Posted by SIMON EBEGBULEM on
It was not easy to track him down for this interview as he was busy meeting with party supporters and attending community meetings as the prime minister of Iluheha, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was not easy to track him down for this interview as he was busy meeting with party supporters and attending community meetings as the prime minister of Iluheha, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State. But, luckily, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, special adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Policy and Programmes Monitoring, left his village for Benin City, for a political meeting. And that was how this reporter was able to track him down. He spoke on the alleged third term bid by Obasanjo and declared that nobody can stampede the president into commenting on the issue. The adviser commented on the battle for presidency between the North and the South and declared that it is good for the nation's democracy.He also spoke on the problem in the aviation sector and what should be expected from this government in 2006. Excerpts:
WHY is it that President Obasanjo cannot make a statement on the alleged third term bid now?
I think the president cannot be dragged into every political discourse in the country. He has not told any body he is going for a third term. People have been trying to force him to make a comment on that and I think any disciplined politician might decide to allow the debate because it might be useful in the future.
If he comes out to say something now, it may be interpreted in different ways. For now, there are people who say, it is good and some are saying it is not good. Some say it is unconstitutional. Some say the solution to Nigeria's survival or the consolidation of the gains of democracy is for the president to continue. However, I believe that at the appropriate time the President will speak. The president is the leader of the ruling party and I know he is a master at timing his responses to national discourse. But he will not be stampeded or compelled by anyone or group to make a statement before he is ready to do so. I think we should grant him that respect to decide when he thinks his intervention will be of maximum value for the country.
Various perspectives
So far, the debate is not harming any body, it is not killing any body, no body is fighting over it. As a politician, I think it is very interesting to view the various perspectives that are being marshalled for and against that option.
But why is the Presidency scared of groups like the Movement for the Defence of Democracy (MDD) and the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy that have now merged (MRD).
What is the evidence that you have of the Presidency being shaken? Not at all. The Presidency believes in democracy, we believe in letting a thousand flowers to blosom, and people to express themselves. With time many will find that some of the structures are not as strong as they thought it will be. They will find that in several locations, some of the leaders did not have any strategic electoral value. They will find that it takes time to build a new party and mobilize the resources and build discipline on the sense of mission and ideological focus. That is why there is nobody being condemned for moving one way or the other but when you move in one direction, you know that you have moved in that direction and consequently you are treated as having moved in that direction. But, nothing at all that is making the Presidency scared. PDP remains the most powerful and strongest party in Nigeria. It still has more states under its control. It has more members than all the other parties put together. So, there is nothing they can do to shake the PDP or this government. The president, I can tell you, definitively, is not scared of anybody or any group.
Recently, the Southern leaders held a meeting at Enugu and declared their interest in retaining the presidency in 2007 while the North is insisting on power shift. Is the presidency not worried over this development?
What Nigerians are experiencing now is an indication that our democracy is growing. Democracy is all about discussions, negotiations and interactions. Both groups comprise of Nigerians and they have the right to request for the presidency of this nation.
The Presidency is not perturbed by these agitations because they are robust. As long as it is not threatening our national security, there is nothing wrong with the debate. The presidency has no hand in the agitations. You should know the caliber of men and women involved in this discourse, they are all respected Nigerians and they have the right to fight for their zones. But I believe that at the end of the day, the parties will decide where it goes.
The situation is calm and it is beautiful. All we are appealing is that whatever agitation we are making, let it be in the atmosphere of peace and unity. The Presidency cannot condone any action that tends to threaten the unity of this nation, that we cannot compromise. And we expect the key players to remember the unity of this nation in whatever they are doing so that we can avoid heating up the polity.
Can we know why it took the Federal Government several years to discover the problems in the aviation sector in spite of all the money that has been expended on the sector?
The problem with the aviation sector that we are beginning to suffer for now is as a result of years of decay and dislocation in that sector. These problems include bad management, misapplication of resources, corruption and waste and poor conditions of service that forced many to leave the aviation industry. Then the operators of these airlines cutt corners, don't service their aircraft and keep their books and records and do the necessary change at the necessary time. Now, the nation is paying for it, unfortunately. And the president has moved to take appropriate action by putting up a high powered committee, grounding some aircraft, bringing in international experts, creating opportunities and empowering the minister to redeploy and disengage staff as may be necessary to put that sector on sound footing .
Sometimes, unfortunately, it takes that kind of situation to get some people to wake up, sit and think. I think those who are involved in the sector including the operators now know the harm they are doing to the country by not doing the right thing at the right time. I can assure you that at the end of the day, we will have a sound aviation sector. We would have disciplined those who are responsible for some of these misapplied situations. We would have succeeded in streamlining policies and programmes in the aviation sector, in the interest of all Nigerians.
After the impeachment of Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State, one would have thought the Federal Government would extradite him back to London to face trial. Why is he still being kept in Nigeria?
I will say that there are some allegations that have been brought against him that culminated in his impeachment, and those alleged offences were committed in Nigeria here and we want our justice system to run through. And I think he has been taken to court and charges have been brought up against him. I subscribe it is important to get through with all these allegations and charges before we consider the next step. I also believe that there are certain procedures before you disengage somebody from your country to another country to face trial. Nigerians sometimes, try to, in our collective excitement, rush a few things. But, let us follow due process and the right procedures. At the end of the day justice would be done and Nigerians will feel the impact of that justice being done.
What do we expect from this government in 2006?
We are going to focus on a lot of areas in 2006: Oil and gas, manufacturing, solid minerals, agriculture and tourism. These are priority areas for the government and we will continue in that direction. We are going to try and attract more investors into the country. Luckily, they are now coming on their own because they are now seeing the results of the reforms. So, we are going to make the environment more conducive, even more conducive to them so that, through this, we can create jobs, stimulate productivity and I am sure these plans are going to benefit Nigerians. So 2006 will be as busy for the president, as he will be trying to balance the political, social and economic situation of the nation. All I can do is to call on all Nigerians to be on board with Mr. President as he leads us to a greater Nigeria.
Nigerians are still worried that no tangible effort has been made by this government to reform our electoral system and we are heading towards 2007, the election year?
Things are in place. First, the president has made an open commitment to ensuring that elections are free and fair. Second the reforms in the police are to make it more efficient, more capable of dealing with the situation that may arise, INEC has made significant stride in its effort to bring some sanity into the electoral process. I know that the chairman of INEC is on record as saying that they have made a clear analysis of the elections of the past and have drawn lessons and are going to block these loopholes in the next election. We should just learn to trust INEC, trust those agencies that are going to be involved. But, of course, nothing is bigger or more important than the vigilance of the people to defend their democratic rights at all times. So, I think, we are doing well in that regard, there seems to be no delay and we are not behind schedule in preparing for 2007 elections.
In the last state congress of the PDP in Edo State, you pitched tent with Governor Lucky Igbinedion's faction. One would have expected you to attend the one organized by Chief Tony Anenih, what really happened?
Democracy is about struggle for power, building programmes, negotiation, interactions and struggle for legitimate authorities. And also people must, at all times, reflect on and take steps to protect themselves in terms of dignity, self respect. And, I think, at the last congress, there were some misunderstandings which is normal in politics between the two camps and I went to the congress where I felt I had the voice, I had the people who respected me for who I am and what I can contribute to my state. I have people who accepted me as being part of them. And people who give legitimate support to my engagement with some of the powers that be in Edo State over the issue of representation, participation and involvement. There were discussions and negotiations up to that morning about having one congress in Edo State. Unfortunately, it did not happen because the sacrifice expected of one side to make did not come and that was how we held two congresses. But, like all mature politicians we have moved since then beyond that. The congress has come, it is over. We now have to unite the party, build a formidable platform to ensure that the PDP retains Osadebey Avenue come 2007. I think we are making progress in that regard.
It is being rumoured that the president has asked you to withdraw from the gubernatorial race, how true is that?
It is a wicked lie. No such meeting took place. The rumour was that the president, Chief Anenih and I sat down and the president asked me if I was interested, I denied. I said, categorically now, no such meeting had ever taken place. But I am happy that such people are all over the place fabricating rumours and stories. Only because they believe that I have some thing to offer that they do not have and so they resorted to that kind of cheap blackmail. But, I can assure you, that kind of situation is not true. The time for politics has not come, the president has not lifted the ban on politics. When he does, I can assure you that I will make my self available for the highest office in Edo State. And I have thousands and thousands of supporters who at their own expense have been working to ensure that happens when the right time comes. And I have, absolutely, no reason to disappoint them.