Politics
Govt Should Be Solving Problems, Not Creating More – Dr Allen
The Prime Minister of Britain has resigned because Britons have voted to leave the EU. That is credibility. It’s not about self. It’s not about you. It’s about what the people want. So, even if you disagree with them, you still have a responsibility to respect the opinion of the people and the desire of the people. That is what politics should be. It’s not about self. It’s not about lining up your pocket with public funds.
Dr Fidelis Allen is an
associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Port Harcourt and the Secretary of the Local Organising Committee of the 30th Annual International Conference of the Nigerian Political Science Association kicking off in Port Harcourt today. He spoke on the essence of the conference and other burning political issues in Nigeria in this interview with Opaka Dokubo.
Excerpts:
What is the take home for Nigerians for the conference?
Political Scientists will be gathering to discuss the problem of elections, the security challenges that Nigeria has faced. Nigerians should expect to hear from political scientists in this country regarding the political processes, regarding elections, regarding the security challenges in different dimensions, regarding the state of democracy in Africa. There must be a way out of this situation and that is what political scientists, as we gather, will be interested to do.
Is politics just an academic discipline or a vocation?
Well, we call some people politicians because they’re actively involved in seeking power in order for them to be able to convert their intentions to reality in terms of what they have to offer. But really, politics is everybody’s business.
In our clime, people see politics as a vocation. You see a youngman and you ask him what are you doing and he says “I’m a politicians.” It’s something that you don’t welcome. You don’t admire. You give the impression that it’s a vocation, it’s a profession but I know that in some other climes, people can be in politics on part time basis just to be able to offer something to society, just to be able to contribute. But now you see people who want to be in political office, maybe as law makers for four years and they want to have person. For me its so ridiculous.
But for those who call themselves as politicians, what do you do as a politicians? Do you govern the people in the interest of the people or you do that in your own interest? We see politics as a means of survival and it is this impression that we have that has created problems of governance, corruption and the rest of them. People just see politics as a means of lining up their pockets and helping their families. I don’t think that that is the right approach to politics.
Politics is about representing the people and doing for the people what they desire, solving the problems in society and any of us should be able to do that. But I think that there’s a problem some where when it comes to our own clime where people see themselves as professional politicians.
This morning, the Prime Minister of Britain has resigned because Britons have voted to leave the EU. That is credibility. It’s not about self. It’s not about you. It’s about what the people want. So, even if you disagree with them, you still have a responsibility to respect the opinion of the people and the desire of the people. That is what politics should be. It’s not about self. It’s not about lining up your pocket with public funds. So I think we need to properly conceptualise politics. We haven’t done that well with those who are in positions of power.
What quality of individuals should be in politics in your opinion?
I have said that everybody should be interested in politics but if you talk about the individuals who seek power or political position, anyone with appreciable academic qualification with moral status, with integrity with desire to help solve society’s problems can be in politics. This should not be limited to those who have no employment. I mean you can be and I as an academic should have the opportunity to serve this country without losing my job. But there are laws that hinder those in public service like us. In some climes, even lawmaking is part time so you don’t have to see yourself as a professional politician who has gone to the National or State House of Assembly to make money through making laws.
So, we need to adopt a system that will offer the best and not restricting them to contribute to the political development of this country. The essence of governance is to address problems in society. Those in government have a responsibility to solve problems, not to create more problems. We need to see a situation where government is solving problems but I see a situation where the politicians themselves are creating so much problems.
Do you think that restructuring this country will solve our problems?
Well, Nigeria is in principle actually a federal state. But most federal systems approaches are completely different from our own approach. We, for example, have a centralised federal system. Though federal, we have vestiges of a unitary system. For example we have a centralised security system which means that even though we’re a federal state, the component units don’t have the constitutional power to provide security agencies that are available.
So, a governor is the chief security officer of the state, in our own federal system, he has to depend on the federal authority to be able to utilize services provided by the security agencies. That for me is some kind of contradiction.
Well, many are actually saying that this is not good enough for this country because Nigeria is highly heterogeneous and it’s difficult to operate a federal system that has this posture or orientation.
In the area of revenue generation, that is also a problem for many who are saying that the centre should not come to control certain revenues coming from the extractive sector. They are saying it is wrong for the centre to collect-revenues coming from the extractive sector only to distribute.
So, if you give responsibilities to the states and say well we will collect the money and share, for some scholars that is a contradiction. There must be some kind of fiscal federal component when it comes to revenues in certain areas like the extractive sector.
We are seeing a lot of agitations, a lot of arguments against the kind of federal system that we operate. So, I think that there might be need to look at these issues very critically and see what is workable but I believe in a united country- Nigeria. But we need to do that in a way that is very responsive to the different ethnological units that we have in this country so that no group really feels excluded from the political process, no group feels excluded from access to basic amenities and opportunities in this country and every one can have a sense of fairness and a sense of justice. That is crucial.
What do you think of the relationship between the legislature and the executive at the national level and how that may affect the general well being of the country?
Politics is about interest, we all know that but our own politics has been fundamentally about interest. There’s nothing wrong about the legislature disagreeing with the executive and there’s nothing wrong with the executive disagreeing with the legislature. In a normal democracy, there should be checks and balances. In a normal democracy, these conflicts should be there, especially if they are on the grounds of public interest. There’s nothing wrong with that. Where you find the legislature and the executive working so smoothly without any disagreement, I think there’s a problem. So, that the legislature and the executive have issues, for me, that shouldn’t be a problem. I think that we should allow the political process to play out and people can be in conflict. We should just watch and allow things to happen. If people have done the right thing, what they have done will speak for them.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.