By Chioma Gabriel, Deputy Editor

National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Sir Victor Umeh in this interview speaks on APGA’s support for Jonathan; why PDP should ensure the South-East gets the speakership of the House of Reps; why Bianca Ojukwu is operating from Nigeria’s High Commission in London and other issues. Sir Victor spoke from London.

Excerpts.



Your party APGA supported PDP to ensure the re-election of President. The same PDP is being accused of depriving the South-East in the scheme of things. What’s your view on this development?

It’s not too late for the ruling party and the Federal Government to reconsider what they have done to the South-East.

I have already condemned the present arrangement where the party that produced about 35 members of the House of Representatives through the PDP in the last election should be denied the slot of Speaker and the slot to be given a zone which produced only three members of the House of Representatives through the same party.

So, it is against the principle of equity and justice to give the Speaker to the South-West that produced only three members of the House of Representatives on the platform of PDP. It is sinful . It does not make sense and I suggest that before the inauguration of the House, the matter should be re-visited and remedied.

Is this not an Igbo problem? It appears the South-East threw its weight behind Jonathan without negotiation.

Well, that could be a fact but it’s not strong enough when you consider the volume of support given Jonathan in the South-East.

The votes from the South-East during the presidential election stand at 5.1 million votes. The South-West didn’t pull up to such votes. Although it surprised a lot of people that Jonathan won in Lagos during the presidential election, you must know that 40 per cent of the votes cast in Lagos came from Igbos in Lagos State.


Victor Umeh, The votes from the South-East during the presidential election stand at 5.1 million votes
So, the issue is not about not being able to negotiate from day one, it is something that is being contrived through the present power mongers in PDP structure. One cannot look far from what we are hearing that former President Obasanjo is behind the injustice. President Jonathan is the Commander-in-Chief.

He should be able to release himself from Obasanjo’s influence. It is Jonathan that the South-East supported for presidency and not Obasanjo. So, the issue is for President Jonathan to show appreciation for the absolute support given to him by the South East.

Even my party APGA supported Jonathan because we had no presidential candidate. We threw our weight behind Jonathan. We gave him 100 per cent of our support. We didn’t vote for any other party during presidential election. So, this argument shouldn’t come up.

He should know that something tangible should come to the Igbo nation in return, definitely, not something like SGF. That can only be an addition and that is the point the President must appreciate at this point.

The support given to him was done with utmost trust. He should not betray that trust that should protect the interest of the Igbo nation in his government. We won’t appreciate a situation where a cult within the PDP is now deciding what will go to the people of the South-East.

It is not acceptable to our people. If you look at what has happened, the results of the election are clear to President Goodluck Jonathan. So, he cannot pretend he does not now the role the South-East played in his election. The crux of the matter is the ability to be equitable and fair to all parts of Nigeria.

The issue of zoning today has been reduced to a PDP affair. So, if it is on the basis of party politics, by the results of the election, the South-East should not have a competitor for the position of Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives in this dispensation.

The South-South has produced the President. The South-East produced 35 reps through the PDP. The South West voted in only three people, to the House of Representatives, through the PDP. So, there is no basis for competition between the South-East or South-West on the choice of Speaker. So, from whatever angle you look at it, the South-East has absolute right within the PDP to produce the Speaker.

It’s party politics and on this issue, the President should also remember that zoning of offices in PDP has always been done after elections so that you zone the offices on the basis of rewarding the various zones in the country along the line of interest of the PDP. The current zoning which the party is operating was arrived at after the presidential election won by Obasanjo. So, it is not an issue that has been before going to the election.

If they have zoned the office of the Speaker to the South-West before the 2011 elections, it will not be opened to debate today.

What was the deal APGA had with Jonathan?

We extracted an undertaking that if APGA endorsed Jonathan, PDP should not take a position that would jeopardise the chances of our candidates in other elections. We also supported him based on the understanding that he should transform the South-East zone and stop further marginalisation of Igbos.

We wouldn’t expect APGA to produce the Speaker but we expect the PDP to give the South-East our due right in Nigeria and develop our infrastructure. But having to sit with enemies of Igbos to determine the fate of the people is pure injustice. Jonathan shouldn’t ridicule the Igbos in Nigeria. He shouldn’t do anything like that.

Two prominent women in Anambra State , Dora Akunyili and Joy Emordi left PDP for APGA but they lost in the polls. Why?

They have not lost the elections yet. Akunyili won Anambra Central and we have gone to the tribunal to prove that. We have also served Ngige. In Idemili North, there were strings of evidence of over-voting and the electoral act asks that such votes should be voided. If we remove the polling booths where there were over-voting, Akunyili won the election. All these have been documented by APGA and passed to INEC.

In the case of Emordi, huge frauds were committed in Oyi Local Government, Anyamelum, Local Government, Anambra East and Anambra West Local Government, PDP members were appointed ad-hoc staff of INEC. We have evidence and we protested to Jega and he has taken our protest. So, anybody declared winner in that senatorial district would face APGA in the tribunal. Nobody should celebrate victory yet in the three senatorial districts because APGA will get justice.

Is APGA taking part in Jonathan’s all-inclusive government?

We endorsed Jonathan for reasons we adduced: keeping Nigeria united and he has done that. He also won elections through a large spread. Nobody voted for any other party in the South-East. We have a deal with Jonathan and never supported anybody else. That’s why we are worried about this zoning problem.

But on his all-inclusive government , Jonathan has not written APGA to part-take in his government. When he does, we will deliberate on it and take necessary action. APGA members are Nigerians. We will meet and choose the proper people.

CPC believes its votes in the South-East were deducted…

We don’t know about CPC in the South-East. That party didn’t even campaign in the zone.

So, what are you doing in London?

I came to brief Ikemba Nnewi, Odumegwu Ojukwu on the outcome of the elections.

Is he okay now?

He is still in hospital. He is in a stable condition and would leave the hospital soon.

Many are wondering why his wife should accept a government appointment when her husband is still ill and in hospital.

Criticising his wife is unnecessary. We were not opposed to her accepting a political position at this time. Bianca is in England now. She has a Diaspora desk in Nigerian High Commission in England from where she attends to diaspora issues and her husband. He is stable, still undergoing physiotherapy in hospital. He will leave the hospital soon. He was unhappy about the Speaker position being denied the Igbos but he is happy about APGA victory in South-East.

The Imo State governor-elect Rochas Okorocha froze the Government Account…

I was with Rochas here in London until Tuesday night. He did not freeze any government account. The problem is that Ohakim is suffering from loss of authority. Rochas will assume office May 29 and therefore should not be blamed if Ohakim’s directive is no longer being obeyed. He should use his tongue to count his teeth.

Rochas has awarded free education from primary to university level, free medical bill to civil servants and will impalement the N18,000 minimum wage. Ohakim shouldn’t blame Okorocha for anything . He didn’t give any directive to Imo officials. If Ohakim is not getting anything, it shows lack of confidence on him as a person and as a governor.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/05/it%E2%80%99s-a-sin-to-give-south-west-speakership-umeh-apga-chairman/

Whatever.

Speaker of the house is just only name.

Speaker = toothless bulldog.

* edited *

So, it is against the principle of equity and justice to give the Speaker to the South-West that produced only three members of the House of Representatives on the platform of PDP. It is sinful . It does not make sense and I suggest that before the inauguration of the House, the matter should be re-visited and remedied.

Well, it produced 5 PDP members. And even if it had only produced one, if the agreement before the election was to zone the speakership to the SW, then it must go to the SW.

Otherwise you are reneging.

ekt_bear:

Well, it produced 5 PDP members. And even if it had only produced one, if the agreement before the election was to zone the speakership to the SW, then it must go to the SW.

Otherwise you are reneging.

are u minding this people

jonathan must not be ethnocentric

if he does not give it to the south west then it MUST go to the north west

it is certainly not going to the south east, that i can assure you

Much ado about speakership of the house. All this crap is getting boring while other leaders are already setting the agenda for their tenure

The simple fact is that if this PDP injustice is allowed to stand, then PDP is DEAD at least in Igboland.
Umeh's main argument here is that if PDP had zoned positions BEFORE the elections, then it would be justifiable to simply follow their zoning rules. THEY DID NOT. Which is why Jonathan contested.

If you are going to now ZONE positions, doesn't it make sense to do so according to how the party performed?
Even if you decide not to zone, the norm around the WORLD is for the party to reward areas where it performed better in terms of positions. PDP can riggle and waggle as much as it wants, but this injustice to Ndigbo will not go unpunished.

And because we are even asking for justice in this case has already done the damage.

Even a 6 year old would not accept that a zone that produced 5 members of the house of reps would get rewarded first ahead of another that produced 35 members.

I'm going though the pains of explaining this because I know some Igbo who would come here in the future to say things like "well, has the position helped Igbo in the past; what has that done for my family. . . .blah blah"
If you say that, then be ready to forfeit your birthright. And please also share your wife with somebody.

As for me, next time any Igbo tells me to my face that he supports PDP, I will slap him/her first before asking questions later.
Nonsense.

juman:

Whatever.

Speaker of the house is just only name.

Speaker = toothless bulldog.

. . .but unfettered access to cash. Which--in the Nigerian context anyway--is what really matters.

And let me add something quickly.
This PDP injustice has nothing to do with SW. They never even asked for it. In fact, some of them are even rejecting the position because I suspect that deep down their hearts, they know what game PDP is trying to play, and don't want to be used to continue divide and rule in southern Nigeria. So, that is settled for me.

Peter Obi said something interesting about this PDP mess.
He said that Igbo people should go and ask Igbo members of the PDP about this.
It is time for Igbo PDP members to explain this nonsense to the Igbo nation.
Let them go ahead and try!  

I will ask that every PDP elected position in the SE should be contested in court by whoever lost.

We should try to pry as much positions as possible away from PDP.

Even if we get 10% back, we will wait for  the rest in the next elections.

I will like to see Jonathan announce his next cabinet either on the eve of his innauguration or immediately after his innauguration.

There is no need for any Lameduck session. We want President planning ahead.

@topic.

Anybody who wants a say in how PDP runs it affairs should join the PDP.

APGA can instruct their party members in the House to vote against the PDP choice if they like.

Typical ibos always speaking from all angles when they seem to be losing out, even our PDP members are more intelligent than their south eastern counterparts, sheer genius. They have already hold down the speakership position even when they do not have much support in the west. OBJ always knocking out ibos as usual. Thanks Obj.

^^

It is because of oafs like you that I made my statement about SW. 

Who cares about the statement of an Ignoramus?

This has NOTHING to do with SW political maneuver. It is about trying to keep Nigerian one by all means, even if it means throwing Igbo interest under the bus.

But we are waiting for these PDP thieves in the next elections.

Mu he he. So PDP is now a thieving party? Didn't your Ibo people voted massively for the party? If am to believe this then it means Ibos are naive, not intelligent, stewped and politically inept to have voted for a thieving party.

I don't respond to goats.

So, my information here is geared STRICTLY to Igbo PDP supporters.

Before this election, I never liked PDP. It is here on record. I only supported Jonathan.
My party remains APGA.

I am convinced that PDP rigged in the national assembly elections. Victor Umeh re-stated that fact. But that is for the tribunals to handle.

I am waiting for my Igbo brothers who supported PDP in national elections.

I advised them to vote APGA for national assembly and ALL local elections.

Jonathan got our unalloyed support. FACT.

When he roles out his programs, we will then know whether he is keeping to his pre-election promises.
We can't judge him yet.

But Igbo PDP members should explain to us what happened, else, PDP is a goner party in Igboland.

FACT: Ndigbo acted fooolishly, got used and dumped.

FACT: ACN sees d whole PDP vile futuristic plot

FACT: Ndigbo should accept shame and learn not to play d betrayal game; dey started it wt zoning/no zoning

Abeg what concerns APGA with PDP wahala, APGA almost committed suicide by supporting PDP in the presidential elections, if anybody noticed, Fashola had to do extra campaign in Lagos because of the siddon attitude of Tinubu to the Presidential elections.

^^
APGA is only cashing in!

Basically to say, "You supported PDP, what do you have to show for it now. Time to return home to APGA"

@only truth, you are so dumb and deaf over there in the east.

The long and short of it is that whatever agreements were made before the election (in particular, the idea that the zoning formula agreed to should stand) should be honored.

SW folk rightly point out that the Speakership is unlikely to do much for the zone. ACN SW folk I suspect don't want to see the PDP SW retain this position. However, none of that is really relevant.

The PDP should not break agreements it had before the election. Especially if one of them was that the SW should get the Speakership. Simple as that.

FACTS- Igbos are brainless!

FACTS-Igbos have been used and dump!

FACTS-Igbos sold their politcal feature for peanuts!

FACTS- Igbos are still living in self denial.

Victor Umeh also stated that the agreement to support Jonathan is different, and we should wait till him programs are rolled out before deciding whether he betrayed us or not. I won't wait that long.
Igbo say that "okuko g'abu oke, ana ama ya na uriom" (actually core Nnewi proverb ) A chicken that will turn into a cock is known young (chic). So, I'm not holding my breath for Jonathan. What we did, we have done. Not going back.

As for the PDP members who are Igbo, they should ask themselves why this is happening.

Igboland is changing politically. The two most strategic Igbo states (Anambra and Imo) are APGA controlled now. The rest of Igboland will follow soon.  

Onlytruth:

And let me add something quickly.
This PDP injustice has nothing to do with SW. They never even asked for it. In fact, some of them are even rejecting the position because I suspect that deep down their hearts, they know what game PDP is trying to play, and don't want to be used to continue divide and rule in southern Nigeria. So, that is settled for me.

Peter Obi said something interesting about this PDP mess.
He said that Igbo people should go and ask Igbo members of the PDP about this.
It is time for Igbo PDP members to explain this nonsense to the Igbo nation.
Let them go ahead and try!  

I will ask that every PDP elected position in the SE should be contested in court by whoever lost.

We should try to pry as much positions as possible away from PDP.

Even if we get 10% back, we will wait for  the rest in the next elections.

Correct yarn . Furthermore , for any well-meaning Yoruba person, the fear of OBJ is the beginning of wisdom. The SW is tired of the gangster "do or die" politics OBJ, Adedibu, Oyinlola, Alao Akala, Gbenga Daniel et al and their minions deliberately encouraged till it became the staple diet of the region for ages . The last thing anyone in the SW , with their faculty intact , want is for another OBJ crony to gain an influential position that can be used for politics of acrimony and rancour.  A cursory look at all the PDP Governors that were thrown out will reveal that they are all hardened criminals. Abeg let the PDP take their wahala and amala politics away . Let them zone the position of speaker away from the SW because the reps from the SW who qualify to vie for the positions are all cronies of divisive politicians like OBJ, Alao Akala et al.

@Gbawe: "Amala" politics is absolutely irrelevant. Agreements must be honored. If there was an agreement, even if it was with OBJ and his SW PDP brigade, then it should be honored. End of story.

Look, I understand why you as an ACN man want to see them lose this position. And I don't even mind having it being traded for something of more value, if this is indeed part of the ACNs strategy.

But it would be very foolish to renounce what is your zone's right just due to fear/dislike of OBJ. Sell it off if you want, trade it in for something for more value.

But the position belongs to the SW. And I'm unwilling to see it lost for nothing.

ekt_bear:

@Gbawe: "Amala" politics is absolutely irrelevant. Agreements must be honored. If there was an agreement, even if it was with OBJ and his SW PDP brigade, then it should be honored. End of story.

Look, I understand why you as an ACN man want to see them lose this position. And I don't even mind having it being traded for something of more value, if this is indeed part of the ACNs strategy.

But it would be very foolish to renounce what is your zone's right just due to fear/dislike of OBJ. Sell it off if you want, trade it in for something for more value.

But the position belongs to the SW. And I'm unwilling to see it lost for nothing.

What is it with you and this obsession that the position of Speaker must come to the SW? How many times do you need to be told that the SW PDP Reps the Speakers will be chosen from are mediocre legislators who do not enjoy the support of even their own voting [/b]colleagues?

Even looking at the big picture , is it good for Nigeria to be lumbered with a mediocre Speaker , ala Hairdresser Etteh, just because of some aggreement? Besides , are you a PDP member ? What is your concern with what the PDP does ? How can you be fighting tooth and nail for a PDP agreement when you are not a PDP member let alone a stakeholder i.e a voting legislator who has to live ,[b] day in day out , with any leader chosen?

"Agreements" may be relevant when me and you are voting but it is the heights of arrogance for anyone to talk of "agreement" when they are not part of those (Senators and Reps) who will actually be involved in choosing their own leader . If the PDP made an "agreement" and the very stakeholders who are involved and will vote (the Reps themselves) are against that agreement how can you then be talking as if that ostensibly arrogant and democratically regressive agreement supercede the interest of the stakeholders themselves ? Is this not the mentality that made OBJ, IBB et al refuse to let us the stakeholders choose our leaders for decades?  Regardless of any agreement , are the Reps themselves not the most qualified to choose their own leader instead of having mediocrity foisted on them?

ibo people wont let this issue rest sha. Why is it so hard for them to accept the fact that they are reaping what they sow. Play with evil and the same evil will surely bite you in the a/s/s.

Your hatred for the SW is what's been killing you since day one and I don't see you progressing till you get rid of that hatred.

Just look at it, the SW is always winning, even without trying. Evil don't pay

@Gbawe: You make some good points. But:

1) Regardless of who the PDP picks, will it not be a mediocrity? Or are the alternate candidates being thrown about some paragons of excellence?
2) I do not have to be a PDP member for me to call them out as liars if they break their word, must I? (and for the record, I'm not a member of any political party; my loyalties lie with the SW zone.)
3) To the extent that the PDP has the ability to determine the next speaker, let it be someone from the SW. If they want to go back on their word and give it to someone else (again, assuming they have the power to do this), then the SW must be compensated.

@ekt_bear

You are not making sense with your posts.
Who are you even arguing with? Have you ACTUALLY read what Umeh is saying here?

If the PDP zoned offices BEFORE the elections, then no one would begrudge them about this.
Fact is they DID NOT. Which is why Jonathan contested.

The topic is about sharing of offices AFTER the elections, which anyone with half a brain would know that it should reflect party performance in zones. Simple thing.

This is not zoning. This is simply allocation of offices based on performance of the party in zones.

So, to my Igbo PDP supporters; WHERE DID YOU GO WHEN THEY STARTED SHARING POSITIONS?

If you have no answer, then be prepared to be chased out of Igboland with sticks!  

ekt_bear:

@Gbawe: You make some good points. But:

1) Regardless of who the PDP picks, will it not be a mediocrity? Or are the alternate candidates being thrown about some paragons of excellence?
2) I do not have to be a PDP member for me to call them out as liars if they break their word, must I? (and for the record, I'm not a member of any political party; my loyalties lie with the SW zone.)
3) To the extent that the PDP has the ability to determine the next speaker, let it be someone from the SW. If they want to go back on their word and give it to someone else (again, assuming they have the power to do this), then the SW must be compensated.

The SW , in my mind, is getting more politically sophisticated . It shows with how many in the region are thinking, talking and voting. We must encourage how the Reps themselves are rebelling against this arrogant and democratically regressive "agreement" . It is good for Nigeria that institutions get stronger and for selfless and flexibly fluid thinking , rather than vainglorious rigidity, to carry the day[b] for the greater good of our Nation[/b]. Before long , this will be the norm everywhere i.e the most important stakeholders will democratically use the power of numbers to challenge crude and arrogant agreements made by those only interested in the continuation of "business as usual" . I welcome the headache the PDP is receiving over zoning from its own Party members. It is good for the future.

Whatever agreement is in place must be reviewed, rather than adhered to rigidly, if Nigeria is in danger of gaining another poor speaker. I categorically reject the position of Speaker for the SW if all we can offer are piss poor mediocre and "indolent" legislators the Reps themselves are vehemently against.

Look at how ugly the monkey looks.He is running up and down abuja screaming Ndigbo this ,NDigbo that as if he cares about the people of the SE but in reality the goat is just looking for a way to line his pocket.Shameless leaders,they sold the Igbos in to renewed slavery now they are crying fowl.

Instead of this Chimpanzee to focus on his party and use his party to better the lives of Igbos in the SE ,he is busy ranting about Government positions that will not benefit ordinary Igbos on the ground.These men have disgraced the Igbo tribe on a massive scale and the Igbo youths should take action and deal with them.

Am I misreading things here?

Didn't the PDP zone positions before the elections?

I could have sworn that this was the case:

Other positions are the North West, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the North Central, the national chairman of the party, while the South-South produced Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The zoning formula was retained, but swapped after eight years of Obasanjo’s presidency. The Presidency rotated to the North West, Vice President to the South-South, Senate President to North Central, Speaker of House of Representatives to the South West, National chairman of the party to the South East and Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the North East.

The demise of President Umaru Yar’Adua before the completion of his first four-year tenure and the removal of the national chairman of the party on two different occasions affected the zoning arrangement. Vice President Goodluck Jonathan had to step in as President to complete the tenure of Yar’Adua, while the position of the National chairman of the party moved from the South East to the North West, albeit, on temporary basis. After the presidential primaries, which produced the candidature of Goodluck Jonathan, a political understanding was believed to have been reached to let the status quo remain, including the occupants.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/powergame/2011/may/01/powergame-may-05-2011-001.htm

Is this not an agreement to retain the zoning formula?

Or am I somehow misinterpreting this article?

Or was there some hidden condition in the zoning agreement requiring X PDP positions/Y PDP presidential votes or something

@Emperorolu Playmade

Let me help you a little.

Instead of this Chimpanzee to focus on his party and use his party to better the lives of Igbos in the SE ,he is busy ranting about Government positions that will not benefit ordinary Igbos on the ground.These men have disgraced the Igbo tribe on a massive scale and the Igbo youths should take action and deal with them VOTE ONLY APGA NEXT TIME.

There you have it!