Professor Tony Afejuku is an Itsekiri activist and former Head of English Department, University of Benin (UNIBEN). In this interview, the poet reviews the political events in Delta State and says the opposition spearheaded by elder statesman, Chief E.K. Clark, to the return of Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan as governor of the state is ill-motivated.
Besides, he explains that Uduaghan is the most qualified candidate in the election ordered by the Court of Appeal and stresses that the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) lacks what it takes to defeat Uduaghan
The Appeal Court annulled the election of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and, ever since, political tension in the state has been high due to the opposition by Delta elders led by Chief E.K. Clark to Uduaghan. How do you react?
I don’t want to answer this question from the point of an Itsekiri person or a presumed Itsekiri leader. Let me answer the question squarely from the point of view of an academician, of an intellectual, pure and simple. I am not a politician as you know; I belong to that tribe of human beings, tribe of professionals who believe that right things should always be done in the society.
lawyer; I don’t know the parameter which the Court of Appeal used in coming to their decision. But, I watched on television where Uduaghan’s counsel said that how the Court of Appeal came about its verdict was something unknown to law; unknown to law in the sense that, usually, it was those who accused INEC, PDP and co who needed to plead their case to show evidence of the irregularities that attended that election.
Instead of doing so, they now wanted Uduaghan, INEC and PDP to show evidence regarding how clean the election was, evidence to show that they did not rig the election and that is not known to law. If that was correct as the counsel wanted us to know, that means the Court of Appeal erred in that decision.
Now, the court ordered a fresh election and leaders like Chief E.K. Clark are opposing Uduaghan’s return to power after the elder statesman criticised former Governor James Ibori for allegedly imposing his cousin on the people.
I want to say that Chief Clark’s point in this respect, simply put, is specious; a point which appears to be correct, but that point has no merit too. No merit in the sense that we know the kind of relationship that existed between Clark and Ibori.
But having said that, if going by the American example, there is nothing wrong if I am in government and I find my brother qualified for a position, I will give it to him. The late J.F. Kennedy did it in America, his younger brother was the attorney- general of the United States. Clark has an agenda, if you go and talk to Itsekiri leaders, they will tell you Clark’s agenda.
And, I know his agenda regarding Itsekiri- Ijaw position on this matter which should not be at all. The agenda used to be secret but it is no longer a secret. And, don’t also forget that Uduaghan, right from when he became the governor of Delta State, has shown Clark unbelievable respect. He tried to be loyal to him, tried every now and then to show that he accepted him as a father.
The point I am making is that Uduaghan treated him like a father but Clark did not change. In one of the article I wrote, I mentioned it that E.K. Clark should realise that when Uduaghan was governor, he was governor no matter how small he was as a person. I remember too that some people who were talking to Jonathan as president with some horrible language, Orubebe came out to say that they should give Jonathan his respect as president of Nigeria. When E.K. Clark was treating Uduaghan the way he was doing, nobody came out to say that.
I am not holding fort for Uduaghan, but another point I want to say is that, Uduaghan, at the time he was governor, he was the best governor that ever ruled Delta. I am talking as an intellectual and I will explain to you. Compared to other past governors, he was the only one who was prepared for governance. He is far more qualified than any of them in Delta in terms of academic qualification and achievement.
In terms of preparation for governance, he was commissioner for health and SSG. Ibori never had that advantage. Even Ibru who came before never had that advantage. So, for Chief Clark to say that it is because he is Ibori’s cousin and for that reason opposed him, then that is sad.
Even if another Itsekiri man comes in, Chief Clark will still come up with another excuse on why an Itsekiri man must not be made a governor. But why, the state is for everybody. So, to that extent, Chief Clark has no case. I am saying this not as an Itsekiri man and anybody can go and check Uduaghan’s performance and qualification and compare with those of others.
You will find out that, ordinarily, some of them, aside politics, will have great respect for Uduaghan. So, it is clear also that Chief Clark is injurious to party discipline in the same way that he pays no heed to the niceties of collective responsibility. The decision, rightly or wrongly, of his party ought to be binding on him and his fellow-farers. If not, they should quit PDP. If I were Chief Clark, I would do exactly this.
I would quit PDP as a mark of honour and of bitter protest against actions that go against my grains of principles and honour. I will quit to test the popularity of my principles and honour elsewhere. George Bush the father and George Bush the son were presidents of the United States. Also, Clinton, the husband and Clinton, the wife, were almost recently going to be the first husband and wife presidents of the United States at different times.
So, that a very academically and politically qualified Dr Uduaghan succeeded Ibori as governor of Delta state is a non-issue, ethically speaking. And, in any case, PDP people and household, generally speaking, minus the Chief Clarks, gave Dr Uduaghan their nod regardless of the hullabaloos.
Now, it is Ogboru vs Uduaghan. Do you have any fear that Uduaghan may lose the election?
Once again, I want to be as objective as possible in this matter. Thank God I am not too near the canvass of politics, I am very far from the canvass of politics clearly and that is why I am going to say this. Ogboru, as far as I know, as far as I can see and perceive it, has no chance and, in fact, there is no other political party, not today, that has any semblance of structure that can pose any electoral obstacle to the PDP and Uduaghan.
Although there are rumours that Ogboru may dump DPP and join PDP if they help him to win the election, PDP should be wiser. They have lost Edo, Ondo, Ekiti,Osun, if they lose Delta by whatever guise, then they should forget Nigeria as a political party. Uduaghan’s chances are very bright. But PDP should think properly on how they can regain Delta. Delta is very strategic to Nigeria.
Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/
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