APGA’s governorship candidate in Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, in this chat sheds light on what transpired at the World Igbo Congress, (WIC) where he spoke up in favour of Chief Chris Uba, and why he had a favourable view of Uba, who is at the receiving end of public opinion over his botched abduction attempt of Ngige. Obi says it is a laughable for anyone to suggest he had entered alliance with Uba.
Excerpts:
What is your relationship with Chief Christian Uba, have you gone into alliance with him as being speculated?
The report suggesting that I am in alliance with Uba is more than laughable, because I cannot believe that any one at this stage of my political career would be saying such a thing. I did not go into alliance with anyone when I was campaigning, and people had come forward to request this or that, but I would insist that my pact is with the people of Anambra state. I told everyone that I have no godfather but God almighty. So, I am not in alliance with anybody, I am not in a pact with anybody; and in any case I am not desperate to be governor of Anambra State. But I am desperate to serve the people honestly, and that way secure the future of our children.
But you were quoted at the World Igbo Congress ( WIC) as saying that you would first trust Uba before trusting Governor Chris Ngige?
At that particular gathering, Uba said he was there to confess his sins, and this can be confirmed by the many people who were there, if you doubt there are people who have video recordings of what he said at WIC. Uba said he had come there to confess his sins that they did not win the election, that I won the election, and that he had gone to church to confess to God. I am a Christian, and a catholic, and the way I understand it is if a man truly confesses his sins and ask for forgiveness it shows a change in attitude. But the other man Ngige, is still going around saying that he is holding unto his mandate, which mandate and who gave him the mandate? How can he be holding unto something that was stolen, and claims that he has mandate given to him by the people; when he knows that even he did not vote for himself in the said election.
You know it is said, do not fear a man who can kill, but fear a man who after killing will have the heart to go and bury the body. So, if you see a man who is prepared to sit down on a stolen thing and be claiming that it is his own; as a Christian we are taught that if you offend a man, you should confess it and go to the man who you took the thing from, and relinquish whatever it is you have taken.
That is what I expect from Ngige, rather, he was in New Jersey talking about values. I mean nobody would listen to him because it is just like Saddam Hussien talking about human rights. And the interesting thing is that at the World Igbo Congress ( WIC), the governor of New Jersey, resigned over allegations that he was a homosexual; this is a man who seeing the reaction of the people and issues concerning values left office.
Would you know whether he would be willing to confess in Nigeria, perhaps even before a tribunal?
His confession in America was done before at least 200 people or more, and the people are not dead. I am a fanatical Christian and I do go for confessions, and it does not matter whether I confess in Nigeria or in London. If it is a true confession and I ask God to forgive me he will, I am confident he will forgive me, but if I am trying to fake my confession it actually worsens my person. Because what Uba is saying is all about his person, and it is in his interest that he cleanses himself of whatever things he has done wrong that is disturbing his person, God will forgive him.
Would it not appear because of the pact you have with him, that is why he is confessing now?
I am surprised by his confession, I can say that categorically. But what I want to say is how would anybody imagine that I would be in a pact at this stage when I have contested the election, won the election, was rigged out, and had been in the tribunal for over a year challenging the result of the election. So this pact they are talking about, what is the gain for me in it. What is Uba going to offer me at this stage, is he going to tell the tribunal to give judgement in my favour or what.
He is not even going to be my witness because I have closed my case. He can only become Ngige’s witness today, not mine, so what is in the pact. He is not going to add any value to my case, unless he turns himself into a judge tomorrow, and become a member of the tribunal then I can say he would deliver the judgement to me. But as far I am concerned it would take him 20 years to become a federal high court judge if he starts from today.
So why do you think that he made the confession?
I believe he is beginning to see things differently. We are all human beings, we can show remorse for the wrong things we have done, so I think that is what Uba is doing. He is a friend, Ngige is a friend, in fact one of the people who came to my house to urge me to contest election for Anambra governorship is Ngige. So none of them is my enemy, and I am going to serve the state with them, though not in my government. A leader is one that unifies everybody, not the one that divides.
What is your relationship with Ngige?
We have a wonderful relationship, when our path cross we hug each other, we are not quarreling. He is my friend and remains a friend, the only thing I am saying is that the process in which he arrived his destination is wrong. You can possess something good, but if the process through which it is received is wrong then you are wrong. Till tomorrow I still maintain that the process by which Ngige became a governor is faulty and should not have been the case for somebody of his background.
In the course of your meeting with him, has the matter of the case before the tribunal come up?
Yes, of course but my stand is that the case must come to a logical conclusion. Nothing will stop it, no amount of intervention or pleading will stop it; because tomorrow this is one of the issues that will be cited. For the future of the children of this country this case must come to its logical conclusion, and whatever is the judgement I will respect.
You said Ngige pleaded with you to run, how come he ran against you?
You know PDP did not have a candidate initially, you remember Ngige became a candidate one month to the election. He did not want to be governor, he said he wanted to go to the senate. He was coopted into running for governorship, it was not his intention.
You do not think Uba was speaking out of frustration?
I do not know, but something must have happened to him. I do not know what that thing is, because I am not inside him.
Is APGA and MASSOB the same thing as people are seeing it?
The two are separate entities. APGA is a political party registered under the Nigerian law. APGA has membership across the nation, it has members from the north, southwest, and south-south. MASSOB is a militant group agitating for their own beliefs, just like you have OPC, Egbesu boys, Arewa youths and all sorts of other ones coming up making demands, some saying we are cheated out of our oil resources and that kind of demand. MASSOB is not a political party, you can’t be a member of MASSOB, I am not a member either.
Does APGA support their goals?
I do not think so, maybe there are some aspects of what MASSOB are saying that APGA is also interested in like in the campaign to stop the marginalisation of the Igbos. And it is not just APGA, every Igbo man is against the marginalisation of the Igbo man. In short you can compare some aspects of what OPC is agitating, which is in line with what AD or Afenifere is also supporting. It is the same thing like what Arewa youths are agitating which ACF believes in, that does not mean the two entities are the same. The confusion is that because MASSOB is always talking about Biafra, and you cannot talk about Biafra without Chief Emeka Ojukwu’s name coming into it, and as you know Ojukwu is the presidential candidate of APGA and leader of the party, but these are two separate entities with their own goals, aims and vision.
What is you reaction to the Okija shrine controversy?
I am surprised that at this age and time things like these are going on. I mean these days we should be talking about something meaningful and modern; in fact the first time I heard something about the shrine was when Ngige said it last year that he went there. All these things make me question the process by which he became a governor. Ngige has so compromised that office, that no matter what he does now the integrity of that office has been put to question.
What is happening at the tribunal?
I spent about 50 days and I called 46 witnesses, Ngige has spent more than 50 days and has called over 170 witnesses, I do not know when he is going to conclude his case. But my position is that no matter how long it takes I will see the case to its logical conclusion. The hearing is going everyday, but I pity the justices that are hearing the case, because it is not easy to leave the place of work, family, homes, it affects the health, and it has psychological impact, so that is my only worry.
People do not know what is happening, if you go to the tribunal you will have a different impression of what is happening. That is why when I read the papers and I see people reporting a different account, I laugh. I laugh because people do not know what is happening; eventually I hope to apply, when all this is over, to the court for the transcript of the judgement of the tribunal, and turn it into a book, for young people to read so that they can see how their parents once lived in stupidity.
What do you make of this electoral system, which allows petition to linger one year after?
Very regrettable, you can see what the Catholic bishops are saying that what is going on is a case of trying to deny justice, and that they do not wish to see this continue to go on and that it should be called to an end. What is going on has been roundly criticised, it does not happen any where in the world.
What is the way out?
That is not what it used to be, this system was smuggled into the electoral law, so it should be removed. It should be after the election petition before somebody is allowed to be sworn, after in all cases challenging the mandate should be disposed of.
