The presidential ambition of the Ekwuemes may not be over yet, as a member of the family has decided to continue from where the former vice president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Stopped. He clocked 80 years last week.

Dr. Ada Ekwueme-Onuora, is the Chief Medical Director, Kalva Clinic, Lagos, and a trained psychosocial rehabilitation practitioner at the University of Toronto, Canada, and former deputy chairman of the Democratic party (PDP) Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos State. In this interview with Daily Sun, Ekwueme said the failure of Dr. Alex Ekwueme to clinch the PDP presidential ticket in 1999 and 2003 was a great political setback for Ndigbo.

While declaring her interest to run for the presidency in 2015, Dr. Ekwueme called on Ndigbo to forget individualistic acts but work collectively by giving her the necessary support towards the actualisation of president of Igbo extraction in 2015.

The princess of Oko, as her political loyalists fondly call her, stated that Nigeria was ripe for a woman president.

According to her, Nigerians are yearning for effective and good leadership, which she said she could offer, hence her reason for offering herself to serve the nation.

She noted that the name, Ekwueme, was a great legacy, which the family valued above all things and ready to protect.

She pointed out that Nigerians were looking for someone, who had the ability to fight corruption and must be seen to be transparent. She also spoke on her NGO and other issues.

Excerpts.

The name Ekwueme as a legacy, how has it helped you?

Right from my childhood, my father, His Royal Highness, Igwe J.A. Ekwueme, was the traditional ruler of Oko. When he died, my uncle, Prof. Laz Ekwueme, succeeded him.

He had always told us that a good name was better than gold and silver. So, we are guided by that and we have always maintained that.

For instance, there are certain things you do, my father will ask: “Are you an Ekwueme or not?” So, you’re conscious even when you want to tell little lies.

My uncle, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, the former vice president made it more obvious that as an Ekwueme, integrity, sincerity and good conduct must be your watch words and guiding principles, to keep the name stainless.

How has the name affected you?

I don’t know how to answer the question. If you mean whether the name has earned me political appointment, I will say no. But people accord me recognition some would ask if Iam his daughter, and I would say no, I am his niece even though we are both cousins because we are from the same grandfather. However, the name has not opened political doors for me. Rather I have been striving and that is what my cousin believes in. He believes you should have good and sound education, then, go out there and fend for yourself.

Did he at anytime recommend you for political appointment?

Not to my knowledge. But as a matter of fact, it’s only the two of us in the family; Mike Ekwueme and I who are really out for politics. We are grassroots politicians going through campaigns and rallies.

So, he has not recommended any of us for political appointment.

What role did you play when he aspired to be President of Nigeria?

Then, I lived in Surulere and I still do. So, I rose from the grassroots and I belong in ward H Aguda as the publicity secretary of PDP.

Later, I was voted to become the deputy chairman of the party in Surulere, Lagos.

Then, it was a great honour that my uncle was nominated to fly the party’s flag as its presidential candidate. So, everybody was working together towards achieving that until suddenly, the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo came in and divided the whole system.

I saw myself schemed out of politics. We didn’t know where we belonged anymore.

Ekwueme campaign organization in Anambra State was a strong force then, so I came back to support him from the home front because it was obvious that the south west including Lagos had adopted Chief Olusegun Obasasnjo.

The whole thing affected my political career and it’s really bad because I was of the opinion that having lived in Lagos for so many years, I was discriminated against by Lagos state PDP.

In Canada, where I lived, if you are qualified to be a citizen, you have the right to vote and be voted for. So it would be nice where one is domiciled he or she continues to hold position there.

When finally my uncle lost the party’s ticket, coupled with the humiliation meted to me by PDP Lagos, I had to travel to Canada for further studies.

What lesson did you learn from that experience?

Women should wake up.

Why didn’t Nigerian women vote Sarah Jubril during the PDP Presidential Primary?

It’s because she did not create the much desired awareness. Women should rally together instead of fighting each other. Poverty is another thing working against the political interest of women.

Sarah Jubril, meant well for Nigeria but hadn’t the financial strength as most women at the convention came there for money.

Through my NGO, Kalvac Human Development Initiative (KHDI), we plan to begin sensitization and awareness drive for Nigerian women to brace up and take over the leadership of the country.

So, if that awareness had been created, it would have been a different story for my sister Sarah Jubril.

But a good number of women are in government. Why are you sounding as if women are marginalized?

How many of them are politicians? There is something about politicking. Forget about the underhand politics being played some times.

When I say politics, I mean, you read wide about what is happening globally. You become aware, you become knowledgeable by also attending seminars; strive to know what is happening in other countries and how countries get developed. Let women learn and get Nigeria developed.

I mean women should join hands to put Nigeria in the global map of developed countries by being knowledgeable politically.

I did not read political science, but I got myself educated politically. I read about it, attended both local and international seminars and not just how to get A down so that B will go up, that is not the type of politics that can grow our democracy.

Anambra PDP is in crisis. As a party member, what are you doing to resolve the crisis?

I am more interested in women participation in politics. Anambra women should come together and form a focal point to unite the party.

This I have started few months ago because that is my primary constituency.

All efforts to resolve Anambra State PDP crisis failed because, women have not come to say “enough is enough”. Remember the crisis is caused by men and these men have mothers and wives, and must always listen to us.

Can the Bamanga Tukur led Executive unite the party?

As I said earlier, the survival of PDP lies with the women.

We must rise and make the desired change as mothers. We are stabilizers in time of crisis.

Women can and will play major roles in bringing peace to PDP if we come together and form a formidable force.

How has the failure of your uncle to rule the country affected your political career?

That goes to the roots, which is where we come from, the Igbo.

We must revamp our heritage because I believe that the dissention came from the roots, from our own root before it goes to the entire nation.

I am sure Nigerians love Dr. Alex Ekwueme even outside this shores, and they wanted him to be their president. He would have carried everybody along like the architect he is.

So if our people, the Igbo were united enough, he would have won the PDP primaries.

You have just declared your interest to run for the presidency in 2015. Do you see your dream coming to reality?

The dream of an Ekwueme to become Nigeria’s president is realizable, because the former vice President has laid a good foundation.

I am not saying it is our birthright. No, Nigerians yearn for good leadership. If elected, I will implement my uncle’s manifesto, in addition to mine.

I will run an all inclusive government, an assemblage of men and women of integrity and authorities in their chosen field of human endeavour.

My education policy will turn out job creators and not job seekers and reduce unemployment. We all know that lack of steady power is the bane of industrial growth. Under my administration, the power sector will be totally overhauled, not just privatizing it, but making it to be more efficient. As a medical doctor social service is the anchor of developed nations and that will be the key of our medical system.

I will introduce effective medical system in line with international standards. The society, especially the grassroots would be enlightened. If the grassroots has basic amenities, then the country will be on the track of development.

Nigeria is a country where we run clinics, and most people find it difficult to come to the clinics but if the medical system functions like an NGO, the medical personal goes to the people wherever they are.

Medical personnel would leave their comfort zones to talk to and treat the people. Awareness will be created for the people to know how their body function especially girls.

I am appealing to Ndigbo to support me and stop looking further for a saleable candidate for the presidency in 2015, I posses most of the qualities required for job.

We should avoid the mistake of 1999 and 2003 when we had the opportunity to grab the PDP presidential ticket but sold out.

Another opportunity is here. Who says Nigeria is not ripe for a woman president? Nigeria is over ripe for a woman president and I am ready to be the first Nigerian woman president in 2015.

Source =================http://sunnewsonline.com/new/politics/why-i-want-to-be-president-by-ekwueme/

the ekwuemes are behind the political disunities among the igbos till date. alex ekwueme who was the then vice president under NPN used his political muscles to push away Jim Nwobodo who won the 1983 election under NPP and replaced him with Ono who was standing for NPN for the govt house of anambra state. the angers of jim nwobodo and his supporters drew parallel lines and it is still in place till date. if i have my way, i wll ask this new ekwueme to go home and sleep as we are yet to sort out the problems they caused us.

I love the guts of igbo women especially Anambra women. Even if she isnt there,atleast she has the guts.

She is ndibo president NOT Nigerian president. Just read her comments again. She can wait to biafara cos there's no way unpatriotic, sectionalist, secessionist iboz will win an election added to the fact that she is a female chauvinist. She'd better go back to Toronto to contest her election.

Thought it was Alex Ekwueme.


Next!!!

Igbo hoping to be president of Nigeria? Never Never Never...

You guys should forget this stupid Igbo Igbo presidency dream. It will not happen - period.

Wadeoye: Igbo hoping to be president of Nigeria? Never Never Never...

You guys should forget this stupid Igbo Igbo presidency dream. It will not happen - period.

why ? pls give reasons

alj harem:

why ? pls give reasons

Did you NOT hear them say they want biafra? Next this cretin mentioned Ndibo (not even Nigeria)? Isn't such aspiration dead on arrival? No need sucking up to a woman bigot, terrorist tribalist.

revomind:

Thought it was Alex Ekwueme.


Next!!!

how can?

I had dr. Alex in mind , Nevertheless ; she has the right to aspire and Politick.
vying for presidency seems too ambitious considering her inexperience in governance , I have a lot of respect and regards for the Ekwueme's but nigeria's challenges are so enormous ; encompassing Family history and past glory.

*yawns*next pls..