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Why I’m an Obasanjo fanatic
BY CHIDI OBINECHE
Egbebereugobere@yahoo.com
Monday, November 7, 2005

Former Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Kema Chikwe, has given reasons why she is an unrepentant Obasanjo supporter.
She says his commitment to the Nigerian cause, humility, economic and political reforms as well as administrative innovations stand him out as a man of the people with a clear destiny.

Chikwe spoke with Daily Sun in Abuja, and described herself as “an Obasanjo fanatic,” adding, however, that since Obasanjo has not confirmed his interest to have his tenure extended, everything belongs to the realm of speculation.

On her rumoured interest in the governorship of Imo State in 2007, she says the verdict is not hers but that of the people, arguing, however, that she is most qualified for the job.
She dismissed critics who claim her gender is a problem, saying that what matters is that she is a human being with good credentials for the job.

She took a swipe at the Imo State government for not being development driven, saying that “it is hard to believe even when achievements are advertised, you don’t see them. It makes me sad. Honestly speaking, it is so insulting. When I come home, the environment is so depressing because there is nothing that has changed for the better.”

Chikwe further spoke on the rumoured break up of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the “Abuja group” fighting with her home government, her legacies in office, among others.
Madam, since you left office as a minister, what have you been doing?
I have been in business and also I have been in politics, so, I have been engaging myself with political activities. I have private business and enterprises.

Since you have been in politics, how do you assess the state of our democracy today?
I think the good thing about democracy in Nigeria is that there is a general awareness and this is the period of transition. We do not have an ideal situation yet, but obviously the democracy is working.
Working in what way? Are you satisfied with the tension in the society or rather in this polity?
Well, you refer to it as tension, tell me any country that does not have tension. We are lucky, that tension is because people want to exercise their democratic rights. They want to express their views, they want to establish their perception and there is a total freedom for them to do so. So, when you talk about tension that is because everybody is trying to express his or her right. When we talk about tension, in fact, I say that we are very lucky in Nigeria compared to other countries. Honestly, we are one of the most stable and that is my view.

There is speculation all over, that Obasanjo wants to extend tenure and go for his third term. How do you look at it?
Obasanjo himself has never come out to say that he is going for a third term. But what I think is happening is that people are getting apprehensive about 2007. They are worried, they are trying to look ahead and they have been considering who really can fit into Obasanjo’s shoes. I think that is what the controversy is all about, who can fit into his shoes in 2007 and if some people cannot really establish a case in that direction, then they begin to talk about Obasanjo. People I have heard talked about the extension of his tenure are people who feel that he likes to sustain what he has done. All the new policies, the reform agenda, the anti-corruption war, and you see what he is doing in the private sector now, and people have become concerned that if he does not complete the programme, they will go back to square one, I think it is more of the Nigerian people than Obasanjo talking about 2007 and his extension of tenure.

Looking at the polity now, there is what people have come to regard as “governor bashing”?
You see, the amazing thing is that the president has never exposed anybody. It has never been traced to him that anybody got into trouble because he reported the person. As a matter of fact, I can’t say that there is selective justice in Nigeria. There is no selective justice because if you know Obasanjo well, you have to be very careful with him because he will sign any document against anybody on the issue of anti-corruption, if you are caught or, if you are found wanting. And he has to endorse the process of legal action. He will sign, it doesn’t matter who it is. So, he does not initiate it. He does not go around looking for people to punish and he has said that anybody that has complaints on corruption issues should come up. I mean, look at the ICPC and the EFCC, people go to report, and from what I read, I don’t think that they have overlooked any case.

You said Obasanjo has not said that he will run for a third term but if and when he does, will you support him?
For me, some of us are Obasanjo fanatics because having worked with him, I know, I find it exciting, in fact, the way he has given himself to this country is wonderful. And here is a man whose whole existence is what to do to with Nigeria, he personally supervises most of his programmes. See what he is doing with the private sector. That is the most amazing one, look at the NEPAD business.
The farmers association, the cassava production, the palm oil producing group, these different things are innovation in this country which we wouldn’t expect a president to even bother to supervise. He monitors even little things that will make life better for people. So, at the end of the day, I mean for people like me who have worked with him, you would get carried away and believe that he is really the best thing that has happened to this country. So, that is the truth, I am not saying that we don’t have other persons who could play a good role in governance but it is very difficult to find anybody like President Obasanjo who can give us much as he gives to Nigeria. I mean, he is humble. This is a president who stays all night talking to people, yes, the kind of people he gives the appointment, you begin to wonder, people who never dreamt of going near the villa gate, are able to get appointment with him. He will give them time and explain or people who write to him, it doesn’t matter who they are, he sits down, replies. Unless a correspondence is blocked, otherwise he will reply. Unless an appointment is blocked, otherwise he will receive the person, he does not go around with an air of importance. He is just an ordinary person, he wants to be himself. He wants to be able to interact with people on their level, not on the presidential level.

Looking at your tenure as minister, what gladdens your heart most?
Well, I find it difficult to single out one because they were many but I think that some of the policies like the banning of old aircraft and the banning of one-craft airline were the measure taken for security and safety. You know, that is more important but I also feel happy when I go to airports. So, I feel happy, it is being maintained but I do hope that the touts don’t really return in full force. I am also happy about the terminal in Lagos. It is the temporary domestic terminal you know, that is really necessary but we have to do something comfortable till the new terminal is ready. I’m also happy about the new terminal, which was awarded on BOT basis. It was a very daring step we took, but it was working out very well. I am also happy that we were able to get the airline catering facilities you can see, the building is a landmark near the Catholic Cathedral towards the International Airport and I believe it is the only facility in the West and Central Africa sub-region and I am happy about Imo State Airport terminal.

There have been allegations against you on that?
Those are political allegations for people who are frightened by their shadows because otherwise you can see the terminal building now. It was my initiative, I awarded the contract, the job had commenced before I left. In fact, I personally sat down to design, to say what I wanted it to be like. The materials, most of them had been bought before I left, so it was my dream, my idea. The fact that Sosoliso now is a constant flier and also Chanchangi, they are now flying Lagos to Owerri. So, I am very happy. I am also happy that Virgin has eventually become Nigeria’s air carrier. It wasn’t easy for us to bring Virgin into the country. I am really happy about so many changes that are still there.
There is politics in the air, 2007 is just at the corner, what do you intend to do in politics beyond 2007?
What I intend to do is to continue participating in ensuring or sustaining supremacy of my party, PDP, in every regard to make sure that there is effective mobilisation so that 2007, it doesn’t matter who will contest election in my state, PDP will win.

But we got some reports that you have governorship ambition.
I have never really discussed with anybody that I want to contest that position, but I do know that groups of people talk about this on their own, in the press and sometimes to me and others but you see for me, I take one thing at a time. Right now, we are building the party to create an enabling environment for PDP to win an election, then the individual interest can follow. I don’t expect things I am sure of but let us be sure that PDP is managing itself in a way that it can win an election. My ambition becomes secondary.
How do you look at Abuja group and the home front because I spoke to a commissioner in Imo State and he was saying that their problem is you people in Abuja, in fact he mentioned you.

I think their problem is themselves because they cannot tell anybody that they are more influential in their homes than any of the people in Abuja group. They forget 1998, when the party started, we have been mobilizing for the party, we have constituency, we fund the constituencies, they are beneficiaries of a system. They just get appointment and reap where they did not sow and they have the guts to refer to people as Abuja group. Yes, we live in Abuja, we have appointments in Abuja etc. we cannot be the headache, we are their blessing, because you cannot take a whole step in bondage in political bondage where people are not allowed to express themselves. It is a guided democracy. You have to have free, flowing political activities and interest in the state, where people can make friends with who they choose, people can associate with who they choose but in Imo State, it is impossible. Your friend, in fact, members of your family are dictated for you.

Now, if some groups are seeking you to run for the governorship seat, would you accept it? That is number one and the second one, a high ranking politician told us the other time that there won’t be a day when a woman will rule him as the governor.

Well, I am sorry for any civilised man who talks like that. It is not a question of a woman, it is a question of being a human being, it is a question of competence, it is a question of being qualified, it is a question of doing it better than even that person who says so. It is a question of having a vision and coming on a mission. It is not a question of being a woman because that same person, if he went to school, he must have sat with a woman and many women in a class, he must have taken exams with women and many women may have beaten him in exams. I think it is a very backward thought to think about position in gender terms. I think it is ridiculous. I don’t see that performances should be based on gender and quite frankly so far, it is no longer a hidden secret in Nigeria that women have performed better in positions of authority.

So finally, what is your political vision?
It is to work for PDP and provide an enabling environment for members of my party to excel in all political activities involving election. © 2004 THE SUN PUBLISHING LTD.

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Advent is for the living Tuesday, November 29, 2005 Perspectives
Chuks Iloegbunam

Today’s topic takes into account the Christian season of Advent which started on Sunday. In 26 days, Christmas will be celebrated. But before that date, there is a lot to think and act on. I wasn’t in Nigeria during the 1990s. But I got told a story I should retell here on a poignant moment of that decade. After Chief M. K. O. Abiola’s victory in the June 12, 1993 presidential election was nullified, there was so much national tension that some people thought another civil war was in the offing. Given the widespread apprehension, mass movement ensued of people who sought the safety of their hometowns and states.

I understand that wealthy and influential northern Nigerians contributed money with which they hired vehicles that conveyed their people back to the north free of charge. In contradistinction, wealthy and influential Ndigbo hiked transport fares to unmanageable proportions, thus compelling their kith and kin in search of safety to pay fares through the nose, or to abandon altogether the yearning to flee from believed impending Armageddon.

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