The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Dr. Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah, yesterday emerged as Labour Party’s (LP’s) candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State. He says, among others, industrialisation is a panacea to the unemployment and security issues in the state. In this interview with TUNDE AKINOLA, the businessman promised to make empowerment of youths and women pivotal to his administration if elected as the governor.

WHY are you contesting the November gubernatorial election in Anambra State?

I believe the interest of my people can be better represented than the way it is at the moment. I see politics as a commitment to serve my people. Having succeeded in business I think the next thing to do is to empower my people by adding values to their lives. We have been doing this through the Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation, but being in government will give me a better chance to effect more positive changes. My people are the most commercialised people on earth, we are the Jews of the black nation; but it is pitiable that poor level of industrialisation in the state impinges on their productivity.

I believe being in government can give me the chance to industrialise the state so as to enhance the people’s productive capacity. Many people are supporting their people. For instance, if you go to the Niger Delta you find out the youths there are enjoying the benefits of the amnesty programme. Other successive governments from the North have also empowered their people in one way or the other but my people have never enjoyed this opportunity. I am not jealous of them because I believe we are all brothers, I just believe my people should be give a kind of boost to empower them. If God has given us trade and commerce, we should also be given the opportunity to excel in it. This opportunity can be achieved through government.

It is disturbing that a country like Nigeria still imports stuffs like toothpicks, brush, matches and so on. Why can’t we tap into this avenues and ask those importing the stuffs to stop and give way for the ones produced by our people. We need an industrial revolution. In a whole state you don’t even know the people building the people the roads and the government would say they are building roads and they don’t even know how many employments the road construction has generated. They you ask, do we really need the roads? Yes, we do but why do we have to bring Lebanese or Chinese contractors to do what people from the rural areas can do? We can employ youths to mould interlocking stones and lay. This can generate up to 10,500 jobs if we employ 500 youths in the state’s 21 local government. These are roads that have stood the test of time. In my street in Omole Estate in Lagos, where I live, I built the road with interlocking stones since five years now and there is no single porthole there up till now. The street even won the best street in Lagos in 2011. I did the same in my street in Nnewi in Anambra, even when the government didn’t want to construct the road. I am not only building my street, I am building more than eight roads in my village singlehandedly. I don’t speak what I don’t preach what I don’t practise because I am a very practical person. If government cannot come to my aid, it is my responsibility to take care of my people. I wish I had enough to continue doing this so I can cater for everybody. Before going into government we must show what we are capable of doing. Look at the number of people coming in wanting to be governor. You can even tell their addresses talkless of knowing their means of livelihood. You cannot borrow to become a governor. We all need to be transparent. Let the people know where you are getting the money you want to use to contest the election. These are the issues bothering me and the moment you don’t take this seriously we will lose another eight years chasing after the wind. I am in a state where you see youths everyday dying without reason. Not only youths, a former deputy governor died. If such things happen in a civilised state the governor would retire. It is sad that a state known for commerce has no important industry. The president has visited our state several times without commissioning any industry, so what are we talking about? Who are they deceiving? The other time he came to commission our port and I personally believe River Niger can never be dredged and I can challenge anybody in this country on this. River Niger is almost at the bottom of River Congo so there will always be surge of sand. I believe God created River Niger for the people of Anambra to build their houses and develop the state and not for containers to come. I challenge anybody that can give Anambra port in the next 10 years, so that is not an option for me. I am a practical human being. I own one of the biggest ports in the country today so I can talk from experience and facts. The president is a good man who means well for the people but he cannot be everywhere, which is why the governors are there to help him. The worst is the present security challenge in the country; it baffles me. So I think the president needs real partners that can help him and that is why Ifeanyi Ubah is contesting to the governorship post of Anambra State to build not only the state, but to build Nigeria together.

What is your vision for Anambra and how do you intend to industrialise the state?

My vision for Anambra is to establish a secure environment where people and industry can develop and flourish. My agenda shall largely focus on human capital development, creation of jobs, tackling security challenges in state, boosting agriculture and integrating the development of the different parts of the state. I have a very strong link with the Chinese government. If you remember a time China experienced an earthquake, I was the only Nigerian that supported the Chinese government through the Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation. I gave them donation then, so I was invited by the Chinese government on a state visit to seek for what they can also do for me. I am glad that today my people have been trained in China linguistically and as industrial attachment to the country. I am happy I am helping my people in one way or the other. Apart from that, the potentials we have to tap from China can never be overemphasised. I went to China because I know it is a world economic hub and a lot of my people are there in their millions. I know I stand to gain a lot for my people through the partnership between Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation and the Chinese government. Because of that we are looking into China as a strong partner progress in my quest to industrialise Anambra State. We can tap into their offshore banks to give us unconditional grants to support us. Anambra is responsible for over 60 per cent of the trade between Nigeria and China and once this is established we know what we can gain. We will also establish that we are superpowers in the area of commerce even if we don’t have oil. I believe Anambra, within the next two years, can be Nigeria’s industrial hub. On agriculture we have been blessed with River Niger, all we need is for government to support farmers, irrigate the farmlands and then start cropping. We will empower a lot of our youths through that. We will mix with both local and international partners to help develop the agricultural sector.

In the last seven and a half years there has not been water in the taps of Anambra, this we will fix too. I also believe that if we look into the statistics of Environmental Impact Assessment there is much to this issue of boreholes. It is an invitation to earthquake if not checkmated. So there is need for us to see how we can even fill them, then go through the water that God has given us through the streams. We can use that revive our respective water boards in Anambra State.

When elected governor, my government will create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths so that criminals and criminality will be greatly reduced in the state the increasing wave of crime and criminality in Anambra is rooted mainly in the fact that the great number of our youths are unemployed. Our government will put an end to various social vices and menace through massive job creation. My administration will support industries and tap into the productive capabilities of the different parts of our state as well as provide large-scale support to small cottage industries and businesses. We have a master plan that will create at least, 40,000 jobs both in public and private sectors every year. Our industrial revolution will create the enabling environment for private businesses to flourish and employ our unemployed youths. Our massive infrastructural undertakings will keep our people meaningfully engaged.

Why did you choose LP as a platform to contest the governorship polls?

I sincerely believe that I want to take up a new challenge and I have always been on a developed platform and it has not worked because by the time you want to do certain things people will come and block you because they see themselves as small gods. I chose LP because I discovered that there is no sincerity in most of the available political parties because this is my first time in politics. I would have loved to contest on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but looking at my brothers and superpowers in the party, I know that one man will take the mantle so I decided to respect them by being on the clear side which is LP. There are up to 19 aspirants in the PDP and only one man will emerge as the candidate of the party. Some of them might even come and help me here in LP. I want them to keep jostling for the ticket while I consolidate my power. So by the time I consolidate with some of those that did not emerge I would have gained a lot from them. I want to also say, with due respect, I am aligned with the ideology of LP. It is the only party in Nigeria that has international affiliation. I want to take my people to the promise land, so when I go to London or China I can talk to the LP there. The philosophy of the party is to work and enjoy. Also, the logo of LP has a human face. I believe LP is a right platform for me to achieve my goals because I am on a divine mission. I am not in the race for power. If God says it will be the let it be; and if He says otherwise, who am I to challenge Him? I am just content with all I am today because I am from a very humble background.

What specific plans do you have for women and youths that constitute a larger percentage of your supporters?

Everything about this movement is about women and the youths. The women need to be empowered. We have to help them to give birth freely, we have to sustain the women ministry in the state. The youths will be empowered too. Reorientation of the youths can never be over emphasised. We will change the perception of our youths. Like I said, our rural roads must be built by the youths. We will not give our roads construction to any fictitious contractors. We want our youth to graduate from rural roads to building the highways. It our legacy, we have to build our roads ourselves through our youths. Foreigners would build the roads, as they like so that they can be called to fix them again when they are spoilt. We will build industries in every local government so we can reduce the dependence on allocation from the Federal Government. We want our councils to have their own economies so they can be able to develop at their own pace. I want Anambra to pride itself, as the first to have a state refinery and that will give my people jobs, especially the youths.

Can you shed light on your encounter with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission?

In this country it is he who goes first to the media and sustains the media hype that is assumed to be innocent. But when we go to court, which is that last hope of the common man, it is a different ball game. I do not have money to spend on the media; I believe if I go to the court and state my position, you should also be able to counter my claims. The judge is not a foolish man, all these things you hear are mere political victimisation. Unfortunately, that is one of the things we have to go and correct. An international agency said our documents were forged and I think they have the right to charge me, but I think they should have consulted me but I went for my right. The same company that said we forged documents has said it is not so again. I would have claimed damages to my name and close them internationally. Assignation of my character cannot be bought with money. They tendered apology and said what they gave the EFCC was wrong. Police investigated me, including punishing me and putting me in the detention. I thank God I found justice. At the end of the day they said I am cleared, but still, somebody somewhere doesn’t want to clear me. We are bleeding in this country and someone must say it.

We are following the trend of government policies at Capital Oil. Overseas, government changes policies to favour the private sector but here in Nigeria when government changes policies they continue to build hardship on businesses and nobody talks. The only thing that can talk is the ballot box. I know God will bring a messiah one day, it might not be me. All I want to do is to help my people whether I am in government of not. If things are happening like this, people in business should go into politics to make a difference.

He has voiced his vision for our dear state let others do the same meanwhile am solidly behind you sir

We Anambrarians hav faith in u. Ur ar d best among equal. Lp foward ever.

Obiagelli: i thought this guy mismanaged his business and he is now bankrupt, someone should enlighten me

You have said it all! what enlightenment do you want again? you just said exactly what he did.

Obiagelli: i thought this guy mismanaged his business and he is now bankrupt, someone should enlighten me

my dear behind every successful man are woe mongers people who would say everythin with there mouth to tarnish the image of others first of al ifeanyi ubah is the ceo of the always flourishing capital oil and gas my dear he is paying ova 10.000 workers under his company which 3.000 amongst them are anambrarians he was the first individual to introduce the free kerosene campaign,him alone released and flew back to nigeria over 4.000 nigerians held in chinese prisons,he also rescued nigerian corpers trapped by the bokoharam insurgence in the north and brought them back to safety. obiagelli as am talking to u nw njgeria uses one of his reservior to store crude products and pays him monthly so my dear ifeanyi ubah does nt have bankruptcy in his dictionary.tnk u

berem: You have said it all! what enlightenment do you want again? you just said exactly what he did.

listen mister man say what you know and stop blabbin who told u that ifeanyi ubah is bankrupt you beta shut that mouth before nemesis shut it forever

So he gets to contest after being investigated by EFCC, but Soludo doesn't?

Oook!

I love this man as a person and for his philantropic gesture,but I am so suprise if truly he granted this form of interview.
He lacks vision for the state he wishes to govern.

nnenna.1:
So he gets to contest after being investigated by EFCC, but Soludo doesn't?

Oook!

why wont he (ifeanyi ubah) contest when there is no single court indictment on him, soludo's case is between him and his party godfathers,ifeanyi ubah was found nt guity so all further investigations regarding the allegation leveled against him was terminated by the court

If memory serves me right this is the same hustler who borrowed millions in cash at Standard Trust Bank Coconut Bustop back in the days, right after all cash deposits have been booked for the day. He would return cash after retailing petroleum products the next day and borrow again.. all hands greased as usual.. hmmm. wonder what he'll do when he gets into the Governors seat

voltron: If memory serves me right this is the same hustler who borrowed millions in cash at Standard Trust Bank Coconut Bustop back in the days, right after all cash deposits have been booked for the day. He would return cash after retailing petroleum products the next day and borrow again.. all hands greased as usual.. hmmm. wonder what he'll do when he gets into the Governors seat

my dear dose days are past,the ifeanyi ubah i know of recent is a business mogul worth over $400bn with wild spread across the world so he just want to serve his people to wipe their age long tears of political doom why not support him and God will reward u richly

God will help u reach ur goal"keep it on my hero

gymnasium:

my dear dose days are past,the ifeanyi ubah i know of recent is a business mogul worth over $400bn with wild spread across the world so he just want to serve his people to wipe their age long tears of political doom why not support him and God will reward u richly

you got jokes...400b dollars indeed.

Itoroetti :
I love this man as a person and for his philantropic gesture,but I am so suprise if truly he granted this form of interview.
He lacks vision for the state he wishes to govern.

dnt wory from monday his manifesto wud be sent to every home so that everybody would know what ifeanyi ubah has for his people, make sure u get a copy of that manifesto so as to know his vision

asha 80: you got jokes...400b dollars indeed.

asha ifeanyi ubah is big apart from all dis natural business troubles that are natural for any successfull man he's got money i mean raw cash just find out

I doubt if this man actually made this statement being attributed to him. The Uba I listened to after the Labour party election could not speak a good English not to talk of making this speech. THAT MAN IS AN ILLITERATE.

Ifeanyi Uba is the Nnamdi Eriobuna of our time. Automobile spare- parts importer, Mr Eriobuna thought he could rule Anambra state by using his huge financial resources influence voters.
Though a hawkish OMATA man, he was rejected by voters. Will the same fate befall Mr Uba, or will he become the new landlord at Awka governor's lodge?

I TRUST HIM, UBAH ALL THE WAY

voltron: If memory serves me right this is the same hustler who borrowed millions in cash at Standard Trust Bank Coconut Bustop back in the days, right after all cash deposits have been booked for the day. He would return cash after retailing petroleum products the next day and borrow again.. all hands greased as usual.. hmmm. wonder what he'll do when he gets into the Governors seat

Bros u know d guy well. The idiot befor amcon took over his staff salary for months.

gymnasium:

my dear dose days are past,the ifeanyi ubah i know of recent is a business mogul worth over $400bn with wild spread across the world so he just want to serve his people to wipe their age long tears of political doom why not support him and God will reward u richly

Shut ur mouth up before I use slap close am. If I'm get mind make I'm go UK make cosmas court order hook am for neck.

KOMBE: I doubt if this man actually made this statement being attributed to him. The Uba I listened to after the Labour party election could not speak a good English not to talk of making this speech. THAT MAN IS AN ILLITERATE.

may be ear dey pain u that day wey u hear am talk because ifeanyi ubah is a degree holder on international relations and he speaks english fluently so go and do sumtin abt ur ears before u go deaf

gabng:

Shut ur mouth up before I use slap close am. If I'm get mind make I'm go UK make cosmas court order hook am for neck.

mister man ifeanyi ubah has been in the uk for three weeks, he just came back recently for his party flag off i was there with him so shut that hole u cal a mouth before nemesis shut it for u

gabng:

Bros u know d guy well. The idiot befor amcon took over his staff salary for months.

see mister man shut up before nemesis shut it for u how dare u call him (ifeanyi ubah) an idiot do you know what it takes to get to the level he is ? al you know is to sit down here and type rubbish about a hard working man who is undergoing what is called success check

gymnasium:

see mister man shut up before nemesis shut it for u how dare u call him (ifeanyi ubah) an idiot do you know what it takes to get to the level he is ? al you know is to sit down here and type rubbish about a hard working man who is undergoing what is called success check

you must think you are talking to illiterates...success check indeed......just make sure you make enough money from ifeanyi during this campaign period because he is bound to fail...someone that could not manage his business wants to manage a state.

Ifeanyi Uba u lie... Anambra port wud be successful, even if riverports re not successful in oda parts of d world,it wud be,as far as its administration is igbo dominated... Dz is d same thing ppl said abt innoson,dat its impossible to hv a company of such magnitude in d East,yet where is innoson now,is he not d same pason dat even d ghanians re inviting to come and set up a plant in Ghana... Sir with due respect, u re not God nd can neva be

Blahblahblah!! must he become a governor to industrialise Anambra state?? As if he will open up a toyota assembly plant or build more power generation plants. Whatever!

Montalo: Blahblahblah!! must he become a governor to industrialise Anambra state?? As if he will open up a toyota assembly plant or build more power generation plants. Whatever!

I dunno o...its ppl like him dat mk's dz yoruba's laugh at us

all of una juzt dey yarn rubbish all i know is that ifeanyi ubah don become the next landlord for government house cum november 16 so support him so that anambra will move forward into development

gymnasium: all of una juzt dey yarn rubbish all i know is that ifeanyi ubah don become the next landlord for government house cum november 16 so support him so that anambra will move forward into development

product of myopic encephalone..smdfh

Montalo: product of myopic encephalone..smdfh

guy stop potraying nuisance wats the meaning of what you just spoke? atleast weneva ure talking talk in a way dat others will learn from u so support ifeanyi ubah for governor cum november 16

This one looks like an area boy o. See his neck.