From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
The member representing Awka North and South Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Chinedu Onwuaso, has said that there’s no certainty that the forthcoming general election would not be rigged.
He said that considering what happened in 2019, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would need to come out more open on issues bordering this year’s polls.
In this interview with Sunday Sun, the lawmaker also spoke on other issues of national concern. Excerpts:
There have been a number of reports that Nigerians have become poorer in 2022. Looking at the year in retrospect, how badly have we performed as a country?
Well, I will tell you that reading from the effects of running Nigeria, if you look at the economy, what the masses are feeling, everybody will know that basically we went a little backward compared to what we have before. Look at the prices of the basic commodities – fuel, currency exchange and all those things. A bag of rice which is the commonest meal a Nigerian can have; from there you can assess for yourself and you’ll know that actually we cannot say that this government has taken us forward where it concerns what the masses are feeling compared to what they had before.
If you look around, are there a few positive things the country has been able to achieve?
Well, you can say that in cases of awareness. Yes, Nigerians are more aware now. Nigerians are better informed now politically. You can see what is happening and the nature of support every candidate is having. It might not be that easy to deceive Nigerians now like before. On that, I say yes. Whether we like it or not, we must grow on that. We can’t continue acting in ignorance especially when it comes to electing politicians who represent us. And secondly, comparatively to the successes of governments as it stands today, states can compare themselves now. Look at the progress of Lagos State. Inasmuch as the location was a former capital of Nigeria, it owes its growth to that, but you will see that a lot of comparisons are ongoing now; a lot of people want to perform, do certain things. If you go to Ebonyi State, it has become better than it was before. And so, it is an addition to what we can call progress. But in the generality of it, what will count as progress is what the masses are feeling; what me and you are feeling. Today, are you better than you were five years ago in terms of the exchange of the money you have in your hand, what you can do with it? So, all those things count. You can’t do one without the other. When you are measuring progress it has to be on a wide scale of what progress is. It entails the basic things that come to the bottom of the people who are feeling it. And it is me and you that are feeling it.
By May 2023, you would have clocked four years in the National Assembly. How would you rate your performance so far?
Well, I won’t blow my own trumpet, but I will say basically to certain things which I am very much aware. If you look at what lawmaking is all about, I don’t think there is anybody that has gone to the House of Representatives for Awka North and South Federal Constituency that has surpassed me in lawmaking. I can proudly count over 14 bills, over eight motions which were effectively listened to and it reflected on the generality of the government from the federal. So, on that basis, yes. On the other basis, there are a lot of things that people are mistaking to be the work of a lawmaker. Those things are what any other person can do. If you have influence within the setting of the government you can do that. Even you can do it. If you have a friend in any agency you can ask, ‘my friend please can you give my street 20 solar streetlights?’ He can do that for you as a friend. That is what anybody can do. It is not the basis for assessing lawmakers. But even at that point, I have done exceedingly well. I can tell you to count for me now in Awka North and South Federal Constituency. I have over eight access roads. You don’t expect it to be the standard of the federal or state government awarded project because we call it intervention projects where you see that it is not motorable, you can ask or beg that it should be done for you. And such road could be created to create an access; it would be passable. On that point, I have over eight to my credit. Within the space of this time we are talking about, I have made sure that every local government got an intervention where it had to do with schools. Six blocks of classroom was built at Amanuke. I have one in Awka. I have one that was recently completed at Umuawulu. So, the three state constituencies in my federal constituency have received at least an intervention where it has to do with that. I have over 27 undergraduates as it stands today who are benefiting from my private pocket. It is a personal thing inasmuch as it is not everything you call out in politics, but I have to mention it because a lot of people would say this or that. These people are not the people you’ll place on the signboard for everybody to see. It is something I started before I even got into the Federal House of Representatives. And then today, it continued. And it is refreshed every year. As people are passing out, more people are coming in. Just maintaining the same number so that I’ll be able to afford it and continue with it. Apart from that, a lot of additions to people’s lives. I have made sure that I trained young men. From 2019 when I entered, the first project we did was that I gave computers to a lot of people; over 80 persons who were trained on IT. And I picked two persons per ward. I have 34 wards. Not only that, recently we conducted a programme. It was hand in hand with a federal agency that came to train people on how to rear pigs. Over 25 persons benefited from that and each person was given pigs and some money to continue. Of the 130 persons that about a month and two weeks ago benefited from a training programme on fishery, there are a lot of others that I cannot count. If you look at my chart you’ll see all my programmes. Usually my big boss, Peter Obi, will tell you to go and check facts, they’re there. And up till tomorrow we are still continuing.
The last time we met, you told me about a bill you’re pushing that concerns the establishment of a Federal University of Agriculture in Awba-Ofemmili. How far have you gone with it? Should your constituents still expect that university?
You see, just like I said earlier, there are basic things that our people need to be aware of. Most times, we attach importance to those things that do not count. Let me tell you, if you come within the setting of lawmaking especially at the federal level, what every lawmaker who is serious is pursuing is the number of bills that will affect their people. It is not actually whether you have attracted 20 bags of rice, 200 pieces of (sewing) machine. Those things are minor things that come with a little push you do here and there. Like I said earlier, ordinarily, anybody can do it. If you are connected to any head in any agency where it is done, you can request as a friend and they will do it for you depending on the influence you have and all that. But the basic thing is that number of bills, motions that you were able to present before the House; the House where you have 360 federal constituencies; everybody is pushing for his people to be in the map of Nigeria. And that was what pushed me to facing that lawmaking as the basis. Like I said earlier, I had 14 bills. Out of that 14, six have passed through second reading. Two have got to where we say it is for public hearing. And then, out of that two among which you are talking now; one is for the establishment of the Federal University of Agriculture, Awba-Ofemmili. In Nigeria, we have only four federal universities of Agriculture. Why shouldn’t I fight for one to be in Awba-Ofemmili; an agrarian place. Awka North is known for their major role in producing what is feeding the Southeast. Not only that, the community has all it takes to accommodate a university. And if that university is there, it won’t only serve the Southeast because we have Kogi State as boundary in the Niger. So, that is the point. And this community has brought out a place peradventure the Federal Government is signing it now, they have a place already. Their elite are ready to start the groundbreaking even before anything. That is the spirit. That bill has been presented on the floor of the House. It has passed public hearing. It is now for consideration. It is already placed for consideration. And we pray that God will look at my people of Awka North. They need not only that university, they need a federal presence. And that is my push. Every community in this country is aspiring to have one single federal presence. Apart from that, I have a bill that has passed public hearing which is Federal Medical Centre, Mgbakwu. Why did I do that? We have a Youth Centre by the Federal Government that is lying fallow; bushy; well built with infrastructure; buildings everywhere, but not put to use. All we need is for the Federal Government to stamp that Federal Medical Centre. That youth centre is enough to run it. I have seen Federal Medical Centres that have two, three buildings and they are running and working. And that is the motivation behind it. Instead of allowing that youth centre to lie fallow; overgrown by weeds, let it be put to use. We have doctors within this axis that can man it. That is what we are looking for. That was my second bill. I had another bill which is the establishment of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Isiagu/Ezinato. That bill, most of you have not heard about it, but it has passed second reading. In the South we have only one in Enugu State. Every other one is state owned. Nawfia is state owned; not a federal one. I have met with the Igwe of Isiagu and he said that he already has a land to build that. So, we are pushing that. That is my work as a federal lawmaker. My work is not to come and share rice every day. That is part of it. It is just a little touch of what we are saying, but it is not a basic one. But unfortunately, our people are only looking out for that crumbs from the table.
There have been lots of opinions over who may likely win the 2023 presidential election. How would you rate the chances of the candidates?
The 2023 general elections will be a different ball game from all the elections we have had in Nigeria. Remember in your first question you asked about what I feel about the changes in the country. I told you that the people’s perspective to politics is changing. Let me tell you. Most of the voting patterns you see today will not be ethnic. It might not be religious based because the elite want a change in this country. So, the voting pattern will change. I might not be able to predict to you who will actually take it because I am not seeing this election as a one off thing. It might not be a one off thing. That is the prediction by every other person, but the feelers are also indicating it, but a lot of surprises will come up. Let us not write anybody off. In fact, I will tell you that within the classes of the representatives, there are sitting members today who have moved from one party to the other. They’re still sitting members and are still contesting under different parties. I will tell you a number of them. A lot of people think that the Labour Party (LP) does not have legislators. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, I know that presently we have over 60 lawmakers who are contesting under Labour Party (LP); sitting members. And you can’t just write them off. In a House where you have 360, and where you have how many political parties, and just at, an instance, you have over 60 contesting from a party that seems to be new onboard. It is not a small milestone. But I will tell you also that other parties are not folding their arms. Of course, there is a ruling party that would want to win. There is a main opposition; though it depends on who we are calling the main opposition now because with the strides of the Labour Party (LP), you can see that Labour is almost the opposition itself. So, it depends. But I will tell you that one thing is sure. The voting pattern of Nigerians will change drastically. I might not be able to tell you here and now who might win the presidency of Nigeria because politics is dynamic. But you can see that all of them are upping their games. So, there are chances for surprises.
There are fears over the 2023 elections. Some people have raised concerns, fearing that the election may be technically rigged. Do you nurse such fears or have you ever done so?
Do you remember what happened in 2019 elections where at a point INEC said ‘look, we are sending this directly. We have all it takes. You will decipher the result of the election the instant it is cast’. What happened later? Even to the point of before the Supreme Court; they said ‘we didn’t say that’. ‘We don’t have the capacity to do such’. So, it depends on what INEC will tell us today and stand by what they say. If they tell us they don’t have the capacity to do that, they should tell us what measure they will use so that people can monitor, guard and follow their votes. Just like the Hausas will say: kakasa, kasari, karaka meaning vote, protect it and follow it to the point where it will be counted. Until the devices of INEC will be able to do these three things for the masses of Nigeria, that is when it will be certain and sure. Let me tell you, one of the best lawyers we have in this country has predicted that if something goes wrong, a lot of people will see worse than what happened during the EndSARS. And that is the awareness I am talking to you about. A lot of youths want to take back their country; they want to see their country grow better. They want to see the country united more. They want to see bridges built. You know, all these slangs are what every political party is using. Some would want to build the bridge. Some want to take back the country and rebuild it. So, that is what the youths actually want.
Nigeria has been grappling with the challenge of insecurity. In Anambra, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has been battling with that. How would you rate his performance so far in the area of fighting insecurity?
Let me tell you something. As someone who has been in a forum where a lot of issues of insecurity has been discussed; at least I am a member of the House Committee on Army in the Federal House of Representatives and when you talk about insecurity…. You see, there is no shortcut to solving the issue of insecurity. Why am I saying that? It anchors on a lot of things. You can dampen it which was what I will say the former government in Anambra State did. It dampened it. How did they dampen it? They brought out a lot of measures where you allow people to collect different levies anyhow they want to. That sort of dampened the quest for jobs. You see people they will come and catch you with your vehicle and stamp a levy on you. If you don’t pay they start beating you. That is not curbing insecurity. But whether you like it or not, for us to do it rightly, it must start somewhere. It depends on the policy of this present government. But I will tell you that in the generality of Nigeria, this same thing transcends. Recently, you can see Americans leaving Abuja. Why? It is the issue of insecurity. I am not praising the governor. I am speaking from the wide knowledge I have gotten from the national issues; how it works. But let me come down to Anambra State. Until we find a way to rebuild our youths, this thing is persisting. No amount of government suppression will curb it. As I am talking with you now, people are saying that there’s no job. I was talking to a commissioner some few days ago. I said ‘look, there is job everywhere. Go to the smallest site in Awka, a building construction site in Awka, you will see a Togolese who is either doing POP or doing screeding or plastering. Where are our youths? That man will do it under one month and go with N1 million. Our young men will be sleeping, waiting in the night to steal somebody’s phone. The governor will not enter every house to trash that. And let me tell you, until we bring the insecurity issue down to our villages, wards and start pointing at every individual who is not doing the right thing, that is when we will curb insecurity. It is not only the government. But that, notwithstanding, there are basic policies that the government will put in place. For instance, if I am the governor, I will have a listening ear to advice. Nobody knows it all. I was surprised when a presidential candidate said that a mad man advised him on something and he did it right. No matter how foolish the people around you are, there is sense in that nonsense they’re talking about. So, have a listening ear. That would help.