Well, our petition has been thrown out,
but it is really really very unfortunate that our Supreme Court justices
exhibited lack of courage in handling that matter because it was a very clear
case that they should have ruled in our favour. But I know that I said when that
judgement was given that in due course, legal scholars will revisit that
judgement, analyse whether our justices of the Supreme Court exhibited the type
of courage expected of them in a crucial matter like that. That is for that. But
we have another very major case remaining in the Supreme Court and Nigerians are
not yet fully aware of the case. But it is one case that can save Nigerian
democracy.
I am looking forward to our winning this
case. So, that I can take my rightful place as a defender of Nigeria�s
democracy, and that case is the one in which APGA is challenging the election
conducted based on the electoral law 2002. IF you remember when that case was
instituted it was for us to join the National Assembly and what the new National
Assembly led by Wabara did was to withdraw its own case thereby making it
impossible for us to continue, but we doggedly insisted with very strong legal
arguments and the Supreme Court justices met in chambers on the 19th of November
2003 and granted us leave to sue.
Of course, the normal process was to
notify us through the office of the registrar but the office of the registrar
decided to sit on this notice until January when I had to address a world press
conference and took on the Supreme Court. Two days after the press conference,
the registrar of the Supreme Court now served our lawyer. We promptly filed our
brief and the mandatory 90 days has passed and neither INEC nor PDP has been
able to replay. As a matter of fact, actually, no reply for the matter, that is
as clear as that where there is so many cases to support it.
Now about 70 days more, that is to say
altogether one hundred and sixty days have passed without any reply to our
brief. Normally if a day passes after the mandatory period then you take it that
the people are out of time, you call up the case for hearing. Then you have to
hear the case on the basis of the applicant�s brief. But here it is over 70 days
and the Supreme Court has not deemed it necessary to call up this matter for
hearing. I have written a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria protesting this
apparent show of indifference on the part of the Supreme Court and I have
demanded that the matter be brought for hearing as soon as they return from
recess.
I hope they will have the courage to hear
this case. It has far reaching implications for the interpretations of our
constitution and law. It also has far reaching implications for our democracy
and the world is watching. In fact I made my letter to the Supreme Court Chief
Justice available to foreign missions in Nigeria to alert them on what is going
on. Let me also inform you at this point that no less than 10 Senior Advocates
of Nigeria of repute have offered to give APGA free legal service when the
matter is called up. We are not talking of numerous other senior lawyers and
even junior lawyers who have already filed their names to come on board to
provide free service. It shows the extent Nigerians are determined to put a stop
to this charade that is going on that portends danger for our nation.
What are you praying for in this electoral
law court case, bearing in mind that the president is already spending his
second year in office. Do you think you can achieve your aim?
An illegality is an illegality and it has
to be corrected no matter what time it takes. So Nigerians should not be
blackmailed into accepting the continuation of this illegality just because the
man has enjoyed illegal tenure for about two years. What we are praying for is
that election of 2003 be nullified in its entirety because it was conducted on a
law that had been declared by a competent court of jurisdiction as null and void
and what happens when you nullify an election is to return to status quo.
Some people may say well the other people�s tenure has expired but that is not a
serious legal lapse. It is not as serious as carrying on, on the basis of the
election that is flawed. So you now return to status quo, that is, prior to
2003. What it simply means is that all those illegally elected in 1003 will
leave. Then of course, we know also we don�t have an electoral law so all these
rigmarole about amending the electoral law will have a proper focus when the
National Assembly will come to simply give Nigeria a proper electoral law that
will be used to conduct an acceptable democratic election. That is what will
happen. It doesn�t give APGA any special advantage but Nigeria and our democracy
will be the better for it.
Now that your petition against the 2003
election has been thrown out, are you now planning towards 2007?
Well definitely, as this action is going
on, we are busy working very hard towards 2007. The initial thing we are doing
now is reorganisation of our party, to reposition it for 2007.
When is your next convention? Is there any
likelihood of retaining Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu as your next presidential candidate
come 2007?
Dim was our candidate for the 2003
election. We cannot stay now and name a candidate for 2007. But what we have
done and which remains the policy of the party and this policy was enunciated
even before the party was registered and reaffirmed after its registration, is
that the presidential ticket of APGA shall remain with the South East zone until
it is actualised. When it is actualised the person will serve out his tenure and
it moves to another geo-political zone and we have not changed that policy. So,
come 2007 the presidential candidate shall come from the South-East zone. That
is assured. As for whether it will be Dim there are circumstances that warranted
his emerging in 2003. Those circumstances may not represent themselves the way
things are working out and of course if there are more aspirants to that office
it will be thrown open and candidates selected democratically but the candidates
who are eligible to aspire for presidency shall come from the South-East zone.
So its not a position that is confined to one person. No.
Are you wooing candidates to come into
your party? I read somewhere that governor Orji Uzor Kalu is planning to come to
your party to realise his presidential ambition?
Sure, definitely. I said we are
repositioning for 2007, making APGA more and more attractive for people to join.
Not only our people but people from all the six geo-political zones. You know we
had only a few months from the registration of APGA to participate in the 2003
general elections. Now we have ample time. Coming to Orji Kalu, I read what you
read too about Orji Uzor Kalu. The story I got from there is that he is
preparing to dump PDP and joint APGA. He hasn�t done that. But if he joins APGA,
I tell you he will be most welcome. If he aspires to run for presidency on the
platform of APGA I can also tell you it will be a healthy development and we
encourage others to join, not only to run for presidency but also to run for
Senate or House of Reps.
APGA is a key player in CNPP. But what is
happening in CNPP now is not quite clear to many, can you educate us on that?
I don�t know. A meeting has been called.
They are going to be looking at CNPP so far and some of the issues that have
bothered many Nigerians including what is going on in the association. Those
things will be discussed. Some members of CNPP are already thinking in terms of
some presidential candidates to support etc. But that was not part of why CNPP
was formed, it will be looked at more closely to see whether we are still on
course. If we are on course, what do we do to strengthen it? If we are not a
course, what do we do to come back? But let me say that CNPP is a beautiful idea
of political parties having a forum where they can interact.
There is this zoning thing in PDP. Is
there anyway APGA can assist South-East members in PDP to clinch the PDP
presidential ticket? It is true it is a different political party but your
objective remains South-East presidency?
In fact, APGA is ready to help and they also should be
ready to help themselves the way they can go about it. I have though about it
too. What they can do is to make a proper demand, not issuing communiques after
holding meetings at Enugu or Owerri. They should send in a memo presented by the
highest leadership of the party from the South-East zone and demand that this
thing be zoned to them or they seek alternative platform. In this country, you
don�t get anything by mere begging. You must be able to say if you do not give
me the assurance that I will get some consideration, I will back out. If you are
considered worthy, if you are considered to have any electoral value, then your
demand will be given favourable consideration and this is where APGA can assist
them. South East zone must have a presidential candidate come 2007, they are
then welcome. If they are interested in that agenda, we shall provide them with
alternative platform should their party reject their demand. But if their party,
realising that they have another viable option decides to give them the
presidential ticket, this is where I am sure we can sit together and discuss on
alliance of friendship between APGA and PDP. That is, a PDP that has its
candidate from the South-East. We can work out a relationship so that we do not
tear down ourselves and lose the objective of the two parties. That, I can
assure you, we are very willing to consider.
