Ogochukwu Onyema is a former Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) in Enugu State. In this interview with LAWRENCE NJOKU, he spoke on the prospects and crisis rocking the party, including the mass defection of elected officials and leadership dilemma, among others.

The outcome of the 2023 general elections has seen politicians moving in droves to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Why did you choose the Labour Party when others are moving to the APC?

What basically prompted my movement was my kind of person, my independence of thought, my character, and what I represent. As you rightly observed, many politicians are moving to the ruling APC, but their aim is to scramble for available offices. I had watched the situation and how certain events played out. I felt that, as someone interested in the affairs of this country and helping my people, I should join the Labour Party.

I remained loyal to the PDP for 24 years. I funded the party. But I felt it was time to quit. To quit responsibly, I decided to reject every appointment. I decided to quit even when appointments had not been made after the 2023 elections.

I joined the Labour Party because of the way the party played its politics in 2023. Forget about what is going on now; rather than maintaining what they took, they have continued to lose focus. A party that came up for the first time in Enugu State, without any governor or elected officeholder, won 14 out of 24 seats in the Enugu State House of Assembly, seven out of eight House of Representatives seats, and two out of three senatorial seats. We should use our tongue to count our teeth. I knew this was where the people were and what the people wanted. So, I joined the party.

However, surprisingly, those who were given the opportunity by the people became enticed by financial inducements. They not only lost focus, but they also lost the opportunity to contribute to democracy by abandoning the party that brought them to the limelight. They started leaving in numbers under the guise that there was a crisis in the party. And I told them: if there is a crisis, you stay and solve it. Why talk about the crisis when the ruling party did not give you its ticket? Their movement showed they did not go to serve the people but themselves.

So, I moved into another party to join progressive minds, contribute to democracy, and see whether we can get things right. I am among those who are not happy with the way things are in the country.

The crisis that has befallen the Labour Party since 2023 may hinder its future performance. Does that not worry you?

The Labour Party is still what it is. Forget about the minor crisis you are seeing. Those leaving the Labour Party are not the Obidients. The Obidients comprise the Labour Party, and whatever is happening now will ultimately strengthen the party. The Labour Party stands for the interests of the people, and what is going on has not diminished that.

The only people jumping ship are elected officeholders. The people have not jumped ship; they are still watching. Peter Obi remains the leader of the party, and if he decides to run in the party, the wave will still flow. If he decides to run through a coalition, the wave will still flow. I am optimistic that it will be even better in the next election than it was in 2023. It will be a higher wave in 2027. Nothing has gone wrong.

What gives you the assurance that the LP has the capacity to do better, given that its fortunes in the South-East appear to be diminishing since the 2023 general elections?

In the last general elections, the LP did very well in the South-East. It won the presidential vote in all five South-East states. It also won the governorship seat of Abia State and several other seats in Abia, Imo, Anambra, and Enugu. Before that election, the party had nothing to write home about.

If you sit down and count those who made the last election thick, you will discover that they have remained intact in the LP. Those leaving are a few elected persons who have no followers but cruised on Peter Obi’s wings into office. They are the ones creating false impressions because of their personal interests rather than serving the people. The LP is stable, and the people are watching. What we have is a leadership crisis, not a membership crisis, and I can assure you that we will resolve it before the next election.

Do you think that the way politicians switch parties is affecting our democracy?

It is one of the ills of our society. It is killing our democracy. It shows that we do not have ideologies and that the politics we play is for the sake of our stomachs.

Do you know how the polity would look today if all those who won elections in 2023 stayed in the parties that gave them their mandates? If lawmakers had remained, there would be robust debates at the National Assembly. If governors had remained, they would have offered the criticisms necessary to improve the performance of the ruling government. But they all jumped into the same boat to the detriment of the people, and society is dying because nobody is saying anything contrary. It is unfortunate.

The constitution is quiet on it. Otherwise, when you jump party, you lose your seat. If we were strict in this country and applied our laws effectively, the country would be better. Look at what happened in Rivers State; people are trying to sweep it under the carpet. Members of the whole State Assembly woke up one morning and quit the party that brought them to power. They did it and still retained their seats. It is an issue, and until it is addressed, our democracy will continue to be challenged.

The problem of this country has been the political leaders who do not approach national affairs with sincerity. They do not understand the balance of power, and without a balance of power, the government cannot work well. We are suffering today because of this single issue.

An elected official wakes up overnight and switches parties without consulting those who elected them. Then, during elections, he packs money and distributes it at polling units. The people are collecting because poverty has been injected into society. Until the people understand how they are being used and stand firm, the country will continue to throttle.

I am worried because it has never been this bad. Look at the way they have treated the naira. They told us the subsidy was a scam. We are in the third year of governance, and people are not finding things easy despite the removal of the fuel subsidy. They keep saying the economy is improving, yet the government continues to borrow. International borrowing is rising daily. So, who is fooling who?

Insecurity has spread beyond measure. Nigerians cannot sleep with two eyes closed. Schools are being shut because children could be kidnapped or killed. What does that tell you? Nigerians have been disappointed by those they elected to preside over their affairs. It is unfortunate and a national tragedy.

Talking about insecurity, are you comfortable with the way the government is handling the issue?

I am not a security expert, but from what I’ve seen, we lack effective solutions. Tinubu has changed service chiefs and other security strategies, but nothing seems to be working. The situation is stretching already impoverished Nigerians. The government should rethink its approaches and reorder its architecture. Society is evolving, and security strategies should be dynamic and encompassing.

Divisive politics have continued to challenge the South-East’s prospects. How do you see this?

It is unfortunate. What defines politics in Igboland is self-interest, nothing more. Division in Igboland’s politics is caused by personal interests, not the overall interest of the people. That is why I am against second-term quests. A single tenure would help. When someone is elected, he should work, not start calculating how to get another four years.

Second-term quests create issues in the country, and Igboland is not left out. That is why Southeast leaders cannot come together or speak with one voice. They are only interested in what they can acquire.

At one point, you were Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. There are claims that Ohanaeze has deteriorated. Do you agree, and what should be done?

There is deterioration in Ohanaeze Ndigbo, but it can be restored. It is our people who are undermining Ohanaeze. People not elected into Ohanaeze issue statements on behalf of Ndigbo. All manner of groups speak for Igbo people. These things undermine the organisation.

We must make our governors understand that Ohanaeze is a socio-cultural group, not an extension of political parties. They should stop using it for politics. When I was there, we had independence with limited resources. Now, resources are higher, yet independence is gone. But we can never throw Ohanaeze away. People should continue to support it. We cannot abandon it. (The Guardian)

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