IS there any reason to make people believe that Abia is peculiarly difficult to govern?
Abia people are well-informed but unfortunately, they are negatively informed and this makes governance difficult. For instance, Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, has people from all over the world coming to do business or even reside in the city. From experience, governing an Aba man is a difficult task.
The expectation of the people from the government is constrained by scarcity of funds and this makes governance difficult. The state is unfortunate to have as neighbours oil-producing states and the people easily make comparisons with what happens in Abia.
How can the governor keep pace with the developments in Rivers, a state that can easily give Abia part of its allocation without even noticing it? Where Rivers gets N55 billion, Abia will get about N5 billion.
Our people will naturally expect that what is done in states like Rivers should be done in Abia. It is not their fault. As I said, they are informed, but not holistically.
What do you make of the excitement generated by the anticipated return to the PDP of former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu?
This is being over laboured. I am not among those concerned with his return to the party. I believe that he needs to ask himself questions on why he wants to return to the PDP.
I share the opinion of many in the PDP that his desire to return has not been demonstrated genuinely. It is clear that there are disruptive tendencies in his approach.
The Peoples Progressive Party (PPA), which he founded, is yet to be disbanded. If his supporters were still in the PPA, it would be morally right for him to first disband the PPA because a report credited to the PPA chairman asserted that the former governor’s departure from the party would not affect it.
If all those behind him in the PPA are still working with him and operating in PPA, how genuine is his attempt to return to the PDP?
Should the next governor of the state come from the Ukwa Ngwa area, as the people are agitating?
Abia South senatorial zone or Ukwa Ngwa comprises the Ukwa and Ngwa of the state. The Ukwa Ngwa people are prepared for the 2015 Abia governorship election following the agreement with incumbent Governor Theodore Orji that power should shift to the area in 2015. The aspirants are gearing up for the race.
Are the Ngwa in Abia Central senatorial zone excluded from contesting in the governorship?
Originally, state power was shared between the Old Bende zone and Old Aba zone comprising Ukwa Ngwa in Old Aba Province and non-Ukwa Ngwa in Old Bende, which did not take cognisance of senatorial arrangement.
So, the next governor should come from the Ukwa Ngwa extraction of Abia South in line with our agreement with non-Ukwa Ngwa/Old Bende brothers.
In 2011, some Ukwa Ngwa politicians contested the governorship despite the agreement of rotation. Do you expect the rest of Abia not to contest the in 2015?
It would be unconstitutional to stop any interested aspirant from contesting for any available elective position so long as the aspirant is constitutionally qualified.
Today, we are talking about an agreement that led to the support the governor enjoyed from Ukwa Ngwa, which has precipitated the promise that he would supervise the power shift to Ukwa Ngwa in 2015. It is on this premise that we believe that if he keeps to the agreement, we will scale the hurdle.
Does that agreement include the other political parties or is this is purely a PDP affair?
The PDP is the controlling party in Abia and it’s under the leadership of the present governor; and given the scenario and all things being equal, the PDP will still be in power in 2015.
How do you factor in the rivalry between the Ukwa and Ngwa over who should produce the candidate?
It is difficult to put all that together now but the truth is that it is the desire of the majority that power should shift in 2015 to the Ukwa Ngwa. The two areas don’t lack good hands.
There are eminently qualified names like Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, Uzor Azubuike, Acho Nwakanma, Chris Nkwonta, Emeka Wogu, Chinwe Nwanganga, to mention a few.
I have no ambition to be governor but we are working to ensure that the right person emerges to represent Abia.
Why has the area always talked about being marginalised in the scheme of the things?
Under the present state government, the Ukwa Ngwa people have been accorded their dues. But it will be complete when power shifts; then, the talks about marginalisation will stop. Ukwa Ngwa felt marginalised because they had never produced a governor — military or civilian — for Abia.
In the past, we talked of marginalisation in the disposition of materials but the government has addressed some of these issues as reflected in the appointments enjoyed by Ngwa people at different levels. We occupy two seats in the Senate; this had never happened.
Is there any special strategy open to the Ukwa Ngwa towards actualising this dream despite the agreement?
We remain loyal and supportive to the state and federal governments. Having reached that agreement with our non-Ukwa Ngwa brothers and supported by the state governor, we will continue to heed suggestions and liaison with people across the state and members of the ruling PDP.
History has shown that the three deputy governors from Ukwa Ngwa were not loyal to the governors. How will an Ukwa Ngwa governor expect loyalty from elsewhere?
As a former Speaker, I can attest to the fact that it is not usually disloyalty that attracts impeachment. I challenge the claim that deputy governors from Ngwa were not good followers.
We have always been in the forefront of electing governors because the majority of Abia people reside in the Ukwa Ngwa area. If some individuals, for any reasons, fall out of favour with their bosses, I do not think it is the reflection of the behavioural pattern of the Ngwa people.
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