A Commissioner-designate in Enugu State and former Chairman of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, Andy Omeje, speaks with LINUS ALEKE, on the forthcoming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries and the 2023 general elections.

The South East is gradually becoming a theatre of war, because of killings by ‘unknown’ gunmen, IPOB, and Eastern Security Network. Are you concerned about this development?

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Everybody is concerned and that is why, apart from prayers, we are appealing to everybody to ensure that all hands must be on deck to curtail this menace because if it is allowed to continue like this, the zone will be doomed. The killings are not a good omen for our future. Of course, it is already telling on the economy of the South-East, so everybody is concerned.

What do you think can be done to nip this crisis in the bud so that the South East can again reinvigorate its shattered economy?

Solving security issues in every society starts from the home, every parent should go back to the drawing board and start talking to their children and relations. Aside from that, the political leaders also have an enormous role to play the religious leaders. Every hand must be on deck. It should not stop at the religious leaders speaking at the pulpit. The political leaders should as a matter of urgency provide things that are vital for the survival of the citizens. Part of the security threat if I am to say is induced by widespread excruciating hunger in the land. Another factor is marginalization which has given birth to secessionist agitation. If you look at the Igbo status in the country, you will discover that this country is just not being fair to us. Nobody can say with certainty those behind the massive killings and harassment of innocent citizens in the South-East. It may be the tactic of giving a dog a bad name to hang it. It is not as if I am defending IPOB but most time the atrocities ascribed to IPOB are not perpetrated by them. But let me say this for the record, if any Igbo man is part of those unleashing this mayhem on the people of the South-East, he should know that those who are marginalizing us will be happy that we are killing ourselves. If any Igbo man is part of this atrocious act, my advice is that we should desist from it. I know that people who are oppressed can also be oppressed security-wise, and that is why some of us are sceptical to blame IPOB.

Enugu seems to be relatively more peaceful than other south-eastern states, in terms of rampant killings by unknown gunmen and cases of arson on public facilities. How is the state able to achieve this peaceful atmosphere that now makes it a destination of choice in the entire South East?

It is because of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s interpersonal relationship with the people of the state. The kind of purposeful governance and leadership he is offering the people of the state. That is why I said earlier that political leaders have an enormous role to play in curbing insecurity. Because of his performance, relationship with people, and approach to individual needs, these put together have gone a long way in making the state peaceful.

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What is your position on the clamour for the Igbo presidency in 2023?

I am part of those clamouring for the Igbo presidency in 2023 because we are part of this country. If Nigeria wants to be sincere, if Nigeria wants to show that we are practicing democracy, the Igbos should be allowed to produce the next President of this country, just as the Yoruba were given the opportunity in 1999. We are part of Nigeria, we are not visitors, and we are bona-fide citizens of this country.

Nigeria is the world’s poverty capital amongst other negative indices like unemployment, high rate of maternal and infant mortality, rising insecurity, etc. With these negatives, what will be your assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration?

The President and his party APC have failed to fulfil all the campaign promises to Nigerians. You can then make your deduction on whether he had performed well or abysmally.

What do you think the Federal Government can do differently to redeem its battered image before Nigerians and also improve the well-being of the people?

The Federal Government must pay serious attention to unemployment in this country. Most of this evil we hear of today is being perpetrated by healthy youths. If a man is up to the age of getting married and does not even have money to feed himself let alone get married. Such a young man can never be stable minded and the next thing is to seek other means of livelihood. Unemployment is the key factor fuelling insecurity in the country and that is why the Federal Government must pay priority attention to unemployment. Secondly, every geo-political zone should be treated equally. None of the zones is more important than the other. The South East has been marginalized from the inception of this country and it is time for the federal government, vis a vis the entire country to listen to the yearning of the South-East.

The PDP has been out of power at the centre for over seven years, do you foresee your party winning the forthcoming General elections in 2023?

With the abysmal performance of the APC at the centre, you know that the PDP will reclaim power in 2023. Look at the defections from APC to PDP in recent times across the states. When public office holders are leaving their party for the PDP, it is a clear sign that PDP will coast to victory in 2023.

The debate on who succeeds Governor Ugwuanyi is generating controversy in the state, especially now that 2023 is fast approaching, who do you think the cap fits that can step in to consolidate on the governor’s perceived achievements?

I cannot speak on this subject matter. I believe you heard what the zonal leadership of the PDP in Enugu North said earlier, that whoever the governor chooses will be supported by all. Wherever he says we are going, we will go. So, I can’t predict who will succeed him. He knows Enugu State better than I do, and he knows the major political actors. The onus is on him to unveil who he thinks is the best man for the job. This is so because he knows what is good for Ndi-Enugu.

Do you believe there is an existing zoning arrangement in Enugu State?

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There is, there is zoning arrangement in Enugu State.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu has refuted the claim by some political leaders like yourself that there is a zoning arrangement. Who is telling the truth, Ekweremadu, or those of you who believe that there is a zoning arrangement?

I still don’t want to comment on this, but Senator Ekweremadu should know that his ambition is against peace and zoning arrangement in the state. I just want to stop here, I don’t want to speak further on that because I know that in due time, the governor will do the needful.

Why do you think you were appointed as Commissioner-designate when you had just served your term as an LG chairman?

It is not in my character to begin to blow my trumpet. But all I can tell you is that for me to be singled out, shows that I have worked hard during my tenure as Executive Chairman. The governor and other stakeholders are in a better position to talk about my political exploits. But if you ask me about my achievements, I can list some of them for you. In any case, my appointment may not be in connection with my achievements, there could be other considerations the Governor may have looked at, beyond performance in office. You know that in politics, a lot of factors are considered before any appointment is made. My legacy is employment and inclusiveness of all and sundry in the governance of the Igbo-Eze South. I was the first executive chairman in the history of the local government that appointed no fewer than 435 political appointees that I paid all through my tenure. And payment of their salaries did not in any way hinder project execution in various communities in the local government.