Insecurity: ‘Buhari shouldn’t be comfortable working with compromised service chiefs, says Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze scribe

Factional Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, says the South-East governors and members of the National Assembly undermined and sabotaged the collective aspiration of Ndigbo to produce the next President of Nigeria in 2023. He also talks about other national issues including the terrorist attack on Kuje Correctional Centre, the chances of Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, among others, in this Interview with LINUS ALEKE

Despite the coordinated advocacy by Ohanaeze Ndigbo for the Igbo presidency, the major political parties fielded non-Igbo candidates for the 2023 general elections, where did the South-East get it wrong?

Well, first and foremost, the quest for the Nigerian President of Igbo extraction is still on course. But in the two major political parties, there is proven data that the Southeast could not even vote for themselves in the PDP presidential primaries. The same thing replicated itself in APC, where the South-East delegates jettisoned aspirants from the zone and voted for others. The problem in APC and PDP as it regards their selection of non-Igbo as their candidate rests squarely on the doorsteps of the South-East governors. They played a huge part, and because of their selfish interests, undermined the collaboration of the Southeast delegates in both parties and thwarted the emergency of Igbo men as the candidate of major parties. The most painful aspect of it was that a seating Governor, who was a first-timer, bought a form for the Senate President with the permutation that he wanted to be the running mate. We also have it on good authority that most Southeast Senators in APC decided to undermine the quest for Ndigbo presidency so that they will become Senate President because most of them will be ranking Senators if they win the coming election. So, the actual problem was a lack of rallying point, in the South-West, we saw what played out in other zones. The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and the outgoing governor of Ekiti State, stepped down for Bola Tinubu. When Tinubu claimed it was his turn, all his boys stepped down for him and delivered victory to him in APC. You also saw that in the north, there was a rallying point, and that rallying point was what gave Atiku Abubakar victory in PDP. The greatest challenge, we the Igbo have at this critical time is that our governors decided to sabotage the collective aspiration of Ndigbo for their self-advancement. We know that the almighty God in his infinite wisdom has a way of punishing those who will continue to truncate the aspiration of Ndigbo. We hope that by 2023, those who sabotaged the southeast presidency, whether Governors, Senators, or House of Representatives members, will never return to the National Assembly or State Assembly. Ohanaeze Ndigbo will champion that cause.

What is Ohanaeze doing to ensure that those who sabotaged the collective aspiration of South-East people, will be made to suffer the consequences of their actions?

Ohanaeze Ndigbo had a political wing or a political committee as it is called. The committee will fashion out the best mechanism to tackle this issue. The Ime-obi, the apex decision-making organ of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the General Assembly, will meet as soon as possible to critically appraise the situation and ensure that those Igbo saboteurs who in one way or the other undermined the collective interest of Ndigbo will be punished. In the coming weeks and months, Ohanaeze will make a pronouncement. I can authoritatively tell you that those who betrayed the collective interest of Ndigbo will not escape the verdict of the people because the people are very angry. What we are also trying to put in place is security measures. We have seen how insecurity is ravaging the entire 95 local government areas in the Southeast, except for Abia State which is calm to an extent. Other states are boiling, there are lots of ethnic wars, and there is a lot of insecurity here and there. What we are putting in place is that those political leaders who have stayed aloof, who have run away from the Southeast, not only those that betrayed the collective interest of Ndigbo. But even those who have stayed away and those who contributed in one way or the other to the security challenges in the zone will be prevented from representing us in any capacity in the political circle. We will start by ensuring that those who sabotaged the interest of Ndigbo will never return to the National Assembly or the State Government houses. We are collaborating with all the state actors because they are the ones that are controlling and pulling the shut in the southeast. We know that whatever they have done, to our collective aspiration God almighty has used another platform to ensure that an Igbo man is still in the race for president.

The unknown gunmen phenomenon in the southeast has turned the area into a theatre of war, do you believe that IPOB and Eastern Security Network are behind these atrocities in Igbo land?

So long as IPOB has continued to deny involvement, I cannot fault them. But in my own humble opinion, I will say that the security challenges we have in the southeast are spillover of security threats in other parts of the country. There were also several attacks by Fulani herdsmen in the zone. You can bear witness that the Methodist Prelate was kidnapped at Umunneochi in Abia state and a ransom of N100m was paid. From his interview and personal conversation afterward, we deduced that the Fulani people have taken over the forest in the South-East and are waiting for the appointed time for them to set the zone ablaze. Irrespective of some inflammatory comments, coming from IPOB, they have continued to deny involvement in the unknown gunmen attacks in the zone. We will not join issues with anybody but what we are trying to say is that at this critical point in time, the best way is for the outgoing South-East governors to convoke a security conclave, where various stakeholders, not using a cosmetics approach but various stakeholders will sit together and find a lasting solution. Let me be honest with you, if you look at the way everything has happened, Abia state appears to be more peaceful and calmer and we believe that the man at the helm of affairs in Abia state is doing a good job. I believe that other State Governors, Ebonyi, Anambra, Enugu, and Imo states should emulate the governor of Abia State who has maintained a relatively more peaceful and less restive state when compared to others.

Following the alleged failure of the political leaders in the South-East, what is Ohanaeze doing to guarantee peace in the zone?
The first thing Ohanaeze is doing is to work with all the president-generals of town unions, in all the communities in the South-East. We have no fewer than one thousand president-generals across the South-East. We want to partner with them, but the main strategy is not what we want to disclose in the media. You can bear witness that Ndigbo has a peculiar system to tackle crime and criminalities in their local communities. We are going to work with South-East president-generals and we believe that it will yield the desired results. Even though the governors have failed, they are indispensable in this peace process and peace initiative. Irrespective of the fact that Governor Soludo who is barely a few months in office, recently set up a committee led by social crusaders…Kalu, Bianca Ojukwu, and the rest of them. We believe that without getting the youths involved, without getting the vigilante involved, without getting the President Generals of all the communities involved in the South-East, the issue of insecurity in the region will continue to linger. Again, we believe that Ebube Agu security network must be revived. No matter the ill-feeling, the agitators must be brought on board, there are the very peaceful ones. We must protect and not destroy ourselves. Though their leader is been incarcerated, we will sit down with them because they are our children. We would critically look at the best way to handle the security situation before the election. This election is very important to the outgoing governors and this is the only way we can make them do the needful. This is so because if you cannot guarantee peace and security in your states and local government areas, what then are you going to do for us in Abuja in the name of representation. Most of them want to be Senators and to achieve that we will ensure that they restore peace in their domains first before talking of going to represent us at the Parliament in Abuja. We would not allow the outgoing governor’s hand over states that are unsafe to their successors. The governors must as a condition ensure that we restore peace and normalcy in their various states.

What is Ohanaeze Ndigbo doing to bring an end to the Monday sit-at-home enforcement order, because the South-East is fast bleeding to death economically?
We thank God that at the last court appearance, the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, made statements that will be instrumental to ending the sit-at-home order. What had happened that the sit at home had become a norm that has collapsed the economic base of the Southeast is to be blamed on the Governors of South-East. Because, when you are disconnected, from the people you govern as a governor, you give rooms for this kind of thing to fester. Why I always talk about bringing together the critical stakeholders is to come up with a workable solution that will be acceptable to both state and non-state actors. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is a pressure group and being the Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, we would hold those who have the constitutional powers accountable and responsible when there are lapses in the discharge of their duties. Ohanaeze will blame the Governors because they have neglected the people’s welfare. Because they choose to play elitist politics without carrying the people along, because of the harsh economic conditions that have affected the people, because of non-payment of salary, because of lack of employment for the youths, and because there is no subvention for those who are doing businesses in the Southeast. The youths and people of the Southeast have because of fear of being attacked obeyed the sit-at-home order. Secondly, the people have decided to stand with the IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu who they see as someone who speaks their mind, on the pains and ills of society. The people chose to stand with Nnamdi Kanu, many governors had tried to use force to stop the sit-at-home order to no avail. But we have continued to say that if the governors are sincere to end the sit-at-home, it is just a matter of the markets. Let me be honest with you, the leadership of the market in the Southeast is the one subtly enforcing the order. We have sent a memo to the South-East governors and they ignored it. If the markets open on a Monday with adequate security from the governors, which will ensure that those markets are opened, sit at home will collapse. But since the market gives credence to that sit at home and we know that our people are commercial and once the markets are closed the town will be closed and once the town is closed all other economic activities in the zone will be grounded.

Is Ohanaeze Ndigbo supporting the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi?
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said many times that it is the turn of the South-East to produce the next President of Nigeria. Peter Obi is a national movement of aggrieved Nigeria, of the disenchanted youths, of the people who want a better Nigeria. Because the major political parties provided two old men who are above 70 years for Nigerians to choose from. We expected the major parties to follow the already established tradition of zoning but that was not to be. In 1999, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a southern Christian, came on board as the President. In 2007, he handed over to a northern Muslim, Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua, unfortunately, Yar’Adua died in the process and his vice, former President Goodluck Jonathan, a southern Christian took over. In 2015, President Jonathan failed the election, and a northern Muslim, Muhammadu Buhari took over and will complete his eight years in 2023. Now, we still stand on power shift to the South. The power this time around must shift from a northern Muslim to a Southern Christian. So, looking at all these indices, age-wise and the rest of them, Ohanaeze has no choice but to support one of our own. No sane South-East person will not back his only brother in the race for Presidency. We, however, lack confidence in the ability of the current INEC Chairman to conduct a transparent election. Our fears and lack of confidence in him span from his notoriety for not obeying court orders. What Buhari owes Nigerians now is to ensure that INEC is neutral. If the poll is not transparent, the business as usual will continue and the two major parties will arm-twist the electoral umpire to have their way as usual. And they will continue to recycle the old politicians who have destroyed the country and the peace of the nation. At this point, Ohanaeze is unofficially supporting a candidate of South-East extraction who of course is the Labour Party, a presidential candidate. We call on Ndigbo residents in the 774 local government areas in the country to pick up their PVCs and wait for further instructions.

When you said that you lack confidence in the electoral umpire under the current Chairman to conduct transparent elections, would that be interpreted to mean that you also lack confidence in the new Electoral Act as amended which gives room for transmission of election results electronically from polling units to the INEC Central Server at the Headquarters in Abuja?
Will it be transparent, will the transmission of results from all the wards in the country be transparent? This is the high level of rigging, is it not one person that will be at the server? Can Nigerians have access to the server? That is the question. Let me be honest with you, these politicians have the culture of devising means to rig elections. If we have an honest man as INEC Chairman, a transparent person, a person who upholds the laws, we will trust the system. If we can have the class of men like Humphrey Nwosu, the man who was adjudged to have conducted the free and fair election, which of course laid the foundation for the democracy day celebration in Nigeria on June 12. It does not matter where the man will come from, but we need a man who will ensure that the server where all the election results will be transmitted will not be manipulated. We doubt that INEC management as currently constituted will give Nigeria free, fair, and transparent elections in 2023. That is why the major political parties are talking about structures and beating their chests and boasting that they are going to win this election. What Nigerians should be concerned about now is how their votes will be secured after the polls. The best parting gift President Buhari will give to the nation is to appoint a credible Nigerian that will conduct an election that will at least reflect the wishes and aspirations of the majority of eligible voters in the country. Nigerians are hungry and angry, a lot of insecurity here and there, people are being attacked by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and unknown gunmen, and citizens can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed. If anybody emerges through a fraudulent and compromised process, I don’t think the person can superintend over Nigeria beyond 2023.

Are you bothered about the jailbreak in Abuja where all the high-profile terrorists in detention were released in the process?
Well, this is a national calamity and we are still surprised that those who ought to have resigned or sacked are still holding their positions. We are very alarmed that terrorists including high-profile terrorists, including the man that bombed a church on Christmas day, Kabiru Sokoto are at large. It shows that those behind that attack are not ordinary people. The question on the lips of every Nigerian is, does it means that there were no functional CCTV cameras at Kuje prison? What was the rationale behind putting all these high-profile terrorists in one detention centre that is prone to attacks? We are aware that IPOB agitators are scattered in different prisons in the North and those in charge of our security decided to put these high-profile terrorists in one prison in the nation’s capital. There is something they have not told us, as Nigerians we demand an explanation from them. There were several attacks on prisons across the country between 2021 and 2022. In less than two years we have had nine attacks- that is a terrible record. The government has also not published the report of the investigative panels set up after each attack for the public to know the cause of these incessant attacks. Why is the President still comfortable working with this set of service chiefs that have compromised the security of life and property of Nigerians. So, the question is, let the President do the needful and relieve those who are not competent in protecting the citizens, as well as the security of this country. Let them be relieved of their appointment to offer a free opportunity to those who can do the job to come in and do the job.

Another issue that is disturbing to so many Nigerians is the fact that an advanced team of the presidential convoy was attacked by terrorists in Katsina State and two persons were seriously injured at the president’s hometown, what do you make of these brazen attacks by terrorists in the country?

It is unfortunate, to say the least. If a presidential convoy could be attacked in this manner who else is safe in this country? You and I are no longer safe. If the people who were abducted about 103 days ago, from Abuja to Kaduna are still in captivity, it shows us that all is not well with our country, especially, as it relates to the security of life and property, which of course is the primary responsibility of government. If our roads are no longer safe, from Abuja to Kaduna, and we can no longer go through the roads, it shows that the promises made to us in 2015, that APC will defeat Boko Haram in the north are not kept. It shows clearly that the President did not fulfil the promise he made in 2915. That is what it shows. With the high level of corruption amongst the security chiefs and exhibition of the high level of incompetence, it automatically shows that it is only a southerner that can solve the issue of northern insurgency and the security threats across the federation. Buhari has failed the nation. If his convoy would be attacked, it shows that nobody is safe in the country any longer. We pray that he can still rise and fulfil the promises he made to Nigerians, that we would sleep with our eyes closed. Without fulfilling that promise, it then means that he owes Nigerians an apology. As a matter of urgency, the president needs to rejig the security team, to quench the rising rebellion against the state.

Still, on the rising rebellion against the state, you earlier pointed out that 24 hours before the attack on Kuje prison, the military checks were dismantled and the terrorists had free access and released their commanders and other high-profile terrorists in detention, do you suspect some kind of internal collaboration?

That is the work of the security agents to find out. As citizens, we are only asking questions. Who gave the order to dismantle the military check? What was the reason? These are the questions we are asking. It is not late for those who are in charge to tell us. The Minister for Defence, the National Security Adviser, The Minister of Interior, and others. They need to tell us that these are the reason why they dismantled the military check before the attacks. We are calling on those who are responsible to explain to Nigerians what transpired. Why was the military check dismantled is the question on many lips of citizens. Until they give us their reasons, until whoever is in charge explains them to us, we cannot get to any definite conclusion. This is purely a security matter and we leave it to them and their conscience to clear the air on this. We are waiting for them, and until then, we have no further comments to make as citizens.

Another troubling dimension to the security threats is the kidnapping of Catholic priests across the federation by terrorists and bandits, what in your opinion is responsible for this ugly twist?

I think it is a systematic response to a well-planned criminal move to intimidate the Catholic Church. If not, how do you explain the fact that only the Catholic priests are being abducted? Aside from the Methodist Prelate that was kidnapped in Abia, it has been Catholic priests all the way. There has been a systematic kidnapping of priests, especially in North Central and North West. Why was it that it was the Catholic Church that was attacked in the South-West? The Owo massacre to be precise. Regrettably, half of the people that lost their lives in the Owo Catholic Church attack were Ndigbo. It is now left for the leadership of the Church to rise, meet the President, and demand the proper security for their priest across the federation. What I think the terrorists are trying to achieve is to instigate a religious crisis, knowing full well that Catholicism is a global movement, a universal society of Christians. So, whatever they are trying to do may be to get attention, this is so because when they attack one Rev. Fr. in any remote location in Nigeria, the whole world is going to know about it. We are, however, calling on the representative of the Pope in Nigeria to lead a protest to Aso Rock and find out why Catholic Church is singled out for attack, humiliation, and the rest of the assault. We are looking up to the leadership of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to ask the right question and seek immediate intervention from the government.

What will be your assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s over seven years of administration?

Well, I will be fair to President Muhammadu Buhari because he has developed some basic infrastructure in the southeast. He upgraded Enugu Airport, he is also collaborating with the Governor of Ebonyi State to build the international airport in Abakaliki. He gave us a dry seaport in Onitsha, which was previously stalled for more than 28 years. Buhari has been fair to the southeast in the area of provision of infrastructure. Regrettably, in the area of anti-corruption, economy, and security, the president failed the nation. Meanwhile, he still has an opportunity to redeem his image by prosecuting the high corruption officials in his government. Though some of them are been arrested he must intensify his campaign to ensure that some of these bad eggs in his government and party are sent to jail where they belong. On the issue of insecurity, he failed the nation too, he need to show the political will in the fight against terrorism and insurgency. Nigeria has spent a lot of resources on the procurement of modern platforms and other military armaments, these sophisticated and modern equipment should be deployed to end these growing security threats in the country. In terms of infrastructural development in the southeast, we give him 60 percent but in terms of anti-corruption and security of lives and properties, we give him 30 percent. He failed the nation in that regard.

Despite the coordinated advocacy by Ohanaeze Ndigbo for the Igbo presidency, the major political parties fielded non-Igbo candidates for the 2023 general elections, where did the South-East get it wrong?
Well, first and foremost, the quest for the Nigerian President of Igbo extraction is still on course. But in the two major political parties, there is proven data that the Southeast could not even vote for themselves in the PDP presidential primaries. The same thing replicated itself in APC, where the South-East delegates jettisoned aspirants from the zone and voted for others. The problem in APC and PDP as it regards their selection of non-Igbo as their candidate rests squarely on the doorsteps of the South-East governors. They played a huge part, and because of their selfish interests, undermined the collaboration of the Southeast delegates in both parties and thwarted the emergency of Igbo men as the candidate of major parties. The most painful aspect of it was that a seating Governor, who was a first-timer, bought a form for the Senate President with the permutation that he wanted to be the running mate. We also have it on good authority that most Southeast Senators in APC decided to undermine the quest for Ndigbo presidency so that they will become Senate President because most of them will be ranking Senators if they win the coming election. So, the actual problem was a lack of rallying point, in the South-West, we saw what played out in other zones. The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and the outgoing governor of Ekiti State, stepped down for Bola Tinubu. When Tinubu claimed it was his turn, all his boys stepped down for him and delivered victory to him in APC. You also saw that in the north, there was a rallying point, and that rallying point was what gave Atiku Abubakar victory in PDP. The greatest challenge, we the Igbo have at this critical time is that our governors decided to sabotage the collective aspiration of Ndigbo for their self-advancement. We know that the almighty God in his infinite wisdom has a way of punishing those who will continue to truncate the aspiration of Ndigbo. We hope that by 2023, those who sabotaged the southeast presidency, whether Governors, Senators, or House of Representatives members, will never return to the National Assembly or State Assembly. Ohanaeze Ndigbo will champion that cause.

What is Ohanaeze doing to ensure that those who sabotaged the collective aspiration of South-East people, will be made to suffer the consequences of their actions?
Ohanaeze Ndigbo had a political wing or a political committee as it is called. The committee will fashion out the best mechanism to tackle this issue. The Ime-obi, the apex decision-making organ of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the General Assembly, will meet as soon as possible to critically appraise the situation and ensure that those Igbo saboteurs who in one way or the other undermined the collective interest of Ndigbo will be punished. In the coming weeks and months, Ohanaeze will make a pronouncement. I can authoritatively tell you that those who betrayed the collective interest of Ndigbo will not escape the verdict of the people because the people are very angry. What we are also trying to put in place is security measures. We have seen how insecurity is ravaging the entire 95 local government areas in the Southeast, except for Abia State which is calm to an extent. Other states are boiling, there are lots of ethnic wars, and there is a lot of insecurity here and there. What we are putting in place is that those political leaders who have stayed aloof, who have run away from the Southeast, not only those that betrayed the collective interest of Ndigbo. But even those who have stayed away and those who contributed in one way or the other to the security challenges in the zone will be prevented from representing us in any capacity in the political circle. We will start by ensuring that those who sabotaged the interest of Ndigbo will never return to the National Assembly or the State Government houses. We are collaborating with all the state actors because they are the ones that are controlling and pulling the shut in the southeast. We know that whatever they have done, to our collective aspiration God almighty has used another platform to ensure that an Igbo man is still in the race for president.

The unknown gunmen phenomenon in the southeast has turned the area into a theatre of war, do you believe that IPOB and Eastern Security Network are behind these atrocities in Igbo land?
So long as IPOB has continued to deny involvement, I cannot fault them. But in my own humble opinion, I will say that the security challenges we have in the southeast are spillover of security threats in other parts of the country. There were also several attacks by Fulani herdsmen in the zone. You can bear witness that the Methodist Prelate was kidnapped at Umunneochi in Abia state and a ransom of N100m was paid. From his interview and personal conversation afterward, we deduced that the Fulani people have taken over the forest in the South-East and are waiting for the appointed time for them to set the zone ablaze. Irrespective of some inflammatory comments, coming from IPOB, they have continued to deny involvement in the unknown gunmen attacks in the zone. We will not join issues with anybody but what we are trying to say is that at this critical point in time, the best way is for the outgoing South-East governors to convoke a security conclave, where various stakeholders, not using a cosmetics approach but various stakeholders will sit together and find a lasting solution. Let me be honest with you, if you look at the way everything has happened, Abia state appears to be more peaceful and calmer and we believe that the man at the helm of affairs in Abia state is doing a good job. I believe that other State Governors, Ebonyi, Anambra, Enugu, and Imo states should emulate the governor of Abia State who has maintained a relatively more peaceful and less restive state when compared to others.

Following the alleged failure of the political leaders in the South-East, what is Ohanaeze doing to guarantee peace in the zone?
The first thing Ohanaeze is doing is to work with all the president-generals of town unions, in all the communities in the South-East. We have no fewer than one thousand president-generals across the South-East. We want to partner with them, but the main strategy is not what we want to disclose in the media. You can bear witness that Ndigbo has a peculiar system to tackle crime and criminalities in their local communities. We are going to work with South-East president-generals and we believe that it will yield the desired results. Even though the governors have failed, they are indispensable in this peace process and peace initiative. Irrespective of the fact that Governor Soludo who is barely a few months in office, recently set up a committee led by social crusaders…Kalu, Bianca Ojukwu, and the rest of them. We believe that without getting the youths involved, without getting the vigilante involved, without getting the President Generals of all the communities involved in the South-East, the issue of insecurity in the region will continue to linger. Again, we believe that Ebube Agu security network must be revived. No matter the ill-feeling, the agitators must be brought on board, there are the very peaceful ones. We must protect and not destroy ourselves. Though their leader is been incarcerated, we will sit down with them because they are our children. We would critically look at the best way to handle the security situation before the election. This election is very important to the outgoing governors and this is the only way we can make them do the needful. This is so because if you cannot guarantee peace and security in your states and local government areas, what then are you going to do for us in Abuja in the name of representation. Most of them want to be Senators and to achieve that we will ensure that they restore peace in their domains first before talking of going to represent us at the Parliament in Abuja. We would not allow the outgoing governor’s hand over states that are unsafe to their successors. The governors must as a condition ensure that we restore peace and normalcy in their various states.

What is Ohanaeze Ndigbo doing to bring an end to the Monday sit-at-home enforcement order, because the South-East is fast bleeding to death economically?
We thank God that at the last court appearance, the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, made statements that will be instrumental to ending the sit-at-home order. What had happened that the sit at home had become a norm that has collapsed the economic base of the Southeast is to be blamed on the Governors of South-East. Because, when you are disconnected, from the people you govern as a governor, you give rooms for this kind of thing to fester. Why I always talk about bringing together the critical stakeholders is to come up with a workable solution that will be acceptable to both state and non-state actors. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is a pressure group and being the Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, we would hold those who have the constitutional powers accountable and responsible when there are lapses in the discharge of their duties. Ohanaeze will blame the Governors because they have neglected the people’s welfare. Because they choose to play elitist politics without carrying the people along, because of the harsh economic conditions that have affected the people, because of non-payment of salary, because of lack of employment for the youths, and because there is no subvention for those who are doing businesses in the Southeast. The youths and people of the Southeast have because of fear of being attacked obeyed the sit-at-home order. Secondly, the people have decided to stand with the IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu who they see as someone who speaks their mind, on the pains and ills of society. The people chose to stand with Nnamdi Kanu, many governors had tried to use force to stop the sit-at-home order to no avail. But we have continued to say that if the governors are sincere to end the sit-at-home, it is just a matter of the markets. Let me be honest with you, the leadership of the market in the Southeast is the one subtly enforcing the order. We have sent a memo to the South-East governors and they ignored it. If the markets open on a Monday with adequate security from the governors, which will ensure that those markets are opened, sit at home will collapse. But since the market gives credence to that sit at home and we know that our people are commercial and once the markets are closed the town will be closed and once the town is closed all other economic activities in the zone will be grounded.

Is Ohanaeze Ndigbo supporting the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi?
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said many times that it is the turn of the South-East to produce the next President of Nigeria. Peter Obi is a national movement of aggrieved Nigeria, of the disenchanted youths, of the people who want a better Nigeria. Because the major political parties provided two old men who are above 70 years for Nigerians to choose from. We expected the major parties to follow the already established tradition of zoning but that was not to be. In 1999, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a southern Christian, came on board as the President. In 2007, he handed over to a northern Muslim, Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua, unfortunately, Yar’Adua died in the process and his vice, former President Goodluck Jonathan, a southern Christian took over. In 2015, President Jonathan failed the election, and a northern Muslim, Muhammadu Buhari took over and will complete his eight years in 2023. Now, we still stand on power shift to the South. The power this time around must shift from a northern Muslim to a Southern Christian. So, looking at all these indices, age-wise and the rest of them, Ohanaeze has no choice but to support one of our own. No sane South-East person will not back his only brother in the race for Presidency. We, however, lack confidence in the ability of the current INEC Chairman to conduct a transparent election. Our fears and lack of confidence in him span from his notoriety for not obeying court orders. What Buhari owes Nigerians now is to ensure that INEC is neutral. If the poll is not transparent, the business as usual will continue and the two major parties will arm-twist the electoral umpire to have their way as usual. And they will continue to recycle the old politicians who have destroyed the country and the peace of the nation. At this point, Ohanaeze is unofficially supporting a candidate of South-East extraction who of course is the Labour Party, a presidential candidate. We call on Ndigbo residents in the 774 local government areas in the country to pick up their PVCs and wait for further instructions.

When you said that you lack confidence in the electoral umpire under the current Chairman to conduct transparent elections, would that be interpreted to mean that you also lack confidence in the new Electoral Act as amended which gives room for transmission of election results electronically from polling units to the INEC Central Server at the Headquarters in Abuja?
Will it be transparent, will the transmission of results from all the wards in the country be transparent? This is the high level of rigging, is it not one person that will be at the server? Can Nigerians have access to the server? That is the question. Let me be honest with you, these politicians have the culture of devising means to rig elections. If we have an honest man as INEC Chairman, a transparent person, a person who upholds the laws, we will trust the system. If we can have the class of men like Humphrey Nwosu, the man who was adjudged to have conducted the free and fair election, which of course laid the foundation for the democracy day celebration in Nigeria on June 12. It does not matter where the man will come from, but we need a man who will ensure that the server where all the election results will be transmitted will not be manipulated. We doubt that INEC management as currently constituted will give Nigeria free, fair, and transparent elections in 2023. That is why the major political parties are talking about structures and beating their chests and boasting that they are going to win this election. What Nigerians should be concerned about now is how their votes will be secured after the polls. The best parting gift President Buhari will give to the nation is to appoint a credible Nigerian that will conduct an election that will at least reflect the wishes and aspirations of the majority of eligible voters in the country. Nigerians are hungry and angry, a lot of insecurity here and there, people are being attacked by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and unknown gunmen, and citizens can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed. If anybody emerges through a fraudulent and compromised process, I don’t think the person can superintend over Nigeria beyond 2023.

Are you bothered about the jailbreak in Abuja where all the high-profile terrorists in detention were released in the process?
Well, this is a national calamity and we are still surprised that those who ought to have resigned or sacked are still holding their positions. We are very alarmed that terrorists including high-profile terrorists, including the man that bombed a church on Christmas day, Kabiru Sokoto are at large. It shows that those behind that attack are not ordinary people. The question on the lips of every Nigerian is, does it means that there were no functional CCTV cameras at Kuje prison? What was the rationale behind putting all these high-profile terrorists in one detention centre that is prone to attacks? We are aware that IPOB agitators are scattered in different prisons in the North and those in charge of our security decided to put these high-profile terrorists in one prison in the nation’s capital. There is something they have not told us, as Nigerians we demand an explanation from them. There were several attacks on prisons across the country between 2021 and 2022. In less than two years we have had nine attacks- that is a terrible record. The government has also not published the report of the investigative panels set up after each attack for the public to know the cause of these incessant attacks. Why is the President still comfortable working with this set of service chiefs that have compromised the security of life and property of Nigerians. So, the question is, let the President do the needful and relieve those who are not competent in protecting the citizens, as well as the security of this country. Let them be relieved of their appointment to offer a free opportunity to those who can do the job to come in and do the job.

Another issue that is disturbing to so many Nigerians is the fact that an advanced team of the presidential convoy was attacked by terrorists in Katsina State and two persons were seriously injured at the president’s hometown, what do you make of these brazen attacks by terrorists in the country?

It is unfortunate, to say the least. If a presidential convoy could be attacked in this manner who else is safe in this country? You and I are no longer safe. If the people who were abducted about 103 days ago, from Abuja to Kaduna are still in captivity, it shows us that all is not well with our country, especially, as it relates to the security of life and property, which of course is the primary responsibility of government. If our roads are no longer safe, from Abuja to Kaduna, and we can no longer go through the roads, it shows that the promises made to us in 2015, that APC will defeat Boko Haram in the north are not kept. It shows clearly that the President did not fulfil the promise he made in 2915. That is what it shows. With the high level of corruption amongst the security chiefs and exhibition of the high level of incompetence, it automatically shows that it is only a southerner that can solve the issue of northern insurgency and the security threats across the federation. Buhari has failed the nation. If his convoy would be attacked, it shows that nobody is safe in the country any longer. We pray that he can still rise and fulfil the promises he made to Nigerians, that we would sleep with our eyes closed. Without fulfilling that promise, it then means that he owes Nigerians an apology. As a matter of urgency, the president needs to rejig the security team, to quench the rising rebellion against the state.

Still, on the rising rebellion against the state, you earlier pointed out that 24 hours before the attack on Kuje prison, the military checks were dismantled and the terrorists had free access and released their commanders and other high-profile terrorists in detention, do you suspect some kind of internal collaboration?

That is the work of the security agents to find out. As citizens, we are only asking questions. Who gave the order to dismantle the military check? What was the reason? These are the questions we are asking. It is not late for those who are in charge to tell us. The Minister for Defence, the National Security Adviser, The Minister of Interior, and others. They need to tell us that these are the reason why they dismantled the military check before the attacks. We are calling on those who are responsible to explain to Nigerians what transpired. Why was the military check dismantled is the question on many lips of citizens. Until they give us their reasons, until whoever is in charge explains them to us, we cannot get to any definite conclusion. This is purely a security matter and we leave it to them and their conscience to clear the air on this. We are waiting for them, and until then, we have no further comments to make as citizens.

Another troubling dimension to the security threats is the kidnapping of Catholic priests across the federation by terrorists and bandits, what in your opinion is responsible for this ugly twist?

I think it is a systematic response to a well-planned criminal move to intimidate the Catholic Church. If not, how do you explain the fact that only the Catholic priests are being abducted? Aside from the Methodist Prelate that was kidnapped in Abia, it has been Catholic priests all the way. There has been a systematic kidnapping of priests, especially in North Central and North West. Why was it that it was the Catholic Church that was attacked in the South-West? The Owo massacre to be precise. Regrettably, half of the people that lost their lives in the Owo Catholic Church attack were Ndigbo. It is now left for the leadership of the Church to rise, meet the President, and demand the proper security for their priest across the federation. What I think the terrorists are trying to achieve is to instigate a religious crisis, knowing full well that Catholicism is a global movement, a universal society of Christians. So, whatever they are trying to do may be to get attention, this is so because when they attack one Rev. Fr. in any remote location in Nigeria, the whole world is going to know about it. We are, however, calling on the representative of the Pope in Nigeria to lead a protest to Aso Rock and find out why Catholic Church is singled out for attack, humiliation, and the rest of the assault. We are looking up to the leadership of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to ask the right question and seek immediate intervention from the government.

What will be your assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s over seven years of administration?

Well, I will be fair to President Muhammadu Buhari because he has developed some basic infrastructure in the southeast. He upgraded Enugu Airport, he is also collaborating with the Governor of Ebonyi State to build the international airport in Abakaliki. He gave us a dry seaport in Onitsha, which was previously stalled for more than 28 years. Buhari has been fair to the southeast in the area of provision of infrastructure. Regrettably, in the area of anti-corruption, economy, and security, the president failed the nation. Meanwhile, he still has an opportunity to redeem his image by prosecuting the high corruption officials in his government. Though some of them are been arrested he must intensify his campaign to ensure that some of these bad eggs in his government and party are sent to jail where they belong. On the issue of insecurity, he failed the nation too, he need to show the political will in the fight against terrorism and insurgency. Nigeria has spent a lot of resources on the procurement of modern platforms and other military armaments, these sophisticated and modern equipment should be deployed to end these growing security threats in the country. In terms of infrastructural development in the southeast, we give him 60 percent but in terms of anti-corruption and security of lives and properties, we give him 30 percent. He failed the nation in that regard.