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Daniel Kanu
Senator Sylvanus Ngele represented Ebonyi North Federal Constituency in the 4th Republic between 1999-2003.
The elder statesman who acquitted himself creditably well during his tenure at the Red Chambers told Sunday Sun that it is beyond any pretense whatsoever that all is not well in the country.
He says 2023 should be a golden period for Ndigbo’s slot for the presidency. He speaks on other critical national issues, including whether the National Assembly should be part-time or full-time.
What is your take on the nation’s border closure?
I am not in a position to know the security information the authority has, but largely from what they say, I have listened to the Customs D-G and I have heard senior security officers talk and I think it is in the best interest of this country. We have porous borders and our neighbouring countries are not helping matters. Why having a warehouse close to the border? And what you export into our country is not properly packaged for proper identification and it is contraband to us. Instead of letting the goods come through the proper channel so that the relevant duties are paid, they take it in through the neighbouring countries by smuggling them into the country to the detriment of our local producers and manufacturers, as well as to our economy. So, I think what the government has done is the right step in the right direction, but, of course, they also should know when to open it, looking at critical indicators. Yes, nothing good comes easy; of course, we are going to feel the pain, especially at the lower level, most Nigerians are feeling the pains, but it is also going to boost our economy. Our farmers’ today are in agriculture, all that the government needs to do is to give more incentives, encourage our farmers the more to enable us to produce enough for our local consumption and export.
What is that one thing that worries your mind much about Nigeria?
A lot disturbs my mind, look at the security situation in the land, you can see the large influx of people into the country taking illegal routes, without identification and all that. We should all sit up, open our eyes and see the danger ahead. The issue of security is not for security personnel alone, our bad ones are encouraging what is happening, smuggling, for instance, doesn’t grow wings, its people that move them from one point to another. The security challenge is becoming worrisome and the government must be seen as doing something, something positive and yielding the needed result. The experience we are having today, in fact, makes some past grisly experiences look like child’s play. The country is going through a frightening season.
Nigeria just celebrated 59 years of independence, how would you assess the journey so far?
It’s not yet Uhuru, but at 59 the Nigeria of today is not what it was yesterday, we are now more in population, exposure is more too. We have made progress, no doubt, but our key players, those who are at the helm of affairs of this country should also be more upright in their dealings so that we can have it better than we have it now. No doubt, there are challenges, but they are not insurmountable. With the application of the right solution by leadership, things will get better. What is expected of a responsible leadership now is not to continue embers of disunity and needless hostility.
You have been in the Senate as a lawmaker, but some critics say Nigeria does not need the National Assembly or at best it should be by part-time. What is your take on it?
You know it is easier to have this type of perception when you are speaking from the outside. When you are not there you think there is no work there, but there is quite a lot of work. Even on this full-time basis, the work is still enormous. I think they now sit on Tuesdays-Thursdays and then retire for committee works and all that. It should continue like this until we get to a period where we will canvass to make it part-time. I am of the opinion it shouldn’t be on a part-time basis for now because we have a lot to do there. You see from individual private businesses and all that, a lot of things are not done well in this country and that is why you have a lot of work to do there. So, it shouldn’t be on a part-time basis. At least, not now.
There is this controversy being generated by the principle of rotation as it concerns the presidency. While the North is insisting that the presidency will remain in the zone, some others are kicking like the Southeast. What is your position in this battle for the presidency in 2023?
There are certain mutual agreements even when they are not written down in a document that must not be jettisoned for peace to reign. What is good for the man up there should also be good for the one down. Like they say, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. I believe that we (Ndigbo) are all equal partners in the business; we should also have a feel. It should be the turn of Southeast, Ndigbo and I will encourage every political party to pick their candidate from the Southeast.
Majority of Nigerians have concluded that never in the history of Nigeria have the people been as divided as they are today under the President Buhari-led APC government. Do you share this view?
If one says something on the issue they say because you are in opposition, but the truth must be told. Are we better than what we were in 2015? The answer is no because what we were in 2015 was quite better, let’s forget propaganda. Nigerians were happier in 2015 than what we are experiencing today. If we can go back to 2015 and compare to what is happening today you will know we have not made genuine progress being claimed in certain quarters. How many Nigerians do you see these days even at the bus stop smiling? That is the way you assess the government. Nigerians are suffering and you can see it written all over them. Nigerians are just struggling to survive; yes, barely struggling to make ends meet. People are ready to mob you if you tell them that things are better today. Things are terrible, can you drive freely on our roads today? How many kidnaps do you hear every day? Look at the level of banditry; look at killings of innocent Nigerians being perpetrated each passing day across the country. So, the government should sit up, we are happier if we can go back to what we had in 2015 if you cannot improve upon it, just maintain the happiness Nigerians had then. Are you aware of the report that Nigeria is presently the poverty capital? Do you think they just made up the report? That is a verdict that comes after careful appraisal of all relevant indices of development.
You don’t need to preach to Nigerians that things are better today because they are feeling the pains. A lot of things are happening that are crushing the people, making them lose hope in their country and sometimes, you begin to wonder whether people at the top actually know what is happening. When you wake up in the morning you hear that 50 people are killed, 15 kidnapped, buses diverted, etc and you begin to wonder what our security is doing. And the irony is that at every hamlet you see security checkpoint and still these things are happening. It calls for worry and as I said earlier, I hope those responsible will rise to take responsibility. What is on the ground is beyond any pretense whatsoever that all is not well and that things are getting worse.
Let’s zero down to your state, Ebonyi and what the governor (Umahi) has done. Some critics say not much is done in Ebonyi state…?
(Cuts in) Are you sure those critics are from Ebonyi? Are you sure they are living in Ebonyi or have been to Ebonyi? I am yet to see a person saying that Governor Umahi has not performed or has stopped performing. There is no Ebonyian or visitors to Ebonyi land today that will not be pleasantly surprised by the performance of the governor. In fact, you begin to wonder where he is getting his money from. Most leaders in Ebonyi are asking him where he is getting money from for all the massive development projects going on in the state. Go to Ebonyi today, do you know the number of flyover bridges there today? And when he started we said, look, our population is so small so why the flyover, but go to Abakaliki today and see the traffic, vehicular and human traffic, the people doing their businesses etc. the governor said one day that if you have an enabling environment for business to thrive just close your eyes and by the time you open it, people, investors will be all over the place, that is what has happened in Ebonyi State. Anybody in search of peace and where to do business when they enter in Ebonyi State they will remain there; they won’t leave because it’s conducive environment for both business and peaceful life. I am proud to be an Ebonyian. Ebonyi is a destination place to be as I speak with you, all we need now is just more two or three industries and we will fly. There is nightlife in Ebonyi and a place to be. People now gather in Ebonyi from the neighbouring states to take pre-wedding pictures, it’s a place to be, a beautiful place.
