Tinubu: The most decisive president we have ever had —- Umenzekwe …North will vote massively for Asiwaju in 2027

All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Hon. Chief Modestus Umenzekwe, in this interview explains why Northerners will vote massively for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. While speaking on matters of national importance, he said that Tinubu is a beautiful bride every party would like to have. Excerpt:

The North appears to be working to enthrone a Northerner as president come 2027, what do you think, considering the fact that the South still has one more term to complete their tenure according to the power shift gentleman agreement?

I want to ask you a question, where did the Northerners gather to decide dethroning through election, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is from the South, where did they gather to discuss this or is it your own opinion?

The question is based on people’s opinions on both television, radio and newspaper analysis, et cetera.

Okay that radio, television, newspaper and street opinion, none of them has been able to inform you that powerful stakeholders in the North, members of APC in the north are equally working for the reelection of the president, one of the most decisive presidents we have ever had to continue in 2027,so how come? The same public are they not telling you that? How can you say north are against Tinubu, no.

Okay as it is, how can Tinubu woo these various ethnic groupings to his fold to achieve success in 2027?

Are you a visitor in the country? Do we need to repeat the achievements everyday while it is there in the public domain, what he has done, his achievements. Before now the same people were speculating that he would drop Shettima, how? When the president didn’t say anything. And today he has proven them wrong. He has expressed his intention and willingness to continue with Shettima whom he has adjudged to be a very loyal vice president, his loyalty is not in doubt, and you can see the zeal and intelligence with which he is representing the president here and there in the country and in the Diaspora when the need arises. But before now some people have started attacking the president, is it not enough to even assume that greater number of Northerners are with Mr President? Have you listened to the governor of Borno State, a perfect gentleman when he expressed his happiness and gratitude to the president for retaining Shettima. The other day, Ganduje held what I may call national prayer, involving religious cleric in Kano aimed at making sure that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wins the 2027 election. Are they not both Northerners?

And today, the road infrastructure that is going on simultaneously across the six geopolitical zones of the country, are you not a Nigerian, are you not seeing them? He has approved, I think, Otuocha-Anam Federal Road in Anambra State; two federal roads. Then Nnewi/Idenmili/Uga/Okigwe Federal Road. The same thing he is doing in the six geopolitical zones. And look at his efforts to rescue the Onire students and their teachers, abducted by the terrorists. People started talking, he won’t do it, but today, in as much as, it is unfortunate we lost one or two teachers and I think one child or so. The electricity bill, where states are allowed to generate their own electricity, my state, Anambra State is there, Ondo State, Bayelsa, Edo and of course, Lagos State leading in the process. In no distant time the issue of electricity problem will be a thing of the past.

Am I talking about Nelfund, where students can no longer talk about lack of fund to attend university or higher institutions of learning. To keep on singing the removal of oil subsidy is over flogged, but we still have to mention it. States now have a lot of funds, they are not talking about borrowing, every governor is working, it is now a challenge, a competition, salaries are being paid, and look at the in-flocks of Nigerians into the All Progressives Congress APC, look at the number of governors, almost every governor is working towards the Renewed Hope mantra, and you are asking me what the president would do. That is why I commend the national chairman of APC, I believed him, the time he was inaugurated as the National Chairman of APC, that is Prof Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, he made it clear that more people will join APC, and he has done that. All the governors are now working together. The Renewed Hope Agenda is being championed by the progressive governors as led by the Executive Governor of Imo State, the Dist. Senator Hope Uzodinma, a perfect gentleman, a seasoned administrator, who knows when to cut his onion, a silent smooth operator, and you are still asking me, what he should do. I tell you, almost all the governors are working towards the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Issue of insecurity is being tackled headlong; today the state police Act is being finalized, this was what he proposed when he was governor of Lagos State. The same proposal was made by the revered former Minister of Works and Housing , Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, CON, when he was being screened by Saraki led Senate for his appointment. The same state police has been supported by one of our fathers in Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige.

And then throughout the country, the Forest Guards are being recruited and trained, more security equipment, fighting equipment are being brought into the country, the office of the National Security Adviser has been beefed up, by having a Special Adviser on Homeland Security; the economy is improving, the dollar has been stable for over 18 to 20 months, ocilating between N1300 or thereabout, it has not gone up, so it is a litany of achievements, but people that don’t want our party to go on can say all manner of things, but, of course, that is the sweetness of politics and democracy, those criticisms are helping us to rejig, restrategise and improve on what we have done. I tell you President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a beautiful bride everyone would like to have.

Now, apart from the litany of achievements of Mr President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his leadership of inclusivity mantra, has used His Excellency Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister to develop and redevelop Abuja, where satellite towns that have never witnessed the dividend of democracy and governance are happy. Abuja has turned into a new city that is already competing with some advanced cities in the world. He has used Wike to show leadership that can deliver. And I assure you that what happened in the Local Council Election in Abuja will repeat itself during the national election in Abuja, because this is the first time a sitting president is commissioning about 31 projects in one month which is unprecedented, and these are very powerful and outstanding projects which Nigerians and the citizens of the FCT have been looking forward to see. So his governance in Abuja is permeating every nook and cranny of FCT irrespective of the political inclination of a particular satellite town. His developmental stride is non discriminatory. And you are asking me the indices for hoping that he will win the 2027 election, anyway the difference is clear.

Let’s talk about the Muslim/Muslim Ticket, fillers from the Christian communities revealed that the Christians are not happy, what is your take?

If you marry a wife and you don’t have problem with that marriage do you have any right to divorce her? I mean we are talking about the person of Shettima and the person of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is no rancour. I think that issue was debated long time ago; we are talking about people completing their tenure as entrenched in the common understanding as we have it in Nigeria, as far as governance is concerned, that is the way I look at it. Mark you that Abiola and Kingibe ran on Muslim/Muslim Ticket in an election that was adjudged as the freest in the country. I am a Christian, in as much as I will never subscribe to Muslims intimidating Christians or Christians intimidating Muslims, there must be a symbiotic association and I believe the president when he said that in his bedroom there is Bible and there is Quran and has never seen the two books quarrel.

The government appears to be in dilemma between international monetary system and the welfare of the citizens, leading to acute hardship in the country, what do you think the government should do to reduce hardship?

The government is not in dilemma. The President accepted that there is hardship, it is affecting everybody and he is working assiduously with his team, his ministers, the National Assembly, to make things better, good things don’t come so easy. This question has been overtaken by events and the president is working hard to see improvement in the living standard of Nigerians.

But three years going to four years into this administration, things are extremely hard, what…?

You are still asking the same question the other way round, when you have a broken leg, when you have a broken waist, does it heal in two, three months? It has been there all along, the hardship has been there even since independence.

In the Nigerian Senate, some senators appear not to want Akpabio any longer, while others want a change of baton

I am not a senator, I am not at the National Assembly, Senate president has not made any official statement suggesting there is a problem, until such thing comes up in the public, I don’t have information to that effect.

The State Police Act is being rounded off, and there is clamour that states should recruit personnel from their own states, your thoughts

Why not wait for the Police Act to be finalized, let us know what they are coming up with. All I know is that the state police may not take off in the states at the same time, it is still a working document, let’s not preempt them.

Recently Lagos State appears to be overwhelmed by population pressure and the environment appears to be the first victim, now you have always called for Special Status for Lagos State, what has changed?

Every part of the world is changing, climate change and all that, and I want to thank you for reminding me that I have always called for Special Status for Lagos and I still maintain that. Last time people started attacking me that I made such advocacy, and I still maintain it, I am not a Lagosian, I am a visitor in Lagos, but when you look at the number of people coming into Lagos, I have said it, Lagos is a mini Nigeria, and I continue to say that. I am still calling on the national assembly, if possible, give Lagos State special status to be able to maintain both physical and environmental features of Lagos, after all, most of them there in Abuja started life in Lagos and most of them return to Lagos. So the Centre of Excellence should not be for nothing. Lagos is facing a lot of social problems, but then, I must commend the administration, Lagos is very lucky to have good governors at all times to maintain all these things and I want them to keep it up, no matter the pressure, they should sustain the tempo, because if Lagos collapses, Nigeria has collapsed.

Electoral system in Nigeria is characterized by intimidation, impunity where government in power whether at states or national level wants to win by all means, why is it so, and your advice?

…And every opposition wants to win. Let me ask you this question, if you have been coming first in every examination, won’t you read harder to maintain your position?

What we are saying is as a ruling party, police is in their hand, army is in their hand, INEC, they say it is independent, but that is debatable, the same with the judiciary, all in government hand, and they deploy all these to intimidate the opposition

Hold on. INEC conducts elections, it is INEC that is saddled with the responsibility to conduct election. Political parties are to campaign, the opposition is working seriously to win, which is their right. Then the government in power is also working hard to retain their position as people that have been taking first position, because this is an examination you can’t come second. You must be number one. So the government in power is reading harder, the opposition is reading harder, it is the INEC that would decide who wins the election. The INEC has the apparatus that determine how the election is going to be conducted.

The rail system of government is the way to go across the world, what do you think is the problem with the government constructing rail from Lagos to Calabar?

The administration has not finished, and I believe it is in the pipeline, I believe that they are going to do it, because I know Asiwaju as someone who does those things that are difficult to do, So I believe, all hope is not loss.

Some of the off season elections show high degree of voter apathy, what do you think is the cause and the solution?

Nobody can force you to vote, what I will always recommend is voter education, INEC should continue to educate us on the importance of collecting our PVC, the importance of going out to vote to make our choices and all that, but if someone decides to stay in his house, you can’t force him out, but for me and my family we always vote.

Your usual advice to Nigerians

I have always advocated for peace at all times. I have advocated for prayer for the country and for the leaders, I have always said let’s eschew violence and to try as much as possible to maintain the rule of law; while I appeal to the government both at the centre and the sub nationals to make efforts to make life better for all of us.

The issue of fake agency in which the name of Chief of staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila was linked, your opinion because this is in public domain

The whole situation is worrisome, worrisome in the sense that this is the first time myself is hearing such thing. I believe it is still in that understanding of being worrisome that the president has directed for a proper investigation of the matter as a very meticulous person so that we don’t act by judging people on the pages of newspapers and the Social Media. My take is that since the President has instituted an investigative panel using the instrumentality of the ICPC we should allow that investigation to go on. This morning I learnt that the Chief of staff has been invited or has been reached out to and he is responding to questions, which I consider very honourable and encouraging. For him to make himself available or make his phone available depending on the means, that is a very honourable attitude, and I commend him for doing that. That shows humility, that shows that our democracy is deepening.

Do you support an Igbo man doing four years presidency when other geopolitical zones are doing eight years?

Well, the presidency is the most sensitive and highest position in this country which every citizen has the right to aspire to under our democratic provisions, an Igbo man is not an exception. I am an Igbo man and I am proud to be an Igbo man. And I commend Ndigbo for their determination in life, and I also commend them for their ubiquitous life, so to say, they are always everywhere in good faith, championing national development. I will love Igbo people to aspire for the highest position where they must serve for eight years, not half. Hausa people served eight years, Yoruba served eight years, and Igbo man will not serve eight years, it then means that the three Rs, Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction is not a reality. So as far as I am concerned any Igbo man that goes there must serve eight years that is my position. Some may like it and some may not like it but that is my own position.

There is only one Igbo man running for the presidency in 2027, Mr Peter Obi, and he has vowed to do only one term of four years, how do you create a balance going by your own perspective?

I wasn’t there to determine whether he said it or not, all I know is that Peter Obi is a respected Nigerian, a respected brother who knows when to cut his onion, nobody should rubbish him. However I am not a member of his political party, I am a member of APC, I didn’t know whether it is from APC that person will come from or NDC, I am not a member in NDC, whether he said that or not, I don’t know.