Hon. Uchechukwu Cyprian Obasi is a former Deputy Governorship candidate of the Independent Democrats’ Party in the 2019 general elections in Ebonyi State, now chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this interview with Barth Ndubuwah, he speaks on a number of issues bordering on preparation to the 2023 general elections, zoning of the presidential ticket, removal of sitting Governors, and the need for peaceful elections, among others. Excerpts:
How do you see the preparation of politicians and political parties ahead of the 2023 general elections?
Normally, pre-election year is always busy period for politicians like us. I want to believe that all the political parties are haggling to produce the next leaders at different levels of government to lead our country, Nigeria. The truth is that I’m more concerned about the preparation of my own party, which is PDP. PDP is a model to other political parties in Nigeria and the party is preparing effectively to produce the President to rule the country in 2023. PDP always set the tone for others to follow, having successfully conducted it’s national convention.
2023 is by the corner and political parties are enmeshed with the zoning issue. In fact, a lot of Nigerians are saying that for justice, equity and fairness, the South-East should be allowed to produce the next president.Do you also share this notion?
It is necessary that I share the same notion because I am from the Eastern part of Nigeria, Ebonyi State to be precise. As a Nigerian and a politician under the PDP, I agree that the presidential slot be thrown open, but most importantly, I believe in equity and fairness, so what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Therefore, it is only fair for the South-East to be given the opportunity to produce the next president of Nigeria. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a political party that believes in the tenets of democracy and as the name implies, having elected its National Chairman from the North, your guess is as good as mine to know where the President will come from.
PDP seems to have thrown the presidential ticket open. For instance, Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, and several others are already jostling for the 2023 presidential ticket. Don’t you think this will bring confusion into the country’s political climate?
Just as I said before, since the National Chairman of PDP is from the North, common sense will clearly show that the President will come from the South and South is the South-West, South-South and South-East. It is now up to the political parties to decide on the particular micro-zone the power will go to in 2023, but the presidential ticket remains largely open. You must show zeal and determination to qualify for that position. Since 1999, other geopolitical zones have taken a shot at the presidential seat, so why are they turning blind eye to the rotation agreement and yet you said power is not given, but taken.
It appeared Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was brought out of prison and made President in 1999, just to pacify the South-West for the June 12 saga. What do you have to say on that?
I am hearing it for the first time that power was given to President Obasanjo in 1999 to pacify the Yorubas for the June 12 saga. But, it was not only Obasanjo that contested that election. Why didn’t the presidential seat then go to Tinubu or other politicians from the South-West, why should it be Obasanjo? So, you can see that power is taken and not given.
Do you believe in the zoning principle?
Well, the Constitution is the grandnorm, there is nowhere in the Constitution where presidential ticket is zoned to a particular state or geopolitical zone. It was the political parties that on their own decided to zone political offices to accommodate every part of the country for equity and fairness. Therefore, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remains the grandnorm of the country.
With the level of agitations from the South-East on marginalisation, don’t you think doctrine of necessity could be used to assuage the tension?
Doctrine of necessity was used because of the incident of late President Musa Yar’Adua that produced Goodluck Jonathan as President, then he was already Vice President to Yar’Adua. The present case in Nigeria does not call for doctrine of necessity, because the South-Easterners are not underdogs. They have ‘the who is who’ in politics to wrestle power from other zones of the nation. So, in this case doctrine of necessity does not apply.
You are from Ebonyi, the State recently shook as a result of attempted effort by PDP to remove the sitting governor, Dr Dave Umahi. Has that matter been laid to rest?
Ebonyi State did not shake politically as you said, because of Dave Umahi’s defection or attempted removal. He swore before then that he won’t leave PDP, which he later did. That was not all, he tried to gag other political parties in Ebonyi State, especially the PDP. I stand bold to say that Ebonyi State has been PDP since 1999 before Umahi now defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). No matter what happens, Umahi should open the secretariat of PDP in Ebonyi State and allow other political parties to exist. He should not act as an emperor in Ebonyi State for any reason. The case is still subsisting in court, so I won’t comment so much on that. The court in its wisdom clearly stated that the votes cast in that election belong to the party, PDP, and not Umahi as a person. Another court can still rule otherwise on the matter. So, it is not Uhuru yet for Umahi or even Ben Ayade of Cross River State because PDP can still go on appeal on the matter.
Who is your political idol from South-East that can possibly get the presidential slot in the forthcoming 2023 general elections?
I studied the antecedents of Peter Obi as governor of Anambra State, how he transformed the State. Even Pius Anyim did so well as Senate President. They are all qualified to be President of Nigeria in 2023. Well, that’s why you have the primaries. This will narrow down the choice of a candidate for PDP. As a politician I can’t be cowed to choosing a certain aspirant before the primary. The road is still too far. Between now and 2023 anything can still happen, more aspirants can still declare their interest in contesting the presidential election. So, it is only the primary that can decide who becomes the candidate.
What is your advice or message to politicians as they prepare for 2023 elections?
My advice is that politicians should eschew politics of bitternes, since it breeds all manner of crises and anarchy. It is only when politics is done with decency that the nation can move forward.