By Daniel Kanu
Ambassador Frank Nchita Ogbuewu, former ambassador to Greece, and former Minister of Culture and Tourism, is a political heavyweight that cannot be ignored in the politics of Ebonyi State and beyond.
Ogbuewu got the nomination on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to run for the Senate to represent Ebonyi Central, Senatorial zone, but he sacrificed the position during attempts by even his party to deny Ebonyi North its opportunity and turn of producing the next governor of the state in the spirit of rotation.
He spoke with Sunday Sun on crucial issues concerning the 2023 elections, ethnic profiling of Ndigbo, rotation principle, the capacity of Ebonyi governorship-elect to deliver, and the solution that will salvage the country, among other national issues. Excerpt:
Let’s know your take on the elections and the outcome. Are you satisfied with the entire exercise?
I am satisfied with what happened in Ebonyi State. It’s a place that I can talk about authoritatively because it was the place I cast my vote. So, I can tell you I am very satisfied and I am not alone in this. I can tell you confidently that the majority of Ebonyi voters are happy and very satisfied with the election outcome.
But in some other parts of the country, some people were condemning the exercise, complaining that it was marred by massive rigging, suppression of voters, violence, and intimidation, among others?
Well, people’s perspectives differ in different areas. Some are condemning it based on the outcome of the presidential election in which their expectation was not the outcome. Some are condemning it based also on the local election. By that I mean the governorship and the State Assembly elections in which who they supported or voted for lost. So, it is difficult for me to say what others are saying. I can only talk about myself, about where I voted, about my state especially in the governorship election and the state assembly election as it affects Ebonyi State. You know I left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) because of delivering the governorship candidate because from somewhere, some persons were trying to usurp the position that was not supposed to be their own, and I felt it was a slap on the Abakaliki people and their entire zone. I said no to it because I wanted justice to prevail. And it happened that the man that we, the people really wanted to be the governor of the state from the Northern Senatorial zone is now the governor. Like in any other state, we have three Senatorial zones, we have the North, the Central, and the South. The current governor, Dave Umahi is from the Southern Senatorial District and another person wanted to come out from there, and I said no, that was wrong. I am from the Central Senatorial zone, so I wanted justice to stand because I know it will bring peace. But PDP was being funny about it. You know I ran for the Senate, I ran for the Senatorial seat and won my nomination through the PDP platform, but the PDP was insensitive to sensitive issues concerning the state and the corruption in the party made me lose interest. So, I decided not to care about who was going to win the election, they (PDP) went their way and I went my way, and I am happy that my way paid off and they lost.
How do you feel concerning the hate speeches, and ethnic profiling of your people, the Igbo, especially in Lagos…?
(Cut’s in) But you know the position of every Igbo man on this issue. No Igbo man, nobody is happy about what is going on and I am not different from any other Igbo person concerning Ndigbo being profiled. I know that all-well meaning Nigerians not only Ndigbo will condemn it. It’s condemnable and that does not speak well of Nigeria as a country. The unity of Nigeria cannot be built under such character and attitude. So, for me, the development is not the best for the country and does not speak good about our country. It is an ill wind that blows no good. It is unfortunate that in Nigeria today we are pushing to the front burner, talking about ethnicity, religion, and all those primordial sentiments instead of where you reside, and where you are born supposed to be the basis of whatever you want to discuss. I urge all those promoting the evil agenda to be cautious because the consequences will not spare anyone. Our focus should be to build a united Nigeria not Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausa, not Christian or Muslim or Hindu or whatever. It is unfortunate that politicians are actually abusing the situation for their own interest which is destroying the unity of Nigeria. I seriously join other well-meaning Nigerians in condemning the action. Nigeria today needs healing, we need reconciliation not hate speech or ethnic profiling. It is dangerous and breeds bitterness. Those promoting it should be stopped.
There is this allegation by the Federal Government on moves calling for the adoption of an interim government. How will you react to this?
No, no, I think it’s a hoax, I don’t believe it to be true. They are all political gimmicks. It’s not possible.
Looking at the country today, what do you think is the way forward?
My good friend Sunny Okosun, now late, sang a song, “Which way Nigeria, which way to go…” Look, until we purge ourselves of the doctrine of ethnicity, religious bigotry, and all that, it will be difficult for somebody to talk about the unity of Nigeria. When we talk about decentralization, everybody knows that that is the right way to go, so that power will not be highly concentrated at the centre (Abuja). Devolution of power is necessary; it’s an ingredient of federalism so when it is not there it creates a unitary style as we have it now. So, devolution of power is very important and it’s a good song for everybody to sing it now. The present governance structure is not good for the country. We need devolution of power so as to get the genuine development we need for effective growth and healthy competition.
We are now singing nun dimitis, the song of death for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Southeast…?
(Cut’s in) That is what they bargained for. They bargained for it and they got it.
How?
We warned them that the people that make up the PDP are being victimized because of money and it happened. Let me tell you: the current National Working Committee (NWC) as constituted is the worst ever in the history of PDP. It is the worst ever I repeat because they were being told the truth, but they decided to pay deaf ear to the warnings because of whatever they think that they were getting or benefitting. They killed the party, so whatever that is happening to the party today those NWC members caused it. They were selfish, behaving like Ostrich.
Is it because they refused power shift, I mean the presidency to come back to the South?
That was part of the problem because I happened to be one of the members; I was a member of the zoning committee that did the zoning thing. The idea was actually canvassed by some of us that the right thing should be done. The zoning principle was that the chairman is from the North, so the president should come from the South. You know there was this rotation agreement that rejects both the chairman and the president coming from the same zone. It was canvassed. Principal officers were zoned, but somewhere along the line people that believe that they can have it the other way round, that they were ready to go the direction they wanted it. Let me tell you one thing, all the people that worked against the real zoning principle, all suffered it. All those that worked against the principle of zoning, go and check it out, all suffered it. I was affected by it, but I am happy where I am now. I am happy that the governorship went the way I supported and the people too. It was for the right people, the right zone to take what belongs to them. We are standing on a tripod, and I don’t want anybody to break one leg because if you break one leg there is going to be a problem.
You seem to be sounding quite optimistic that the governor-elect, Mr Francis Nwifuru for your state will perform?
I am confident and we are trusting God too that he will deliver. His manifesto for me is good. The number one is education. Education from primary to tertiary institution, number two is health: from primary health to tertiary, including the federal hospitals, number three is welfarism, human capital development, among other issues. So, I am comfortable with his programmes as spelt out in his manifesto. He is going to develop and build on what the current governor has done. Ebonyi people love him and together we will support him to deliver democracy dividends to the people.