Former chairman of Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Archbishop Benson Ezemo, in this interview with GRACE OBIKE, explains why the National Assembly should participate in the proposed National Conference.
WHAT is your position on the proposed National Dialogue ?
My take on the National Dialogue is that it is timely. The President has formed a group that is going around the states and I think that it is time that we all come out in our different groups and talk to ourselves on the way forward.
But the President said that there are some areas that will be no go areas… We need to talk to ourselves. There shouldn’t be any no go area. Our main focus should be the unity of this country and it should be respected.
The National Assembly should be involved in the National Dialogue so that we don’t go back sending the same thing to them. The members should be involved in the issue so that there won’t be any opportunity for somebody to remove or add something else. They should be involved in the National Dialogue because they are Nigerians.
Previous national conference have failed, is there any need for a new one?
We should learn to speak good about the country because what we say is what we see. We should learn to have some levels of respect for the leadership of this country. We need to pray for the peace of the land. When you talk about the National Dialogue, I believe that Mr. President is a listening President. In my recent interviews, I said his election would be based on performance. He made promises and you can see how he performed. This man you are shouting at, asking him to set up a National Dialogue or whatever, the man came out and agreed to it. Now, some people are saying that we do not want the dialogue. It is not every leader that will listen to the people and do what they say. So, they should give it a chance.
If you have something to present, you present it. Let’s talk to ourselves because where we were 50 years ago is not where we are right now. There is already a high demand for provision of roads and other infrastructure, with the corresponding increasing population.
It’s like stocktaking. Anyone that does not take stock at the end of every period will just be moving around. For instance, I attended a unity school and it prickles my heart when we see our country going the way it is because unity schools. Those selected for unity schools was based on performance. People that did well from different states were brought together, to foster unity and that was what the founding father, General Yakubu Gowon had in mind. That a child is taken to another state at the secondary school stage and grows up in another environment.
That is the kind of things that we should build upon. Things that will direct us and make this country strong. We should go beyond those things that will bring division like religion and tribalism. If we want to go beyond that, we should look for excellence because, in every state of the federation, there are people who are really good. We should bring out our first eleven. Let them go to the field.
AS a matter of constitutional imperative, can the outcome of the dialogue go to the National Assembly for amendment?
No, it shouldn’t be referred to them for any amendment. The point is that if they are involved in the debating like other people, they are part of it and there won’t be any need for them to remove anything. That means they have been involved in the process. But what is happening at the National Assembly calls for worry. Some people at the National Assembly are already saying there is no need for it. So, there is division at the National Assembly already on where the outcome of the dialogue should be sent to the National Assembly.
If asked to present a memora-dum, what would propose?
If I am asked to submit a memorandum to the conference, I will highlight the unity of this country because I went to a unity school. Religion was not one of the considerations, nor tribe, but the main consideration was that we were Nigerians. Those things that divide us are the areas that we need to put behind us and build on the things that unite us.
In other words, I will be asking the federal government to review issues of federal character, the issue of zoning and other issues that negate excellence.
Yes, the Federal Government will have to review issues that negate excellence. Let the first eleven from anywhere go out and contest or take positions. But when you begin to look for people that are not well qualified for certain positions, that is when you now consider some people based on tribe and other narrow interests.
Some have called for the division of the country becuase the way it is run indicates that there is no unity…
Our strength today is because we are Nigerians. I don’t think Nigeria is too tattered because our strength today as Nigerians is that we are one country. If we allow this country to divide, if you think that, because you have mineral resources or oil that you will be stronger than another state that has agriculture, you are telling a lie. If you now divide the oil rich states that maybe carved out of Nigeria, another tribe will say, this oil belongs to me and will keep fighting, so the good thing is that we are united now and there is strength in unity and that should be what we should guard jealously.
Don’t you believe that we will be better as smaller units?
I don’t believe that we will fare better as smaller units, nobody fares better as a smaller unit, you bring your strength and someone else brings his strength and we put it together. The only thing is that there are those basic things Nigerians have to look up to. If we have leaders that truly believe in this country, that will address the needs of the common man, that will provide selfless leadership, the better. If we have those who will first and foremost have the fear of God and ensure that people are not hungry, that will be a plus.
The common Nigerian is not a greedy person that is why you don’t see people taking to the streets. The ordinary Nigeria looks up to having is basic need provided. That is why you can’t call out a Nigerian to the streets to stay for 48 or 24 hours. So, we just need a leader that will be selfless, one that will know that at the end of my tenure, I will be like any other person.
So, we need basic education for our people at all levels. If this can be provided for Nigerians, there will be less talk about tribalism because it is the politicians that use these things for negotiations. When they negotiate, such things play dominant role in the talks.
You have equally observed that Nigerians are not patriotic. What is responsble for this?
In the aspect of Nigerians and their unpatriotic nature, this has to do with their background. You will employ somebody today, that has been looking for job for so many years, after securing the job, he starts looking for ways to defraud. You take your car to a mechanic and he charges you for things he did not do. He will be the same person to sit back and criticize the leadership. That is the same person who cannot deliver, he had the audacity to castigate his leaders.
So, if as Nigerians we begin to say to ourselves, let me respect and place value on myself first as a Nigerian, then, we will begin to talk good about our leaders because we will now know that are all parts of the problems of this country.
Has President Jonathan met the expectation of the people, since he came to office?
The President is fulfilling his promises. He has made a lot of progress on power because for him to fulfil that promise on power, he had to unbundle Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). He brought direct investment into power sector. These people buying it are investors and they are there to ensure that there is constant power. They bided and assured Nigerians that they have the capacity.
Mr. President is one man. He will not be the one to run the organisations but has done his part by providing a level playing field. He provides policy that will make those promises realisable and that is what any president is expected to do. Now, the people that bought the power plants should have an action plan to generate electricity as expected by the Federal Government that handed these things over to them.
What will you say in terms of education?
In terms of education, he met a lot of rots in the education sector. The infrastructure had decayed for long and you can’t expect the president to do it overnight. He has set up the right committee, with the right people and talking with ASUU to provide solutions.
You said there are rots in the education system. For three years, he been there, for how long will he continue to plan?
If you look at the budget, you will realise that the President has budgeted more towards the education sector than any government. He is the President and needs the support of everyone to achieve anything. The National Assembly should as well do their work. They should oversight properly, everybody should be involved, it’s not just Mr. President others should also should be involved to solve the rots in our educational sector. The solution to this problem is a collective effort.
