Anti-party activity, taboo in APGA, says Onunkwo

As Anambra South Senatorial District gears up for the conduct of a bye-election to fill the vacant seat left by the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, the Chairman/CEO of Sea Horse Lubricant Ltd, who is an aspirant on the platform of APGA, Chief Dr Ebuka Onunkwo, speaks with OKEY MADUFORO on his vision and mission to the Senate and the fortunes and of his party in the coming election.

People claim that you are relatively new in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), hence you should not aspire for Senate…
This is laughable because I have been here as a loyal party member from the time of Peter Obi up to the era of the former governor Willie Obiano. No one has given support to APGA in Anambra South more than me and for those saying that I am new to the party, they are simply afraid of my ambition and that is that. I will also continue in supporting and strengthening the party if elected as Senator for Anambra South.
Under my watch, l would prioritise the welfare of party leaders, members, grassroots development, and policies that uplift the people. I will sustain the party’s presence and influence in the National Assembly. This would ensure the continuation of Governor Charles Soludo’s developmental agenda and provide Anambra South with a strong voice aligned with the State’s leadership.

There are allegations of some aspirants that played anti-party in the election. Are you calling for the disqualification of those aspirants?
As a matter of fact, those allegations may be true but it needs to be substantiated and if found actionable the party leadership would follow the constitution of the Party to take a position. Apparently, it is shameful that some people who claim to be members or stakeholders of the party turned against the party during the National and State Assembly elections. One may ask, where is that loyalty to the party? Where is that spirit of Be Your Brother’s Keeper that we talk about in APGA?
That goes to reconcile the question of people claiming that I am new in the party. Those who go about peddling falsehood are the same people being accused of being neck deep in anti-party activities yet they nurse the ambition of going to the National Assembly under the platform of the party.
All the same I am not a member of the National Working Committee NWC or the National Executive Committee of our party. But I have implicit confidence in the leadership of the party to apply the relevant sections of the party constitution and also set up a disciplinary committee to investigate that.
But for all that I know the members know those aspirants that played anti party in the last election and if actions are taken or not, the party members would surely carry out the disciplinary action against them by not nominating them as candidate of the party and on that day, history would vindicate the just.

You sound too sure about winning the ticket of the party. What informed that?
It is God that gives power not man and you know that the voice of the people is the voice of God and to answer your question the people have spoken and they would translate it to votes during the primary election and that is the voice of God.
Already we have been building bridges across the seven local government areas of Anambra South Senatorial District and the effects have far reaching as you can see for yourself.
We have an aspirant that stepped down for me and more would be stepping down because this is APGA and people are free to nurse ambitions and when we weigh our options in the party some aspirants that have seen the difference in the area of capacity building for the party and the zone would allow a better person take the ticket of the party.

Just like every other party, they say that the party is supreme which is against internal democracy?
Don’t say just like every other party because APGA is unique and different from other political parties and the party believes in grassroot support for the progressives as Governor Charles Soludo has always emphasized. This is a family thing and when they say that the party is supreme it doesn’t mean that the party would kill internal democracy and impose a candidate on the party. It has never been done before and it cannot be done now or in future because we shall conduct primary election and nominate our candidate for the bye election.
Again, I want you to take it out of your mind about manipulations because the party constitution has made it explicit on those qualified for that primary and one can see the number of votes and delegates coming for the election so manipulation will no work at all and once it is clear and transparent the party present certificate of return to the eventual candidate.
Where the supremacy of the party comes in is when a winner emerges and others say no to it in the face of glaring transparency. That becomes anti party and against the democratic principles of the party. The party leadership would now come into play and take action for the peace in the party but I don’t see it getting to that level because we are one family.

The attacks are more on your side and it seems you alone are the obstacle to your fellow aspirants?
You don’t go after the player without the ball because what you are looking for is the ball and I have the ball and no other players have the ball. It has to do with capacity and deliverance and that is what Anambra South Senatorial District needs at this point and you cannot wish it away that I have all that it takes to go to the Senate and represent our people effectively. The race for Senate is not a tea party but a call to service and most people do not know that.

Recently Governor Soludo made a tour of Orumba North and South local government areas which are part of your District. How important is that?
He is the governor of Anambra state and don’t forget those two council areas are part of his Senatorial District and that means he came home to see his people. The tour is instructive given the fact that he needs to interface with his people.
We welcome Mr Governor to Orumba North and South local government area and we also thank him for awarding more roads in Anambra South Senatorial District. Some people say he has not done anything in their own part of the District and I tell them that is not true.
Road constructions are ongoing and with this tour it has attracted more projects are being awarded and we should bear in mind that the N200 Billion loan approved for him and he is doing that with taxpayers’ money.

Insecurity appears to be trending in Anambra state now with Agunechemba taking control. What are your views?
Security is paramount for sustainable development. Soludo has strengthened the security framework by equipping local vigilante groups, launching agunechemba and udo ga-achi security outfits, collaborating with federal security agencies, and implementing technology-driven crime-fighting strategies. His administration’s crackdown on criminal elements has restored peace and safety to many communities.
For ours all that we need to do is to key to and sustain the tempo by being security operatives in our own hamlets, communities and local government areas. The governor has put in place security architecture for fighting kidnapping and killings in our state but we need to encourage him to do more.
On our own part in Anambra South Senatorial District, we have been talking to our young men and women to stay away from crime. As an employer of labor, I have gotten our youths to be engaged in something meaningful by offering employment to them and many are coming out of the bushes to embrace the amnesty that Governor Soludo promises them.

That brings us to the tour of your firm last week?
That is part of the fight against insecurity though provision of job opportunities for them and that is what is going on the Firm has the capacity to engage at least seven thousand people.
Over 7,000 persons are currently employed as members of Seahorse Lubricant Industries ltd in a latest move towards fighting unemployment through job creation in the area. The only way to bring wealth back home is to establish firms that can impact on the socioeconomic lives of the people and this is one of the vision and mission of this company. It is not only the directly employed staff of the company that are beneficiaries but also contract staff and those in the distribution and marketing of our products. We also have allied companies that rely or partner with us in the production of their goods and bye products which they rely on our company to actualize.
The tour also had in attendance top Chieftains of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA was aimed at showcasing the potentials and capacity in the area and I want to continue to emphasize on the creation of wealth through empowering the masses with the establishment of firms.

Let us look at your Senatorial District, what are there to work on?
Anambra South is a zone full of potential and it is rich in human capital, resources, and opportunities. But to unlock its full greatness, we need a leader with vision, competence, and an unshakable commitment to the people and the leader is me who has offered himself for public service to the people.
I am not just another politician; I am a man of integrity, a grassroots leader who understands the challenges faced by our communities. From empowering youths and women to advocating for quality, education, and infrastructure, he has consistently demonstrated that leadership is about service, not self-interest.
With me at the Senate, Anambra South will experience; policies that attract investment and create jobs for our people, and a leader who listens, understands, and fights for the interests of Anambra South, improved roads, schools, and healthcare facilities, Opportunities for youths, women, and small businesses to thrive.
This is the time to choose progress over politics as usual. I represent the future where leadership is about impact, not empty promises.