Mr Robert Umoette is a leading governorship aspirant in Akwa-Ibom State in the 2015 election. In a recent chat with newsmen in Lagos, he bared his mind on several national and state issues. AZUBIKE NNADOZIE was there.
Can we look at current development in the polity, with regard to the issue of the recent defections in the ruling People’s Democratic Party and its implications on the fortunes of the party in the country?
The issue of cross-carpeting by some members of our great party the PDP, spear-headed by some dissatisfied governors elected on the platform of the party is indeed regrettable. If you look at it critically, you will find out that they are all out-going governors who are on their second term, so everything they are doing actually bothers on their interests and these will be sustained in the polity; how their interests will be protected in the next unfolding dispensation. They are not driven by national interest but their personal interest. I will say that in as much as it is a sad development, I will say it is no threat to the party, because I believe the party will come out strong at the end of it all.
You mean the party will come out stronger when it has lost five governors who enjoy a high degree of followership in their respective states to the opposition?
The governors were elected on the platform of the party. It is the party in their various states that put them there. It is not possible that everybody in the party will leave with them. Incumbency power or not, they are out-going governors. There is a major difference between a governor seeking a second term and an outgoing governor. As their tenures come to an end, their power diminishes, and people do not take them the way they did previously. A lot of internal disrespect will even come in within the system.
Could not the PDP have resolved the issues in the first place instead of allowing it to escalate to this dimension?
Well, I think everything is about dialogue, and the president and the leadership of the party believe in this. But since the personal interest of these people is uppermost in their mind, and if it is not captured in the dialogue, the person will still do what he wished to do and that is what has unfolded by way of defection. By and large, the PDP has always come out of disputes like this stronger than it was. If you look at what occurred in 2003, 2007 and 2011, you will recall that a number of politicians and even a sitting Vice President defected to the opposition. But did these affect the fortunes of the party negatively? It did not. The situation will not be any different in 2015,” he said.
Given the fact that some of these governors are believed to have incumbency powers, perhaps in terms of followership, what happens to the party in your state?
The governors represent the platform of the party. It’s the party in their various states that put them there. So, it’s not possible that everybody in the party will leave with them. First and foremost, incumbency powers or not, they are outgoing governors. The difference…the major difference between a governor seeking second term and an outgoing governor that is doing a second term…as their time comes closer, their power diminish. People don’t even take them the way they took them initially. A lot of internal disrespect will come
in the system even.
Okay, was it not possible for the PDP to have resolved this issue in the first place instead of allowing it to blow into this dimension?
I believe everything in life is about dialogue. I believe the
president and the leadership of the party tried to dialogue but… you see, when you talk of personal interest, somebody’s personal interest; no matter how much you dialogue with the person, the personal interest is uppermost. If the person’s interest is not captured in any amount of dialogue being carried out, the person will still do what they wish to do, which is what has unfolded by way of defection.
Go you support President Jonathan to re-contest the Presidential election in 2015 considering the happenings in the country?
My personal opinion and my candid one is that he should contest for a second term. He is guaranteed that in the constitution. He has started working, taking this country in the right direction, policy wise, institutional building wise. Therefore, he needs more time to deliver.
Now, let’s go down to what’s happening in Akwa-Ibom. What’s your impression of governance in Akwa-Ibom?
Em,government in Akwa-Ibom. The governor has tried, he has done well, changed the outlook of Akwa-Ibom, changed how the average Nigerian looks at the average Akwa-Ibom person. Huh… today, you go anywhere, you say you are from Akwa-Ibom, you are looked at differently from how Akwa-Ibom was some years ago, an average Akwa-Ibom person will go somewhere and say “I am from Akwa-Ibom,” he was looked at in a different way from what is being played out now.
So, in that perspective, that is for me, the best thing he has done for Akwa-Ibom.
Then number two, he has transformed the state which is naturally what any state government is meant to do. Any government, when people voteyou into office, you are expected to develop infrastructures but in a situation where over the years, in our climes, in Nigeria as a whole, we see several governors of different states who have been there and they didn’t really do anything. So, when a governor does what is his duty and obligation to the state, the natural thing is to clap for the person because he could have folded his hands like some other people are doing in other places and not do the right thing.
The governor talked about uncommon transformation. Will you say that this uncommon transformation actually compares favourably with the volume of revenue that accrues to the state every month and every year?
To answer that, I would need to have the entire data of all the projects that have been executed and then compare parri-passou with at has been received because all of us can access…it’s public what goes to every state every month. That is public knowledge. What is not public knowledge is internally-generated revenue in the state. And then, if you can add what comes from the federation account and then add what is internally-generated and then take it parri-passou with what has been voted for projects, then, that’s when we’d now be able to say: okay, he has done very well, he has done well or he has done poorly.
Did you look at the budget? The state government budget for last year 2013 and the… I think this year; people are saying that the revenue should be realistically commensurate with the development.
You need to go to Akwa-Ibom first and foremost and look at what hehas done. He has done a lot of road developments, bridges as well. He has done a lot … in terms of schools, he has done a lot of renovations, the hospital projects are going on. A lot of roads are still being implemented, like the new ones that just started…that was awarded late last year, the Eket-Etinan road and a lot of other projects are being done. These things cost money.
About the zoning thing in Akwa-Ibom. For some time, it has been a big problem. People don’t seem to buy into the idea. Some people are still not comfortable with this zoning system. What do you think? Is it the right thing to do in the state?
Any true Akwa-Ibomite that is a PDP person, that is a sincere person would not disagree with zoning in Akwa-Ibom. First and foremost, let me say that the constitution of Nigeria supersedes any other constitution. So, the constitution of Nigeria does not recognize zoning but I speak as a party man, a PDP member; PDP recognizes zoning in its constitution. And this zoning has been employed and applied right from 1999 to this date, even up to councillorship elections; so, only somebody who is totally insincere to himself, who does not fearGod will say he does not believe in zoning as a party man, as a PDP member. For other parties, I can’t speak for other parties but for PDP in Akwa-Ibom, zoning will be sustained and I support the zoning policy 100%.
So, as it is, which zone is qualified to produce the next…
(cuts in)Eket Senatorial District and that’s your district?
Yes. We have three senatorial districts in Akwa-Ibom: Uyo Senatorial District, Ikot-Ekpene Senatorial District, Eket Senatorial District. 1999 to 2007, Obong Victor Attah was the governor, representing Uyo Senatorial District and if you look at Uyo, the nine local governments in Uyo Senatorial District are all Ibibio speaking tribes…local governments. So, naturally Ibibio came out from Uyo. Then you look at when ObongAttah decided that based on the zoning policy, the next zone power should go to should be Ikot-Ekpene Senatorial District.
If you look at Ikot-Ekpene Senatorial District; ten local governments. Eight out of the ten are Annan-speaking; naturally they constitute the majority in that Senatorial District and automatically, the majority carries the day in a democracy; so, the Annans carried it. Now, it is going to Eket Senatorial District. So, majority in Eket Senatorial District… which means Ibibio (laughs) will carry the day! So, if you add all the five local governments of Oron nation, it does not add up to (Una and Kpatenin) in terms of electoral strength.