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The aspirant said consensus candidacy was not good for democracy.
Sylvester Okonkwo, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, aspirant for the governorship race in Anambra, said in Abuja on Saturday that he would not support the emergence of a consensus candidate by the party for the general election.
Mr. Okonkwo told newsmen shortly after picking his expression of interest and nomination form at the party’s national secretariat that such arrangement would not reflect the will of the people.
“I am not and will never be a student of consensus. I will want to have a consensus after the election and a winner has emerged. We can say let us have unity government.
“The 21st century of selection of leaders of the people is through exercise of the people`s free will and that is the one I submit to as a democrat,’’ Mr. Okonkwo said.
He promised to restore the state to its glorious past if elected governor in the Nov. 26 gubernatorial election. He said that Anambra used to be the best in education, religion and the economy in the country and promised to revive the system if elected to govern the state.
“The only way to return the state to its past glory is to have a focused and people-oriented government. I do know that I have the consummate experience and capacity to take Anambra to the new level and back to its lost glory.
“I made the decision to become the state governor conscious of the fact that there is so much to be done and I can do it and do it better.
“I am particularly hungry to return Anambra to its past glory and to make it the Dubai of Africa with the cooperation of other party members, ’’ Mr. Okonkwo said.
He said if elected as governor, he would tackle the security challenge of the state with the desired force and create employment opportunities for the youth.
“Our youth are engaged in criminal and illicit activities not because of desire to do so but because it is said that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
“I will engage government and the private sector in large scale farming where most of our repented youths would be engaged while we provide other forms of employment for others.
“We will engage every Anambra indigene in the economic development of the state. For me, it is a clarion call for all to come on board so that we can have a new dawn,’’ he said.
Mr. Okonkwo said that the state was beyond zoning, adding that such practice would not benefit the state development for now. He said the party’s demand that male aspirants pay N10 million, while women pay N5 million for the nomination form for the race would deepen democracy.
He advised the party leadership to allow women aspirants get the form free to ensure that more women participated in the election.
A total of 26 aspirants have so far picked the expression of interest and nomination forms in the party.
The Anambra governorship primary of the PDP has been fixed for August 24 while the election will come up in November.
(NAN)
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