An aspirant in the November 6 Anambra governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna, Monday, promised to build a new state capital befitting the South-East state.

Okwenna who made the pledge shortly after obtaining the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms at the party’s secretariat,  Abuja, also called for a level playing field for all aspirants to test their popularity at the June 26 primaries, noting that any attempt to impose a candidate would leave the PDP continuously in opposition in the state.

Addressing newsmen at the event, the former Commissioner of Science and Technology said he would be willing to work with whoever picks the ticket provided the process is free, fair and credible.

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He said: “It is shameful that 30 years after the creation of Anambra State, we still  operate from a temporary structure. Let me tell you the history of that temporary structure. Enugu – Onitsha highway was built during Obasanjo time.

“Akwa was a sleepy semi  blacksmith town that was a made a capital city. Unfortunately,  there’s no public’s space to use. Then, that temporary maintenance yard of a construction company was used as the governor’s office.  Today, 30 years after, the governor’s office is still there.  It us shameful.

“Even our governor’s lodge is the judges’ quarters in Amawbia.  As an ordinary person, I can’t be comfortable sleeping there. That’s where my governor and many of my governors have been sleeping.

“So if you really love that state, there is what we call the structural adaptation  of government. Government is just like how we are but  what makes government what it is are the structures.

Today, every Dick, Tom and Harry wants to become governor because we don’t respect, governance, We don’t even have a governmental system. There’s a system you put in place and not everybody will aspire to go there. I will build the capital city, no matter the cost.

He further promised to improve the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR of the state, up to 40 per cent of Lagos state, in the fashion of former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi.

“Why did peter Obi left N75 billion in the account and 150 million US dollar before he left? I can leverage on Africa Development  Bank for my agricultural projects and other funding sources for my Information and Communication Technology, ICT projects,” he added.

Although Dr. Okwenna argued in favour of a credible primaries,  a candidate of South Senatorial District extraction stands a chance of winning the election for the PDP.

Vanguard News Nigeria