Mr Peter Obi, APGA’s gubernatorial candidate at the 2003 general election in this chat gives indication that he has not given up his struggle to recover the mandate he claims was stolen by the ruling PDP. Mr Obi is presently at the election petition tribunal, in perhaps one of the most high profile election hearing. In making his argument before the tribunal, the Obi team invited a police forensic expert Mr Simeon Kolawole, who testified that the result announcing Ngige winner was fake; this prompted Governor Ngige’s team to invite an American forensic expert to counter the testimonies of the Obi team. So far, the fireworks in the Anambra election petition hearing have been closely followed by the media and the public. But this interview was not about the petition alone, which Obi says is going well. He spoke about the state of the nation, in particular the banking reforms. Mr Obi with investments in some leading banks throws his weight behind the CBN 25 billion Naira capital base, arguing that it would help to deepen the banking system. He, however, called on the CBN to follow through its policy pronouncements with rigorous implementation to strengthen its success. Excerpts:
What do you make of the political development in Anambra state today?
As everybody knows the state is still embroiled in one crisis or the other. It is still the situation where you find one group fighting the other, not much has changed in the state, really. And if you go and talk to the people, you would find that the feeling of disgust is very high.
Has the impression that the governor has done a lot in say the areas of road construction and rehabilitation helped improve his standing?
The best way to answer this question is to give you the analogy of a starving man who sees a morsel of food somewhere, what do you expect him to do? This man will fight to the last even if the food can only relieve him of his hunger temporarily. The legacy of decay left in Anambra state by Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju cannot be solved by mere token gestures. Yes, Governor Chris Ngige has made promises, but what he is planning to do is not far reaching enough, which brings me back to the initial point I made about a starving man. This question leads me to the other issue of payment of salaries and pensions. It surprises me that anybody can call doing that an achievement; but again the people confronted by past misgovernance would see this as amounting to something.
You know it grieves my heart at the quality of governance and the standard which the people would hold their government to. A government pays salaries and it is seen as an achievement, when the people are not refugees and the state is not in a state of war. The civil servants in the state have done their work and they deserve to be paid, that is the contract they have with the government. As a private business man I have in my direct employment over 100 graduates, and at the end of every month they get paid. And I can tell you not a single member of my staff is agitating over their salary.
What is your comment concerning the celebration of July 10th as liberation day by Gov. Ngige?
Seriously, I cannot reconcile myself with the frivolity of the state government proceeding with the so-called liberation day, and the very challenging task of getting this state back on track. Really, it amazes me. But if Ngige feels traumatised by his close shave following his abduction, I think the best thing would have been a quiet family party, a church service to thank God for saving his life, that much is what he could have done. But to claim that the day was a liberation day for the people of Anambra state, leaves a lot of gaps. The only liberation day for the people is the day they have freely chosen their leader, and Ngige cannot claim that he was freely chosen, and he knows that. So, the Ngige celebration of liberation day is a sham, but that is his choice. If tomorrow God willing I win at the election petition tribunal, I won’t celebrate because there is no time for that, except to roll up our sleeves and face the serious work of offering competent governance and leadership to the people of Anambra state. One of the surprises for me is that the governor could find time to celebrate, when to me he should be working 30 hours in 24 hours a day in order to turn the place around. I mean in my private business I hardly find time for parties not to speak of getting a state out of a deep mess; this task should make it impossible for anyone serious enough not to pursue personal indulgences.
Some people say considering the popularity of Gov. Ngige your case before the tribunal is a distraction, considering the work he is doing?
Popularity? I do not know about that. When Mbadinuju was in government was he not popular? Of course he was. Every government that I know is popular, once you are in power you are popular. You see what we have here is a survival economy, and once you are in position to give some people contracts and patronage you become popular. But the question that has to be answered is: Popular among who? We should answer this question. Most people are hanging in there, because for them they have to survive, they have to eat. About my case at the tribunal, I am not in court against Chris Ngige, I am in court to question the process that produced him as governor of Anambra state. What I am doing is the only way to save the people of the state, because I am trying to create an opportunity for them and their children to make a free choice tomorrow. I am therefore fighting for our rights and that of our children. If I am in court to challenge that Dr Ngige was not duly elected by majority of legal votes cast, it does not matter what happens tomorrow, but we have to respect the law. So, my struggle is not a popularity contest, it is to protect our collective interest.
What is happening at the tribunal?
It is proceeding very well. And I want the people to know that I am resolved to follow this case to its logical conclusion. People should also understand that by going to court, I am pressing my claim in the most legitimate and decent manner. It may take some time, but I am focused on it and will see it to the end.
Does Anambra state have account with a bank that you are director of?
Yes, they do. But I can tell you they have an account with them because it is a good bank. They kept the money there because they believe that their money will be safe, and I am sure the governor cannot claim he is looking for the state money. And Anambra state government money is not the only government money in that bank, and the state government cannot say the money was kept there because of me.
What is your position on the 25 billion Naira CBN requirement for recapitalisation of banks?
I think it is a good policy. I think the banks are very shallow; there is a lot happening in the banks that leaves much to be desired and that is distorting the economy. I believe that Prof Charles Solodu, CBN Governor, must have done his numbers and calculations very well. The CBN has a lot of highly qualified professionals, whether at the level of deputy governors, or the directors and other top management, these are first class people. I believe the new policy will help the banking industry, and I believe that it will help the economy on the whole. But what I would like to see is painstaking implementation so that it does not become another Nigerian thing. You see when you talk about mergers it is like a marriage, no marriage is like Uncle Ben’s rice, it is more like Abakaliki rice, highly nutrious but with a lot of stone, which you have to make sure you remove the stones. Again it will help the CBN to look outside the banks to the larger economy, because if you have mega banks with a lot of money, they have to also have activities in the economy that they can finance with the money. On the whole I am watching with excitement to see how this programme fully unfolds.
You are not one of those that say this new policy would encourage money laundering?
I am personally opposed to money laundering and the damage it does to the economy, and I will ask the authorities to do all within their powers to check this menace. But on the other hand, if this new policy would lead people to bring back funds they have taken outside the systems to banks overseas, I might even say the recapitalisation should be increased to 50 billion Naira, because the problem we have in the country is capital flight.
What do you think is the immediate impact of the CBN measures on the banking sub-sector?
There is no immediate impact even on banks; they are doing what they are supposed to do. But you know in Nigeria when you announce something there will be panic by members of the public, I do not think that any bank that is healthy will collapse from the measures of the CBN. I think on the whole the CBN regulations will make banking more effective and even stronger.
Do you have any thoughts on the contributory pension scheme signed into law by the President?
Paying pensioners there entitlements should be a very important state policy. It is a very dangerous thing when people are working at an able age without knowing how they are going to be looked after when they are no longer productive. And not having adequate pension provision and facilities is one of the contributory factors of corruption in this country; because if you are sure that when you retire nobody pays pension, or that nobody is interested in your welfare, you will decide to take the pension up-front. I have people around me who had worked so hard for the people of this country, but have become virtual destitutes.
Now because things have been so mismanaged you find a governor who pays pensions blowing his trumpet that it is an achievement of government. So it is a critical policy decision that the President has taken, and I hope he looks at some areas which has been pointed out as having gaps and fine tune them. Otherwise the scheme is a good idea.
INEC has been talking about electoral reforms in preparation for 2007 election, what is your recommendation?
My contribution is that INEC should first of all finish up all the issues concerning the election of 2003. They cannot just pretend that everything went well with the 2003 election, there are a lot of issues in that election that have not been taken care of. Many cases are still in the petition tribunal which have direct bearing on how INEC conducted the elections of 2003. That is the problem in this country; because the contractors have finished enjoying the money they made from the 2003 election they have started making moves for the 2007 election.
What is your position on the clamour for presidency between the north and the southeast?
I think with all seriousness that it should go east; that is a sensible and equitable way to do things. The problem with this country is lack of understanding, because if we look back we would see that one part of the country has had it for so long and another side has had for say eight years. But above all I want this country to be ruled by somebody who will move the place forward, it has been moving around in circles for a very long time.
