The Chairman of the Enugu chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Chidebere Aniagu, has joined the race for the Enugu North/Enugu South Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives under the platform of the Young Progressives Party.
Aniagu, who has obtained his expression of interest and nomination forms, said his decision to join the race was driven by the desire to tackle poverty and provide purposeful leadership.
Speaking with South-East PUNCH on Monday, the transport union leader said the people of the constituency deserved leaders capable of improving their economic conditions.
He said, “I decided to run because we don’t have good leaders. We want to show them how leadership is supposed to be.
“Our people are suffering, so we need to lift them out of poverty. I hate seeing poverty and that is what motivated me to contest.”
Aniagu, who has served as the state chairman of RTEAN for over five years, said his experience in the transport sector and other business ventures had equipped him with practical ideas on how to improve the lives of constituents.
According to him, he had already empowered several people through agriculture, cooperative schemes and small businesses.
“I trust myself because as state chairman of RTEAN, I have lifted a lot of people out of poverty and I believe if they give me this opportunity, I will do more,” he stated.
Speaking on the challenges of contesting against an incumbent lawmaker backed by the ruling party structure, Aniagu dismissed the influence of money and political machinery, insisting that grassroots support would determine the outcome of the election.
He said, “Election is not about money; it is about the masses. If you don’t have the grassroots with you, you cannot win.
“I don’t care whether somebody is a sitting representative or not. We must win because we have the structure and the masses.”
Aniagu argued that lawmakers could empower people beyond their legislative duties if they possessed innovative ideas and genuine commitment.
“Everything is about ideas. If you don’t have ideas, even if you are a sitting president, you cannot perform.
“I have been doing empowerment through agriculture, businesses and cooperatives. I know what the masses want because I have been with them,” he said.
The YPP aspirant, however, admitted that he did not possess the financial strength usually associated with Nigerian politics but insisted that popular support was more important.
“I don’t have money, but I have the masses,” he said.
Aniagu said he had no political sponsor and described godfatherism as one of the factors undermining Nigeria’s democracy.
The aspirant also pledged not to defect from the YPP if elected, noting that he deliberately chose the party because of its internal stability compared to other political parties battling leadership crises.
