2015: The secret power behind Jonathan-Kema Chikwe: From the inception of this democratic dispensation in Nigeria, Ambassador, Dr Kema Chikwe remains one of the few women who have had a sturdy and steady limelight through various public offices. She played an active role in the registration of her ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 1998, to the extent that her name is part of the archival documentation process. She became Minister of Transport in 1999 and later that of Aviation. She was to become Nigerias Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland and later unsuccessfully contested for her Owerri (Imo North) senatorial seat. Currently, she is the National Woman Leader of the PDP. She speaks glowingly of the PDPs contribution to the development and stabilization of democracy in the country, vowing that, Nothing can make me leave PDP. Chikwe tells Sunday Sun the nations main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, APC wants power by all means and at all costs, adding however, that it is yet to be accepted by the people of the South East geo-political zone (Igbo land) despite the efforts of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State. Indeed she rationalizes her position: The truth is that it takes the people time to change from one situation to another. So, APC is yet an experiment. It is a new thing in Igbo land. There are certain cultural issues involved in the politics of Igbo land... so they have a particular way of thinking politically. If you talk about APC of having a challenge of changing that mindset, it is a different matter. But PDP is already constructed based on that mindset. That is the structure and orientation of PDP. But the orientation of APC in Imo State is strange. Yes, it is strange to the environment and to the people. She speaks on the election that brought Okorocha to power in 2011, rubbing in the contributions of PDP that made it a reality. She says that issues raised by some governorship aspirants ahead of next years election on controversies surrounding the much touted zoning formulae in her state of Imo remains a moral burden. Interestingly, she says the large array of governorship aspirants in the state is a pointer that much needs to be done to rescue the state from the doldrums of unemployment and other syndromes of underdevelopment, including insecurity. Chikwe, an academic with a PhD, speaks with analytical profundity on the pedigree and chances of President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 elections, concluding that if there is a better candidate, let us know. She premises her optimism on the divine, subtly sending the message that God sent Jonathan, and that like the biblical king David, no mortal will stop him until God approves it. The PDP strong woman gives a thumbs up to the PDP for its progressive forays into the South-west, adding for effect, that the party is still strong in the zone, despite losing the recent governorship election in Osun State. And to her passion for women empowerment in politics, she regrets that despite the phenomenal support for men by women, the reciprocity has been dismal. Chikwe, takes her points in measured tones and gestures; deflating incendiary posers in as much as they come, and raising stakes of patriotic and progressive instincts. Excerpts Given the gale of defections and the recent loss of Osun State, do you still think that PDP has what it takes to grapple with the 2015 elections? Well, it is not restricted to PDP alone. PDP is also receiving defectors even in Osun State that you mentioned. Dont forget that in Osun State, there was an incumbent governor. PDP worked very hard. Even from the results, you can see the slim margin. You cannot compare the Osun results with that of Ekiti State. When you look at historical antecedents of the state, what happened in the 2011 elections, you will know whether PDP is coming up or not. I think by 2015, things will get even better in that state. Some analysts insist that PDP lost the Osun election because of Ede, where ex-governor Isiaka Adeleke comes from. The votes tally there for APC was phenomenal, a situation that widened the gap between APC and PDP. In an election, there are conjectures by people, especially people who are not on ground. But in all honesty, there are different variables that make or mar elections, and until we get the full report of what happened, you cannot attribute what happened in Ede to a particular reason that somebody defected. There could be other reasons. The election has just come and gone. As a party, we have an in-house review mechanism, and it is the review in-house that will give us the radar on what transpired. We normally have our in-house review or post mortem of elections. We have not done that yet. Looking at the configuration of politics in Nigeria today, PDP appears to be weak in the South-west; can PDP make a headway without the South-west in 2015? That is a very presumptious claim But PDP controls only one state out of six I agree with you. But dont forget that many of these states were got through courts. And the particular judge that gave those judgments finally got into trouble. That shows you that there was a spurious means of PDP losing control of the South-west. So, when you look at the election in Ondo State, PDP came a comfortable second. It came second again in this Osun election. We are going to improve. And then, we won Ekiti State. This democracy in Nigeria, everybody is studying it and trying to get used to it. The stage we are now, by the next election, there is going to be a complete change of things, especially with this one man, one vote. PDP is working very hard. PDP didnt lose South-west because it was not popular in the South-west. It is common knowledge. As national woman leader of PDP, how do you evaluate the electoral value of women in the elections we had recently? Yesterday (Sunday August 10) it was reported that women voted more than men than any other group in the Osun elections. I think it is a consistent analysis of elections in Nigeria. Women have been very, very effective in elections. The sad thing is that when it comes to their own election, the reciprocity is not there at all. Is it in terms of empowerment or what? But they got all the rice and Kerosene in the Osun and Ekiti elections? I know. Giving rice and kerosene does not put a woman in the National Assembly, does not put a woman in the state Assembly; does not make a woman a governor. We are talking about support for women, because women are supporting this nation. Therefore, if they turn out in numbers to vote, to support this democracy and strengthen it, it presupposes that women should be supported in their own election. There are many women who are running for elections. How is PDP today? PDP is flying high. In what areas? First and foremost, PDP, since the last convention is no longer the way it was. You can see that everybody calls the National Chairman the game changer. If you take it state by state and do your analysis, you will see that the party is doing very well. Even states where we have some fears, things are turning around. Phenomenal people are joining the PDP. People are swelling the fortunes of PDP. You know PDP is a structured party. It is not a party where you do what you like. There is the BOT (Board of Trustees, we have the caucuses. So we have the structures to support the system. Besides, we are the party in government. Now, let me take your question simply. Between the youth leader and myself, there are National NGOs affiliated to PDP. People and groups who are doing their own thinking in the field for PDP. And if you look at my mails, everyday, there are many organizations that want to affiliate to the PDP. So, something must be happening that is good that makes everybody want to be part of the March. And that is the truth. You see also, PDP is in government. So it will not be easy for PDP to run government on the pages of newspapers and sensationalize non-issues. PDP wouldnt do that. PDP will embark on a responsible approach to mobilization, and selling its programmes to people. In fact when you talk about PDP, you talk about government. Look at the railways; I was minister of transport. I know what it took. Today, the railways are completely revamped. We are talking about the standard gauge. Did you do anything about the standard gauge, or is it the current administration that did it? Dont forget that we took over from the military. We did a study on the standard gauge. The whole nation was single gauge and it could not be removed just over night. In fact, the railway system was not functioning when we came. We tried to revive some of the rail lines, working with some governors, like the rail lines to Kano, Zaria, Rivers state and so on. We tried to do something about them. You see, that was a different era, and the challengeswere different. What I am telling you is that if we could close our eyes and do everything at once, we could have done all this. It is phenomenal that this government has put the railways back on track. It is phenomenal that you now have rice pyramids, that the Agricultural sector is amazing. A lot of work has been done in environment. The road network in Nigeria has improved. Look at how many universities that have been built to absorb Nigerian students. Look at the new car assembly plants. See the cars they are churning out. President Jonathan has done so much for this country. It is just that some people think they must have power by themselves, instead of supporting the person in power to continue doing good. If you look at all the sectors, you dont even know where to begin. Is it housing? It is phenomenal. So many things have been achieved through the PDP government and manifesto. We have this confidence that we have done so much. The only thing, the opposition can do is take to the pages of newspapers to slander PDP, and manipulate the minds of naïve Nigerians. But it takes us the skill to turn it around and let people know that you dont take these people seriously when they go to the newspapers to abuse PDP and the President. They are only trying to grab power by all means and at all costs. Let me take you to your state, Imo. There is a raging zoning war in the state. At the last count, about 30 people are warming up for the governorship seat across the major political parties. What is your view on the formulae for zoning of positions across the three senatorial districts, and secondly, what are the chances of your party and the women in the race? (Laughs) To begin with, it is interesting that there are over 30 people aspiring to govern Imo State. It means that it is a good state to govern. I dont think there is any raging war. In any election, there must be dialogue. And there is dialogue on the charter of equity. And these things shape the elections eventually for the public. As these dialogues are going on, the voters, the masses are weighing the options. If you have 30 aspirants, across the parties, it means that they are all educating the masses on politics. The important thing is for people to come out and vote. It means that they are going to get so many people out to vote. It is narrowing down; people will continue to weigh their options; who serves their interests best? What do Imo people want? It is not a war. It is a dialogue. I am talking about the zoning war, because a particular zone, Orlu, has been in power for 12 years, and there is a likeli hood of their retaining power for another 4 years. Some zones like Owerri and Okigwe that are holding the wrong end of the stick are kicking. You are from Owerri zone, the charter of equity which you mentioned, at best is just on paper. In the face of moral justice, how do you think the logjam would be resolved amicably to the satisfaction of all? Let me tell you, there is a moral burden. And I told you that there is a dialogue among the zones. There is nothing absolutely wrong with it. When you lay the cards on the table and each group makes its case, it is easy for Imo people to weigh and know the pros and cons of each case. The merit of each case. You just said that Orlu zone has been in power for 12 years and would like to do another 4 years.That would give them 16 years. Okigwe, it is said, has had about 9 years or so (late Mbakwe and Ohakim). Owerri had only 1 year, 10 months (Enwerem). Yes, it is for Imo people to look at the chart and know where it is supposed to go. Not just where it is supposed to go, but who is able to fit into that charter of equity and give them the desired results of developing Imo rapidly. It is very, very important. It is not a war at all. What is happening is that people are bringing out very salient points, and that is the good aspect of democracy. It is good that people are reeling out what should dominate the elections, what should be the trend. So, it is not a war at all. The facts are there for Imo people to take their decision in a democracy; what will make a particular group vote, what will make the people vote for a particular candidate. I was about to come to that. Is it not feasible that the type and character of a candidate a party brings out will most likely rubbish the zoning equilibrium? Your party, PDP, is at great disadvantage here, because they have the largest number of aspirants. If they fail to bring out a masses puller, then the game is lost. What do you say? Why are you suggesting that they may not be able to bring out somebody who will be good enough to drive the process? We are looking at the past, and what the aspirants are doing at the moment. You cant say that. I think without PDP, Okorocha wouldnt be the governor of Imo State. How do you mean? Yes, because we had a lot of sabotage in 2011. So, it wasnt about PDP bringing out a good candidate or not. There are many factors in choosing a flag bearer. For PDP, well at least, with what has happened so far, you leave it to the people. If they win or not, its okay. But the point is that PDP is going to present a candidate that is acceptable to Imo people. Because, when you have a free and fair primaries, the rest is done. The chairman has said it time and again, and he derived that from the fact that the president has said one man, one vote. Do you understand? The process of the primaries will not be manipulated by anybody whosoever. And if it is free and fair, it is decided by the people. The chairman has emphasized that anybody who emerges through the ballot box in the primaries, will be the flag bearer. Nobody is going to chose anybody without going through the primaries. No. And that is why if you go to Imo State today, PDP is bubbling with aspirants. You are the woman leader of PDP. Some of the governorship aspirants are women. How do you help out the female aspirants in a race dominated by men? Well, there are challenges for women to emerge. And if you are talking about my state, for instance, I think there are three or four women who are contesting to be governor in 2015. I believe that they are all working hard, according to their own capacity, financially and otherwise, and of course political experience. So, the party also supports women, first and foremost. They are not going to pay to obtain their forms. It is free. So they can save that money for their campaign. On the part of the party, that is quite generous. There are some alleged disparaging comments on the aspiration of the female aspirants. Your office, didnt do anything concerning that? Disparaging comments? Yes. Some statements by the governor tended to put down women and cast them in low light. Let me tell you something. When you read something in the newspapers, it is not enough to join issues. If there is a disparaging comment against any female aspirant, I expect the female aspirant to protest to the party formally and the party will take it up. You dont just latch on to newspaper reports. You must have heard of some reaction too. Some of the female aspirants have said the reference was not to them. So, if I had gone to war assuming it was about a particular woman, I would have embarrassed myself. The war should be to save the female folk in future from such condescending remarks. No. no. no. I am not going to confront anybody for what they say. I have to say and do something to promote the women, and I do it all the time. I promote the women all the time. But I am not going to read anything in the newspapers and jump up and start a fight. No you dont even know whether it is right or not, whether it is distorted information, whether it is correct or not. But what I expect is that if any woman attends an event and is disparaged by anybody, especially a PDP woman, I expect that PDP woman to do a formal report to the party, and we will take it up to the highest level. I know that the National Chairman and the President will never tolerate it. We should have a report to work with. Supposing it is denied; you will be embarrassed. What is the PDP trump card in Imo as we approach 2015? Have you seen any politician disclose his trump card? The president is already leading the way. His trump card through commercials are running on major television channels nationwide. I can tell you we are mobilizing. I am happy you know that. You just came to Imo State. The aspirants are everywhere mopping up membership. That is very important. What we are doing as a party, with the meetings we have held, is that the primaries will be free and fair, and nobody will say they are leaving the party and come back later to look for waiver. So, it is important that they do what they are doing. As I speak to you now, I dont know of any Local Government Area that PDP is not campaigning in. In fact, the state leadership of the party is also part of the local government tours. As I speak to you, the local government chairmen are also on tours. Everybody is on tour. Everybody is mobilizing in PDP. We realize our handicap, that we are not in power in Imo State. Therefore, we are strategizing on how to get ourselves united first. Because, it is when you have that unity and peace in the party, that we can win elections. Given our circumstances, I dont think we are not doing well in the party. But I cannot tell you the secrets of what we want to do. It is un-political. Okorocha appears to be popular with the people. Dont you think PDP will be hitting its head against the wall? (pause) That Okorocha is very popular in the state? Give me an example to demonstrate his popularity. Popularity in terms of perceived performance. He is at home with the downtrodden masses and is a traffic stopper everywhere he goes. You know what? You may mean the opposite. You want to lure me to say something. I can assume that you only want me to say what you dont want to hear. And I will not say what you dont want to say. You are trying to get me to say what you dont want me to say. So, I will not say what you do not want to say. How do you rate APC in the state? It is a new party. And their ideology, I dont know. Progressive and welfarist. So why do you want me to rate them? You are asking me what I think about an experiment that has not produced any result yet. Isnt it what you are asking me? No. APC is in power in the state. I want you to evaluate their chances in the next election based on prevailing circumstances and the fact that they took APGA mandate to APC? First of all, APGA won that election with the help of PDP. Without PDP, APGA would never have won. Now APGA is divided and on its own, and there is APC. One part in APC, another in APGA. Isnt it? You have to consider that. But PDP has remained the same. There are defectors coming into PDP. So far, most of the major politicians who left, have all come back in every local government, in every ward. They have returned to PDP. What are the obstacles against your party in the state? There is no uncommon obstacle that PDP is experiencing in Imo State. In fact it is the normal problems that all political parties have. By obstacle, I want to know if the party in power is too formidable, or the governors image looms too large, or there are internal wranglings in your own party? I am telling you that APC is an experiment in Imo State. Imo people dont seem to be taking APC seriously. So, the most important challenge is that you should not overlook anything in politics. But if it is APC, forget it. The truth is that, it takes the people time to change from one situation to another. So, APC is yet an experiment. It is a new thing in Igbo land. There are certain cultural issues involved in the politics of Igbo land. There are certain things you have to convince Igbo people about, because Igbo people derive their roots from NCNC, from Zik and Okpara. Do you understand? So they have a particular way of thinking politically. If you talk about APC of having a challenge of changing that mindset, it is a different matter. But PDP is already constructed based on that mindset. That is the structure and orientation of PDP. But the orientation of APC in Imo State is strange. Yes, it is strange to the environment and to the people. They are working very hard to see if they can change the psyche, to say that they will not do what Zik, Okpara, or Mbakwe would never have done. They feel that they will not do anything to sell our people. Do you agree then, that Okorocha has out -paced his predecessors in office in terms of performance? I dont want to confront Okorocha. I will not. But I feel sad about Mbakwes Concorde Hotel. I hear the shoe industry is back, but I havent seen shoes, Avutu Poultry? Adapalm that was established by my brother-in-law Ukpabi Asika, if they were working well, we will not have the number of unprecedented unemployed youths and people in Imo State. It is killing. You can weep. Most Imo people are not working. Graduates cannot even apply for a job. Ohakim did this 10,000 job thing and everybody was excited. But they were dropped. The crimes you have in my state are worrisome. An idle mind is the devils workshop. The human infrastructure is the most important to be constructed by any good politician. And the kind of job you give out matters too. You just gather people and say youre giving them jobs. The job has no future, no plan, no pension scheme; just nothing. Just political talk. It doesnt work like that. The human infrastructure should be the decisive factor. Give jobs to the people. Look, if I show you the CVs in my office, it is over 1,000. What I do in Abuja is to go round looking for people who will employ people from my constituency. I have to get them jobs. If Avutu Poultry Farm was working well, Concorde Hotel, which was the pride of Imo state, Adapalm, all the industries that are not functioning, things would be a lot different. But if they are functioning, and I dont know, then, there is something wrong. When you go to Aba, you will see shoes, shirts made in Aba. I have not seen any made in Imo product. And that is not a syndrome of development. Even if you build roads, so what? The roads must be a means to an end, and not an end to itself. If contractors are paid when they are working, some people will be employed and paid. There is nothing in terms of employment generation in Imo state. Tell me how many people in your family that are working? Nobody is working in my state. It is a very sad situation. We must have the kind of governor that will turn around the economy of the state; that will build industries in every local government area; that will consider the people; that will be frank with the people; that when you tell the people you love them, they know you love them. And not a superficial and artificial approach to politics. Look, remember what the Arochukwu people say. They say an Arochukwu man cannot tell a fellow Arochukwu man that Mbino Ukpabi (the long juju) is calling him. It is because we know the same thing. Have you not heard that there is no human dignity in the state. Look at this kidnapping of a thing. A cousin of mine, last week, moved into a house. That same night they kidnapped his five years old daughter. In my village, there are two or three cases of people sleeping at night, and bad people snatched their babies (less than one year old). The insecurity is alarming. When you look at the tertiary institutions, their living conditions are appalling. They dont have proper living conditions. You are throwing the students into the streets. When you want syndrome of development, it is clear. Human infrastructure must be developed. The people must feed. Look at agriculture. What is the state of agriculture in my state. And it is basic, that it is the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the River Basins Authorities. So, how many people benefit from it. There are raw materials. What is happening to the raw materials? Where are the toothpick industries? Look at so many industries established in Ideato Local Government by Ferdinands before. I think they should be revived, whether they are private or not. You work in partnership with the people. The paint industry at Aboh Mbaise, what happened to it? Add value chain. If it was working, it doesnt matter what the problem is, the state government is in a position to restore it. Even if it is on public, private partnership - PPP. There is a paper mill in my place, Emekuku. It is not functioning. How do you want people to get jobs? So many oil mills are not working anymore. So, people are left with no option than to follow around politicians, and see what they can get from them. Thats why women are encumbered, because they dont have enough to give to people who are following them. One last shot on your state. Your brother is running for governor on a different platform. will you support him? Who? Emmanuel Iheanacho I am in PDP. Youre asking me whether, as the National Woman leader of PDP I will now kill my party? Are you saying I should resign my job? Politics is not about sentiments. I want to tell you that politics defines the destiny of the people. It decides the survival of the people. So, you dont do it by sentiments. Politics is a very serious thing. I hate people casual sing politics. Even if my son was contesting from another party, then I have an option. I resign from PDP and follow that person. Why should I be in dilemma? There is no dilemma. As PDP woman leader, In fact, PDP is my baby. I am a founding member of PDP. If you look at the registration document of PDP you will see my name there. Nothing, Nothing can make me leave PDP. How do you assess Jonathans chances in 2015? Well, if you have anybody better than Jonathan, tell us. That is all I can say. If you have anybody for 2015 tell us. Youre here discussing with me on what he has done, so far. The interesting thing about Jonathan is that he will first of all go to the drawing board. All this railways, agriculture, car assembly plants, he did not just wake up to go into all that. He went to the drawing board and planned them thoroughly. He is an intellectual. And he is a politician. People think that unless you start acting somehow, youre not a politician. This man has been exposed to politics at the grassroots level, the state and national levels. He has been a lecturer, he worked at NDDC. What other experience do you want? Look at his age. He worked in those places at the prime of his youth. But the opposition has vowed that they must stop him at all cost. Power belongs to God. He has chosen Jonathan. And I believe he will continue to lead him. I believe that Jonathan is like David; a young boy in the field as a herdsman tending to the sheep. But all the big brothers who thought they were qualified were there but overlooked. They had to go to the field to get David to become the King. And He has been leading him on in this position. And so, when people want to take it from him, it is between them and God. Jonathan has never claimed to be what he is not. All this people who are not supporting him, they supported him after he emerged. God brought him. He took everybody unawares. So, now that God has put him there, people of Nigeria should look at it critically and see what he has done. You cant compare Jonathan with people who are full of abuses. You want to destroy, you want to maim, you are so desperate. It is the same allegation that are being laid at the doorstep of PDP, especially in the just concluded Osun elections. Governor Aregbesola in his acceptance speech said that PDP was so desperate that they threw away every caution and decency. I dont want to talk about this. There are so many things I dont want to talk about, and this is one of them. What I know is that PDP played a good game in Osun. So, if anybody accuses PDP of any bad game, then it means that the person should have a re- think. What is your ambition in 2015? My ambition? My ambition is to mobilize people for PDP; to make sure that we have more women winning elections in 2015. You are not running for any office? I have just run for an office. I ran for the office of National woman leader, and I have a tenure. So, why dont I complete the one I have? Let me take you to the National Conference. It was put in place in March, and it has dragged on till now. Is it not a waste of resources and time? Nigeria is a very big country. When you see so many people at the National Confab discussing so many national issues, bringing to the fore critical issues of this nation, you cant say they are wasting their time. I think there is a purpose for what they are doing. You remember, we just concluded the exercise at the National Assembly on constitutional review. I think what they are doing will complement what the National Assembly is doing. And it will also form a frame work of future development of the nation. Would you want a plebiscite or should the resolution of the confab be taken to the National Assembly for ratification. I never put a thought to it. I never really focused on that. It was not one of the things I thought that my views will be relevant. There is a gale of impeachment sweeping across the land. Your state got the jitters. What do you say on this? That my state got the jitters? But you said earlier that all as well in my state. That the state legislators are overwhelmingly with the governor. Finally, you admit that something is wrong in my state. Let me tell you something. We have a constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And it is different strokes for different folks. So each state House of Assembly and the governor know the way they are working, and the level of tolerance, the level of support and co-operation with their governors. I dont think it is my business. I am a member of the National Working Committee, NWC of the party. I dont think we dabble into such things. Those things are dependent on the masses from each state; what they want in their state. Provided they are guided by the constitution. Many people consider you a Nationalist and stateswoman. Can you give a word on Nigeria in distress? Quite frankly I am a nationalist. But every nationalist has a constituency that makes you who you are. What I can say for this nation is that national unity as our founding fathers said is non-negotiable. In the pursuit of peoples passion to grab power, or greed to get whatever they want, it should be guided by the fact that nobody should do anything that will traumatize the peace and unity in our country, Nigerians are the only ones who go to New York, for instance, and you are introduced as brother and sister, whether you are from Imo State or Borno State. Nigerians have this affection for each other. Even in Abuja, there is a thin line between friendship and family relationship. You hear of my brother, my sister. That is what Nigerians call each other. And if we can mean it from the heart, then, each of us, especially those in public service have to work for this nation, to ensure that we achieve the results that will give everybody and every part of the world satisfaction. We need to co-operate with the President especially on security matters. So if we co-operate with him, and the elder statesmen give their honest opinions, where problems will start is when there is no honesty of purpose, if you are giving an opinion. Everybody should work together. Nigeria should come together to ensure that the happiness that bubbles in the minds of Nigerians should continue. Nigeria is a very happy country. But these days, people are skeptical to go out and do things. Maybe because of insurgency and Ebola virus. Yes, insurgency and Ebola. I dont know where this Ebola has come from. But we know that by the Grace of God, it will be contained in our country. And the insurgency? I know that as a believer that God in his infinite mercy, will deal with that insurgency, and it will become a thing of the past. [email protected]/news/source/2014/aug/24/535.html
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 08:27:45 +0000
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