Tom Fredfish is the convener of the Peace and Justice Advocacy group in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, a chieftain of the party once seen as the religion of the people. Sadly, after Governor Umo Eno defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in June, things seem to have fallen apart and the centre has failed to hold with the fate of the party hanging in the balance. In this interview with ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, he takes an optimistic view saying that the rebuilding process of what is left of the party has begun in earnest. Excerpts:
The PDP seems to be in straits after Governor Umo Eno progressively defected in June; what is the fate of the party ahead of the 2027 general election?
The party is still intact with many members of integrity, though some members have defected, I would say the party still has members who are committed and have integrity.The national body of the party has had a serious crisis and the Board of Trustees are trying to address it at the coming national convention. So there is a possibility of them resolving it or not. There is also the need to purge some bad eggs. So if somebody like Wike still remains in PDP, there will be no future of PDP in Nigeria which may likely affect Akwa Ibom State. But outside that, there is a bright future for PDP in Akwa Ibom State and will vibrantly make an impact and hold sway in Akwa Ibom State.
Would you say those who have left the party have no integrity?
If the PDP gave you a ticket, you are not a founding member of PDP and the party found you worthy to give you the ticket, you should be able to stay in that party. Giving us various reasons why he is leaving and none holds water. The governor did not mention the internal crisis within the PDP as his reasons in his defection speech, he only said, he is moving to the centre but all the various reasons he has given do not hold water and it is a moral burden on him to have left the party that built him, the party that gave him ticket, the party that made him who he is.
How should the PDP deal with Wike?
I have already made my position on this, they should expel Wike with immediate effect. He is not in PDP to build the party, he is not in PDP as a party man, I think his agenda is to destroy the party. The party cannot grow with somebody like the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, he should be expelled with immediate effect.
What do you think the PDP should do to claim the mandate given to governors who later defected and joined other parties?
I would like the Board Of Trustees of the party to go to court and claim back their mandate. Let’s use this analogy, you cannot for instance fly Ibom Air and get into Lagos and go to pay your air ticket to Air Peace, that is what the governor has done. You had a wonderful and a smooth flight to your destination, instead of paying your fare to Ibom Air, you went and carried the money to Air Peace, it is not done anywhere. The framers of Nigerian Constitution did not envisage that somebody occupying the office of the governor would escape from his party and that is why the constitution did not insert any clause to protect a political party whose governor has left his position because they never believed that a governor given ticket on one party would decide that he does not want his party again. And that is why I have spoken on this issue many times. PDP should go to court and claim its mandate.
Will PDP field a governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State?
We still have committed members of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State. Those people that defected do not carry the mark of APC. The APC should be careful because I have seen them make so much noise, the good thing is that the people that are remaining in PDP are people that are committed, they do the right thing to mobilize the people for the party, why others do not follow because they are convinced but because of followership. So, PDP is still strong and most of the people are PDP. So, when the time comes,they will choose between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Governor Eno is quoted as saying he would still be in control of PDP after his defection to APC., is this possible?
It is not possible. You have left the party and the people are trying to put the house in order, does he want PDP to go into extinction in Akwa Ibom State? What was he expecting? That people should sit down and look as the party crumbles. People made sacrifices to make the party a household name in Akwa Ibom State, they are responsible to ensure that the party is put together and when they make the move you are saying, they are ganging up, is election not about competition? If the people decide on how to rebuild the party and field candidates to challenge the governor, will that be a gang up? There is no gang up in democracy, let people come from all walks of life and sell their ideas. So, if someone is scared of facing an opposition in an election, and he calls it a gang up, it should allow PDP rebuild itself in Akwa Ibom and present people to run for election.There are Nigerians and Akwa Ibom who strongly believe in PDP. A lot of people following him have not defected with him because they have not officially resigned. The governor cannot detect to PDP and still wants to control the party, he is no longer a member of the party. He should allow PDP to heal the wounds of betrayal.
You are angry that the governor defected to another party?
We are disappointed that the party that built him, gave him the opportunity, and he woke up one night and said that he is leaving the party he had never found fault with. We are disappointed that the governor who would be seen as a model to people would leave for no reason. We are disappointed and not angry.
Two years after being elected as the governor of Akwa Ibom State, what is your assessment?
To assess Governor Umo Eno, two years after he assumed office, I would look at what the two previous governors did in two years. So for this, I would say Governor Umo Eno is just starting. Most of his landmark projects centre around building duplexes and primary schools. Uyo is the capital city, I have not seen any projects in the capital city. He is dweling in rural areas, Yes, education is good, but it is not enough, he should do more to understand the matrix of development. To understand that Uyo as the state capital needs a new phase of development. Uyo is getting congested, the governor should be able to close the gap between Uyo and the nearby local government areas. He should open new areas for people to have access to a new form of labour and manpower.The new international hospital is uncalled for. Uyo as the capital city does not have a hospital so that the grassroots man that the governor wants to touch can have access to such a hospital. Many ordinary people have never gone to the Ibom specialist hospital. The governor should refrain from building an international hospital but should rather build a general hospital in Uyo, so people can have access to secondary healthcare services.
