Report By DICKSON OKAFOR

Honourable David Idoko is a household name in the politics of Middle-Belt zone, having represented Ado/Ogbaibo/Opkokwu Federal Constituency twice in the House of Representatives. He is a board member, Lower Niger Basin Development Authority. In this interview, he insists that for the people of Idoma to feel that they are part of the Nigerian union, Apa State must be carved out of the present Benue State for the sake of equity and justice. He speaks on a wide range of issues. Excerpts:

What do you think led to the present crisis, rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that resulted in five governors leaving your party for the APC?
This is expected; it is the beauty of democracy. People have the right to move from one political party to another where their interest is protected. What that means is that everybody must have the right to fair hearing. Therefore, anybody who felt he or she was not properly treated or have no place in his party, may have to leave. That is why politics is by choice and not by force. We are at liberty to move from party to another where our interest is best protected. So, I don’t see anything wrong with some governors moving to another party. And as for crisis, I will say PDP is not in crisis but we have issues which will soon be resolved. But one thing these governors should bear in mind is that they have made more enemies and their enemies will follow them to wherever they go. Even in APC, there are those who would be comfortable with their presence because they are eyeing the position these governors may be interested in. I’m not an advocate of pushing people out of PDP because the more, the merrier.
What can PDP do to make these governors come back?
Yes, through negotiation, the aggrieved governors can come back to PDP. My idea of negotiation is, if you are going to negotiate, you must have at the back of your mind that what the other person has is important and to an extent, you have to open your mind large enough to accommodate his views or interest to the point where both of you can reach an understanding. When you go to negotiate, you must also realise that what the other person is coming with to negotiation table is equally important and you cannot foreclose that something good will come out of that dialogue. Dialogue is respecting the other person’s opinion and indeed President Goodluck Jonathan is still dialoguing with the aggrieved governors and at the appropriate time, there will be an understanding. My advice to the governors is to leave their windows sufficiently open for further negotiation with Mr. President.
The Middle-Belt supported Jonathan to emerge the President; would you say the zone is enjoying any political fortune from this administration?
We have had political fortune come to Middle-Belt since the present administration assumed office. This is in recognition of our support for President Jonathan, hence the zone has produced the longest serving Senate President in Nigeria, in the person of His Excellency, David Mark. The Senate President is undisturbed and had been allowed to presided over the seventh Assembly in such a way that the relationship between the executive and the legislature has been cordial. So far, there are some level of stability and understanding among members of the present Senate. I think as event unfold, the importance of the Middle-Belt would be better appreciated as we move towards 2015 because we will be the deciding factor of where the presidency will go and we will support Jonathan in 2015.
Many are of the view that the seventh Assembly has been pocketed by the executive, what is your take?
The world over, the parliament especially Senate or the upper House is regarded as being conservative and they are not noise-makers. Most of the people that attain the status of a Senator are accomplished people. So, you find out that their outburst is not that of crisis. They are more constructive and corrective in their approach to issues. That is the major observation you get the world over about the Senate. If you are opportune to see them sitting, you would see objective and accomplished people and that is the kind of Senate we have under the leadership of Sen. David Mark. It is easy to find them agree with each other because they are almost of the same cadre.

However, that there is no crisis in the Senate does not mean that they have been pocketed by the executive arm, rather, they are working, although sometimes they disagree to agree. I think what is important is that we have a leadership in the Senate that is cohesive and proactive; there is also a leadership in the Senate that is not involved in self aggrandisement and it is more like a collective leadership. The present Senate is made of a group of equals and they pick one to lead them hence, it is a known fact that David Mark is best among equals. Therefore, quality leadership is reasonable for the stability in the Senate. They understand and there is mutual respect for one another
How do you assess the present administration?
President Jonathan said history will judge him after 2015 whether he has performed or not. The aspect of governance that is not doing well to me is the economy and the inability of government to create jobs. In the absence of that, this government has done well. I score this administration high in the area of power. As you know, the sector was deregulated recently and very soon, the nation would begin to enjoy steady power supply.
Is there need for national conference since the constitution is being amended by NASS?
Yes, there is need for the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to sit down and dialogue. Whatever, that is worth doing, should be done properly. Nigerians for long have been agitating for more cohesive nation and there are disparities in the union called Nigeria. Some ethnic groups are best fitted into the Nigeria project, hence, their reason for agitation. So, they want to participate fully in the nation’s politics. People feel aggrieved. The issues range from moral, political and social and these issues are glaring Nigerians in the face and the people say, let’s sit down and talk. Then the President has given them the opportunity to talk, so, let’s allow the people to talk and an understanding will come out of the national dialogue. I give you an example; I come from Benue State,  the Tivs don’t want Idoma man to be governor of the state and when you bring up the issue they will tell you that it is not a constitutional matter but it is an issue the Idoma people can present at the proposed conference.

We are able to tell Nigerians and the world that the Tiv people we co-habit with are two-times our population and in politics, majority carries the day no matter the system of democracy a nation is practicing. Though minority will be heard but majority will have their way. The purpose of the proposed national dialogue is to protect those in the minority in the Nigeria project through such level of discussion. It happened in Lebanon, it happened in Tanzania and Colombia. In Lebanon, one religious group, the Muslims are 75 per cent and the Christians are 25 per cent and the Muslims keep ruling until there was a dialogue and it was agreed on rotation of power and put in the constitution. In Tanzania, it was a tribal problem and in Colombia, it was one political party dominating the politics of that nation until there is an understanding among the parties through dialogue that stabilises the polity. So, generally, Nigeria must talk and reach a compromise based on equality and fair play.

Whatever decision the people arrived at should sent to the National Assembly to be made a law. On state creation, I think that is the major aspect we take serious in the dialogue because state creation will attract development. If I’m opportune to lead my people to the national conference, state creation will be the major agenda we will present at the conference because how can I be in a state where I cannot be a governor. It is not correct, morally it is wrong. And we must use instrument of democracy to correct it.
Have you considered the financial implication because it is alleged that some states are bankrupt?
That is not true. No state in Nigeria is bankrupt.

The problem is the states are not doing much to generate revenue internally. Which state can you say does not have mineral resources? The states are viable; the only reason their viability is observed is because the federal government readily brings money for them. At any point when the funds stop coming from the Federal Government, you will see a lot of ingenuity; you will see a strong drive for revenue generation and mechanism for internal revenue generation. We are demanding for the creation of Apa State; if you create the state, you find out that our agitation will shift to economic development and we will convene an economic submit and say, look how do we develop to generate internal revenue to run the state
Some Northern leaders are against the confab on the ground that it may divide Nigeria; what is your view?
If Boko Haram has not divided Nigeria, how can a mere dialogue divide the nation? My idea of national dialogue is to discuss issues that will unite the country, that will make it thick. It is not about breaking Nigeria. If we come together and see areas through which we can better the country, we will explore those areas.
So, the confab is not a threat to the corporate existence of Nigeria?
Not at all my brother. I told you that the reason for dialogue is because the other person has something to say. Mr. President has given Nigerians the go ahead to talk; let’s take advantage of this and air our views and I assure you we will advance in our march for nation building. I urge Nigerians to lower their defence and open their doors for the others to pass. We are looking at a situation where Boko Haram claimed a lot of lives of innocent Nigerians. There is no part of the country you won’t find Christians or Muslims. It is so bad that Christians in some parts of the North can no longer go to places of worship because some people will come and kill you because they say they don’t want English education. Such a situation has not divided Nigeria and even the civil war? Is it dialogue that will divide Nigeria? At  anytime you agree to dialogue with anybody, you believe that person has something good to offer because if you know he has nothing good to offer, you won’t discuss with him; in fact, you will hate him the more. Most of the people who are against the confab  were advocates of national conference earlier.
Are you sure PDP will continue in power beyond 2015 with the emergence of a strong opposition, APC?
When Mahdi Gandi formed what is today a national party in India, the party had 95 per cent membership of the National Assembly but at a time, the party became the opposition. So, the train of democracy must continue to move. We have been in democratic rule for 14 years, back to back. If in 2015, Nigerians decide to vote out PDP, so be it and if they choose to re-elect my party, good. So, let’s see how it goes. Are not the PDP people they said were bad being welcomed by APC. They say PDP is bad and they now choose to associate with bad people. That is why I say the movement of some of members of party will not affect the political fortunes of PDP in 2015.

Source: Sun