INTERVIEW
The name Chief Willie Amadi is a house hold name in Imo state. He is one politician that is always a delight to any Journalist and engaging him for any discussion is always interesting and revealing. In this interview with Big Truth senior reporter Ifeanyi Ihekanwa, the man popularly known and called ‘ Ukwa- Achiaka’ was frank and elucidating as always.
Excerpts
Question: Compliments of the season sir, it has been virtually six years now since you were off circulation as a notable politician who made waves during Ohakim’s regime. What really has been responsible?
It was really a period of stocktaking, introspection and strategizing for the future. Being out of government presents you with a new experience in life. To be candid with you, life out of government or power is pitiable irrespective of whatever you think you have achieved personally or for the people. People seem to accept you more when you loose power or in a position to be pitied. Family Friends and Associates are quick to remind you how much you disappointed or neglected them. Even those who acknowledge your assistance still complain that you did not do enough for them while in government.
Generally, it is a period of regret for both sides. I purposely tried to maintain a save distance from government and political activities as you rightly observed. During this period of soul searching which culminated in my 55th birthday, I have therefore decided that after 2019, I will gradually and gracefully pull out from full partisan politics. So by next year 2018 if God leads us into the new year, I shall commence a phased implementation of this decision by reactivating my law film Time Nominees Chamber for full legal practice and Real Estate . I also intend to establish a primary and secondary school as my contribution towards education. This means I shall have functional law firm in Abuja and Owerri. So, moving forward, I am returning to my primary constituency – legal practice. This is my second address. My delayed flair for the practice of law shall take a front burner as I shall be appearing in courts. The ratio of my involvement in politics will be 70%/30% Law and Politics respectively.
Question: As a major player in the politics of Imo state especially in the PDP where you served in the Ohakim cabinet, have you noticed any positive change in Imo since leaving government?
My answer is premised on the Latin maxim ‘ Res Ipsa loquito meaning ’The thing speaks for itself’. Let me reverse the roles and ask you- Do you think that there was positive change since I left government in 2011?
Well, to answer your question, I will be wrong before God and man to think and even say that there was no positive change since the last administration. Six years after the last administration and the receipt of close to one trillion naira by the administration, it remains an issue for posterity to judge in the next one and half years. An administration is like a football tournament, with good training and preparation victory is assured but however, intervening factors beyond the players may occasion. If you start very well, you may end up poorly and also you may start badly and end up very well. There is no ‘miracle of Daman’ in administrations. The success and positive change can only be measured by comparing and aggregating the total receipt of money and the quality and quantity of all projects and services rendered during the corresponding period under review.
Question: Many people would want to know if Barr Willie Amadi is still in PDP or have you defected to another party?
Iam and will remain in PDP subject to the party’s presentation of a governorship candidate with character and capacity and above all, generally accepted by the majority of Imolites. As a former 1st state vice chairman of PDP Imo and chairman Owerri senatorial District, it is my wish that my party recovers the Governorship position as well as other elective positions in 2019 general elections. However, the overriding sentiment in Imo today, is for the election of a Governorship candidate through free and fair primaries from any political party who will govern the state with honesty, patriotism and compassion. The zone in this engagement is immaterial. This is the hard fact and the Big Truth. Nevertheless, it is desirable that while these engagement and sentiments are expressed, equity, fairness and justice demand that Owerri zone be majorly in focus for advancing this paradigm shift but the state of the state of Imo demands a surgical operation if we must produce a Governor that will really meet the expectation of majority of Imo people devoid of zonal sentiment. To answer your question therefore, I am a strong and financial member of PDP today but will not hesitate to support any party with the generally accepted Candidate by Imolites in future if PDP falls my hand particularly in the manner and choice of her candidate.
Question: The APC has taken over the seat of power in Imo and for the past six years, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has been in charge of affairs despite criticism. Are you impressed with his style of governance?
Whether I am impressed or not with the style of administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha does not change the status quo. What is important is to formulate and encourage a design to ensure that this style does not endure beyond 2019 indirectly. So discussing a 6 years of an 8 years administration now does not add up. It is like crying over a spilt milk. If the administration has occasioned a damage, it has been done and if it has brought progress, it has also been made. Only posterity will judge the administration when compared with the funds the state derived from the federation account, foreign Aids and IGRs
But let me quickly say that ‘ Nemo Dat Quo non habite’ meaning you do not give what you do not have. A Government with style and quality will deliver stylish and quality projects, a government with love and compassion will govern with the fear and love of God. A Government with greed, jealousy and hatred will definitely rule with an unprecedented pain, senseless acquisition of common wealth and utmost disregard to the feelings of the ruled both rich and poor.
The APC government of His Excellency Rochas Okorocha came in both at the state and federal levels just to take over power from PDP as a major agenda. It is clear to me that the good governance and change mantra was not well articulated and programmed as an essential deliverable. It is both imaginary and manipulative. That is why it has been quite difficult and recently problematic for APC to manage the success of victory of 2015 in the implementation of their supposedly change promise to Nigeria and Nigerians.
At the state level, His Excellency Rochas Okorocha’s administration has not hidden his disdain and hatred towards the rich and PDP governments of His Excellency Achike Udenwa, a man of peace and more particularly His Excellency Ikedi Ohakim, a man of quality and style. He has from the onset of his administration brainwashed the poor and some middle class, workers, Teachers and Businessmen who are gullible that PDP parades a bunch of thieves and oppressors and were responsible for their sufferings. His style of administration saw the exodus of virtually all PDP leaders to Abuja and Lagos leaving him to run the state as a private estate. He decides which land to revoke using the instrumentality of the law and indirectly take possession of over 80 percent of all the revoked and allocated lands in the state, Owerri federal constituency in particular and more particularly Owerri municipal Council lands through families, friends and Associates.
Secondly, the management of the state finances [cash money] is totally private and confidential. Bank accounts of the state are unanimous and unknown in all the Banks. You can hardly levy execution of any government funds in any bank in Nigeria because 85% of government accounts held in banks are financially veiled under a special purpose vehicle fraud [SPV]. Only the Governor, the Commissioner for finance and the Accountant General of the state have access to the financial position and spending of public funds . Thirdly, all contracts for projects like Roads have no contractual identity. The Contractors are not known and will never be known. No reasonable Contractor in the mould of Julius Berger, MCC, Dangote and Sawoe, RCC or even Indigenous Contractors like CODUC, LEMMY Construction, Raudo, Frank and Gene etc ever had any opportunity to do any road in the state in the past six years. All we see are some hungry looking Comedians with Wheel Barrows and dilapidated manual machines/Equipments playing on our Roads. I want to challenge this administration to publish the list of all contractors and the Roads they constructed in this state and particularly in Owerri Municipal Council from 2011 till date. It is really a pity. The state will pay severely for this brazen stealing and looting of the state money averaging over one trillion naira in the past 6 years because besides this looting, statistics shows that the state is indebted to over one hundred billion as at December 30th 2017. But watch out- IT shall end in praise because God does not sleep when his Children are in pain.
Finally, I do not hold anything against the driver of this administration His Excellency Rochas Okorocha for the simple reason that the society never gave him a chance. He was born into poor parentage. He never had opportunity for early education. He never had access to government social services. And by this, the society disowned and punished him as a private citizen. He struggled, suffered and endured poverty and injustice but by divine intervention and persistent struggle on the street, he broke the jinx and overcame this human and institutional induced adversity. Therefore, he arrived the scene of the comfortable Elite Club with a mindset of revenge and vengeance against the establishment and the rich operators. He sees every rich man in government position as an enemy. He appreciates rich men who struggled to become rich on their own.
Following his entry into politics, he anchored with the less privileged Children, not just the poor but the poorest of the poor. This is why it will be a mirage to stop him from installing a successor if there is no coalition by all stakeholders and political parties leading to a revolution at the hour of long Knives of 2019 Governorship election. I say this because the wrong notion that the poor people who supported Okorocha in 2011 have left him is not true. The poor people who have left Okorocha are the political poor people who served and lived from the crumbs of the displaced rich men and PDP government between 1999 and 2011. The poorest of the poor who do not pay school fees and have been elevated and recognized by Governor Okorocha whether honestly or fraudulently. They have never been used to any sort of luxury in their lives but for the luxury of association with Governor Rochas Okorocha – ‘Their Governor, their Governor’. They are still with, and can die for him any day, anytime. This is the real grass root.
On the Urban renewal policy of the state, I give His Excellency Rochas Okorocha a kudos. The aesthetic of the state capital, Orlu and Okigwe towns are in tune and accord with global Community standard. What is and will remain in contention is at what cost?
The face lift is admirable and commendable. The Governor has done very well in opening up the state capital in line with the United Nation’s Urban Renewal progranme. Unfortunately, you cannot make an omelet without cracking an egg. Nonetheless, the process and procedure of making an Omelet should be humane. There are legal guidelines for revocation of land. It must be for an overriding public interest and use.
So when a government land or a land belonging to a citizen is revoked and appropriated by the Governor using the provisions of the Land Use Act for himself, family, friends and Associates, it amounts to abuse of office and therefore illegal and actionable. It is simply a case of obtaining people’s land by false pretences aka 419. It shall not endure. Conversely, where revocation is made for public interest, compensations must be adequately paid or relocation of the citizen to another land etc. This is good governance.
So as an Owerri indegine and a former public servant, I think His Excellency Rochas Okorocha has not been fair to the citizens of the state and Owerri indigenes in the implementation of laudable Urban renewal progranme . The Traders, market men and women have been the worst hit. Though there must be sacrifices where necessary in the overall interest of the majority, such sacrifices should be laced with human face and sympathy where necessary. I therefore appeal to the state government to review the process and assist the victims because it is never too late to correct a mistake. In this case, it is purely a mistake of absence of compassion for those in severe pain by the action of their once beloved Governor.
Question: Can you make comparative analysis between the past successive administrations and that of the present government?
Since I was a key player in the immediate past administration, I will crave your indulgence to excuse me from assessing both administrations. All I can say is that each administration comes with its successes and failures of expectations by the electorates. So let posterity be the ultimate judge
Question: As an Owerri Indegene, what is your comment about the demolition of Ekeukwu market and its relocation to Ohii?
The demolition and or relocation of Ekeukwu Owerri and indeed all other markets in Owerri municipal is the finest and patriotic decision of the incumbent administration. Let me shock you and other readers of this interview a little bit. First, the Ohakim government and the late Eze Owerri HRM Eze Emmanuel Emeyonu Njamanze, the Ozurigbo the IV and a committee of Owerri stakeholders agreed in 2010 to relocate Ekeukwu market Owerri. The Committee was headed by Chief Analyn Nwaneri. I was given the schedule and authority to supervise same. This was part of our Urban renewal progranme under the Clean and Green of the Ohakim’s administration. My office disbursed the first fund for the committee to travel to Tejosho Market in Lagos and had planned to visit Dubai in February before the April 2011 Imo Governorship Tseunami election. I will address this issue and other events of the administration in my subsequent interviews but let me quickly score the present administration 80% on this laudable achievement. It is a display of leadership capacity to implement good and endurable legacy with courage and firmness.
My support and appreciation of this government action is based on logic. In the first place, the presence of Ekeukwu and other markets within 2Klms to the Seat of Power, the Government House created a traffic, security and sanitation problems for the inhabitants of the capital city and Owerri people. Instructively, 80 percent of all the Buses and Vehicles that come to the capital city from the 26 LGAs and outside the state between 4am to 6pm daily have their destination to these markets. 70% of robberies, pick pockets and nuisance activities are connected to the existence of the markets. 90% of the sanitation problem of the municipal city is caused by these markets. The administration conducted a study through a renowned Environmentalist and also the Architect who designed the Twin City Master plan of Owerri Mr Fingerholt from Holland. As a Special Adviser on Sanitation & Transportation and GM Imo Environmental Transformation Commission [ENTRACO], it was under my schedule to implement the relocation.
I can safely say that this particular government decision will stand the test of time for generations yet unborn who will appreciate it. We should please appreciate and commend the administration and not change the narratives to politics . My only advice to HE Owelle Rochas Okorocha is to revisit the compensation process for the owners of the shops and stalls and wipe their tears so that, as I advised Imolites in 2007-2011, they should ‘Sacrifice a little and enjoy forever’.
Question: Another controversy that begs for comment was the invitation of some African Presidents to Imo and the erecting of Statues and naming of major roads in their honour, do you think it is a step in the right direction?
The question has no economic, political or religious value to the welfare of the citizens. I will not waste my time on it. But the erection of statues of some African Presidents or other persons are part of International diplomacy and the President, Governor or LGA Chairman has the prerogative to undertake such venture if wished. It is just like naming of street by LGA Chairmen for reason of inter governmental reciprocity or acknowledging patriotic citizens contributions to the welfare and development of the state, Country or the World at large as in the case of Presidfents Jacob Zuma and Johnson Ellen Shrlef.
Question:
With the wrangling in the PDP, APGA, do you believe that APC has the chances of producing Owelle’s successor?
APGA will be the game changer in 2019 Imo elections. I have predicted that this party will be a destination of choice and home for the oppressed, the aggrieved and the itinerant and highly mobile politicians in the state. It will be the circuit bearer for the excess current from APC and PDP after their party’s primaries next year. There will be surprises and shocks but GOD DECIDES.
On the view of APC producing a successor by Governor Rochas Okorocha against the clamor by Owerri and Okigwe zone insisting on zoning come 2019, I will present my forecast and permutation with facts, figures and logic on or before the 14th February 2018. So watch out.
Question: With the wrangling in PDP, APGA, Do You believe APC has th of producing Owelle’s successor chances? Rumor had it that Okorocha may present another Orlu man as his successor against the cry of Owerri and Okigwe zones insisting on zoning in 2019. What is your opinion on the clamor for zoning or do you have a different view?
The former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s return to PDP and Prince Uche Socundus emergence as National Chairman of PDP will have a dual effect. Firstly, where is the position of Yoruba or Oduduwa Nation in the PDP configuration for 2019?. Secondly, has Saraki, Kwankwaso, Lamido and Tambuwal taken a position in the tournament?. And finally, will PDP, APC and APGA remain one and formidable party with dedicated members and followership as experienced during the 2015 elections?. I will suggest we tarry a while until the end of the first quarter of 2018. The cloud will be clearer by then. For the above reasons, I hold no opinion till then.
Question:
What is your take on the lingering leadership crisis in Imo PDP between the Ezekwem and Anyaehie factions?
The Ezekwem/Anyaehie factions are now academic.It is clear to me that in law and in fact, Ezekwem is the Chairman of Imo PDP today. Full stop. If there is a bye election today, Ezekwem will produce the candidate through his primaries as the Chairman of the party. However, only the Supreme Court at any point in any suit questioning any legitimacy can state otherwise. However, there is need for a genuine reconciliation between the two groups. Even though, I am never pessimistic but I don’t see it happening because the damage, indoctrination and brain washing of followership is quite deep and fundamental.
Question:
Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim continues to assert that he had a broken term before power could shift to another zone. What is really your reaction to such claim r do you see justification in what Ohakim says?
The constitution does not provide for a second tenure. It only provides that a person may be re-elected twice and can only be Governor for a maximum period of 8 years. It is not a right. It is a privilege and an opportunity that can be exploited through good governance and performance by any incumbent Governor, subject to the decision of majority of party members at the primaries and the voting public at the general elections, the incumbent Governor may be re-elected. Going forward therefore, the tenure was not broken as they stand on their own at all material time. The President or the Governor do not have an automatic right to a second term or tenure. It is at the discretion of their masters- the voting citizens. I don’t think His Excellency Ikedi Ohakim is insisting on an unbroken tenure before power could shift to another zone. HE Ohakim, I think is merely appealing for a second tenure to consolidate the unfortunate undocumented zoning arrangement and Charter of Equity by the founding fathers of Imo politics by Late Prof Echeruo and Chief ID Nwoga, the foundation Chairman of PDP in 1998. His Excellency Ikedi Ohakim’s appeal is based on the fact that since Orlu has served 8 unbroken years, the easiest way of ensuring that Owerri zone completes her own 8 years after him is for him to complete his 8 years as the Governor of Imo state. Unfortunately, power is taken and not given.
QUESTION
What position will you be articulating come 2019 or will you just be a mere facilitator?
I will not contest for any elective position come 2019. I will rather gracefully withdraw from active partisan politics after 2018. I will play the role of a King maker and would like to devote the balance of my years on earth to fulfill one of my life ambition as an active Legal Practitioner. I have been a Barrister at politics for the past 22 years. I shall now be a Barrister at Law. So from 2018, you will be seeing me in the Courts, God willing.
Happy and Prosperous New Year to all of us. IT SHALL END IN PRAISE
