The Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Chukwuka Utazi, speaks on the macro and micro zoning in Enugu State geopolitics, amongst other sundry issues, in this exclusive interview with LINUS ALEKE

As the 2023 elections draw nearer, zoning seems to be tearing Enugu State apart. Can you give a historical background to the adoption of zoning in the state?

The history of macro zoning in Enugu State started with the creation of Ebonyi State in 1996. After the creation of the state, Enugu was left with two senatorial zones. Nsukka and the old Enugu. That was what we had, and then under the military regime, preparatory to handing over in 1999, there was the need for delineation of constituencies, both states and federal constituencies within this period. It happened that we had Jim Nwobodo, who was the then Minister of Youths and Sports in the cabinet of the late Gen. Sani Abacha. He was very close to the military junta.

The two Senatorial Districts, old Nsukka, and old Enugu, where a new Senatorial District would be carved out from were manipulated in favour of the old Enugu zone. Take for instance Anambra State was part of the old Anambra. Before then, we had five senatorial districts namely: Onitsha, Awka, Nsukka, Enugu, and Abakaliki, but when the new Enugu State was created in 1991, Anambra left with two senatorial districts- Onitsha and Awka. What Anambra did was that they farmed out some local government areas from the two senatorial districts to create a new senatorial district known today as Anambra Central Senatorial District to balance things. But in our case, it was not done the same way.

What was done was that they divided the old Enugu zone into two and gerrymandered Isi-Uzo from Nsukka to pad the new creation and left Nsukka with six local government areas, not minding the population and the landmass of the area, which are critical factors in the delineation of constituencies in the country.

It did not work in our case, they instead created two senatorial districts from the old Enugu zone, Enugu East, and Enugu West, as well as five federal constituencies. But the old Nsukka zone with its population and landmass had only three constituencies and a senatorial district.

That was unfair to my people and was not brotherly. But that was what happened under the military dispensation. We are not saying we are going to revolt against it or go for a constitutional amendment to cancel the delineation and do it well. No. But what we are demanding now is that the old Enugu, just one of the two created after the creation of Enugu State, had done 16 years, Enugu East under the Chimaroke administration and my good friend and brother from Enugu West, Sulivan Chime eight years. So, when you combine the two that is 16 years. Before it came to the old Nsukka zone under Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who is close to seven years in office now.

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Now, we are saying since the 2023 electioneering campaign is around the corner, that justice should be done. That this unwritten macro zoning between the two must be respected. Let the old Enugu that has enjoyed sixteen years support the old Nsukka to complete their remaining eight years. That is the only way things can work well for all of us here.

Most politicians will prefer to attract most of the federal presence to their communities. But you are pushing for a bill that will transform the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Annex in Obukpa to a Federal Medical Centre. Why do you want it cited in Obukpa and not your village as most of your colleagues would do?

Well, I am a representative of the people. Nsukka people love me so well, and they stood by me in the last elections, just as they did in 2015. If you premise my victory on the votes that I got from my federal constituency compared to the other two constituencies that made up the Enugu North Senatorial District, which I represent, I would not have won that election.

Take, for instance, the local government areas that make up my constituency have just 16 wards, while others in the senatorial district have 20 wards with more voters. But they jettisoned those strengths and voted for me because of my antecedent, qualification, and cognate experience as a former deputy speaker of the House of Assembly, Enugu State from 1991 to 1993. I am a political scientist and a lawyer. They considered all these factors and felt that I could do something for them and decided to support me against others.

How could they express such love for me, and I would not reciprocate it? Especially when you consider the fact that a former Minister of Health in Shehu Shagari’s administration, the late DC Ugwu was from Obukpa. The choice location for the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital was Obukpa, near the campus, in line with global best practices and norms of every other university established in Nigeria at the time.

The Faculty of Medicine is always on the main campus of the university. Regrettably, the reverse is the case in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where medical students are forced to move to the Enugu campus of the University which houses the Faculty of Medicine after their first year at the main campus in Nsukka. The late Ugwu developed what is known today as the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Annex in Obukpa. Unfortunately, it is now dilapidated and abandoned.

Secondly, I know that it is better to develop this existing structure than going to my hometown Nkporogu, to become a local champion before my kinsmen. Obukpa is the right place, any reasonable and God-fearing Nsukka man will do the same thing in similar circumstances if given the same opportunity. I decided to sponsor a bill that has passed the first and second reading and I am hopeful that very soon it will go for the third reading. When it also gets to the politics of getting Mr. President’s assent, we will pursue it and make sure that it is done for the betterment of our people.

n the past two years, I have put my zonal intervention funds into the project, renovating the buildings, buying ambulances for the medical centre, digging boreholes for them, and putting in place things that will make the place function optimally. Very soon, we will talk about the road to that place to ensure that the place functions well. The other factor that motivated me into pursuing this project is that there are no tertiary health institutions in the whole of Nsukka zone with our enormous population.

You represent Enugu North Senatorial District, incidentally, the incumbent governor is from the same district as you. Considering the culture of governors wanting to retire to the National Assembly after their tenures, will you give up your ambition of continuing beyond 2023 if the governor indicates interest to run for the seat?

My faith has always been in the hands of God, not in the hands of any individual. At the end of the day, we will seek the face of God and look at what our people want for themselves and consider that because it is very key. Many people didn’t give me a chance to be here in 2015, few did not also give me a chance for the second coming.

With all the intrigues and the treachery, I still triumph at the end of the day because of the mercy of God. He brought me to where I am today, so, He will determine my fate tomorrow. What I am here to do is to work for Nsukka people, if they still require my services who can stop it? Of course, nobody, I will be here.

The Igbo nation has since been clamouring for the Igbo presidency. As a high-ranking Igbo political leader, do you support the call by your kinsmen for an Igbo President in 2023?

Igbo people are very mobile; they have a stake in this country more than any other ethnic nationalities. We are the only people that can go to any part of the country and make the place a home and put our life investment there. No other ethnic nationalities have done that when compared to the Igbo. I feel that if you have a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction because it is part of our culture of making anywhere, we find ourselves home that the President of Igbo extraction will be in a better position to transform Nigeria for the good of all. Igbo presidency will no doubt be a unifying factor. You know what we have in the country today, insecurity and mistrust.

Igbo also have very educated professionals, who can do the job. We have accomplished professionals, who have what it takes to lead this country. There are competent people everywhere, but for the sake of justice, equity and fairness, Igbo should be allowed to rule the country come 2023.

What is your assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressive Congress (APC) administration?

My assessment of the incumbent administration is that they have performed abysmally. We have never had it this bad since Nigeria came into existence as one united nation. Nigeria is now so divided, so confused, nothing is working, and we are going for transition.

The fuel crisis is now unabated, I don’t know the area where you live but most areas in Nigeria are in the dark because of the incessant collapse of the national grid. Poverty is on the increase, the rate of unemployment is embarrassing, and we have never had it this bad as a country.

I am begging Nigeria to use this opportunity of transition to push away the APC and recruit competent and God-fearing leaders that will move the nation forward in 2023. The United States of America considers competence in their leadership recruitment and that was why they elected an African-American in the person of former President Barack Obama to lead them not minding the colour of his skin. They knew that he had something to offer them. He moved America from recession to prosperity and economic stability.

Let Nigeria look away from tribes and get a person that can move Nigeria out of the woods. That is the essence of political recruitment. But if we want to continue to talk about religion and geopolitics, whether you are Hausa-Fulani, you are Igbo, or Yoruba, we will continue to be in the woods. The world has left those criteria of recruiting leaders, they go for merit and competence. Leaders who have something to offer, who commit for the public good that can guarantee the greatest good to the greatest number that is what we are looking for in 2023.

The National Assembly threw away the bills seeking to empower women politically at the ongoing constitutional amendment. Are you proud that you are part of the National Assembly that wants women to continue to be in the back seat?

I am not proud of that. But the blame should be directed to the appropriate quarters. The Northern politicians are in a better position to explain why they opposed the bill. In the Eighth Assembly, those of us from the south voted in favour of these same bills that were rejected by the northern legislators. The majority from the north do not think that women should be free.

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What legacies would you want to leave behind in the National Assembly?

My legacy is my commitment to the public good. That I put everything that I have, my competence, knowledge, and skills in the service of Nsukka. That I take all manner of insults from Permanent Secretaries and other lower staff in a bid to secure employment for an Nsukka man.

And that I did not use the little resources I have been able to gather for personal aggrandizement, but the development of Nsukka zone for the good of many. That commitment that Nsukka should be better and greater is my life ambition.