Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd) is a former military governor of Akwa Ibom State, as well as former commander of the Presidential Air Fleet and chairman, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF). In this interview with Tony Anichebe, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain speaks on the state of the nation and governance in his state, among other

You recently clocked 68, how has it been?

At every birthday, I give glory to God. He is the omnipotent and omniscience and we are only but pencils in His hands. He is the creator of the universe. My prayer has always been whatever God wants me to be or do, let Him use me to achieve it. Every time I mark my birthday, I see God’s purpose in my life and am also realizing the purpose to the glory of His name. It wasn’t an easy journey for me. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon. I have gone through a lot of experiences in life and I believe for everything that I could not achieve when I desired is God’s plan for me to continue my abiding faith in Him and to use that experience to achieve whatever assignment He has for me. In spite of the fact that I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, God gave me a very happy life and family and I cannot stop being grateful to Him.

Do you have any regrets that at this age and are there things you wished to achieve, but failed?

I don’t see anything I set out to achieve, which I did not. I was born here and I have done what God wants me to do to the best of my ability. He did not make the mountain to become lower, but He gave me the wisdom and courage to surmount challenges. I have nothing to regret and I must say that if I have the opportunity to do a lot of things I have done before, I will probably do them the same way.

At a very youthful age you became the military Governor of Akwa Ibom State and posted remarkable achievements. But your effort to return as civilian governor failed. Will you still try again?

I don’t think so. What happened was that when I came as military governor, I saw the plight of the people and did my best before I was transferred. People said I should have stayed longer and there were questions here and there. I don’t think it would be necessary again for me to aspire again because for some time now I have had the opportunity to contribute ideas on how the government is administered. The man in charge at present is doing more because he has other channels open for him and if I am there, I would have been probably done the same thing.

In a developed society, things are well streamlined and there is nothing like saying this is an action governor or this is an action president. There are programmes and manifestoes of the party and all that an elected official does is to implement them. In a true democratic setting, there is nothing like an action governor, chairman or even president. However, Akwa Ibom has been lucky to have good leaders and I also have been privileged to support and advise the leaders. So, there is nothing that will make me to contest election again in Akwa Ibom, I think I have passed that stage.

You presently lead the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), are you impressed with the achievements of the group?

I am not satisfied, but the South-South region has a peculiar terrain. We are the people endowed with the natural wealth that is keeping the country afloat, but we are not like some of the major ethnic groups that are homogenous, which are more united by same tradition and language. What PANDEF has done is to provide an umbrella for unity in the South-South. Before now, when you talk about South-South, it is either Ijaw, Ibibio, Itshekiri Urhobo, Efik and others. But now, we have one voice, which is PANDEF. Everybody comes through the platform, but that has not killed the spirit behind individual ethnic solidarity. However, in the South-West, South-East and some Northern states, they have achieved a certain level of cohesion, which we are yet to achieve and that slows us down.

Secondly, God made it that even though the wealth of the nation is domiciled in our land, we cannot achieve cohesion until we start coming together. I am sure that if the oil wells in the Niger Delta region were found among the other bigger ethnic groups in the country; they would have seceded from Nigeria by now. But we will not do that. We will continue to provide the resources needed to move the nation forward even though we are minorities of the South. Again, there is need for synergy between minorities of the South and minorities of the North in order to become majority too. We are working towards the minorities coming together to form majority.

We cannot talk about the tripod of the country, when there is the fourth group, which cannot be ignored and they are ready to come together to become as strong as the first three. Nigeria will be more stable. As Niger Delta and PANDEEF, I think we are getting somewhere. The governors and National Assembly members from the South-South must contribute towards the development and unity of the region because one of the major problems we have within the Niger Delta is that the political leaders are too individualistic. PANDEF is working tirelessly to achieve unity and cohesion among people of the Niger Delta region.

The 16 point Agenda tabled before Mr. President by PANDEF is part of the strategy to help develop the Niger Delta. What is your take on the non-implementation of your agenda by the President?

It is sad that it has not been realized because those in power believe they can do things with impunity and get away with it. When we offered the 16 point agenda, it was in the interest of this country. The young men in the creeks at that time were blowing up oil pipelines, which forced Nigeria into recession in 2016 as oil production dropped from about two million barrels of crude oil per day to about 600/700 thousand barrels per day. It was when the Federal Government needed dialogue to settle the matter and there was nobody to talk with that accelerated the birth of PANDEF. We came together and put out the 16 point agenda. If you look at the agenda, you found out that it is not all about money; some of what we have there will not cost any money but just political goodwill.

As the President assured then that it will be a working document, we thought we were on the same page in order to achieve lasting peace in the Niger Delta. It is easy to talk about development, but there can’t be development in the absence of peace and there can’t be peace if there is no justice. Do justice to the people and they will guarantee you peace; and when you have peace, there will be development. I am just hoping that someday, someone will realize that we brought the 16 point agenda in the interest of the country. Out of the 16 point agenda, only one has been taken up and out of the one, only half is being implemented; that is the Maritime University of Okerenkoko. But even at that, it was not without intimidation and harassment of the people of Gbaramatu.

The second half of that is the upgrading of Maritime Academy, Oron, which they are yet to consider. All others have been silenced using bureaucratic bottlenecks. The Vice President Osinbajo went round and made noise about the relocation of international oil companies (IOCs) but nothing is heard about it again. It makes things difficult for us because if such a situation reoccurs, which we pray it doesn’t, the people will not believe in us elders as they will accuse us of not achieving the initial agenda for peace. It will make it a bit difficult for us.

In the past we have had our people who have paid the supreme sacrifice such as Adaka Boro, Saro Wiwa and Odi Community which was leveled in anger by soldiers. We decided that there must be new ways of ensuring peace which is why we opted for dialogue. We hope the Federal Government will see the need for dialogue as we canvassed since November 1, 2016.

What do you make of the regional security outfits being set-up to tackle security challenges and what are the plans of the South-South?

The South-South and Middle Belt Forum have before now even agreed that we cannot sit down and be slaughtered like goats. The people who are doing the slaughtering are not condemned by the Federal Government, but only their acts. World leaders labeled Boko Haram as the second most deadly terrorist group in the world, but the Nigerian government is quiet about that and they are here asking farmers and herdsmen to live together. Today the terrorist group has gone from Boko Haram to Islamic State of West Africa, expanding across the continent and you think people should fold their hands.

We are happy that it is the South-West that kick-started the security outfit. When they turned the Middle Belt to a killing field and extending it to Edo and Delta, we warned that it is a national crisis because when they finish with the Middle Belt and South-South, they will extend it to South-West. I am happy that the South-West has taken the decision. Others are at different stages and will soon manifest as to secure oneself is a fundamental right anywhere in the world. Nobody can stop anybody from doing that. What the South-West did was to effectively co-ordinate the existing vigilante groups before people take to self-help in securing themselves.

The central security system cannot do it all alone. There is nothing to suggest that we must have on unitary system of security in the country with the present circumstances and it is the unitary system of government against federalism that is killing the country today. It is the unitary system that led to the killing of General Aguiyi Ironsi, the first military Head of State of Nigeria. The North thought they will lord over them and it snowballed into his death. Today they are enjoying the unitary system of government because power is domiciled with them. This is not the federalism that our people fought and died for. Security should be a basic right every government should offer its citizens and if it can’t guarantee that, there is no need having such government in place.

Nigeria seems to be at a crossroads at the moment, do you think that restructuring will address the nation’s numerous problems?

My take on this is that out of mischief or ignorance, some people have started branding restructuring as if it is an evil word. It is only a fool that will be doing something and it is not working for him and yet continues in the same way. Even at personal level, if you are doing something and it is not working, you will amend it and when you do that, you are restructuring. I don’t see why it should sound like an evil word to anybody. I have said before that if Nigeria does not restructure in a controlled manner, the country will restructure itself and that is part of what we are seeing.

I am of the opinion that Nigeria should exist as a country, while we work towards nationhood. We must accommodate each other. It is when some people don’t accommodate other people that talk about separation starts. But to me, separation should not be in the agenda. Let us enjoy the Nigeria that our founding fathers worked for and which subsequent generations also toiled for. Let us accommodate each other and restructure, so that everybody contributes to the growth of this country. The country is vast and only restructuring will help us achieve our great potential.

Nigeria has all indices of power and greatness; it is just for us to galvanize what we have and create a better country which all will be proud off. Those who kick against restructuring may be the greatest beneficiary if only they will take time to learn the advantages that comes with it. Nigeria would have been greater than this, but our problem is that we are living a kind of life in which just one person thinks for the over 200 million people and we are looking helpless. We should be like a salad bowl, which has individual ingredients, but when put together becomes a good meal.

Nigeria has gone beyond the level, where just one man will be thinking for it. It may have been good in the military era, but not good at all for democracy. Military intervention had its advantages in building infrastructure and achieving unity; that is why you see the National Youth Service Corps, unity schools and others. But the military could not have given us democracy. In democracy, you are now to choose who leads you and have your self-dignity. It will be sad for one to live as a second class citizen in his country because problem will come. Lean freedom is better than fat slavery.

You said if Nigeria fails to restructure, the country will on its own restructure itself. With the setting up of Amotekun, a regional security outfit by the South-West, can we say that restructuring has started?

You can judge for yourself because after this, some other issues will crop up and which will come down to restructuring. At the 2014 National conference, a lot was achieved, we had from the conference 600 recommendations and most of what we talked about are there, but they have been all sidelined. Decisions at the conference were taken by consensus and every part of the country was represented and all walks of life represented.

So, if Nigerians at that level came together and said this is what they want, who is that one that will say no, and that we should all take directives from him because he is wiser than the 492 that participated in the conference? These are the issues I am talking about. When they finish running around, they will eventually accept the idea of state police. Those with serious democracy have it. Go to America and you will see federal police, state police, local council police and even the universities have police. So, what is the big deal? What are we afraid of? Some Nigerians are slow to embrace modern and new ways of doing things.

Before the arrival of GSM, there were so many excuses to limit telephone services in the country only to NITEL. The media was worst. People kicked against the establishment of private radio and televisions with excuses that they will take over the country. Today, have they taken over anything? Look at the print media, it used to be only Daily Times and West African Pilot, but with liberalization, are we not better off now?

Human nature sometimes doesn’t like change and those who see opportunity to exploit it will also take advantage. So I believe in time, if they don’t do the restructuring now, the country will restructure itself and I pray that Nigeria will not restructure itself in an uncontrolled manner that we won’t know how it will end.

Twenty years after its creation, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) appears to have derailed from the ideals which informed its establishment. Given the recent forensic audit ordered by the Mr. President, what is your take on NDDC?

I always think very little about what goes on in NDDC because even when it was established, the actors merely put it together to assuage the feelings of the people of Niger Delta region. I am not sure they were sincere about addressing the problems of Niger Delta, when they created NDDC. They put up the commission, but the major working force is outside the Niger Delta. That is why those of us in PANDEF said we supported the forensic audit to the extent of the funds allocated to it and how it was disbursed. We want to see the beneficiaries and I know you will soon see those who have nothing to do with Niger Delta, who have come, picked the job and the money, abandoned the projects and ran away and we suffer the brunt.

Somebody told me we have created the Ministry of Niger Delta, as if it is not like any other ministry. They talk about the creation of NDDC and I thank God we have other regional development commissions coming up because I have not seen how the one we have has helped the region. The important thing now is restructuring, so that everybody will develop at their own pace. There is no point for all these development commissions, which people are scrambling for. As far as I am concerned I am in support of forensic audit. We want to know the beneficiaries of the NDDC contracts, so that those that executed them, we will thank and appreciate and then ask those that abandoned theirs the reason for doing so.

Akwa Ibom State contributes heavily from it resources to the national purse, yet there is no federal presence in the state and all federal roads linking the state to neighbouring states are in deplorable condition. What is your take on that?

We have to ask the Nigerian government the reason. The shame should go to the Nigerian government. Let me give you one example. Sometime ago, people from the European Union called me from Calabar around 3.pm that they wanted to come and see me in Uyo and gave me appointment by 6.pm same evening. But it took them six hours to arrive Uyo around 9.pm, a journey that should at most, take 45 minutes. I had to meet them next morning and as diplomatic as they were, they confessed that it would have been easier to fly from Calabar to Abuja or Lagos and fly from there to Uyo to see me. They told me of the herculean challenges they meet on that Itu-Odukpani-Calabar road.

However, as embarrassing as it was, I apologized to them. It was good they saw it, so that when we talk about it, they won’t say we are just been emotional or exaggerating. That is the only road linking the two oil producing states. If they had done the East-West road which ought to go through Oron to Calabar, that issue would not be there. The Itu- Odukpani-Calabar road was built several years ago with heavy duty vehicles plying it daily. In some parts of the country, roads are being expanded from two to 10 lanes. That is the injustice we are talking about. It has affected several areas in the region. The shame of that road rests solely on Nigerians, who are daily meting out injustices to their fellow country people.

Four years plus, are you impressed with achievements of Governor Emmanuel, who you have worked for as director-general of his campaign organization twice?

The whole country is impressed by the achievements of Governor Emmanuel and we have heard comments made by Vice President Osinbajo about him. Even the President must have the same impression about him and that could be the reason he calls him to come sometimes when it has to do with economic matters. So, to that extent, the governor has done very well. We should thank God that we have someone like him at the time he came. Upon coming into government, there was recession, which he navigated very well. He came from a background that recognises his potential which made things easier for us.

I am aware of the months, when funds were not there for salaries, he will go out and solicit for loan to pay and since they know him, they usually oblige him, while he gives back once funds were available. His background, connections and goodwill have attracted over 15 industries to the state and still counting. Nobody will invest in a place that he cannot guarantee his return on investment. He has built investors’ confidence, provided security and serene environment, including power. For investors, there is a guaranteed source of energy, communications and security.

Akwa Ibom is the first state in Nigerian to own a commercial airline; can Ibom Air stand the test of time?

I want you to know that government has no business in running the airline. Ibom Air is designed to be operated as a private concern. Government is a major shareholder, but there is a management in charge of the day-to-day operations. There is no government’s interference in Ibom Air at all. I am the chairman of Ibom Air, but I cannot afford to go late for boarding or they will leave me behind.

As a stakeholder, 2023 is Uyo Senatorial District’s turn for governorship. How ready are they to produce governor after Udom Emmanuel?

Yes, I am a stakeholder and we have been praying over it. I have been talking to a few people and have been advising them. I don’t know who will take over from Governor Emmanuel, but my advice to them is that if they start fighting, if they don’t concede and see to it that only one person, no matter the number that is interested will be the governor, then we have derailed.

I do tell the people coming to consult me to do so with open mind and also talk to others to cooperate and work with them for the benefit of Uyo Senatorial District. I have advised them on this line, but if they engage in fighting, perhaps the preferred candidate wanted by Uyo people may lose to an opportunist who may not be the one who the Uyo Senatorial District wants to be the next governor of the state. (New Telegraph)

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