Damian Iwueke describes himself as a self-made emigrant and citizen of Malta.

“I am an anti-establishment straight arrow and I want to speak for minorities and voters who are fed-up with the wheelings and dealings of Maltese politicians,” said Mr Iwueke during his announcement to contest the election at the Fortina hotel

yesterday.

One of his main aims is to tackle the issues which the political parties have deliberately steered clear of. “If elected, I will represent Malta’s interests as best I can,” he said.

Mr Iwueke continued: “The issues I will tackle in the European Parliament will include minority issues such as women’s rights, the rights of single parents, the rights of gay couples to live as a family and for them to be recognised and be entitled to inheritance.

“I will also push for children’s rights, youth affairs, exchange programmes for students, better conditions for sportsmen and in particular, I will use my influence as a FIFA agent to attract businessmen to invest in Maltese football,” he said. Mr Iwueke said he also wanted to focus on animal rights, environment and nature conservation, sex education, re-homing the homeless, people with disabilities, any kind of discrimination, racism, xenophobia, stereotypes and the rights of smokers and non-smokers to co-exist.

“I also want to attract foreign insurance firms to set up shop in Malta to get rid of the monopolistic local firms to give people a choice. I want to attract foreign investment and I want a better relationship with our southern Mediterranean neighbours to foster peace in our region,” he said.

“Political parties and their candidates are hypocrites. All the above are real issues of today that our politicians have been dodging like the plague,” he said.

Mr Iwueke said people cannot trust the parties. “All they want is your vote for their own selfish means. They want to be the mouthpiece for their parties back in Malta. How can they be trusted ?” he said.

Mr Iwueke issued a rallying call: “Your vote for me will be a protest vote to show the parties that you are sick of their ways. I am appealing for the votes of all those who do not trust politicians; youths, men and women who believe in a multi-cultural Europe, gay people, small business owners, the disabled who are sick of being forgotten, foreigners in Malta, sportsmen and women.”

Mr Iwueke concluded: “We already have a government for the next five years. We are already in the EU. Try ordinary people like me.”