All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former Minister of State for Works, Chris Ogiemwonyi, in this interview with Special Correspondent, TITUS OISE, speaks on expectations of Nigerians on the Muhammadu Buhari presidency and 2016 Edo politics, among other issues.
Expectations of Nigerians on Buhari
I have 99 per cent confidence that the man elected president by Nigerians will perform. In simple language, I see him as the messiah that we have all been waiting for. I see hope and a new dawn in Nigeria. I see the locust days gone forever in Nigeria. It is definitely the Lord’s doing that this man emerged to take Nigerians to the Promised Land. It’s something that we must celebrate.
Corruption in Nigeria and advice to Buhari
We have laws in Nigeria. We have institutions to check corruption. But the truth is that these institutions were not allowed to work. First, I am going to say we must strengthen these institutions – ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission), EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission), the police etc. By the time we strengthen these institutions such that there will be no sacred cow, the rule of law will prevail. I see the president-elect as a man who believes purely in the rule of law. It is for Nigerians to support him because in the process, we may get to some areas where people will want to be spared, but we’ll encourage the president-elect that there should be no sacred cow. Whoever is corrupt should face the music because this country is blessed, but it got to a point where about three per cent of Nigerians were sucking this country dry like mosquitoes. So the time of reckoning has come and whoever is found corrupt should not be spared.
President Goodluck Jonathan conceding defeat in the presidential polls ahead of the announcement of the final results
What was his option? What option had he? It was so obvious that he had lost the election. I think by the time he called the president-elect, we had probably heard 90 per cent of the poll results, so there was no option for him than to concede defeat. People said he conceded defeat in magnanimity, but he had no option than to throw in the towel.
PDP winning in Edo on March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections and APC winning in House of Assembly polls two weeks later
First and foremost, you asked why the results of the election held on March 28 went the way it did. You see, many Nigerians were not too sure that President Goodluck Jonathan could be defeated. They were so concerned about the incumbency factor. But I tell you that what happened was that Nigerians were fed up in view of the various ills that bedevilled the country – corruption (the highest we have seen so far), insecurity, poor economy, bad power situation etc. Everything was going downwards. So, Nigerians voted for a change. That is the truth. Then for the April 11 elections, why a reversal? Many of us came out to speak publicly. You would recall that we held a press conference on the April 6, telling people the need to align properly; that Edo State will never again be in opposition. The Edo people listened and many other groups came out with that same slogan “we’ll never be in opposition” and people realised the benefit of having a government at the centre in their states. Edo people wanted to be in the scheme of things. Definitely, once we are properly aligned with the centre, the benefits are enormous. The Middle Belt did; the Yoruba saw the need. I am happy that the Edo people did too.
Buhari and APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, shutting the doors on defectors
On the issue of the defectors, people are probably looking at the area of integrity. People should be principled. Having said that, I should say we should open our doors to those who are coming. We should welcome them. But they should realise that they are coming after the rain had fallen. Like the Benin would say, “if you want to fetch water, you should fetch it when the rain is falling”. You should not fetch water when the rain has stopped falling. The time people could have joined the party was when the struggle was on, with high level of uncertainty.
Serving ministers that should be retained by the in-coming administration
They say that when the head is bad, then everything would be bad. The government of President Jonathan was sick. Probably, only two or three people in his cabinet can be said to have performed. But I cannot judge some of them because I am not an expert in the area they served. For instance, I understand the Agriculture Minister performed well. In the oil and gas sector, where I have my experience, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, performed dismally. Despite the high calibre of staff in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), she never allowed them to perform. She was madly in charge. She should be held accountable for the lapses in the oil sector. I am supporting that NNPC accounts should be audited.
Your role in 2016 Edo governorship poll
You would recall that when I joined the party in November last year, there was a high level of uncertainty over its future. I told them I was coming to support the party to win elections. Thank God, today the future is clearer. Talking about the future, in democracy, the people’s will will always be done. So, I am looking at the future with certainty, but when it comes to making the decision of who and who will go for elective position like the governorship, the people will decide. There are many competent people. It is people’s decision. That is democracy.
Tussle for 2016 APC governorship ticket with Deputy Governor, Pius Odubu
I don’t like politics of exclusion. Nobody has told me that only the deputy governor and I are in contention. What I heard from the party is that the governorship has been zoned to Edo South, and the zone has eminent people. It is made up of seven local government areas and there are competent people from these areas. When we get there, the people’s will will prevail.
