Nwagu: No Going Back on My Governorship Ambition 31 Jul 2014 Font Size: a / A Paulinus-Igwe-Nwagu-3007.jpg - Paulinus-Igwe-Nwagu-3007.jpg Interview Senate Committee Chairman on Police Affairs, Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu, is a top contender in the Ebonyi State governorship election. In this interview with Benjamin Nworie, he dismisses speculations about zoning in the state, amongst other issues. Excerpts: As the Senate Committee Chairman on Police Affairs, what have you done to improve the operational base of the Nigeria Police as well as contain the tide of terrorism in the country? The issue of my position as chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs did not start only in the Senate. You may recall that I was in the House of Representative as a member that represented Ezza North/ Ishielu Federal Constituency. I was the House Committee Chairman on Police Affairs. That was when the problem started and by now, you can agree with me that we have come to the end of the turbulence because the Nigeria Police have tremendously improved under my leadership as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs. We have done a lot to ensure that there is serious improvement in the police. For example, you can agree with me that when you were coming here, there was no road block from Abakaliki to my house and I can assure you to Enugu, you can only get police checkpoint at the border. You will agree with me that before three years ago, we have police checkpoints within the town and outside the town. And that has improved. We decided to make sure that all the roadblocks are dismantled. The issue of police welfare has been taken care of. I started the fight when I was in the House of Representatives. Then the issue of security, you may be angling to know what is happening in the country. Yes, you cannot fight insurgency in one day. It is not possible. And I can beat my chest and say that the police have improved tremendously in their operation as far this country is concerned. You have been quoted in the media to have declared interest in the governorship position of your state in 2015, is it true? If you know very well, you know that I don’t lie. When I am determined to do anything, I am determined to the thing. Once I mention it, forget it, I will not go back. Your question looked as if what I said was correct or not. It was carried in all the media. And I am not going back on it. I am out to serve the state and I am ready to serve the state. I have the capacity to do that and that is why I have declared my intention to contest the governorship seat of Ebonyi State in 2015. You can see that I have served in all capacities. That is only one area I have not served and I want to serve there. If elected, which area of governance is your focus? I don’t think there is any particular area that is not important. As we are talking, you know the area of our priority even if you are not contesting for governorship. You should know that security is number one, more important as far as any country or society is concerned. Because having served as chairman in one of the largest security in this country, if I am coming to govern a state even to be the chairman of my ward, I should be thinking of how to secure the ward first before I start talking about infrastructure development and other things. Security should come as number one in my agenda. You have almost been everything in politics – from councilor, to council Chairman to House of Representative and senate – but there is this issue of zoning because the state governor wants power to shift to the south, how do you intend to handle this hurdle? I have not been everything in politics. If I had been everything in politics, I will not be contesting the governorship. I was just a councilor, a chairman of a local government, a member of the House of Representatives and presently senator representing Ebonyi Central zone. I have never been a governor and that is why I am contesting to be a governor. Again in democracy, we have two principles. The two principles are freedom and participation. I don’t think there is any other thing remaining. If you are talking of a democratically elected government, you should be talking of participation and freedom. And that is what I stand for. I am a lawmaker and I know it very well. The issue of zoning that you are talking about – I have said it before and I will repeat it – is for the weakly and Ebonyi State is not that type. The issue of zoning has not been discussed as far as Ebonyi is concerned. We will discuss zoning when the people are ready for it. After wining my election, I will call the people to discuss zoning but for now, you don’t make a law and think that the person who is sitting there will benefit from it immediately. I am a lawmaker and I know what it means. So the issue of zoning is just for people who are not ready to serve the state. If you are ready to serve the state, come out boldly and say: ‘I want to be a governor of this state and this is what I have on the ground or what I think I can do for the people and not to wait for you to be given governor’. Even to be a councilor, you cannot wait. If you want to serve your people, come out boldly and say I want to be a councilor and this is what I will achieve for you as a people but if you can’t come out, there is no problem. Anybody who is just waiting that we are going to do zoning, if barrack Obama, a black American is elected President of America today, then why not myself who is an Ezza man, who is also an Abakaliki man, who is also a Nigerian not be allowed to become a governor. Are you going to sacrifice efficiency on the platter of zoning? Is it better for you to sacrifice capacity because of politics on the altar of zoning? Capacity first! This is a young state, we need to stabilise first. Apart from that, have we ever discussed zoning in this state? Anybody talking about zoning, I think that person is selfish. Supposing you did not make it in the primaries, because of the controversial zoning, is there any probability that you may defect to another party? Do you look at me as somebody who will contest an election and fail? That is number one. And you have forgotten that those who are coming in now are coming because the food is ready. Where were they when we were fighting for PDP to exist in Ebonyi? I want to tell you that my party believes in the rule of law. There is no way we will go against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are going in for the primaries. And the primaries mean that all the delegates will come in and vote for any candidate of their choice. And telling me whether I will stay in the party, I have been a chairman of this party; I have been a secretary of this party. I am a foundation member of PDP and I don’t think anybody will edge me out from this party because most of them were members of the defunct ANPP. So far, what are your achievements in the senate? That is what I want to hear than asking me whether zoning or zoning because zoning is for weaker leadership. You will give it to somebody who will just sit down and somebody will be directing him. I don’t want to be directed in this state and the governor I know will not go against the wish of the masses. That one I know because at the end of the day, the masses will decide, not me not you. Then for the issue of what I have done, well, I don’t want to start blowing my trumpet. I have my manifesto here. Most of the things I have done are contained in this. Because if you say, I will do this, what have you done in the positions you have occupied. Let me bring to your notice, this issue of leadership is not that you are a businessman. A banker is a businessman; he does not know anything about leadership. Of course, he manages money to an extent. So what I am saying is that I have all it takes to lead this state. I started it as a councilor, in this community. I know what I did. If you ask any person, he will tell you that what we achieved would not have been achieved without this man. When I was chairman of a local government, I don’t need to tell you what I did because you are a living witness to it. I can beat my chest and say that a president of this country came and commissioned a secretariat built by myself. Now that I am in the senate, I want you to go round my constituency and you will see what I have done. For instance, electricity is in my house likewise all other houses, villages, community. I don’t need to start telling people what I have done. Just mention my name anywhere and people will pass the verdict. It is difficult for me to start mentioning what I have done. The only thing I know is that I can beat my chest and say that I am qualified to run for the governorship because I have delivered on the previous positions. Tags: Nigeria, Politics, Featured, Paulinus Igwe Nwagu
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 11:06:22 +0000
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