2027: Tinubu’s govt has done nothing in southeast to earn maximum support from the zone-Ukandu insists

Chief Barr. Suleiman Ukandu is a frontline chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, former local council chairman, and ex-chairman, Abia state Pilgrims Welfare Board. 

In this exclusive interview with our correspondent, Chijindu Emeruwa in Abuja, Ukandu who was equally an ersewhile member of the Abia State Advisory Council and the immediate-past Commissioner of Lands & Survey in Abia state, bared his minds on the recent political alliance by former governors from Abia state, President Bola Tinubu’s endorsement by leaders of the All Progressives Congress from the southeast geopolitical zone, and other critical national issues. 

Excerpts

There are ongoing alignments and realignments by political actors in Abia politics ahead of the forthcoming general election in Nigeria in 2027. Just recently, it was reported on reunion and realignments by former governors of Abia state, wherein they resolved to ensure APC clinch state governorship seat in next year election. What is your take on this realignments by former Abia Governor who are loyal to ruling APC in Nigeria?. 

In a certain situation, interest aligns, and it brings people together to one particular political caucus. You see in politics, there is no permanent friend and permanent enemy. So, it heralds alliances time to time. Maybe the former governors, they have aligned together based on interests. I think, everything is driven by interests. If you also listen to Governor Otti himself, his party(Labour party) too, is into alliance with the Nigeria Labour congress(NLC), the Trade Union Congress(TUC), and some well-meaning masses for certain interests. So, all these are alliances

There are other forces that has talents that has not fully presented themselves. These are politics. It comes with different scenarios at different points in times, And it equally comes with different strategies and thinking. I think, alliance is natural. And people are free to align together based on where they feel their interests are aligns. So, it’s not a bad thing. The question there is the masses who are the electorates and the voters, where do there align? Are there going to align where to? What would there see forming their actions and inactions And these things has to do with indepth analysis, indepth stock-taking of what both parties have offered before and what they have to offer now and what is on the ground. That’s my own take on that.

As an illustrious Abia citizen and major political stakeholders in Abia project, can you assess the current administration led by Governor Alex Otti in the last two and half years in office. 

You see we are citizens. And the basic principle in the evolution of state which created governance, especially when there is a need to have a social contract. A government agreed by the people and their leaders against a hobessian state which thrives in anarchy. There are other obligations on the part of governance. There are responsibilities the government owns the people. So, if we take a foray within that dimension, you will know Government suppose to do well. Government suppose to take people into heart. And whatever government does must be for the development and upliftment of their people. For me, government is a continuum. There’s no government that has always being static. Every government has been a transient replica of the state. Transient replica in the sense that you come and play your role you go. Posterity now judges you. I think, each of every government did what they think is their best. The way am hearing, Governor Otti is also doing his best. And I think, he should continue in that direction. Because that is why people came and voted for him to be able to carry their burdens and aspirations, and to ensure even development of the state. And equally to be able ensure justice and equity in dispensation of infrastructural projects. And not only building road infrastructure, there are other core and critical areas of development, like education, health and likewise. This is why people voted for him. I think, he is meeting up to the expectations of the people. Kudos to him. I won’t say there is no area he’s not making an impacts. What I am trying to tell you is that he’s elected to make impacts in all areas. He has to take care of welfare of workers and pensioners. I did not infer that he is not touching all sectors of physical development but the concern is to make it visible. For me, if people appreciate what he’s doing, so be it. We should also know that government is continuum, and that every successive administrations put their own bests. So, it is left for the people to judge.

Last month, leaders and critical stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the southeast geopolitical zone, converged in Enugu and endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office in 2027. Do you think this particular decision by these party leaders reflected to the opinions of the larger people of the southeast region?

I want to advent your mind that the people that went to adopt the President for a second term are all members of his party(APC). It is normal. But southeast APC leaders can’t speak for ndigbo. Igbos are nuclear people who belonged to different leanings. They belonged to different political parties. And some are not even politicians or belong to any political party. It’s just that the media does not educate people very well. They don’t extinguish that when a political party go to adopt their member, it should be made clear that these are partisan adoptions. And that adoption or endorsement is purely partisan. Because, the much-touted endorsement was mainly carried out by APC actors in southeast that gathered to adopt presidential candidate of their party. So, it has nothing to do with southeast. The southeast zone has not sat down on a consensus, and endorse any person. You should know that the southeast’s political trajectory is purely republican in nature. And you should also take a foray into southeast’s political history, you don’t buck them through aggregated partisanship. They know what they want. At the appropriate time, ndigbo will know what to do. So, tinubu’s endorsement is purely a partisan adoption by a particular political party, which is normal for them to support their own presidential candidate. But such endorsement cannot be ascribed as the unanimous decision of the majority of the people in the southeast geopolitical region.

And do you agreed with these southeast leaders and stakeholders that the zone has fared well under the current Tinubu-led administration in the country?

In history of contemporary politics in Nigeria, the southeast particularly has never been given any dividends of democracy. None the less, this particular administration led by APC. This particular administration is only being transactional in the southeast. It is a transactional administration. What is really happening in the southeast in terms of democratic dividends, it’s purely on a transactional level. He is just creating political elites and transacting with them, which does not trickle down to the southeast zone as a geopolitical entity or which do not in anyway depicts any form of development. What development are we going to talk about? Because, people will always mention to you south east development commission (SEDC). It is not an achievement by the President. It is just an act of parliament. The question of southeast development commission shouldn’t be counted as achievement, because, it is prorata in entire geopolitical zones of the country. We have other development commissions for other geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Nobody should even talk about that. It is not only the southeast development commission that existed in Nigeria. There are other development commissions earlier established for other geopolitical zones of the country before southeast. So, what makes it an achievement? Infact, for me as a person and someone who look into the contents analysis and body language of the president, President Tinubu has nothing for the south-eastern part of Nigeria. The only thing is that he is trying to create elites and transact. The President is trying to create an euphoria of political comradeship for him to get an inroad to southeast and try to assuage their electoral contents. But in terms of having inner thinking, from the depth of his own mind to develop the southeast, i don’t think it is there. You can see it from the happenings in Nigeria. Because, if somebody want to bring a development in your area, you will know. It doesn’t have to be transactional in nature. It have to be forthright. So, i have not seen what this present Tinubu’s government are doing. And you appoint someone as a minister is personal. Because, the ministerial appointment is a personal thing to the person you give it to. I don’t think President Tinubu has done much in the southeast zone to earn maximum supports from the larger people of the zone.

President Tinubu is nursing a reelection bid in 2027. And some northern political leaders had also declared interests to run against the incumbent President in next year’s election, despite the north taking its turn for eight years through late former President Muhammadu Buhari. I want to know, is there any written agreements on power shifts between the north and south? 

It is laughable to talk about the north, south political equation. There has never be anything like north/South political arrangements. In the first place, it is unconstitutional. It is an aberration. Secondly, it is not a creation of a national consensus. It is just a conventional arrangement by the Peoples Democratic Party. It was an arrangement by the PDP, and not a national agreement. And I want to give you a little analysis of this issue. Nigeria does not have anything like north and south. What we have now is six geopolitical zones. You understand me. That is what Nigeria has. Nigeria accepted and adopted an administrative geopolitical units, which is the northeast, northwest, southwest, southeast and south-south and north central. And even going by that calculations, you will see from inception of fourth republic, you will see the southwest has had Presidency. And by 2027, the southwest will have the Presidency for twelve years. The northwest had the presidency for ten years. And south-south must have had the Presidency for six years. If there’s anything like zoning or rotational presidency among the six geopolitical zones, the people who should agitate for presidency are the southeast, north central and northeast. They are the people who have the authority and the leverage to canvass for zoning. There is nothing like north/South political arrangements that has national consensus. All these things are narratives to pollute native minds, and confuse Nigerians. And it confuses us and take us away from the real issues that confront us. And even if you come to South, we have never had anything like southern political arrangements. It has never happened before. What we have is southern geographical area, and not a southern geopolitical area. So, I wonder why people are wasting their energies, and arguing on things that is clear. Everybody, both the north and the south has stake in this coming 2027 presidential election.

There are speculations in some quarters on your purported plan to dump PDP for the coalition African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Abia state. Can you clarify or react to this widespread speculations sir?

We’re watching. And you know politics is fluid. Anything can happen. But probably, it will not be APC. I will make my decision or next movement known if the need arise. But for now, i am still a card-carrying member of the PDP. That’s it.