…Says: YPP’ll win, seeks debate
…Insists: Diala remains suspended as state chairman
By Ebenezer Ojor
Ahead the November 11 governorship election in Imo State, the candidate of the Young Progressive Party, YPP, Chief Kemdi Opara says with 20 years of Orlu Zone’s grip on governorship, it is only fair that Owerri Zone with less than three years should produce the next governor of the state.
Healso assured of his resolve to tackle the nagging issue of insecurity headlong if given the mandate to preside over the affairs of Imo as governor.
In a chat with media executives in Imo State, weekend, Chief Opara, flanked by leaders in his campaign council including Hon Mike Anyanwu, Hon Clinton Obiyo, among others, noted that the Igbo of the South-East cannot be shouting of marginalisation in Nigeria when a particular zone (Orlu) in Imo state has held power consistently for 20 years, and is still asking for another four years.
Opara who scored the present administration of Hope Uzodinma low, hinted that part of his strategy would be to deploy every mechanism through constructive dialogue between those aggrieved sections, the communities, civil society and the government to proffer workable framework for enduring sustainable peace and security in the state.
This he said, would include the recruitment of 1000 energetic Imo youths from the 27 LGAs and all the communities who would be trained and equipped in community policing so as to compliment the efforts of the police and other security agencies.
Speaking further, the Imo YPP standard bearer pledged his commitment to reposition the civil service by clearing all areas of salaries and pensions, and ensure that workers are adequately motivated to put in their best for the state. He flayed a situation where civil servants were owed upwards of 10 months arrears of salaries.
He further assured that if elected governor of Imo State on November 11, he would provide world class infrastructure that which would span across efficient power or electricity supply, good road network, among others, leveraging integrated public, private partnership (PPP).
Other critical sectors like education, economy healthcare, job creation, media industry, youth and sports development, among others, according to him, would get serious attention and boost.
Opara, who is also a renowned author and researcher with offshore experience working in the United States, revealed that he allegedly out-classed late Hon Bethel Amadi in the 2011 general elections when both of them ran for Mbaike federal constituency seat but regretted that the election was hardly free and fair.
He maintained that he was far ahead of his opponents for the coming November 11 Imo State governorship contest, and expressed his desire to meet them at a debate
On the controversial Imo Charter of Equity, Opara disagreed with insinuations that Owerri Zone was responsible for truncating the zoning arrangement in the Imo, adding that there was no guarantee that the zone was going to vote APGA in 2011.
He dismissed comments reportedly credited to the suspended state chairman of YPP, Diala which he said, smacks of a “drowning man.”
The YPP governorship hopeful insisted that Diala was suspended by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party due the alleged manner he was running The party as though it was his “private entreprise.” He also hinted that prior to Diala’s suspension, a vote of no confidence was passed on him by the party in the state, even as he disclosed he personally ensured that the NWC of YPP recalled congress-elected state executives members allegedly removed by the suspended Diala.
