MATTERS ARISING FROM ENUGU PDP CRISIS: POWER, SUSPENSIONS AND THE FIGHT FOR 2027

Ajouté : 2026-06-01

[00:00:02][music] [music] >> We turn our attention to an equal state Southeast Nigeria, a place where the battle for the soul of the People's Democratic Party has descended into an open warfare. Two formidable sons of the soil, Chief Uche Jeffrey Nnaji, the former Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology backed by significant institutional muscle and national connections versus Chief Samson Chukwuemeka Nnamani, also known as Odara, the ambitious businessman and youth champion positioning himself as the voice of renewal against the older order. What began as a contest for the PDP gubernatorial ticket ahead of the 2027 elections has now fractured into parallel primaries, suspensions, accusations of anti-party activities and bitter claims of legitimacy.

[00:00:58][clears throat] One side has moved to sideline the other through formal suspension while both camps have declared victory in dwelling announcements. This is classic Nigerian elite politics, raw, ruthless and deeply factionalized playing out against the backdrop of an incumbent governor who will seek re-election under the APC banner. The outcome in Enugu will not only determine who flies the PDP flag but could reshape the political landscape [snorts] of one of Nigeria's most strategically important states. As democracy in Nigeria continues its turbulent journey, the question remains, is this intra-party bloodletting a sign [clears throat] of healthy competition or further evidence that personal ambition continues to overshadow institutional strength?

[00:01:49]This is the Eastern Eye. I'm Alex Obodo.

[00:01:55]>> [music] [music] >> You're welcome to the Eastern Eye program that x-rays the political, social, and economic developments around us. Joining me tonight is Chief Barrister Ray Nnaji. He's the National Vice Chairman, Southeast of the PDP.

[00:02:17]Thank you so much. It's a pleasure, Alex. You know, I always quarrel with the fact that you always remove my chief Chief Barrister I said Chief Barrister Ray. I did. I did.

[00:02:28]You may have missed it. You may have corrected yourself now. No problem.

[00:02:32]You may have missed it. Thank you so much. Okay, so what is going on in the PDP in Enugu State? When you were my guest on my radio program a little over 2 weeks ago, I think about 2 weeks now, uh you calmly told me that Chief Uche Nnaji and Chief Samson Nnamani were both members of the PDP. What has changed in this short 2 weeks? Nothing has changed. They are still members of the party.

[00:03:00]But the only thing that the rules of the party and the constitution of the party has to be applied when it is necessary. And that is what actually has taken place.

[00:03:11]Mhm.

[00:03:12]So, what we have seen is that the two kind the two aspirants are claiming that they are both winners of the gubernatorial primaries conducted. But we we also saw that there has been an announcement of suspension for Chief Samson Nnamani.

[00:03:30]Did the party suspend Chief Samson Nnamani? You, a national officer of the party, was the suspension from national or from the state PDP?

[00:03:41]The suspension is from the state in accordance with the constitution of the party 202017 as amended.

[00:03:49]Um even ward has right to suspend a member the same way the state has.

[00:03:59]And that is why what has actually taken place last week's Friday, 22nd, with respect to Chief Chuku Sans Sansin Chuku Nnamani.

[00:04:11]Because of the fact that there are certain steps that were inimical to the progress of the party that made the party to apply the rules without any hindrance.

[00:04:26]And that was the situation.

[00:04:28]So, but what we are now seeing is that both Chief Ihedioha and Chief Ifeanyi Ejike are saying that they are the winners of a gubernatorial primary.

[00:04:37]So, what is really going on?

[00:04:42]No, the winner of the gubernatorial primary of last Saturday last Sunday, yesterday, is Chief Uche Nwosu.

[00:04:52]Um, anybody can decide to claim victory, claim winner.

[00:04:59]Uh, but the issue is that which one is was conducted by the party leadership as recognized by the constitution and guidelines of the party.

[00:05:12]The one conducted by the party was the one won by Chief Uche Nwosu. Chief Uche Nwosu.

[00:05:19]And any other one is here invalid and null and void. Nobody is So, but now that he is also claiming that he uh, the the primaries conducted were okay and he won. So, what steps will the party take?

[00:05:35]No, there is no step. The only thing is that by the time the matter gets over to the national, it is national chairman and the secretary that will now uh, submit the list to INEC.

[00:05:50]And our voice will be heard because we are the we are eye of the party in this zone and in this state.

[00:06:01]And as a result of that we will now tell the party what actually happened.

[00:06:06]With regards to the so-called parallel primaries, there's nothing like parallel primaries.

[00:06:14]And with time we will take it up constitutionally.

[00:06:18]Those people who participated in those parallel primaries will be made to face the disciplinary committee of the party.

[00:06:25]Because we are not going to tolerate any indiscipline and then any behavior that will actually put the party into disrepute.

[00:06:36]Before the Supreme Court judgment that sort of quietened the storm at the national level in the PDP, there was also uh if you like factional leadership in the PDP. You had uh Steve Ororo on one side and of course before of course we also saw the emergence of Victor Ochei on one side. So, is this an indication that that factionalization hasn't really gone away? No, there's nothing like faction.

[00:07:11]After the Supreme Court even after the Court of Appeal decision, it was obvious that uh there's nothing like faction.

[00:07:20]The people that went to Supreme Court saw the result of the Supreme Court.

[00:07:24]Because what they went to do in Ibadan, it was a beautiful nonsense they went to Ibadan to do.

[00:07:31]And the Supreme Court actually took that line and nullified same.

[00:07:35]So, any product of that national convention of Ibadan, you should all what it should be.

[00:07:42]Steven is unfortunately lawyer could actually go bring himself to that level.

[00:07:51]When the Supreme Court, the highest organ of the judiciary has taken decision. And it's very obvious. I don't know why they continue to parade themselves.

[00:08:05]But it's a question of time we address that those issues.

[00:08:10]It is meant to distract us. And made us not to be focused, but we refuse to be distracted. Mhm.

[00:08:17]So, before we got to this point, especially for the PDP, before you got to this point, the governor defected from the People's Democratic Party to the APC. And he defected with his structure.

[00:08:32]By that, all the elected members within the government left with the with the with the governor to the APC.

[00:08:40]Don't you think this has weakened the PDP within any good state? So, some people already think that what is left of the PDP is just the skeleton or the shell of No, no, no, no, one thing. If governor has left with everybody, Steven Aura would have left with him. And others.

[00:08:58]He left them to be working for him.

[00:09:01]In order to destabilize the PDP and make PDP not to be strong.

[00:09:05]But we know all those things and we will not be distracted by those antics.

[00:09:10]If he had gone with those structures that he said he had in PDP, then we would have been happy about that. But in a situation whereby he left some remnants who are trying to destabilize the party because we are afraid of the party's strength.

[00:09:28]Whereas we refuse to be weakened or distracted by such antics. Do you think that incumbents are of the party's strength? And then how strong is the PDP in any way state? PDP is a brand brand name you should know.

[00:09:46]That APC is a name that the people find difficult to be with them.

[00:09:51]And we cannot use the word that he is afraid.

[00:09:55]But he know quite well that PDP is a party to beat.

[00:09:59]Let's use it that way use that word that way because we can't use the word that he is afraid.

[00:10:06]I don't think he is afraid.

[00:10:08]But he is he knew quite well that PDP has what it takes to give him a very big challenge.

[00:10:16]Come 2027.

[00:10:19]And he is a brand name that is the lips of every individual every homes.

[00:10:24]Unlike APC that is meant for headache. You should know. I don't know whether you are born when APC was use as a headache drug for headache.

[00:10:39]That's an interesting analogy Chief Barrister Reign Najee.

[00:10:43]I mean the whole idea of an opposition party is a party that will provide alternative. Now that according to you that Chief Uche Najee [snorts] is the candidate of the PDP in the 2027 elections.

[00:10:58]>> exactly. What is he going to do differently if he is elected? Because the whole thing is about clinching the seat for the Lion Building. What will Chief Uche Najee do differently from what the incumbent governor is doing? There is a period for campaign. Yes. If we start ruling out what he will do now it only means that we are jumping the gun.

[00:11:21]But I will must have to tell you that he had there a lot of things left undone by the government.

[00:11:27]Which [snorts] we have the dossier of it.

[00:11:29]When the campaign starts we will roll it out.

[00:11:32]Doing it now means against going there against the the timetable of INEC.

[00:11:37]You know, we are we started campaigning before the time comes.

[00:11:40]So, we don't want to say it, but we know quite well there are too many things that by the time we say it, people will know quite well that we came to do a good job in the state.

[00:11:52]All right. So, let let me take you back to the zoning arrangement in Enugu State, which you know very well. Uh this will probably be the first time that someone from Enugu axis as governor also has an opponent from the Enugu axis contesting for the same position. Is this What What does this really indicate? It really indicate the fact that uh the Enugu people are not satisfied with the way the governor is performing.

[00:12:24]That if he allow it to be like that, it will give a wrong signal that that is the way we behave, our people.

[00:12:33]And that is the reason why we want to bring another person that will actually remedy the ills we discovered.

[00:12:42]And we are pledging and I'm still saying it here that we we know quite well there is a principle of rotation.

[00:12:51]We remain Enugu people has 4 more years from 2027.

[00:12:57]I will not exceed that. Anybody coming will know quite well that he's going to do one time.

[00:13:03]That he's not going to do more than one time.

[00:13:06]>> [clears throat] >> No no to distort the routine rotational principle which I fought for that made the Ikemba governor to emerge. Because when the time it went round, uh there was agitation especially from Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his group that it should be thrown open. Should not The rotation should now start again.

[00:13:30]And we are the one that fought it headlong and seriously that since it has ended, it has to start from where it started.

[00:13:40]It has to commence again from where it started initially.

[00:13:43]And that was the benefit of the governor.

[00:13:48]Uh imagine.

[00:13:50]And that was why the the greatest contender from Enugu East to Isuzo Chijioke Edeoga came out.

[00:13:59]And no other person from another zone.

[00:14:02]Because they now believe it is a respected zone.

[00:14:06]Principle and formula that actually has brought peace and harmony to the state.

[00:14:12]And that is was why when they came and they resisted that it to equally be micro-zoned.

[00:14:18]And that was why Enugu East benefited from that micro-zoning, knowing fully well that Enugu East need government to touch one or two other places. But that's it. But we find out that that dream and that thinking didn't go down well.

[00:14:37]Because after 3 years, if you go to Enugu East, you you will not actually see that is a Eldorado based on the fact that they have the government.

[00:14:50]But we all believe that all of us are in Enugu. So it is in What we are going to look at is somebody who now believe that when he comes, he look at the areas that require development, not quite well that not withstanding that he's not from Enugu East, Enugu West, Enugu East.

[00:15:10]Just the whole entire state, but actually Enugu should benefit to show that government has come to them.

[00:15:18]But this are one of the principles and one of the things reason that motivated us to start looking for alternative.

[00:15:26]Because with what we saw on ground is is not what we anticipated or what we believed.

[00:15:34]That was the reason why we said let's look for somebody who will come and help. And if I'm part of that government, you will see the difference.

[00:15:42]All right. So If we come in and I'm part of that government, you see the difference. Yeah, the way you have spoken, it appears you are clear about the things that the incumbent governor hasn't done well. What are those things really?

[00:15:54]>> Like I told you, you don't want it to regurgitate your question.

[00:15:59]>> No, it's not a regurgitation. Because initially you asked me, I said when we start going into that, it all means we are breaking the laws of the land.

[00:16:07]>> no, no, no, this is the same thing.

[00:16:09]>> no, no, no, no. You know, if somebody wants to run for governor, the person will There has to be a blanket statement as to why >> That is what I say. We said there are so many things we have. Yes. We noticed and we have personal that we are going to correct.

[00:16:23]>> Yes, and I see has not done well. Yes, and you are asking me what are the those things.

[00:16:27]>> on. Hold on. Hold on. I I asked you about zoning.

[00:16:31]And I'm now asking you about micro zoning because in Kano West has produced governor before. That is Chimaroke Nnamani was from Kano West for There was no There was no convention. There was no convention with regards to micro zoning.

[00:16:45]Because even the the general zoning which is three zones tutorial seems to be a convention now.

[00:16:53]Because it has been used several.

[00:16:56]And it's working out. Helping the people.

[00:16:59]But micro zoning there's no convention to that effect.

[00:17:03]Provided if it is zoned to a particular area anybody from that area can pick it.

[00:17:10]That is the point. Why I insisted that it should go to Kano East.

[00:17:15]Even when I knew quite well that most of my friends are from other local government. I said I knew quite well that Kano East needed it.

[00:17:24]Because they need certain areas that need government present. And that was why I I stick out my neck.

[00:17:32]I even the former governor I was in almost insulting him on air when he was behaving as if he was trying to shift it to another place.

[00:17:42]If it is okay dog, I happen to be my closer I'm closer to him than the governor.

[00:17:47]We are colleagues. He was chairman issues I was chairman in Kano West. We are colleagues and we are friends. But I told him, "Look, you are coming from the minority.

[00:17:58]You should the minority we have their say, but the majority will have their way."

[00:18:02]That is the slogan we know. If he sees me now, he'll say, "The minority will have their Even along the line, I didn't even know he's going to put a fierce seat battle.

[00:18:11]When he was telling me, "The minority will have their way."

[00:18:14]And the majority will have their say.

[00:18:17]I thought he was joking.

[00:18:19]Not until when the race started and I find out the kind of uh you know, fight he put in. Yeah, you you will >> So, that's what I'm trying to tell you that ordinarily I would have joined him to say, "Since he's from any Eastern Imperial Zone and he is my closer friend, I would have actually But I told him, "No.

[00:18:40]Most especially you are not from the same party with me. Though he did it at the dying minute after the primaries.

[00:18:48]Because now if it is now, he will not do it based on the new electoral act.

[00:18:53]Once you have contested in that particular political party, you cannot shift.

[00:18:58]Mhm. So, are you happy with the way uh the governor when he won that election in 2023, how he treated the political stakeholders? Because you were in the in the governor's camp and suddenly you are no longer No, I was not only in his camp, I worked for him. Yes.

[00:19:17]Exceedingly. So, what was it that prompted your departure from his camp?

[00:19:22]He started wrongly.

[00:19:25]He started wrongly, and I I came out to start criticizing him.

[00:19:29]He started wrongly.

[00:19:30]When you say he started wrongly, what do you mean? The first appointment he made he was believing that if uh you know, that he made appointment the the the the son of the mother and the son of the daughter of uh a Sullivan Chime.

[00:19:44]I said, "You are trivializing it. The people who have not tasted uh have not held any position, you are just giving them commission."

[00:19:52]Believing that trying to trivialize trivialize make it look little the position of governor or commissioner. I'm not against you giving them appointment, but you would have given them SA.

[00:20:05]Let them learn. But, he just went and gave them commission.

[00:20:11]Which is uh is an aberration. So, even if they were qualified to be commissioner Yes. So, No, but they have to learn the rope.

[00:20:20]This is politics. You don't just jump into the fray. But, clearly I don't know if >> jump into the fray and they started Yes, at the time Chimaroke was governor Yes.

[00:20:29]Uh well, all the people he uh he nominated as commissioners or appointed as commissioners some of them were people he just nominated. They didn't They weren't SAs. They weren't anything or assistants. You know, that of Chimaroke is a different ballgame because we just came out from the military rule.

[00:20:51]We came out from the military rule and everybody after the Second Republic, that was the first time after long period of military rule.

[00:21:01]That was the first time. So, the This, you can't use it as a yardstick to measure.

[00:21:08]You can only use it as a yardstick to measure. But, it is the prerogative of the governor to appoint to >> We know. It is a prerogative. That's what I'm saying.

[00:21:16]>> Yes, but >> Even my my my my criticism, does it change anything? It does not. The governor insisted and went ahead with them. Only for one of them to drop along the line.

[00:21:26]Remaining at the other one.

[00:21:27]That is staying on me. So, but from what you've seen >> from that aspect now the governor perceives me as somebody who is not thinking well of his government. Whereas I it was a genuine advice I gave. So, was that appointment the only thing you didn't quite flow with? And secondly, let's not use the word like or hate. Secondly you know we don't have that short memory with that tone to to forget the fact that it was a very big battle.

[00:21:59]To the extent that the common people running around and they made sure that they gave him support to enter into [clears throat] that office.

[00:22:10]Running around. People slept [snorts] outside for days.

[00:22:15]And at the end of the day, what we expected him to do is call those people and say, "Look, oh I thank you. I appreciate what you have done. Please, but you give me some time.

[00:22:27]Let me do one or two things."

[00:22:29]He just went into oblivion.

[00:22:32]And forgot those people who brought him to office.

[00:22:36]You know? Only recently that he started realizing himself.

[00:22:42]I'm not So, you believe he's trying to make amends for that? Eh, but how how how adequate will the amendment be?

[00:22:52]So, you So, somebody will still believe that is the the gimmick he used in the first one.

[00:22:58]>> So, you think he's So, you I he's irredeemable?

[00:23:01]I What is not irredeemable? There's nothing that is not irredeemable. But what I'm saying in effect is that people will be thinking that this is the style he used in first time. After collecting this, he went into he became elusive.

[00:23:18]That is the point. So they will still believe that that is what is going to behave again if he's given another opportunity.

[00:23:27]That is the point. That is what I believe people will think about. Mhm. We'll take a break here on the Eastern Eye. When we return, I have more questions for Chief Barrister Ray Nnaji. Stay with us.

[00:23:44]>> [music] [music] >> You're welcome back to the Eastern Eye here on Afia TV, a program that x-rays the political, social, and economic developments around us. My name is Alex Obodo. I still have here with me Chief Barrister Ray Nnaji. He's the uh national vice chairman Southeast for the PDP. Thank you. It's a pleasure staying here now. So let's talk about the PDP because we've just talked about the governorship primaries.

[00:24:18]Uh let's talk a bit about the other positions. Oh, the primaries I because I've seen some pictures and some videos of primaries held here and there, the senatorial and even the House of Assembly. Tell us exactly who are the the names that popped up for at least for the Senate.

[00:24:34]No, for the Senate, I know at least two Okay, the three names.

[00:24:38]One is from your brother. Although people they call him >> Yeah. I don't even know I don't even know his first name.

[00:24:45]>> Yeah. But what I know comprises all the >> Yes.

[00:24:50]I think the the the primaries held there too.

[00:24:52]>> very young man, vibrant young man.

[00:24:55]That is it for Enugu East. For the East is Dennis Amadi.

[00:25:01]Who has been in the House of >> Okay, Ogoere Umada. Ogoere Umada. Mhm.

[00:25:05]For Enugu North, we have Nestor Ezeme.

[00:25:11]That's for the Senate. I think that is the one I can tell you.

[00:25:14]>> Yeah, because the other ones are But the other ones, I don't have the records. I would have rolled out all of them, even House of Assembly. So, the the chairman of the party So, so there were peaceful, no parallel No, no, no, no, no, no. Mhm. No, they were all peaceful though, peacefully done. So, with all eyes and all looking at the national PDP national convention, what would that have >> You know, we are going to do it the way others have done that.

[00:25:41]>> That's national primaries, I mean presidential primaries.

[00:25:43]>> That is direct primaries.

[00:25:46]Do is affirmation because of the fact that we don't have any contest.

[00:25:51]Apart from the one person that bought the form one side and also from South South.

[00:25:57]So, I think the party had chosen direct whereby votes Mhm. will be involved. Like what we did in governorship.

[00:26:07]I think that is the what what the party intend to do.

[00:26:11]But I have not gotten the clearer picture. You know, but the whole thing.

[00:26:16]So, one would be wondering why a party as formidable as the PDP would have only one person.

[00:26:22]>> No, it's because of the crisis, you know. The PDP Okay. [clears throat] >> from the crisis that just Is it not last month that the Supreme Court has actually settled the issue? And 100 And 100 million is not here. And And some people are not even comfortable with that settlement of the Supreme Court.

[00:26:39]Yeah, because they're still We're still But where they are they are they are just hanging on the balance.

[00:26:47]That was why Makinde could go to Ibadan and say that PDP has an alliance which which we now debunked.

[00:26:55]Because I don't know the PDP he meant.

[00:26:57]We are in the national secretary of the party at Wadata Plaza.

[00:27:01]We are in the We have the Legacy House.

[00:27:03]>> But he says he's running for president.

[00:27:05]Under APM.

[00:27:07]APM, not PDP.

[00:27:09]APM. So, Atiku Abubakar has entered APM, too.

[00:27:14]So, you see quite well that those their financiers and the backers have actually jumped to another party.

[00:27:22]And there are some people who have now realized that the game is up.

[00:27:27]Are still believing that they are members of the PDP.

[00:27:30]But do you think that this protracted battle at the national level for the PDP can really hurt its chances in the 2027 elections? Because a lot of the people who ought to have carried the whole effort of prosecuting the election for the PDP are no longer in the party. The governors are all gone.

[00:27:49]So, who and who at the state levels will undertake to actually prosecute these elections, like they say, uh using the political war chest? Do you think that the PDP has what it takes in terms of resource, in terms of human human foots on the ground to actually prosecute the national presidential election? It seems for instance It seems you have forgot this so quickly. What happened in 2023?

[00:28:17]When a party that has no address Labor could win so many things.

[00:28:25]And even made made PDP to look like minor.

[00:28:31]We were able to succeed in gambling with the governor, which we have now lost based on personal interest of the governor.

[00:28:40]So, anything is the people that will determine what will happen. Not to the party that has governor or has every other thing.

[00:28:49]It's the people.

[00:28:51]The only angle I was I'm not happy with the National Assembly is that they they failed to enshrine that in the Electoral Act.

[00:29:00]Real time uploading the result in the real time.

[00:29:05]They refused to do that because some of them believe in manipulation.

[00:29:10]Because if that thing had been left there, so many of them wouldn't have gone back.

[00:29:15]So many they knew.

[00:29:17]Because the people are not happy what what is happening. And they are waiting.

[00:29:22]When the time comes, then they use their this thing. If it is if they are allowed if their voice allowed to stay to stand.

[00:29:33]So many of them will cry.

[00:29:35]Because people are not happy.

[00:29:37]Their life has suddenly changed. So many people are suffering.

[00:29:42]So many deaths have been recorded.

[00:29:44]So many things. And then because of that, people believe if their vote can will count, so many changes have to come.

[00:29:55]So that is why I'm trying to tell you that the issue of governor having governor have don't have governor might not play any role in 2027.

[00:30:07]Taking into consideration what happened in 2023.

[00:30:10]And you know people will be still around doing a different platform.

[00:30:15]So don't underrate that that aspect.

[00:30:19]So what we are going to look at is the person coming out, the candidate.

[00:30:25]What is he up to? What is he going to give?

[00:30:28]>> [snorts] >> What is he going to offer? Will the life of the people be changed if the person is given an opportunity? These are the things they are going to consider.

[00:30:37]And if they consider that and they come out in mass, but the problem people have is this lukewarm attitude.

[00:30:44]Which will help those people who are oppressing you to continue to oppress you.

[00:30:49]Because if you're not lukewarm and you come out to cast your vote, forget about the rest.

[00:30:55]And if you say, "Look, my vote doesn't count." And because of that on that very day you are in your house, eventually the person you did not like will emerge.

[00:31:05]And we marshal out policies that will be against you.

[00:31:08]So, the best way is for people to come out and cast their vote.

[00:31:13]Let them manipulate it. They will not see it was manipulated.

[00:31:17]Or we'll see that it is manipulated. Not a situation where you you think that because of the Look, let me digress a little.

[00:31:26]It's because of the fact that certain things are happening in my community.

[00:31:30]And I find out that some people, if you allow them to become the traditional ruler, they will send some people packing from the community, including myself.

[00:31:39]I became interested in it.

[00:31:42]And I said, "Okay, please, I would like to have it."

[00:31:46]So, I went to court and collected the one the thing and there in the court of appeal.

[00:31:51]And we are there in the court of appeal.

[00:31:53]Because if you allow them, the person who you did not like will be there and will be marshalling out policies. And then you start looking at your community from outside.

[00:32:01]>> [laughter] >> What is the point? So, people should come out and show that they are they are not happy with certain things by using their their vote. Now, they are still doing resolution. But But what about those They should come out and vote. But what about those who are happy with how things are? Because obviously >> Some people are not there are usually two sides >> many percentage of people are happy? We are coming to that. You know, the 20 the 2023 elections taught us a very big lesson. Yes. Because how tight that election was also told you the the the balance of things. Some people say, "Okay, they want to see a change." But some people said, "Well, we are not sure of the change, so let's stay where we are." So, the election in 2027 for Enugu State, do you think it will be as tight as that of 2023 or will it be something different? How can I be God to determine >> no. Based on your experience >> to tell you based on my experience The problem the people we have is lukewarm attitude and some people believe in that their vote will not count and decide not to come out. Because if people definitely come out Ah.

[00:33:14]The government will have problem.

[00:33:17]We have a problem. On a serious note, people are not happy.

[00:33:20]People are not happy. If they if he doesn't want to If the government doesn't want to know, he should know.

[00:33:27]And people are not happy.

[00:33:31]The people are sad, very, very sad. Sad about what exactly?

[00:33:34]>> Because of the policies of the government. Because of the policies of the government.

[00:33:39]The policies of the government is not friendly.

[00:33:42]It's not friendly.

[00:33:43]And we want the friendly policy that people will be laughing.

[00:33:47]Not the situation people will be weeping and people will be suffering.

[00:33:52]A lot of deaths, a lot of homeless situation.

[00:33:57]You are now dragging me to what I have decided not to be saying indirectly.

[00:34:03]You have not campaigned if that's what If that's what you are trying to accuse me of I didn't want to No, you have not No, we have not No, we have not No, normally you will know we know what it is to campaign. And if when we get to that you'll be all guns blazing. I know that.

[00:34:21]>> Well, we know quite well, but it's an indirect way of trying to let the cat out of the bag for what I have that I said at the appropriate time we will roll it out. I also know you know I've seen I've seen all the the civilian administration so far. So, so it's that I usually that >> [clears throat] >> There there are usually There are there are this discussion is from for '99.

[00:34:51]So, I know No, sorry about that. That is just for '99. Just for purposes of following it with the political parties on ground.

[00:34:59]That's why we're in that. So, as we end this conversation, do you think that because you've you've shared one worry here that the people are lukewarm? Yes.

[00:35:10]>> Why are they lukewarm? Because they believe that their vote does not count.

[00:35:14]Because when they finish, that's why I said the National Assembly failed to do what they ought to do.

[00:35:21]Upload this result in a real time. But do you think that some of the members of the or many of the members of the National Assembly are they regretting not tying that electoral act?

[00:35:32]>> But it's late now. What will you do?

[00:35:34]Even if you are regretting >> I understand some of them were affected.

[00:35:36]>> Even if they are regretting now because they thought they have had their way.

[00:35:41]Some of them believe in manipulation.

[00:35:42]Some of them did not believe in fair free and fair contest.

[00:35:46]They don't believe in it. That's why they now left the loophole where their network is not there. You cannot use manual.

[00:35:54]So that they will that their network will not be around the whole of Nigeria.

[00:35:58][laughter] No. Would they shut down the network?

[00:36:00]>> The rigging of election does not go around.

[00:36:03]Goes from one particular area where you are monitoring the the result and you know the result in some other place. You can just go one corner and manipulate one that will take care of others.

[00:36:16]You don't need to rig every other place to win election.

[00:36:19]You just target one or two places and they inflate the figure.

[00:36:24]Once you inflate the figure and bring the figure, The church will Everybody will now go home.

[00:36:30]But that's But that is how to how to manipulate the result. That's that's rather sad because that's one thing Nigerians are praying that it will stop. That the votes will count. What What is it that you think the people need to do for that >> the The angry The annoying part of it is that we don't even have a position in the National Assembly.

[00:36:51]It is what the APC wants.

[00:36:53]After discussing with the the villa they will come and they just legitimize it in the house.

[00:36:59]And you see how Electoral Act was passed. At less than 24 hours the president signed it.

[00:37:04]Because it was something they have already prepared. I knew.

[00:37:08]There's no opposition because if they had had opposition they would be afraid of what they are bringing to the floor of the house, the Senate.

[00:37:15]But there's no opposition. They have collapsed the entire opposition, become one party, and they cannot do anything about it. And that is is very dangerous for democracy.

[00:37:25]Very dangerous. Anything you bring it goes. So you are confident that come 2027 that the PDP, the way it is, in any way, because a lot of people believe that the PDP is very depleted because of the departure of the governor and all the structure that he left with, that the PDP can match the incumbent in the election. Uh-uh.

[00:37:53]We're [clears throat] going to give the incumbent run for your money.

[00:37:59]And obviously going to realize that the leaving our party to another party is a very big mistake. Is it? It's a very big mistake.

[00:38:09]Because he thought that is Eldorado.

[00:38:13]But at least within him now I know he will not be feeling bad.

[00:38:17]Because of the fact that what happened in 2023 might happen again.

[00:38:22]Might happen again.

[00:38:24]It is the people we are going to face now.

[00:38:27]And people does not want to know who who is the governor or not.

[00:38:31]Provided if it is made a level playing ground.

[00:38:36]If you made a level playing playing ground, people will come out and cast their vote.

[00:38:42]And if it is not manipulated, believe you me, the ruling party will have themselves to blame.

[00:38:51]Most especially in this area.

[00:38:55]Because obviously, it is the people that will that will that is free. People is the spring. So, when they come out to to cast their vote, will their vote be allowed to to stay without manipulating figures?

[00:39:12]That is their fear. And that is why I used the word lukewarm.

[00:39:17]Because if by the time people are shown and people goes out and make sure they have valid validate their voter's card and be ready to cast their vote.

[00:39:30]And they know quite well that the INEC should equally help matters. Because INEC contribute to these problems.

[00:39:37]If God by the by the grace of if if for instance what happened in FCT during the council election. During the dying minute or the the dying minute, they will now tell you they have reposted some position.

[00:39:51]If you have a card your voting card in a particular polling booth, they might tell you that it has been shifted to another. By the time you go up and down trying to trace it, you find out that the time has gone.

[00:40:06]It's another way of rigging.

[00:40:09]And INEC purposely normally do it.

[00:40:14]You know? Because obviously, people should know their voting the voting the voting center. So in essence you think that At least a week before the It seems that INEC they're very They contributed yeah they They're very strategic stakeholder in this.

[00:40:27]>> exactly. And if they don't do their work well the elections can suffer. Exactly.

[00:40:32]Because if you continue to change venues of people the voters and they didn't give them enough notice to know that their this thing have been changed.

[00:40:43]If it is done at the 11th hour some of them will be fed will be fed up fed up.

[00:40:50]We will say okay what am I even gaining from doing this? They will decide to go home and stay.

[00:40:55]Especially when the the the fuel price now is so terrible that the you cannot it's a luxury now for you to leave your house and go a distance where you enter vehicle to cast your vote.

[00:41:09]And you pay through your nose.

[00:41:11]So that's why I say INEC should make it very easy for people to just come out walk to their nearest voting center and cast their vote. And not a situation you make it so difficult for some of them to enter vehicle and some of them don't even have the money to enter vehicle.

[00:41:29]And you know that during that time they will say no movement of vehicle except you have your own vehicle and even if you have your own vehicle if you don't have that car That's right.

[00:41:38]Election >> that allows you to move from one place to the other you have problem to move.

[00:41:44]And if your voting center is shifted from where you cannot trek obviously they have disenfranchised you.

[00:41:51]So that is the point.

[00:41:53]You know what? There's a lot to talk about but because you said you don't want to campaign. The Chief Barrister Ray Nnaji the National Vice Chairman Southeast of the PDP thank you. By the grace of almighty. Yeah thank you for coming on on the Eastern Eye. Yeah you just wanted [clears throat] to let me the cat out of the bag, but I refused.

[00:42:13]Until the time comes, when the time for campaign we will come here and tell you so many things you might not even know.

[00:42:19]Just like they say around here, "Oh, no embargo No embargo Uh they that embargo will be lifted.

[00:42:25]And it will be all gone special campaign for your brother.

[00:42:30]You know this place is his constituency.

[00:42:32]Yeah, it's this is everybody's constituency. It is everybody's constituency, but you would like your brother to go there. We are open for everybody. You would like your brother to go there, even if you don't want to say it. Chief Barrister Raymond Thank you so much for coming on the Eastern Eye tonight.

[00:42:48]>> It's a pleasure. And the one who asks the questions here It is a pleasure. Thank you.

[00:42:52]>> Thank you so much. That's the Eastern Eye for tonight. Join us another time when we have the program.

[00:42:58]My name is Alex Obodo. Goodnight.

[00:43:01]>> [music] [music]