Spokesman of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Joe Igbokwe, in this interview, speaks on sundry issues affecting the country and dismissed the insinuation that the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, will leave the party. BOLA BADMUS brings excerpts:
It is about two years since APC assumed power in the country. What can you say are some of the achievements so far recorded by the party?
We have made monumental achievements, though people want to see achievements in form of money or food on their table. But we have embarked on laying a very important foundation to transform Nigeria from a corrupt nation to a progressive one. If one does not possess the third eye, he or she may not see it. What we lack in this country can be traced to corruption and the president has declared a total war against things that have affected the development of the country. This is because we have lost several years without anything being done and that is why we have infrastructural decay. After more than 16 years, we are still battling to have 10, 000 megawatts of electricity, in spite of the huge fund allocated to the sector annually. And it is pathetic that yearly, we are furnished with same story from the administrators in the sector.
Nigeria would have been the destination for all now considering the huge fund that had passed through our hand over the last 16 years. But within these years, we can’t see anything. The present administration has decided to address the issue, especially corruption and make the country great again. For instance, the man went into the judicial system and exposed the corruption within the third tier of government. And this is one area that many never dared to place their searchlight on. Also, presently, the Senate President, though he is a member of the party (APC), is standing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for some issues alleged against him.
President Muhammadu Buhari, after he had commenced the ‘operation-end corruption”, the same act is fighting back and some people are wishing him dead. I know corruption will fight back, but it will be quashed. I remember that before the election, I prophesied that APC will win, but it will not be rosy and that they will fight back after accumulating resources over the years. And don’t forget that it took the progressives about 30 years for them to come to power.
Two years after we assumed power, Nigerians have started complaining that they haven’t seen the change promised by the President Buhari-led administration. But I want to urge that they should look deeper. They should open their eyes and see the plans the present administration has for the country. I know that before the end of 2018, the country would have achieved so much.
What gives you that confidence?
First is the president because everything falls on his table. But don’t forget that if anything happens to the president today, the government will continue. He has a competent vice president that will take over the affairs of government. The president is human like the over 170 million Nigerians, who can fall sick anytime.
This is the only president that has signed-off allowing his vice to run the affairs of the country. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late Alhaji Umaru Yar Adua didn’t do that for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Jonathan, respectively.
Why are the gains taking this long to manifest?
After the bombing of the World Trade Centre in United State, do you know how many years it took the government to clear the ground? If I am to bomb Lagos, it would not take one more than 25 minutes to bring the state to standstill. Don’t forget that it took several years before Lagos could achieve all it has at present. To return the state after the act (of bombing) would require another several years. Building this country is not a tea-party. Nigeria is like a broken city; a city after the war. When one examines the system, one will realise that in oil sector, there isn’t enough funds; infrastructure wise we don’t have. And having infrastructures could help make the country destination for tourists, just like Dubai in the United Arab Emirate (UAE).
We need to build and it requires time to build a broken city. Aside time, there is need for huge fund and there is no money at the disposal of the government. So it requires the government to look inward. In order to look inward, the government set up TSA and shut 20,000 accounts. No government before Buhari had aimed at building Nigeria. The building of Nigeria has started.
Do you see APC ruling Nigeria for eight years, especially with its perceived internal wrangling and the said plan by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to leave the party?
APC will rule Nigeria for many years to come. There must be crisis in every party. It is the ability to resolve that internal contradictions that makes the forum a political party. It is a coalition of interest; everyone is fighting for his interest and to remain relevant. It is a struggle for power. Don’t forget that APC was formally formed and many trooped into it. We accepted because we needed the number.
But a mega party is also said to be in the offing, with Senator Bola Tinubu’s name being touted as one of its arrow-heads…
I can assure you that Asiwaju (Tinubu) can never leave APC; he will die for the party. One cannot build a house and destroy it overnight. It is our duty to make APC succeed. And for the mega party, it is a figment of imagination of those thinking about the party. If we begin to leave APC, how do you want Nigerians to take us serious? Don’t forget where we were coming from-AD, AC, ACN and APC. Asiwaju is done with forming new party. Atiku’s case is a forgone issue; he has been leaving from one party to the other.
I can assure you that Buhari will rule this country for eight years and those complaining now will come to eat the humble pie. What President Buhari planned for Nigeria was what Singaporean ex-president, Lee Kuan Yew, did for his country. It is sad that people don’t believe in foundation and it is that foundation that determines the longevity of the structure.
How will you react to the insinuation that APC didn’t have a blue print of what it intended to do after getting to power?
Don’t forget that Buhari was a former minister and a former Head of State, among others and had contested for the presidency thrice before winning in 2015. And if anyone says that he (the president) didn’t have any blueprint for the country, then the person doesn’t know what he or she is saying.
It is in the opinion of many Nigerians that the president’s policies are anti-people, banning of importation of some food items being an instance…
I remember when India banned the importation of cloths, the citizens were asking about what they would wear. They were asked to go naked and today, the country has one of the largest textile industries. Today, Buhari’s policy has started yielding results. One of the results is LAKE Rice; you can see the impact of the rice. I have directed that I don’t want to see any foreign rice in my house again.
For years, I have been hearing about Abakaliki rice and they have not moved it beyond the primitive stage. But with what Lagos and Kebbi states achieved, they (Abakaliki) have started rebranding their rice and Dangote has also shown interest. If we fail to close the door, we will not achieve anything. Many are claiming there is no work and they wait for government to share money. That is not what government is meant for. It was meant to put structures in place to assist the citizens.
Why do you think Igbo have always been divided on issues affecting the country?
They cannot understand Nigerian politics and that is my problem with them. Nigerian politics is not business. After the demise of Yar’Adua, what I expected the Igbo to do was to ask Jonathan to finish the four years of Yar’Adua and allow the North to have their eight years. And by 2015, the presidency would have come to the South- East. They were cajoled with the belief that no one can defeat the incumbent.
When do you think the Igbo are ripe to rule Nigeria?
It is simple. The time for the South-East is 2023.
But former President Olusegun Obasanjo suggested 2019…
The ex-president is about creating another crisis for the South-East. The North will spend its eight years. I want the Igbo to understand that they must support others before they can also receive support. The North hasn’t gotten their eight years; what the late Yar’Adua did wasn’t up to eight years. We want them to finish their two terms before we step in. If this is done, there will be no complaint from the northerners that they have been short-changed. There is a caveat for the Igbo to get the power and that is aligning their tent with APC.