National Chairman of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), who is also the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections, Dan Nwanyanwu, in this interview with Channel TV Politics Today, monitored by Linus Aleke, says he is the next Nigerian President, alleging that he is better positioned than the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi, to emerge as president of Igbo extraction
Have you also, been campaigning elsewhere, aside from your occasional appearances on television for media interviews?
Yes, we have been dealing with voters in the rural areas, in the wards, and the local government areas. You may not find us in the jamboree rallies that are going on. Every political party has its style. We are concerned about those who are going to cast the vote. Most of them don’t have television to see the rallies, and most of them are not on android phones. So, we meet them, on the farms, we meet them at home, across the country. When we had an outing a few days ago, we brought people from different states and gave an update on what is happening and they have all gone back and it is going on. But the next phase now is to intensify our town hall meetings in the rural areas. Interjection…so, those are the people you are reaching out to and you have reasons for that? Yes, of course.
What informed this your different approach to the campaign?
Look, we have always been different. Our manifesto is different, it is different in all materials in particular. We don’t have to follow the winds, we must not adopt the method others are using. To hire people, put them on a field, and address them. Look, I had done studies on rallies, before 1999. When I watch a rally, I can tell you if the people are members of the party that hired them or not. And it is easy to know, I can tell you this is one of my areas of specialisation. There are occasions, certain statements would be made by the man addressing the crowd, and they don’t react, then you will know that they are hired to be there. Leave the rallies, we are dealing with those who have PVCs.
What do the signs tell you about these people you are reaching out to?
They are excited, they want a change.
Is that the reason why you are doing that?
Yes, because they want a change. They want something new. They are the ones that have received the bulk of the whole problems in the country. They belong to the group of persons that are oppressed, that is cheated and hounded. They don’t know anything about the government. They have never benefited from anything. So, we are dealing with them, getting to them, and explaining to them, why they must accept change. And in fact, they are ready and willing to change the system.
Do you see yourself as a real contender in this race?
Yes, of course. Why do you ask? Don’t I look like a presidential candidate to you or qualified to be a president? … Interjection, look and capability are two different things. One can look like a boxer and can be beaten several times in the ring…No, you are getting it all wrong. Ok, the question I am asking you is, are you a real contender because, in this race, analysts and political permutations, have said that this is a four-horse race. Are you one of the horses? No, no, no, you see, you can do your permutations, you can do your research, but until you get to the polling units, people will be disappointed in the next month. Most of the electorates are following certain candidates because of one reason or the other, which, I don’t want to mention on air. But they have reassured us that on that very day, they know who to vote for. Another interjection…and who is that? Of course, I will be voted for. I have a lot of supporters across the country.
Where is your catchment area?
My catchment areas are across the country. I am in the north and the south.
Will you be able to win your home state?
Look, don’t anticipate me. Wait until Election Day, Nigerians are going to vote and we have a system that will work. We have a system that will allow the vote to count and be counted.
Do you see yourself as the next president of Nigeria?
Of course, I am the next president of Nigeria. I am not joking, I am very serious.
Let us look at your manifesto, how many points of agenda are therein?
There are about ten point agenda.
Restructuring is first on your 10-point agenda and in it, you promised to set up a national reconciliation committee
Interjection…that is not restructuring, we are talking about bringing Nigerians together. You recall in March, as the presidential candidate of this party, I told Nigerians, that the first thing that we are going to do will be to put Nigerians back to where they were and to show love. We must also, work on this hatred, and lack of trust. We are talking about putting together a reconciliation committee, bringing traditional rulers to be involved to get Nigerians back to have trust and fate in the country and accept each other as part and parcel of the society. We are going to do that first, bring trust back to the people. People must trust you, and they must believe in you. When you may have united them. Some had said, the same in the past but did not tell us how they intend to achieve that. The document before you explain why we would achieve that if given the opportunity by the Nigerian electorates.
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Will that be another kind of confab or something?
No, don’t call it a confab, we saw something like Oputa Panel, which revealed a lot, we had a similar thing in South Africa. That is the type of committee we are talking about.
There was an apartheid regime in South Africa before the reconciliation committee was set up, have we reached that tipping point as a country?
We have even surpassed that point. Unless we are living under a stone or rock, Nigerians are divided. My first task will be to bring them back. We have to come back together, God put all of us here. Therefore, we must bring Nigerians together, and there must be trust. There was a time, people did not bother where you come from, or the religion you adhere to. We celebrated Christmas and Salah together, which is very key. When you bring Nigerians back and unite them and they have faith in you as their president and as a government, every other thing will fall into place. It will be easy for us to navigate. That is the first thing to do, bring Nigerians back, and build trust and faith. Let them believe you, Nigerians have been following me over the years. I say things the way they are and I had never told Nigerians lies. I will never lie to them as a President. I will be transparent and there will be total disclosure. They will see what happens to the affairs of government that is what I will do. But most of these my colleagues cannot say the same thing because they have been part and parcel of this disunity. So, you cannot be part and parcel of creating a problem and you will be asked to solve it, more especially when you are benefiting from the problem. So, you will not solve it and that brings me back to the issue of political will. They don’t have the political will, they may have ideas and proffer solutions but do not have the political will to implement their ideas and proffered solutions to the latter, but I do. I am not tainted and I have no encumbrances. I will get things done as the president and I will not look at anybody’s face.
There had been agitation for the Igbo presidency, and you are an Igbo man, are you the right man to solve that puzzle?
I am not contesting as an Igbo man. Let me tell you this, you can fact-check me after this interview because I had said it before. I had never made a Kobo, either in business or otherwise, from any Igbo man. So, don’t push me there that is not to say that I love Ndigbo less. I am contesting for the office of president. I have friends across the country, and from the north, the South-West is like my second home. I am not going to see myself as somebody coming to represent the Igbo. I see myself as someone who is bringing the required change, who is bringing something new, bringing innovations to change from this old order to a new and more acceptable order. That is why I am in the race for the presidency. I don’t want anybody to vote for me because I am an Igbo man.
You cannot win an election without a local base and support, do you see yourself as that man that will solve this puzzle that had metamorphosed into agitation in the southeast where you hail from?
I agree with you that politics is local. If Nigerians come to unison, maybe before the election, and say ok, let us go this way, as has always been the case and it comes to my region, I am better positioned to do that job. Interjection. More than Peter Obi who is also from that region, well, I have many reasons to say so. I am talking about myself. You know the reason why I am better, I have fresh ideas. I have innovations, and above all, political will is important. Why are we having problems with security, as well as not taking a certain decision, it is because there is no political will. Leaders are afraid to take decisions. Former President Ibrahim Babangida once told us that we should take the wrong decision, as history will vindicate us rather than not decide at all. Insecurity is escalating in this country because there was no decision. People will come and claim that they will do this or that, do they have the political will to do so? I am in a better position to serve this country as president.
What exactly is this political will?
I will explain to you, interjection…is it because nobody is funding you or you don’t have a godfather. Don’t bring up the issue of funding here, no multi-millionaire, no billionaire in Nigeria had ever been elected president. Crosscheck, interjection, what of 1993, when MKO Abiola was elected? The man that was to be elected never became president, interjection…but he was elected. But he didn’t become president. Nobody of that status had ever become president of Nigeria, from Zik to Tafawa Balewa, down the line, even Yar’Adua of blessed memory, who was a governor, was not a multi-millionaire when he became president. Let nobody deceive himself, don’t talk about money. Nigerians are not looking at money now, people are doing things on their own. If God said that nobody of that status will be president of Nigeria, why would I not run? I am not a multi-millionaire.
You said you will overhaul the entire security architecture if given the opportunity, what do you mean by that?
Before the reorganization of the entire security architecture, I spoke about applying the kinetic and non-kinetic approaches. Interjection…these are familiar terms. Are they familiar? They are familiar.
So many have said that they will apply the kinetic and non-kinetic approach to our security problems, what makes your own different from theirs?
Let us look at it from the lens of criminologists, they talk about the theology of crime. We have to identify the drivers, behind this insecurity, and cage them through legislation and judiciary. Then we will come to the things that make criminality attractive to the perpetrators, which of course will point a finger at poverty, hunger, etc. if we can identify these issues, we will tackle them head-on. You see corruption, it is one other reason why we have to reorganise the entire security architecture. But insecurity is not something we discuss on public television. But if we have the intelligence that gives us credible information about insecurity, we find out that if we had done what we are expected to do earlier, we would not have found ourselves where we are.
You also said that you would resurrect total radar coverage across the country, there are many ungoverned spaces in Nigeria, how many have you identified and how do you intend to cover those areas too?
Let us look at what happens in other climes. It is possible, Mallam El-Rufai told us, and when he said so, I remembered the intelligence I had. That they see these insurgents, they listen to their discussions, and they know where they are, but when they pass this intelligence to the military and other security agencies, nothing happens. Look at how a local government chairman was callously and brutally murdered a few days ago. It was possible to watch it from somewhere, even before the atrocity was committed. We have the resources to get these things done, it is just the political will. If people are benefiting from a system, they will not allow evil to phase out. I will get it done if allowed to govern this country as a president.
Why do you think that people are benefiting from these killings?
This insecurity has lasted for too long because people are benefiting from it. Some have become billionaires since this insecurity started, don’t push me too far. You know how a bug feeds and you are asking how it feeds. Have you not heard that most allocations to the security sector are frittered, and taken away? If you go further into that document, we are going to do the audit, to see how these funds were expended. We are not going to scratch it, we are not going to massage anybody. When you get to the root of a problem, you will be able to find the solution, you will be able to solve the puzzle. But none of these my colleagues will be able to go this far. Because it is either they are wittingly or unwittingly involved. It is like someone involved in the importation of generator sets, for instance, been depended upon to provide electricity for the country, he will not do it. Those involved in the oil bunkering will not allow the refineries to work, they will want petroleum products to be sold at N1000 per litre. Read my lips and take it to the bank, I will sell fuel for N100 within six months in office if elected. I have calculated it, all these refineries will be put to use within three months. And we are going to install modular refineries in all six geopolitical zones simultaneously. These queues in our petrol stations will disappear. This idea of subsidy is created, what are we subsidizing, we are not ashamed as a country, we are not ashamed as a nation that we export our crude to other countries, and only three out of the many products from it are returned to us, petrol kerosene, and diesel, what happen to the rest, including gear oil and the rest. They take it away, I will not let that happen under my nose. My colleagues are involved in most of these deals, therefore, they cannot do it. That is why when I told you I have no encumbrances and I have nothing attached to me, concerning the perennial problems we are passing through today, I meant it. I will get these things done.
Will you also, be the Minister of Petroleum Resources yourself?
No, I don’t have to be a minister, if he doesn’t work, I will fire him. I will give him my template, and if he fails to translate it to reality, I will show him the way out of the cabinet. I want fuel to be sold at N100 in six months, these are my ideas, get it done. Tell me what Nigerians are benefiting in this country today.
Is that a realistic figure?
Of course, it is, I am telling you, Nigerians should take me at my word. Within six months, it will start dropping from day one until I get there.
Petroleum product is regulated by global indices and not the local one, to that end, are you sure your proposal is realistic?
Why can we price petroleum products based on the dollar exchange rate, that is voodoo economics, they are appraising it with the rate of dollars. Are Nigerians paid in dollars …interjection…but Nigeria belongs to OPEC… yes we belong to OPEC and that is the more reason why we should produce what we use and use what we produce. Why must we take crude out when we can refine it locally? They are charging us based on the rate of exchange at the international market and they are the ones manipulating it. My colleagues cannot do it, Nigerians listen to me, I am the only one that has the political will to get these things done.
What about the issue of the cabal in that sector?
I will not have a cabal during my government and that is why you don’t see me paying visits to anybody. I love our former leaders but I don’t want anybody to place a call to me to request that I drop a popular policy that will benefit the masses. All these your rate to be the four horses have godfathers and those that do not have godfathers are godfathers themselves.
You have pledged to bring down the price of petrol to N100 per litre in six months, what are your plans for electricity?
We would, first of all, revisit this charade that was done in the past. We have other forms of energy that we are going to tap. My colleagues are talking about selling national assets, why must we sell national assets? They sold some in the past, which, has landed us where we are. NEPA is an example, all we have now is darkness. It was sold to the so-called foreign investors who came without money, they ended up borrowing from the Nigerian system, which was corrupt. The problem of Nigeria has to be looked at holistically, once the issue of corruption is tackled our problems will be over. I will change N1000, 500, 200, and N100 notes to coins. So, those who collect bribes will find it difficult to carry them.
Is that realistic?
Of course, it is realistic, it will work. Those who loot our treasury and hide them away in an underground pit and overhead tanks will have to build a larger warehouse to store away these monies. The problem must be seen as a special problem that must be tackled specially. Corruption is at the root of all the problems that we have.
How long will it take you to light up Nigeria?
Within six to nine months, you will start seeing improvement in our generation capacity.
