As contestants conclude their last lap of campaigns before the governorship election in a few days’ time, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Valentine Ozigbo tells the electorate why he’s the best candidate amongst other top quality contestants to be elected. ROLAND OGBONNAYA writes

After the highly contested primaries, legal fireworks, and electoral campaigns that were almost marred by violence by the ‘unknown gunmen’, the various governorship contestants seem ready to face the Anambra electorate on November 6^th.

This is one election that the electoral umpire had earlier expressed fear for security reasons. It was therefore very reassuring when last week, Mr. Festus Okoye, the INEC national commissioner and chairman of, information and voter education committee, said the commission had met and deliberated on a wide range of issues in preparations for the Anambra governorship election.

“In line with the timetable and schedule of activities for the election released on 19th January 2021, the commission has today, 7th October 2021 implemented two additional activities. The final register of voters for the Anambra governorship election was presented to the 18 registered political parties participating in the election at the headquarters of the commission in Awka, Anambra State,” he said in a statement.

Furthermore, he added that “the commission released the final list of candidates for the election and pasted same in the state office of the commission in Awka, Anambra State.” The list which was also uploaded to the commission’s website and social media platforms showed Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), along with 15 other candidates — all-male — vying for the governorship position.  There are, however, seven females vying for the deputy governorship positions.

The commission, through Okoye, assured the people of Anambra State of its resolve to ensure smooth conduct of the election, and ensure that the right to vote in a safe and secure environment was guaranteed.

Though governorship elections in Anambra State in the past have not failed to throw up technocrats and quality candidates, the 2021 election is not different with the caliber of candidates jostling for the votes.

Among the candidates in this year’s election, however, one candidate that has continued to hug headlines for the right reasons is Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, a young technocratic bubbling with fresh ideas. At 50, he is relatively young and has not been associated with any story of intrigue, debt, arson, rapine, or what could be called criminal debt
that impugn on his integrity.

At 50, Ozigbo has achieved so much by dint of hard work and his swift rise in the corporate world testifies to his competence. A first-class material, the PDP flag bearer has no story of certificate forgery or related baggage.

Those who have followed his career in the corporate world see him possessing excellent human relations, humble, well brought up, while his analyses of the economy, state of Anambra, and understanding of dynamics of government are very attractive and top-notch. These and other qualities, his party said, stand him out from the other governorship candidates.

Ozigbo, a team player with experiential pedigree, recently offered practical solutions to insecurity in Anambra and Nigeria in general, saying that political will is necessary to curb the menace. Speaking recently on National Insecurity: A Challenge to National Unity and Peaceful Co-existence”, acknowledged insecurity as Nigeria’s most crucial issue and deserves to be treated as a national priority.

“The lives we live, the businesses we run, the schools we attend, the hospitals we visit, the churches we attend, and the family gatherings we have, all revolve around the security of life and property,” Ozigbo, who is one of the most recognisable national peace advocates, said.

“Security, or its opposite, insecurity, deserves the attention it is getting. For me as a person, coming out of a state like Anambra where the issue of security is now topical, where life is fast losing meaning, where criminality is running out of control, there is now an opportunity to address the issue of insecurity wholeheartedly,” he added said.

According to Ozigbo, a favourite to win the November governorship poll, he will approach security in several ways, the first being addressing the root cause of crime. “Going down to the root cause of crime, we find that certain economic conditions open the pathway for individuals to adopt a distorted self-image and thereby consider anti-social behaviour as an option,” the respected business leader explained.

“For the most part, insecurity is directly related to the economic conditions of the people. People who are gainfully employed people who believe in themselves and a better future, people who see that hard work and diligence offer a sure reward would hardly devote their time to criminal activities.

“To remedy the situation, we must give hope to the younger generation and inspire greatness in them. We must make deliberate efforts to improve the standard of living for the people and make Anambra’s economy more attractive and competitive.

“We must ensure that our society is a place where business can thrive, and when we do these, we will significantly reduce insecurity. Another cause of insecurity is poor orientation. Due to certain factors like family background and peer influence, some young people succumb to pressure and choose a life of vices.

“To resolve this, we must emphasise proper upbringing, education, exposure, and teach high moral values. This is why my administration will prioritise education. We plan to raise the quality of basic public education to be at par with the best in the world; make it accessible by making it free; then make it compulsory. Every child has a right to quality education.

“My administration will ensure that our children receive impactful moral instructions learn the importance of being law-abiding citizens and the consequences of delinquency. The second approach is to look at the security architecture. We need to evolve a new and efficient system to tackle crime. Our security agencies need political leadership with the will to do what is necessary for the good of all.

“Intelligence gathering is vital for our security personnel, and we must provide them with the necessary tools to carry out their lawful duties. We must restructure our security architecture and ensure better welfare for our officers. We must also seek partnerships with relevant global stakeholders to learn, improve, and adopt global best practices.

“State police is another way to tackle insecurity. State police will significantly improve local intelligence gathering, and it would spark healthy competition among police formations in different states,” Ozigbo, a multiple-award-winning global CEO, added.

Building time-tested infrastructure is a great concern for Ozigbo as he has described the state of infrastructure in Anambra as “pitiable and below expectations”. He regrets the state of infrastructure during his campaign tours. According to him, in each place he visited he could at once, with the ‘eyes of a development expert’, see what the need of the people are, which, he said, were sadly not attended to by the out-going government.

Ozigbo, for example, asked why the Atani-Osammala-Ogwuikpere road is still at the point where Mr. Peter Obi stopped in spite of the fact that what the people along that area needed most was road infrastructure that would enable easy evacuation of their farm produce from the hinterland to Onitsha.

Going further, Ozigbo also cited the Umueze-Anam road that Obi stopped at Mmiata in the hope that his successor would extend it to Anaku, but surprisingly, he could not add a meter.  “How else does Government show such people that they are part of the State?”, Ozigbo asked, while vowing to redress what he called “developmental gaps all over the state under Governor Willie Obiano.”

Ozigbo who revealed that he set up a small group to look at the state of infrastructure in Anambra in readiness to hit the ground running after inauguration said their findings show that Obiano has only done 12% of the projects he inherited from his predecessor, which Ozigbo promised to complete in three years.

Ozigbo also lamented that in spite of achieving little on roads, that Obiano did not complete one percent of the entire roads he flagged off in the state. “He was busy flagging off roads without working on any of them. During his second tenure election, he flagged off a road in almost all the communities in the state but alas he could not complete 1% of the roads he started’, he said.

He also pointed out the sorry state of water infrastructure in the state. “In this 21st century, when waterborne diseases are becoming a thing of the past, I regret to observe that major cities in Anambra do not have running water,” Ozigbo said while assuring that once elected, he would declare emergency in that area as, according to him, certain things should be considered as not acceptable.”

On the abandoned shopping Mall at Awka and other places, Ozigbo said that all viable, but abandoned projects would be given priority by his government. “I am happy my deputy is knowledgeable in that regard and would provide us the guidance that we need and cherish”, he said.

Ozigbo who previously worked as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria-based hospitality company, Transcorp Hotels Plc, also had stints in the banking sector, gaining over 17 years of experience with NAL Merchant Bank, Diamond Bank, Continental Trust Bank, FSB International Bank, Standard Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa and Bank PHB. Some of these experiences and contacts will be handy if he is elected governor of Anambra State on November 6^th.

*Independent