Chinelo Obogo
Dr. Imuetinyan Igbinnosa is a member of the yet-to-be-registered Just Party for all Peoples (JPP) and a presidential aspirant who hopes to contest in the 2019 general election.
The 55-year-old former United Nations’ consultant and author say his party took the decision to adopt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a preferred political platform because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), objected to the registration of the JPP.
You are a member of the JPP, yet you have chosen to adopt the PDP as your preferred political platform, what is your reason?
Just Party for all Peoples (JPP) is one of the organisations that applied for registration as a political party but it was not among the recent parties registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Since 2010, INEC has declined three attempts at registering JPP, citing inclusion of a ‘spiritual entity’, because we put ‘God Almighty’ as our party chairman and JPP chairmen only act on His behalf.
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At each registration attempt, we paid administrative fees of N100, 000 plus each time, so a lot of money was spent. The JPP National Executive Committee (NEC) felt bad when the administrative fee alone was suddenly increased to N1million and since it is not our way to
quickly go to court, we decided to adopt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as our party for the coming 2019 elections.
Our decision to adopt the PDP came by divine direction. As we campaigned and strengthened JPP structure in each state capital in the South-West and South-East, members came together and unanimously agreed that it was the right decision. PDP is a great party and will present new intelligent leadership Nigerians will vote into power.
Are you still in the presidential race?
I joined the race through God’s divine leading and I am still in it. In the end, the Almighty God and the Nigerian people will choose who is best suited to turn the country around. Every election is a race between good and evil. That the people are groaning loudly is an indication that wicked men are in government, no matter how they try to mask reality.
Electing the same old leaders pre-occupied with building legacies for themselves is like going from frying pan into fire. I am in the presidential race to bring about abundant life which God Almighty wants all citizens to enjoy.
How confident are you that your ambition can be realised on the platform of the PDP?
Divine prodding by God to adopt PDP is my confidence; also, the PDP is a democratic party with a divine mandate. Victory at the polls will not come by the same old leaders with colonial mentality and proven inability to go beyond conflicts and a personal lust for advantage and wealth. It will come through a new generation of intelligent godly leaders, prepared to build on the progress our founding fathers.
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If I am elected, my government will change existing constitutional laws to laws of freedom, end the history of colonisation and bring about constitutional reforms. There would be true federalism in which we would restructure the country in a way that would work.
Citizens would be allowed to express themselves freely and there would be access to credit for small and medium scale investors. I will tackle the scourge of corruption, the Police would be strengthened to effectively and efficiently combat insecurity concerns.
Are you in support of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) as a strong platform to challenge APC in 2019?
Some alliances can only lead to tribulations, depending on the motive for such alliances. If the intent for CUPP is to strengthen house-to house campaign in ways that checks electoral malpractices, then there is no need to be worried about APC.
Do you see any candidate defeating President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019?
That is for the Almighty to decide. I am sure Nigerians will vote-in a government they are convinced will bring about the life that God wants all of us to enjoy. This is where I stand.
What is your view on the recent defections from different political parties?
Political prostitution has a face. In my view, readily switching from one party to another indicates instability and character flaw which many people unfortunately exhibit in government. It is time to elect stable and righteousness leaders to govern a nation where majority of its citizens would transit from a history of colonisation to a future of freedom.
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The trend in elections now is the issue of vote buying which the electoral commission seems hapless about. As a stakeholder, how do you suggest the issue should be handled? Vote-buying is an electoral crime anywhere in the world. Guilty parties and leaders should be punished on one hand.
Also, voters should be enlightened to resist this temporal gratification that sustains this history of colonisation, under-performance and underdevelopment our people suffer.
INEC must courageously eradicate electoral malpractices by punishing offenders like vote-buyers by disqualification and blacklisting. Although majority Nigerians suffer deprivation in the midst of plenty, let us remember how Esau who lost his birthright and privileges because of a plate of pottage.
Resist temporal gratifications, collect your Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and vote-in new generation of intelligent leaders who will build a new developed Nigeria under God.
From the ongoing political calculation, the North seems to be favored to produce the next president in 2019, what are your chances in terms of zoning?
Who believes the North is favored to produce the next president? Is it God Almighty, or the Nigerian citizens, or a minority interest and party? If favored by God Almighty, then I joyfully and respectfully yield to the will of our loving Creator who alone speaks freedom for all.
If favored by Nigerian citizens, then we must convince Nigerians that intelligent leadership that understands good governance
is what the nation needs, no matter where the leader is from.
If favored by a minority interest or parties, then let us continue campaign to convict citizens that enthronement of unpalatable privileges, of redundant interests, and of archaic retrogressive chauvinism, altogether empower mediocrity and sustains colonization.