By Tai Emeka Obasi

When next you hear that Engr Chris Emeka Azubogu is the most prepared to serve out of all the aspirants that have indicated interest to gun for Agu Awka in November 6, 2021, please don’t count it as campaign talk. He is really more than prepared; not necessarily the most academically qualified, but definitely the most knowledgeably prepared.

If you’re truly interested in the right personality to take over from Governor Willie Obiano in March 17, 2022, you should do yourself and dear state the favour of making out time to follow the itinerary and listen to the man we call Mr Project discuss statecraft at any platform. It’s ever a delight witnessing such a park of deep experience, knowledge and desire willing to offer himself for service.

It may sound awkward, but I found out that I truly never fully appreciated what HE Peter Obi did for dear state until I started listening to Hon Azubogu discuss governance. Take it from me, Okwute is a very exceptional man – a very disciplined man to have set such high standard of governance without prior tutelage in the very delicate path of democratic processes. Truth is that, like Azubogu says, governance is not philanthropy or corporate management! There are stages and real intricacies of governance. When it’s democracy, it’s more than intricate.

Listening to the federal lawmaker representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Constituency made me understand why most Nigerians fail woefully in public offices, especially in executive capacity. Four years is too short a time to learn on the job and master it, especially when one adopts the usual method of going into office with one’s own team, made up of mostly novices. Even the few genuinely interested in running a good government eventually get overwhelmed by the system, set a bad first tenure and then unwittingly follow the pattern even if he gets extra four years. In your deep heart, you have to pity Obiano, even when he was actually his own victim by not following a well-laid continuity machinery that would have taken care of his shortcomings as a complete neophyte in a strange system.

Within two decades immediately after graduation, Azubogu had found himself contributing deeply in efficiency in governance by consulting for three state governments of Rivers, Anambra and Enugu. His major concern was ridding hitherto corrupt systems of ghost workers while effectively enhancing general transparency and accountability in governance. His complete involvement started a decade ago as a representative in the National Assembly, where he has equally been deeply involved in vital departments of democratic processes. He attracts projects because he knows every step of how to attract them. He is loaded and will henceforth unfold now that INEC has set a timetable. Just keep following.

PreparedToServe.