Dr. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu is a Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, the Leader of the Enugu State House of Assembly, and the founder of the Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, Foundation. He discussed the upcoming general elections, current national issues, and his Foundation’s activities in this interview.
What are your thoughts on the elections in 2023?
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The President recently stated that no one will be permitted to intimidate another person with thugs and that people should go to their respective localities to elect individuals of their choice from any political party. As a result, regardless of their political affiliations, we have the chance to elect people who are trustworthy and accountable.
Therefore, the election presents an opportunity for us to act ethically for the benefit of our nation and, by extension, its people. Prof. Patrick Lumumba says, “When we give the goat to a lion to watch over for us, we should not be surprised to find our goat missing.”
How do you think Nigeria can address the unhealthy partisan politics that are taking place there? What are your thoughts?
There is a great deal of room for improvement in the conduct of some of our political actors. People ought to think that our politics ought to be issue-based, that people ought to tell us what they want for the nation and the states, and that we shouldn’t attack ourselves randomly. All of the slurs, accusations, and counter-accusations are of no interest to us. At best, such accusations ought to be addressed in court. We are curious about the perspectives offered by those vying for our support.
Another aspect of it is that people who are well-informed in our society ought to make an effort to inform the less well-informed members of our society about the significance of peace before, during, and after the elections. This is important because no one, whether in the public or private sector, can accomplish anything without peace. Regardless of whether we participate in partisan politics or not, we require a peaceful atmosphere to continue our daily activities.
How would you rate INEC’s preparations for the election in 2023?
As I have been advising individuals, we must encourage and have faith in those entrusted with responsibilities to carry them out. INEC has been doing well. Some people’s apathy and hasty conclusion that the BVAs won’t work well is unnecessary. In the most recent election, I believe in Osun, they utilized BVAS; all that is required of us is to draw on the lessons learned from that to ensure that the 2023 election will be the first of its kind since 1999.
People ought to try to fulfill their civic duties.
Because registering to vote is one thing, collecting PVC is another, and going to vote is yet another, it is an opportunity for individuals to play their own part. The bottom line is that we should all try to vote because angels won’t come down from heaven to vote for us on election day. God helps those who are self-sufficient.
Do you think your party will win the elections in 2023?
I am not a prophecy expert. I’m glad that votes will count this time, as it will make it even more difficult for anyone to accurately predict what will happen tomorrow. It’s interesting that I’m talking to you now and assuming tomorrow is the election and you say you’ll vote for me, but I’m not even sure you’ll do so. You can vote for someone else when you get to the polling place. As a result, nothing is certain until the votes are tallied.
How do you feel about putting your humanitarian endeavors ahead of partisan politics?
I’m satisfied. I tell people, with all due modesty, that politics is not a profession. You should have a second address before entering politics. You need to have something to contribute. What are you going to do if someone doesn’t have any experience and wants to go to the legislature, for instance? It baffles me that when it comes to politics, people don’t care about merit. However, when it comes to hiring people for their private businesses, even if it’s a one-man operation, people will conduct interviews and do their research because they want results. However, anything goes when it comes to politics. What a pity.
We won’t see complete change in Nigeria unless certain practices are altered. It goes without saying that you can’t plant corn and expect to harvest yam tubers, but that’s exactly what we’re doing in politics. We are simply turning things around and hoping for the best. We are just lying to ourselves. This idea of going about looking for foreign investors is just a waste of time and resources unless we change the way we think and do things. This kind of insecurity can be seen everywhere. An environment where a genuine investor’s investment is at risk is not one they will choose.
If you create an environment that is conducive, investors will flock to our nation because they want to make money. Investors won’t need to be persuaded; After conducting research on the investment climate, they are persuaded. An investor will not be persuaded by radio commercials or CNN advertisements if the facts on the ground indicate otherwise.
After contributing my quota to the legislature for a period of 12 years by June of this year, I feel satisfied. I have been the House Leader for eight years.
Igbo Presidency is being fought for by some factions. How do you feel about that?