APC chairmanship – There’s no heat on Oshiomhole Moghalu
APC chairmanship There’s no heat on Oshiomhole to resign – Moghalu
APC chairmanship – The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Auditor, Dr George Moghalu, has joined the debate over the portfolios President Muhammadu Buhari assigned to the Southeast ministers and insisted that with Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Igbo would not have asked for more.
Speaking on other issues like Igbo 2023 presidency, the unending crisis rocking the ruling APC and the responsibility President Buhari assigned to his Chief of Staff, he dismissed insinuations that the Southeast geopolitical zone was denied juicy ministries. He further argued that no ministry is more important than the other.
What do you think of the traveling embargo IPOB placed on Igbo political leaders?
What embargo are you talking about? Such thing, if there is any sounds very unreasonable. Based on what authority and wisdom would they place such embargo? What have the Igbo political leaders done individually or collectively to warrant such unreasonable embargo. For me, it does not add up and if they are placing such embargo based on the assumption that they did not fight Igbo cause, I will ask them what Igbo cause they are talking about. I don’t see any cause the Igbo political leaders are supposed to fight for that they are not fighting. Did they ask the best approach to fight a cause in a democracy other than by argument, negotiation, consultation, convincing people and lobbying. I want to be told how they expected us to fight that we are not fighting otherwise, I would tell them that I don’t understand what they are talking about. If they expect us to do what Ayo Fayose did in Ekiti as governor, giving the herdsmen ultimatum, I will tell them that it is not reasonable. The most important thing is that we are in a democracy where every decision is by consultation and convincing people because it is a matter of number. We agreed to do it by consensus before we entered into democratic process. Whatever we want to do must be a function of number. We must convince people to see it from our prism. What we need to do as a people is to continue negotiating and expanding our horizon. We must reach out to as many people as possible so that we can fight our collective interest. We must unify ourselves, pursue a singular agenda and be honest about it. These are the realities I think we should be talking about.
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Did the attack on Ike Ekweremadu give you any concern?
Of course, it gave me serious concern and I was not happy about it. It is not right to any right thinking person, no matter the way one wants to look at it. The action is condemnable and it is not the right way to go. Okay, let us assume that the way to go now is to beat and tear the dresses of Igbo political leaders abroad, what will it change, how will it better our lots as a people and how will it improve our condition as a people? For me, the way to go is to bring our leaders to question and get them to account by rejecting them at the polls. If they claim that the leaders have not done a lot, what specifics do they want from them? It is true that I may not be holding any elective or appointive position today to make impact, but the point remains that there is little or nothing those occupying the positions could do. The option left for us is to get members of the state Houses of Assembly to pass laws that are of peoples’ interest and get the executives to implement them. We have to organise ourselves into pressure groups to present common interest agenda to the Federal Government. We have to negotiate with other political interests and blocks as the way to go in a democracy not members of IPOB beating up Igbo political leaders abroad. If they think that the political leaders are not doing it well, they should teach them how to do it and encourage them. I am always on the people’s side as a matter of personal principle, but the fact remains that I should be in a position to make reasonable contributions, talk and convince somebody to see it from my own perspective and from the perspective of my people.
Are you among the Igbo leaders uncomfortable with traveling outside the country as fallout of Ekweremadu’s attack?
Why should I feel uncomfortable or afraid of travelling outside the country? It is also wrong to think that if they could attack a PDP member, it may be worse for some of us in the APC. Like the Igbo will say, it is the person carrying a load who should be afraid that it may break. I have nothing to be worried about. It is wrong to look at it from the prism of political party.
Are you satisfied with the way Southeast governors and stakeholders have handled Ruga policy of the Federal Government?
It goes beyond the way they have handled the policy. The governors who are the chief executives of various states know that Ruga is not compulsory. The choice of having Ruga is optional and government has come clear on that matter. Those who want it should go for it and get it. It is for the chief executives of our various states to liaise with the state Houses of Assembly and those we elected to represent us to look at our interest. If we think that it is okay with us, we can pass it and go for it otherwise, we stop it. It is optional not compulsory that we must do it.
What do you say about the feelings among the Igbo that President Buhari did not assign juicy ministries to Southeast ministers?
