Politics
Nigeria @ 60:We Have Our Indivisibility To Celebrate -Wonwu
As Nigeria clocked 60 years of existence as a sovereign nation yesterday, the unity and security of the country appear to be the leading concern among the plethora of issues inundating the Federal Government and the generality of the citizenry. While the view of the central administration is expressed in its chosen theme, ‘Together At 60’ for the year-long celebration, individual citizens and groups at all levels have also been speaking their minds on the momentous occasion.
In this interview with our Deputy Political Editor, Opaka Dokubo, an accomplished entrepreneur, industrialist and politician, the governorship flag bearer of the Labour Party in Rivers State in the 2019 general elections, Chief Isaac Wonwu shares his thoughts.
Excerpts:
What are your thoughts about the fact that Nigeria is 60 years old as a nation?
Well, I must congratulate this country for attaining 60 years as an independent nation and I must congratulate all of us as Nigerians, particularly, for being steadfast over time and remaining united (and) peaceful, as one nation.
I must salute the founding fathers of this independence. I must also salute the heroes of this country; our military, those that man our healthcare-the resilience of Nigerians, particularly in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nigerians, that despite the challenges of our time, have remained with wide smiles, the Nigerians that even in the process of the hard times are resolved to move on as compared to many countries that have been enmeshed in processes of protest, demonstration, violence and other measures of expressing their frustrations in the face of the bad economy. I must commend us. Nigerians have passed through hard times and it is making us to be much better and prepared for the future.
It is my belief that the younger generation will learn lessons from our ease processes to do better for the development of this country.
How does the theme of the celebration that borders on togetherness come across to you?
Well, the unity in diversity of this country, the multi- ethnic nationalities,of reality in this country is of great concern to all of us and I think that the primary objective of every leader is how to keep the country united. And for whatever economic challenges there are, the security of lives and property in the country is key. I think that the unity of Nigerians is very very important and we must celebrate the indivisibility of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
What is your assessment of the country vis-a-vis the recent warning by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that Nigeria was becoming a failed state?
We’ve actually done well in terms of unity as a country. We’ve done well in managing our diversity; we’ve done so well in being a continuous Nigeria.
No nation, no organization exists without challenges and with our population and multi-ethnic nationalities, with our diverse interests, we are bound to have some friction.
In management, with out such challenges, it means you don’t have people who can proffer solutions. It is only when you have problems that you can identify people with capacity to trouble- shoot.
I must say that the country has been doing well despite the deficit in infrastructure or mismanagement that we have actually suffered which is as a result of what I call indiscipline, and most people call it corruption.
I think that our administrators in the past should have devised ways to re- orientate our people to be able to appreciate the importance of discipline, most importantly, in our law enforcement and various agencies of government. The system has actually created more strong individuals rather than building strong institutions and our institutions are weak because our laws are weak, our Constitution is weak.
I quite agree with those who have shared their thoughts about Nigeria as a nation but in my view, any house without a strong, solid foundation is bound to vibrate. What we are suffering today is the vibration as a result of weak institutions and agencies of government. But as soon as that is straightened out, we will remain strong.
What do you think about the proposition for Nigeria to return to a parliamentary system of government?
Yes, our laws are weak, our institutions and agencies of government are weak as well but a major problem has also been that the individuals themselves who are operating the system have not been able to obey our laws, they have not been able to have regard for the agencies of government. The law enforcement agencies are also weak and Nigerians generally have been lawless. The lawlessness has brought in a level of impunity and we have grown to a very high level of impunity that has resulted to violence and what you call corruption is characterised with a high degree of non-challance and indiscipline. And until we strengthen our institutions, we may not be able to get it right.
How do we go about strengthening the institutions in your view?
The military will have to live up to its responsibilities; the judiciary must rise above board; the law enforcement agencies must rise up to their game; the civil servant must also rise up to his expectation; over politicisation of institutions must stop; the politics must be limited to the political parties; and there must be a time to say the politics is over. As soon as we are able to do this and the judiciary stands firm, I’m sure Nigerians will have respect for the rule of law.
What do you think about the clamour for political power to be rotated to the South-East come 2023?
I am of a different school of thought. I subscribe to democracy, I accept democracy and I want to practise democracy and if Nigerians are to practise democracy, we must allow the democratic process to uphold itself.
I condemn the view of anybody that thinks that power must shift because power shift will more or less weaken the system, democracy must take its course and democracy must be about the will of the people and if we allow the will of the people to prevail, we may not actually mind who becomes the president. What should concern you and I is the dividends of democracy, the provision of basic amenities, the infrastructure, the education, the healthcare.
With 60 years gone, where do you see Nigeria in the next 40 years?
Unfortunately, the nation has not talked about building for tomorrow, we have only built for today and until we begin to come up with a clear vision that will be able to sustain the next generation, we’ve not actually grown. When I was growing up, I heard about Vision 2020. I was actually wondering whether I would live up to the year 2020. Here I am in the year2020 (and ) first I was hit by the pandemic and I thank God for surviving it. But in terms of socio-economic amenities, in terms of infrastructural development, we have not done enough. So, we’re believing that the next leadership will be able to get the track right in investing in basic infrastructure that will bring the country to a pride of place among the comity of nations. The world is actually on a fast track. The world has become an environment where countries are competing vigorously and I think Nigeria also needs to key in.
As a state within the region that sustains the country, would you say that Rivers State has had a fair deal within the 60 years of Nigeria’s independence?
It depends on what you call a fair deal in this country called Nigeria for a state or the Niger Delta region but I think that with the resources we have; with the infrastructure we have on the ground, even if a lot more money was given, I’m not sure we would have actually done much more than we have done. We have seen more people dabble into politics just to loot funds and what has continued to unite us as a people today is our ability to compromise in corruption.
And until this indisciplinary act is minimised, we may not be able to justify our level of development going by the amount of resources we’ve got.
If you look at the history of the amount of money being looted in this country, you may be surprised that one Nigerian civil servant is stealing about a billion naira a day and you begin to wonder how much time he puts into service. So, we continue to hear about more billions of naira being looted and thousands being ulitised for projects. If you look at what we have on ground in the Niger Delta, it can not justify the amount of money that has come into the region. Only a few persons have carted away the resources as palliatives for themselves while the vast majority of the people are wallowing in abject poverty and dying. We have not done well if out of 10 million people only few have had something.
Operating under the umbrella of the Coalition of Civil Society Network, the group described the ruling delivered by Justice Obiora Egwuatu as unfair and contrary to the spirit of democracy, urging the judiciary to consider the will of the people in its final determination of the matter.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Thursday, October 30, sacked Gummi for defecting from the PDP, which sponsored his election, to the APC.
In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu held that it was morally wrong for a politician to transfer votes from one political party to another, stating that “political prostitution must not be rewarded.”
He declared that voters elect candidates based on the manifestos and ideals of their political parties. Therefore, it was both legally and morally unacceptable for an elected official to abandon that platform without relinquishing the mandate.
The court also restrained the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, from recognising Hon. Gummi as a member of the House, and ordered him to refund all salaries and allowances received from October 30, 2024, to the date of judgment.
Justice Egwuatu further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election within 30 days to fill the vacant seat.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024, was filed by the PDP and its Zamfara State chairman, Jamilu Jibomagayaki, who argued that Hon. Gummi’s defection violated Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as there was no division within the PDP to justify his action.
But convener of the coalition, Lukman Muhammad, who addressed journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, said Hon. Gummi’s defection was a direct result of the unresolved internal crisis within the PDP, which, according to him, crippled the lawmaker’s ability to effectively represent his constituents.
He said: “We believe the court’s decision was unjust and failed to consider the circumstances surrounding Hon. Gummi’s defection. Gummi’s decision to join the APC was necessitated by the unresolved internal crisis within the PDP, which hindered his ability to effectively represent his constituents.
“We affirm that Hon. Gummi’s right to choose his political affiliation is protected by the Constitution and should be respected. We stand for democracy and the rule of law, while also urging the judiciary to consider the will of the people and the greater good”.
He urged Justice Egwuatu to review the judgment, stressing that the ruling could set a dangerous precedent that undermines the principle of fair representation and the rights of elected officials.
The coalition further noted that the judgment has broader implications for Nigeria’s democratic process, as it raises questions about the extent to which lawmakers can exercise their constitutional freedom of association without fear of losing their mandate.
The parties stated that the APC was on the verge of collapse following the recent wave of defections from opposition parties into its ranks.
In separate interviews with The Tide source, spokespersons for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) —Debo Ologunagba, Oladipo Johnson, and Mark Adebayo – respectively, said an implosion was imminent in the APC.
But the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, stated that recent defections to the party were voluntary and inspired by the ruling party’s achievements, not through coercion. He added that the APC was well-structured, capable of managing its internal affairs effectively, and therefore would not experience any internal crisis.
In recent months, the ruling APC has continued to receive several high-profile politicians from opposition parties, particularly the PDP. Among those who have joined the APC are Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the PDP’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Most recently, members of the Enugu State Executive Council defected to the APC, a move followed by Governor Peter Mbah’s official declaration for the ruling party on October 14 in Enugu.
On October 15, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, announced his resignation from the PDP. Although he has yet to join another party, speculation is rife that he is on his way to the APC.
Similarly, Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, confirmed last Wednesday that he would be joining the APC.
Numerous other politicians, including several lawmakers, have also abandoned their parties to align with the ruling APC.
In his reaction, Hon. Ologunagba predicted an imminent crisis within the APC, expressing confidence that those who defected would eventually return to the PDP.
He stated, “This is the major political party (PDP), and it is the only democratic party in the country. It has structures cutting across all the local governments, all the wards, and of course all the states. In every home, there are members of the PDP, and that is why the APC are jittery, and that is why they are coercing our members, using state resources and state agencies to force members of opposition parties to join the ruling party.
“But in all this, we are sure and confident that very soon, the APC will implode because it is a multipurpose political vehicle that is not going to last. It is going to implode.
“Many Nigerians will see through it and know that the party is not a political party that protects the interests of the citizens. So, they are going to leave the party and move to the major political party, which is the PDP. We are optimistic that before 2027, many Nigerians will join us because this is the truly democratic party and the only party that is out there to protect their interests.”
On his part, Mr Johnson of the NNPP lamented that the wave of defections posed a serious threat to the country’s democracy.
Mr Johnson said, “This is bad for democracy. For our type of democracy, it is important to have a proper and effective opposition. Already, we’ve seen a blurring of lines between the legislature and the executive; some would even say the judiciary. I hope not. I think many people are observing the trend and are unhappy. However, we need to be a bit more patient and see what happens soon.
“When the PDP was in power for 16 years, it was the party many people rushed into. Over time, it imploded, and many of those who joined it turned against it. So, I see that happening to the ruling APC. Definitely. This is because of the nature of Nigerian politicians; many are driven by personal interests. I always say that Nigeria can never truly be a one-party state. Even if only one party exists, it will become factionalised, with different interests and power blocs. Those pushing the country toward a one-party system may not have studied Nigeria’s political history carefully.”
In his remarks, CUPP’s Adebayo stated that the pattern of defections among politicians, particularly governors and lawmakers, was a deliberate strategy by the ruling party to transform the country into a one-party state.
Mr Adebayo said, “It is not accidental; it is a deliberate and strategic effort to entrench a one-party dictatorship. Whether these defections are forced or coerced, one thing is clear: it is an intentional action driven by the ruling party, particularly the President.
“This development is unhealthy for our democracy. It is shameful and stands against everything democratic principles represent. It is inimical to the growth and development of Nigeria as a democratic nation and poses a grave threat to our political stability.
“The implosion of the APC will come before or once it loses power. Most Nigerian politicians lack ideological grounding or principles; their loyalty lies only with the party in power. Political affiliation is tied to ideology and conviction, not convenience. However, the ideology of most politicians is simply the ruling party. If tomorrow the ADC, Labour Party, or SDP wins the presidency, many of these same politicians will abandon the APC overnight. They have no shame, no conviction, and no conscience. Their only motivation is proximity to power.”
In response, Mr Ibrahim of the APC maintained the APC would not face any internal crisis, asserting that it has the capacity to effectively manage its affairs, unlike the opposition.
He stated, “The fact that the opposition are not organised and they cannot organise primaries, neither can they manage their parties, does not mean we are on the same boat with them. Our party, the APC, has been conducting primaries successfully and rancor-free.
“So, the fact that they don’t know how to manage their party does not mean that is the way we run our own party. The APC does not coerce anyone to join. Those joining are doing so willingly because of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope achievements. Our party is fully prepared. It’s not going to implode; it’s not going to have any issues similar to the issues they have been having.”
Senator Ndume, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, accused both the executive and legislative arms of complacency, saying their failure to proactively engage the United States government on the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria led to the development.
The senator recalled that he had earlier sponsored a motion in the Senate on “Christian genocide” in the country. The motion, he said, led to resolutions mandating the Nigerian government to engage the U.S. with verified facts and figures.
President Trump, last Friday, announced the designation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ over alleged persecution of Christians.
President Trump made the announcement via a post on his Truth Social platform, which was also shared on the official White House X handle.
“Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” President Trump wrote.
But the Nigerian government swiftly rejected the claims, insisting that President Trump’s assessment did not reflect the true situation in the country.
However, Senator Ndume accused the President Tinubu’s administration and the Senate of treating the allegation raised by US lawmaker, Riley Moore, with complacency, prior to President Trump’s declaration, and urged the federal government to take urgent steps to engage the US government with facts and figures on the activities of terrorists organisations which, he noted, were blind to faith.
“I have alerted the government, I even moved a motion. Nigeria is a sovereign state, it isn’t about what the United States can do to us, but about the misconception and the ripple effects of classifying us as a country of concern.
“We should engage the American government by presenting facts and figures. By engaging the US government, we should demand that they hear the other side of the story from the Nigerian government and the Muslim community. Muslims have been killed too. The genocide isn’t against Christians but Nigerians generally,” he said.
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