Orji must retract statement against PDP –
Alkali
Since the
Governor of Abia State, Theodre Orji, publicly said that leaders of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) were plotting against President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua,
the leadership of the party has not left things lying low with him. The PDP
leaders are insisting that Orji must retract the statement. The party's National
Publicity Secreatry, Rufai Ahmed Alkali, in this interview with CHUKS EHIRIM,
our Abuja Bureau Chief, says that the Abia State Governor knows that there
is no way party leaders will work against a president under the PDP. He also
expresses dismay over the mention of the National Chairman, Vincent Eze Ogbulafor,
as well as the Governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, among those who attended
a secret meeting against the president.
RECENTLY, the National Chairman of your party, Vincent Eze Ogbulafor,
briefed the press and condemned the attempt by some people in the country
to denigrate the President, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua; accusing the opposition and
linking it to treasonable. Does the PDP have concrete evidence that the opposition
is responsible for some of the information flying about?
First and foremost, I want to thank you for coming to the office here, to
share with us, our thoughts on current issues in the country.
As you are aware, since 1999 Nigeria transited to democracy and we are working
under the Nigerian constitution, we have a National Assembly; we have an elected
president, elected governors, members of House of Assembly, chairman and councillors
in the local government councils.
This is a system that the people of this country have been clamouring for
over the years. And having got it does not mean that that is the end of the
journey. It means that Nigeria is now gradually transmitting and the challenge
before all of us is to build the structures of democracy so that gradually,
we will join the league of countries calling themselves democratic nations.
So, obviously as a party, and as a leading, the ruling party in this country,
we are conscious of what is happening around us. We read widely and we listen
extensively. Whenever we hear something that appears to be incongruence with
the spirit of the times, definitely we have every reason to draw the attention
of our country men.
And this is exactly what happened when we heard people were having meetings,
if you don't mind, having clandestine meetings, raising issues that we found
to be completely at variance with the rules of engagement in a democratic
process.
In the first place, there was election in 2007, there were winners, and there
were losers. So we believe those who lost, some of them have taken it in their
stride, some of them have gone to court, from the tribunal to the Appeal courts.
Therefore, we thought that if there are any issues that can be raised against
the election, the tribunals and the courts are there, to handle those matters.
So when some of them came out and said they are petitioning the judicial process,
they are option for political actions, including mobilizing Nigerians against
the government, but making a proposal for something outside the constitution
is what worried us.
So, having drawn the attention of the Nigerian public and the international
community, we thought we have rested our case and that our colleagues in the
other political parties understand the implications of going beyond certain
limits.
Unfortunately, just very recently, all of us in this country were shocked
to hear on Channels Television, that the President reportedly wants to resign
from office, after cabinet reshuffle.
Everybody was shocked because the story concerning Mr. President is not something
we should take lightly. It is not something you toy with.
Any serious newspaper or electronic media organization, after hearing something
like this, the first thing you do is to cross check the fact. Even if it is
going to take time, you have to do that.
Some of them will of course argue that they want to break the news, but that
is not very nice. You must do a creditable job. They ran a story and the source
of that story is very dubious. It was denied by NAN, it was condemned by the
Federal Government.
Definitely the party had to come out very strongly against it. Because it
further confirms our worst fears that this thing is gradually assuming a new
dimension. That was the reason the party as a whole; in fact the entire members
of the National Working Committee (NWC) were here with the National Chairman
when he read that statement. And I think that enough is enough.
The PDP leadership seems worried over the mention of the party's
National Chairman and the Governor of Gombe State, in some publications as
part of the clandestine meeting?
You see, in politics, mudslinging, intrigues and haywire gam,es are always
there. There are always people who want to run down the system and just like
you rightly observed, we were deeply shocked to hear that the name of our
national chairman was mentioned including that of the Governor of Gombe State,
who was the Campaign Manager for Mr. President in the North East zone, beside
others.
What is intriguing about the whole thing is that we thought that having raised
this issue about the state of our democratic governance; the attention will
focus on those who are making all these statements.
They are there, they are known, they are not hidden, and we are not saying
that we are setting the system against them. What we are doing is just to
appeal to them that we can together build this democratic system strongly.
Democracy all over the World is not something you purchase from the supermarket
like a television set or a car. All countries that are calling themselves
democracies today, they keep changing before they reached where they are.
So, for anybody, to come out and try to cause dissension in the system, it
is not going to serve any purpose.
That is why, particularly, the mention of the national chairman, though he
was mentioned directly by only one newspaper. Well, we really stand to condemn
it. I can say it is something that shows that the press was not fair to the
man.
The national chairman is a gentleman; he is a man of peace. Since he came
into office as our National Chairman, he has brought a lot of respect, a lot
of credibility, a lot of honour. Everything we do here is like a family, everybody
contributes, our decisions have been very solid. And so far, things have stabilized.
So anybody who has any issue to raise, we are here, our doors are open, because
we have a lot of respect for the press. The press has been in the Vanguard
of the advocacy for social change since the period of colonialism. Everybody
knows that. There is nobody who will take you for granted. But there are also
rules that regulate the conduct of the press just like you have rules that
guide the conduct of politicians.
I believe that the press cherishes its freedom a lot and that we have one
of the most vibrant press in the continent. So we shouldn't waste this goodwill
which we have been able to cultivate for a long period of time.
Channels Television was definitely reckless, there is no doubt about that,
whatever is their explanation, they were reckless and I am happy that the
Federal Government came out solidly and acted strongly, just to tell them
that this is not the way to go about doing things.
What is your view about the comment of Governor Theodore Orji
of Abia State that PDP leaders are plotting against the President?
I don't believe he said it. Up till now I don't think he said it. When I was
asked a similar, question, I said well, as far as I am concerned, I don't
believe a sitting governor who knows what it means, would say that.
And I am still hoping to hear that he has retracted that statement, if he
actually said it. But if he didn't say it, or if he said it and didn't retract
it, then what the Abia State Chapter of the PDP said about him is correct.
There is a popular saying in Nigeria that when you point a finger at somebody,
the other four fingers are pointing at you.
Surprisingly he said so many good things when he came out from the Villa.
I don't know what happened that particular statement was attributed to him.
I still wonder why he found it difficult to say that he did not say it
If he doesn't renounce it, we will find the necessary opportunity, at the
National level, to reply him. But for now we just believe that he didn't say
it because he knows there is no way the PDP will work against the Government
it controls. It is impossible.
But he may not be referring to the leadership of PDP per se but
other leading members of the party who may not be among the NWC?
A governor is not known to be flippant. A Governor cannot just make a statement
like that. If he said it, then the question will be who the people he is referring
to are. We are calling on Nigerians to reunite so we can rebuild our country,
consolidate democratic governance.
As a big party, we have members who speak their minds. If for example, the
leadership attempts to suppress their opinions, people will say we are suppressing
internal democracy. That is why it is a big party, a robust party so whatever
the members say; they are conscious of the fact that first and foremost; they
are members of the party and have to be loyal to the party, loyal to Mr. President,
because he is our man.
We have to support him, we have to encourage him. We have to do everything
to ensure that he succeeds. So nobody in the party will come out to say he
wants to work against the President.
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