Que: Sir May we meet you officially?
Ans: Good morning gentlemen of the press, my name is captain Emmanuel Ihenacho, the immediate past minister of interior. Am a businessman from Emekuku Owerri North, Imo state. a staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is helping to build a formidable structure of the party from the wards to the federal levels
Que As you Know, this is over 14 years of undisrupted democracy in Nigeria. What is your impression about democracy in Nigeria?
Ans: Well my impression will be relative to the developmental result/achievement of democracy within these years. In that case let us not forget that true democracy allows the smallest group/person to participate in the scheme of governance, distribution and entitlement of the dividend of democracy without any string attached.
However, in the case of Nigerian democracy it defers from state to state, local government to local government, and wards to wards. Some places are good, while some others are bad.
Que: Can you use Imo as a case study?
My brothers, even the blind can see, that the situation in Imo is very bad, the people are suffering beyond measures because the allocation in the last 14 years is being shared among friends and families than invested for the collective interest of the Imo people. I have the figure in the last 14 years and if it has been invested well, Imo would have been better off with adequate, healthcare, job and wealth creation, good security to mention a few.
Take Akwa-Ibom for instance, where the government has invested the allocation for the development and betterment of the people, by building an international Airport and seaport, good public schools, power plant not to talk of wonderful road networks and fly overs etc in return these projects creates jobs and wealth for the people of the state. Now you begin to wonder what has happened to Imo state allocation all these years.
Qus: Sir as a former minister of Interior, what can you say about the present security situation in the country?
Ans: To be candid, the security situation in the country has really worsened with the emergence of the Boko Haram Sect that hardly has any day passed without report of the destruction of lives and property by the sect. Government has also tried to stop them but they still move on.
What is your take in the call to grant the sect Amnesty?
Such calls are not right, because it will encourage more or other groups to take up arms and ammunition to start destroying lives and properties in order to merit Amnesty wind fall. I think the sect should come out plain and make their problems and agitation known to the authorities for proper solution.
Que: As a Chieftain and stakeholder in PDP do you think the emergency of APC is a threat to your party?
Ans: It is a well known fact, that any thing that is not for but against the party is a threat, therefore every other party not only APC is a threat to PDP.
Que: So How do you think your party (PDP) will disarm the threat, APC?
Ans: like the party has been doing, they should step up strategies to address issues, which the oppositions are using against the party, by using more people oriented projects, programs, and people to further sell the party in a credible way to Nigerians.
Que: You have always hammered on wealth creation if you finally emerge as the state Governor come 2015 how will you realize that?
Ans: Thank you so much, As a successful business man, if I can do in the private sector I can also do it in the public sector.
Que: But sir private and public sectors are two different sectors?
Ans: No my dear, they are the same management of human and capital resources your ability to utilize a small income to realize a large out come/profit for the people makes you a successful businessman in private sector or successful governor in public sector by creating social security for the unborn child, the infant child, pregnant mothers, graduate, then create job opportunities by turning our redundant and consumer state economy to producer state with the establishment of factories where the profits will be re- invested into the state economy because you can only give what you have.
Our problem here is that we consume every thing yet we produces nothing, just consider the industrialization or industrial revolutions of the South East Asian countries especially in Technology and Agriculture, that will be my priority of- course we all know how Malaysia came here to take palm seedling and now they are exporters of the palm products while Nigeria still imports.
Que: Sir what is your take on the recent ASUU strike?
Ans: very bad, we cannot continue to play with the education of our children who we say are the leaders of tomorrow.
There is an urgent need to settle the said differences ones and for all.
Ques; your days as Minister, what are your challenges?
Ans: First my appointment as minister of Interior was a shock, because am not a security expert I had thought it will be transport where I have years of experience , then the over crowded, prisons, lack of modern fire fighting equipments for the Fire Service, the cases of contraband goods etc were some of the challenges I faced.
Que: Why do you prefer governorship seat to the senate?
I have been an executive all my live not a lawyer, as an executive I have always implemented laws and orders to the benefit of all.
Can you comment on the Issue of Igbo Presidency?
Every Igboman has the constitutional right to be president as long as the person is competent, who will see himself as a president from Igbo extraction but not for only the Igbos.
Que: Thank you for your time
Ans: You are well come
