There is No Reason to Locate Anioma in the Southeast; President, Governors and their Deputies, Not Required to Vacate Offices Upon Defection, Frank Ofili

 There is No Reason to Locate Anioma in the Southeast; President, Governors and their Deputies, Not Required to Vacate Offices Upon Defection, Frank Ofili

Frank Ofili, a Lagos-based Human Resource Practitioner from Illah in Delta State, has carved a niche for himself as a respected public commentator on national and international affairs, particularly in the political sphere. In this interview with Anioma media influencer, PEN MASTER (EMEKA ESOGBUE), Ofili shares his views on the political landscape of Nigeria. He discusses state creation; why Anioma State should not be located in the Southeast, the viability of political parties, the challenges states face in generating internal resources, and the need to curb the rampant defection of politicians entrusted with the people’s mandate. Excerpts:

Pen Master: I know you, Frank Ofili but I would really appreciate it if you introduce yourself to our teeming readers. The interview surely presents interest. Excerpts:

Ofili: Yes, my name is Frank Ofili. I am a human resource practitioner and I have been in this profession of Human Resource Management for two and half decades. I help organizations build better workplace cultures through effective people management. Over the years, I have also worked with diverse teams across banking, food and beverage, automobile and manufacturing sectors. I am also a writer and blogger with a personal blog, www.frankofili.net where I share my views on politics, leadership, career growth and productivity. I am passionate about mentoring young professionals. I believe that when people thrive, businesses thrive, and that is the mission that drives everything I do.

Pen Master: Mr. Ofili, you are also a public analyst with a daily dose of analysis on current issues. Are you impressed with the performance of the current Tinubu administration? 

Ofili: Well, I believe it could be better. But then, no administration has really got things right since 1999. However, in my opinion, the biggest drawback of the Tinubu administration is four-fold – (1) not getting our priorities right. There is too much politics with little real governance in place; (2) unwieldy and bogus federal bureaucracy. Forty-seven (47) cabinet ministers are damned too many. This is not to talk of other agencies and departments of government. The waste and duplication of functions is too much; (3) lack of transparency. This is perhaps the biggest problem of the government because where there is no probity and accountability in governance, people will be skeptical and the integrity of the leader in doubt; and (4), the overbearing influence of the Presidency which has greatly eroded true democratic tenets.

Pen Master: The Nigerian lawmakers are talking about additional states in the country. In fact, the news is that they have received more than 31 proposals from agitators. On the other hand, critics complain about the existing states, claiming that many are liabilities - unable to generate resources. Mr. Frank Ofili, do you think the nation requires more states at this stage of its existence? 

Ofili: Pen Master, in all honesty, if we are to be sincere, I do not think Nigerians need more states at the moment. But I understand the emotions and political undertones underscoring the agitation for more states. What I cannot 

put my finger on is the economic logic of it given the present state of our economy.

Pen Master: If your position is the case, why do you think the lawmakers insist on listening to these agitations for more states despite the inability of some of the existing states to fund themselves?

Ofili: (Surprised) Look, Pen Master! I can tell you that the lawmakers themselves sometimes actively encourage agitation for more states mainly because state creation in Nigeria is as much a political tool as it is an administrative one. It is rarely about economic viability but often about power, representation, political patronage, and survival. There is also this argument of equity and representation that more states mean more Senators, more House of Reps seats, more budgetary allocations and more political leverage. However, there are some genuine agitations that are informed by the need to correct historical injustices, or the need to recognize the unique identity of some minority ethnic groups and give them self-determination. Anioma closely approximates this. 

Pen Master: Thank you for your mention of Anioma because I was coming to that...

Ofili: ...yes, Anioma people want a state of their own basically because they have suffered marginalization over the years, in fact, since the 1950s. They have also been largely misrepresented, as is their unique identity which has evolved over many centuries. 

Pen Master: Okay, but talking about the proposed Anioma State, the idea of the state in the Southeast region, appears controversial and divisive of your people with many kicking against it. Mr. Ofili, in your view, should the proposed Anioma State be located in the nation's Southeast region?

Ofili: To tell you the truth, there is no reason Anioma State, if created, should be classified as part of the Southeast region. It runs against history. Contrary to what many people think, the history, culture and tradition of Anioma people and those of the Southeast are not the same. Only a third of Anioma has some sort of cultural similarity with the Southeast, but that is on account of geographical proximity and cross-cultural relationships. The ancestry and historical antecedents of the majority of Anioma people are not the same as the Southeast; only a few communities in Anioma have their origins from the Southeast.   

Pen Master: Mr. Frank Ofili, thank you very much but now that Distinguished Sen Ned Nwoko, the Senator representing the Delta North at the Senate, is persuasively moving on with the idea of southeast relocation, what is your prediction? 

Ofili: Pen Master: my answer here is that Sen Nwoko is on his own on this score. Why should Anioma be used to balance some perceived geographical imbalance of the Southeast? Who balances Anioma’s own imbalance? If the Anioma state cannot be created on its own historical merit, my opinion is that it should be left where it currently is, where it historically belongs. 

Pen Master: Back to the issue of the unviable number of states in the country. The average Nigerian may ask: Why can't many states generate their own resources?

Ofili: Hmm! Well, I think I will locate the problem in two major areas. The first lies with the superstructure called Nigeria. There is just too much economic power at the center and very little available to the states and local governments. I think devolving some sphere of control over economic activities to the states and local governments will do a lot of good. The second problem is the short-sightedness and visionlessness of many state governors. A man who never successfully and profitably managed any organization in the private sector before becoming state governor would hardly know how to generate revenue for the state. Such a governor would only know how to consume what comes from federal allocation and not how to make the state generate its own revenue and truly become economically self-reliant. This is why you see wastages and misplacement of priorities everywhere in the polity. 

Pen Master: Again, in this dispensation, we have recorded several defections amounting to the claim in some quarters that the Nigerian political parties lack ideologies. What should be done to make politicians carry their own cross in their parties?  

Ofili: Yes, there is a clear absence of ideology in the Nigerian political space. But I think Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, addresses the issue of lawmakers defecting to another political party. For a state governor, the constitution does not explicitly require a state governor to vacate office upon defection to another political party. Beyond this however, I think the Nigerian people themselves should wake up to their responsibilities of (1) insisting that the provisions of our Constitution be followed scrupulously, (2) holding their leaders and representatives accountable. This means demanding accountability from them at all times, voting them out if they performed below expectations, and not accepting bribes from them for votes. This is the only way we would have good governance, and the only way to ensure that only people who genuinely have the interest of the people at heart assume political leadership. 

Pen Master: ...but some Nigerians continue to insist that any politician who  defects to another forfeits his office or mandate of his previous party, if he is carrying one. What is your view of this argument?

Ofili: Like I mentioned earliet, not all politicians are constitutionally required to vacate office if they defect to another political party; only elected politicians (specifically, lawmakers) as stated in Section 68 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. The President, Vice President, state Governors and their deputies are not constitutionally required to vacate office if they defect to another party. There is a different constitutional provision on how the President, Vice President, State Governor or Deputy can vacate office, and that is through death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity, or removal. This is elaborately stated in Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Still, I do think that Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution should be amended to include the Governor and deputy governor. In which case, if the governor and/or deputy governor defect to another party, they should vacate their offices. This is without prejudice to section 188. This is one way of checkmating the possibility of using federal might to blackmail state governors to submission and compulsory defection to the ruling party as did happen recently in Delta State. 

Pen Master: Frank Ofili, you are from Illah, an Anioma community in Delta State. Are you satisfied with the political representation of this community so far? 

Ofili: Well, specifically, in terms of the personalities representing my town, Illah, and by extension, my constituency Oshimili North, I do not think I have any reason to complain. However, in terms of the result, or output, of political representation, I think my expectations are far from being met. My political representatives – Hon Frank Esenwa, Hon Innocent Esewezie, Hon. Lawrence Ngozi Okolie and Senator Ned Nwoko – are doing their best, but the challenges are so much within the context of very limited available economic resources. Like I said earlier, there is very little control over the resources available to local governments in Nigeria. Both state and federal governments have got to devolve more powers to the local government. Let there be true fiscal federalism. If that is not possible for now, then let local governments get their allocation direct from the Federation Account.

Pen Master: Okay, but what can the Anioma political representatives in particular, do to make more achievement for their constituencies?

Ofili: Little, given the current structure of the federation. However, they can create the atmosphere to give the people economic empowerment. By this, I do not mean occasional handouts and tokenism as is currently the case. I mean using public policy to create the enabling environment to empower the people economically by creating jobs so that people can fend for themselves. That is what good governance is all about.

Pen Master: Tell us some more things about Frank Ofili

Ofili: Frank Ofili is a little farm boy who is not afraid to stand alone where integrity is concerned. I make mistakes, I learn from them. However, I do not make the same mistake twice. If you wrong me once, I forgive you. If you wrong me a second time, I do not forget. I believe in God but not in religion as is practiced today. My guiding principle is to be fair and just in my every day interaction and relationship with people.

Pen Master: Are you also thinking of going into politics in the near future? 

Ofili: The thought has never crossed my mind. I am not sure I can put up with the shenanigans of politics. But you never know, things could change.

Pen Master: Any advice for your political representatives?

Ofili: Yes! They should engage the youth more in order to get the true feelings of the people. There is a yawning gap between the leaders and the people.

Pen Master: Thank you, Mr. Ofili for speaking to me

Ofili: The pleasure is mine.