of transformation:

• *Institutional Framework (3)
• *High Performance Organisation (3)
• *Operational Excellence (20)
• *Enabling Technology (11)
• *Stakeholder Partnerships (6)

By 2012, these initiatives had resulted in the significant reduction in deaths per 10,000 vehicles from 156 (in 1988) to 41; and the World Bank had adopted FRSC as a model for establishing similar road safety organisations across Africa..

Awed by his remarkable reform of FRSC from a staid government agency to a high performance, merit-driven, knowledge-based organisation that leveraged technology to drive operational excellence, I saw Anambra’s immense potential being unleashed by Chidoka and I actively lobbied him to take on the role.

In the last two years (since he decided to get in the race), Osita has built a formidable ground game with over 20,000 passionate campaign staff across the 4,608 polling units in the state. The campaign has a 50-seat Call Centre from where volunteers make calls to registered voters across the state.

I am not aware of any other candidate in the race who has a legion of teams that are organised, passionate or committed to the cause. Ndi Anambra are tired of the politics of old.   They desire the values that Chidoka represents. They are committed to his victory at the November 18, 2017 elections.

Here are some of the reasons why I (and volunteers) Stand with Osita Chidoka.

1. 1. It’s about the future: The 2017 gubernatorial elections in Anambra is a referendum on the future. It is a choice between a great leap forward and the ordinary. Anyi bu Ndi Anambra; anyi na-eme ife sili ike(We are from Anambra and we do big and difficult things). With nothing, we create monuments. Since when did we start celebrating the ordinary? A government that only constructs roads and pays salaries is doing the barest minimum. Period! Ndi Anambra deserve so much more. Osita has proven that he can do more.
3. Bold leadership: We need an intelligent and fearless leader, now, more than ever before. For decades, we have sought a leader who is committed to selflessly project and protect the interest of Ndi Anambra. Chidoka understands this urgency. He understands the need to restore the voice of Ndigbo in Nigeria today and secure our rightful place in building the nation.
4. Pragmatic ideas:Ndi Anambra need a leader who can redirect our collective energies to productive engagements rather than primordial sentiments that divide us. Chidoka has pragmatic ideas to re-ignite the spirit of Ndi Anambra and build the state into an enterprise, knowledge, and technology hub for West Africa.

2. Good governance: Chidoka has spent the last three years actively debating various ideas on how to transform Anambra into an economically self-sufficient and wealth-creating state that leads in innovation, good governance and infrastructural development. He is committed to a visionary and transparent community-based government driven only by the genuine aspirations of Ndi Anambra.   I have been part of these discussions and I am inspired by the possibilities.

4. 3. Well-prepared: The Government House in Awka is not a “training school”. Rather, it should be a platform from where people with proven and verifiable professional and personal successes implement well-considered solutions to improve the lives of Ndi Anambra. Osita comes fully prepared with academic excellence, and stellar careers in the private and public sectors.  He has spent time thinking and providing solutions to the similar development challenges in the state. He has built a pan-Nigerian and international network of partners that will partner with his administration to implement his development agenda for Anambra.
6. 4. Sense of history: We need a governor who wants to leave an indelible mark in the hearts of Ndi Anambra. We need a governor who wants to follow in the footsteps of Sam Mbakwe and Michael Okpara. We need a leader who understands that history will judge him and his generation for his actions or inactions. We want a governor “nwelu ifele” who, guided by a strong sense of history, will strive to deliver a legacy that improves the lot of Ndi Anambra.
8. 5. No to godfatherism: The future of Anambra should not be mortgaged to political entrepreneurs who hijack the state coffers. Chidoka has refused to sell Anambra to any “godfathers”. Rather, he has put his fate in the hands of God and Ndi Anambra. This is the integrity we need in Anambra. With Chidoka, we will put an end to “godfather-politics” and its implications on ordinary Ndi Anambra. He is beholden to no one but to the will of the collective.

Please consider a DONATION in support of Osita Chidoka.  Every kobo counts.

Account Name: Dozie Anambra Development Initiative

Bank Name: Access Bank Plc.

Account Number:   0728489349

Please include your name/number/email so Chidoka can send his appreciation.