Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, in this interview with Assistant Politics Editor, DANIEL KANU, speaks on the outcome of PDP primaries in his state, chances of the opposition and President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid, among other issues.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Abia
It was free and fair. As regards the governorship primary the people that contested were people that have been tested in one way or the other. Some have credibility, some have money. It was fair, very transparent and they all accepted the outcome of the result. None has agitated or has written petition that it was faulted. The same thing applies to the other categories in the primaries. The election for National Assembly as well as that of the House of Assembly were all the same. They were quite transparent. Summarily I will say that the primaries in my state were very fair and the officials that conducted them ensured that the choice of the majority prevailed. Those that won reflected the choice of the voters. So in all, it was a good election. We are not practising winner-takes-all in our party, so those that lost will also be integrated in the scheme of things.
Factors behind the success
If you look at the antecedents of Abia, you will know the secret. Abia, before now, was heavily polarised; it was a state in turmoil. If that was the situation under which the primaries were conducted you could have witnessed a lot of bloodletting, a lot of petitions and many other bad things. Cast your mind back when the PDP held their primary election when Onyema Ugochukwu and Okezie Orji were contenders. It was terrible at that period. It was horrible and that election could not be completed in one day. That was the situation we found ourselves then until I came on board and with the spirit of God we were able to reconcile every aggrieved stakeholder. Today there is peace, political harmony among all stakeholders and we are today one big PDP family. By 2011, we had achieved the needed political harmony and in Abia today, all the politicians that matter are in the PDP and we are all relating well. When they realised that my government is genuine and sincere, that my government was running an all-inclusive government, that it was a government that wanted the opinion of others, a government that cared for every person, they joined hands with the government. It is that harmony that has extended to the primary election and like a family discussion we know how to resolve our issues to the best interest of all. We don’t want a government that will come to disrupt the unity that God has helped us to build.
Victorious candidates particularly the governorship candidate, Okezie Ikpeazu, taking the state to the next level
I have said at different forum that the governorship candidate I will support must emerge from the primary and must be the choice of the majority. At last, Ikpeazu has emerged and you can see he was a popular choice going by the votes in his favour. He did not emerge out of imposition. I am quite optimistic that he will take the state to the next level, building on what we have started on our legacy projects. Ikpeazu is not a foreigner; he is a son of the soil, he has been with us, he has been part and parcel of the system and he has been working for Abia government to the admiration of Abians. The people know him and he knows the people. The primary election that brought him up was the voice of the people. I am confident that he will perform very well. I know that his best will be appreciated by Abia people.
Agenda for Abia Central Senatorial District
A lot of ideas will be brought to bear. A senator is there to ensure that good laws are made and you can count on me on that. I am going there also to ensure that my constituency is protected in the senate. I will carry my constituency along and ensure that projects are attracted to my people.
Assessing All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state
We have been saying it that there is no opposition in Abia and that is the whole truth. But all the same if they are rearing their heads, we are very ready for them. We are on ground and we are working very hard. So there is no cause for alarm. Don’t mind all the noise that the opposition is making. We are grassroots oriented and that is our strength. Look at APC and APGA and their candidates. They are diaspora people; they are not in touch with the grassroots. Let’s look at the APGA candidate for instance: that he was a bank Managing Director, connecting with big men and you ask how did that translate to the lives of the ordinary people? Those big men he has been connecting with, how many of them will vote? How many of them even have voters’ card? It is the ordinary people that will vote and we have positively affected the lives of those ordinary people and they are the people that will protect that vote.
Emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as the APC presidential candidate and Jonathan’s chances
Of course, it will be a keen contest; but President Jonathan will win. That is my confidence.
APC contesting with not less than 15 governors
It is not the governors that will vote; it is the people, and Jonathan has done well in all the sectors. There is no sector that he has not made impressive impact and Nigerians are aware of it. If you compare him with past leaders in terms of performance, you will know that he has done well and that is his selling point. He is a humble man and deeply concerned about the country. Nigerians know that the opposition is not telling them the truth rather thriving on sheer propaganda. And the people know the truth. A good majority of Nigerians are for Jonathan and they will vote for him.