Victor Afam Ogene, a journalist, publisher and former deputy chairman of Public Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State is a chieftain of All Progressives Congress. He spoke to The Nigerian Xpress on the impending Anambra governorship election, the chances of APC and the quest of the Southeast to produce Nigeria’s next president among other issues.
By Akani Alaka
Anambra governorship election is scheduled for November. But the concern of most Nigerians is about the litany of court cases by members of the different parties who think that they should have been the candidate of the process if the primary was free and fair. Why do you think this is so, because some people have attributed the contentions to the fact that most of the contestants are billionaires…
You’ve answered part of the question in the sense that when you have competing interests, you are bound to have people express their interests in diverse ways. Like you have noted and correctly so, Anambra is home to leading industrialists and businessmen from the South-east. And they all have a stake in the political affairs of the state. One, because the policies of government impact either positively or negatively on their business, the state of insecurity has a direct and proportionate impact on their business development. And so, it is expected that they should be interested in having the right kind of government put in place. Besides that, the Anambra people are also very aware as very republican people. It is only in Anambra State that even with the top-heavy millionaires and billionaires, the ordinary man in the streets of Anambra- even a motorcycle rider or truck pusher asserts his rights, first to his humanity and two, to issues that concern him or her. And that explains the levels of interests and agitations in the governance of the state. These put together with the success stories of several Anambra sons and daughters have put them in a state to put themselves forward to say ‘I’m qualified to do this.’ So, when you put all these together, you will see that we will have a multiplicity of aspirants or candidates aspiring to lead the state because they all feel equally entitled and capable – because if you have managed your business from a few hundred naira and in a few years, you have grown it into a multibillion naira enterprise, and you can contest with the best in the world, you also feel entitled. If you are in the civil service and you have served faithfully without any blemish, close to retirement, you will think that you want to go back home and offer service. I think, these, all put together is what is playing out in the state.
You are a chieftain of APC in Anambra and APC also has a candidate in the governorship election. How would you assess the chances of your party, especially concerning the acceptability of APC whether in Anambra or generally in the South-east?
When people talk about whether APC is accepted in Anambra or APC, I laugh. And that’s because the people who populate APC in Anambra or South-east are not Northerners; they are not from the South-west; they are Ndi Anambra and they are Ndigbo. Take my state, for instance, if you want to talk about what you might term a galaxy of grassroots politicians, you will find them in APC. If you want to talk about people who have achieved nationally, you will find them in APC. If you want to talk about infrastructural developments in the South-east, viz-a-viz previous federal governments – with what is going on now, I think Anambra and the South-east have benefitted infrastructure wise. For the forthcoming election, because it is essentially about whether we want to play in the mainstream of Nigerian politics or we want to remain in the cocoon of isolationism that APGA represents. Some of us who started with APGA thought that it was a growing movement that was going to sweep the entire South-east. But 16 years after and counting, we have found that APGA has not been able to grow beyond Anambra State. This is so because the people who have managed to hold on to levers of power using APGA have seen it as their fiefdom. So, it’s all about them and them. But for some others in the PDP and APC, it is about what do we get from the centre? And everybody knows that if you are not at the table of sharing, you won’t get your due, no matter how you want to pretend about it. For instance, APC is the central government and manpower development. If you are appointing people into federal agencies- with over 500 federal agencies if we are limited to APGA, which people will be appointed to represent the interest of the Anambra and the South-east? In the same token, as the Federal Government gives grants for several things, you must belong to get a little more attention. You must belong to also spread the programmes and manifesto of the ruling government. Cast your mind back- four years ago, it was the same talk, but APC came second in that election, well ahead of PDP. So, why are people not saying that PDP is not on ground in Anambra State? If APC could come second in that election, despite the shenanigans – we know how the APGA government got their 21 over 21. We knew what happened.
What happened?
What happened was going to have some kind of soft landing – you know any governor in Nigeria who deserves a second tenure would want to say,’ Okay, I am joining you guys’ and they felt the governor was taking the state to the centre. And after assisting him to win re-election, he reneged.
Is there a firm, written agreement that he will decamp to APC after winning?
Well, political agreements are not cast in stone and neither are they also written. But at our level, we know that there were such moves. It’s like all the government moving in from PDP; it is not the day they move that the talks started. You, as a journalist, know that for several months, there have been talks and talks until it happens. Some finally may not go. There was that kind of scenario in Anambra four years ago, but today, the dynamics are different. Some of them also want to come up with that gimmick to deceive the electorate by saying that because Charles Chukwuma Soludo, former governor of CBN who is one of the claimants to the candidature of APGA in the forthcoming election has been made a member of the economic advisory committee of the APC-led federal government, that when he wins, he would come and join the APC fully. But we are telling them that once beaten, twice shy. There is nothing like that. Let’s all go to the field and test our strength.
So, what will make Andy Uba win because many believe that APGA is very entrenched in Anambra and it will be very difficult for any other party to defeat it?
Let me disabuse your mind when you say APGA is so ingrained among the people in Anambra – yes, it is the ruling party in the state. But every election for the incumbent is a review of the scorecard. Has Governor Obiano done well? It is just about average. Could there be somebody who could do better? Certainly. Why do I say he is rated average? Over the last few months, he came up with the idea of an airport, a mini stadium in Awka and an international conference centre. Laudable as these projects are, the question is what is the direct impact on the rural populace? If you go to every local government, beyond the ‘N20 million Choose Your Project’ that the Governor initiated for every community to choose a N20 million worth of project, which, at any rate, after all the deductions will not even be up to N15 million and then, you see them build a mushroom kind of town hall which is hardly in use. In Ogbaru where I come from, for instance, that should approximate to about N640 million for an eight-year tenure, but the Governor has not sunk one borehole worth N1.5 million in Ogbaru in eight years. He has not done 10 metres of internal roads in Ogbaru. The major roads are still at the point where Governor Peter Obi left them. And I want everybody in APGA to come out and controvert this claim. Now, our local government legitimate earnings, Ogbaru hover around N130 million a month and now you have given us projects worth N640 million in eight years. But in one year, we should be averaging N1.2 billion as our direct allocation which you seize in Awka and allocate for other things. He tried to put streetlights – he said it was ‘Light Up Anambra’ in the entire state, but not one pole stands in Ogbaru and some other local governments. It was just done in about five, six local governments. So, when he tried to hoodwink people with an airport project which has not been completed and will remain so for the next two years.
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But a plane has landed there?
A plane landing doesn’t mean that there is an airport – it just takes a runway and a control tower. Other things make up an airport- as it is, the Federal Government has not licensed the airport for planes to land. In advanced societies, people are struggling to get to the moon. But let’s not even go there. People struggle within Nigeria to get to the townships, but for us, the reverse is the case – we struggled from the airport to get to the village. So, when you get to the airport, how do you get to your village? So, it is a question of priority. Do you want a project for bragging rights or a project that will impact a greater number of people? Democracy is all about happiness for the greater number of people. Let’s say the airport is even functional, how many people are using it compared to the number of people using the roads? That road was done by Governor Peter Obi, 70 per cent. The other 30 per cent, Governor Obiano has not put a dime on it in eight years. And you want me and people of Ogbaru to say he has done well? And the story can be replicated in all the local governments, including Aguleri where he hails from. Then, coming to why I think my candidate is in good standing to win – everybody who knows what leadership is about – leadership is about having the acumen to recruit the right people for the right job. Andy Uba has been in the power loop of this country at a certain time – such that a lot of people who rose to national prominence politically – you will always see Andy Uba’s hands in such appointments- even, Soludo, it was Andy’s presence in the Villa with former President Obasanjo that opened the leeway for a whole lot of them. Besides that, Andy is a team player, out of all the people who are in this race, he is the most experienced politically- he has been governor, though the court thought otherwise. The court didn’t say he didn’t win, they only said Governor Peter Obi’s tenure was still running. So, for me, the mandate Anambra people gave him in 2007 is only kept in abeyance and as they say, delay is not denial.
But that was on the PDP platform?
Yes, there was no APC at the time. He was the flag bearer and he won the election. As I said, that mandate is only kept in abeyance; destiny can be delayed, but cannot be denied. Andy Uba is about fulfilling his destiny to govern Anambra State. We have our manifesto, a derivative of the APC manifesto, but it will be jumping the guns for me to tell you the details of this document that we have carefully prepared which I will simply call ‘A Pact With Ndi Anambra.’ I can assure you that when we unveil our programmes, maybe over the next two, three weeks, you will know why Andy Uba is the man. But on a general note, everybody in this country knows that Andy Uba has the right connections to attract the right investments- he is on a first-name basis with most of the leading businessmen in this country. If you want to talk about investments from outside, you know, like I and Ndi Anambra people know that he is well connected because having played at the highest levels, he knows everything there is. Having served under the tutelage of somebody like former President Olusegun Obasanjo, having served in the Senate – those are not achievements that come easy – there is nobody in the field that has that. If there is anybody, let them come and talk about it.
But some analysts say with the way APC has handled the security and economic situation in the country, that nobody will want to vote for the party again and that this may also affect APC in the Anambra governorship election, especially with the agitations going on in the Southeast currently.
Which was the last governorship election in Nigeria?
Ondo
Who won?
APC
Thank you, we are in the same country. The challenges of insecurity and the agitations in the South-east have been there. And when you have genuine agitations, the question is how do we address it? Part of what they are complaining about is ‘exclusion’ – that’s what the whole uprising in the East is all about. Now, for Anambra that we know as a beacon to the South-east – if it belongs to the centre, do you think that the cries of marginalization and exclusion will still be as strident as it is today? But when we tried to cocoon ourselves, we cannot be seen. So, we cannot afford to been seen at this time to be removing ourselves where the majority of Nigerians are going. So, rather than be a minus at this time, it’s even a plus. We can only address these agitations on the national table of sharing. Anambra gets their fair dues- how many meetings does Governor Obiano come to in Abuja? If they call a meeting of the ruling caucus will he be there? Even if they call a meeting of all governors that he belongs to, most times he is abroad. So, we are talking about a man with the right contacts, so that we can stop talking about marginalization.
But some people will argue that Anambra has people like Ngige in the cabinet at the federal level
It’s not about being a minister – a minister does not have tenure, he or she does not execute anybody’s mandate – appointment of a minister is constitutional- the constitution says one minister per state. So, it’s in fulfilment of that that we have ministers even in the entire five states of the South-east. But it is a different thing from a tenured office – an executive governor. A minister can only do as much; he cannot do more than a governor would do for his people – which vote will a minister be executing to impact positively on his people? Andy Uba has said from the word go that in six months, he is going to conduct local government elections and he would allow the local governments to function. That’s in tandem with the reasoning of President Muhammadu Buhari. And if the local governments function – it may look farfetched- but remember that Anambra always charts the course of national history – if we devolve powers to the local governments, I can bet you that the cries of marginalization which I spoke about would have been reduced by 50 per cent. The local governments would come alive. These youths who have nothing to do after graduation would have something to do; local governments that are agrarian like mine can think of developing mechanized large swathe of land for agriculture for the youths to be engaged. But now, they can’t do that because all the money goes to Awka and nothing comes back. So, Andy Uba knows the problems. He was in the thick of things at the beginning of this democracy and I know that the goodwill he has garnered all over the country, the experience he has garnered over this period will surely chart a new path for Anambra.
There are fears that the candidacy of Andy Uba may be voided if it is challenged at the court given the ruling of the Supreme Court on Governor Mai Buni led APC in the Ondo governorship election. Do you also share this concern?
I am not worried. First, legal issues are not based on conjectures. No two cases are the same. When we get to that stage, the issues that are on the table will be treated. For now, there is no valid judgment stating that what we have done in having Governor Buni as Caretaker Chairman is wrong. I don’t want to go into arguments. But even, commonsensical, parties appoint governors to do one caretaker job or the other- no party is having a primary that doesn’t send governors to go and conduct it. Is that in conflict with their rule? Now, Buni was given a tenure- six months. At the end of that tenure, because of membership registration and the need to have a proper convention, they ask for an extension and the powers that gave that tenure ab initio was gracious enough to extend it. It is still a caretaker thing. The issue is – does he draw a salary as the caretaker chairman? The answer is No. Is the job tenured? No. What they are saying- if I understand my constitution very well – is that for the period that you are an executive governor, you would not take another job. These are just politicians trying to be busy.
Is Andy Uba now enjoying the support of some APC chieftains like Chris Ngige and even Moghalu who is still crying foul and other aspirants complaining that the primary was rigged?
In a family, you would always have disagreements, but we disagree to agree. Also, in a family, there are people that you cannot get to see things from your perspective. It is within anybody’s democratic right to say I am not feeling alright about a particular process and seek redress. It is also within the rights and privileges of the party to say you are suing the party, whether it does not run contrary to its provision that says all internal mechanisms must be exhausted. But to me as an individual, I know that 24 hours is a long time in politics and I know that discussions are going on. Some people don’t want anybody to grow above them; it is legitimate. Some people want to continue to be the leader. If any of our leaders has misgivings, we should talk about it in-house. Those of them that think they can pursue their aspirations elsewhere, it is also legitimate, but we can remain friends. But ambitions should be made of sterner stuff, according to Shakespeare. Don’t lose a primary election and think that by taking over a smaller platform, there are wonders for you to do there. But we can’t stop anybody from expressing his or her ambition. Having said that, a political party is like a market with free entry, free exit even though we try as much as possible to keep the membership and even growing. As you can see, some other people are even coming to APC; they have seen the light and others will soon see the light and they will soon join us.
Where do you stand on the controversies of where the 2023 ticket of APC should go and the demand of South-east for that ticket?
It’s a tough one for me because I am from the South-east and by mere elementary calculations, it ought to be zoned to the South-east. I used ought advisedly because power is not served ala carte. And my people say if you have a market day, you start preparing the day before the market day. We don’t wait until 2023 dawns on us before we start preparing. 2023 had dawned politically and calculations being made now by the major political parties are all about 2023 – be it APC, be it PDP. And the question I ask myself is if you go to the South-west, to the North, you can point to at least two people that are running. Who can we point to in the South-east either by body language or concrete movement has indicated that he or she is interested in the presidency? The number one thing in the selection of candidates for political parties is who will take you to victory. No party wants to run the presidential race for the heck of it. Every party wants to win and so, for us to agitate that this is our turn, we must have somebody. I cannot climb the rooftops of a company and say give us the presidency if I am asked, just like you have asked me and I start scratching my head in search of a candidate. It is Nigeria that you want to lead for God’s sake and if you want to lead Nigeria, you must engage in discussion with diverse groups -at least we know of six geographical zones- at this time, we should be talking to all of them. If we win the governorship as we know that it will please the Almighty to help us do, that might change the entire scenario. The people in control of APC will say this party is gaining more acceptance in the South-east, let’s encourage them and give them the presidency. I know people are waiting in the wings, but what I am saying is they should be man enough to stand up and be counted.
