By Daniel Kanu
Elder statesman and foremost nationalist, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi is a journalist’s delight any day.
The reason is simple: He is bold, fearless and speaks truth to power.
At 95 years, the former Minister of Aviation in the First Republic, has seen it all in Nigeria’s politics given his vantage position as both activist and an insider.
The octogenarian in this exclusive chat with Sunday Sun speaks on latest political development, the PDP and APC misadventure in Nigeria’s politics, the Labour Party and Peter Obi phenomenon, the challenge before Nigerian voters, among other sensitive national issues. Excerpt:
How do you see the unfolding politics in the country with the entrance and influence of the Labour Party (LP) and Mr Peter Obi as its presidential candidate?
I think the entrance of the Labour Party (LP) particularly, its fast growth, its acceptance by Nigerians is an opportunity God has afforded to Nigerians to recapture their country which has been stolen away from them by the military and handed by the military over to their surrogates, the rogues that have milked Nigerians dry. Since the military constitution of 1999, the last two governments won by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), you can see where the two governments left us in this country, you can see that today Nigeria is on a cliff, they have driven this country on a precipice, they have driven this country to a place of almost total anarchy. Today, our country is hungry for a change and I do hope that the Nigerian voters will grab this slim opportunity they are given now, eventhough, it’s not a true opportunity because it is opportunity that is infested with potholes. But despite the pothole, the opportunity is there for Nigerians to choose for the best candidate that will rescue this country. For me, the appearance of Peter Obi and and his partner, Datti, is a good omen for this country and if you ask me, It is a golden opportunity that God has given to the country to tackle the great task ahead and they should grab this opportunity. If they (Nigerians) lose it, the consequence, its negative outcome, will be huge and unimaginable. It is a unique opportunity Nigerians should not toy or joke with. It is a golden opportunity and we must be sensitive enough, knowing where we are now to grab the opportunity.
You seem to be excited and optimistic about the emergence of Peter Obi, but are you not worried by what the critics of the party is saying, that LP is not on the ground and has no structures?
Was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the ground when it captured power in 1999? Was the APC on the ground, was it not a movement of the PDP stalwarts and other people from other political parties that crossed over, some rejected political parties and their amalgamation that gave opportunity for the APC to emerge. So, what do they mean by LP not on the ground? Any body who thinks that way is not wishing this country well and is not wishing himself well. Never mind the few of them who are exploiting their foundation of roguery and they are placed in government with appointments and positions and they are stealing the country dry. Nigeria has to be recorvered from them both economically and politically. But you can see the way Nigerians are embracing the Labour Party, you can see the party’s massive acceptance by Nigerians. The 2023 election, may not be like our usual election because as you can see, Nigerians are tired with the situation they find themselves now. The PDP has shown what they can do and the APC too, of course, we have seen how destructive its tenure has been. Nigerians have tried both political parties (PDP and APC) and we can see that they do not have the solution to salvage this country. In the first place the operators do not have the interest of the Nigerian people at heart.
Are you also worried that the LP, going by observation from critics may not have the financial muscle to prosecute or pursue the expected massive election campaign?
If the people of Nigeria are looking at money before they cast their votes in the election that will be sad, but I don’t see such situation now because the people are tired of unfulfilled promises. They now should know better and I hope they do. In my own time the people of Nigeria did not ask for money before they voted for the nationalists who fought for independence. When the election was declared to bring in the new independent Nigeria, people who were not nationalists became interested and they came in for the election with their money but the people said no, Nigerians rejected them. Nigerians said, we know those who fought for us for independence, it is not money, and they know that they did not have money, but they voted for them. They know their credible records, their antecedents, their capacity to deliver, yes they know them all. People like me, I didn’t have money when I won election to parliament at the age of 29 in 1959.
Are you disturbed that some notable politicians from the Southeast are said to be working against Peter Obi becoming the president?
Of course, you should expect some of them to do what they are doing, but they are not notable nor noble politicians as you noted. They are simply the surrogates of the new rotten order and they don’t want to be displaced and exposed by Peter Obi. We can understand them. And who are the people that are doing that? Are they not the Senators? Are they not the present governors and past governors? Who are the politicians with credibility that is kicking against Peter Obi? It is only the few of them that are benefitting from the status quo that are revolting, but they cannot have their way this time around, the people, Nigerians will resist them.
But what do you expect from the LP and by extension Peter Obi to do , if finally voted in power?
LP will bring peace to this country. Everywhere is tensed up, and you know that Peter Obi is a man of peace, his presence if you have observed him closely radiates peace. He has a peaceful aura and people like that bring good tidings. Look at his running mate (Datti), cool, calm and collected. You can see individuals that are focused, you can be proud of their records, you can verify all their claims. There is no controversy, nothing shrouded in secrecy about them, you can have confidence in them, you can trust them because they have the capacity to deliver any promise made. Also LP when they emerge in 2023 will also go into the North to find out what is really happening in the North, that dog appears to be eating dog in the North, something is responsible for that. It is only a government that is headed by Datti and Peter should be able to do that. I saw the wonderful things Datti did (university) in Abuja when I was going for the Nelson Mandela Memorial Annual Lectures. Look, Peter Obi is the only governor who ruled and is walking around freely, nobody is challenging him. Nobody has accused him of anything, nobody has said any one naira is missing when he served but rather he left so much money in the treasury that was squandered by his successor. I am not campaigning for them, but at my age, I cannot keep quiet over this opportunity that will positively transform Nigeria.
Do you have confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducting the 2023 election?
There are two or three agencies conducting election, like the presidential one in Nigeria. We have the INEC, then we have the Supreme Court.
So are you optimistic that both the INEC and Supreme Court will be fair?
If the people of Nigeria refused to be rigged out either by the INEC or by the Supreme Court, they can achieve that. In our time we resisted the power of the British, we did not mind or cared about death, we did not care about imprisonment, we did not care about execution in any shape or form. The people of Nigeria must do the same thing now. And if a Southeasterner like Peter Obi becomes the president of this country, it will assure the Igbo that they really belong to Nigeria because the two major parties (PDP and APC), have totally rejected the Igbo in this country, both the APC and PDP have rejected Ndigbo and the signal they are giving is that the Igbo is not relevant. Let me tell you, anybody who says the Igbo are not relevant in this country does not want peace and progress of Nigeria.
Do you have fears that insecurity may pose big threat to the 2023 elections?
I don’t have fears if the people will just go to the poll and cast their votes and go home quietly. Unless the INEC will refuse to adopt the electronic transfer of results. If the results are transmitted as the people voted there is no fear that anybody will forge anything. If Nigerians are resolute and prepared to make a statement with their votes, nothing will stop it.
Recently, Nigerians reacted to a statement by the INEC concerning the use of manual technique…?
(Cuts in) We have passed the manual stage. They used manual in Osun State in the election that Adeleke lost, in the election before the last one. But this time around, Osun people said no and warned INEC never to try such again, they kept vigil, resisted manual, monitored their votes and you could see the outcome, the result the people voted for. In Imo State, you saw what happened, but let them come and try it again. Even if its five per cent of the people alive, they will fight for justice. The Igbo are in the forefront of the struggle for the independence and creation of a united country.
As an elder statesman, what is your advice to Nigerians concerning the 2023 elections?
My advice to Nigerians is that if these rogues, who have stole the country dry, who stole our nation’s wealth give you money, take their money but go and vote for the government that God has sent to you to redeem your country. Once the LP under Peter Obi occupies Aso Rock, every other thing will fall in line. Our refineries will begin to function and the price of fuel will come down. Imagine a country that is producing oil, but petrol is so high, gas is so high, even keroeine that used to be for the poor is no longer there for them. There is war now between Ukrain and Russia which has made the price of crude oil to rise very high, but Nigeria cannot benefit from it because the country has already sold her crude in advance and eating the money, so we are not benefitting from the rise in the oil crude. So many businesses have closed down now. My own factory has closed down because my company cannot afford diesel at N800 per litre. What kind of country is that. I am disappointed with the PDP and the APC, but I am not surprised because they have shown they are agents and surrogates of those that sent them. They are not working for the interest of Nigerians but for selfish interest.