Former Anambra state governor and former Special Adviser on Political Affairs to the former president, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife has described the immediate past president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as the most corrupt Nigerian.

Ezeife said that despite Obasanjo’s anti-corruption posture, he appears more corrupt than all Nigerians put together.
He however said that much as he supports Obasanjo’s prosecution, he would not like him to go back again to prison for whatever reasons.
The former governor in this interview speaks on a wide range of issues.
Excerpts.

On upholding of President Yar’Adua’s election by the presidential petition Tribunal.
Many Nigerians expected that the presidential election petition tribunal would do justice to that election involving Yar, Adua. Of course, they were all witnesses to the so-called election. They knew the level of manipulation that characterised the 2007 polls. I had expected that the tribunal would fault the election of Yar’Adua in the polls. Many had hoped that the tribunal would quash the election and make it open for a fresh one.

It would have been more honourable for him to come out again and win. The reality is that democracy requires periodic mandate being given by the people and followers to those in positions of authority. In the case of Anambra, the people believe that their mandate might have been stolen but they know that it is for four years. What it means is that any other mandate that any body is holding was given by the courts and not directly by the people.

What is not clear to me is how the tribunal will disqualify a governor and give his position to another candidate. Take for instance, the case of Rivers state. There would have been more justice if the tribunal voided the election and called for a fresh one for all the candidates. Such a decision would have been more progressive. In Abia state, the decision of the tribunal is not also clear. What was the basis of the tribunal giving the mandate to Chief Onyema Ugochukwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? In that case too, it would have been more progressive if the election based on evidence available was voided and a fresh one held for all the candidates. Judges should be careful how they handle all these cases and avoid arrogating undue powers to themselves. In the case of Kogi, the judgment is good as there will be a fresh election. That decision is more democratic.

Assessment of Obasanjo’s eight years in office
Well, it is very unfair to ask me to Asses Obasanjo’s administration but I do not run away from any assignment. I think Obasanjo from inception when he assumed power in 1999 intended well for Nigeria, but whatever he may have achieved, he rubbished them before he finally left office last year. Look at the anti-corruption war, which he initiated. At the end of the day, it appeared that Obasanjo is more corrupt than all Nigerians put together. Economically, we have not faired better, politically, we are worse off than Obasanjo met us. Eight years of Obasanjo were lost years for Nigerians. Yes, I was in the last administration for a short period but one was not even given an opportunity to make any meaningful contribution.

On prosecution of president Obasanjo
My position is that I do not want Obasanjo to go back to jail again but that does not mean am against his prosecution or any other public officer that is found wanting. One of the problems he had as president was that he surrounded himself with all sorts of bad people. Most of the people that were close to him did not have any integrity to protect. But as far as am concerned, Obasanjo should not go back to the prisons again. If possible, he should be made to refund all what he has that belong to the Nigerian people, but he should be allowed to go.

On Republican nature of Ndigbo
Well, my brother, the truth is that we have different cultures in Nigeria. However one can argue that the culture of republicanism and individualism is not helping Ndigbo in the type of politics we play in Nigeria. But with reference to many candidates of Igbo extraction coming out to contest the recent chairmanship seat of the PDP, that is healthy and I do not see it as Ndigbo not speaking with one voice. For me, it is a true reflection of the whole idea of democracy for as many people as possible to contest a position rather than the consensus arrangement, which is being practiced by the PDP. So, it is wrong for anybody to assume that Ndigbo are difficult simply because they exercise their democratic rights. But my advice should rather be that even within their republican nature, they should find a way to achieve their common aspirations in Nigeria like other ethnic regions.

OBJ and instability in senate leadership
As for the period when Ndigbo occupied that position, it was president Obasanjo manipulating, choosing and fixing whomever he wanted at the time. In the first tenure in 1999, the PDP and the senate wanted late Chuba Okadigbo to be the senate president but Obasanjo wanted Chief Evans Enwerem and he was imposed on the people. So, he set up Enwerem against the senators who obviously did not want him. He had an agenda of imposing puppets on the last senate. He obviously wanted those he would manipulate. But as fate would have it, Okadigbo later emerged. He did not last because Obasanjo did not want him and made sure his colleagues removed him. After that, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim emerged, almost as a choice of all the senators. When Anyim was elected, there was some measure of stability in the senate. It was not the problem of Ndigbo but Obasanjo who wanted to have his way.

Need for additional state in the south-East
I have no position on that. It is the entire country that has a position on the need to create an additional state for Ndigbo. I must tell you that in the last National Political Reform Conference (NPRC), it was almost a unanimous decision by Nigerians that an additional state be created in the south-east geo-political zone. So, as a matter of fact, Ndigbo deserve an additional state for the sake of equity, justice and fair play. You can see that it is no more a question of my position but Nigerians as a whole.

On the Electoral Reform Committee
I believe that the committee could achieve results, but it is the attitude of Nigerians and not necessarily the structures that is the problem and making elections difficult. I also know that there are systemic problems that are impeding free and fair elections in Nigeria. So, if the committee comes out with recommendations on the way forward and they are implemented to the letter, there will be hope that future elections will be better.

But if you have one party parading itself as the only one that could win elections, there is a problem. There should be room for other political parties to operate freely without any intimidation.

Prospects in Nigeria
God created Nigeria to be a rallying point for all black people. God created Nigeria to be a super power and to give respect to the image of the black people. I see Nigeria attaining the height God set for her, but that depends on us to apply the right attitude and take the right decisions.

On power sector
The issue of our power is simple. The immediate past president and government merely approved large sums of money, which was misappropriated. The facts are already coming out that they did not do anything in the power sector, but they merely enriched themselves. The truth is that without power, no economy can grow and it is unfortunate that until now Nigeria has not been able to fix the power sector.