With the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) trying to avoid the banana peel that took away leadership from it during the 8th Assembly, the party leadership has made wide-ranging choices of candidates before voting and inauguration of NASS next month. This has not gone down well with the opposition who feels that the move is a direct affront to democracy.
Hon. Chidi Obeta, House of Representatives member-elect, who will be representing the people of Nsukka/ Igboeze South Federal constituency in this interview said that choosing NASS leadership should not be a party affair. Excerpt:
Now that the APC has retraced its footsteps on it’s earlier decisions of choosing candidates for NASS leadership, what do you think would be the focus of the opposition?
Our focus is undeterred. And that is because we knew that political war is full of surprises. Well, let me start by telling you that the political game of APC does not fall in any political science education. What they do is taking the populace to a ride and maybe with the feeling that they are the ruling party and as such they can rabble-rouser all Nigerians. It does not work like that in a sane society. It is obvious that the reason for retraction of the earlier endorsement of Senator Akpabio and cohorts was because Nigerians shouted them down and with other aggrieved persons in their party raising their voices. The style is a total disregard to the National Assembly rules and undermining of democracy in Nigeria. And this has got to show the body language of the President-elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his would be leadership style. People are still lamenting the disregard to the rule of law by Muhammadu Buhari- led government and the incoming is already showing his class. So, if not that Nigerians, including the opposition parties and some members of the same APC, who felt betrayed in their own party like Orji Uzor Kalu, kicked against the move, they wouldn’t have made the reverse of the decisions made earlier. These are some of the things that people should look out for in the 10th Assembly. It is going to be a very engaging as thoroughly bred members of parliament are here to work according to the extant laws of the land. So, APC should as a matter of fact retrace it’s footsteps and start doing things the lawful way or they should be disgraced before the international community. Like I said, we have made our decisions on what we will do, but I cannot disclose to you now whom the opposition will elect and this is because consultations are still ongoing and the most important thing is that we must ensure that the opposition takes charge of the National Assembly leadership and it is possible.
Can you throw more light on the house rules regarding election of house leaders?
It is clear that the act that established the National Assembly also allows the members of the parliament to make rules that guide their activities without any interference from the Presidency or anyone. That is why the National Assembly is a law-making organ of the government and they make appropriations and also deliberate on such and passes it into law. So, also the choice of leadership, was also part of the rights of elected members from all party divide. To this, a political party can only nominate a candidate to vie for such positions which is not automatic that he or she should win because such person goes through electoral process, where the winner will emerge possibly from any party. And the NASS rules does not say that leaders must be chosen from the ruling party. So, everyone including the agrieved members of the APC and all the opposition are insisting that for few members of APC to sit down among themselves to dish out names already chosen for the leadership of the 10th Assembly is a direct affront and a slap to democracy.
Just in case the plans of President-elect and choices of candidates scale through, what would Nigerians expect?
Nigerians would expect another rubber-stamp parliamentarians, that is where the pendulum is swinging to. But I hope you are aware of the current spate of crises in APC now. The out of favour in APC, together with the North-central people have staged a protest to press home its demand. And what this portends for the APC is that the party is already chaotic. It got to show what some people are prepared to give to Nigerians immediately after sworn in. But it is also good to the opposition because such moves are not new to the opposition parties. It will help us to prepare grounds for next move.
With the pronouncement made by APC, do you have the feeling that it has subtly set aside the house election rules?
Yes, of cause, we should not forget that rules are rules. The APC is no respecter of the rule of law and that is what they are trying to exhibit by choosing and publishing names of anointed ones from the zones they wish irrespective of the zones they come from. Taking a look at the choices they made, you can see that their choice is shifting towards dividing Nigeria the more and that is one important issue of note in this whole thing. For example, the Northeast in their calculation should provide Vice President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives . The Southwest should also have the position of the President, the Deputy Speaker, while other zones should be there wallowing. Ordinarily, the six key leadership positions in the National Assembly, is enough to go around the six geopolitical zones. So, with this move, their advisers had just made them set aside the rules of the National Assembly.
It is obvious that the number of seats won by the opposition parties overshoot that of the ruling party, Do you think this can be a deciding factor?
Yes, and that is the reason we said that electing leaders of the parliament is a duty exclusively reserved for the members both at the Green Chamber and Red Chamber to decide. Wether they like it or not, if the totality of the opposition members come under one umbrella, the ruling party would automatically lose the leadership of both chambers. It is pertinent to note that the 10th Assembly cannot be a pushover or rubber stamp as people used to say. I can tell you that in readiness to APC manipulations, a 35-member Labour Party caucus in the 10th Assembly of the House of Representatives has elected Hon. Afam Victor Ogene as its leader. And he will be representing LP in the committee put together for an alliance. Hon. Ogene, a ranking member from Ogbaru Federal Constituency in Anambra State, who have also served from the 7th Assembly, emerged as the Labour Party leader with 21 votes, after a keenly contested election in Abuja. And we think, this is how it is supposed to be in a democracy. He will be serving in the committee of opposition parties preparatory to the NASS leaders election, because this protest and division in APC is a good ground for the opposition to strike. If only all of us can unite, we can outclass them. Like I said earlier, it is a good thing we conduct ourselves and ready for the NASS elections. It is the duty of members to select whom they chose and that should cut across party divide in agreement. It is not a party affairs. What APC is doing, may backfire”.
Do you foresee any political manouvering that can make some opposition parties vote for the ruling party?
It is possible, and that is what makes politics unique. Anything can happen because it is a game of interests. People cast their votes where their interests are protected. So, it can happen. But we should not forget in a hurry how Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu both of PDP surprised the APC on the ground of being smarter than they were to became both President of the Senate and Deputy during the 8th Assembly. We should not rule such out entirely and I also guess that APC is trying to avoid that banana peel. But this time they got it all wrong again by shooting themselves in the foot. So, right now, lobbing and manouvering are imminent among contestants. For example, those who have declared interest to run for the Senate President under the ruling party such as Senator Orji Uzor Kalu was not chosen nor consulted for the choice of Senator Akpabio. And what this portends is that the likes of Senator Kalu would seek alliance from the opposition and also those who have been short-changed to topple the number of the ruling party. So, possibly, lobbing and political manouvering are imminent as far as casting of votes is concerned. And with this I can tell you that the opposition must have better positions to grab because we are the majority as we speak. What we just need is for us to come together after forming the committee and pull surprises.
You are one of those whose election is not being contested in the court of law. How do you feel about this?
Yes, I am so greatful to God because I have also seen some of my colleagues whose elections are being contested in the tribunal. And with the problems of spending money paying for legal services, as well as the time for attending the proceedings. I am actually lucky honestly that I won my election free, fair and square.
How are you preparing for parliamentary duties as a newcomer?
I am preparing well, like I always said, this 10th Assembly is going to be a robust one with vibrant individuals ready to make changes after the eight years of APC economic misfortune. I am assuring my people of good representation. But for now, I am undergoing routine training and mastering of parliamentary duties.
On my own, I am getting myself acquainted with that and also learning on how to do the job. I would like to reiterate that this 10th Assembly is going to be a robust one because the Assembly has elected members both Representatives and Senators cut across all parties divide and Nigerians should be expecting a robust parliamentary duties this time.
What are the areas you have your focus to attract Federal projects for your people?
Well, the obvious thing is that members of the parliament do not execute Federal Government contracts, but they can only advise on what projects the people will benefit at that point of time. It is all about knowing what the people want at that point in time.
Like I used to tell people during my campaign that I did not just pick form to contest the position to go there and sleep. My reason to contest was borne out of the great desire for social amenities. The people in my constituency lack virtually everything that make life what it is. Today, we can’t talk of standard hospitals, be it cottage or primary health care centres. It is appalling that Nsukka/ Igboeze people cannot boast of potable water in the 21st Century. What about good roads and well equipped schools? On my own, I will ensure that the Adada federal project, which is the only Federal Government presence after the University of Nigeria comes into fruition. That project has been abandoned since the 7th Assembly. It has the potential to generate and supply water for the generality of Enugu North, as well as power generation. If the dam becomes functional, seasonal irrigation farming is sacrosanct and Enugu North would bounce back in agriculture.
I will also improve on the standards of education by ensuring that good schools and hospitals are sited within by constituency.
We will also look into helping the less privilaged people in my constituency who also gave me their mandate. A great many of them as of today cannot afford their children’s school fees even to afford three square meals comfortably. So, we are gearing up to face challenges of ensuring that we use the mandate to alleviate poverty. We may not affect many directly, but indirectly with the provision of social amenities, many will be affected.