From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Former National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr George Moghalu, actually means many things to people. However, what is incontrovertible is that he has built himself into a big political brand having passed through the crucibles of political tutelage with several decades of experiences.
Moghalu, who is also the Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), was at his best as usual speaking
on burning issues, ranging from the future and fortune of the ruling party, his concerns ahead of 2023 general elections and why he has continued to prosecute his court case against the outcome of the Anambra APC primaries among others.
Can you bring Nigerians up to speed on the development of your ongoing litigation against APC primaries?
I have deliberately refused to speak on Anambra politics because of subjudice and to that extent, I can confirm to you that I am in court. It is not in contention that I am following the judicial process.
Are you not bothered by the subtle threat by the party’s national leadership that they are compiling the names of litigants for suspension and are you not running the risk of being accused of anti-party?
Why should I be worried when my being in court is not a hidden item? It is as open as the light and if they include my name in the compilation of those to be suspended, so be it and I wish them the best of luck.
As for the accusation of anti-party, everybody is free to think whatever he wants to think. All I know is that I am seeking justice, not for me alone but for the entire APC so that things can be done properly and that we can enthrone decency and democratic norms. It is as simple as that, not about me.
Has there been any intervention by the party for dialogue?
In all honesty, the part has not formally reached me for any form of out of court settlement. However, I have met with Mr. President, Vice President and leaders in their capacity but the outcome of the meetings is an issue for media consumption.
Has Andy Uba reached out to you as he promised to do the last time he visited the party headquarters?
I think we should not personalise the issue by making it look as if it is all about George Moghalu. It is not about me but about democratic institutions, about doing what is right, about halting impunity, about the interest of the party in the state, about the APC and about democracy.
I don’t like it when it is reduced to Moghalu wanting to be governor or not. I keep saying that power belongs to God and He gives it to whosoever He pleases at his own time. God’s will must be done and if He has destined that I will be governor, I will be one and otherwise I will not be. These are things that are beyond us. Yes, Andy Uba has visited me and so what.
What do you say about the allegation against you refusing to follow internal resolution mechanism?
What is internal mechanism they are talking about other than appearing before the Appeals Committee the party leadership set up? And even as we speak now, I have not heard anything from them, not even the report I formally applied to get from them.
Don’t also forget that I was racing against time because I have a time frame within which if I don’t take my protest to court, I am out. So, the delay could be a ploy to get me to lose that opportunity which I refused to.
Is there anything that can make you withdraw your case after meeting with the president, vice president and other party leaders?
You are pre-empting nature in this instance because what you are pressing me to do is to talk about tomorrow when we are still living in today. I suggest we wait for tomorrow to come and we deal with it but the truth is that I am still in court as we speak now.
What are the chances of APC in the Anambra State governorship election?
You see, I am not going to talk about it because anything I say now, by way of assessing the situation and realities on ground, will certainly be misinterpreted, misconstrued and misunderstood from the point of an angry person.
Therefore, I urge you to look at it from that benefit of the doubt because I am not in a good position now to analyse the party situation in the eyes of the people.
You have to excuse me because I might not be able to give an acceptable situation report on the status of the party because while some will see it as true, others may disagree depending on the side of the divide one is standing.
What is your perception of the APC especially in the build up to the National Convention?
As a critical stakeholder, I make bold to say that I am genuinely worried like many other party members. This is because I laboured for the party, especially the role I played in the formation of the party.
I have a high stake in the party and to that extent, I am watching, but it is bad because it has been reduced to Anambra issues, including the claim that my fight is for Anambra.
They should not forget that I was a member of the merger committee that formed the party.
Don’t also forget that I am the first elected National Auditor of the party and even re- elected before Mr President magnanimously and graciously appointed me to the position of NIWA Managing Director, resulting in me leaving the party’s national leadership.
I have been fully involved in the process and I can tell you that I am worried over what we read in the media and the reactions. My appeal is that we should not allow our party to implode.
What is your perception of the build up to the 2023 general election across party lines?
I am equally worried ahead of the 2023 elections because we are now playing God. Everybody is busy talking about 2023 even when we are still in 2021 yet the unanswered question is who has discussed with God to guarantee we all will be alive to witness the poll.
Why don’t we make the best use of the opportunity we have and do the best for the people? Why don’t we limit ourselves by emphasising on today instead of the emphasis on 2023?
I don’t have any problem with anybody having ambition for 2023 but my appeal for those of us that have responsibility across the country is to lay emphasis on delivering the dividend of democracy now.
We need to have economy that we will aspire to lead by 2023 and we need to build that political culture that will get the people to understand and appreciate our challenges, be part of what we are doing to build the democratic culture that will encourage our people so that by the time we get to 2023, these problems will be resolved.
We must wake up to the reality that God has a role to play in this business yet we keep removing Him from the scheme of things. It is only a healthy living man who can aspire to a political position. We have seen it happen previously and it is not rocket science. We have to do our best now to justify the confidence the people placed in us.
The only time you face challenges in a political party is when you want to cut corners. The rules are very straight and if followed, you won’t run into any problem. But the moment you make up your mind to manipulate the process, you will certainly get the answer you deserve.
And that is why we are having the challenges and hiccups left, right and centre. The court cases across the states are confirmation that the process is not right. Once you provide a guideline, allow it to operate to the fullest without minding whose ox is gored. You cannot just bend the rules.
Can you weigh in on the controversial issue of zoning tearing the major parties apart?
My advice on the issue is that we must talk about it honestly, sincerely. We must put the issue on the table and discuss it. We are talking about human beings and their various interests. What is clashing now left, right and centre is just interest.
Since we are dealing with human beings not robot, we must discuss it while the party, as a platform, should play the leadership role now. It must create the enabling environment for discussion to take place. No matter how difficult or bad it is, we must discuss.
Check history and you will understand that every war has ended on the discussion table not on the battlefront. The question I keep asking is why do we go to war first before coming back to the negotiation table.
Why don’t we discuss so that we can avoid the war. It is wrong to return to the dialogue table when destruction has taken place. We cannot afford postponing the evil day.
What is your take on the decision of the Southern governors on rotational presidency and the insistence on zoning 2023 presidency to the South?
It is a political decision and they are entitled to it just as Baba Ahmed of Northern Elders Forum is entitled to what he said too. Saying that it is inflammatory depends on the perspective you are looking at it. But it still boils down to what I am saying about getting to the discussion table.
Do you still stand on what you said that Buhari’s legacies will be enough to ensure APC retains power beyond 2023?
The truth about it is that whenever you want to assess a regime, don’t take it from the middle, and let it start from the beginning. You have to also look at it from the perspective of the promises made and promises delivered, using empirical evidence.
I come from the South East and I can tell you that the government is delivering the promises made to us one after the other. Let me emphasise very strongly that Nigeria is a work in progress. We have not reached our desired destination. However, everybody is working to achieve that objective barring all the challenges.
There are legacy projects you can mention specifically and for me if there is one legacy project I will praise this administration; it is the fact that the second Niger Bridge is almost coming to a conclusion. We are all in this country when between 1999 and 2015, there were four flag offs for that bridge.
Before every election, we have a national flag off by the president. Each time he comes, he flags off, we pack away the canopies and pack away the project too. It continued until President Buhari came, made a commitment and started delivering it.
I throw you a challenge, time was when we the South East are sitting on the centre table. And if you have forgotten, as at the time under reference, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was from the South East.
It is the same thing with the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker, Chairman Senate Committee on Works and that of House of Representatives, Ministers of Aviation among others yet no single kilometre of road was done in the South East.
No federal road in the zone was tarred for 16 years even when the sons and daughters from the zone sat on the table decisions were taken. We have the powers to put it in the budget, approved and awarded it but today, they are receiving attention. Enugu-Onitsha, Aba-Ikote Ekpele among others are under construction. These are major roads in the South East the current administration is working on.