‘Our plans to bridge gap between Buhari, South-East’
A founding member of The Buhari Organisation (TBO) and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Chief Dennis Emeka Aghanya, is the Executive Secretary of Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Data Initiative (ARDI). In this interview, he explained how President Muhammadu Buhari can win the South–East .
Why have you been silent politically?
Project Nigeria is work in progress and we are all part of it; a politician has no hiding place. The anti-corruption programme of this administration is the most important foundation needed urgently to steer the Nigerian ship to safety. So I rather key into it with my anti-corruption advocacy program, rather than sit down and complain and we are making much impact.
I have not really been into any political party activities but I am gradually making a return to now get involved, especially to work for this administration. I couldn’t align with any other political group or party after our misunderstanding in the defunct CPC because of my ideological incompatibility elsewhere compared to my perfect alignment with President Buhari ideology.
How then do you rate this administration?
Mr President is on course. This is the only leader since after our independence in 1960 that have shown sincere willingness to fight corruption in governance. Whether he is getting it right or wrong are a matter of methodology and the realities of the situation he met on ground. What the country needs now is the willingness to tackle corruption. The willingness is what propels a leader to put relevant institutions in place and structure them in a manner they can truly function without interference from any quarter of government.
What do you say to the sustained outcry by most of your TBO and CPC members that President Buhari alienates them in appointments?
misunderstanding along the way.
Everybody should carry his cross, each person with his own goal. Experience has taught me much in politics. You may recall what happened to me. I was sacrificed by those I looked up to as my mentors and godfathers in politics for their selfish interests. Others plotted and blackmailed me before PMB because of my rising profile before him (PMB). It only pained me that Mr. President never took time to independently verify all such allegations. But each of the conspirators never saw the Promised Land. I look up to God for my reward. That is now in the past. The only truth that I could not summon courage to tell such complainants is that they lack the capacity for any of such appointments. That is the truth. The problem is that people see political appointments as call for political settlement rather than call for service. Mr President now needs persons with capacity to assist him salvage this country at this crucial moment. I am not implying that people should not be compensated; it could be through contracts and certainly not to be appointed as a square peg for a round hole.
What then is your plan for 2019?
Just as I was the first person enlisted in 2002 by GMB and Alhaji Sule Hama to establish The Buhari Organization (TBO) in the South– East and South-South, I again took the initiative to commence action aimed at sincerely bridging the gap between this administration and the South East zone by designing a model titled “Concept Paper for Re-Orientation Campaign in the South–East” and we are already reaching out. It is not political but a programme that would lay the foundation needed to role in the political programme of Mr President at the appropriate time. It is anchored on a Creative Peace Team of apolitical Igbo elites within and outside the country, who sincerely believe in one Nigeria.
We aim to chart an outline of methodology for the re-orientation of mind-sets and behavioural change among the Igbos, especially the vulnerable youths easily swayed with falsehood and deception, with the aim of achieving peace and development in the Igbo-speaking parts of Nigeria; an effort to bridge gap, misconception of facts and genuine intents of the present administration.
Would you say the Buhari intention has translated into good governance for the country?
Certainly yes! But there is no performance by any government that can attain 100 per cent. That is why I earlier said that certain things are working for this government while some other things are also clog on its wheel. My greatest worry is the non-coordination of activities among his lieutenants. Most of them have the capacity but there is much bickering. There seem to be manifestation of individualistic interest and programmes outside the blueprint of the principal. There is much in-house bickering and this embarrasses the administration.