Anambra election: Obaze picks Mrs. Onyemelukwe as running mate
The governorship candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Mr. Oseloka Obaze, has presented his running mate for the November 18 gubernatorial election in Anambra state.
The running mate, Lady Chidi Alexandra Onyemelukwe, was presented at the PDP state secretariat, Awka, Anambra state.
Announcing her candidature, the governorship candidate, Mr. Obaze said the presentation was in line with the constitution and Electoral Guidance of the party, as well as INEC Guideline and had been duly submitted to INEC through the National Caretaker Committee (NCC).
According to him: “In compliance with provisions of Section 187(1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended), I, Oseloka Henry Obaze, after about three weeks of painstaking consultations with my family, the PDP hierarchy (both national and state) stakeholders in Anambra and beyond, and the leadership of the Anglican Communion, wish to present formally to Ndi Anambra in particular and Nigeria in general, Lady Chidi Alexandra Onyemelukwe, my running mate for the November 18th 2017 Anambra State Gubernatorial election”.
It was observed that Lady Onyemelukwe, from Nnewichi, Nnewi North local government area of Anambra State.
She has extensive experience in Building Businesses from the legal, operational and functional perspective. She Served as Special Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises for three years.
In that role she developed several Initiatives to promote the proper structuring and assistance for Small and medium businesses and laid the foundation for the set up for first time in Nigeria “The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria”. She was responsible for preparing the Federal Government’s position and indeed representing Mr. President on several international conferences and forums on the development of the small and medium Scale industries in Africa.
Chidi is presently a Partner in the Firm Ekwueme, Ekwueme and Ekwueme a first rate World Class law firm run by Nigeria’s first Executive Vice President and her father Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Alex Ekwueme. In this role she has been responsible for advising clients on tax laws, set up of Small businesses, business incubation, as well as strategic positioning for opportunities provided by the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
She presently also serves as the Company Secretary and Legal Adviser to Geometric Power Ltd, Nigeria’s first Independent Power Producer based in Aba, Abia State. Chidi is a member of the New York State bar in the United States and in addition holds a Master of International law from the University of Lagos. She gained her Bachelor of law from the University of Wales, College of Cardiff in the United Kingdom. She also has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States.
Obaze disclosed that Lady Onyemelukwe had the requisite administrative experience to drive the broad vision of taking the state to the very zenith where it truly deserves to be.
Responding, Lady Onyemelukwe said she would deploy her wealth of experience gathered from her various administrative offices in the past.
According to her “It is time to transform Anambra state. The trajectory has to change. The Augean stables need to be cleaned out. We need Anambra where our children and Children’s children would be proud not to just come home, but to settle in and thrive in.”
John Ndu, Awka
