Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo-Okom is a former Chief Whip of the Anambra State House of Assembly. He served on the committee, which reviewed the foundation Constitution of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2014. In 2015 and 2019, he contested for Orumba North/Orumba South Federal Constituency of Anambra State.

In the run up to the 2025 Anambra State governorship election, he speaks on the performance of Governor Charles Soludo and other issues.

What is your take on the alignment and realignment in Nigeria’s political space ahead of 2027 general elections?

When it comes to the issue of political affiliation, the present political statistics show that most Nigerians, including myself, are not happy with the present situation of the country. Any reasonable Nigerian at this hour is prepared for how to improve the situation of things in this country. And in that pre-occupation, status quo is not an option because you can’t be doing things the same way always and expect a different result. Definitely, where I am right now, I’m in the rank of those in search of better future for Nigeria.

The Presidency and ministers are railing against the All Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition which consists of major gladiators. What is your view on the assertions that the coalition will pose a threat to the APC in 2027?

Not only will we pray and work for the coalition to stand firm, but we will use the coalition to supplant the ruling party and make things better. As a matter of fact, that is the essence of progress and development of the nation. Where the nation has a way of regeneration because if you are in charge and you are not improving or innovating, a new movement will overtake you and bring in a new order. The People Democratic Party (PDP) was displaced in 2015, but this issue of corruption which they accused PDP of and said they came to fight, has overwhelmed APC. And from all indications the ruling party has lost the capacity to make a difference. So, our expectation is to produce an improvement through the coalition.

If Peter Obi fails to clinch ADC presidential ticket, will that not affect the party?

We will cross the bridge when we get there. As for the ultimatum given by Dr. Julius Abure, what is Abure’s position in Labour Party today? He is a ‘busy body.’ What is his locus standi to give such ultimatum? If that ultimatum was given by the executive members of Labour Party, we will take it serious. Peter Obi has put his hands on the plough and he is not looking back, but the issue is that the coalition’s modus operandi is evolving and I cannot say anything about who will fly ADC Presidential ticket in 2027. But I can tell you just like those who voted for APC in 2015 knew whom to use to defeat PDP. Again, the promoters of ADC know the weapon they have and how to deplore them to defeat APC in 2027.

Do you actually see ADC as an alternative to APC with the caliber of people in the coalition even though the condition of the country has prompted Nigerians to seek for a change in 2027?

Yes, ADC with the caliber of people that formed the coalition is the viable alternative to the ruling APC. They are the caliber of people required to stop the evil that is going on in the country. What they need to do just as Nigerians expect is to provide an alternative. We all saw the result of the presidential election in 2023. What caliber of people were with Peter Obi in 2023 presidential election when he defeated a seating Vice President, some state governors and their parties such as in Rivers and Lagos states; when he defeated the Senate President and the President? The caliber of people behind the coalition reflect the mood of Nigerians at this present time hence Nigerians are waiting for an alternative to APC.

You spent resources to build APC in the Southeast. It is believed that you defected from APC because Tinubu did not reward adequately. What is the true position?

It Is not true and as a matter of fact, it is not a sweet affair. It is a painful experience that after all my investments in APC I really have to step aside. On formation in 2014, I was the Director of Operations of Sen. Chris Ngige Campaign Organisation during the first election outing of APC as a registered political party. In 2014, I was the Secretary of APC National Constitution Review Committee, because at the time of registration of the party, the constitution was hurriedly put together. We sat down in 2014 to review the constitution and put up a standard one. I wrote that constitution because I was the Secretary of that body. Also, I was the House of Representatives candidate of APC in 2015 and 2019 in my Federal Constituency, Orumba North/South of Anambra State. And with other positions I held, all that was real investment. I was the South-East Zonal Coordinator of Nigerian Consolation Ambassadors Network (NCAN). The group that bought and sponsored the party nomination form for the late former president, General Muhammadu Buhari, in the 2015 Presidential election. I was No. 16 among the list of those who bought the nomination form and we had been hoping upon hope that things would get better in Nigeria on the promises they made. And my supporters were demanding to know what we were still doing in APC. The reason I dumped APC and joined the current move for coalition by the opposition is to salvage Nigeria from poor performance of APC and meet the needs and aspirations of Nigerians which the ruling APC could not do since 2015.

The reason Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje resigned, is it related to speculation that Rabiu Kwankwaso will join APC?

I don’t know the main reason Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje resigned as the National Chairman of APC. He told us that he left on health grounds and those who are close to him and those who interacted with him days before he resigned said there was nothing like that because he was well and hearty. But we know in politics that what he said could be taken as a political statement. However, if they replace or elevate him with his rival and the Presidential candidate of NNPP in the 2023 election, Rabiu Kwankwasso I won’t be surprised. Because APC loves newcomers ahead of their old members. APC can even sacrifice you, their authentic member, to absorb fresh members. Since 2015 when APC was registered in Anambra State and apart from Sen Chris Ngige, who contested on the platform of APC, no foundation member of APC has been given the flag of the party to contest election till today. Those who called us Boko Haram in 2015 election such as Sen Tony Nwoye defected to APC and contested the senatorial seat and won. But he wasn’t there when we toiled and laboured to enthrone later former President Buhari. He was ahead of every one of us hence it became obvious that the leaders of the party didn’t want APC to rule Anambra State. In 2021, it was Senator Andy Uba, who used his political prowess in Anambra State. Even though there was no APC primary in Anambra State, he emerged the candidate of the party. The governor of a Southwest state wrote the result by 2.00 am in a hotel in Agulu and announced it. I confronted them, but the state and national leaders of the party were behind him. And this year, Hon Nicholas Ukachukwu stayed in PDP and picked APC governorship ticket for November 8 election in Anambra State. And you still expect reasonable people in Anambra State to remain in the same party? No. So, APC has never treated their members well. That was also one of the reasons I joined the coalition. In the same vein, Ganduje and Kwankwaso were the beneficiaries of the former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who was at the formation of APC. So, they should be sacrificed for someone else.

What is the hurdle hindering resolution of the internal crisis in Anambra State APC ahead of the Nov. 8 governorship election?

APC in Anambra has put it hands to support its head because when you sleep, you put your hand to support your head. They have chosen the preferred hand and placed on their head and that is Ukachukwu. So, they will go with the good and bad in that choice. If it turns out well for them, good luck to them and if does not pay them, good luck to them.

President Tinubu openly endorsed Governor Charles Soludo for second term when APC has a candidate in the November governorship election. What is your view?

What is playing out is showing that President Tinubu is a smart politician. He knows the game very well and because Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is popular. The reason for that is because of his performance in office. The people of Anambra State have testified that they never had it so good and had never seen a thing like this before. So, President Tinubu is aware of Governor Soludo’s achievements within four years. And no way he won’t flow with the winning combination hence Soludo is seeking reelection and he will be reelected in November 8. Those who want to challenge Soludo are counting on rigging. I will tell you a story. In my village some time ago somebody reported his friend to the Town Union, claiming that his friend told him to arrange a killer for him because the person wants to snatch a piece of land from him. And the person he told to arrange a killer for him, thought deep about it and asked himself, so this man is looking at me as a killer? Is that why he wants me to arrange a killer for him? So, he reported the man to the Town Union. Those who are contesting for governorship in Anambra State are not contesting against Soludo, but they are hoping on rigging. They are counting on Tinubu to call him election rigger and President Tinubu will not like to be associated with such stigma. He will endorse somebody who will go to the field and win free and fair election and keep his integrity intact. Those who are hoping that President Tinubu will help them rig election are plotting to blackmail and portray President Tinubu as election rigger. But President Tinubu is smarter than that hence he won’t allow his enemies to make caricature of him. So, when he endorsed Soludo we were not surprised.

How do you feel about the emergence of Senator Sam Anyanwu as PDP national secretary?

Nyesom Wike is proving to be a superman in Nigeria’s political space and he is proving it each day, but the only antidote is that God did not create any man to be a champion forever. When his cup is full he will be set aside and another person will take his place. Such action doesn’t last and I don’t know why he doesn’t know that. His fall will be how Nuhu Ribadu described it “Catastrophic.” PDP has played into the hands of their enemy because of the same problem that bedeviled it, that caused their downfall. None of them, especially the governors are there for the interest of the people, but for their selfish interests. Sometimes you don’t know if they are hungry. When we were in PDP in Anambra State in 2007 and 2011, PDP governors that were sent to conduct free and fair primaries in Anambra State came to collect bribes. Tell me, with that mindset would such people look away from Wike’s pocket? They cannot. When you see the way a governor is following a fellow governor, it looks shameful. So, we saw it coming. Today, Tinubu and APC, Igbo will say “Onwu Nze adi ibe njo” meaning “the misfortune of a great man is not bad news to his enemy.” So, the battle for a rival of two parties is not a bad news. But that is for human beings, but when God steps in everything ends. God is with the coalition and He is our guide. Meanwhile, the so-called reinstatement of Sen Sam Anyanwu as the National Secretary of PDP is not a new omen for PDP. Threat by the South-East Caucus to leave PDP if the so-called reinstatement of Sen Anyanwu was not reversed is uncalled for. Because it won’t be good for them to protest and still be members of a destabilised political party. Instead, they should join the coalition to salvage Nigeria.

What is your advice to the electorate ahead of 2027?

Nigerians and the electorate must know how to have their way, cast their votes and make their votes to count in 2027. They must have a say on who rules them even though it wouldn’t come on a platter. In 2023 we saw what happened and by the time the abracadabra was done by the INEC and Supreme Court, Nigerians that were supposed to confront them and demand a reversal were just on the sideline watching them, helpless. So, these are things they won’t allow to repeat. There is no electoral reform that will work if there are no personnel to enforce the law in INEC. You must have population that can enforce such laws. So, these are some of things Nigerians must gear up to pursue. The record of the ruling APC is bad because 95 percent of Nigerians are tired of their gimmick. This large number of Nigerians would have their say and their way to produce the outcome of 2027 election results. (Sunday Sun)