MAJOR Lancelot Anyanya (rtd), Chairman, Governing Board of National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Rivers State, in this interview de-constructed the general belief that closeness to the presidency would guarantee an automatic victory for any candidate at the primaries. Excerpts:
By Charles Kumolu
What inspired your ambition?
Rivers State is a very important state in Nigeria. It is one of the first states to be created at the eve of the civil war. Because of its uniqueness we want to do something very different. We are seeking to move away from the pattern of notoriety. With the greatest sense of respect, my brother who is the current governor, things ought to have been done differently.
By Charles Kumolu
What inspired your ambition?
Rivers State is a very important state in Nigeria. It is one of the first states to be created at the eve of the civil war. Because of its uniqueness we want to do something very different. We are seeking to move away from the pattern of notoriety. With the greatest sense of respect, my brother who is the current governor, things ought to have been done differently.
Lancelot Anyanya
I think that the if maturity had been exhibited, things would have been done very differently. If you look at the political history of the state, you will discover that the state had never been in the opposition. And there is a reason for that. Nobody has become President of Nigeria without winning Rivers State. The only election, which the perceived winner did not carry Rivers State, was the June 12 elections. And government was never formed on the premise of that electoral victory. I don’t know how to explain it.
May be there is a divine connection to it. The state is the treasure base of the nation for good reasons. There has always been spotlight on the state. And the governorship elections in the state, has always attracted the attention of people within and outside the state. Even if it was not a President Jonathan I will expect every other President to be interested in the emergence of political leadership in the state.
The state is a critical economic nerve centre of the country. The Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG, is there, National Fertiliser Company of Nigeria,NAFCON is there. We have two refineries there and two seaports there. There are several crude oil deposits there. If Rivers State goes down for any reason, the Nigerian economy will shut down.
On capability
Where I am coming from as a village boy, who God has brought this far, should tell anyone that I am a focused man, who can do the job. I was supremely prepared by God to embark on this project.
I am a bonafide member of the Peoples Democratic Party. I am from Atagba in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. I try to avoid the argument that the state is divided between upland and lowland. I avoid it because I think that every part of the state has enough materials to produce the governor. And anybody, who wants to be governor in a state like Rivers, must be capable of articulating a more intelligent reason for wanting authority to serve.
So, I do not want to see myself in that mould. However it will be hypocritical for me to pretend that there is no framework for understanding, designed by our fore bearers on how political offices are shared. If I pretend that it does not exist, that will be very dishonest of me. I am saying that as a person, I don’t think the upland and lowland arguments are uncalled for. We are adequately prepared by the reason of our education and experience to offer services to our people.
A lot of people have shown interest in the race in a state where the incumbent governor, who decamped to the All Progressives Congress,APC, is believed to have done well. The president’s wife is also from there, while the Minister of State for Education, who holds the party structure has shown interest. Do you belong to any of these blocs?
May be there is a divine connection to it. The state is the treasure base of the nation for good reasons. There has always been spotlight on the state. And the governorship elections in the state, has always attracted the attention of people within and outside the state. Even if it was not a President Jonathan I will expect every other President to be interested in the emergence of political leadership in the state.
The state is a critical economic nerve centre of the country. The Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG, is there, National Fertiliser Company of Nigeria,NAFCON is there. We have two refineries there and two seaports there. There are several crude oil deposits there. If Rivers State goes down for any reason, the Nigerian economy will shut down.
On capability
Where I am coming from as a village boy, who God has brought this far, should tell anyone that I am a focused man, who can do the job. I was supremely prepared by God to embark on this project.
I am a bonafide member of the Peoples Democratic Party. I am from Atagba in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. I try to avoid the argument that the state is divided between upland and lowland. I avoid it because I think that every part of the state has enough materials to produce the governor. And anybody, who wants to be governor in a state like Rivers, must be capable of articulating a more intelligent reason for wanting authority to serve.
So, I do not want to see myself in that mould. However it will be hypocritical for me to pretend that there is no framework for understanding, designed by our fore bearers on how political offices are shared. If I pretend that it does not exist, that will be very dishonest of me. I am saying that as a person, I don’t think the upland and lowland arguments are uncalled for. We are adequately prepared by the reason of our education and experience to offer services to our people.
A lot of people have shown interest in the race in a state where the incumbent governor, who decamped to the All Progressives Congress,APC, is believed to have done well. The president’s wife is also from there, while the Minister of State for Education, who holds the party structure has shown interest. Do you belong to any of these blocs?
The PDP is the peoples party, regardless of what you want to believe in. We have seen the most unlikely things happen in the party. Every political party wants to win elections. And the choice of candidate matters a lot with much attention to the peculiarities of the local environment.
I believe that our party wants to pick a candidate that will guarantee victory. I hope you remember how our governor came to office. We all know that his name was not on the ballot papers. And the Supreme Court affirmed that he won the election because he owned the ticket before his name was wrongly substituted.
The Supreme Court held that the party is the candidate. Some of us had mixed feelings but there was nothing we could do. The personality of the candidate has effect on the fortunes of the party. That shows that our party must go for a candidate, who does not have so much issues trailing him. That person must be able to sell himself. We have gone to the people. And they will judge who best seems to understand their problems.
The relationship between him and the President
The President is the father of the nation. He is my President and party leader. Don forget that he is my commander in chief. By the privilege of his appointment, I chair a federal board. I don’t like it when people overplay the President’s interest. His interest is the good of the nation. If the people are on my side, I doubt if the President will be against the people. He wants the support and good of the people, so why would he be against me?
His chances of picking the PDP ticket
If I did not think I would get the party ticket, I would not have started. I have said that I am a person of faith. So my faith is propelling me. My eyes are always on the prize. We have the ability to make a persuasive case to the delegates and party leaders. I have consulted at the strongholds of my perceived opponents. I don’t have the money my opponent has, but I believe in God. If I was not ready I would not have involved in this expensive project.