Former Imo State Commissioner for Finance and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Obinna Okwuaka speaks on various national issues including the calls on President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2011 election, the politics of zoning in PDP and the recent changes at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Ndubuisi Ugah, was there and presents the Excerpts:

Do you think President Goodluck Jonathan should run in the next election? Would you subscribe to his contesting in 2011? The truth is that Jonathan’s academic background and sound political experience make him the candidate to beat if he decides to run. I already see him garnering a lot of support ahead of the election.

The point has been made clear that Jonathan by every right and as a decent Nigerian, has all it takes to run. I want to believe that if the institution of democracy is strengthened and we are also said to be practicing democracy, there should be no need to exclude anybody from running in an election. We should not be talking about democracy, if certain people are inhibited from contesting elections.

Based on all these factors, l see his people in particular compelling him to run believing that this is an ample opportunity for them to do so. Remember that South-South people have always agitated for the presidency of this country to the extent they embraced armed struggle and sounded tantrums of national disintegration. Believe me, there are people who will join them believing that his presidency will bring economic boom and curb armed struggle, kidnappings, among others.

What is your view on the issue of zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?
I hope I am truly competent to talk on this issue. There are various versions of newspaper reports on it. Whether there is written agreement or no written agreement, the time has come for Nigerians to reap the fruit of democracy. We need to strenghten the institution of democracy by enthroning merit and not mediocrity. I want to believe that this is one of the issues that have taken the front burner in the party's discourse and say that zoning is an anathema to genuine democracy. It breeds mediocrity. In an ideal democracy, you do not talk about it. Democracy is all about competition and asks for better alternative.

You can see that when you zone, you sacrifice merit. Honestly, PDP, as big as the party is, has an internal mechanism to address this issue.
With the change of leadership in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and electoral reform yet to be done, don’t you think that the challenges which bedevilled the 2003 election could also characterise the 2011 poll?
I cannot say there are no fears, but I think we have a capable team in the Presidency. We have a team of knowledgeable and experienced Presidential advisers. And the President himself is quite serious and has made a lot of promises.

But just like you rightly asked, we still have a long way to go. I want to commend Mr President for sorting out the problem we have in INEC. That problem of who to succeed Prof Maurice Iwu would have rubbished whatever measures we would have put in place to conduct a credible election in 2011. So, the intervention of the President in that regard has calmed the situation and given a direction to the commission. I am happy that the President has seen the urgency in providing leadership in INEC.

Don’t you agree with those who insist that if the President contests the next election, it is likely that the election might be compromised because of his vested interest?
How would it be compromised? But that is what I am saying that the institution of democracy should be strengthened. If the Senate can hasten up and come up with the electoral reform and with what INEC has done already, it will lead to a credible election. INEC under Iwu carried out a lot of internal reforms as a foundation for a credible election. The reform reflected in the Anambra governorship election and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) election.

The Ghanaian electoral commissioner said for Nigeria to get its election right, there must be consistency. Are you not worried with the level of changes in INEC?
How do you get the consistency? There is no doubt that the removal of Iwu would take us some steps backward. But Iwu should not be worried that he was removed because if you go through the history of the commission, no Chairman has ever been reappointed. It is obvious that we do not want to make use of experience. It is the nation that would continue to suffer. But the new man should consolidate on Iwu’s effort because he was part and parcel of the reforms.

Many have advocated that the seven point agenda of late President Yar’Adua was bogus. Do you subscribe to the position that the agenda should be reduced?
We cannot tell the President what he should do. The enormous resources Nigeria has is enough for any person to make an impact in governance. President Jonathan is quite knowledgeable and experienced and I would not be surprised if he comes up with a workable programme that would reposition Nigeria.