•Tinubu administration, victim of its speed
Former National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and immediate past Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), George Moghalu has urged Nigerians to reduce their expectations from the President Bola Tinubu’s young administration.
In this interview with ROMANUS UGWU in Abuja, Moghalu described the Tinubu-led government as the victim of its speed in the implementation of several policies, especially in the removal of fuel subsidy, and composition of his government among others.
He equally spoke on several other issues, including the perceived controversy between Rotimi Amaechi and Nyesom Wike over the control of the structures of the APC in Rivers State, and the need to for the Federal Government to diversify the economy and reduce the cost of governance.
Did the outcome of the off-cycle governorship elections come to you as a surprise?
No, not at all. Not at all. And let me use the opportunity to congratulate the Imo and Bayelsa state governors for their re-election. I will also congratulate the Kogi state governor-elect for his emergence. For Imo State, particularly, I see it more as a reward for hard work because the governor actually worked. He campaigned aggressively in the course of the election. For me, I didn’t see any surprise. You must not also lose sight of incumbency factor in the politics of our country.
It is possible to defeat an incumbent but that requires extra efforts because all the paraphernalia, machinery of governance are at his disposal. Fighting an incumbent is like the beginning of a race where everybody is not on the same line. The incumbent has two steps ahead. It will take greater work from the opposition to upstage the incumbent. I was not surprised with the outcome of the governorship election.
Why were you conspicuously absent at the recent Anambra State APC stakeholders meeting?
Let me put some issues in the right perspective. The issue of integration you mentioned does not arise because you can only talk about integration for someone outside. I am a bonafide founding member of APC. So, it is an irony for a tenant to sack the landlord in his house. For me, the issue of integration does not arise.
As a bonafide member of APC, and as a matter of my orientation, I am one of those who insisted that things must be done properly. Due process must be followed, and an enabling environment created for things to work. I can claim that I am a stickler for things to be properly done. And that is what I have always demanded.
Before now, you asked me why I went to court. And I said that it was because things were not properly done. You cannot ask us to contest for primary, you sit back in the bedroom, write results, come out and announce it, and expect me, George Moghalu, to accept that as a result. I will be honourable enough to congratulate the winner if I lose in an election.
But when you manipulate the process, I will tell you that it will not work. That was exactly what I did last time, and I will do it again if the need arises. However, if things are done properly, I don’t have any problem. I am very excited about the people joining our party.
APC has no governorship candidate yet. This is a party built on equity, justice, and fairness. By the time we get to the bridge, we will cross it. When there is need for us to look for a candidate, we will go to the primary and everything must be done properly. Whoever emerges in the primary becomes the candidate of the party. So, the issue of endorsement does not even arise.
It must be a level playing field. We are excited that people are joining our party. I did not attend the stakeholders meeting because I was indisposed and I felt it was not necessary to be there at that particular time.
Can we say that you are comfortable with the happenings in the party now?
I am very comfortable because I have no reason now to doubt any action since you cannot read anybody’s mind and cannot challenge an action out of intent.
Does it mean that you are okay with the decision that a new entrant, Ifeanyi Ubah, is now the leader of the party in the state?
Nobody can entrust the leadership of the party on anybody just like that. It is not possible because a leader evolves from among the people. You can elect the chairman, governor, and president, but a leader evolves among the people. It is the people that choose their leader. Leadership is a responsibility and spontaneous reaction from the people. You don’t declare somebody a leader.
Who is the leader of APC in Anambra State currently?
We have leaders who control people by their actions and people relate to them based on their status as leaders. I am a leader in my own right and there are other leaders by their right that are respected. The party cannot impose anybody on us as the leader of APC in Anambra State except they want to rock the boat. It is not in the party we built, and we are talking about justice, equity, and fairness. It has nothing to do with peace, but giving respect to who it is due. In order of hierarchy before this time, Chris Ngige came first in APC Anambra State, and after him, I. We are the founders who built the party. Time was when we were called Boko Haram.
APC Anambra has already started the build-up for the 2025 governorship election. What do you think will likely play out?
You said that the party’s leadership believes that Ifeanyi Ubah can win Anambra and give to APC but I tell you that those days are gone. Every interested person will throw his heart in the ring. The party must create an enabling environment and a level playing field for every interested person.
You asked whether I think Ganduje can do that and my answer is that he has no choice. He is the national chairman of our party with the responsibility to create an enabling environment so that the party can win the election. The candidate we present will, to a reasonable extent, determine who wins the election. Don’t also forget that we have the incumbent factor to contend with. We must present our first foot forward.
What is the prospect of APC winning Anambra state in 2025 governorship election?
The prospects are very high. But it will only take a fool to ignore the power of the incumbency. That is why the party must present its first foot forward by unifying the party’s stakeholders. They must create the enabling environment for the best person acceptable to the people to emerge. It will make the stakeholders rally around the candidate.
Apart from the incumbent fighting to retain his position, other parties are fighting to remove the incumbent. It is not a two-party affair of APC against the incumbent. There are other parties like the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) among others and who told you that there may not be a coalition of parties to present a strong candidate? Everybody will come with their inherent advantage.
What about the threat from Ganduje that APC will soon take over all the South East states?
Well, that is his wish and I believe that it is possible. APC is already in control of more states in the geopolitical zone. But it boils down to planning and doing the right thing. It is about creating an enabling environment. The time was when PDP was in charge of the entire South East states.
But as we speak and as presently constituted, Imo and Ebonyi are APC states, Anambra, APGA, Enugu, PDP, and Abia, LP. Taking over the states requires us to work very hard and encourage the incumbents in the two states under APC to work hard, and do so well to be the models to influence the citizens of other states that will use them as reference points to demand the replication in their states. Above all, if we are not united in fighting the common cause, our time will be wasted again.
Do you have implicit confidence in the current leadership of the APC?
Yes, I have confidence in the national chairman, secretary, and the other members of the NWC. There were some of my colleagues when I was there that are still there. I have no reason not to have confidence in them.
What about the decision to dissolve Rivers State executive of the party?
It will be difficult for me to comment on the issue, because I don’t have the full facts of what transpired. I don’t know what informed the decision of the party’s leadership to dissolve the state executive or those appointed to the caretaker committee.
However, the advice I will give, having been a member of the working committee, is that whatever decision they have to take about elected positions, they must follow due process. Because going against due process is a recipe for disaster. The biggest challenge we have in the political parties is when the fight is internal. It is always very difficult to manage.
What do you tell Nigerians accusing the APC government of insensitivity to their plight?
Yes, I agree that things have not been rosy. But at the same time, I would rather say that the Tinubu administration is a victim of its speed. It is a victim of its speed in terms of performance. Because of the speed, people are already seeing this administration as one year old or even two years old. Yet, it is only slightly above six months. He was quick in the appointment of ministers and quick in taking strong decisions on fuel subsidy removal, Forex, and security among others. They should be commended, but, unfortunately, the returns have not started manifesting.
I would rather appeal to our people to be patient. There is no doubt that things are very difficult, but we must be a bit patient. We will keep supporting the government so that the actions they want to take or have started taking can start manifesting concerning the dividend of their actions.
But, how do you justify the insensitivity of the lifestyle of government, especially in the proposed purchase of official cars for the legislators and the presidency?
I agree with you that the cost of governance must be drastically reduced, and I think the government is looking at that. While the lawmakers should defend themselves over the purchase of the official cars, I am happy that the president has explained the issue of the yacht and even diverted the funds to student loans.
It shows government sensitivity and a demonstration that the government is listening to what the people are saying. I believe that since we want to cut the cost of governance, we must also not lose sight of the fact that no matter how much there must be cost implications.
Are you comfortable with the show of force between Rotimi Amaechi and Nyesom Wike in the struggle to control the structure of Rivers state APC?
If I were in the APC NWC, I would have been in a better position to answer the question because I would have all the facts regarding what is happening now. The only thing I will say about this is that I still believe very strongly that both the former Minister of Transportation, Amaechi, and Wike are working for the development of the nation and rebuilding of our party, particularly in Rivers State because they are all leaders with followership.
Will you be surprised if Wike joins APC?
How can I be surprised? I have always said that political parties are like a church without a gateman. Nobody stops anybody at the entrance of the church gate to interrogate his mission, leaving one church for another. For me, political parties are like vehicles for the actualisation of either personal or group members’ interests. So, if Wike decides to join APC, he will be welcomed.
What is next for you?
I am already doing something. I am writing a book, I am going to school, and doing my private business because I was someone before I became the MD of NIWA. I am not saying bye-bye to politics. Politics is one area you cannot retire from. I still have so much to contribute.
What is your take on the impositions in the APC, including the national chairman and secretary?
I don’t believe they were imposed. Let me correct the wrong impression that Abdullahi Adamu was removed. He voluntarily resigned as national chairman. It was a personal decision that nobody could counter. While filling political vacancies, you must consider the political dynamics because you are talking about the people.
What they are talking about is that every decision must injure one person while benefiting another person. Even in our families, what we do is make an effort to see that every decision will be in the interest of the majority.
Once we can get our decisions to align with the wishes and expected aspirations of the majority, then we are in a more comfortable position. My advice has always been that for whatever decision whether personal or family, try and see to it that you will get the majority of the people with you.
What is the secret of your white beard?
Well, it has been like that at least for the past four years now. I will admit that it was influenced by my daughters. It was a decision they took on the dining table one afternoon. One of them who suggested that the beard looked good on me got the support of his siblings.
Do you have confidence in the implementation of the 2024 budget?
I have every confidence it will be implemented. The only challenge is that we must not lose sight of the fact that the resources available to the government continue to dwindle by the day. So, it requires agencies of government, ministers, and the MDAs to think out of the box on how they can improve internally generated revenues and improve on diversifying the economy.
Reading about diversifications like solid minerals and agriculture gives lots of excitement. We need to do things for the benefit of our people. With the new developments in the world, oil is not the way to go now. We must lay more emphasis on alternative sources of revenue in which agriculture and solid minerals can play a very critical role.
How do you describe life after leaving office as NIWA MD?
It all depends on the attachment you place to the office. If you didn’t allow the office to change who you are, then you will notice a seamless transition from office to out of the office. You have challenges when you allow the office to control your being and determine who you are. That is when you have a difficult time.
But when you are yourself in the office, believing that one day you will exit, by the time you leave the office, it will just be like a new day. You must not lose sense of the fact that in public office, there are friends of the Managing Director of the office you occupied.
There are also your personal friends who you have been with, in or out of office. Those friends are there for you. Whether you are in office, they are just like family. But there are also friends you make that are attracted to you because of the office you occupy.
It would be foolish of you to expect that those friends will remain when you have left the office. So, it depends on your expectations. Because there is this Igbo proverb that says somebody who is not carrying anything has nothing to break. When you relate and work with those friends of the office, you relate with them also, as friends of the MD of that office, so by the time you leave the office, you are not expecting their friendship to continue. However, there are some exceptional cases of those who may not have been your friend, but who became your friend by the office you are occupying. And by the time you leave the office, they still make an effort to remain your friend. I have cases like that. Some of them still call me, still visit me, want to know how I am doing, and want to know my plans for the future. They relate very well with me even though I didn’t know them before I became the MD of NIWA. However, in the course of my occupying the position, I met them, and we struck a cord of friendship which has remained.
Looking back, what do you think you would have done better?
I have no regret for all the actions I took. I gave myself a target when I was given the appointment, which was principally to change the narrative because before my going there, many people didn’t know NIWA. I resolved on assumption of office, to make NIWA more visible. Today, the NIWA I left was never like before.
Did it come as a surprise that your tenure was not renewed despite all your achievements?
Why will it come as a surprise? I was at the mercy of the appointing authority. The proviso is that my tenure ‘can be’ renewed, not ‘will be’ renewed. Renewal is a probability and if the appointing authority decides to try somebody else, why not? It is not cast in iron. and what about people that did not even finish their term?