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By Dickson Okafor
Abumchukwu N. Okoye, National Coordinator Take Back Nigeria Initiative (TBNI) has thrown his weight behind local government autonomy, saying if the third tier of government becomes autonomous the people will take back Nigeria.
The legal practitioner said the sacrifices of heroes of democracy in Nigeria have not yielded expected democratic dividends and blamed Nigerian politicians for not living up to expectation.
Okoye, warned that any attempt to stop President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from being reelected in 2027 by the North may truncate democracy.
He attributed hunger in the country and food crisis to chasing away farmers from their farms and some been killed by Boko Haram and herdsmen during former President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.
He speaks about other issues and why the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu should be release from detention.
Excerpts:
With the state of nation would you say the struggle and sacrifices made by our heroes of democracy after the annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential election is justified?
Despite the rhetoric’s, the emergence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of the federal Republic of Nigeria is one of realization of the sacrifices our heroes of democracy. For him to become the President we are now on the course of resource control which was one of the National Democratic Coalition’s (NADECO) principles and ideology including state police. We are now on the path of restructuring Nigeria and apart from restructuring we are on the path of true federalism and regionalism. We are also on the path of eat as you produce. It is nonsensical for someone from any part of the country to just get up and become owner of an oil well or oil block while those who own or produce the oil have nothing. Every region has its natural resources, but some neglect theirs while others harness theirs for their use. The problem is the structure of Nigeria as a nation hence some regions has more states and local government areas than others so that they can have more representatives in the parliament. While in the actual sense, geographically it cannot be said they are more than the other region in terms population and land mass. And these are some of the imbalances the heroes of democracy were against and these were and remains their ideals. I said it in my earlier interview that I do not see the reason a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) from Onitsha, Anambra State will be posted to Adamawa State to head a police station there. And someone from Kaduna will be posted to Imo State to become the Commissioner of Police. Let us be realistic, you can’t come into a region that you don’t know very well. If we go into true democracy backed with reliable constitution and true federalism, that shouldn’t be the case in trying to secure the people. Where the governor of state is actually the Chief law enforcement officer of the state.
During his national broadcast to mark June 12 Democracy Day President Bola Tinubu hailed Abiola and other heroes of Nigeria’s democracy for their sacrifices that earned the nation 27 years uninterrupted democratic rule, does the present state of the country justify the sacrifices made by these Nigerians to entrench democracy in the country?
Apart from the outcome of 2023 election, Nigeria’s democracy flourished since 1999 until what we saw during former President Muhammadu Buhari led administration. In fact, the last administration muscled the people and a lot happened then whereby some people were stronger than the institutions. But if you watch what is going on now, you will see that the institutions are getting more powerful than the individuals because the democratic tenets have been observed both in the parliament, the executive and judiciary. The three arms of government are operating separately hence we are experiencing a lot of changes despite the fact that we are being hampered by the economy which is not as a result of the mistakes of the present government, but by that of the immediate past administrations. Like I pointed out before, it is a matter of mathematics. How much was left in the purse? How much did Tinubu administration inherit? How far have they gone? The present economic hardship has been orchestrated by the errors of the past governments. Yes, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu praised the heroes of Nigeria’s democracy who fought for the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria following the annulment of June 12 1993 presidential election. The foundation of what we have today as democracy have been laid down and it is better for the government to tell us the truth. They shouldn’t make us believe everything is okay when things are not. The state of the nation did not justify the sacrifices made by heroes of Nigeria’s democracy. I’m not a politician, but I’m a realist hence to me, Nigeria’s democracy is evolving and with time it will get better. However, the greatest challenge before this administration is the amount of debt the Buhari administration put us into as well as what they call budget dressing. We couldn’t see where the money went and the money did not make impact on the nation and these debts were structured in such a way that Nigeria must pay it. However, the sacrifices they made, and the precious gift brought by their selfless devotion can never be repaid neither will it be forgotten.
Also, former President Goodluck Jonathan during a lecture to mark June 12 Democracy Day advised politicians and leaders to eschew ethnicity and religion and promote to strength Nigeria’s democracy, do you see politicians adhere to this noble advice?
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Take Back Nigeria Initiative(TBNI) have made similar call when we said the best way to sustain our democracy is through strengthening the institutions of governance which was also contained in my last interview. All we need is an unbiased President that will swing into action and restructure Nigeria. Nigerians need their economy to be better and they need equity and justice. Unfortunately, politicians refuse to adhere to the tenet of democracy. Most of the agitations across the country is as a result of marginalization because extreme marginalization is the cause of problems in Nigeria. A lot of charlatans are appointed to head ministries, departments agencies hence all they do is to advice the President on what will favour them and not the people yet, we call them leaders. President Tinubu might not do what he ought to do because there are a lot of forces and powers in Nigeria that will not allow him do what is right. But one thing I like about President Tinubu which distinguishes him from the other Presidents is that he was one of the founders and sponsor of the National Democratic Coalition’s (NADECO). He has been propagating of its principles before he came into power using his resources, Tinubu was not sponsored by anyone or group as it used to be to become President. He has no godfather because if had been sponsored by anyone or group he would have been controlled and insulted the way they did to some former Presidents. Today, I’m bold to say that no Nigerian that is well place that can insult Tinubu the way they insulted former President Jonathan. Can they do any how just as they did during the era of Jonathan? But they were silence under former President Buhari. Tinubu is the only representation of democracy in Nigeria after MKO Abiola from the era of NADECO till date. No other hero of democracy has emerged to become the President in Nigeria. Let’s give Tinubu a little time he will surely not only fix the economy, but the country. Because the signs have shown that Nigerians are hungry, Nigerians wants a better economy and infrastructural development which we have seen signs that Tinubu is on track to do.
From the look of things Tinubu may face the challenge former President Jonathan faced in the hands of northern leaders in 2027 because they have vowed to worked against his reelection, do you foresee Tinubu complete 8 years in office?
Our brothers and sisters in north should stop heating the polity because whenever their person is not the President they not comfortable. Were Nigerians not in hardship during the 8years reign of former President Buhari, what did they do? They endured the pain, but just one year of President Tinubu they have started threatening that they regretted voting for him in 2023. The point is that this is the time to put it right and that is why President is bearing the economic burn Buhari left behind. Buhari’s government was a mess and the north did nothing, they were borrowing and sharing money. The north should not muscle us, they should stop behaving as if they have the final say, enough is enough. They did to Jonathan and succeeded, but they won’t do that to Tinubu and succeed. President Tinubu will defeat them if they try to gang up against him just as they did to Jonathan which resulted in the formation of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2014. To put it plainly, the north has no alternative to Tinubu in 2027 because a northerner will not be President in 2027 after Buhari has done 8 years. Rotation of Presidency is the reason for uninterrupted democracy for 27 years in Nigeria and unless the north wants to truncate democracy. If they go ahead to stop Tinubu in 2027, they will now know that Nigeria’s unity is negotiable. Let them not make that mistake and if such mistake is ever made again in order to truncate democracy, the north will regret it. The south must complete their 8 years for the substance and preservation of democracy. If Tinubu is not given second chance and the shortchange him with another southerner in order for the south to complete its 8 years, but they should bear in mind that it is not difficult to give a monkey water, but the problem is to collect the cup from it. It is an Igbo proverb. For us in the south, religion did not stop us from electing Tinubu/Shetima ticket in 2023 because we tolerated it and the north should be tolerance for Nigeria to remain as one indivisible country. The south never voted against APC over Muslim/Muslim ticket and that shows maturity because we tolerated it. Whenever the north is not at the helm of affairs, whenever their ministerial mafias are not calling the shot they started threatening division. If that is what they want, so be it after all some countries in Europe divided even the Soviet Union divided into smaller countries. Tinubu must be given the opportunity to complete his tenure of 8 years except God says no.
What is your organization doing to end sit-at-home declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as the leader Nnamdi Kanu has pleaded to settle with FG out of court? isn’t this a move to negotiate the support of South-East for Tinubu’s reelection in 2027?
That is a good move and I hope it will work out. Like I said earlier, Nnamdi Kanu’s case is political and should be resolved politically. I disagree with you that it is a means to negotiate Igbo into voting for Tinubu, in 2027. It beats my imagination that Nigeria/Biafra civil war lasted for just 3 years, but the war against Boko Haram has been on for 15 years. To me, it is a political strategy by the North. If not, why has this inhuman act continued under the watchful eyes of past Presidents and some so-called northern leaders unabated? So, if setting Nnamdi Kanu free will end insecurity in the South-East, so be it. If Nigeria could go to Kenya and arrest Kanu, what stops them from arresting the sponsors of Boko Haram, banditry and kidnapping in the North for 15 years? So, there is something we don’t know that is behind insurgency in North. Therefore, for peace to return in south-East, Nnamdi Kanu should be release from detention. This is what TBNI is advocating to end sit-at-home. At the stage of our nationhood, we must all do everything to let our people especially, youth to eschew violence because it doesn’t pay. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not and cannot stand for violence because the more violence we become, the more South-East economy is being destroyed. And the more businesses in South-East are being destabilize. What my organization is propagating a constitutional Nigeria through strengthening institutions of governance above individuals and groups. The business of government is to ensure things are working in line through the institutions as established by the constitution. There is nothing that cannot be discussed on around table instead of killing our security personnel. Even regional autonomy and resource control can also be discussed. To TBNI, dialogue is the best approach to any dispute. Sit-at-home is not the best for South-East and if anybody or group believe that imposing sit-at-home on others that is not going to help us because nnamdi Kanu stands for equality and justice. He is fighting against the marginalization of the South-East; he is saying South-East should be regarded as an entity just like the other geopolitical zones. What are the governors doing about it in the region? They all keep mute because they want to win election tomorrow. Look at the soldiers that were been killed in Abia state recently, innocent men who came to protect us because we are one Nigeria. Igbos are everywhere in Nigeria.
FG has sent Bill to the National Assembly on the amount it will pay as minimum wage because the organized labour and TUC rejected N65,000 it proposed as new minimum wage insisting they won’t go below N250,000, do you see the move as a solution to the demand of new minimum wage by NLC?
The mathematical equation must be looked at. First, how much is Nigeria worth? Is a question that must be asked and must be answered. How much should Nigeria pay workers per month as salary that will enable them cope with the economic reality of the country? How can Nigeria pay the huge debt hanging on our neck and how much she will use to service the economy, health and education and infrastructure? I have been in the private sector all my life and it is not about government acceptance of N250,000 as a new minimum wage, but can they pay such huge amount? To me, that will be suicidal. NLC and TUC seems to be dancing in the forest because as far as I’m concern they don’t have direction hence before now they kept silence. For instance, during the Buhari led administration when fuel subsidy was removed from the 2023 budget, what did they do or say? They did not do or say anything. Now they are talking about high cost of living which was brought about by fuel subsidy removal. I want to make it clear to all, former President Muhammadu Buhari removed fuel subsidy and not President Tinubu. Buhari removed it from 2023 budget and said fuel subsidy ceases from June 2023 when he must have left in May 29, 2023. So, on May 29, 2023 Tinubu during his inaugural speech said “Subsidy is gone” meaning fuel subsidy is not contained in the budget he inherited from Buhari. The question is, in all these what did the NLC and TUC did to stop it? Nothing. They ought to know that without provision of measures to cushion the effects of subsidy removal, cost of living will be high and N30,000 minimum wage won’t be enough for Nigeria workers. Every Nigerian is facing the same challenge. Unfortunately, NLC and TUC are neither here nor there. The way labour is going about it is not good for the private sector hence we don’t want idle hands anymore. NLC insisting on N250,000 as new minimums wage is suicidal because under the present state of economy, it is impossible for government to such amount.
Many have attributed the cause of hunger and scarcity of food stuff in country to insecurity as Boko Haram and herdsmen chased farmers away from their farms or killed them in the North and in some parts in the south during 8 years of Buhari’s reign, do you share the same view?
Yes, that is major cause of increase in the prices of food stuff. It resulted to shortage of food because for over 8 years farmer don’t go their farmers for fear of been killed. You know as well as I do that this is number one reason. Again, people have been taught based on the dollar denomination per naira that export is better. Most of the food items we eat here are exported to Britain, America and other countries. So, the higher the demand, the higher the price. What Nigerians must do which government must champion, is mechanized agriculture for us to grow what we eat and stop looking up to Abuja for federal allocation. The decentralization of government is they key regional development and reduction in over dependent on Federal Government. Regional government will become independent and we can only achieve this through democratic government, not under a pretending democratic governance who will be more like a military President. Let’s give this government kudos even though I’m not saying it is Uhuru.
FG has taken the 36 governors to court over autonomy of local governments in the country because LG allocation are paid into state governments account instead going directly to the councils, are you in support of LG autonomy?
When we say Take Back Nigeria, we mean that government must accountable to the people which also means that the people should hold government accountable. This is what is lacking in governance and must be corrected if the masses must have confidence in their leaders. Again, one of the ways the people will take back Nigeria is when local government becomes autonomous and by so doing the people have taken over their country. Let local government be independent financially in order to manage their resources. If the governors cannot operate within the official framework as contained in the constitution, let them resign. Why are they meddling with the constitutional allocation to the local governments? Why must the council chairmen be forced by the governors to sign that their allocation should spent by the state governors? It is an act of brigandage because they are muscling these chairmen.
