Sen Achonu Athanasius Nnaji represents Imo North Senatorial Zone in the Senate. In this interview with Ruth Choji, he predicts the implosion of All Progressives Congress (APC), and return of all former members of the PDP. He also called for a holistic approach to the anticorruption war, saying all former governors in Nigeria are corrupt.
As the vice chairman of Senate’s committee on banking, what is your take on the CBN governor’s assertion that the Nigerian economy is likely to crash if something is not done to salvage it soon?
Nigeria’s economy is very resilient, it is a case of management. I think Emefiele is doing a good job, let us watch and see all the policies he is putting in place. Some many pundit have said this type of thing but Nigerian economy has been growing steadily. Nigeria is one of the countries in the world that is blessed, Nigeria can create over 500 industries within 36 months and employ millions of Nigerians. We have the resources, the money is everywhere to borrow. How much is America owing? Yet, they produce, they have industries. Nigeria has no business exporting mineral resources without processing them. We should export finished protects. Everybody who is interested in our mineral resources should come and build industries to process it to a certain level before taking it out. This will add value to our economy.
As vice chairman, committee on economy and climate change, what is your committee doing concerning funds given to states to tackle ecological problems and yet have nothing to show for it?
I can’t say anything on that because I became a senator some months ago and President Buhari did not appoint ministers until few months ago. So, we didn’t have who to meet for oversight function. As a member of the ad hoc committee on works, we went round the country to look at erosion sites and dilapidated road network. Just recently, we came back from Paris for the climate change conference. When we resume from recess, we will call all these people to come and account for the monies that were released to them to dispense on erosion site.
Are you worried at the way the Naira is falling against the dollar?
I am very worried especially when you have the kind of issues we have on ground. We have to get experts who will advise us on the way out.
Are you surprised with some of the revelations that the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki, has been making on how funds meant for security were diverted to private pockets?
Nobody is surprised that there are so many corrupt persons in government. The problem is the way the government of Buhari is handling the issue because all the former governors, minister from both parties and whichever state were corrupt. So if there should be investigation, it should be holistic. It should not single out some people. Buhari came with his change policy and Nigerians believed him but this is not change, it is vendetta. Look at how they are targeting all the PDP states, they had a secret meeting, we have the document where they said they will take all the oil states. Look at what is happening in Rivers State. Look at for example, my senatorial zone, they said there was exclusion, but immediately after my judgment, they moved the judges. So they sent them there to come and upturn the judgement of a lower court. INEC showed the ballot paper that was used, it was admitted in evidence and they had five votes, and INEC used Imo east ballot paper instead of Imo north because our court was not in Imo court, then they now came and said it was not the customized ballot paper. There is nothing like customized ballot paper in the electoral act. INEC has the right to use those ballot papers in case of any problems. There is a law that says that INEC can exhibit the papers so that other parties can see and confirm whether their logo is there or not. Those parties never complained, the court didn’t take notice of that and then that woman contested PDP primaries with me. So she was not a candidate, they just made an arrangement with INEC and her name was inserted there. When did the congress take place for her to emerged as candidate. The court decides all these things, they didn’t allow the PDP to testify and you said you are bringing change. The whole of Nigeria is worried, look at the way they are handling the Biafra issue. These government is vying towards dictatorship and we will not let it happen.
The PDP has said it is rebranding, but some skeptics believe that the PDP has nothing to rebrand, what is your take on this?
PDP will go back to its former glory because it is the biggest party in Africa, half of the people in APC are PDP. We are just waiting for APC to implode. One quarter of APC is owned by former governor, Bola Tinubu, the other quarter is owned by Buhari and the other half is PDP and others are marginalising the PDP in the party right now. Look at the way they are treating Atiku Abubakar and Senate President Bukola Saraki. Very soon the APC will implode and our members will come back to us.
Are you worried with the dimension that MASSOB and IPOB agitation is taking?
It is the fault of the federal government, these people have a right to what they want, and it is a free society. If you say you don’t want to be a Nigeria, then you properly agitated for it the way MASSOB is doing. This IPOB came out as well and started doing the same thing, they have never used force, why will the Federal Government used live bullets on unarmed protesting Nigerians when they could have used teargas at defenseless Nigerians? It is worrisome when we all know that, they have a war in the North-east they should be fighting. Why will they use the Igbos as cannon fodder every time? We have a right in this nation and we have equal right in this country. Why would they use one law for us and another for others? Look at the Niger-delta, when they were kidnapping people and breaking pipe, aside Obasanjo who destroy Odi, who else ever attacked them? When OPC were attacking people and places, did they use live bullets to kill them? But immediately the Igbos started, they used live bullets.
But are you in support of the agitation?
As a matter of fact, we are better off as one country because it makes more economic sense. We have a large market place and whatever we produce, we can make money here and it will energize the economy. If the Igbos break away, the Yoruba’s will also break away, the north will break into piece because there are so many tribes and religious difference there. That is why I was surprised with what Muhammad Junaid said in an interview recently. Emir Sanusi is a sensible man and he said the truth. There is no community in Nigeria where you will not find an Igbo man. They will settle in a place and build houses with factory, but in Igbo land, there is no northern who has gone there and invest. How many Yoruba people or Fulani people have investment in Igbo land? We are the ones maintaining the economy of this country and yet, Junaid Muhammed could say what he said.
What is the way out or how will you advice the government on how to solve the Biafra and IPOB problem?
This government is vied towards dictatorship and it is something we will resist. It can never succeed in Nigeria. Kanu should be released on bail or he should be tried and jailed, that is what the law said. Look at Dasuki, he has not been found guilty, yet they have been detaining him. They won’t even allow him to go to hospital. A man is innocent until proven guilty, what is going on is witch-hunting and Nigerians will not accept it.
Some are of the opinion that the south/east is being marginalised
Yes Igbos are the most marginalized in this country now, Buhari came and removed all our permanent secretaries, and they didn’t even follow due process in selecting new ones. The ones that are of Igbo extraction, they piled them up in the office of the secretary to the federal government where they will breeding newspaper for the next four years. Look at the minister from Imo state, a professor, deputizing under a journalist in the ministry of education, tomorrow, Rochas will come and tell Igbo people to join the APC. The marginalization is total, each zone has six to seven states, and it is only the South-east that has five states. They just want to make sure that we don’t get what is rightfully ours. We have seen the civil war and some of us don’t want to experience it again. I am a permanent reminder of that war. I lost my hand two days to the end of the war through a grenade explosions. That is why I don’t wear artificial limbs so that I will be a permanent reminder to people. There is no need for violence but people must be given equal opportunity and rule of law must be followed.