By Chioma Gabriel, Deputy Editor
Senator Polycarp  Nwite, Political Adviser to President Yar’Ádua in this encounter speaks on the forthcoming  Anambra State gubernatorial election and dispels the rumour making rounds that President Yar’Adua  has a favoured candidate. He says that President Yar’Adua has never preferred any candidate in the forthcoming elections and urged the people  to be of one mind.
Excerpts.
The president has been away for sometime now and it is believed he has preference for a guber candidate in the February 6 Anambra guber election.  How true is this?

I want to say that the President is a PDP man and most of us in the Presidency are PDP people but there is a difference between partisan politics and governance. As far as the president is concerned, he is committed to a free and fair election and he is not sponsoring any candidate in Anambra.

Before he traveled to Saudi Arabia, all our discussions on the Anambra guber polls were his commitment to a free and fair election and on the occasions we spoke when he traveled, he also harped on that and it is our commitment here in the presidency to ensure a free and fair election in that state. The President has said it severally that he has no preferred candidate. And I want to say that people who are dropping the President’s name are on their own.

From the onset, the PDP candidate is believed to be a preferred candidate and even when he had a problem, the Vice President said something like the participation of the PDP candidate  being a must.

There is a difference between partisan politics and an election. He was talking as a party man, not as an election where other parties are involved. In nominations, it is an internal party matter but when it comes to general election, other parties are involved and so, the President or the Vice President cannot be supporting any particular candidate.

The Presidency is committed to a free and fair election. And he  has said it many times before now and even when we spoke. If you look at Guardian of April, 30th 2009, the President said, “on the day of my inauguration in May 2007, I pledged to undertake this electoral reforms.

I was not under pressure. It was out of my own free-will. I genuinely believe that the nation requires a genuine electoral system that will turn the basis of its democracy.” And then, when he was asked what he will be remembered for, he said: “Frankly speaking, one legacy I would want to be remembered for and I know it is very difficult, but I’m determined to achieve it, is the establishment of respect for the rule of law.”

And you will agree with me that free and fair election is the foundation of rule of law and the President is committed to it. If you ask the security organs of this government, they will tell you that the President has not told them that they must do anything to jeopardise free and fair elections . Anybody, be it a security man, be it a policeman, be you in any position you find yourself, if you go to Anambra State to rig election, you are on your own, you are not doing it on behalf of the Presidency or the government.

What do you have to say about INEC which is perceived to be helping the PDP to rig elections in several states?
Well, I don’t believe that INEC is helping the PDP to rig election and I listened to the INEC chairman yesterday (Tuesday) during his interactive section with the press. He said very clearly that the machineries in place in Anambra will guarantee free and fair election and I have also had opportunity to speak with some of the contestants and they are very happy with the things that INEC has put on ground for the election.

Anambra State is a peculiar state in terms of election malpractice and violence. Is there a guarantee that no such thing will happen on February 6.

The Inspector General of Police has had meetings with the stakeholders which includes the candidates themselves and the  leadership of the parties. He has warned that he will not tolerate anything short of good behaviour during and after the election and he has warned them that he is going to deal decisively with anybody that will cause any type of trouble and violence in the State.

So, the people should expect a hitch-free election?

You know that the President or the INEC chairman will not be at the polling booths and will not be at every place. But laws are made to be obeyed. I want to use this opportunity to appeal to Anambra stakeholders, the traditional rulers, the contestants, the political leadership and all the people to remember the names of all people that have made Igboland proud in the past: the Ziks of this world, the Ekwuemes of this world; the Ojukwus of this world, I mean the father of the Ikemba; people like Professor Dike and Chinua Achebe.

They should  remember the legacies of these people and play the game according to the rule. I am telling you that sincerely we want to use Anambra State to prove to the world that Nigeria is capable of conducting free and fair election.

But you will agree with me that we need the assistance of everybody in Anambra State; we need the cooperation of the contestants, the voters and we want to say that those people who allow their children to be used as thugs should ask those people using them to bring their own children and use them.

So, the candidates in the February 6 guber election should know the presidency has no preferred candidate?
Not only the candidates, but the entire Anambra people should know that the Presidency has no favoured candidate.

Anybody  contesting this election is a Nigerian from Anambra State. You will agree that even though the President is a PDP man, he won’t encourage rigging in Anambra and other parts of Nigeria. Since he came to power, opposition parties have won elections in Edo, Ondo and other places.

He did not cause any trouble. If you know how many by-elections that were conducted in Ondo or Edo, PDP won some, other parties won.

This is how it should be because the President believes in the rule of law and free and fair election. Nobody should entertain any fear of rigging or begin to imagine that somebody has already been made governor before the election.