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Hon. Dennis Adikwuru is a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Imo State is the National Secretary, Igbo People’s Movement and erstwhile Executive Secretary, Igbo People’s Action Congress (IPAC). Adikwuru, a member of Imo State Presidential Campaign Council under Media and Publicity Sub-committee in the 2023 elections and erstwhile State Publicity Secretary, Imo State Professionals for Atiku, is also the State Coordinator, Imo PDP Grassroots Movement. He spoke to EJIKEME OMENAZU on why Ndigbo should support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu, among other crucial issues. Excerpt:

You have been in partisan politics for decades, despite several ups and downs you have encountered in the process. What are the things that keep you going in politics?

Yes, politics is a way of life, it is about all life activities. You must be involved one way or the other in politics. Either, to bring about good things of life to your environment or to take the good things of life for yourself and your family. I have a leadership background, I have been involved in development issues from childhood and academic wise, I am a political scientist and media prac­titioner. This is my driving force in participating and contributing my meagre quota in the political activ­ities of our dear country, Nigeria.

You bagged political appointments twice, but each time, they did not last long for you to reap the fruits of your Labour, but somehow you found yourself outside the gov­ernment you put much effort into bringing into existence. What does this experience leave in your mind about politics of Nigeria in general and Imo State in particular?

During the first tenure of Gov­ernor Rochas Okorocha, I was appointed the Secretary, Imo State Pools Betting and Gaming Board. That appointment lasted for one year. Barely the seventh month of Governor Emeka Ihedioha, I was appointed as the Director of Opera­tions of the same Board. Less than 72 hours into the appointment, the Su­preme Court ruled against Ihedioha and that marked the end of it. I will first appreciate both governors for acknowledging my person and my efforts during their electioneering period. I will tell you here that my political relationship with Rochas Okorocha started from his aspira­tion for Nigeria’s presidency.

We formed a pressure group called Igbo People’s Movement and I was the National Secretary, while the late High Chief Uche Njoku was the President. We toured the entire country with Rochas, formed his structure known as State Presiden­tial Representatives (SPR) in all the states. I was appointed the Head of Media and Publicity of the Rochas Okorocha Presidential Campaign Organisation. I succeeded the late Chief China Iwuanyanwu.

When Rochas decided to go for the Imo governorship in 2011, I relocated from Lagos to Imo and joined full-time with All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). I recall my role during the rerun election at Ngor Okpala and specifically in Umue­kwune. Aside from overseeing my Polling Unit, I was in charge of se­curity at the Comprehensive Second­ary School, Umuekwune Collation Centre. Rochas’ inlaw, Obinali, was around the same area as me and we worked together. I was on the hot spot where Ohakim’s PDP agents laid siege on us and my car was almost burnt at the Collation Centre. It was my performances during the main election and the Ngor Okpala rerun that produced good reports, which paved the way for my appointment. I was among the first appointees from Aboh Mbaise alongside Prof. Fabian Osuji, now late, and Dr Best Njoku. We were also founding members of APC in Imo State.

Talking about Ihedioha and PDP, when it became inevitable for me to quit APC, I rejoined PDP in full solidarity with Ihedioha. I formed Oke Ovoro Solidarity Movement and with other like minded people, organised the first ever political solidarity rally for Ihedioha which attracted the finest from all works of life. That was in 2014 and same year I was everywhere in PDP. I was the Team Leader in my Ward during the 2015 election and on April 11, the day of the Governorship election, I was almost murdered by the APC military clothed personnel in the presence of policemen attached to Ihedioha. That led to the cancella­tion of the election in my Ward. The rest is history, but evidenced by the scars on my finger till date. Honest­ly speaking, my experiences in both camps only pushed my courage to work up, but never encouraged nor appreciated my efforts.

You are the Executive Secretary of IPAC, a platform you and other compatriots used to support Rochas Okorocha, both in his aborted quest for presidency and his victory in his governorship contest. Since then, nothing much was heard about IPAC. But surprisingly, you and the other leaders of IPAC resuscitated it for the support of President Bola Tinubu’s second term. Why is this shift of interest by IPAC, which was primarily Igbo, to what one can term Yoruba interest?

Igbo People’s Action Congress (IPAC) can be said to be an offshoot of Igbo People’s Movement (IPM). We galvanised inter-tribal and reli­gious harmony across the country. We visited several leaders of note, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Otunba TOS Benson, Chief Femi Falana, we vis­ited then Kaduna Governor, Ahmed Markarfi, we organised a mass po­litical rally at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex and honoured many Nige­rians who had distinguished them­selves in leadership and national unity. Among them was Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, then in the House of Representatives, representing Ikoro­du Federal Constituency.

Our various outings and activi­ties promoted unity and harmony among the diversities of the coun­try. I will say that recent political as­pirations and outings have almost turned the Igbos in a fierce war with Yorubas and this has resulted in sev­eral skirmishes, rancour and has crept into the business empires of the Igbo man. Today, the Igbo nation has lost grip on national politics and plays opposition thereby losing her shares in the allocation of values.

The Igbo People’s Action Con­gress (IPAC) considers the future of the Igbos in the Nigerian context, has viewed the political terrain and seeks the best way of playing into mainstream politics. We passed a resolution to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 Presiden­tial election with attendant benefits, some of which are to bring an end to the Igbo/Yoruba political imbro­glio, build a sustainable inter-ethnic unity and return the South East to mainstream politics among others. The demolitions of investments al­legedly owned by the Igbos in Lagos must be put to an end.

Still on the unfolding politics of 2027, some top Imo political intelligentsia are believed to be working hard for the enthronement of Ikedi Ohakim under the Imo Charter of Equity for his second term. How realistic do you think this mission is and to what extent has this Charter worked in the enthronement of governors in the state?

The man, Ikedi Ohakim has been a recurring decimal in Imo politics. He is one of the serial contenders for Imo governorship. Talking about the Charter of Equity, in my study of Po­litical Science, it is not compelling, it is not legally enforceable. We are only talking about morality, equity and fairness. So, I have not taken this Charter of Equity seriously. But, if it must be taken seriously, it is the Owerri Zone that should be contend­ing for it. The fact that social media proponents are propping up Ohakim does not place him as best suited to satisfy the charter of equity demand. But, Ohakim is exercising his fun­damental right to seek re-election as governor of Imo State. So, also the rest of the aspirants.

You have remained a frontline chief­tain of PDP, leading one of its stron­gest grassroots support groups and occupying strategic positions in the party since you were betrayed by your former political friend and former Gov Rochas Okorocha under APGA, who later ditched the party leading a faction to the APC. Now, you seem to be tilting towards President Bola Tinubu. Should Ndi Imo expect your formal defection to APC? Or, shall Nigerians be expect­ing the repeat of Nyesom Wike’s brand of politics of working for Tinu­bu, but still remaining in PDP?

You captured the terrain of my political adventures very well. I have traversed the PDP, APGA, APC, back to PDP where I remain till date. My experience so far in all my political activities has remained the same. Politicians come for you when they need you most, especially when they understand your values. When you give in your values and they win the election, they go back to their confra­ternity and if you’re not in that cir­cle, you are no longer in their values list. This is the experience of most clean personalities who get treated badly despite their inputs in getting the politicians elected.

To your question, I am concerned with building bridges, mending fenc­es and cultivating a Yoruba/Igbo uni­ty. As it stands today, the only feasible futuristic strategy to launch the Igbo into national limelight is to rally Igbo votes in support of President Tinu­bu’s re-election. Once we take off the activism, I will decide whether to play it from within APC or out­side APC. For now, I am paying keen interest in the many dimensional in­trigues in the PDP. I have decided to take the bull by the horns, never to play anyone’s sheepish follower and be used to climb, then get abandoned because of fraternity

You have remained a frontline chief­tain of PDP, leading one of its stron­gest grassroots support groups and occupying strategic positions in the party since you were betrayed by your former political friend and former Gov Rochas Okorocha under APGA, who later ditched the party leading a faction to the APC. Now, you seem to be tilting towards President Bola Tinubu. Should Ndi Imo expect your formal defection to APC? Or, shall Nigerians be expect­ing the repeat of Nyesom Wike’s brand of politics of working for Tinu­bu, but still remaining in PDP?

You captured the terrain of my political adventures very well. I have traversed the PDP, APGA, APC back to PDP where I remain till date. My experience so far in all my political activities has remained the same. And that is, the politicians come for you when they need you most espe­cially when they understand your values. When you give in your val­ues and they win the election, they go back to their confraternity and if you’re not in that circle, you are no longer in their values list. This is the experience of most clean per­sonalities who get treated badly de­spite their inputs in getting the pol­iticians elected. To your question, I am concerned with building bridg­es, mending fences and cultivating a Yoruba/Igbo unity. As it stands today, the only feasible futuristic strategy to launch the Igbos into national limelight is to rally Igbo votes in support of President Tinu­bu’s reelection. Once we take off the activism, I will decide whether to play it from within APC or outside APC. For now, I am paying keen interest in the many dimensional intrigues in the PDP. I have decided to take the bull by the horns, never to play anyone’s sheepish follower and be used to climbing, then get abandoned because of fraternity.