BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

Honourable Charles Odedo (APC, Idemili North/South Federal Constituency, Anambra State) is one of the few All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives members from the South-East geo-politicalzone. In this interview, he speaks on the chances of his party in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra and what the people of the state will gain from Senator Chris Ngige’s administration, if elected.

On APC’s plans and programme for Anambra people.
APC has a 12-point agenda for Anambra people. First of all, we have plan to ensure security of lives and property. As you know, our candidate has been governor before and he did very well. We are confident that he will ensure security of lives and property. Our party, the APC through our manifesto has articulated our plans and programmes for Anambra people. These plans include: Free primary education, free secondary education, access to public education, scholarship award to deserving students and bursary award for students in tertiary institutions. In the health sector, our plan is to give Anambra people free antenatal medical services for all pregnant women, free primary medical care for children up to five years of age.

Under an APC government, Anambra State will get a brand new Airport by the end of 2014, an inland waterways transport system to serve the riverine areas of Anambra East and West, Ogbaru, Anyamelum and Awba Otemili in Awka North Local Government Area, a mono-rail transport system to connect the major cities of Akwa, Onitsha and Nnewi in the first phase and Otuocha, Abagana and Ekwulobia for the second phase. Of course, our candidate is well known for quality road construction and that will continue. There are many other plans and programmes of our party that have to do with transforming lives of the people.

How do you see comments of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA that Governor Peter Obi has done well and that Dr. Willie Obiano will continue in the same way if elected?

They want continuity but we want change. This is a debate we welcome anytime. Now, let me tell you why there must be change in Anambra State. One, security of lives and property. Anambra State Government led by Peter Obi has not done well at all in terms of security of lives and property. Anambra State is the last in the entire country. This is statistics from the Police. South-East zone is the most insecure zone in the country and Anambra State is the worse. Do we want to continue to be last in terms of security? We do not want continuity of last positions we want change. Our candidate, Senator Chris Ngige has been governor before and under his watch Anambra State had one of the best security systems.

Now, to education, students in Anambra State University pay the highest fees in Nigeria education history and on that basis Anambra State is also last in education. For example, the school fees at Anambra State University (ANSU) is over N130,000 for an academic year and this is excluding other dubious fees. When Ngige was governor between May 2003 and March 2006, he introduced free education up to JSS3. The shocking thing is that Obi who was sworn in on March 17, 2006, introduced school fees retrospectively and forced Anambra students to pay school fees for the terms that they had enjoyed free education. In other words, Obi introduced school fees arrears. Again, teachers in Anambra higher institutions are the least paid in the country. So why does Obiano want to continue with everything Obi is doing? About 11 courses including Law lost accreditation when Nigeria University Commission (NUC) visited the school for inspection. Obi claimed to have constructed over 800 kilometers of road, that claim is contestable because the roads built by the APGA administration lack quality.

For example, in Afor Market Square, Nnobi, the road has been constructed and reconstructed up to five times within the last seven years. We want change. We need Ngige quality roads.

Anambra State government is making a mockery of youth employment and Job creation. A governor that has not created a single job throughout almost eight years of his administration and now suddenly with less than five months to leave, is advertising that they want to employ 5000 teachers. Of course, Anambra people know that this is an election gimmick and have paid no attention to it.

The government of Obi has refused to pay minimum wage to workers and Obiano wants that to continue. Senator Chris Ngige has said no to that and has promised to pay minimum wage to all workers. The teachers in Anambra State University receive the least salary in the entire country. Obi’s government has refused to conduct local government election in almost eight years it has been in office. They have fixed date for local government election more than five times and failed to conduct the election. There is now a new date of December 2013 for the election. Let us watch and see.

On APC’s chances at the governorship election
The coming election will be a landslide victory for our candidate, Ngige. I have gone round the state and everywhere you go, it is the same story. We need this man back to salvage the state. His performance when he was governor before is our greatest asset.

On whether the agitation of the people of Anambra North to produce the next governor with Governor Obi’s support would not affect APC’s chances

No not at all, Anambra people want the best. Obi’s government has not performed and therefore cannot influence who succeeds it. An endorsement from a bad government will amount to nothing. However, it will be a landslide victory for Ngige of APC.

On why he launched a N50 million scholarship fund in his constituency
It is my way of helping our people lessen the heavy burden of excessive fees being charged by this government. I gave out scholarship award to about 300 students of Idemili North and South Federal Constituency that I represent in the House of Representatives.

My motivation came from the fact that there is no more access to public education in Anambra State. The state government has rightfully given back many schools to their original owners without an attempt to build new government schools. Depending on where you live, the effect is that, you may not be able to access a government school and the fees being charged by these private schools are increasingly getting higher and out of the reach of most parents.

My scholarship programme will last for three years and will gulp about N 50 million, the funny thing about how bad our education system has gotten is better described. For example, the amount of award to tertiary students is N 100,000 for one academic year. In the entire country, this amount will be enough to cover school fees for one academic year but not so in Anambra State.