After two terms in the Sen­ate, Chris Anyanwu has thrown her hat into the ring for the governorship bout in Imo State. According to her, it is time for Imo to get the leadership it deserves, stressing: “We have made serial errors in the choice of leadership in Imo State and that has greatly affected the pace of devel­opment.”

In this interview with Senator Anyanwu who represents Owerri senatorial zone, she speaks on her mission and vision for the state among other issues.

Excerpts:

You have declared your intention to run for the office of governor in 2015. Why do you want to rule Imo State?

[b]I would like to turn around the state. We’ve made serial errors in our choices of leadership in Imo State and that has greatly affected the pace of our develop­ment; that has also shaped the attitude of the people. It has also shaped our reputa­tion; we don’t have a very good reputation right now. A state that has some of the best educated people, some of the most quali­fied and most capable, yet each time we don’t seem to come up or reflect that in our choices. You know, among the states of the federation we are among the top producers of university graduates in the country. In terms of graduate unemployment, I think that we are top. That means that we pro­duce a huge number of university gradu­ates but without the expected absorbance in the system in terms of job. If you go to the Diaspora, you will see very outstand­ing sons and daughters of Imo doing so well out there. There is no reason in the world that we should not be an example for others to copy in the polity in terms of quality of leadership, quality of representa­tion and pace of development etc.

I know we don’t have all the money in the world. We are not like Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta states that have a lot of money but there are states in the federa­tion that don’t get a lot of money, they get among the least in terms of their share of revenue allocation and yet you can see spectacular things happening there.
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[b]I think we need to draw a line and stop all these errors, the quality, the sort of people that we are throwing up because it is affecting us in immeasurable ways. We need to draw a line now and move forward and begin to produce leaders that are more reflective of the best of Imo State. I mean, compassionate leaders that will spend the state’s money with compassion and not pour our money into useless projects.

We need leaders that don’t come to deceive the people and mind-bend them with propaganda and do things that are just to impress, ‘shine shine’ things that don’t last. Because of the level of our revenue, which is not the highest, we need to spend our money wisely; we build to endure; we invest in projects that touch at the core of Imo people’s problems and concerns. We need to build things than can help to reduce the level of unemployment, things that will shape the future and direct it posi­tively. Those are the kinds of things we are talking about.

Unemployment is the number one problem in the state, especially graduate unemployment. And if you are running a state without dealing, in any visible and enduring way with that problem, you have not started. I do have a very clear vision of what needs to be done, but then I do not approach it with the attitude that I have all the answers. No, I don’t have all the answers, but I’m willing to engage with the best minds that Imo has produced, to see the way forward, to plan out this place for the next 20, 30, 50 years, to have a mainframe plan of development in which anybody that comes in can then queue up, adjust a little bit and move forward.[/b]

There is no plan here. Everything is so whimsical. You wake up in the morning and you want to build a 21-storey building and you pour all the revenue that the state has in it and at the end of the day, you ask the question, to what effect? What is this for? How does that help us solve our prob­lems? You constructed 27 hospitals, one in each local government and each of the local governments already has a general hospital. And you go half way without fin­ishing them.

Would it not have been wiser to modernise the general hospitals that are existing, furnish them and equip them up to the best practices rather construct­ing brand new hospitals and stopping half way after pouring money into the ditch? We need to have a plan that will affect the people in the future, that will guide us, in terms of what we spend and what we try to build here and will also have the appropri­ate linkages with the core needs of the people.

chimerase2: Cfcfan u re really doing ua job

CFCfan:
Which job?

purplesummer: We need a paradigm shift in the way we choose our leaders. All these people who are already intoxicated with power from the various political offices they hold/held should not be given a second chance.
We need fresh, untainted men whose character have not yet been impeached to pilot the affairs of the state just for one tenure each! Second tenure is an opportunity to loot.
Imo ga-adi nma ozo.

purplesummer: We need a paradigm shift in the way we choose our leaders. All these people who are already intoxicated with power from the various political offices they hold/held should not be given a second chance.
We need fresh, untainted men whose character have not yet been impeached to pilot the affairs of the state just for one tenure each! Second tenure is an opportunity to loot.
Imo ga-adi nma ozo.

berem: I wish her good luck in her efforts to become the first female executive governor of Imo State.

Douglasdale: Senator Chris Anyanwu... Senator representing My zone at the senate.. ₦600million yearly constituency project money for 8 years is equal to ₦3.84 billion naira.
What have you built in Owerri senatorial district that is cominserate with the huge resources allocated to your constituency?
Just like Ihedioha... You were busy 'flexing' the money and not giving a damn.
NOW THE DAY OF RECKONING is at hand... You want to jonse us again shay? We still dey remember o.
They dem come to back to again o. Politrikcians

CFCfan:
Virgy Etiaba was Anambra governor for some weeks.

But Anyanwu could be the first elected female governor in Nigerian history

chimerase2: dat is why the likes of ihedioha chris and captain came out so u hv option at ua disposal

CFCfan:
With Chris Anyanwu in power in 2015...you will hear "Imo adigo mma"

purplesummer: We need a paradigm shift in the way we choose our leaders. All these people who are already intoxicated with power from the various political offices they hold/held should not be given a second chance.
We need fresh, untainted men whose character have not yet been impeached to pilot the affairs of the state just for one tenure each! Second tenure is an opportunity to loot.
Imo ga-adi nma ozo.

Douglasdale: Senator Chris Anyanwu... Senator representing My zone at the senate.. ₦600million yearly constituency project money for 8 years is equal to ₦3.84 billion naira.
What have you built in Owerri senatorial district that is cominserate with the huge resources allocated to your constituency?
Just like Ihedioha... You were busy 'flexing' the money and not giving a damn.
NOW THE DAY OF RECKONING is at hand... You want to jonse us again shay? We still dey remember o.
They dem come to back to again o. Politrikcians

purplesummer:


I have a dream that one day, a man shall arise in Imo who shall do more heroic exploits than De Sam Mbakwe. I have a dream! I have a dream!!
I don't see that dream in Chris or even the green cap

purplesummer:


I have a dream that one day, a man shall arise in Imo who shall do more heroic exploits than De Sam Mbakwe. I have a dream! I have a dream!!
I don't see that dream in Chris or even the green cap

chimerase2: maybe is captain dat u saw in ur yeye dream

LordMecuzy:

Lol as for me I wld still vote for Rochas oooooh av not seen any good opponent

LordMecuzy:

Lol as for me I wld still vote for Rochas oooooh av not seen any good opponent

purplesummer:
Lol. If I catch you ehn

Captain won't be a bad choice anyways

berem: there is no good opponent to challenge Rochas. Rochas is the only politician who is well known in Orlu,Owerri and Okigwe zones of our state. Even before he became governor,he was very popular.
Chris Anyanwu should concentrate on her senatorial duties and forget about the governoship race.

chimerase2: chai I dn die I for say na witout been told iwu onye owerri

purplesummer:
Mba o, awum onye okigwe zone o.

chimerase2: chai leekwa umu nne mu o

berem: Kema Chikwe wanted to turn Imo around too but failed to make it through PDP primaries. I hope Chris Anyanwu succeeds in the midst of men.