By Hugo Odiogor
Prince Ned Nwoko a former member of the Federal House of Representatives was cleared last week by the screening committee of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party to contest in the primaries for the party’s ticket for Delta North Senatorial District, where he has set for himself a task to give effective representation to his people.

In this interview the former House of Representatives member and lawyer gives an insight into his mission, accomplishments and private investigation into recovery of the excess deductions levied on states and local governments by the Federal Government in the process of repayment of the country’s external debt in 2006 and other issues.

We understand that the CNPP in Delta North has  endorsed you for the Senate race. What does this mean and why?

I want to say that I feel humbled by the level of support and good will that I have received so far  from all quarters in the nine LGAs in Delta North,  I do not in any way take them for granted because there are also other people in the contest but somehow, they have come to the conclusion that I am the best and that I mean well for them.  You will recall that in 2007, I was overwhelmingly given the support of the people of Delta North Senatorial District to vie for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, because of political manipulations by the powers that be in the party then I could not realise the wish of the people. During the freak primaries that took place at the Asaba Arcade, I got over 400 votes from the 500 delegates, in attendance; the other aspirants shared the remaining 100 votes. In turn, the people registered their protest by scuttling their hope through protest vote, which the Accord Party and Senator Patrick Osakwe became the beneficiaries. We resolved to support Chief Osakwe.

So, you can see that the people have always backed me but not without a reason. During my stay in the House of Representatives, I gave the very effective representation and my testimonials are there for everybody to see, so the CNPP leaders who you mention earlier, came to express their support once again, of course, sensing that some agents of imposition are back to business, they have come to say that I their choice and if denied the ticket again, they will work with me under any other platform, to realise their hopes and aspirations of electing someone who can represent them in the Senate I don’t have any doubt  about my credentials and ability and experience, I give God the glory and I promise not to betray their expectations, They have seen that the same people are also clamouring  to come back and because they want to realise that aspiration of electing someone who can represent them, they have come to say that they will give me their  mandate. That in a nut shell is the reason behind what you mentioned
about CNPP.

You were recently named “the Anioma Federal law maker of the year” by Anioma Trends magazine for your contributions in the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003.What qualified you for that?

Well, let me tell you what the visionary Chief Obafemi Awolowo said in 1978 in an interview with the defunct African Now magazine, The sage said “when your country men are ten years behind in following  the path you have mapped out for them, there is no question about looking for who is the leader”, because the answer is self evident, What Anioma Trend did is significant from the point of view that my modest contributions as a federal maker was noticed by serious minded people who want to separate the wheat from the chaff.

In a political environment where you have all manner of people clamouring to represent the people, it is difficult to separate ability from opportunism, so we see many people who are not equipped for the job they want to do clamouring for because they put their consideration on the benefits above the job. You can  just imagine a carpenter going into the theatre to perform a surgery, because he feels he has associated long enough with doctors, I appreciate what Anioma Trend has done in honouring me, it is for posterity because I left the House in 2003 as you rightly pointed out, but while I was there, I participated actively in Law making. I was the best in terms of bills sponsored, there were 23 bills in all, then some  motions.

Among them were the Bill for the establishment of a National Information Network Centre,Prohibition of corporal punishment in schools, establishment of a National Disability allowance, compulsory vehicle road worthiness test, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) reform bill (2000). establishment of a National minimum wages council, standardization of Allowances and Fringe Benefits Payable to Public and Government Officials, Prohibition of Expensive Burial Rites in Nigeria, Amendment of the Firearms Act, Protection of Nigerians Abroad , establishment of a National Sports University among others.

What have you been doing since you left the House of Representatives in 2003?

First, I went back to my legal practice, as you know I am an international lawyer with specialisation in areas of maritime and commercial laws, I have my practice in London even before I joined politics, so I went back to my practice, I still remained active in politics as I mentioned to you that the system robbed me of victory to aspire for the Senate in 2007. But more importantly, I have been consulting for over 16 states and some African countries on the excess funds deducted from them on the pretext of repayment of foreign loans.

While I was in the House, I discovered that the National Assembly has failed to exercise its oversight functions on the management of the former foreign loan and the process of repayment of the country’s external debt, I discovered that the whole process was characterised by inefficiency and lack of transparency. So, I decided to personally undertake a private investigation and verification of the past indebtedness with the London and Paris Clubs from which Nigeria made its exit
from in 2006. I have spent most of my time dealing with issues relating to issues of over deductions made on states and local governments as well as assisting other African countries to verify their foreign loan profile.

The crisis built up when the Federal government, acting as the guarantor of these loans contracted by states, took over the payment of the loans but had to make deductions from the  statutory allocation to these states and local governments. The deductions started during the Military administrations and military administrators could not raise questions on the deductions, even when the democratically elected governments came in, the State Assemblies could raise questions on these deductions.”

I had approached former President Obasanjo administration with our proposal to investigate some of the foreign loans but so many people thought it was going to be a mission impossible. There was apprehension from both Nigerian and  foreign countries, majority of whom thought that we were unserious. However, the former president set up a committee headed by the former National security Adviser, Gen. Gusau.

The investigation revealed glaring cases of inconsistencies, injustices and scams that Nigerians were being subjected to for over 30 years. It was an exercise that revealed how Nigerians colluded with foreign banks to rip-off the country through doubtful or non-existent loans.

For instance, it was discovered that some Nigeria was being made to repay non-existent foreign loans as we saw in the case of old Gongola State, now Adamawa and Taraba states were said to have obtained sum of $104million from an Austrian bank to build an International Hotel in Yola, but it turned out that some government officials crooked the document as the said Austrian bank wrote to say that they had no business interest in Africa let alone Yola. We discovered that FAAC had made on over deduction up to the sum of N444 million by the federal government.  We filed for a refund and the states got exactly the amount as stated.

In the cause of verifying the status of the foreign loans, there were threats and hostilities, the British were not cooperative. Apart from threatening diplomatic actions against Nigeria, there were threats to call off the debt exit talks unless Nigeria called off the investigation of the foreign debts. There were attempts to deny the investigators access to vital documents to do their work. We took personal risk a patriotic duty to know the origin of the loans that they were asking us to pay back.

They got agitated, some threatened my life, others threatened to break diplomatic relations with Nigeria, while some offered me as much as £500 million as bribe to stop my investigation, but I refused,  When some of the creditor nations refused to give me access to information, I took them to court in London. Some people tried to use the Economic and Financial Crime Commission to stop me, but I remained resolute to the end. I have been so engaged with this job which is so time consuming that I no longer take personal briefs, It also requires a lot of expertise, the use of contacts within and outside the country to look into the books. This is what I do for over 16 states and some West African counties.

You have just passed the screening process of your party and the battle for nomination is on, what is your mission to the senate?

My mission to the senate is to give my people effective representation, I want to actualise this on the platform of my Party, the PDP. I believe I am the best qualified to give my people effective representation. I know I have the capacity and contact, the courage to get things done for my people, I have given you a list of some of the things I did while I was in the House of Representatives. I have also giving you an account of what I do for a living now. I am not one of those who would regard my  aspiration as a bread and butter affair. I know that my people are marginalised. If our people are marginalised beyond what we say can with words of mouth

Delta North with a population of 1.5 million going by the 2006 census, is made up of nine local governments: Aniocha North and Aniocha south, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Ika South and Ika North East, Oshimili North and Oshimili South, and Ukwuani local government areas If you go round Anioma hardly can find any tangible structural development in these areas, from Asaba to Agbor to Obiaruku, to Ibusa, there is nothing to show for in terms of urban renewal of these ancient towns.

If you go through Agbor, this pride of Ika nation has not seen any structural development in the past last 36 years. The Old Lagos Asaba road remains the same since 1970, the bridge at Orgodo river has been appropriated for several times, it is only being constructed now. Agbor is coping with the General Hospital that has been there since the 1960s, with a few renovations and addition of few wards over the years. Erosion ravages the town.