By Awesome Ekene
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said that the Anambra state could not afford to elect an elitist and green horn politician in the November 6 governorship election in state.
The campaign Director General of the party, Dr. Harris Chuma-Odili who stated this in a press conference, said the next governor of the state must be a grassroot person who has connect with the people.
He said the likes of the flag bearer of the factional All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and his People Democratic Party’s (PDP) counterpart, Val Ozuigbo were not electable, regardless of their outstanding profiles.
He said the election was not about big names, big parties, nor about money, but about structures and the candidate’s ability to convince the electorate of his plans for the state.
He said, “You mentioned Soludo and Val Ozigbo. You’re not even talking about people like Ifeanyi Uba. These are people when you mention their names, we’ll tell you how we’re going to handle them, and not people who are not electable.
“Soludo and Ozigbo are not electable. Val Ozugbo is a green horn, he’s a virgin. He’s just a Jonny-just-come. His presence in PDP has even distablized the party because those people who are behind him are the real problems of the PDP. I don’t want to go there.
“Soludo is an intellectual and a great man, but he’s unelectable. Ask me why, Soludo is elitist in nature, you need someone who can come down to grassroots and descend to their level.
“You need someone who can stand side by side a vulcanizer and an akara woman on the road and speak the language they would understand, and not concept and theories.
“Anambra isn’t looking for a Prof. Anambra is looking for one who has connect with the people. And that’s where Akachukwu Nwankpo comes in too. He’s man of the people.”
He added, “Again, it’s not about money. It’s about what you have upstairs. Can you convince the electorate about what you’re bringing on the table, your manifesto. What structures do you have on ground to reach out to the electorate to convince them that you’re the right man for the job?
“Not the right man for a group of cabal who want to impose you on the party members and by extension, the good people of Anambra state. So the election is not about big names.
“I’m not saying my principal doesn’t have a name. He has a name, someone who has been in politics for close to 20years. A man who worked with former President Jonathan for 6 years, without blemish records, and was retained by his principal as his personal envoy.
“He was with him right from his days in Bayelsa as deputy governor, governor, to vice president, acting president to President. When they left Aso Rock, he made him his personal envoy. That’s not a child’s play. We don’t really see tough contenders”
NAN-MEDIA