WHY I WANT TO SERVE MY PEOPLE OF OBIO/AKPOR CONSTITUENCY 1 IN RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY- PROF(HON.)LAWRENCE CHUKU TELLS CITY PEOPLE
The erudite scholar and Biochemist with a sincere heart of service, Professor (Honourable)Lawrence Chuku, popularly addressed as PLC, is your everyday community man and a core politician. His popularity is grassroot-based, always in tune with the needs and aspirations of his people of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area- one of the richest Local Government Areas in Nigeria due to the fact that it hosts major Oil and Gas, International Oil Companies (IOC) with the highest population density in Rivers State.
He is a Professor of Medical Biochemistry/Molecular Biology with the University of Port Harcourt. This tall, intelligent, handsome but honest man was a two-term Deputy Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA while the incumbent Governor Nyesom Wike was the Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA. His ability and capacity to stay relevant in the political landscape of Rivers state was tested when he was impeached as the Deputy Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area almost at the end of his second tenure. But he challenged the action in Court and was reinstated as the Deputy Chairman of the LGA precisely on the 17th April, 2007 during the administration of Sir, Dr. Peter Odili as the Executive Governor and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the Speaker of Rivers state House of Assembly.
Later in 2007 he joined the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science of the University of Port Harcourt Rivers state Nigeria.
The Ear Witness Publisher & Editor-In-Chief, Emeka Amaefula +234(0)8111813069 on Monday 31st, October, 2022 was at his Woji Community residence in Port Harcourt City where he holds sway and at home with members of his Constituency.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) top notch member spoke on key issues about his winning the Rivers State House of Assembly and his views on lingering legal matters affecting his party and other opposition parties in Rivers State. READ ON
May I meet you?
I am Professor (Honourable) Lawrence Chuku. I am the All Progressives Congress, APC Candidate for Rivers state House of Assembly, Obio/Akpor Constituency 1.
Before this what have you been doing in Politics?
Well, my lifestyle has been that of community service, academics and politics. Until recently I was teaching at the University of Port Harcourt. In Politics I began actively by serving my Ward as the PRO of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), later became the Publicity/Organizing Secretary of NRC in Obio/Akpor LGA. From then on, I have held several local positions at my Council Area. I have also served as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA. I served as a Member of the Presidential Visitation Panel at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko in Anambra state, Member- Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, Chairman of Imo North Senatorial Screening Committee of my great party, APC. Today I am a candidate of APC in the forthcoming general elections.
Before you became a candidate of All Progressive Congress of Rivers state, what has been your antecedents like in building the party from your Constituency?
I am the Deputy Leader of APC in my Local Government. I am amongst the very notable leaders of APC in Rivers state. We built the structure from scratch with H E, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to what it is today. We are the foundation of the party, it’s tenets, mission and vision reverberate through us. We have weathered the storm; turbulence and we are still and ever strong in Rivers State. No man, not even the Governor of Rivers state with the scarce resources of our state that he is throwing around can stop us. We are and will ever be strong and prepared towards the victory of APC in Rivers state and Nigeria.
Now that your Party through one of the Court cases at the Federal High Court of Port Harcourt Judicial Division had ordered that your Party will not be on the ballot come 2023. How are you going to take up the battle?
Already we have appealed that judgement. It can’t stand. People who were not members of our party as at when they went to Court, claiming exclusion from congresses and Primaries, cannot deny us our franchise as a party and our right to be in the ballot. All evidences were there in the Court but were ignored- we understand, after all we are in Rivers State where wonders happen. But this time around, either through proxy or direct they won’t succeed. We have gone to appeal and I am very hopeful that the judgement will be quashed by the appellate court and that all APC Candidates will be on the ballot for 2023 elections. So, I am very optimistic because what happened in 2019 where a consent judgement was given is completely different now because APC here in Rivers State and at the National are determined more than ever to win all its elections. Nobody can use the judiciary or the commonwealth of Rivers state to stop us. If they like let them use Rivers tax payers’ money to do father Christmas in all the states of the Federation, they will fail and APC will win. I will be in the ballot, we will be in the ballot and we will win.
What do you think should be the chances of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers State come 2023 Presidential election?
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win Rivers state. We are politicians, we are here in Nigeria, we know those who have the interest of Nigeria, we know those who have the capacity to lead Nigeria. We know the antecedents of all the leading Presidential candidates of the different political parties. We know their effectiveness, capacity and pedigree and of course none of them can even come a bit closer to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. BAT is a Nationalist of the first order, a true unifier, a builder of men, economy and infrastructure, versatile and acceptable in all the nooks and crannies of this country. These were also the qualities we saw in our leader Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi before we gave him our tacit and total support during the Presidential Primaries. With Primaries gone, our loyalty, unalloyed and total commitment is now with our Presidential candidate who is the best amongst all the candidates. So, in Rivers State Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win the Presidential election, Architect Pastor Tonye Cole will win the Governorship and so shall it be.
I am aware of certain politics of sentiments, biases and prejudices going on but we have to face the reality- we are talking about Nigeria with 36 states and FCT. Who is that man that can garner votes in Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Borno, Zamfara and Ekiti and not just his immediate region? It can only be a Uniting Factor like B.A.T. We need a National leader, not a sectional one.
Let’s look at your opponent : the Rivers state PDP led Government since 7 and half years that they came to power in the state, how do you rate this administration?
You know we have a Government in Rivers State that is known for noisemaking. A Government that doesn’t understand indices of human development. A government that thinks that by building overhead bridges across Aba road that it has satisfied the yearnings and aspirations of Rivers people. No, for a government to be rated high that government would have at least addressed the issues of security of lives and properties in the state, invested in Primary and Secondary education including Technical and Vocational Education. Then you talk about Primary Healthcare that ought to stand on five legs of greater accessibility, public participation, health promotion, scientific skills and technology and inter-sectorial cooperation. Only the Obio Health centre managed by Shell Petroleum development Company, SPDC and Co. can be said to be functioning properly in the state- the reason why the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital is always congested.
There are no real concerted efforts towards Agriculture in the state- not to talk of mechanized farm settlements at least in each in the three Senatorial zones in the state. Civil service and Civil Servants have been poorly treated. Retirees and pensioners treated as beggars. There’s no encouragement to the private sector and there’s no known plan for energy transition programs, no human capacity development. Rivers state today is ranked very high amongst the states with a high rate of unemployment. So, if I am allowed to grade their performance, I will give them 25 percent.
As you are canvassing for votes for the Rivers State House of Assembly, what are your agenda?
You know a friend called me when he heard that I am running for State Assembly and he said “’Prof. are you not too big and overqualified for this position?”’ I told him that I do not think so more so in a state where you have Assembly members that are seriously lacking in their duties. I reminded him that the independence of the Assembly will begin with the independence of the members. I am an independent personality, full of capacity and efficiency. I am very mature and experienced. I have been tried, tested and my people trust me. I am dogged and fearless. I am not looking for any contract or kickback from any Governor. So, I can stand tall to push for Healthcare, Education, Energy transition reforms. Mechanization of Agriculture in Rivers State must be taken seriously as well as Human Capacity development and Employment generation. Budgets must be religiously followed with strict adherence to oversight functions. Technical and Vocational education have to be taken seriously. Training and retraining of teachers with zero tolerance in primary and secondary school infrastructural dilapidation. State Assemblies across the nation need people that can constructively challenge the Governors. Why should State Assemblies deny themselves of their own autonomy? Quality Legislation, over sighting and proper representation comes with quality education, competence, doggedness, fearlessness, resilience and very low appetite for primitive acquisition of what you call wealth. For me proper education and good health is adequate enough wealth one needs. We don’t need an Assembly that is very docile or one that is only known in serving the whims and caprices of the Governor. Otherwise in Rivers State how can you assess an Assembly in 2015 that went against a Supreme Court judgement of October 25, 2007 giving recognition to someone whom the Supreme Court had said in the eyes of the law was never a Governor. But after Eight (8) years of that ruling the state Assembly recognized him, only to turn around seven years later (October, 2022) to derecognize the same man on the flimsy excuse that the facts were not available to them. What an Assembly, wherein lies their character and integrity? Same legislator who moved the motion for the recognition in 2015 also moved the motion in 2022 just because the Governor had a disagreement with the person over support for their Presidential candidate. We need independent, matured and experienced people like me in the Rivers State House of Assembly where absolute powers tend to corrupt some Governors absolutely. I have been impeached before, so I won’t be afraid of suspension or impeachment as I will always fight for my right.
I won’t elaborate more on what I will do as action will speak louder than voice. I have confidence in Arc. Pastor Tonye Cole. He is a complete Democrat, an industrialist and a lover of his people. When he is the Governor come 2023, together we will build a stronger Rivers state.
Now we have some of your members who per adventure have moved on to different political parties and are still claiming to be working for the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of Nigeria come 2023. So, how do you resolve this conflict?
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a phenomenon. Whether you are a Governor of Rivers state, or aspiring to be Governor of Rivers state- no matter your political party if you are interested in the Presidency of Asiwaju, you are very much welcome. But please come on board with honesty and sincerity. For us in APC under the able and dynamic leadership of H E, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi we are for Asiwaju, nobody catholic can be holier than the Pope. So, APC is Asiwaju and Asiwaju is APC. It is our intention to sweep it clean and at same time do am in Rivers State
Give us a run-down of the schools you attended?
I attended Oro-Evo Primary School, Rumurolu, Woji
Government Comprehensive Secondary school, Borikiri, Port Harcourt. And I attended
University of Port Harcourt
What was your working life like?
I worked briefly as a Chemical Analyst Trainee with Neimith Pharmaceutical, Lagos (1998). I ran back to Port Harcourt for Local Government elections.
I had earlier also worked briefly in the HSE Departments of Craymond Nig. Ltd and Alcon Nig. Ltd- all in PH, Rivers State
I also taught Chemistry and Biology in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Katsina state as a National Youth service Corps member in 1991/92.
