‘Val Ozigbo the rightful PDP candidate’ – Sen. Obi

Senator Ben Obi is a former senator who represented Anambra Central Senatorial District in the senate and also a former vice-presidential candidate. Obi, a Board of Trustees Member of the  People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in this exclusive interview with www.odogwublog.com Reporter, COVENANT OLUCHI IKEDINOBI,  spoke on the crisis in PDP, insecurity in Nigeria, the upcoming governorship election in Anambra State as well as the 2023 presidential elections in view.

Excerpts:

PDP as a party is experiencing a lot of challenges both in the national and state level, including the sacking of the national party chairman . As a member of the party’s Board of Trustees, what do you think is happening and how can the issue be resolved?

Well, I must say that when you have a political party like PDP, that is in fact, a mass movement,  issues, problems, misunderstanding and disagreement are part of building. So for me, it is not anything knew that we are having crisis in the party. I have been involved in managing political parties over the years. In fact, I normally ignite crisis and seeing the ability and capacity of the party resolving those crisis is a managerial skill of leadership. So at all times, disagreement in party policy will always help to build the party.  However, when a national election is ahead, it is better we have this disagreement and reconcile them. I don’t think there is any abnormality in what the PDP is going through. I believe their is even worse in APC because they don’t even know weather they are going forward or backward.

Some people have the opinion that the crisis was ignited by people who have interest in vieing one elective post come February 2023, and that Uche Secondus is from the South. Again, Presidential candidate is speculated to come from the South, while party chairman will come from the North, how do you see this?

Politics is full of permutations, people express their opinion the way it suits them. Ehmm, but you see, as far as I know, I’m talking of 2023 and I think the last meeting we held, involved both government office holders and party stakeholders. We agreed that we are going to set up convention committee and the zoning committee. So, my faith is when this committees are set up, they will end up  airing their report. It is from the report they make a clear vision of where the party is heading in due course. So, there is no need beating about the bush on why there is always crisis and why they do not have crisis always. Earlier than the scheduled December 8, that committee will put the matter to rest. As we speak the stakeholders’ meeting is about to start in Abuja by 2pm to review all drama and ethics that have evolved in the last two weeks to take strong decision that will hold the party. Beyond that, expanded Board of Trustees, governors and stakeholders meeting is also likely to hold tommorow for the loss we have . I am aware in which direction the party is likely to go.

What do you think is the reason behind this crisis?

I have told you before that when you approach a general election, crisis must come; so it is not new. I earlier said that two weeks ago we installed a committee to take care of that.

Don’t you think the crisis might affect the party’s chances negatively in 2023 general election?

You are not correct. I just told you how we were able to calm tension in the party two weeks ago and now a BOT meeting is ongoing. By tomorrow, we are going to have an expanded BOT and Governors meeting, and that will end all of  the issues.

Okay. Now you said the party is going to take decisions on zoning, and going to set up a zoning committee, do you feel the party will be disposed to having a presidential candidate from the North to counter the plans of a Southern candidate?

Why do I have to start a guess work here now when I know that we just agreed on a zoning committee. I don’t want to start saying that the party is doing ABC and then tomorrow the zoning committee comes out with a fault.
I would, at least from my experience, allow the zoning committee to do their job and give us the report.

You are a former Senator and during your time, the deputy Senate president then was Senator Ibrahim Mantu, who died a few days ago, what kind of man was he,  can you tell us?

Yea! Ehmm, Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu is a nice person, a very flamboyant politician, a political tactician and strategist. He is a lover and friend of the people. He does not have boundary in his friendship and we were very good friends. I have been closely associated with  Ibrahim Mantu for 25yrs and we have been friends for the 25yrs, exchanging ideas. There is something very significant I need to say about Sen. Mantu; you recall the “third term saga”, in the Senate at that time. He was one of the solid promoter of the 3rd term project. Sen. Uche Chukwumerije was the chairman and on the 16th of May 2016,  when we collapsed the 3rd term project. When I got into the Senate Chambers, about 9:45am, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu walked up to me and said he needed us to talk, I said okay and we walked into the guest room. There he said, “my brother we will help you people collapse this 3rd term project today. That was funny, looking at him, he is a man whose reasoning was championing the process saying this to me. My reaction then was distinguished. “I do not believe you”, I said to him. He held my hand and said to me, “Sen. Ben Obi, just wait I’m coming.” He went and brought Sen. Thafida, the Senate leader who also was the major promoter of the 3rd term project and he said Sen Ben-Obi, I just told you that I will help you collapse this third term project and look at it , I’m with Sen. Thafida. I then told them to wait. I went in and called Sen. Uche Chukwumerije and said, “Comrade come and hear what I am hearing.” So, comrade  Chukewumerije came in and met them.  I asked them to repeat what they just told me, that I don’t want to say it in my mouth, Mantu and Thafida both repeated what they told me.  comrade Chukwumerije held my hand, looked straight into my eyes and said, “can this be true it will happen here now?” Thafida said it was true. I know that Senator Uche Chukwumerije was no longer with me and Senator Ibrahim Mantu is also of the blessed memory but Senator Thafida is still alive. So, at least I still have a witness and to confirm to you that they did exactly what they said to me, that was why they recalled Dr. Ken Nnamani as the President of the Senate. I put the question and I imagine how people were looking at me. I am putting the question the second time. You know, because he thought those few people leading the third term project would go for it and they put the question on a hold. They did not say anything. So, he was shocked, hence he put the question the second time, they mentained their side and those of us who were against the project, won completely.
So Sen. Ibrahim Mantu at the appropriate time and destined by God, played a pivotal role in saving the country from the constitutional crisis. This is the first time I will publicly say what happened and I thank God Sen.Thafida is still alive. That’s the man Ibrahim Mantu for you.

So, those of you who were against the third term project, carried the vote?

Yes we won and that was the end of that project.

Looking at the  saga occurring in parties towards the Nov 6 Anambra governorship election, what is the stand of the People’s Democratic Party in leading the state forward come Nov. 6?

The People’s Democratic Party  candidate, Val Ozigbo, carries one of the best credentials any candidate can present. And he is an accomplished technocrat, in which nobody can say negative about him, to the best of my knowledge and anybody who is saying he is flying the flag of the PDP in the state is just a dreamer because Val Ozigbo is our candidate. We have the United PDP working hand in hand with all the leaders of the party. Again, Ozigbo has inaugurated the campaign council which Senator Iyom Uche Ekwunife chairs. You know that when it comes to Grass root politicking, Iyom can never be found wanting. So, I think he has a good campaign squad, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that PDP conquers the Nov 6 Anambra State gubernatorial election. Even on the ground, PDP has two senators and has always been the party to lead. APGA has been running the state since 2003 and it has always been by the grace and full support of the PDP members. But this time around, PDP has decided that enough is enough of their duty. PDP has to come back in power in Anambra State.

Talking about the state PDP and the INEC, one realises that Ozigbo’s name have not officially been listed as the party candidate for the Nov. 6 election, what do you think is the reason behind the INEC delay?

Have they closed listing of names? Come on! They have not closed listing of names. That will tell on the 7th of October and they were part and parcel of the PDP primaries that was held on the 26th of July. So, though there are court cases here and there. I, as a lawmaker, will never  be a lawbreaker,  you have to respect the law. Ozigbo is still our candidate and I’m sure the court will still speak about it. So for me, it’s not an issue, Val Ozigbo still remains our candidate.

But sir, Senator Ugochukwu Ubah is also laying his own claim to the party, that he conducted a Primary election ordered by the court and that it remains the authentic primary, how does the party reconcile this?

Were you not at the venue of the primary? Is there anybody of the PDP family that you know, who was not there? You don’t just go and seat down in one corner and play pranks and then think that people like us will be a party to such rascality.  I feel sorry for my dear friend and brother in political party, standing near to such , he should Know better than that?

In the country today, one recalling decimal has been playing. It is either the headers are clashing with farmers, or the Fulani militia are killing people in the middle Belt; taking over their homes and back there in the North East, the Boko Haram are operating and devastating everything. Not far from the SouthEast too, the IPOB, Biafrians have turned the zone like a nightmare, what do you think is responsible for the plethora of insecurities?

Enhm, it is very unfortunate that we found ourselves in this level of insecurity across the country. Then, the agitation that we all know is as a result of people not feeling too confident about how they are being led; maybe at the local government, state and also the national level. So, its important that for you to cage insurgency and insecurity and the most important thing to do is establishing confidence in the minds of the people. The people must see themselves as part and parcel of that government. The Government should liaise with people of a particular area, and the people in that area also have a duty to reach out for an understanding with the people that have entered the society. Communities and villagers know when there are strange faces and keep quiet. They don’t have relationship with the leadership because if they do, and strange people come into their communities, they begin to ask questions.  what they need to do is pick up phone, call the vigilante and lay a report that they are seeing strangers’ faces here and we don’t know where they’re coming from.   If there is an understanding, we won’t be where we are today. So, most times all hands must be on deck. Security should not be personalized. Your security, my security is what concerns each and every one of us and we must fight it. It is true that the government have failed the people because what the people are expecting from them is safety. That is the first assignment a government should do but once it’s not achieved, immediately the people loose confidence and that’s why the insurgency and insecurity in the land increased.

Some people have this opinion that the insecurity in Nigeria has a political way of tackling it, do you share in this idea?

That is why I said it’s lack of confidence that generated this. If the people have confidence in the government, the reactions at times of challenges will be positive. You have seen it that the people are part and parcel of the challenge. If the government is not making effort to  ensure that people’s life are secured, then the people will have no option than to shield themselves.

  Just two days ago, there was an attack on the Nigeria defence Academy, and Nigerians have been downcast, describing it as an embarrassment to the country. If the bandits so called could attack the NDA, what does it tell about our security generally?

That indeed is a national calamity. How the place was invaded, officers killed and adopted doesn’t make sense. It is  gullible, unacceptable signal and government has to do something about it. Recall just a few days ago, the President got a briefing from the security chief on his return from his foreign trip and the message to the service chief was to buckle up or else there  will be fire. Two days after that, the very attack took place. This calls for a pronouncement of emergency in the security. We have to be open in our demand for help or maybe call for assistance. It is not a joke, because the clear message is that nowhere is safe. If you are told that the only secured place in the country, Nigeria Defence Academy, is invaded by bandits. Something has to be done immediately, the president should declare a state of emergency in the country.

People keep saying restructuring will solve a lot of  problem in Nigeria especially in the security sector, do you think it’s a welcome idea?

Almost everybody is talking about restructuring and when you see people saying the same thing, then there is a value in it. I believe the country should be restructured and I also support the call for state police. Most importantly, if you go back to the national conference of 2014, every part of this country brought out it’s first eleven in the confab of 2014, and most of the decision reached in that 2014 confab were virtually unanimous, so why not go back to that document, dust it up, take a dozens of that unanimous decisions that are critical and start implementing them so that people will see certain changes. It is when changes start to occur that there will likely be peace and stability.  So, I would strongly advice that they pick up the 2014 confab document, look at those positions that are unanimous and start implementing them.