Dr Godwin Maduka, a major contender for the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Nov. 6 election in Anambra has urged party delegates to shun financial inducement.
Maduka, America-based medical practitioner-cum politician, made the call while addressing journalists on Sunday in Awka on the need for party delegates to cast their votes without fear or coercion.
He advised delegates to shun monetary inducement and develop boldness to vote for a candidate who has the capacity to develop the state.
He said though he has enough money to buy delegates at any cost but saw an act as undemocratic and should be discouraged for the people to get a sound polity.
“Our delegates should be political active and not be passive any more in affairs that concerns their generation and unborn generations. We need voter education for the right act to happen,” he said.
Maduka said that he traversed the 21 local government areas of Anambra and met with party members and explained vividly to them reasons why they should not vote out of coercion.
He said that delegates where taught that vote buying was a crime against humanity and urged them to vote on the conviction that the candidate has the capacity to transform the state if elected the governor.
“Vote buying is not democracy, it is not even civilisation. I want a stop to be put to this undemocratic practice in Anambra as we can get sound personality to govern the state,” he said
He urged the delegates to assess him based on what he did for the people of the state from his purse and imagine what the state would look like if he got the mandate to serve the people.
“I promised that if elected the party flag bearer, the job is half gone and finally if I become the governor, 50 per cent of funds to use to run the state will be sourced from abroad.
“It is who can move Anambra to the next level in security, education, health, agriculture, transportation, culture, technology and religious tolerance that should be voted for.
“I have planned how to achieve developmental stride that would place the state right before the comity of states from day one that I take over as governor; people will see what I will do.
“I have millions of dollars worth of investments in several developed countries of the world, especially in the US, the UK, Australia, amongst others .
“I would ask my partners to come down to Anambra and invest so that jobs would be created and unemployment given a real chase out of the state,” he said.
He commended the leader of PDP in the state, former Gov. Peter Obi, and the State Chairman, Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu for doing a good job.
He said Nwobu has done well so far in holding the party together and urged him to sustain the good work.
He appealed to the party leadership to ensure that the governorship candidate was chosen through a free, fair and transparent primary. (NAN)
