A constitutional lawyer and public affairs analyst who is a Calabar-based legal practitioner, CHIEF BARR. FIDELIS ONYEBUEKE spoke with our reporter, PATRICK ABANG over the week on why a structureless presidential contender, Peter Obi and his labour Party, LP are pulling weight in terms of millions of supporters that are following him in the ongoing presidential campaign across the country.
Excerpt.
On the taking over by the third force in the recent opinion poll, Sir, what can you say on this?
“The issue is that opinion polls depend on the views of the people who conducted them. At times it is unrealistic, and sometimes too it is realistic. We don’t know the perimeter they used in conducting it, but we do try to give credence to their views. Because something you have done several times comes out to produce the same result. There is the likelihood of the same being correct. So that is the position. That is my view. We know in all these opinion polls results the third force has been favoured. I used the word favour because it is conducted by human beings. Who is even being exposed to one of the political parties? So it is not out of place. Nobody can even condemn it because from what is on the ground it depends on the regions you are considering it. Considering from the sides of those who are from the south-south, south-east, middle-belt and north-central.
“Even though the volume of votes is not so much. But the number of voters who are ready to participate and vote will give credence to the opinion poll.
Sir, in your candid opinion, did you see Labour Party ( LP ) candidate posing as a threat to any of the traditional parties?
It is obvious, it is on the ground. A party that has no structure to have gone so far that it means that it is an act of God. That is why traditional anchor parties are afraid. This is the first time in the history of this country, that a person ( Party without a structure is threatening the structure of a well-known party. This is the first time in this country and nobody should take it for granted.
How would you rate the chance of Peter Obi in the coming presidential election?
The structureless Obi and his Labour Party, LP are pulling the weight with millions of supporters everywhere as he is campaigning across the country, particularly the youths are their major followers.
The man has a very high rating. To me, his rating is on the high side. Based on what is on the ground which has never happened before, and it is taking place now. If something has never happened before and it’s taking place now. It means there must be something behind the scenes. It is not ordinary. Before, nobody hears about structure less party to contest with a structured party, and see that it succeeds. But now, everybody is feeling that structure or no structure Obi is going to win. That is the issue. Termed for the fact that the entire South-south are queuing behind Obi. His traditional men are behind him, forget about the intruders who fill here and there. They know the outcome of his ranking of Obi. Whenever they are saying anything contrary either to discredit Obi. The following day they will come out and apologise. Many have done so. Dr Umahi did it, Umahi did it, Uzodima is no more talking, and Orji Uzo Kalu is no more talking. All these people are the once we hope are not working for the advancement of the Igbos. But we do hope that they will all queue in when the right time comes. When you get to the Middle-belt Obi has captured there. When you listen to Babache Lawal’s analysis, the former Secretary to the Federal Government, the man has given fantastic figures. The demands are on the ground, Obi will be pulling from there. Obi will capture Adamawa, no matter what happens. Babache Lawal said no Christian in the North will vote for APC. I agreed with them because they are more fanatical than the Christians in the South.
If you go to Gombe he is giving the same analysis. So let’s wait.
What is your take on the recent comments from Governor Soludo about Peter Obi?
There is nothing I can say to be more than what other people have said. They are condemning it. Soludo took himself too low to make such statements just to discredit his brother. Someone coming from the same state. Unfortunately, that is coming from his state governor. Many have done something to discredit him. I am sure he is panicking. I don’t know how he will make it to his second term.
With the new electoral act on the ground, do you think that would lead Nigeria to conduct a credible election?
Yes, the Introduction of BVAS into our electoral process will send a very strong signal to electoral malpractices in the country. This is one of the greatest achievements President Buhari has done. The credit will never go to him. Followed by the arrangement of the new electoral act if we conduct the 2023 elections devoid of rigging then Nigeria will join leagues of nations that could conduct credible, free, and fair elections. The ruling party, APC, there are seriously panicking in their camp. With the new electoral Act, the APC are very uncomfortable at the moment. If the vote is cast the result will be transmitted to Abuja. There would be nothing like running away with the ballot box. This is the beauty of the new system. They will never influence INEC to manipulate any figure to their advantage. It won’t be possible.
The task before the incoming President is very obvious, that somewhat he will find it not easy for him in many areas. As many people in the country think that unless Nigeria is restructured or a certain grey area in the construction is amended to reflect the current realities and unless certain issues are done to correct the abnormalities we will continue to remain in dismay, what is your take on this on this, Sir?
Everybody wants to restructure. Yes, but as it is now what we want now is to have acceptable and credible elections. If Obi comes on board all those issues will be taken care of. If we have credible leaders in place we won’t be talking about restructuring. If we have accountable leaders on top we won’t be talking about restructuring. Those leaders will know what to do to make everybody happy. I don’t see anything wrong with our constitution. The constitution is always being drafted by human beings, not by God. The problem we have is that manipulators of our Constitution are the problem. That is the issue.
Ordinarily, if you go through the constitution you will discover that certain areas in our constitution favour Northern Nigeria. But does it mean that no area in the constitution favours the South? That is not true. That is why I am saying having a leader on top. I mean those leaders who have the interest of Nigeria at heart. You will see that even if they go contrary to the constitution nobody will complain. But a situation where we had animals, pilferers of public funds, criminals we refer to as leaders, non-visionary leaders, those we could not hold countable to their stewardship while in public offices who are at the helm of affairs. And these are what Nigeria leaders are known since after independence. How then would you expect good governance from this crop of leaders? It is impossible. If we have credible leaders on top nobody will complain. I was told, the moment you have God every other thing follows vis vasa if you have faith in God every other thing will pursue, but in Nigeria, nobody has faith in this country again.
You have been throwing your weight behind Buhari’s government before. Today what are you saying?
Like 90% of Nigerians do so as of then. I campaign for him to the detriment of my life. My friends openly attacked me for doing so. When he was in power as a military dictator in 1985, I was in Law School. We were able to have a good meal because the issue of corruption was cut down. We were able to have good and transparent administration in our Law School. We were able to have access to transportation. Everybody queued in line to do anything. There was sanity in the country in those years he was the Head of State. Everybody thought as he came back he will continue that discipline. Nevertheless, although, we know those who are working under him might thwart his good intentions. But my brothers, “The more you look the less you see” So that is the problem.
There are fears in some quarters that if the third force emerges at the end of the day, that is the Labour Party, LP. That the party does not have the required one-third strength either at the National Assembly to survive as a ruling party, What are your views on this growing issue of concern?
Let me tell you when Obi won in Anambra, Obi had one or two of his party members at the Assembly. Cast your mind back, they impeached him two times. Even though they impeached him two times he still came and succeeded. He never muscled any power in the House of Assembly.
You don’t see much playing in the National Assembly if he eventually wins?
It can not play because if they do the youths might go on a rampage. Quote me they can’t try it. ( Cut in ) Let me ask a question, why is it that youths came out on their own to fight for Obi?
You should know it is an act of God. Everybody has suffered enough in this country, certainly, we have suffered enough.
…..and the youths are saying no this time?
The youths are saying there must be the person they want.
Sir, are you saying the youths are saying no this time?
Yes, the youths and every well-meaning Nigerian are saying the same thing. And if they want to frustrate the person they can’t try it. What is looking for now is someone who will go there and feels that he is there for every Nigerian. Someone healthy and credible. That is the type of leaders Nigerians are looking at. They don’t want someone who will be going for sick tourism every passing month. Every week he will be going to London for one treatment or the other. What type of a leader is that?
How do we expect a Fulani to succeed another Fulani? These are the indices. That people use as they decide to vote.
Apart from the fact that he is from the South-West. Nonetheless, if the Yoruba have have produce someone like Osinbayo there would be a good contest. If Obi faces him and he wins we won’t have any problem. How go and bring someone who feels it is his turn to rule? A man who is behaving like he is already the president of the country. How could we welcome that? Nigeria should be more responsive to issues now than before. What is happening in our society? A man who you know that he is sick and shaking. A man who cannot pronounce umbrella. A man who will APV not PVC and you want him to represent you as your president. To me, that would be a total disgrace to the country. That is why I am saying in Nigeria we are doomed to the type of animals we are allowed to be our leaders. Ordinarily, people should come together and advise the man to step down, or else we are doomed with no rescue insight.
Let another person go in. Osinbajo would have been a better candidate than Tinubu. With Osinbajo nobody would have considered an ethnicity, either Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba or Efik. That is my take on this issue.
So to me, Peter Obi is the most qualified among all the presidential candidates. There is no doubt about it. Whoever is saying the contrary is sleeping somewhere, and such people must be an alliance of criminals, and criminals conspired together.
Sir, what can you say about the indictment of Sen. Ahmed Tinubu by the United States on drug-related issues?
We have a questionable country. Otherwise, the DSS would have gone to investigate that matter. Do they go for an investigation?
I cannot say anything until the authority that is concerned does something about it. But let me tip in a bit.
To show you how devilish our authority is. So devilish. You have such a seriously high-level allegation about someone who wants to contest as a president of a country. The very fundamental allegation, with a letter written to that effect. But the authority in the government do not think about it, and you are claiming that you are fighting corruption. How do you fight it? The thing has been reoccurring for the past 20 years. We could recall when he was to be a governor in Lagos state the indictment came up. They suppressed it. No matter how you try to suppress the truth one day it will raise its head once more. This is what will keep on hunting the country.
If he has such a bad reputation in America, how do you expect America to respect Nigeria? If he becomes the president America will view him as a criminal. He is a drug addict, and a drug pusher and the Nigerian government has not taken any action to confirm the allegation, rather you are sweeping it under the carpet. How do expect America to take us? This is a big question to ponder.
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