•Says it’s wrong to doubt effectiveness of BVAS 

•ON IGBO PRESIDENCY: Let the best person win

Leader of Enugu State House of  Assembly, Dr. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, in this interview, previews the 2023 general elections, saying candidates should shun attacks and focus on issues. Ezeuguwu, who has spent 12 years as a state lawmaker, also speaks on his humanitarian activities through the Ikechukwu Ezeugwu Foundation.

How do you think the general elections will turn out?

My take on it is that it is an opportunity for us to participate and be part of electing those who will become in charge of the affairs of our country and states for the next four years. Good enough, we have been given assurances that votes will count and be counted.

We have been severally told by the Chairman of INEC that BVAS will be deployed in the elections. Recall that recently, the President said people should go to their respective localities to elect persons of their choice from whatever political party. He said that nobody would be allowed to intimidate others with thugs. We, therefore, have the opportunity to elect people of integrity that can be held accountable. So, it is an opportunity for us to do the right thing for the good of our states, country, and by extension, the populace. According to Prof Patrick Lumumba, we should not be surprised to find our goat missing when we give the goat to a lion to watch over for us.

What do you make of the identified threats to the polls?

The way some of our political actors and their followers are behaving leaves much to be desired. One should think that by now our politics should be issue-based. People should tell us what they have for the country and the states and not attack themselves here and there.

We are not interested in all those name-callings, accusations, and counter-accusations. Such accusations should at best be addressed in the courts of law. We are interested in what those seeking our votes will bring to the table. Another aspect of it is that the informed persons in our society should endeavour to educate the less or the uninformed ones about the need for peace, before, during, and after the elections. 

How would you rate the preparation of INEC for the 2023 election?

INEC has been doing well.  I have been telling people that we need to encourage and trust those given responsibilities to deliver on their assignments. This kind of apathy and premature conclusion in some quarters that the BVAs will not function well is unnecessary.

Recall that INEC used BVAS in the Osun election. We only need to leverage the experiences from that to ensure that the 2023 election will be the first of its kind since 1999. People should endeavour to perform their civic responsibilities. Those who registered but are yet to collect their PVCs should endeavour to do so. The bottom line is that we should all endeavour to vote because angels will not come down from heaven to cast votes on the days of elections. God helps those who help themselves.

You are doing a lot through the Ikechukwu Ezeugwu Foundation. What motivated you into charity?

I will tell you that without being educated, I wonder if I would be where I am today. This, therefore, would give you an idea of my passion for education. Education is very important for us to have a productive and sane society. An educated person has self-esteem, and there are things the person will not under normal circumstances get involved in.

During my primary election in 2010, I had a social contract with my people. I told them to vote for me, not because of the pecuniary things they would get from me. I said I wasn’t going to give anybody money. I said they should vote for me, trusting that when I get there, I will carry out my functions to the best of my knowledge.

During my 10th anniversary, I extended the scholarship programme to the five states of the South-East, and I am looking forward to extending it to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. The intention is to remind us that irrespective of our tribe or religion, we are one people from one God.

Let us be our brothers’ keepers. I remember during my primary school days, this line in our national anthem, which said that ‘though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we stand.’ That is just the idea. Again, I have decided that, in May 2023, I will say goodbye to partisan politics having served for 12 years. I will focus fully on Ikechukwu Ezeugwu Foundation because if you go to Section 14 (2)(b )of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999 as amended, it says that the primary purpose of government is the welfare and security of the people.

Through my foundation, I will be contributing directly to the welfare of the people and indirectly to security. As it happened on the day of Pentecost, the disciples spoke in different tongues and still understood themselves. Even though they were speaking in different tongues, they were propelled by the same spirit. So, even though I would be out of my position in May this year, my foundation would be doing the same thing for society.

Can we know the specifics of what your foundation would be doing after May 29? 

As I am carrying out my humanitarian activities while still in government to this extent, by the time I am done with being in government, I will devote all my time to the activities of the foundation and other businesses. I am looking forward to going beyond Nigeria to West Africa and entire Africa. It’s not rocket science. People have been doing it, and one can do it better because extending a helping hand to the needy runs in my veins.

How do you feel stepping aside from partisan politics?

I feel fulfilled. I tell people that politics is not a profession. Before you go into politics, you should have a second address. You have got to have something to bring to the table. When some people don’t have any experience, they want to go to the legislature. What are you going to do there? It baffles me that when it comes to politics, people are not interested in merit. And when it comes to employing people in their private businesses even if it is a one-man business, they will carry out interviews and apply due diligence because they need results. When it comes to politics, anything goes. What a shame. Until we change the ways we do certain things in Nigeria, we won’t get good results in politics. We are just putting things upside down and expecting positive results.

We are only deceiving ourselves. We have to change the way we think and the way we do things because without changing our modus operandi, we will continue going about looking for foreign investors. Imagine the kind of insecurity everywhere. No genuine investor will go to an environment where his or her investment will be at risk. Create an enabling environment, and the investors will be rushing to our country because they’re interested in making money. You don’t need to convince investors. They convince themselves after carrying out studies on the investment environment.

I feel fulfilled having contributed my quota to the legislature and represented my people effectively for 12 years.

Do you see the clamour for Igbo presidency materialising this time?

The fact is that there is nothing like Igbo, Hausa, or Yoruba President. Until we change our way of thinking, we are merely beating about the bush. We are interested in a person who will change our lives. Unemployment does not care whether you are Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba, or any other tribe for that matter. Insecurity, hunger and high fuel prices are the same. Recently, undergraduates were at home for about eight months. Did somebody from one tribe go to school while others were at home? The tribe the President is from is not important. Let the best person win. It is as simple as that. The important question is: who will do the right thing?

If the person the President does the right thing by being sincere to us, fair-minded and nationalistic, you will find out that virtually all these restiveness happening in the country will naturally fizzle out without anybody addressing them. They will naturally address themselves as they were brought about in the first place by years of accumulated frustration and anger owing to insensitive leadership. We are all guilty, one way or the other. We are all leaders at various levels. Conscience is an open wound, and only truth can heal it, according to Usman Dan Fodio. People are just pretending, and until we stop pretending, we will just be in motion without movement.