2023: If a weak, corrupt person succeeds Buhari, Nigeria’ll be in a mess – Onyebueke
The newly elected President of the Peoples Club of Nigeria, Chief Barrister FIDELIS ONYEBUEKE, a constitutional lawyer of repute, based in Calabar, in this interview with our correspondent in Calabar, AKPAN WILLIAMS says if a weak, corrupt person succeeds Buhari, what we are witnessing under Buhari would be a child’s play. He also speaks on his new position as the President of the Peoples Club of Nigeria and the Naira redesign policy among others.
EXCERPTS.
Congratulations, Sir, on your new position with the Peoples Club of Nigeria, how is it being the President of the Peoples Club of Nigeria?
Being the President of the Peoples Club of Nigeria will not change my style of leadership or contributions to the organisation, the Peolpes Club of Nigeria. I have been a legal adviser for nearly 15 years both here and abroad. Now, I am the President both at home and abroad. I will use my position to enhance the unity among the members of the Club and the well-being of our members.
What are the objectives of the Peoples Club of Nigeria?
The objectives of the Club as contained in our constitution, summarily, is to organize social activities for members, to help the poor and do charity for people, and to put up buildings for social gathering for social entertainment and above all the well-being of our members.
What is your membership spread like across the globe?
The membership of the Peoples Club has spread across the globe, we have them in Nigeria, London, Scotland, South Africa, Benin Republic and all over America and we are trying to establish one in Holland.
So, are you the Nigerian President or an International President?
I was elected the International President, both in Nigeria and overseas.
So, what are we expecting in your leadership? What is the new thing you intend to introduce in the club?
What I intend to introduce is to strengthen the unity among the members of the club, which is very fundamental.
Has unity not been there before?
Naturally, where there are human beings there are bound to be crises left and right. Naturally, not everybody will agree. But the most important thing is to let people know and appreciate it, and appreciate your administration. So, everybody will have the feelings of your administration. Like in my regime, I am using committees to run my administration. First in the history of the club, so that is the most important innovation I have introduced in the club, because I don’t want any member to complain that, I was not aware when these things happen, so when you run through the branch committees everybody will know what the National is doing.
There is this insinuation that the Peoples Club of Nigeria has been led-deep into crises for so many years, so have you been able to nib that in the bud?
I don’t think there are serious crises in the Peoples Club, only that there is disagreement here and there. There are no other serious issues.
Any court case?
Why not, that is natural but has been resolved gradually.
So, currently, there is no case in court?
There are, but we are taking time to withdraw them, because of my regime.
Okay, let’s go back to the national issues, what is your take on the current state of the Naira redesign?
There is nothing wrong with the Naira redesigning, nothing wrong about that at all. After all, it was done in 1984. Then it was crisis-free. But the management themselves is what is the problem. You cannot redesign the new Naira without making them available. In 84′ when I was a young man then I discovered that it was crisis-free, and it was during the same Buhari regime. So, unfortunately, this time around it is not the same. It is very frustrating. But I don’t blame the President himself, I blame the operators of the system. To me, there suppose to be sufficient new Naira notes before they embark on the exchange.
But the CBN said they have issued enough new naira notes…?
I refuse to blame the commercial banks, rather I blame the CBN because all the banks are under the control of the CBN. What effort is the CBN doing to punish those sabotaging the effort of exchanging the new Naira notes? None. Don’t be surprised that most of the commercial banks are working hand in hand with the CBN staff to thwart the good intended effort of the policy. Don’t be surprised that this is Nigeria. That is why they are keeping quiet all this while. All these stories of going on about DSS or EFCC going to arrest the ailing bank staffs in commercial banks it is just stories. Nothing works in this country. Because everybody is selfish. Whoever is up there is selfish. They don’t care about ordinary men at all. Do they care about suffering? They do not. Ordinarily, why should people suffer with their own money? No cash in banks, no gas. They say you must do a transfer, but when you do the transfer it will hang up on the air. Either they will say no network. I can’t travel today, because there are not enough funds. Are you blaming the system? Who are the operators of the system? The CBN governor is one of them. He has been caged by commercial bank managers. Yes, ordinarily why should this type of thing happen in this country? You said you are redesigning new Naira notes. That you are ready to make those notes readily available and sufficient. You know what you should do to make this fund gets to everybody rather it seems to me that there is nothing they have done, and there is what they have done that they don’t want to tell us. Tinubu is crying left and right. For the first time, a candidate of a ruling party is blaming his party for trying to sabotage his chances of winning by redesigning the Naira. That is the first time in the history of Nigeria. To show you the rottenness in this country. It has never happened before. Because of these crises of the Naira, we know that the policymakers may have good intentions, but the execution is very poor. The effort has been hijacked by criminals. Things are truly not in order in this country. That is why some politicians are crying, some governors are crying. They are crying-wolf. To me in a decent country, they should be relieved of their duties. Have they cried over the ASSU strike? Do they? Cried about fuel scarcity? Why are they crying because of the scarcity of funds? You see the issues are very fundamental. The governors were elected by their people to care for the security of their state. Rather they don’t take action when people want them to take action on fundamental issues of the states, rather when it concerns them directly they start crying- wolfs. To me, in a decent society, they should be impeached or relieved from their duty. ASSU strike was here for nearly one year, what do they do? ASSU strike was affecting basically, every family. Governors refuse to take action. They refuse to speak out. Fuel scarcity ravaged our society they refused to voice it out. Now, Naira why are they crying? They have questions to answer.
Elections are around the corner, and now the scarcity of fuel and funds, do you think those crises can stop this 2023 election?
It can’t stop the elections, but it will influence them one way or the other. ( Cut in)… that is to say, it will influence it one way or the other. If somebody registered it somewhere outside Calabar for instance, he can’t travel. They cannot, that is the central issue of concern. For instance, if somebody stays in Calabar and registers to vote in Akamkpa, how will he get there? And during election days, if you are not careful you are a suspect, so, you see that fuel scarcity will adversely affect the elections. Except they arrange that to rig the elections, and eventually announce fake results, and go to court and the court declares them a winner.
As an International President of the Peoples Club, what is your advice or suggestions to the CBN as regards this scarcity of funds?
The CBN should take steps to make sure that enough funds are available to banks, and any bank that fails in its responsibilities, its operational licence should be withdrawn. The managers or the operators of the ailing banks should be taken to EFCC or ICPC. How many have been arrested? How many managers have been arrested, and how many have been arraigned? Get them arrested, tried them and jail them the rest will learn their lessons. But when you have a failed system, everybody will do the way they like not minding the law. So, we have a failed system.
Sir, what would you advise the electorates under this condition?
I will advise the electorate to vote for persons with proven track records. I think such persons will have the solutions to the problems that are confronting this nation. It happens in other countries, though they started as a revolution, and after that, they brought in persons with proven integrity. Today these nations have stood out. In the Philippines it happens, it happens in Egypt, and recently in Srilanka. That is the type of individual that will solve this lingering problem. Otherwise, if a weak, corrupt person succeeds Buhari the country will be worse than what we witness today. I say, if a weak, corrupt person succeeds Buhari what we are witnessing under Buhari would be child’s play. Don’t we notice that we take things for granted in Nigeria? In Nigeria, anything goes. In Nigeria, we can do anything and get away with it. In Nigeria you can even kill somebody on the road nobody will touch you. You can imagine the way we do things, a failed system is a clear description of Nigeria, I am not calling for a revolution but only a collective effort can take us away from the current mess.
What type of person would you expect or want to succeed President Buhari?
A person of proven character, a person of reputable integrity, and a person of honesty, though nobody is perfect in this world. Someone who can defend and unite the country at all times. Not a tribalistic man. But we are looking at someone who has trusted character, integrity and honesty and knows how to manage the economy accurately. We need someone who will be accountable to the people and accommodating. Someone whose character is enumerated above should be the next president of this country. Any other qualities apart from the above I am assuring you that this country will come to an end sooner or later.
Sir, did you know any of these people?
The electorates should know, I am not the only person voting. But I am not speaking for anybody. Obi is the best candidate among all the other candidates. Looking at his track record for the first time in the history of elections in this country. Obi needed no one to bankroll his campaign. People are campaigning. He has never spent kobo for his campaign. You see people wearing vests and caps, yet Obi never contributes a dime. You see people organising meetings everywhere for Obi. Did you see any Labour party member that is bankrolling anything for Obi? Individuals who are tired of our system are taking steps to correct the wrong done by the present leadership. Not only in Cross River but everywhere, all over the country. Even all over the globe. If you go to America the same thing, go to London, go to Germany, go to Canada. Why must it be Peter Obi? Why? People organized town hall meetings just for Peter Obi. You ask yourself a question. Obi never start in time. But he has galvanized the entire system. Anywhere people do the same thing, they emphasized that it is an act of God. No politician has ever witnessed the type of movement that is following Obi at this shorter period in this country.
Sir, and you are not talking as a tribesman?
No, I am not talking like a tribesman, No! No! No! Rather I am talking like someone who witnessed what is happening in this country.
All the Opinion Poll has been alleging that Obi is leading and if it comes to the election proper, the reverse is the case, what would be your opinion?
They should listen to the advice of Pa Adebanyo, the leader of Afenifere, the Yoruba Socio-Political Group, and he said everybody should listen to that. I hope people should listen to the advice of that Elderstatesman.
What did he say?
Your readers should have full access to what the man said as it is in the public domain. You should be informed of what the man said.
Chief, releasing 1-2-3 or 4 statements of what Pa Adebanjo had said will help us inform our readers.
I said, it is in the public domain, why do you border yourselves?
What is your candid advice to Nigerians at this critical time of the nation’s history?
Nigerians should take the country back to themselves. The people should take the country back. We should have to take our country. Take your country back, by voting for the rightful candidate. Take your country back, that is what you need, that is all we need, otherwise, I am assuring you the worst is coming ahead.
Because 2015 I was one of the chief campaigners for Buhari, the same 2015 I had problems with many of my friends. Here in this office, we quarrel here every day. Because when I first met Buhari, in March 1970 in my village during the civil war. The action he took over the crises between the Armies and my people. That was very impressive. Then, in 2015 I thought that such a man with a fine lifestyle, becoming a president would have people at his heartbeat, but these eight years the man’s character is the reverse. I know all of you are not happy with the situation in the country. You Pressmen are not happy. But you can’t say so, yet your consonants show you are not happy. So, it is very unfortunate, our country is in a very sorry state today.
We know everybody is disappointed. Are we to blame the man alone or the cabals around him?
But when he came on board he said he was the President for all. But what is happening now is the reverse of the case.
Finally, did you think this person coming after Buhari would be able to fix Nigeria to the position we are all yearning for after the 2023 elections?
We should start from the known to the unknown. We have known him since he was the governor of Anambra state. When you ask him a question he will tell you to go and verify. He has never stopped to ask that question. Did anybody come out to say what he said is wrong? Among the major presidential candidates, Atiku is fighting themselves calling Tinubu a drug addict, and Tinubu calling Atiku a corrupt person. Who has accused Obi? There are those things Nigerians should reason So I feel this is the man we can trust, and I feel that if we get Obi at the helm of affairs of this country I strongly believe that Nigeria would be better managed. Let us not forget he is the only candidate that thinks well for this country by planning to move Nigeria from consumption to production, and that is a plus for him. That is my opinion.
But people are saying he had no structure, from his village wards, at his state Assembly, and the National Assembly. Even in some states, he has no governorship candidates. How is he going to coup up?
By the way, what do we mean by structure? Local government is not a structure whereas structures are human beings, and they are the people. I have told you to start from the known to the unknown. From Southeast to Southsouth, from Northeast to Northcentral, or from Southwest to Northwest, tell me where Obi has not gained popularity more than the rest of the candidates. Let us be sincere to ourselves. Now, let go to the entire Middle belt. No other candidates can win Obi there. No, you still talk about structure. You talk of the Christian structures in the core north those are the Obis’s structures. The responsible Muslims feels so bad about what has happened, those who think they are the worst hit by Boko Haram insurgent will do the needful at the poll and they are many. So, structures are not voting, and voting is done by human beings.
Didn’t we see a situation where everybody in Labour Party belongs to other political parties, and everybody in those parties is talking about Obi? And there are some States where Labour Party does not have governorship candidates, there are also some states where the Labour Party does not have House of Reps and Senate candidates. So, who is he going to work with, or is it the same APC/PDP members which have held this country to the current state of predicament, that he is going to work with and achieve what he wants to achieve for the country?
No, just recently, the Federal High Court, Abuja gave an order to INEC that the 24 states of the federation, where the Labour Party had candidates should be restated immediately the INEC respected the court order and they have restated accordingly. Those who organise rallies are the humans. So, Obi as he stands is not to be pushed aside.
Did you think Anambra is Nigeria, won’t he fail?
No, they will not fail, these two men Obi and Datti are loved by Nigerians, they are good pairs, and whoever tries to contend with his administration. End SARS will be the tip of the iceberg.
Let us take you back a bit, what challenges would you face in the Peoples Club?
I don’t think I would encounter any challenges except the challenge will come from me, and that would be if I fail.