Jonathan’s long time palava with Amaechi still dey worry PDP – Farah Dagogo

Dr Farah Dagogo na former member of di House of Representatives, and ex-governorship aspirant for Rivers State. Him also be member of di state House of Assembly.

Di loyal and dedicated member of di People Democratic Party, PDP, talk for dis interview say, dey talk about di party’s crisis and governance for Rivers State.

Your Party, di PDP, dey on di situation wey dey very dangerous, with crises one afta di other.

You think say PDP go fit get way out, especially now wey Naija dey yearn for very effective opposition ahead 2027?

Yes. Naija dey expect plenty from di PDP. But regrettably, my party neva live up to dat billing because of in-house fighting.

dis so-called crises dey selfishly created by few individuals to take support dia inordinate ambition to di damage of di party and to a bigger extent, a larger section of Naija wey dey look up to am for effective option.

I don talk am and I go still repeat am. Di PDP put demself for dis mess before di 2015 elections wia some individuals impress am on di then President Goodluck Jonathan to tactically make di then Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, irrelevant for di PDP, and push am out.

Dat unfortunate action force Amaechi and oda governors out of di PDP to strengthen di then opposition APC.

Wetin we (PDP) get in return? We retain or recapture Rivers State from di APC, by virtue of Amaechi decamping to di APC.

We win dat battle for Rivers State and lose di war, di Presidency, wey be di most important one.

So, e dey safe to talk say we sacrifice di Rivers State election for di Presidency.

If selfish pursuits bin dey unnecessary then and di differences between Jonathan and Amaechi bin dey reconciled, Amaechi and oda governors, including oda strong party members no go leave di PDP for APC.

As at then, Amaechi no dey contest for any elective position, him dey about serving off him second term.

President Jonathan on di oda hand dey race for second term. If only di forces around Jonathan bin allow am to reconcile with Amaechi, e no go be like dis.

But, di selfish interest of one individual, wey destroy di zoning arrangements for Rivers State, boomerang and cost us di war and we lose di Federal.

Dat na all. Wetin we suppose dey do now na complete efficiently of di existing leadership structure of di party.

As e dey be now, I agree with you say e dey all depressing, but e neva too late to do di right things.

Di body language of your party’s Presidential Candidate for di 2023 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, suggest say e fit likely contest for di 2027 elections.

You bin dey forefront of dose wey support am then, especially from di Niger Delta and your state, Rivers.

You go still support am for di next election cycle?

E go dey quite insensitive to Naija to dey talk of 2027 elections considering wetin di populace dey go through.

Naija dey suffer and dey go through di hardest and harshest periods of dia lives.

My support for di Turakin Adamawa dey consistent with my principle.

Wen I believe in an idea, e go remain so.

My support for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar dey premised on conviction and dat na major reason my steadfastness no suppose dey surprising to anyone.

Pipo wey sabi me dey fully aware say if I dey with you, I dey with you.

I no dey waver on my choice and stand. Wen e dey closer to 2027, we go talk.

But, now, we dey all try to survive dis unexplainable hardship.

You be major stakeholder for di politics of Rivers State. You even attempt to contest for di Governorship elections before your arrest, detention and subsequent dey free by di court.

Wetin be your take on di political malaise for di state?

You go talk say Governor Siminalayi Fubara don do well considering di political distractions and fights?

Yes, I dey among dose wey dem take out of di picture and prevent from contesting for dat election to pave way for Siminalayi Fubara to emerge as governor.

All dat one na for di past now. Di most important question now be say, you go allow di state to thrive or abi you go burn down di state because of your personal interest?

Just as I don talk for di past, all warring parties suppose eschew violence and gear dia energies towards di development and prosperity of our dear state for safe and conducive environment.

Dis toxicity wey dey every wia for di state suppose dey nipped in di bud if actually our desire to dey in position of authority na to beta di lots of di common man.

Because, tell me, investors go willingly to com and invest for such hostile environment?

Agreed, you dey for di opposition, PDP, but with Naija as di targeted recipient.

Wetin you go advise di ruling APC wey President Bola Tinubu dey lead to do to improve a situation di sufferings of di pipo?

Dis issue no be about to dey opposition party or wetin you get. Di current biting hardship dey differentiate between Party A or B? We all dey affected.

Just di same way you dey buy things expensive so also e be for everyone.

As politicians, we dey equally bear di brunts.

You go take care of your followers and supporters whether you dey office or not.

President Tinubu na our president today. And to him credit, him don acknowledge for various time say deep hardship dey for di country.

So, di way out of am dey with him government’s actions towards am.

Him policies, including economic and financial, suppose dey holistically reviewed to improve a situation dis suffering.

North, West, East and South, na all story of anguish.

If truly di essence of government na about di pipo, Naija no suppose dey face and experience dis unprecedented hardship.

As member of di 9th National Assembly, you sponsor plenty bills and motions, you fit tell us di ones you dey most passionate about and regrets, if any, as him relate to di ones wey no get Presidential Assent?

While I dey vie for dat position, I get deep conversations and firm covenant with di pipo I intend to represent.

Most of am dey centre on ensuring say if elected as dia representative, my focus go dey on pursuing policies wey go meet and cater for dia most important needs and wants, as well as di country.

For instance, di idea behind di bill for di Federal Medical Centre, Bonny na to cater and address di health concerns of inhabitants of dat area as result of di consistent surge for di population of pipo for dat area and Rivers Stat.

Owing to di oil explorative activities constantly ongoing on di Bonny Island, with di figures of pesin increasing drastically, especially with di construction and expansion of di various Trains of di NLNG, wey still dey progress.

Dat bill na imperative bill because di few health facilities on ground for Bonny no fit handle serious health-related ailments or emergencies.

In dat sense, di availability of good Health Care Facility, no only dey critical at dat point, and suppose be mata of serious concerns to di government as di Federal Medical Centre go also serve as means by di Federal Government to give back to di pipo considering wetin dem (FG) dey get from NLNG.

Also, I fit propose and push for di pioneer STEAM Polytechnic education wey go equip our students with competencies wey go enable dem to overcome personal challenges, pursue careers for technical fields like software engineering or artificial intelligence, find creative solutions to difficult problems, and understand how di world dey work.

Mind you, STEAM na educational acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics.

I take my time to explain all dis to you so you go understand di concept, peculiarities of di locations and wetin dem dey lack.

Of course, I dey disappointed say afta dem passed am into law by both Chambers of di National Assembly, e no get di expected Presidential Assent before di expiration of di last administration.

However, dat idea still dey alive and kicking as my successor for di House of Representatives dey actively follow am up.

I also champion di Youth Entrepreneurship Development Trust Fund bill.

Dat proposed law dey intended to stem di tide of unemployment and becom financial support to di upcoming younger generations by setting aside five percent capital estimate proposal from di Federation Account for di youths fund.

Dere also, di bills wey go make am mandatory for multinational companies wey dey operate for di country to appoint Naija as dia Chief Executive Officers (CEO).

Di bills na “Multinational Companies Appointment of Chief Executives (Regulatory) Bill” and “Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (Amendment) Bill”.

Also di Bill on National Polytechnic Commission wey I sponsor and amendment to di Constitution wey dey seek for payment of di 13% derivation directly to di Host Communities.

Dem dey plenty of such bills wey I fit pursue, of course, with di support of my constituents and colleagues then.

I no go talk say I get regrets but more of disappointment because if dis bills succeed, di benefits to di pipo go dey enormous.

However, dose ideas dey dere for di open and no go die.

On di 13% derivation fund, you don dey vocal about am and bill to dat effect dey presented by you.

Wetin happen to dat bill? Dat bill no dey targeted to any individual.

Rather, e be call for probity and accountability.

Di 13% na constitutional provision and how di funds suppose dey executed dey explicitly spelt out.

But, anomalies dey for di execution by di past and current governors of di Niger Delta.

All of Dem dey err for dat regard. And as I don frequently talk, e dey very sad commentary as e relate to di oil producing communities of di Niger Delta.

Di fund dey constitutionally set aside to assist oil-producing communities to tackle infrastructural decay and degradation, with emphasis on di oil producing communities.

Wetin e mean basically be say in sharing di federation account revenue, 13 per cent suppose dey set aside to assist di development of these oil-producing communities.

More than two decades down di line, wetin dey to show for di humongous monies wey don com in?

Di governors, past and present, dey view am as free money.

Between year 2000 and date, trillions from di 13% derivation principle don dey shared to di Niger Delta governors, on behalf of di oil producing communities.

Yet, di deplorable living conditions of di pipo from dese oil-producing communities don remain nauseating and deplorable with di pipo dey battle and still dey reek with di worst and highest form of poverty.

To your oda question, you see, di National Assembly na microcosm of Nigeria.

Virtually everyone and all tribes dey fully represented.

E also com with him politics. Because di majority go always get dia way, dere dey need for lobbying and horse trading.

dese na all di beauty, fun and hallmarks of parliamentary engagements.

Dat bill com up during di heated agitation.

So, dey need to thread with caution and dat na because of di full awareness say some sections of Naija already believe say dem don give di Niger Delta whole lot and dat mindset dey fully displayed in di manner important sections of di Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Di drive behind di 13% dey novel but di problems dey lie in its implementation by di governors.

So, with dat in mind, I dey circumspect enough not to allow any window or openings to call for di repeal of di 13% derivation with di bandied notion say di then PIB go cater for am. E dey very dicey.

Make I take you back to one of your motions on Constituency Delineation by INEC, wetin be di politics behind am?

Dere no dey ambiguity to am whatsoever. E dey straightforward. E dey more of wake-up call to INEC for dia neglected responsibility.

Di Rivers State House of Assembly dey short-changed in its membership as e stand now and INEC sabi dis.

Degema Constituency for example, suppose get two constituencies for di State Assembly if things dey done according to law.

Because, according to di law, di Rivers State House of Assembly dey entitled to 39 members and no be di 32 wey dey presently constituted.

Di law dey clear on dat and di electoral body wey get dat power sabi dat.

Dat motion na just call to action. E no require di Electoral body to seek any amendments to di Constitution.

Section 91 of di Constitution explain how state dey qualified for state constituencies and I quote: “House of Assembly of a State suppose consist of three or four times di number of seats wey dat state get for di House of Representatives provided say House of Assembly of a state suppose consist of no less than twenty-four and no more than forty members.”

Rivers State get 13 members for di House of Representatives and 32 member state House of Assembly.

By interpretation of di constitution, Rivers State dey qualified for additional seven State constituencies, to increase its number to at least 39 state constituencies’ seats.

Mind you, no be only Rivers State dey short-changed, but oda states like Plateau, Oyo, Sokoto, Borno, Anambra, Bauchi, Delta, Akwa Ibom and many more dey also adversely affected by INEC’s failure to discharge dis obligation.

INEC dey also empowered by Section 114 (1) of di Constitution to review di division of every State into constituencies at intervals of no less than 10 years.

Sadly, e don pass 20 years since di last delimitation dey done.

Take look at di population of di country and registered voters; e don increase exponentially, thereby underscoring urgent review for proportional and fair representation.

Di Constitution dey supreme to any oda law and we suppose toe and follow am to di letters with strict adherence to laid down procedures as clearly stated in sections 91, 112 and 114. So, if you see am as politics, na di politics of am be dat.

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