Rivers power tussle will enrich Nigerian jurisprudence – Ex-Rivers APC chieftain, Wali

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Kingsley Wali, who recently quit partisan politics, speaks about the protracted Rivers State political impasse and the role of the judiciary, among other salient national issues, in this interview with OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

You recently quit partisan politics. Considering that Nigerian politicians don’t throw in the towel that easily, what informed this decision?

My decision was reached because Rivers State needs me more than politics needs me. The truth is that the business of uniting Rivers State is a more daunting and challenging task. Let’s just say that I have been an Englishman in New York. The Unity House Foundation, the non-government and non-profit organisation, of which I’m proud to be part, is more attuned to bringing about a community where live and let’s live is taken for granted. My friends and associates love the unity of Rivers State more than they love elections and would give anything to ensure that unity is achieved and sustained. The unity of our state and civil interaction are our points of contact. Let’s just say quitting partisan politics is a journey to the basics.

Now that you are no longer in politics, which area, apart from the unity of Rivers State, as you mentioned, would you be channelling your energy into next?

I know and believe that Rivers State, more than ever before, needs a lot of people in the middle and I want to be part of the middlemen. And I sincerely believe that a lot of moderation is required in my state. If you asked me, I would say that very many people want not only the government, but the state to succeed and I want to be part of those middlemen who will put politicians on their toes and also encourage the politicians to govern well. I would like to help those voices speak for Rivers State, and I don’t believe that being partisan will help to guarantee the requisite confidence and assure the active and contending politicians that your opinion is not politically motivated. In summary, I want to be part of a non-aligned community, whose purpose, aim and objectives are to help enthrone civil communication in the politics and governance of Rivers State and ensure that Rivers people get returns from their investment in the democratic process.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation reviewed upward the pump price of petrol…

(Cuts in) First, the NNPC debunked the news. However, I think in all honesty, we’re just playing games with ourselves on the fuel imbroglio. The truth of the matter is that I think and believe that subsidy is still very much with us. It is high time Nigerians knew who is responsible for the difference between the landing cost and the pump price of petrol. And in my opinion, that shouldn’t be too difficult a question to ask, and too difficult an answer to be given.

What does this upward review of petrol portend?

I think the first thing the government should do is to get level with Nigerians. What I find difficult to comprehend is why the government is not jumping at the lifeline offered by the coming on stream of the Dangote refinery. The Dangote refinery is such a low-hanging fruit, but unfortunately, the government is acting like it is a Greek gift. Maybe it is, but I am yet to see the landmines. The joke is actually on the government, even though Nigerians are the ones suffering the comedy of errors in the fuel mumbo jumbo. As they say on the streets, we had crude, no refinery, and now, we have refinery, no crude. Morbid comedy, if you ask me.

You have always shied away from talking about the prolonged political impasse between FCT minister, Nyesome Wike, and his successor, the incumbent Rivers governor, Siminalaye Fubara. Do you foresee any truce in this fight shortly?

When you say shy away, I wonder what I’m expected to say about the impasse that I’ve not said. Firstly, let me make it clear that there are basic issues here, and I have, in my little way, made my views on those basic issues very clear. Secondly, what’s going on in Rivers State is all politics at its very peak. It is simply a case of politicians struggling to outdo themselves to occupy the political space. You would agree with me that in Rivers State, there is a sitting governor who is governing. The next question to ask is, are there governance disputations? The answer is yes, there are governance disputations, but it has not degenerated to the level of anybody carrying cudgels, guns or machetes, at least, so far so good, not to my knowledge. Thirdly, there are a plethora of cases before various courts in the land on the impasse, as you called it – from the High Court to the appellate court to the apex court. My candid opinion is that we must be patient and allow the judicial process to run its full course. This would more than ever strengthen our democracy. Nobody should be stampeded or encouraged to resort to self-help.

Why do you think the impasse remains unresolvable?

It is wrong to create the impression that what is happening in Rivers State is not democracy in action. I like the vibrancy and a confirmation that Rivers State is not populated with zombies. It is also wrong to say that the political disputations have defied all solutions, political solutions, yes. However, the disputations are at different courts for judicial solutions. Some have even gotten to the appellate courts – Appeal and Supreme Courts. So, there is nothing to fret over. Let’s just allow the judicial process to continue and come to a conclusive end, and then we can express any extraordinary fears.

Do you think the judiciary has acquitted itself creditably in the Rivers crisis, considering the conflicting judgments emanating from the hallowed courtrooms?

It’s an ongoing process. It is the appellate courts that will authoritatively respond to questions like this. But I believe that the chickens will eventually come home to roost. What I can say is that what’s happening in Rivers will ultimately help to enrich our jurisprudence. Let’s just accept that Rivers politicians are helping Nigeria grow her democracy using the judiciary.

With prices of goods and services skyrocketing daily with the attendant repercussions, do you foresee the Nigerian economy witnessing any improvement soon?

This government cannot afford to fail. The President has a friendly National Assembly on his side, and he has literally hired all the known hands he worked with as the Governor of Lagos State to manage the economy. So, the President and his expert advisers from Lagos State should be on the same page. All the ingredients needed to fix the economy and put it on the right track are sincerity, integrity, honesty, transparency and unity of purpose. Nobody worries anybody, as we say in Port Harcourt.

Now that you are done with politics, where do you want to be in the next one year?

Politics has really been a distraction for me and many people of like minds, if you asked me. My desire has always been to use politics as a vehicle to advance altruistic causes. Within the next one year, I want to fully dedicate myself to post-partisan politics.

You once said that President Bola Tinubu did not understand the enormity of the challenges before taking over. Do you think he has discharged himself creditably well in the last one year?

My position has not changed. In fact, no less a personality than Senator Ali Ndume has seconded my motion. So that’s it.

 You are a member of the August Meeting, an organisation spearheading efforts to bring back the reading culture among students and youths of Rivers State. What informed the formation of the group?

Our mission is to bridge the gaps in quality interpersonal communication and nation building by promoting the culture of reading and writing among our young ones and all generations.

How successful has been the efforts of the August Meeting in fulfilling its mission?

Just like it was said that Rome was not built in a day, a wise man also said that Rome was also not destroyed in a day. We believe that we cannot change the bad reading culture in one day, but we are determined to make a difference. The education we are getting is profound. For example, we’ve come to appreciate more the challenge that writers are facing. Now we know that writers are now going to as far as India to publish and that most of the books written by Nigerian authors in the market are pirated. So, it’s not just that people are not writing or reading, the incentive to write is minimal. There is so much to do by government with just the creation of the enabling environment. In conclusion, we are not there yet, but with the support of the likes of Simon Kolawole, Waziri Adio, Bolaji Abdullahi, Obari Gomba and others too numerous to mention, we are confident that we will succeed.

Local government elections have been fixed for later in the year. How prepared is your party, the APC for the polls?

I’m the wrong person to ask this question. I’m more focused on the things that unite Rivers people and not divisive engagements.

What is the state of the APC in Rivers State today?

Only APC leaders can answer this question. But from my corner of the street, there is no such thing as APC or PDP in Rivers State. The governor also said that much. The issue of the leadership of Rivers State APC is before the courts. I really don’t know who is in APC or PDP in Rivers State and cannot therefore speak on their strength or preparedness for local government council elections, that’s if the elections will hold.

Since the removal of subsidy on May 29, 2023, allocations to the state and local governments have doubled, but this seems to have no positive impact on the citizenry. How do you think the state governors and LG chairmen can be made accountable for what they get from the centre?

Let’s just accept that the economy of a poor country is in a bad shape. And the people must understand this and deliberately engage the government and not accepting or celebrating tokenism from government officials. In my opinion, the word palliative is an admission by the government that it has no intelligent way of dealing with our national challenges – economic, security, social and political. When you distribute the palliatives like grains, how are you sure that middlemen won’t end up selling the same grains at exorbitant rates to long suffering citizens and the more vulnerable in our society? Even the politicisation of the palliatives is enough reason for the government to sit up. We have very serious issues of hunger and general hardship but government functionaries, through their lackeys and surrogates, are busy buying cars for their aides and girlfriends. And the tragedy is that they are being celebrated by the same people you’re expecting to demand accountability from people in government. My categorical response is, if we put in place an electoral process that will ensure that our votes count, this charlatans will be punished with our votes. A fair and transparent election, whose process is also free and transparent, is the first real step to demand accountability.