Former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia, speaks about the 2015 general elections and insecurity among other issues in this interview with JOHN ALECHENU
The 2015 general elections are barely six months away, do you see anything changing in the way Nigerians play politics?
To the best of my knowledge, Nigerian politics is going to take the same tone, the same style and if anything, there could be some moderation on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission because I can see that the INEC has made some changes in its operational system during the last governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states. So, we are all expecting that conducting the next general elections should be a better and an improved system than what it used to be. Though, one can say that massive military presence was witnessed during the last two elections, we are also hoping that the Adamawa State by-election would be another test case for us to see whether or not the military presence would be prominent. Again, I must not fail to say that the Adamawa State by-election may also witness the presence of the military because of the presence of the Boko Haram sect in the state. With the emerging situation, Nigerians will witness a better electoral system in 2015 than before.
There are fears that the precarious security situation in the North-East may make conduct of elections impossible in affected states. Do you agree?
I don’t think it is true that elections may not hold because of insecurity. We should also remember that even before now when there was no insecurity in some states, many states also could not conclude their elections because of the human factors; the political parties themselves causing confusion and violence here and there. So, if there is not going to be a conclusive election in some parts of the Northern states, it is not because of the insecurity. It is going to be because of the attitude of some parties in those states.
You can even read the violent posture of some parties against the other. And that could result to election being withheld, but not because of the insecurity in those areas.
Who is your preferred candidate for 2015?
My preferred candidate is Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. The reasons are obvious: for the purpose of continuity, for the purpose of effectiveness in our administration and the fact again that he has done well.
With the crisis of confidence between the President and your cousin, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, do you think the PDP has a chance in Rivers State?
Rivers State is the number one state that Mr. President will win. I, with other politicians, will deliver Rivers State to Jonathan. In 2007, the late President Umar Yar’Adua had about two million votes. I had about 1.8 million votes. In 2011, Mr. President also had about one million votes. And I can assure you that the All Progressives Congress is not existing in Rivers State as far as the next presidential election is concerned. The APC may be existing in other states, but as far as the presidential election is concerned, Jonathan is going to get more than two million votes because there are many more people who have grown up to the age of 18; there are those who are now married into Rivers State, there are those who have transferred their services from other parts of the country into Rivers State and all of them are ready to support the President.
What is happening in Rivers State especially regarding the defection from political parties?
I can tell you that several meetings have been held in the South-South, including Rivers State. And many APC members are presently talking with PDP members as to how and when they can defect to the PDP to work for Jonathan. I can tell you that from December, you will see a lot of changes in the political equation of Rivers State. Many perceived members of the APC are joining the PDP for the purpose of voting for the President. We shall all work together as a people to support President Jonathan in 2015.
