I'M IN POLITICS TO DEVELOP MY PEOPLE – IFEAGWAZI

Alex Ifeagwazi contested in the general elections in 2003 and won a seat into the Anambra State House of Assembly. He was to represent Nnewi South II state constituency comprising Ukpor, Ezinifite, Ebenator and Akwaihedi electoral wards.

However, the then 'Godfather' of Anambra State politics, Dr. Andy Ubah, handed his mandate to another person. More than seven years after, Engr. Ifeagwazi is bracing up to reclaim his mandate with the sole aim of wiping off the tears of his people who he said have been denied the dividends of democracy.

'My people have not enjoyed the dividends of democracy. I want to give them a fresh breath come 2011,in line with the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan' the civil engineer began in an exclusive chat with Saturday Sun recently.

'I first contested for a seat in the Anambra State House of Assembly in 2003 and I won the election. But the then 'Godfather' of Anambra State politics, Andy Ubah, hijacked my mandate and gave it to another person. The case lingered in the election tribunal,' he said.

A Knight of St. John in the Catholic Church, Ifeagwazi also holds the traditional chieftaincy title of Ofurunma mee (Do good when necessary) of Ukpor in Anambra State. He banks on his grass root popularity to reclaim his mandate and improve the life of his people come 2011.

'At the moment, there is no government presence in my area, Nnewi South II electoral constituency. Those elected to represent the area are always opposing the government in power, thereby, denying our area of our own share of developmental projects' he regretted.

'I'm a friendly and grass root personality. I rely on my popularity to reclaim my mandate and wipe the tears off the face of my people. My people know that I am a community-oriented person. I was the Deputy chairman of Anambra State Rural Electrification Board during the regime of Governor Chris Ngige and I ensured that the things due to my area got to my people. And I am the Special Adviser to the President-General of Ukpor Community Development Union. As the community's Works Committee Secretary, I supervise all the developmental projects by the government as well as the community' he disclosed.

He is vying for the seat of Nnewi South II in the State House of Assembly under the umbrella of the ruling Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP). He said it is his wish to work with another illustrious son of Nnewi and a senatorial aspirant in next year's general elections, Prince Nicholas Ukadike, to attract developmental projects to Nnewi South II electoral constituency.

'With President Jonathan's transparent electoral reforms, I have no doubt that I shall reclaim my mandate come 2011 because I know that my people still have confidence in my ability to give them quality representation. I hope to work hand-in-hand with Prince Nicholas Ukadike who is aspiring to go to the Senate to represent Anambra South Constituency. I shall continue to pester him for developmental projects in Nnewi South II so that my people can enjoy the dividends of democracy and breath fresh air of life' he pledged.