Interview: State Assembly members are behind non-development, progress of Abia, Labour Party Chieftain

Abia State House of Assembly Candidate of New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) for Bende South Constituency, Hon. Chijioke Mbalaso, in interview speaks with Stanley Ihedigbo, on the outcome of general elections and other burning issues in the country.

How has it been after the State House of Assembly elections you participated?

I am very grateful to Almighty God and it was a great experience for me going into practical politics. If you are not participate in politicking, you may not know what is involved. Also going into it practically, I think, I am exposed to the intrigues of politics and it’s a big lesson for me. Now, I am in a better position to give advice to those who have not had the practical experience and also stand better position to aspire for political positions in future.

Your constituency are surprised that before the inauguration of the political offices, you have already moved to Labour Party?

Prior to my purchase of NNPP nomination form, I have been a good follower of the Labour Party Governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti and secondly, I am a young Nigerian, who is looking out for positive change.  For that reason, I joined the Obidient movement.

Even as I was contested in a party other than  labour party, I was still following  the Obidient groups,  supporting the group financially and otherwise,  to make sure Labour Party achieve success at all levels . On the day of the election in my ward, I had series of problems with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) agents who were buying votes.  They told me that I know very well, my party will not win the election and their attempt was to rig against the Labour Party candidates. I stood against them but unfortunately the police officer posted to my polling unit was paid to work for the government in power in the state, when I confronted them, they said “young man, it’s like you like trouble. Even when the PDP agents were threatening to deal with me. Honestly, I supported Labour Party to win Abia State governorship because, we are tired of PDP administration in the state.

You seem to work against your party and that’s anti-party activities, which would have led to your expulsion from NNPP before going to Labour Party?

First and foremost, I don’t think because you are a party member, you will accept evil as good. I don’t want believe that being a party member stops me from supporting a good candidate from party (if you have the progress of your state or country at heart). I would have contested, if I had won the election. I was not the one that initiated my candidateship under the NNPP and if I have had my way, I would have contested under the Labour Party. But a respected senior citizen of the state brought the form of NNPP state house of assembly for me based on recommendations from people who knows me as someone who love to serve his people.  Although, I discovered along the line, there was plan to buy me over with money, which means, if I won the election, I will not have voice of my own. I told myself, I may not have money but I wouldn’t do thing that will soiled my name and makes me feel unhappy even as a member of Abia State House Assembly. There and then, I decided within me, that if by the grace of God, I win the election, I will decamp to the Labour Party and I informed my campaign team about my plan. Now, I am with the Labour Party, I have been inviting many of my friends in NNPP who are willing to offer themselves for positive change in Abia State to join me. Again to my understanding of the activities and programmes of NNPP, they don’t believe there is a place for them in Abia State.

Now, you are with Labour Party, have they really accepted you or engage you in their programmes looking at your experience and capacity as a grassroots leader?

I will not say that they have engaged me fully in their programmes but one thing is that Labour Party is a grassroots party.  Not like other political parties, that ended their leadership in ward level but Labour Party have village leaders. It is very surprising when some politicians were saying that the party don’t have structure. Based on what I saw in the party, they have the best structure and supporters than any other political party in the country. As I joined them, I have started working with the leaders in my constituency and they have been supportive.

On the electorates voting individuals not the parties was your view before the elections. What prompted that view?

Yes, I said it before the elections that the people of Bende South Constituency will vote for individuals not political parties. I can tell you they actually did.  The issue is I don’t want to go deep into some of the things that happened during the election in my constituency because there was lot of manipulation, fraud and vote buying.  Early in the morning of Election Day, I saw PDP agents sharing bags of salt and cartons of noodles to the people in my constituency.  Based in all these, I may have lost the election but I am very sure that the Labour Party won it not the PDP candidate that was declared winner. And if Labour Party goes to court, I believe they would get back their mandate in Bende South Constituency of State House of Assembly. Yes, I can says it anywhere that my constituency voted for the Labour Party because of their presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi. Even in the Abia State North Senatorial zone, if not All Progressive Congress (APC) manipulation, the Labour Party won the senate seat. Also on the Election Day, my constituency result was announced very late, because the PDP was perfecting their manipulation of the result. I have my evidence, they wrote the result of the election in one of the primary schools in Uzuakoil under the supervision of the military officers and police men.  In case of my former party, the governorship candidate started campaign only two weeks to the election and couldn’t cover half of the state. Also his campaigns was mostly done in the media houses, and was unable to tour around the state because of lack of fund.  There’s no place in Abia State you would see NNPP gubernatorial candidate billboard, because the government demanded N6m for any gubernatorial candidate that will erect billboard in the state.  That’s means the party looks unknown, even the candidate may be good but the issue of finance limited the publicity and campaign. Another issue is NNPP didn’t assist any of us, it was more or less an individualistic show, and party couldn’t even sponsor a single campaign in Abia State as much as I know.

What is your advice to outgoing government looking at the way things are in the state, in the area of unpaid salaries and pensions?

The issue in Abia State is like that of a son whose father was owing people some amount of money and later the father died, he has automatically inherited debt from his father and must do everything in his power to pay off the debt. The state is very backward for years and there is nothing working. The civil servants has been on strike for months as result of backlog of months and years of unpaid salaries. The governor is not ready to pay the backlog before leaving office because his party lost the governorship election. I am not faint hearted about the incoming governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, because he has the political will, understanding and love for the common people. The civil servants are tired of working without being paid.   I met a man who was on level 14 in the state government civil servant, he told me that he do menial job to survive and take care of his family. Don’t forget that someone in that level is not a junior worker, then just imaging what the junior workers are going through. The man is supposed to be on level 16 but no promotion for the past 8 years of the sitting governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, while those from his zone are heading the people they meet in the offices.  I also learnt that the governor placed embargo on employment but those from his zone are been employed on daily bases. What kind of wickedness is that? I can tell you that the civil servants in the state massively voted against PDP government in the favour of the Labour Party because they have suffered under their administrations. I can also say that Abia State governorship election was the best elections in Nigeria, because it was the wishes of the people that came to be.  As God’s own state, we have been praying for the incoming governor, that he will not fail the people.

What is your view on the recent crisis in the Abia State House of Assembly, where the speaker and other principal officers were impeached few days for them to leave office?

The impeachment of the speaker, and other principal officers in the House of Assembly is political arrangement and such arrangement doesn’t have the interest of the people at heart. I know that many of them are not coming to the State House of Assembly again and they are doing that for their personal interest. Because, the present Abia State House Assembly members are behind the non-development and progress of the Abia State.  If they have done what they are supposed to do as state legislatures, engaging the executive and making sure that the money allocated to the ministries and agencies are utilised for the purpose it was budgeted for. Also if they have been carrying on their oversight functions for the four or eight years, the Abia State will not have been worst as it is today in the area of development and non-payment of salaries and pension.   Again many Abians are not in support of the impeachment because the legislators have failed in their responsibility. They only few days to go, what is the benefits of the impeachments to the Abia State?

As a Labour Party Chieftain, are you in support of the call by your Presidential Candidate that there should be interim government, than the swearing of the All Progressive Congress (APC) President- Elect, Sen. Ahmed Bola Tinubu, until the court judgment on the outcome of the Presidential election?

The situation in Nigeria is a sorry state. I am worried about the judges because what lies before them is a very difficut5 task. The Presidential election rigging was too obvious and I am very worry about the judges appointed to handle the case because it is very difficult task before them. The truth of the matter is the judges know actually what happened in the February 25^th, Presidential election. I can tell you that Nigeria is so disorganised, that things are done in the opposite side. A country where evil are been praised than righteousness, on daily bases people are very proud for doing evil in the land. Also the situation the electoral umpire was brought over by the ruling party against the masses to rig election. Even until today, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not been able to upload all the results of the Presidential election because some of the result were painted and altered, and they couldn’t reconciled the figures. Until today over 9000 polling units have not been uploaded at the INEC portal and when you look at such things, if you are not with a strong mind, you will just collapsed. This is the same commission that told us that the 2023 general elections would be the most fair, credible and free from manipulation as the results will be downloaded from the polling booth and Nigerians believed. At the end, it’s a very terrible situation and it seems no hope for a better Nigeria. Even if you look the judiciary process, while the Presidential election don’t start in the tribunal court , but in the Appeal court was for the judges to deliver judgment before the inauguration of President-Elect but the way things are going , that will not be achieve. And we know that in a lawless country like ours, ones the President- Elect takes oath of office, it becomes too difficult for the person to be removed, and instead he will be the one to remove the judges and appointed those who are his praise singers. Unfortunate, when you look at those who you think are respected senior citizens, hailing and supporting the elections rigging, you will cry for Nigeria. I pray that the right of the citizenry are respected and if it is to institute a court injunction to prevent the inauguration of the appointed President –Elect shouldn’t be allow to enter Aso Rock until judgement is delivered, it will be better for every Nigerian and give us hope.

Which area would you like to work with the incoming governor, if you are call upon?

I don’t think there is any area I will not serve very well because it is about serving the people.  Because it takes diligence and ability to be accountable to the people. That’s what many of the politicians are lacking, rather they resort to stealing and looting the commonwealth of the people. Forgetting the campaign promises they made to the people before they were elected into the political offices. One thing I have at  the back of my mind is if I am given an opportunity to serve in any level of the government, the people will be the ones to  beg  me to continue  the  service  because I would have done something that touches  their lives. Also I will do things that people wouldn’t easily forgot whether as a commissioner, legislature, or local government chairman. Also my aim is to do something that will alleviate the poverty level of my people and make their lives better than I met it. It is very important for a politician to do something the people will always remember him or her for because they will not be on the seat forever but they can leave a legacy.  For that’s the kind of leader I want to be if I am given the opportunity. I have been leader in different levels, even as a pastor of a church, I am still leading people. Another thing I really like is when I give people assignment, they should deliver and I will advise the incoming governor, if his commissioners or special assistants does not deliver assignments or carry out their responsibilities, they will bring bad name to him. And as such  the governor don’t   have to mind them  to terminate the appointment of any one, neither his friends nor relations who does not deliver or do his or her assignment, his  government will fail and the blame will be on the governor.