By CHARLES KUMOLU
Frontline Abia State governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Chairman/CEO of Hallmark Bank Plc, Sir Marc Wabara, in this interview, says his record as a manager of persons and resources in the private sector makes him better positioned to succeed the incumbent governor in 2015. He also speaks on the Abia Charter of Equity among other issues.
Your name is prominent among those aspiring to contest for the governorship position in Abia State. Can you tell us the things that informed your ambition?
I believe that governance over the years in the political development of Nigeria has been such that people with managerial capacity deploy their expertise in delivering the dividends of democracy to our people.
Having been in the private sector and having retired as a chief executive of a leading bank – and considering the need for us to sustain the efforts of past and present leaders particularly in our state – I felt that the time has come for me to contribute my own quota in the public sector. Consequently, I will use my private sector exposure and experience to ensure that our people continue to enjoy the best that democratic governance can offer. After due consultations, I decided to join the race for Abia State governorship seat.
The Abia Charter of Equity has remained a burning issue in the build-up to the election. As an aspirant, what is your position on the matter?
Our Elders who put together the Abia Charter of Equity deserve our genuine commendation. It is a doctrine that has laid a solid foundation that enables Abians to live in unity and peace. The primary essence is to facilitate the rotation of power between the two major blocs in the state.
Essentially, the charter recognizes the two major political blocs in the state, namely the Old Bende and Aba divisions, thereby giving a sense of belonging to our people in a true sense of justice and equity. The Elders did not want any part of Abia to be left out of the governance equation. That essentially is the principle upon which zoning of political offices is predicated.
Although this has generated a lot of debate, this is to be expected in a democracy where people are free to air their opinions. But frankly, my position is that the charter has laid a strong foundation for equity, justice and peaceful co-existence among Abians.
In line with the Charter of Equity, therefore, and considering the present political realities, the senatorial zone that has not produced the governor in Abia State should be given the chance to do so. It is the right thing to do and it is in line with natural justice and equity. It is also consistent with Article 2 (d) of the PDP Constitution.
The interpretation of this charter is still a bone of contention, because there are those who believe that the Ukwa/Ngwa people outside Abia South Senatorial Zone should also benefit from it. What is your position on that?
At the time the charter was developed, the present democratic dispensation had not commenced. The Governor’s position in endorsing the decision of the party caucus and leadership in the state is that the senatorial zone that has not produced the governor should be given the opportunity to do so. And the only zone that has not produced a governor in the present democratic dispensation is Abia South senatorial district.
The zoning of political offices as earlier cited in the party’s constitution is not peculiar to Abia State. Therefore, since Abia North and Abia Central senatorial districts have respectively produced the governor, it should be the turn of Abia South Senatorial District to do same in the forthcoming governorship election.
The clamour for the governorship ticket to come to the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc was a collective agitation; now that, in line with the present political realities, the governorship ticket has been ceded to the Abia South Senatorial District as a component of the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc, the entire Ukwa/Ngwa bloc should have a sense of achievement, notwithstanding that there are three Ngwa local governments in Abia Central Senatorial District.
The Ukwa/Ngwa people across the two senatorial zones are already consulting on the need to work together on this. We should therefore collectively commend the governor for standing on the side of equity and fair play.
Can we know your chances of getting the ticket of your party?
My chances are very bright. I believe that I have the credentials and maturity. I also believe that I have had the opportunity to relate with the people of Abia over the years. There is mutual trust between me and the people of our state. Leadership is about offering transparent and effective service to the people. People are also looking for a leadership that has been tested and can be relied upon.
Though I was in the private sector earlier in this political dispensation, I remained a committed member of the party and have continued to contribute to the growth of the party at the ward, LGA, State and national levels both personally and professionally. The fact that I have remained a very active and loyal member of the party is verifiable.
I believe I have the requisite credentials, competence, experience, maturity and integrity. I have also been a manager of men and materials.
While I was the chief executive of the bank, I used my position to create jobs. We also financed many projects that positively impacted the lives of our people. I believe that my emergence will sustain the peace and tranquility that we enjoy in Abia State today.
I see myself as a bridge builder. Though I am from Abia South by birth, I am linked to Abia North by marriage. Also, the people of Abia Central Senatorial District were extremely kind to me during the civil disturbances when they accorded me excellent hospitality.
If elected, I will be a governor for all Abians irrespective of where they come from. My mission as Governor is to use the talents that God has blessed me with to uplift the quality of life of our people. Consequently, I have no doubt that my chances are very bright in the race for governorship of Abia State.
In specific terms, can we know the new approach you will be introducing to governance in Abia State, if elected governor?
Abia is a state that has one of the most important factors of production – human capital. The state has a very vibrant youth population that is highly educated and with capacity for hard work. We will put together a very effective and efficient Executive Council.
We will work with experienced and highly educated individuals and seasoned technocrats who will assist in giving the best to our people. We will deploy the economic resources in the state towards growth and development. The agriculture sector will be a priority given its importance in job creation, food production and supply of raw materials for industries. We will ensure that all arable land in the state is optimally utilized.
Secondly, small and medium scale enterprises will continue to receive maximum attention by ensuring access to funding at low interest rates to aid job creation. Despite being an economic giant, America is still focused on providing for the small and medium scale enterprises.
In Abia State, that will continue to be our focus, so that entrepreneurs and youths coming out of the universities will be gainfully engaged. There is a surfeit of ingenuity and innovativeness in Abia State; we will tap into this to bolster Public/Private sector partnership and aid the private sector to complement government efforts in job creation and people’s well-being and welfare.
We will lay emphasis on industrialization. Aba is so critical to the survival of not only Abia State but the country in general. Aba’s potentials as an economic nerve-centre are self-evident. Therefore, there will be massive infrastructural development in the areas of roads, housing, and electricity in Aba and its environs to maximize these potentials. The ingenuity and innovativeness of Aba in the area of small and medium scale enterprises will be encouraged. Under the private/public partnership, government policy direction will create the enabling environment for financial capital inflows. Also, government policies will encourage large scale manufacturing activities through the creation of major industrial zones in Aba and other senatorial districts.
We are already looking at how we can bring in electricity through the public/private partnership; plans are afoot in that direction already. We realize that there are challenges with the national grid. Therefore, we will in the short-term focus on utilizing solar energy.
This will provide electricity for the industrial and private electricity needs of the people in the short term. This solar energy model will be replicated in the other senatorial districts. Since this is for the short term, plans will continue for the medium and long term needs.
But we must realize that in all this, no matter how wonderful our economic models are, security must not be neglected. Therefore, security of lives and property will remain central in whatever we do. We are highly appreciative of what the present government has done.
In the not too distant past, it was so difficult to do business in the state. We had kidnappings and armed robbery to the extent that people had to flee the state.
All that has now changed, thanks to the efforts of the Ochendo Administration. We will continue to build on what the state government has done by ensuring that security agents are provided with all that is required to protect lives and property. A safe and secure environment is a sine qua non for inflow of investments into the state.
Is your party working towards a consensus arrangement which seems to be the trend?
Let me first use this opportunity to congratulate the party leaders for adopting Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) as the sole presidential aspirant on the platform of our great party, the PDP. This will enable Mr. President to continue his excellent work of transforming the various sectors of the Nigerian economy.
At the state level, we have seen the consensus arrangement manifest in some states and is still manifesting in other states. The wisdom behind consensus arrangement could be seen from the kind of challenges political parties have had over the years.
The reason the issue is being taken into consideration is the need to have a candidate that will ensure victory for the party after the primaries. In several instances, consensus has been utilized as a tool to reduce tension and acrimony within the party. It also preserves the energy that will be deployed during the main election.
On whether the party in Abia State is working towards a consensus arrangement, I believe that the party leadership is in the best position to answer that question.
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