Nationwide Publicity Secretary of Ijaw Nationwide Congress (INC), Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, on this interview with ANN GOWIN says guaranteeing the completion of the ‘Southern tenure’ on the Presidency will improve unity, fairness and justice within the nation. He additionally speaks on different nationwide points, together with the rising tradition of abandoning initiatives by authorities companies, saying there must be a regulation to criminalise it.
The push for the continuation of a southern Presidency in 2027 stems from a number of political dynamics. What’s your tackle the matter?
Ordinarily, it’s too early for politicians to start to speak in regards to the 2027 elections as a result of I believe the President wants to pay attention; the governors want to pay attention to ship good governance to Nigerians. There are plenty of issues demanding consideration. It’s too early however politicians, being who they’re, put together forward of time. So, it’s not misplaced that southern politicians are agitating that the Presidency ought to stay within the South. We agree with that. The Presidency ought to stay within the zone as a result of it’s our proper. So, it’s a welcome growth.
Does the decision for the president to stay within the South must do with finishing the southern tenure or prioritising fairness and benefit?
All are concerned; benefit is there, fairness and equity are additionally there. A president from the North has simply completed eight years and for equity and oneness within the nation, I don’t suppose politicians from the South pressed for energy to shift to the South; they allowed the North to finish their eight years. Subsequently, for correct understanding and equity and for oneness within the nation, I consider very strongly that the Presidency ought to stay within the South to allow the zone to have its fair proportion of eight years.
You’ll recall that when former President Goodluck Jonathan was there, some politicians from the North tried to drag a number of the politicians from the South down. Some southern politicians additionally betrayed former President Jonathan they usually took the seat from him. So, we’re saying that this time, we within the South won’t agree that they provide you with any ways once more to unseat a southern man as president.
We’ve got a gentleman’s settlement on this nation. Inasmuch as it’s not written within the structure, we should always nonetheless adhere to it. The nation is shared into two zones. We’ve got the North and South. So, if the North has completed eight years, it’s simply moral that the South ought to do eight years additionally earlier than it goes again to the North to do eight years. That’s the understanding now we have on this nation for equity, fairness and justice.
Many consider that former president Jonathan is credible and electable to do a second time period. Do you agree?
That can also be debatable however now now we have a president who’s from the South that has completed simply two years and counting. So, we’re saying that the southern eight years should be accomplished. President Jonathan was not allowed to finish his eight years. There was a gang up in opposition to him and now the problems are arising once more; we’re insisting that the South will full their eight years. If we wished to argue on that difficulty – Jonathan’s case – we’d have additionally insisted that the South ought to do an additional eight years. However allow us to, for the sake of peace, say ‘okay, on the Jonathan difficulty, we’ll let it go; however for the Presidency that’s now within the South, we’ll full the eight years tenure.’
Are you saying President Bola Tinubu must be re-elected in 2027?
I’ve not mentioned the present President ought to full the eight years tenure however whether it is President Tinubu that’s finishing his eight years, he’s from the South, ok! Whether it is one other candidate that’s from the South, it’s nonetheless ok. All we’re saying is that the eight years shall be accomplished by a southerner. We won’t enable any energy shift from the South to the North as a result of we allowed the eight years of late President Muhammadu Buhari to be accomplished peacefully. Former President Buhari completed his eight years with out us minding that he might not have carried out nicely. However for peace to reign within the nation, we allowed the North to finish their tenure. Subsequently, the South can even use their eight years nicely and we must be allowed to finish it peacefully.
Does this imply any push for a northern agenda could also be perceived as unfair?
It is vitally unfair for any northerner to push for a northern agenda. We see this strain from the North; they provide the impression that there are some individuals who personal the nation greater than others. That’s not true; we’re all shareholders of this nation; each citizen of this nation owns the nation equally and has equal rights. Subsequently, we won’t agree with the impression {that a} southern president has not carried out or making an attempt to lure the South to assist them. Our eyes are clearer now; they’re extra open; now we have seen their place and we perceive the politics clearer now.
We didn’t see any individual from the North popping out to oppose late president Buhari when he was president no matter his efficiency. So, we’re saying that it’s a gang up in opposition to the South. As I mentioned, if the North has completed eight years, and there’s a gentleman settlement that the North may have eight years and the South may have eight years, I name on southern politicians to strongly unite and are available in opposition to this despicable agenda in opposition to the South.
There are problems with alliance presently going on among the many southern governors close to switching to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Can this alliance in any approach convey unity amongst southern politicians if the Presidency is zoned to the South?
If the Presidency is zoned to the South, it would convey unity, not minding the get together anyone is contesting from. If it’s zoned to the South, I’m positive the governors, politicians within the South, will unite, no matter no matter get together, to attain victory as a result of they perceive the problems higher now contemplating that the North did their eight years in peace. It is going to convey unity among the many governors. So, positively, if the Presidency is zoned to the South, it would convey unity.
Do you have got any phrases of recommendation for Southern politicians?
Let the politicians know that some individuals really feel superior within the nation. If you happen to topic your self as a much less superior individual, you received’t obtain something. So, I name on southern politicians to strongly unite.
Let’s discuss in regards to the South-South Improvement Fee (SSDC) not too long ago established by the Federal Authorities aimed toward fostering socio-economic growth within the zone. Do you see a duplication of efforts of the NDDC in establishing the fee?
For me, I’m very glad that one other fee has been established to additional develop the South-South area whether it is real and funding shall be made accessible. I believe that creating even 10 interventionist companies to develop the South-South won’t be misplaced. We’ve got been disadvantaged.
You recognize very nicely our contribution to the financial system of the nation.
The phrases of the South-South Improvement Fee are clear. I’ve additionally learn the Act and seen that it’s not a duplication. It’s a welcome growth {that a} fee of such nature is in place.
So, the Niger Delta Improvement Fee (NDDC) mandate is completely different from the mandate of the South-South Improvement Fee; it’s not a duplication; it’s a welcome growth. We, subsequently, encourage the federal government to make funds accessible for the fee as a result of the problem shall be lack of funding. Let the federal government give them a free hand to do the required work.
However is funding actually the important thing problem? What in regards to the difficulty of correct utilisation of the funds?
Sure, the people appointed to man such places of work matter rather a lot. I’ve checked out a number of the personalities that had been inaugurated not too long ago. I consider that with their antecedents, they may carry out if exterior influences aren’t there. I do know too nicely that typically they set up these commissions and put individuals they may use as devices to loot funds. However believing that these are people who have love for the South-South, we hope that they may carry out.
In a current report by The Guardian, a number of deserted initiatives had been uncovered within the South-South area, together with roads, bridges, hospitals, and so on, which some blame on the disunity of the leaders. What’s the headway?
The INC not too long ago did a survey of deserted initiatives inside the Niger Delta and it was alarming seeing the variety of initiatives that had been deserted and the quantities of funds that had been concerned in such initiatives; it’s relatively unlucky. I believe there must be a regulation; for those who discuss initiatives, they will need to have a interval. That’s the definition of a challenge. One of many traits is that it has a interval. No challenge is without end. Whether it is three years that you just wish to execute the challenge, the three years must be there and the findings must be there. So, for those who have a look at the initiatives which have been deserted, there’s a have to provide you with a regulation that may punish offenders in the event that they don’t full initiatives.
For anybody to provoke a challenge and fail to finish the challenge must be against the law. The regulation we’re proposing will assist information and scale back deserted initiatives. I additionally learn your publication on the deserted initiatives; it was a deep and nicely investigated report and that raises severe issues that if we don’t take a correct place to battle in opposition to the menace of deserted initiatives, we may have extra deserted initiatives within the South-South. A few of them are uncompleted roads, which as an alternative of serving to the persons are endangering their lives. Cash, which might have been used for another functions, is put in a challenge that received’t be accomplished; that doesn’t make any sense.
For example, for those who provoke a challenge of establishing a bridge throughout two communities or a bridge that crosses one other highway and also you abandon it, an enormous amount of cash has been wasted but the challenge shouldn’t be accomplished. It is going to relatively worsen the challenges of the individuals. So, if any company is bound that it can’t full any challenge, there isn’t any have to put cash in that specific challenge as a result of it’s pretty much as good as not even doing something. So, I’m strongly calling for a regulation that can criminalise deserted initiatives.
