Imo Looks Forward To An Owerri Zone Governor – Adikwuru – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

Hon. Dennis Adikwuru is a Individuals’s Democratic Get together (PDP) chieftain in Imo State. Adikwuru, a member of Imo State Presidential Marketing campaign Council beneath Media and Publicity Sub-committee within the 2023 elections and erstwhile State Publicity Secretary, Imo State Professionals for Atiku, can be the State Coordinator, Imo PDP Grassroots Motion. He spoke to EJIKEME OMENAZU on the present political scenario within the nation, together with the results of the Supreme Court docket judgment on Rivers State, the approaching Anambra election and Imo Constitution of Fairness, amongst different essential points. Excerpt

As a Individuals’s Democratic Get together (PDP) Chieftain, how do you see the current Supreme Court docket ruling on the Rivers State disaster?

The Rivers State political cri­sis is a deliberate engagement of President Tinubu and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to destabilise the peaceable state and retrieve the democratically elected authorities for the APC beneficial properties. This was achieved by the instrumentality of the Supreme Court docket. It is extremely unlucky that Nigeria’s Judiciary is on the ridiculing lane and dropping the arrogance of the lots of Nigeria and the worldwide neighborhood.

Seeing the escalation of the disaster for the reason that Supreme Court docket ruling, would you say that the apex courtroom ruling was simply?

The Supreme Court docket has achieved the intention of its judgment by throwing the state into tur­moil. Ordinarily, the Supreme Court docket rulings usually are not reality primarily based, however expediency and common in­terest of the individuals kind the extra bases of its rulings. It’s unlucky that justice is as soon as extra traversed by the Supreme Court docket regardless of the inherent neg­ative penalties.

What’s your tackle the declara­tion of State of Emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu?

The declaration of the state of emergency in Rivers State is one other ocular demonstration of President Tinubu’s desper­ation to show Nigeria to a one celebration state and attain but an­different despotic Nigerian ruler. By the way, we’ve the Com­mander-in-Chief in Wike, whereas the President serves because the cer­emonial president. What’s hap­pening on this disaster is brazen abuse of democracy and complete insult to the sovereignty of the individuals.

How do you see the current defec­tion of the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai from the ruling APC to the Social Democratic Get together (SDP), a smaller celebration?

Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has simply elicited a discourse on his deflection to SDP. In actual fact, going by his antecedents, El-Rufai won’t be taken significantly, however rath­er seen to be prompting for APC and Tinubu. I’ll advise these dashing and anticipating to hurry into SDP to do a rethink. I don’t see vibrant gentle on the finish of SDP tunnel.

With the posture of the Nyesom Wike backed Individuals’s Democratic Get together (PDP) South South zone, don’t you suppose that the bottom is being ready for a serious break up of the celebration on the nationwide degree each time the Nationwide Conference is held?

The Individuals’s Democratic Par­ty (PDP) has been factionalised between Wike and the remainder. The South South divide shouldn’t be new to the PDP deadlock and positively there awaits a renewed hostil­ity even with Wike trending to convey the PDP ongoing Nationwide Headquarters to the rubble. We await the peak of the crises in addition to the tip of it and the re­constructing of the celebration.

With the strikes of Northern and Southern political forces to wrestle energy from President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC and transfer of el-Rufai to the SDP, do you foresee the SDP changing into the lengthy count on­ed Third Power or a mega celebration that may be reckoned with in 2027?

The Social Democratic Get together (SDP) has rather a lot to deal with in its seek for relevance to­wards 2027 elections. I don’t see the celebration within the gentle of muz­zling the facility for 2027 takeover of presidency. If ever SDP will make it, we have to see extra po­litical gladiators on the scene. However, for now, we’re but to beat our chest.

Do you see former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presi­dential candidate in 2023, and for­mer Governor Peter Obi, the Labour Get together’s presidential candidate in the identical election, leaving their present events to unite beneath the SDP?

The Labour Get together is now not giving due membership to Peter Obi and so one can say Peter Obi is floating within the celebration. I’ve lengthy advocated that Peter Obi joins Atiku Abubakar in PDP to kind a formidable platform for the 2027 elections. I don’t see a lot being achieved in SDP and will probably be in poor health suggested for Atiku to depart PDP for no matter causes

As politicians strategise in the direction of the 2027 elections and with Gover­nor Hope Uzodimma finishing his second time period, what’s your tackle the place the pendulum ought to swing to as regards the Imo governorship, particularly because it pertains to the exist­ing Imo Constitution of Fairness?

It’s apparent that Houpe Uzo­dimma, the Imo governor, will serve out his second and closing tenure by 2027. The difficulty of Constitution of Fairness has been a critical contentious problem. I’ll wish to say that Governor Hope Uzodimma will possible produce his successor thereby breaking the jinx in Imo State. The histo­ry of governance in Imo State has it that no previous governor was in a position to enthrone a successor of his selection. That is most likely why he’s harping on Imo Constitution of Fairness with Owerri Zone because the beneficiary. However, in fact, there’s nothing like Constitution of Eq­uity in Imo State as there isn’t any file of its implementation since 1999. Satirically, the current governor shouldn’t be a product of any Constitution of Fairness and your complete Imo citizenry look enthusiasti­cally in the direction of the realisation of an Owerri zone governor come 2027.

Do you foresee Governor Charles Soludo dropping the Anambra gov­ernorship election? If that’s the case, to which celebration?

With the desperation of the ruling APC to emerge as a one state authorities of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, no person might be stunned if Governor Chuk­wuma Soludo is edged out within the oncoming Anambra governor­ship election. Apart from, the elec­torate is disillusioned and has misplaced religion with the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) since votes don’t rely any longer in Nigeria. Nevertheless, beneath a degree enjoying scenar­io, Soludo might be re-elected by Anambra individuals.

What’s your tackle the requires the creation of extra states and native governments? How possible do you suppose these are contemplating how cumbersome it’s to amend the Nigerian structure?

The clamour for the creation of extra states and native governments is sort of overdue. Though the civilian govern­ment has not had it simple to efficiently create states and native governments in Nigeria, it seems the Tinubu regime which is seen as a quasi-mili­tary command will make the mark. Will probably be made simpler with Tinubu’s stronghold on the legislature which dances to his tune and responds to his physique language. Be that as it could, this train ought to intention at appropriate­ing the lopsided current rely with extra 13 states, the South East receiving three new states whereas the remainder geo polit­ical zones share 10 new states. In the identical association, addi­tional native governments ought to correspondingly be created for balancing and equitability. Tinu­bu might be making historical past if his authorities efficiently creates extra states and native gov­ernments and we’re all ears and on trying to this.

How critical is the current alarm being raised in some South East states over rising herdsmen onslaught within the zone?

The South East is absolutely occu­pied by Fulani herdsmen and that is incontrovertible. The best way of their operation lends credence to the fears that the Igbo nation is in peril of being exterminated. There isn’t a nook and cranny of the South East you don’t find the Fulanis of their numbers and combatant readiness. Sadly, there appears to be Federal backup within the operations of the Fulanis whereby they destroy farmlands, rape, kill, kidnap and even promote human components unencumbered. Worst nonetheless, some state govern­ments within the South East are selling the occupation of the Fulanis and the Islamic follow by creating Moslem Pilgrims Boards with the paraphernalia of an Islamic state. Whereas the Structure of the Federal Re­public of Nigeria ensures settlement in any a part of the nation to all, it ought to be for good and never for islamisation of any a part of the nation. There may be an pressing want for the South East governors to return togeth­er and take a typical course to guard their residents in opposition to the rising destruction of lives and financial system of the area if I’ll name it.