2011 Guber: Emenike Eyes PDP Ticket

Chief Ikechi Emenike has indcated his interest to vie for the  governorship of Abia State in 2011 on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying his mission is to set Abia free and put the state on the path of rapid economic development.

Emenike, a Journalist, an Economist and Publisher,  had contested the 2007 governorship polls on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and placed third, behind incumbent Governor Theodore Orji and the PDP flag bearer, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu.

He was one of those who said that there was no governorship election in Abia, saying that the ruling PPA simply concocted figures which INEC announced as result while the PDP was on the street terrorizing voters.

The outcome of the polls, according to him, had dampened his morale and he made up his mind to quit politics.

However, after persuasions from his supporters, he said, he changed his mind and left ANPP for the PDP, his original party.   

Speaking with newsmen at his Umukabia country home in Ohuhu, Umuahia North Local Government Area,  Emenika confirmed that he may offer himself for the race to Abia Government House for a second time. 

“Quite frankly, when we finished the last election, my first intention was to completely quit politics because I had run for senate, I won the ticket, I did not go; Governorship, I campaigned from Abam to Ohambele, we did everything, they did not allow election to take place. So, what else would somebody do?

“But a lot of leaders came, persuaded me to come around and let us give it (2011) a trial, and that this evil, every evil has expiry date; also, that soon, Abia will be free and that had always been my slogan. That is perhaps, the reason one may offer himself again for another race this time around,” Emenike said while responding to a question on whether he was running for governorship again.

Speaking of his manifesto which, will be made public soon, he said “the emphasis of my manifesto will be on the total development of Abia.  

“What I have done as an Economist is to develop what I call ‘super perito optimality’. What it means is, for example, you want to look at all the sectors of Abia and develop all of them simultaneously but you get some key sectors and take them a notch higher.”

He emphasised that he would pay greater attention to instituting the building blocks of development, especially, the financial sector,  that could lead to greater multiplier effects in the economy.

“Through our creatiive intervention, I can assure you that if we are sworn in by May 29, by November 1, a full-fledged commercial bank will be opened in Umuahia with simultaneous branches in all the local government areas and Abia State Government will not put a dime inside it,” he said.