By Dickson Okafor
Johnny Ucheaga, former National Administrative Secretary of the defunct National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN) said the late M.K.O. Abiola paid the supreme price to enthrone democracy in Nigeria, But he expressed regret that some politicians betrayed what they fought.
What is your assessment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu -led administration under APC?
He has done well because Nigeria is a very sophisticated country to be govern with many nationalities brought together by the British. And we have managed to keep ourselves and have continued to hold it together. So, it is not a small task. Whosoever is saddled with it must be criticised. According to our first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, he said to lead is to be criticised. Therefore, whatever President Tinubu does he can’t please everybody. In my last interview I told you that at last a businessman is now in government and he put his eyes on the big picture which has resulted in petty name calling.
Many people have criticised the commissioning of only 30km as part of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway by President Tinubu to mark his two years in office, do you think the Coastal Highway will be completed by this administration?
That road has been there since 1962 when it was conceived under the government of The Prime Minister, Sir. Tafawa Balewa. And subsequent governments have not thought it a worthy expenditure because it is going to be costly. It is at the ocean edge but it is very strategic and very important. If you need something to do in Lekki and Ajah from 2pm to 7pm take a closer look at the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway which people are belittling saying that only 30km has been constructed. Which one is better, 30km and no kilometre? Let us encourage somebody. There is an adage in Igbo which says ‘If you praise the Akidi woman, she will bring another one.’
What should government do to reduce the rate of hunger and hardship in the country?
Government must provide steady power supply to enable Small and Medium Enterprises to flourish. Uninterrupted electricity supply will help artisans, barbing saloon owners and tailors to function optimally and remain in business. All these control over operations of electricity by governments like we are in socialist and communist regime is not the best way to go. There is no way generation and distribution of electricity locally will be left in the hands of few individuals who knows nothing about electricity and you expect progress. So, we are the one holding ourselves from moving forward. Because government policy say only one man can generate and distribute electricity in five states. That is the problem which contributes to hunger and hardship in the country. Or don’t you know that if there is steady power supply the cost of running businesses will be cheaper? Instead of spending huge sums of money to buy fuel or diesel to power generator, the resources would be deployed effectively. Again, government can reduce hunger and hardship in land by carrying out their primary responsibility which is security of live and property of the citizens and the welfare of the people.
What is your take on the level of insecurity in Nigeria?
Let me begin with the South-East, every Monday, the very first working day we lost the money that would have gone into the five states’ purse because of agitation by IPOB. I urged government to look into it because where a child is crying and pointing at, if his father is not there, his mother is there. The issue of insecurity in the South-East is being prolong. The Nigeria civil war was only three years, but the IPOB issue has taking long to be addressed. Lately some of the generals who were involved in that war have come practically to exonerate the Igbo people. Like I said, let the Federal Government set up a committee that will go and draw energy from those retire generals who have spoken or have written books and get their views on what should be done to curb insecurity
Do you see APC being defeated in 2027 by the coalition with the clamour for change of government by Nigerians?
Who are the people in APC? Are they not Nigerians? And the people forming the coalition are they not Nigerians too? The beauty of democracy is that on the day, if you put your box and all the political parties put their boxes, the electorate will cast their votes for their preferred candidates. That is why Chief M.K.O Abiola fought and died for democracy in 1999 and let the better side win elections. Even though I’m no more in active partisan politics, but I was among those who fought the military for democratic rule and supported any candidate majority of Nigerians say is who they want to govern them at any level.
With reference to June 12, 1993 Presidential election, how can the confidence of the electorate be restored in INEC ahead of 2027?
M.K.O. Abiola paid the supreme price to enthrone and institutionalise democracy in Nigeria when he contested and won the 1993 Presidential election, before it was annulled by the military regime of President Ibrahim Babangida. That election remain the freest, fairest and transparent election Nigeria have ever had. President Tinubu and some of us were part of those who joined in the fight for democracy we are enjoying today. Unfortunately, some politicians have betrayed what we fought for to birth good governance. And ever since after that electoral umpire headed by the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu that conducted that election, no electoral umpire has met that standard of transparency. In June 12, 1993, Nigerians unitedly elected Abiola as the president, but we lack such unity today. If there is election in your village, it is the people in your village that will decide who will govern them through their votes. It is when there is no decisive decision that there can be manipulation. For example, if in your village all candidates are from chop, I chop parties as chairmen and councillors, the people that will emerge winners will be chop I chop chairmen and councillors. And they will produce chop I chop governors, state and National Assembly members and President. But if they are divided anything can happen and whoever emerges winner can be attribute to competence and capability. If you are strong and your people can defend you, nobody can steal your vote. But now, the electoral umpires are being criticised by the electorate for being bias. I told you if your people want you to lead them and there is no division, they will elect you, but if there is a division then tactics will come in.