Awarding winning film maker, Nnamdi Shehu Dickson Iroegbu is contesting for the president of Nigeria in 2023. He bared his mind to Dr Uzor Ngoladi on what has inspired him to take a shot at Aso Rock and what he intends to do differently if voted into power. Excerpts:
We have seen your presidential poster all over the internet. Are you joking, playing to the gallery or serious?
I am not an actor. I have a burning desire to serve Nigeria. I am contesting for president because of my passion for Nigeria. I have supported aspirants in the past. I supported Jonathan and Atiku. I supported them with my resources, creativity and talent and vision for Nigeria. Unfortunately, they did not win. Of course, all of us that supported Jonathan in 2015 have been vindicated after Buhari wrecked Nigeria. Jonathan was not perfect; we should have given him the chance to implement the 2014 National Confab report. All we needed to consolidate democracy in Nigeria was to implement the people’s document because the 1999 constitution is not our document. Jonathan gathered Nigerians and spent over 7 billion naira to discuss issues bothering Nigeria. They quarreled, fought and disagreed and finally came out with the people’s document in 2014. Unfortunately, we missed that opportunity in 2015 for continuity. We have tested Buhari and every Nigerian will attest to the fact that we don’t deserve the hunger, insecurity and corruption that exists in the country presently. We have gone far beyond this level. Nigeria is a divided nation and we need someone with the temperament to tolerate the excesses of our different ethnic groups. The nations that make up Nigeria did not agree to do business together in 1914.
So, it was strictly Lord Lugard’s idea?
Yes. Lord Lugard foisted Nigeria on us. To get it right, I supported Atiku in 2019 to legitimately complete the mandate of the northern Nigeria according to the zoning formula. I believed he will do one term in office. Unfortunately, Buhari like he did in the 80s held on to power. My Opinion till tomorrow is that Buhari did not win the 2019 presidential election. There was no justice in the 2019 electoral challenge because I was in court all through for the matter up to Supreme Court. Buhari claimed that he had a school certificate but could not back it up and the Supreme Court let it fly. That is bygone, at least Buhari is not coming back in 2023. Nigeria is made up of nations, we cannot pretend about it. You must come from a tribe before you can be called a Nigerian. There was an arrangement that worked in 1999 at the inception of this democracy after MKO Abiola’s death. Politicians agreed in 1998 that power should be zoned to the South West, two candidates emerged. Obasanjo for PDP and Olu Falae for AD. The arrangement worked. In 2007, we also had the two mainstream political parties producing two northerners as their candidates – Buhari and Yar’Adua both of them came from Katsina State and they are Fulani. It also applied in 2019 – Buhari and Atiku who are also Fulani was presented by the mainstream parties. That arrangement worked for Nigeria. In 2023, power must come back to the south. In the south, we now consider the geographical zones: south west, south south and south east. South west have had 8 years of presidency and 8 years of vice presidency by 2023. South south has enjoyed 6 years of presidency. South east have not tasted presidency. Natural justice therefore demands that south east must be allowed to lead Nigeria and continue with this political arrangement. In 2023 power must shift to the south east if we are serious about one Nigeria. If we desire Nigeria to continue, we must uphold fairness, equity and justice. APC and PDP and other political parties must field a candidate from the south east and allow Nigerians to choose from these well qualified candidates. This is the only solution to the current political quagmire in Nigeria. I have reached out to the eastern leaders. I have made it known that Atiku should support Peter Obi who is a prudent manager. We need someone that can bring justice to the resources of Nigeria and I am aware that Atiku still wants to contest in 2023. I have seen the same men that have held Nigeria down such Tinubu aspiring to contest for president in 2023. I have waited for the south east aspirants and they have not shown up. They seem to be laid back about leading Nigeria. Having seen this and realizing that I have come of age, I can’t keep quiet. If you give me Nigeria to lead, I will fix this country. Nigeria’s problem is leadership. We need a selfless leader that can do justice to all Nigerians irrespective of their tribe. That is what I am here for. I was born in Kano and I grew up in Zaria and I have lived in Lagos. I know the challenges the northern Nigeria are facing. I will adopt Jonathan’s Almajiri school system. Every Nigerian child deserves education. The north doesn’t deserve poverty. Agriculture can feed the entire north with oil. I am presenting my self as a presidential aspirant because there is a vacuum even when Buhari is still in power. There is need to fill up that vacuum.
Do you believe you possess character, competence and capacity to fix Nigeria?
What is required is someone that has the resilience and I have it. We need to inspire young people. After the #Endsars protest, it became obvious that the men in government do not care about Nigerians. Why would the president of Nigeria watch the army gun down Nigerians who were sitting down, reciting the National Anthem and waving Nigerian flag? The president has not done anything about it. He has lost the position of Commander in Chief by not doing anything about it.
To be continued…