Why I’m seen as anti-Igbo – Joe Igbokwe

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, speaks to BIODUN BUSARI on the alleged marginalisation of the South-East region, the Peoples Democratic Party’s recent defeat in the Edo governorship election, among other issues

Nigerians are groaning under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, facing a high cost of living that includes fuel, food items, and electricity, among others. How comfortable are you praising your party amid all these?

Let me tell you, things are truly very tough. I’m adjusting to it as well. I was with some friends a few days ago, and we discussed that if there is a reform to make Nigeria better and everyone is feeling the heat, it’s acceptable.

It’s only when it’s not balanced that we can complain. This situation is universal. I used to switch on the standing fan and air conditioner in my office before, but now I only open the windows. Recently, I bought an electricity tariff of N20,000, which ended in one day. When I wrote to the distribution company, they told me my house is in Band A. If we have to do this to get some common sense, then I accept it. I manage how things are used now; we only use one AC and open the windows. If you switch the light on while in the toilet, you should switch it off again after finishing. This is the price we must pay to move this country forward.
Regarding fuel, I posted on social media for people to compare our pump price with sub-Saharan African countries and realised their prices were high.

If we were still selling at N250 or N400 per litre, it would mean that some bad elements are still smuggling our fuel to these countries. Nigeria cannot be Father Christmas to Cameroon, Togo, and the rest.

If I have to go out and use my car, I must ensure it’s a place that adds value to me. I want to emphasise that I know Nigerians are suffering, and President Tinubu is not stupid.
Politicians have a tendency to shift blame rather than accept responsibility for their shortcomings. During Buhari’s administration, the APC often pointed fingers at the PDP for numerous issues. Now, President Tinubu claims he inherited a struggling economy from his predecessor, despite being from the same party. Will this pattern of deflecting blame ever end?

I won’t say Buhari didn’t perform well; I’ve already mentioned the Second Niger Bridge, and he also initiated several rail projects. However, the current administration is dealing with the damage caused by certain politicians within Buhari’s government who wrecked the economy. Back then, governors, ministers, and other politicians didn’t operate in naira—they conducted most of their dealings in dollars. Some even had dollars stashed in their homes.

In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, I was among the first to secure a loan from the International Merchant Bank. I received N27,500 to start a business during former military president Ibrahim Babangida’s regime when he launched the National Directorate of Employment. They brought in business and economic experts from universities to train us on running a business. Although I initially wanted to venture into air conditioning, I was advised to open a restaurant instead. Within a year, I made a good profit, repaid the loan, and bought a car.

We had proper training on business management, but initiatives like this are no longer available because politicians and civil servants now siphon the funds meant for such programmes.

In the just-concluded Edo State governorship election, where INEC declared the APC winner, Governor Godwin Obaseki alleged various infractions. Are you proud of a democracy where vote-buying occurred, particularly involving the two major political parties?

I’m not aware of any vote-buying or alleged infractions. What I can say is that Obaseki is a different case altogether. Politics thrives on teamwork, and although he knew this, he dismantled his own team with his own hands. Look at how the APC won the election in Lagos; it was through a unified effort. How could Obaseki expect to win the election for the PDP after alienating everyone who once worked with him? He famously said, ‘Edo no be Lagos,’ but forgot about Asiwaju and others who helped him rise to power. He picked fights with the Oba of Benin, his deputy, Philip Shaibu, and several members of the state assembly. All these factors contributed to his downfall. His recklessness had consequences, and to top it off, he even battled Senator Adams Oshiomhole. It was clear he didn’t think things through, and the outcome was inevitable.
I feel for my friend, the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who aligned himself with Obaseki. Asue and I were part of the Concerned Professionals after the June 12 election crisis in 1993.
He’s an incredibly sharp and talented lawyer, and it’s painful to see Obaseki’s impunity drag Ighodalo down. Obaseki has been the architect of his own and Ighodalo’s undoing.

As a Nigerian from the South-East, would you support any politician outside the APC from your region to become president?

No Igbo candidate can win an election in this country without the support of the South-West, North, and South-South. Many politicians from Igboland struggle to build those necessary bridges. Do you know how many years President Tinubu has spent building his political career? He was closely aligned with the late M.K.O. Abiola during his campaign. From there, he became a senator, then the governor of Lagos State, and played a pivotal role in sponsoring many politicians into power.

He brought me to Lagos and never cared about where I came from. He has nurtured individuals from all corners of Nigeria—North, South, East, and West. We all know how he helped former President Buhari into office, promising to deliver the South-West for the 2015 election.

What I’m saying is this: my people in Igboland cannot insult the country and other regions and expect to win elections. This applies to both our leaders and indigenes. Whenever I speak out about this, I’m insulted, and seen as an enemy. But the truth is, as Igbo people, we need to foster relationships with other regions.

The Igbo often claim the South-East is marginalised, which fuels their grievances. What is your view on this?

I am from the South-East, and I’m a proud Igbo man. Yes, the South-East is indeed marginalised, especially when you compare the number of states in each region. Other regions have six or seven states, while the South-East has only five. As a result, we receive the least in resources shared across Nigeria. However, there was a potential solution to this issue that we mishandled, and it was our own people who caused it.
During former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, there was a proposal to create an additional state in the South-East. Just as it was about to be signed, Enugu and Imo states disagreed on who would give up territory. Enugu wanted Nsukka, while Imo wanted Mbaise. Their inability to reach a consensus led to the proposal being abandoned by the president. That’s why we are where we are today. Whatever is happening to the Igbo people is, to a large extent, self-inflicted.

Consequently, our representation in the National Assembly is minimal, despite the investments our people have made across the country. How can you harm your own people and still claim you want Biafra? I tell our people that our land is too small. While landmass may not be the sole factor, it’s important. Many states in Nigeria are larger than the entire South-East.

What solutions do you propose to address this issue?

This situation cannot continue. I have written to the President regarding the creation of an additional state in the South-East. However, as Igbo people, we must also do our part. There is something called cultural competence and the management of emotional intelligence that we need to master as a community. I suffered greatly for speaking this truth; my house was burnt down in my village as a consequence. That was the sacrifice I had to make, and I have been labelled as anti-Igbo.

Another question we must ask is, if we achieve the sovereign state of Biafra, what is the likelihood that we will remain united? Our people are naturally republican. You cannot locate all your investments in Lagos, Abuja, and other parts of the country, abandon them, and then expect to live in a region smaller than Kogi State. We must not close our eyes to the vast opportunities in Nigeria. We just have to play by the rules.