President, Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), Prof Uzodinma Nwala, no doubt is among the Igbo leaders with credibility and integrity and whose views are highly respected.

In this exclusive interview with Sunday Sun, he speaks on the Nigerian condition, the 2023 elections, IPOB position on the upcoming elections, the Peter Obi phenomenon, among other crucial national issues. Excerpt:

What is your take on this issue of Naira re-designing and what it is turning out to be in terms of dislocations, socially and economically?

Well, my position has always been that the whole programme and timing are ill-conceived. I have never seen a country where, given the kind of election that is facing us, which is so contentious, controversial and crucial for our survival, you now compound it again with naira re-designing or naira swap. There must be something those plotting for this want to achieve. Look at the fuel matter also. It is very unfortunate that we are facing these crises at this crucial time. They are doing it in such a way that it is bringing more hardship and frustration to the people. You are lost with the one to face; either that of insecurity, or hunger or that you cannot access your money…I have not seen a government that is this heartless in inflicting pains on its citizens. Look at the burden that they are piling up on the people? My only advice is that those with good conscience, those that are sincerely looking or desiring a better Nigeria must wake up to this challenge and never bulge to their antics. What is happening now must spur, encourage or force us, I mean, those that really want to take back their country, not to relent, but to continue to push for a better Nigeria. They must not lose hope, they must not be diverted, and they must remain focused and be on the alert. All is not about money, there is a limit to what money can do, so they must persevere and should not relent, they should rather continue to let hope arise. They should sustain the good campaign they have started no matter the effect of hunger and suffering that they are experiencing. This is a golden opportunity for them to push further and not relent on this struggle to salvage Nigeria. If you look at what is playing out, you can see that Nigerians have decided to make a change, they have decided to take the bull by the horns. Nigerians are going through a designed plot of saboutage. Nigerians are tired with the status quo and they need a bit of fresh air. And they have seen that candidate; they have identified that candidate that they trust will give them the desired change. If they don’t tamper with the election, that candidate will emerge and Nigeria will be better for it. Nigerians have seen the arrival of that individual on the political scene, and you can see the unusual movement building up to support him, the massive followership, his aura, the divine charm following him has been unprecedented. Everything about his emergence and acceptance by Nigerians point to the fact that he is on a divine mission to take the country back to the people.

The irony is that even the presidential candidate of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is also raising the alarm that he is the target and a gang-up against him?

And you believe him? He is joking. They know where the money is hidden. Do you think the bullion vans are no more there? Forget what he is saying because what is playing out is not a surprise to them, it is their plot. He can only tell such fairy tale to little children. Nigerians are matured enough to decode some of these things. Of course, we know they will deny to abstain themselves from blame, but we are wiser. He is part of the orchestra, so forget about what they are acting out or saying, it is a scipt. What you see playing out is their game; it is part of their political scheming. Nobody should listen to Tinubu or Atiku Abubakar, all that you see playing out are their plans. But it is only the masses that can make a resolute statement that, enough is enough.

The latest report today is that the Supreme Court has stepped in to stop the Federal Government and the CBN from banning the use of the old currency after 10th of this month (February)?

I am aware of the Supreme Court verdict today, but these things are neither here nor there. That court position is cosmetic. You can start to wonder the type of court and the verdict we are now having. Don’t you see what is now happening? All the criminals who are not supposed to contest election by virtue of the constitution, the Supreme Court has ordered that they should be allowed to contest elections. You can see how the Supreme Court is bringing them back, of course, you know them, I don’t need to mention their names to you again. It’s worrisome and you now begin to wonder about the integrity of our courts and the danger ahead.

The feeler that we are getting is that IPOB is threatening that election will not hold in the Southeast. Are you worried?

From all investigations, all those that are working with Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB are not opposed to the election. We are now having splinter IPOB groups created with ulterior motive. They are being financed to disorganize election in Igbo land, and by extension to enable them disorganize the election of Peter Obi. So, anything they are attributing to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB against the election is not true. They now hide under the disguise of IPOB to commit atrocities that we are witnessing in the Southeast. Let nobody listen to them when they say IPOB does not want election to hold in Igbonland, it is not Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB, rather it is the one (IPOB) that they created and are sponsoring to foment trouble, create instability, create state of fear and inflict pain on our people. Have you not heard Nnamdi Kanu or his lawyer saying his IPOB is not opposed to the election, and that they are not part of the destructions going on in the Southeast. We should not listen to people parading the rumour that election will not hold in the Southeast, that IPOB will kick against election, it is not true, election will hold in the Southeast, Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB is in support of the election holding. What you should know is that the insecurity you see in the Southeast is imported. What they are doing in other places is for them to see whether the election will be cancelled. These are their strategies and they are doing all this to see that the election is cancelled. Ndigbo can never boycott this election, not at all. And not even when their son is leading the pack. You can see the massive acceptance of Peter Obi by Nigerians, across all ethnic and religious groups. It is awesome looking at the crusade the Nigerian masses are leading to ensure that Peter Obi is voted as the next Nigerian president. Even the international community knows that Obi has what it takes to fix this country. He does not make noise, he simply gives you the facts and figures and how he intends to fix Nigeria. He does not involve in abuses like some other candidates, and I can tell you that Peter Obi is God-sent, it is left for Nigerians not to miss this unique opportunity.

But why are you so optimistic about Peter Obi’s presidency?

I have made the point before that Peter Obi can only lose this election if it is openly and brazenly rigged, which will include announcing a result that is not true. From all looks, I have no doubt that he will win, but the challenge is still before all good and committed Nigerians to come out from their hiding places, to push further and ensure they protect their votes. Nobody should allow themselves to be intimidated in this struggle to salvage Nigeria. Peter Obi will not be an Igbo president rather a Nigerian president, so it is not an Igbo fight, it is a Nigerian fight and it is now left to all Nigerians with genuine sense of purpose to continue to support Obi and ensure he emerges victorious. We should not allow this opportunity to escape us and whatever it will require, we should be willing to pay the sacrifice. Many have been playing politics with it, saying that Peter Obi is an Igbo affair…no, he is not. Peter Obi is a Nigerian project and when you look at the way Nigerians, the youths etc, are keying into the project, what it tells you is that they are clear that Peter Obi will chart a new course; they are making the statement that with Obi there is hope for future for the Nigerian people. They know Obi’s antecedents, which they can verify.

In all, are you hopeful that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will deliver on its promise of conducting a free, fair and credible election?

I have my doubts about INEC, but I believe that the God that has raised Obi up this far does not sleep, He (God) knows what to do. Whatever scheme INEC may want to adopt to undermine the people’s choice, God will scuttle it, such scheme will not work. I know INEC will definitely try to do something funny, but any plot against the wish of the people in this election is bound to fail.

There are stories that Peter Obi is not accepted in the North?

Do you believe such stories? Of course, that is not true. Have we not been seeing his campaigns in the North, videos of his campaigns, and what the Emirs, Imams and opinion molders in the North said about him. We are aware of the massive support he has been receiving, so the propaganda that he is not loved by the North is nothing, but political lie? Look, Obi has unprecedented, very massive support in the North. Do you think that the North, that an average Northerner is happy with what is going on there in the North? The North has produced more presidents for this country, what did they do for the North? What did they do to improve the lives and welfare of their people? Nothing. Look at the level of insecurity in the North, the poverty, the hunger, the killings, name them. Do you think an average Northerner is happy? They too desire a change and they are seeing that genuine change coming from Peter Obi. The North is in full support of Peter Obi, that is the truth. Obi is fully accepted in the North. Of course, some people may not like him, especially those keeping the status quo in the North, but when you talk about the majority, Obi is widely accepted. But the enemies are working hard to wake up the old propaganda, to make them hate him because he is Igbo, but such antics will not work again because the people are wiser, knowing that those are the weapons they use to divide them. The Northern youths now know that it is time to shift base and you can no longer deceive them by using religion or ethnic sentiments. These are sentiments that have taken them nowhere, sentiments that have stunted their development over the years. Peter Obi’s major competitors are afraid that he will disgrace them at the poll, that is why they are saying he has no structure and all that.

And I ask them which structure? Is it the structure to rig election? The way things are now it will be difficult for any INEC official to report a different result contrary to the true result of the votes cast. The youths that I see today will not accept it. They will not accept rigging and any attempt to rig Obi out may not be a good story to tell. (Sunday Sun)

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