Christopher Abarowei, a foundational member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, in this interview with Ebiowei Lawal, talks about the chances, challenges of the leading candidates in the November 11 governorship election. Excerpts:
Do you think Bayelsa has achieved much in the area of electoral reforms?
I will say that elections in Bayelsa have not been too encouraging, especially the one that led to the annulment of Chief Sylva election in 2007. For the first time, everybody thought that the court would not honour the prayers of the oppressed. The ACN which had Honourable Ebitimi Amgbare as candidate, went for the election and the outcome was outrageous in the sense that the foundation of electoral process was not built on a solid foundation with the units results which were to be recorded in the form EC8A, which formed the foundation of the election was conspicuously missing. What I mean was that for every election, you build from the unit to the ward and local government level in order to get what is required to declare a winner. And in this case, the unit results were conspicuously missing and that formed the prayers of Amgbare.
After the annulment, Sylva was re-elected in a fresh election. Would you say under him Bayelsa fared better?
During his reign as governor I was among those who constructively criticised some of his policies. Some of the issues I took up that time was non-payment of gratuity to pensioners, unnecessary foreign trips and the issue of Famu-Tamgbei, a security outfit and he could not deem it fit to construct a road from Nembe to Brass because he felt the road was not economically viable. We give glory to God that the Prosperity Government is constructing the road in order to enhance the wealth from the ocean which is the blue economy. I cannot outrightly say he did not do anything good, but he has personally told Bayelsans about his level of performance. In an interview about three months ago, he openly said he became governor at the age of 42 and was inexperienced, with that, he is saying that he failed. For saying that, I don’t need to say much. So, if he primes his failure to age, it is absurd because the likes of Macron of France, Yakubu Gowon and Diete-SpiffSpiff became leaders at a young age and did well.
Are Bayelsans also counting their blessings under PDP?
Why not? It is not something about ringing a bell that today a bridge has crossed to Oporoma, you don’t have to shout to the highest heavens that today, vehicles can now drive to Ekeremor and today there is a road leading to Brass. The same road Sylva said it had no economic value. All this under Diri, in pursuit of the blue economy. But I don’t want to sell Diri on this basis because it is clear for everyone to see. Talk about pensioners. Diri inherited backlogs of unpaid pension from 2007 to 2011, when Sylva was governor. But today, he is paying pensioners. There is peace in the state because you can walk on the streets of Yenagoa without being robbed, because adequate security is in place.
You know Tinubu very well because you were of the same party in the past. Do you think he is somebody that would fold his arms and allow violence and rigging mar the forthcoming election?
As the last state publicity secretary of the ACN, I know Tinubu is a product of the struggle that led to the current democratic dispensation that everyone is enjoying today. Without mincing words, we cannot talk about the current republic without mentioning his name and that of the late Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu and Chief Abraham Adesanya, who, in spite of all odds, stood firm and made sure the people were given the chance to have civil rule. With this in mind, I expect Tinubu, to act as the father of all and in a plain language, make the security and INEC know that election has to be free, fair and credible and ensure the impartiality of institutions saddled with midwifing the electoral process.
Do you fear that the November 11 election might not be free and fair and marred with violence?
Yes. I have my fears because we have heard them boasting that they will come, do whatever they want to do, arrange and write the results the way they want and if you are not satisfied we go to court. But what we are saying is this, we want a level-playing field, during and after the election. We expect the INEC and police to be neutral.
When Bayelsa was created what future did you foresee for the State?
When the state was created, my projection was that Bayelsans would enjoy equity, fairness and justice. From that time, I have been a proponent of electoral reforms that will lead to an exposed and energised Bayelsa. That informed my decision to pitch my tent with the then progressives, Alliance for Democracy (AD)which later became Action Congress (AC) and thereafter Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). I happened to be the last publicity secretary of ACN. When the ACN formed the alliance with other political parties to form the APC, I was a member. I boast to say that I was a delegate in the party primary that produced Buhari as presidential candidate of the APC in 2015. But today, we are seeing a different level of progressives; progressives who are interested in subverting the will of the people. I was part of those who marketed Buhari. We sold him on two planks; to tackle issues of corruption and security, and in those two areas, Buhari failed. But right now, our focus is on the governorship election coming up in Bayelsa State.
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