All Progressives Party (APC) chieftain Senator Annie Okonkwo spoke with Precious Igbonwelundu on the prospects of the proposed party and his governorship ambition in Anambra State.
You are one of the promoters of the APC and the party is seen more as Yoruba/Hausa party. don’t you think that the Igbos would be marginalised in the new party?
No, that perception is wrong because the APC is not a Hausa/Yoruba party. We, the people of the Southeast observed that the only political party where an Igbo man will have a say and ample opportunity to actualise his presidential ambition is in the APC. Don’t forget that I am the President of C21, a socio-political group that is seriously advocating for the emergence of a president of Igbo extraction. With the signatory of the Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and with the support of C21, APC has become a recognised national party and every position will be shared equally. The focus of the APC is internal democracy and I am very optimistic that an Igbo man will emerge as the presidential candidate of APC in 2015.
Are you sure APC will give Nigerians an alternative?
Yes. If we want this country to survive, we need a party like APC that would compete with PDP, a party that will give people the opportunity to have an option, instead of creating doubt in people that after voting for their choice of party, the party will not win. Majority of us that left the PDP were not satisfied with their conduct. We would have decamped long ago, but there was no alternative platform and when APC was introduced, we decamped immediately. APC was formed in order to rescue the people and the country from PDP’s undemocratic way of leadership. No party can rule forever, we need to try the APC since PDP has failed. They don’t think of the welfare of the people, they don’t think about how to provide security for the people. all they are thinking about is themselves.
Are you not worried that the party has not been registered till now?
I am not worried at all because the process is on and it will be registered. We are not a new political party; it is the coalition of political parties. This is the first time that parties are merging in this country. What we had in the past was alliance. We are not worried about the registration because it will soon be registered.
How do you describe the state of affairs in the country today?
Personally, I believe that today, there are apprehensions in the country- the issue of insecurity, the crisis in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the controversial election of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) where they could not choose the chairman of their forum, the increasing unemployment in the country and many other issues. I personally, believe we must start doing something about it. I commend the President on his decision to declare emergency in some states in the North. Since he declared state of emergency, there has not been any serious attack by the Boko Haram group. Before now, it was bombing here and there. I am appealing to all Nigerians to embrace peace, but the Federal Government must be very careful to be able to arrest the situation. The Federal Government should scout and fish out those causing the problem. I believe that would end this insurgence. We have many security agencies; they should investigate properly to fish out the kingpins. It is a worrisome situation which has affected everybody one way or the other. We must all support the government in power, irrespective of our political parties because, if anything happens to Nigeria, it has happened to all of us. We pray we don’t experience another civil war because there is no country that survives two civil wars. It is necessary that we do everything possible to maintain peace to enable us live together as one Nigeria.
Is insecurity in the country associated with 2015 election?
I don’t think so because the problem has been there since 2009. In 2011, the group (Boko Haram) carried out various attacks but unfortunately, it became serious this period. The federal government has been ignoring it without knowing the magnitude. They were taken for granted not knowing that it will result to this. For me, I believe that the government did not do what they were supposed to do. But now that they have realised that and introduced measures to arrest the situation, I don’t think it will affect the 2015 election.
What are the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan, in terms of infrastructural development?
As far as we are concerned, we are still looking forward to it. as at now, we have not seen tangible things that we can point at and beat our chest that this is what he has offered the Southeast, starting from the dredging of the Niger, nothing has happened, construction of second Niger bridge, the roads that leads to the East or that are in the East are still in terrible condition. The other time they came in to say they have commissioned the airport, nothing is there, and we are now going into the final stage of the race. I do not see anybody that will come and tell me that the promises have been kept. And like they will say in a proverb ‘’first fool, is not a fool but the second one is proper foolish’’. We cannot be fooled twice, we have given the support, Southeast has suffered for this government and we cannot boast of anything that will give us hope or convince us that the Southeast will be taken care off. If they have not done anything before now the probability of trusting them that they will do something is very slim and dangerous. We cannot be asked to continue with this government; yes Ndigbo as far as I am concerned will not accept promises that have not been kept. So, we are looking for an alternative that we are sure will keep promises.
How do you see the unfolding political developments in Anambra ahead of next year’s election?
Things have started happening in Anambra because the election is six months down the line. Our concern is to ensure that that APC captures the state. Anambra election will be the first test for the APC. Presently in Anambra, the two political parties, PDP and APGA that can compete with APC are having serious crises and the election is just six months to go. With the way things are going in the state, it will be very difficult for any party to beat the APC. APC will win the election.
Having made public your governorship ambition at different fora, are you sure that you will emerge APC’s candidate?
I am optimistic. APC believes in internal democracy and not the imposition of candidates on the people. It is the people that will decide their candidate, but if they think I am not the best candidate to carry the flag, anybody the people elect, I will support the person.
What is the uniqueness of your candidacy?
I am not a neophyte in politics. I have been in Anambra politics for over 20 years and the people know me too well. I have been able to positively affect the lives in the state. If you look at most of the aspirants in Anambra State, you will see that none of them have done half of what I have put on ground. Because of my achievements, recently, some people without my knowledge went and wrote 100 reasons they want me to become the governor.
The People of Anambra North Senatorial District are seriously agitating for power shift. Does it bother you?
They have been saying it, since the creation of Anambra. There was never a time that the people of Anambra State sat down and discussed about zoning. In all the elections that took place in Anambra, the North, the South and the Central participated. So I don’t see the reason they will come out now and be saying that it is their turn. If they present a credible candidate, no party will deny them of the mandate, but if it is leaving the election open for the people from the North, it is not possible and it has never been done anywhere. The present governor is from the Central, but I don’t see anything special that the people of the district have benefited. So, the most important thing is to elect somebody that has the people at heart.
The general impression in Anambra is that the state has a lot of money bags do you think you have the financial strength to compete with them?
I don’t believe in money politics. I know that money is needed for publicity, logistics and many other things, but it is not how much you throw around that can make you a governor. Anambra is a very wise state and they know everybody. Anambra is not a state you can buy with money and even, if you are able to buy, you cannot buy everybody. You can be rest assured that the people will take your money and will not vote for you.
How would you react to the controversy trailing the NGF election?
I am disappointed. I don’t believe that governors can do what they are doing. There are certain things we are expecting from the governors. If you are defeated in an election, you congratulate your opponent and not to make it a do or die affair. Even, if somebody was endorsed prior to the election, the endorsement does not mean you must win. That a group endorsed somebody before an election does not mean that the person has won the election. From what the governors said, there was an endorsement and there was an election. For example, during the election of the principle officers of the House of Representatives, PDP endorsed Hon Mulikat Akande before the election but the majority of the House voted for Hon Tambuwal and today he is the Speaker.
