‘APC government has done well in Southeast’

Last week, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, was in Anambra State, where he addressed the APC stakeholders at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Center in Awka. The ‘interactive round table’ focused mainly on how to move the party forward ahead of 2021 governorship election in the state. In this interview with Nwanosike Onu, one of the committee members and chieftain of the party in the Southeast, Chief Modestus Umenzekwe, talks on the plans of the party, things APC government had done in the zone and the APC plot to take Anambra away from the ruling party, APGA. Excerpts

VERY soon political activities will begin in Anambra State for governorship election in 2021; how prepared is your party?

We are strategising and preparing very seriously to make sure we take over Anambra State. We are working and putting things in place so that the experience we had the last time will not repeat itself again; so we are prepared to take over Anambra in a fair and credible election. Where you not around when the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, visited the state for the interactive round table with members of the party? That shows you the seriousness of APC in the state now. Yesterday had gone and today has come; let us see which party will challenge us in 2021. We thank God that all the egg heads have agreed to work together for that purpose.

How can you take over Anambra when APC is going through series of crises in the state?

You journalist create unnecessary problem in the system, even in your house you have problem with your wife; whatever problem we have is an internal crisis and that doesn’t mean we are not working to take over Anambra State.  The crisis is even helping very well in order to work as a team to actualise our goal; so it is internal and will not stop us from moving forward. We are solving it and very soon it will be over. We know those who don’t want APC to move forward in this state and we are gradually taking care of the situation; this is the reason the Vice President came and spoke with us. The plans are there already, the ruling party, APGA, is already jittery because they know it’s not going to be like before. APC members are angry in the state and have decided to make amends come 2021 after Governor Willie Obiano’s tenure.

You have an Acting Chairman in the state, Chief Basil Ejidike, who people see as a capable hand that can lead the party to the Promised Land. How capable is he?

Well, he is capable but he’s still in acting capacity and he’s trying his best and I believe as time goes on, he will deliver. From what he has been able to do already, we believe he has something down his sleeves to bring glory to our party. But the major thing is to give him support.

I was told you were a member of the reconciliation committee, set up in the state by the State Working Committee (SWC).  How has it been with the committee?

The committee has done its job very well; we went round the state, we met our leaders and it was a very tough assignment but I’m glad we have done it very well. It has been a very good exercise and good experience. We’ve been able to see those areas that are giving us problems, and I believe in no distant time, the party will use our recommendations and our reports to do the needful, so that we can move on stronger.

Why was the chairman of the committee removed?

It is only the chairman that can talk about it; I don’t have the mandate to start talking about chairman or removal of the chairman or whatever; I’m only a member of the committee.

Now at the national level, some political parties see your party as not performing, or would your party prefer that the opposition comes back?

We can’t go back to ages, it is better you are slow and get it correct, than you are fast and run into problem. The President in his nature takes time to do things. He said it in one of his interviews that yes you may call me “Go Slow” but I know where I’m heading to; so we are moving forward and we are making sure that things are put in order; we are not in a hurry, but we will get to the place. Buhari is here to change the old orientation. APC is changing what was obtainable. Before, it was to your tents oh Israel, but today, it’s no more business as usual, that is why people are fighting him; fighting APC, bringing all sorts of accusations and problems in the system to distract the government of Mohammadu Buhari. And for us to solve it, we need to sit down, study it very well; all this crisis coming in here and there, we need to study it; if we rush into them, we might make a mistake, that is why we are taking our time. He was sworn in by last May and this is August; is he going to do magic? So, he’s trying so that he can actualise the principles of the next level.

Calling him to stop the issue of herdsmen, is it one of the things you called distractions by the opposition?

He is a listening president; he has suspended the RUGA issue; what else do you want me to say, because he’s a listening president, that was why he suspended it.

How feasible is the Igbo Presidency?

We are working, we are still discussing, until we get to that period, then we will know how feasible it is, but I believe that like I had said in my pervious interviews; I believe that Igbo presidency will come to fruition.

Criticisms against Governor Willie Obiano are much in this state, has he not performed like others before him?

Well, he’s trying as a person, but the only regret is that some projects are not completed, like in my town, I have said it times without number, there are so many uncompleted projects in my town Achina in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. I can’t even get to my house, the road was stopped half way; since that time, we pack our vehicles far away and trek home, that is the problem. Some projects are not completed and we don’t know the reason. So, he’s trying on one side and the other side the road infrastructure is not encouraging. I’m using my town to draw this conclusion and we are calling on him to come to our rescue.

Are you satisfied with President Buhari’s performance in the Southeast?

You can see all the roads, all the abandoned roads, Enugu Port-Harcourt express road, Enugu- Onitsha express road and the most important second Niger Bridge is ongoing. The work is going on, I have been there several times, that alone has given me confidence that President Buhari will do more things for the Southeast, no matter the situation.

It seems those things don’t appeal to “Ndi Igbo;” what do you think is the reason?

I think “Ndi Igbo” want to be president; it is that presidency they need and I think that is the major problem, that’s my own thinking. I might be wrong but that is the way I see it. “Ndi Igbo” want to be president of Nigeria for once.

Is that the reason for criticising the administration of Buhari?

That is one of them; they want the face of the federal cake. I did say in one of my articles, where I pleaded with Mr.  President to balance the state creation to give Southeast one more state, so as to come up with the other geo-political regions. Once he does that, I think all this troubles will die down.

You are an APC chieftain of Southeast, not only in Anambra; why are your people not embracing the party?

We are embracing it already, all the political big wings we have in Igbo land are in APC. So we are embracing it.

Then, why are you not winning elections in Anambra?

It depends on individual differences. I have told you that all the big wigs we have in Anambra State are all in APC. We are not asking for more because we have enough already, the only thing remaining is to come together and work for each other and the rest will be history.