Leading governorship aspirant on the platform of the United Progressives Party, UPP in Imo State, Hon Tony Nwulu has harped on the need for the electorate to embrace the party as the only credible political alternative that will usher in a prosperous Imo State if elected into office in the next general elections.
Nwulu said the UPP is a vibrant and progressive oriented political party that has focused its attention on advancing Igbo interest having been founded by a great son of Igbo land and former APGA National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie.
He said Chekwas Okorie is the original vision bearer of APGA which he has now brought to the UPP.
He said the UPP has continuously demonstrated a firm belief in championing the economic growth and development of the Igbo nation and has become a rallying point for all Igbos at home and in Diaspora.
Nwulu said the UPP in line with the Not Too Young Act has also shown undiluted commitment to encourage active youth involvement in governance.
Speaking to newsmen on the viability of the UPP as a credible political platform devoid of manipulative processes for aspirants to emerge as candidates, he said the party has thrown its doors open to all segments of the Imo electorate especially the youths as those below 30 years including Physically Challenged Persons and Female aspirants are exempted from purchasing the Party’s Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms.
Reacting to a question from a journalist on the viability and possibility of “lesser political parties” to win elections in the State, he said one does not need to belong to a “big political party” to cruise to victory during elections.
He stated that such practice is no longer fashionable and not in tandem with modern day politicking.
The Federal lawmaker who represents Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, recalled that despite the strength of the “big parties” some candidates have rode to victory on the platform of the “less political parties” in the country.
He recalled that Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State won the 2011 governorship election on the platform of APGA defeating an incumbent Governor, Ikedi Ohakin who ran on the platform of a big political party such as the PDP.
He also stated that Hon.Danjuma Shida from Taraba State was elected to the House of Reps on the platform of APGA despite PDP’s stronghold in that State.
Nwulu added that another federal lawmaker who represents Mushin State Constituency won his election on the platform of Accord Party to the House of Reps in an APC controlled Lagos State.
He said ” What is important for any politician or aspirant is to be on the ballot. If you are on the ballot, your victory in an election is brighter. The voters will be able to make an informed choice on who they will cast their votes for.
“The so called lesser or small political parties provide the platform for candidates to be on the ballot. The UPP is one of such political platforms because we have a non cumbersome and non exploitative mechanism that allows the right aspirants to emerge as candidates of the party.
“You do not need to belong to a big party to win elections because the process of emerging a candidate is very exploitative and most times not in line with the tenets of modern democracy
” In the big parties, the aspirants are so exploited by party godfathers, leaders and the delegates.
“Before the elections most of the aspirants who eventually emerge as delegates in the big parties get drained financially because they are subjected to spend so much money wooing the delegates to vote for them at the primaries and bribing the party leaders to curry their support.
“The aspirants are so bruised before they become candidates and when they eventually get into office, they focus on recovering what they had spent
“The desperate aspirants are even so willing to cough out monies in the mould of bribes because they desperately want to get into office.
“This is the reason why when they get elected they fail to perform because they are more interested in recovering what they had spent
“This is a sad commentary on our political system. It makes nonsense of our political culture and democracy. This is why I blame the big parties for Nigeria’s under development and the sorry state we find ourselves
“The big parties through the exploitative process they put in place for their aspirants to emerge as candidates subject them to crude practices which makes the entire process to favour the highest bidder
” How do you now elect the best for the people when the processes leading to their emergence as party candidates are subjected to who has the fattest pocket.
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