Hon Chibudom Nwuche is a former Deputy Speaker , Federal House of Representatives and chieftain of All Progressive Congress, APC, in Rivers state.
In this interview with some journalists in Port Harcourt he speaks on the second anniversary of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME
Assistant News Editor
What is your assessment of the administration of President Buhari in the last two years?
I think given the background of what the federal government inherited it had done reasonably well. Government is a continuum. And it requires the support of all Nigerians to see that those elected or appointed achieve development for the masses.
What is critical for Nigeria now is to address the issue of unemployment. The army of unemployed youths is a time bomb that the government must address and create the economy to engage them. I think the government has done well but there are areas for improvement, they should focus on .
For instance if you talk about security it has done well in this area. It is doing well in the fight against corruption. The fight against corruption must be fought within the rule of law and not the rule of man. The economy must be addressed more seriously, it is the most critical area. This way we will win the fight against insurgency , corruption and tackle the problem of insecurity on a permanent basis. If our economy is buoyant our youths will find employment, crime will be reduced. The economy is critical to all these. It is the foundation of all we are talking about.
You were targeted at a time in the ongoing fight against corruption. How did it go ?
This is where I see two types of corruption, this is where you talk about two types of corruption. One is political and the other is real corruption. Some people because they have power, they have the means, they want to set people up. They conjure up petitions against people they don’t like. They have the means to make what is civil contract appear criminal. They have the means to make people look as if they are corrupt whereas they are not. That is what some people tried to do to me.
I left government 14 years ago, so how can I be said to be involved in corruption when I don’t have access to money to give out. I don’t have money to spend. We should be talking of those who have been in government since 1999 and have managed budgets of trillions and nobody is talking about them. I think it is important we fight this war objectively without fear or favor. This is where I see the need to refine the process in the fight against corruption. Politicians should stop interfering in the process
You were reportedly suspended by your party in your Ahoada East local government area some time ago. How are things now?
Well, every party has procedures on how to suspend anybody . That was a non event by some miscreants. The media sometimes should vet reports they publish. The media should be more critical. The reported suspension is a non event. It’s a plot by some leaders of the party to denigrate me.
Can you tell us about the search of your house by security operatives recently ?
Some men came to search my house. I think among those that came were criminals who stole my Certificate of Occupancy, C of O, . The police recovered the C of Os and have declared them wanted. These criminals who came to my house I believe must have some things to explain about the purported fire arms they said they saw. If you come to search somebody’s house in his absence and criminals join the search you must take responsibility. IPOs who are entrusted to investigate matters should be vetted properly so that they don’t allow criminals to join them and then taint the war against corruption. That is all I will say.
Any word to your APC ?
The party should be democratic, it is not owned by any individual, it should ensure discipline among members. It should support members in their desires to participate in national politics , everybody should be allowed to have a say , where one man only has a say is not democracy.
You were the most visible member of your party at the last award night of the Rivers state government
I feel very happy. We must draw a line between the state and individuals. Governors come and go but the state remains. So when your state honours you, you have to accept it . So many past governors were there. I am sure they are all not in one political party .
The politics in Rivers state is too bitter. What I advocate is that we all be our brothers keepers. Rivers man pulling Rivers men down has become a reoccurring story and it is not right for the polity.
Behind every Rivers man travails, you see a Rivers man standing behind it. This is not right. , Let’s be our brothers keeper. I appeal to our leaders not to allow the bad blood devolve to their followers . The state needs to be stable for the economy to grow.
I have supporters across the political parties. I don’t believe politics should be played with bitterness. And I don’t think that the man in PDP is your enemy, that is not progressive politics. The same way Amaechi and I are friends the same way I am to others. Sometimes you see that the same people in your party are those who destroy you . I am happy that the governor had the foresight to honour his predecessors and to encourage them to be part of the state development’s programs.
Any political aspiration for 2019
2019 is a child in the womb of time. Nigerians always like to play god, it is always happening in the polity. I have no ambition. I want to work with like minds to build our country. They think I have ambition but I have none,
The post There’s time bomb over our heads, Nwuche warns chairman appeared first on Vanguard News.
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