Chairman, Publicity and Communications Committee, Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party Governorship Campaign Council, Ogbonna Nwuke, shares his views with DENNIS NAKU on the allegations against Governor Nyesom Wike by the opposition
The APC and other opposition parties are accusing Governor Nyesom Wike of using thugs and the judiciary against them. How will you react to that?
Your question is in two parts. Let me first take the last one. When you go to the judiciary, you don’t go out there to waste the valuable time of the court. You ask for guidance, legally speaking, and you ask absolutely for interpretation to issues. In a sense, this is why the doors of courts are open; why those who are aggrieved approach those learned in such matters to obtain rulings, orders or judgments without minding whose ox is gored. How can anyone in his right senses, who is rational and reasonable, infer that a person who asks the court in a democratic society to determine if certain decisions, steps and actions are consistent with the spirit of the law and the constitution is using the judiciary?
You don’t act in breach of the law or in a manner likely to breach the law and expect that good men will stand aside and watch. You don’t use the courts against anyone, absolutely no one. You rather approach the courts to seek legal answers, legal orders, valid rulings and judgments. Besides, courts through their pronouncements help to provide better insights about the nature of the law, create an understanding of the subject matter and deepen the content of our democratic practices. Anyone who has no psychological baggage has no reason to be afraid of the law. Those who have something to hide; who do not want certain secrets exposed are the only ones who will allege that courts are being used against them.
On the issue of thuggery, this whole talk about thugs and Governor Nyesom Wike is a hoax. We thank God that despite attempts to blackmail Governor Wike, the truth is coming out. As you are aware, the police, who investigated allegations of thuggery at Lee Maeba’s residence, found no clues of the arbitrary use of force. Effiong Okon, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, said there was no evidence that anyone got through the gate by force. He said no attempt was made to destroy exotic cars in Lee’s compound. The commissioner said only old and rickety cars were destroyed. This can only mean that Lee, who is looking for sympathy from Wike, organised an attack on his home. It will mean that some of these claims are merely dramatised and orchestrated.
The APC in the state mentioned that the various court judgments against it were aimed at excluding it and other political parties from the ballot. How will you react to this?
Lawbreakers have no business participating in the democratic process. The law envisages that those who come to equity must do so with clean hands. As we speak, there are rules of engagement defined by the Electoral Act and the Nigerian constitution. If you choose a shortcut, choose to contravene provisions that should place you in good standing in the eyes of the law; if you are caught cheating, who should bear the blame for your action? The blame should lie squarely on the shoulder of the one who runs afoul of the law, not the one who insists as a good citizen that the right thing should be done. If cutting corners, disobeying the provisions of the Act, which governs our electoral practices, are outlawed and they are caught, such persons or political parties, if they are asked by the courts to stay out of the race, will be seen as facing punishment for their circumvention of the law. No one who has complied with the provisions of the law should be afraid of being dragged to court.
Has there been any attack on PDP members or rallies?
Not to my knowledge. We only hear of unsubstantiated claims by persons and parties, who are not on the ground, but trying to hoodwink the people and divert attention from real issues.
Most of the earlier court judgments against the APC, the Accord Party and other political parties are being overturned by higher courts in the state. Does the PDP feel threatened by this ahead of the elections?
We are not threatened in any way. Courts of first instance have made pronouncements. Appellate courts have equally made their own independent pronouncements. The race in the courtroom is however not over. The fact that we have decided to point out certain deficiencies does not suggest that we are afraid. The PDP will defeat these parties any day. Our confidence lies in our knowledge of the terrain and the good work that Governor Nyesom Wike has done in Rivers State.
How about the allegation that Wike is pursuing a third term agenda by imposing Sim Fubara on Rivers people?
The pursuit of a third tenure is alien to our constitution. Under the law, Wike is entitled to two terms of eight years. His second term will expire next year. Definitely, a successor is expected to emerge from the ranks at this time, and to the glory of God, he has emerged through democratic processes that have not been faulted. The vote in 2023 will be a referendum on the performance of the Wike administration. This is the truth. Siminalayi Fubara is the choice of a great majority of the PDP members in all the wards and the local government areas of the state. The party members voted clearly. How can this be seen as an act of imposition? Governor Wike is backing Sim Fubara the same way he would have backed any other candidate of the party chosen by our party through the democratic process. Those alleging that Fubara is a stooge do not understand the nature of power. They do not understand the role that the mighty hand of God plays in the emergence of leaders.
The person mostly heard is the governor, how come not much is being heard from the PDP governorship candidate, Sim Fubara, since he was unveiled by the G-5 governors? Doesn’t that confirm what the opposition said about him being imposed?
How many of the candidates of the other political parties have you heard about? Why is it that what Sir Siminalayi Fubara does or does not do is a problem? We know the reason. He is the candidate to beat, the candidate with the brightest chance to win the governorship election in Rivers State, and a candidate with solid experience regarding government, given his background as a civil servant. Sim went round the 23 local government areas urging the people of Rivers State to turn out and register. He was in the public. He did not do so in his kitchen or through statements. He was out there for all to see. It is amazing that those who have become blinded to this fact are raising questions. Where were they when Sim toured the state? Campaigns are on and Sim, who is on the ballot, has been campaigning. His voice has been heard resoundingly. Sim is the candidate on the platform of our political party. He is a team player, a professional, technocrat and a politician who knows when to act. When the love boat sails, he will be on board displaying the experience of a time-tested sailor.
