From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Prince Benjamin Apugo is the Oparaukwu/Ochiagha Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State. Apugo who is also a national caucus and Board of Trustees (BoT) member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in this interview, spoke about Nigeria during the ex-President Muhammadu Buhari years.
He equally spoke about Abia in retrospect, saying that 32 years after its creation, Abia has scored zero.
He also spoke on other issues. Excerpt:
This year’s Ibeku New Yam festival coincided with Abia at 32. How do you feel about Abia at 32?
Zero, Abia at 32, nought. I think the state will start surviving from 33.
Why do you say so?
I said so because a new government has taken over the place. A new government that took over after the mess up by Abia looters over the years. People messed up Abia, not that the state was not having its subventions or not having its IGR, but the past leaders messed up the place. They stole everything here and never developed one single thing all these years. A new person has come in and I believe the new governor that has come will listen to people like us and do the right thing, he will not follow the bandwagon.
You appear so optimistic about Alex Otti, why do you think he has the magic wand?
I’m optimistic about Alex Otti because I can talk to him and he will listen; if he doesn’t listen, I will continue to talk to him, he must listen.
Otti’s administration is about 100 days in office, could you make a quick assessment of it?
Sincerely speaking to you, I am not in government, I’m not part of the government. I have been told that a lot of job is being done in Aba. If that is so, something has happened because it was not like that before. So, we can be looking at that of Aba to assess the 100 days. I have also heard that a lot of ghost workers have been fished out from Abia civil service who were being used to siphon money in the past. I was also informed that workers in Abia now receive their salaries at the end of every month, which was not the case before. I think these are some of the few things I will give Otti’s administration credit.
You are a statesman and a stakeholder in the state and whatever you say is taken seriously…
(Cuts in) Yes, I am. You have heard me severally condemning the past administrations. I never for once told anybody they did well. Both T.A. Orji and (Okezie) Ikpeazu. The Ikpeazu man I don’t even know him in person. I just worked across him at the airport and once he followed one of my sons at night to come to my compound. I wouldn’t have used that night to know him, so, I don’t count him as past governor.
There have been boasting by the opposition parties, especially the PDP that they are going to remove Otti through legal means. As the man you supported during the election and still supports, does that worry you?
No, no, no, they are talking rubbish. Why didn’t they remove him at the polling booths? Abians were frustrated by the actions of the PDP government. It was only those who looted Abia money with them would be happy. They will give 160 names to a local government chairman and they will be paying you the salary; you are one of the leaders of PDP, they will be paying salaries of the ghost workers, they will bring this money to your place every month. They will be happy. Many of them in Abia State lived that way. So, what are they talking about? They should have removed Otti at the ballot, not by saying we will remove him at all costs. Look, let me tell you something, if any man or woman from PDP is given Abia free to govern, if he or she has sense, the person won’t attempt to take the offer because Abia people will lynch the person. Abia will never accept a PDP administration in the state again. What they are saying is no threat at all.
As a member of the national caucus and BoT member of APC, what’s your assessment of the party presently?
Well, one, we are overdue to go for national convention and do state congresses because immediately after every national election, all political parties go back for national convention and congresses. Since I know the period of all those people holding national and state offices have expired, I will take no offence from anyone because their tenures have expired. So, appointing (Abdullahi) Ganduje as caretaker, I will not judge him at all because caretaker doesn’t have power to do anything. So, I am not going to assess my party because presently, it is not a party with elected officers.
The other day, some members of your party from the state went to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ben Kalu to confer leadership of the party on him while someone like you is around, what’s your reaction on this?
Well, I’m not contesting leadership of the party in the state with anybody, he is in the House of Reps, I’m not there, I’m a national officer of the party. I am a member of BoT of the party, I am a member national caucus of the party. As a Deputy Speaker House of Reps, he can never be BoT member, he can never smell membership of the national caucus, I’m talking about the party. Anybody going to him is because of the position he holds in government which does not give him any position in the party.
Going by your relationship with Governor Alex Otti, are we not going to likely see a situation where you will advise your party, APC, not to field any candidate in future election in order to allow the incumbent a second term?
This is presumption, this is hoping against hope, until when the time comes, when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. At that time, we will look at things the way they will come.
Governor Otti recently set up a Panel of Inquiry to recover government property and looted funds. Some people are not happy and are doing everything to stop the work of the panel. What’s your take on this?
The issue there is that I know Abia was looted. I know that many property that belong to the state of you and I, were stolen by individuals purportedly in the name of government when in actual fact, there was nothing that was attached to The government in that stealing. If Otti doesn’t get those things back and they are made public, some Abians will go to court to make sure all those property are revoked as long as findings point out they belong to the state. I won’t want those property after recovering you keep them, saying it is government property, I will want them destroyed so that the man will not see it again in life. Look at our market here which TA Orji took and sold. Just like the PWD in Umuahia that was in existence even when I was in school, go there and see the type of private buildings that were built there. Even the roads within the area were all blocked to serve the interest of one or two persons. Go to the cemetery, it is now a private estate, it was sold by the government of T.A Orji. Go to Ministry of Works, and that of Lands, you will see things that will make your heart to bleed. Otti is even slow on that, I don’t know the type of panel he constituted. The panel members were supposed to have finished their job by now. You know it’s only me who can say this and I expect you journalists to also help by reporting the way things are in the state.
You have only dwelt on property, what about the alleged looted funds?
The looted funds should be recovered and inflated contracts revoked and money collected back. The people involved jailed and if the governor doesn’t go that way, I will quarrel with him, I will fall out with him. If he does not punish these people that looted this state for all these while, and instead they are making efforts to stop the panel, Abians will not be happy with him. They should be brought out publicly and flogged.
How would you assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration?
No, I won’t talk about Bola Tinubu’s administration now. They are at the tribunal, it will be after that.
What would you make out of Nigeria going to war to restore democratic governance in Niger Republic?
Have you been able to go to war with Boko Haram here? We were told of the number of jet fighters that were bought, where are they? Somebody told me that one of them was missing, did anybody find it and bring it back? What about the six drones you said you bought from America, where are they? Muhammadu Buhari’s administration brought darkness to this country, yes, darkness. Just like the last two administrations here brought darkness to Abia State. Let us not talk of going to war in something that does not concern us. Niger is a country as Nigeria and we shouldn’t interfere in its internal affairs. I will not support anyone that said he was going to war in Niger. Some northerners that I know have said if we try it, they will turn their guns against us because some of them are Nigeriens. These people have borders with seven states in Nigeria and you want to go to war, go to war to fight yourself. Anyway, to be sincere to you, there has never been a time Tinubu said we are going to war, so, we should not be talking about something he did not say.
How do you react to FG’s removal of fuel subsidy and the attendant hardship?
Look, it is the same thing. Corruption has taken a very big space, about 99 per cent in this country. If not so, we have refineries that are not working. Contracts have been awarded to more than 10 companies, I know some of them, they all have been awarded contracts for Port Harcourt refinery and the money had been paid, but you don’t see them there. One of the companies is owed by the son of a former president, they never executed the job. The removal of fuel subsidy which Tinubu did is excellent, I support him on that.
Are you not looking at the hardship it has brought to Nigerians?
No, no, no, it has not brought hardship to anybody. The hardship was there before the removal. Since the Buhari’s administration, this country has suffered hardship. The only thing is that they paint the economy of this country with falsehood. We as individuals in this country are supposed to have much money, but because that money is not there, that’s why you are filling the pinch of the removal of fuel subsidy. The only thing is that few people looted our money and the rest are suffering it. What (Godwin) Emefiele is suffering today, if he is suffering at all, is that he is in the gang of those that put us in this crisis. He knew we don’t have foreign reserve, he would publish that Nigeria has foreign reserve in trillon. After 24 hours, it will be reduced to zero because before you wake up, he had gone round to refund those trillion. Those are the things that put us in this problem.
What appeal are you making to the Minister of Works who happens to be your son, for the rehabilitation of the Umuahia/Bende/Ohafia and the Umuahia/Ikot Ekpene Highways which are in bad condition?
I’m not making any appeal to any minister now until after the tribunal’s case. If at he end (Dave) Umahi remains the minister, it’s not me that will talk to him, but the governor. Come to think of this, in other states, the governors do the roads that belong to the Federal Government and demand the money back, so, the governor of Abia should know that Bende Road is paramount because of its strategic location.
What’s your advice to Abians concerning the present administration in the state?
My advice is that the people should exercise patience. It is my believe that Otti will not fail them. And you journalists should assist in making sure Otti will not fail the people.