SUSPENDED Eastern Province youth chairperson Emmanuel J Banda alias Jay Jay says residents of Petauke want him as their member of parliament.

In an interview Jay Jay accused Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya of offering him money so that he abandons his plans to contest the seat.

“Madam Siliya is a seasonal politician and she has sensed, she knows the ground, she knows that this time around it’s not her time. If she has been there for a long time, it’s to my advantage because she is fatigued. She even wanted to buy me off, which I refused, she has offered money to me so that I can step down but I don’t sell leadership, that was her lost hope. She is not even coming to the constituency. For me, I have removed that negative thing to say that I will not be adopted. As you have seen, I am working everyday and I am following the words of the Head of State, he is said that he is going to adopt the person who is with people and who the people want,” said Jay Jay.

“Come to Petauke Central and see for yourself, every one is behind me, it is a well known story. The people have told me to start organizing attires which I will be wearing to Parliament. They tell me to stop going for radio programmes because they have already decided that they want me. Madam Siliya is not a big name now. Just like football, the likes of Christopher Katongo, Kalusha Bwalya, they had their time but they are no longer there, we now have the likes of Patson Daka, Enoch Mwepu and Fashion Sakala. It is the same with politics. Madam Siliya should now concentrate on business, we are retiring her. And she should start looking forward to how she will secure her gratuity.”

But efforts to reach Siliya for a comment proved futile as her phone went unanswered.