Dr. Alex Obiogbolu is the Political Adviser to Governor Charles Soludo and an experienced hand in Anambra politics. The senatorial aspirant of All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) for Anambra North District speaks with OKEY MADUFORO on what he would do differently if elected
Your name is not new to Anambra politics and the players. How has your journey been?
Well, I have been in politics for over 10 years now and I can tell you that to my carrier in the game is driven by my passion to serve the society. I do not see politics from the prism of what I intend to benefit or gain from the system but the human capital capacity I am able to build while in politics.
That is why I have been consistent in the game of politics and I started this journey as a pioneer member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where at some point I was the State Publicity Secretary of the party.
I contested at some point for the gubernatorial election of Anambra State though under another political party but later returned to the PDP. I have served as the MD Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA) and later the Chairman Local Government Service Commission. All the while, I have been consistent in the service to the people and that is what stands me out in politics.
You were the Director General of Valentine Ozogbu Campaign Organization in the PDP but today you are political Adviser to Soludo of APGA. What actually happened?
Like I said earlier, my mission in politics is the passion to serve and whenever that I am called upon to serve my people in whatever capacity, I will not hesitate to accept the offer.
The service to the people of Anambra is beyond political party affiliations or loyalty because the people that you are serving are Anambra people and it goes beyond the stereotypes of which party you belong to.
If you have meaningful contributions to the growth of your state and you back out because it is not your party that is in power, then you are doing a disservice to your people and history would not only record it but also judge you for not rendering your own assistance when it matters most.
As a member of APGA, how would you rate the performance of the party so far?
APGA is not just a political party but a movement for the restoration of good and populist governance and as we say “be your brother’s and sister’s keeper.” It is all about the people and not just the party. The party has been consistent in producing three governors back-to-back and the transition has been smooth and seamless.
When you understudy the developmental strides of Anambra State you would discover that it has been on the rise and this is to the credit of the party. Party has also made forays into other states in the federation and that goes to diminish the wrong notion that the party is sectional or what they call lone ranger status. Don’t forget that APGA was the first progressive party in Nigeria before the ruling All Progressives Congress APC and that progressivism has remained intact ever since.
You had a political movement or foundation known as ” Oganiru Anambra. ” How far has it been?
Oganiru Anambra means the progress of Anambra State and that was when I was aspiring for the gubernatorial position of Anambra State and it had not changed.
Progress can come in various styles or manner and this progress is further exemplified in what APGA as a political party is doing and the achievements have been far reaching. It is in that spirit that I joined the race for the Senatorial seat of Anambra North District which is aimed at sustaining that progress at the Red Chambers.
My Senatorial District is rich in agriculture and has great potentials that need to be tapped and that lays credence to that desire to take Anambra North to a higher level. In this era of representation, it has gone beyond mantra and grandstanding because we have seen a kind of reforestation that is totally disconnected from the electorate. We are talking about a brand name of representation that one does not need to run around sharing things that are not enduring.
When you look at the One Youth Two Skills program of Governor Charles Soludo you can agree with me that it is all about vocation and skill acquisition. We have countless youths that are skillful but lack the necessary and requisite logistics to be self and gainfully employed, and as a representative of the people it behooves on you to carry them along by providing the statutory enablers for them to be positively functional members of the larger society.
What stops Anambra North from embarking on all year-round agriculture because there are platforms for this to be actualized? Quite alright the duty of a lawmaker is to make laws but such laws should also go extra mile to create multiplayer effects on the members of the Senatorial District or Constituency. Laws are made for man and not man for laws. So, you first of all consider the positive impact of those laws on the people and not making laws for the purposes of making laws.
The incumbent senator is a member of ADC, though he came as a Labor Party candidate. Are you not worried about the mass movement?
It is not about movement but what the people want. I have been around in politics and I can tell you that it is not a rollercoaster.
At the moment we are yet to know what the perceived political alliance would be targeting in view of the fact that it is dangling like a pendulum and the gladiators in that alliance are still grappling with the toothing challenges and one wonders if they would get there before the election proper.
So, there is nothing to lose sleep about the ADC or the Labor Party. In the last general election people went to bed with the impression that the Labor Party had it all but when you look at the outcome of that election, the seats won by Labor Party are more or less the seats belonging to the PDP across the country.
Today most of them have either dumped the party for other political parties or lost their seats at the election petitions tribunal. Even the symbol of that movement we learnt is no longer with the labor party and even the ADC option appears a little shaky, so where lies the strength of the coalition and the capacity of the person already at the Red Chambers?
The alliance between APGA and the APC would soon be put to test in 2027 after the Presidential election and the two parties would have to battle for the 11 seats and three seats both at the Red and Green Chambers? There is nothing to fear about and don’t forget this is politics and it has to do with interest.
For us in APGA we are moving on and we are better focused than ever to sustain our place in Anambra state. Besides this is the party for us all and you know that this is our own.
Don’t you think that other aspirants in your party for Anambra North stand no chance of winning the ticket in view of your closeness to the Governor?
Our party believes in the internal democracy and free, fair and credible process and it is not given but it is contested for. The party has constitution and guidelines for primary elections and it has always been followed to the letter so it is an open contest and who the party nominates becomes the candidate.
Zoning and rotation have been a case study in Anambra politics and your part of Anambra North is yet to produce a Senator?
I have always been a proponent of turn by turn which I championed long time ago and that produced the result of Anambra North District producing the Governor which is made manifest in Chief Willie Obiano.
Yes, your observation is right, but we do not want to reduce the representative seat of the district to a mere entitlement thing. I am going to the Red Chambers with my wealth of experience and capacity to deliver and not just to go there because Onitsha North and South have not produced a Senator.
At the Senate, I am not going to represent Onitsha North and South alone but the seven local government areas that make up Anambra North, and I owe them that duty to impact positively on their lives
