In this interview, he discusses political intolerance in Ebonyi, the ongoing distribution of PVC by INEC, and non-state actors in the security system.

There have been cases of intolerance and intimidation of the opposition political parties in the state. What do you envisage in the 2023 general election because of this?

I know you mean the intimidation from the ruling party. Let’s call them the ruling party even though they are supposed to be the opposition. It is a very sorry situation; it is a very unsavory situation. It is most undemocratic that they don’t allow space for people to exercise their choice. Every government gets into office through a process and Ebonyi should not be a different situation.

So, in the coming days, we will join hands in encouraging the government to allow oxygen into the democratic space.

People should be allowed to put their posters, people should be allowed to put their banners, people should be allowed to campaign in public places.

I am meeting my constituents, celebrating with them in my private place, because of a patently unconstitutional state executive order that makes it impossible for people like me and other people in other parties, who are not in the APC to exercise themselves; sell their manifestos, reach out to people from a platform because that is how this Dave Umahi government emerged.

We campaigned everywhere for him; we went across the state in public places campaigning for him. Why won’t he allow some other persons to emerge because at the end of the day, power belongs to the electorate and God?

What is your take on the destruction of campaign billboards and posters in the state?

When they go after people’s posters and banners, I laugh because those are not the things that will get you votes. What will get me votes is what I pound my chest and acclaim that I have done. I have built roads; I have built hospitals; I have built schools. I have done all these across Ehugbo and Edda and that is what gives me joy because even if I don’t put one billboard or posters till the day of the election, the people will still speak resoundingly in accordance with their minds, their conscience and belief in what is good.

So, we are encouraging this government to allow people to campaign, stop intimidation and harassment.

What do you think the police should do in this regard?

To the police, they should do their job. They should allow non-state actors to take over their functions.

When you allow people who are non-state actors to carry guns and stand by the road, flag down vehicles, harass people, attack people, it is a recipe for anarchy. It is not just here in Ebonyi, all through history, such circumstances breed nothing but anarchy; breakdown of law and order because people can only tolerate as much.

It is perceived that the state arm of the South-East security outfit, Ebubeagu, is a tool for persecution. What is your view on that?

You people in the media should know better because you have better sources of information. But, I want to believe that Ebonyi is one of the 36 states in the federation, so our own will not be different. What happens elsewhere should be what happens here. We cannot suddenly create a set of new rules, new regulations and new rules of engagement for citizens in Ebonyi outside what the Federal Republic has established as the rules of engagement for political processes.

So, in as much as we know what they want to do, they are better advised not to attempt it because it won’t augur well for them, it won’t augur well for the state and it won’t augur well for the democratic process in this country.

There is an ongoing distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the electorate. What are you doing to ensure that your constituents collect theirs?

There is a lot of effort to sensitise the people to go for their PVCs because that is their strength and it is the only way they can control the process.

So, we are trying as much as possible to encourage them to go for their PVCs and I want to believe that in the next few days, a lot of people will go for their PVCs, especially when the PVCs get to the ward levels.

So, we will do enough sensitisation to make sure the people go for their PVCs.

(Source: independent.ng)