Anambra Guber: PDP’sOzigbo Seeks Freedom For MNK, As Soludo, Uba Boycott Debate
Mr Valentine Ozigbo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Nov.6 governorship election in Anambra says the agitation and growing tension in the Southeast will best be addressed through political means.
Ozigbo said this during a guber debate organised by Anambra State Broadcasting Service (ABS), the state owned media outfit in Awka on Sunday.
NewsMonitor reports that other major contenders in the race including Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Sen. Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) boycotted the debate.
Ozigbo blamed the tension and insecurity on continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, an activist and leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) without trial by the Federal Government.
Ozigbo, a peace advocate and apostle of development politics said the Federal Government should rethink their strategy of resolving the political tension across the country especially the Southeast.
He said MNK should be released by the APC led Federal Government and adopt a non-violent and diplomatic means of addressing the calls for secession.
“Indeed, Nnamdi Kanu should actually be released while we go back to the root cause of the agitation, we can’t be addressing a problem from the symptoms. An efficient way to address any crisis is to deal with the root cause.
“Why the agitations? If you think deeply, you’ll understand that it is because Nigeria is not working, our leaders have failed us.
“The sense of hopelessness brought about by poor governance pervades the land, there’s a lot we need to do to get Nigeria working again.
“The system is replete with poor road network, decayed infrastructure, failed social systems, devastating healthcare sector, a shrinking economy, lack of opportunities, and many more manifestations of poor governance,” he said.
Ozigbo said there was a need for a national dialogue and restructuring of Nigeria to enthrone a just, competitive, and inclusive society.
He called for the protection of the human rights of the Igbos, correction of the economic justices in the country, and a stop to the dehumanisation of the people of the Southeast and all citizens.
According to him, as a way out of the current crisis, we need a fresh approach to leadership, we must focus on raising the competitiveness of the country, do away with nepotism and entrench competency.
Ozigbo said he had revolutionary ideas that would transform the education, healthcare, economy, social services, and other key human development indices in Anambra.
The other candidates who attended the event are Col. Geoffrey Onyejegbu (Rtd), the candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Dr Chidozie Nwankwo of the African Action Congress (AAC), and Chief Akachukwu Nwankpo of African Democratic Congress (ADC).
