The announcement that he has joined the race of those aspiring to represent Enugu East senatorial zone under the Peoples Democratic Party, changed the narrative. It was a sigh of relief to all the well-informed as the zone can now have an effective representation at the Senate. Ozo Agu Gab Agu, a professor of law at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, has an intimidating credentials which the constituents of Enugu East senatorial zone have not had the opportunity of such a personage representing them at the Red Chamber.
Prof. Agu was Head, Dept of International Law and Jurisprudence; Dean Faculty of Law; Director of Studies, ESUT School of Professional and Legal Education and was Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, ESUT chapter.
He has had stints with the private sector before joining government as Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Enugu Central Local Government Council and later the Chairman of the Council. At various times Enugu State Government had sought for his services in different capacities namely: President Enugu State Environmental Tribunal; Chairman Commission of Enquiry into Rangers International Football Corporation. He acquitted himself creditably.
The Anglican Communion also benefitted from his wealth of experience where he is the Legal Secretary, Diocese of Enugu, Director, Civil/Political Affairs, Enugu North Diocese and Chancellor, Udi Diocese, Anglican Communion, Church of Nigeria.
With all these varied experience, he decided to offer himself for the service of his people. According to him, the constituents have not had the best of representation over the years spanning close to two decades. “Nobody has been able from 1999 till now, to help fashion out a law that has directly impacted on the people of Enugu East senatorial district”, he told drumnewsonline in an interview. Prof Agu said that he was offering himself because all is not well with the representation the constituents have been foisted over time. See the full text of the interview below:
Recently you indicated your intention to contest for the ticket of the PDP in the Enugu Senatorial zone. What motivated you?
I think we have been under- represented. I wouldn’t say categorically that those who have been going there have done nothing but they have not done enough to satisfy me nor the constituents. The idea of representation means that the person holds the position in trust for the people and supposed to present their views, their hopes and aspirations and all that they wish for themselves at the upper chamber. And by so doing they should be able to get along with the other like minds to churn out laws that will impact on the people. Nobody has been able, from 1999 till now, helped to fashion out a law that has directly impacted on the people of Enugu East senatorial district. None, and I think that has not been very fair after about more than 20 years and nothing has been done. One cannot seat back and watch our destiny wasted. Generations yet unborn and even this generation will not be happy with such state of the affairs. So I think I need to be there. By my training and exposure, I think I am adequately equipped to be a good lawmaker at the Senate. I have the capacity, the desire and will, am capable and have the interest and very disposed and ready to offer my services to the people.
Prof., without sounding immodest, do you think your senatorial zone has had the type of representation it deserves?
That’s what I am saying, we have had high fluting names that may have been there before but have they done what they are supposed to do? No. And that is why I am offering myself. There is no way that one can begin to pretend that all is well. All is not well. There are a lot gaps that need to be filled and that is why I am drafting myself and I am happy many people have bought into my idea and are willing to support my aspiration and are doing that across the heterogeneous setting of Enugu East zone. Most people have bought into it, they believe in me and they appreciate my antecedents that have prepared me for such an office. Am happy, ready, willing and am set to go.
What are the new things you are bringing to the table?
Let me tell you, there are fundamentals apart from the things that are new or supposed to be the generational demands. Enugu State has a lot of solid mineral deposits and they have not been tapped. And the one that had been tapped and that was a glory to Nigeria and this part of the country, Coal, the coal mines were shut down without any reasons whatsoever, no explanations to the people and those who worked in the mines, they were thrown out to the unemployment market without any pay off or benefits and they are languishing. Coal miners have dependents and when you touch coal miners you are touching a population. Many people were thrown out of schools because their fathers or guardians were thrown out of jobs. Community developments were stalled because coal was a very big industry and nobody told us why they shut down the mines and coal is still a very useful mineral sought after by countries. It is used in Britain, South Africa and even in America as a very veritable source of energy. So why did you shut down the mines?
When they shut down the mines, they didn’t follow the steps that are followed in developed countries of the world, there are steps to be taken so that the mines would not collapse because they have eaten into the belly of the earth and you don’t withdraw so quickly, if you do, they will cave in. And that is what is happening now. They are caving in and we have landslides and erosions everywhere. Nobody, I mean all the representatives, nobody has interrogated the government : “why did you do this to us, is there any restitution or reparations to come?” Nothing. And they went away and started selling the fixed assets of Nigerian Coal Corporation, selling it to people who are not even from this part of the country. They are not paying any tax and not of any benefit to the people. It started with assets-stripping and went bizarre by selling everything at the Coal Corporation. And with the sales they have been able to mess up the aesthetics of the Government Reservation Area where Coal Corporation had a lot of properties. The topography has been bastardised. You now find a cluster where there were about 2 buildings before, you now have about 13 or 14 buildings because they are selling to different individuals and irrespective of the town planning rules and provisions.
Two, we have minerals such as limestones, a very great deposit in Eha Amufu and Nkanu East Area. Nobody has exploited it, made use of it or attracted any body that will make use of it. And there are wealthy individuals and firms all over the country that can be attracted but it takes genuine bills to attract any meaningful person to exploit the resources. We need to do that. In Nkanu East area, there are arable lands that could be used for both mechanized farming and rice cultivation because of the type of the area. I am not saying that I am going to build these things but by making laws and attracting the attention of the federal government and respective agencies to come and do that.
Secondly, I just asked questions at the Federal Character Commission and I was ashamed that we have representatives that don’t think about where their people are. We have been shortchanged, not just Enugu East Senatorial zone alone, but Enugu State as a whole. We have a lot of gaps to be filled. Not just in offices take example the Federal institutions around us we do not have our quota filled. Why? Because the people are not asking questions , interrogating authorities to find out. When I get to the Senate, I will constructively challenge the authorities for the interest of my people. I always think that representatives are supposed to care for their constituents. That’s my belief and I hold fast to it. That whatever happens to any of the constituents it should be noted and questions asked. I was dismayed that Prof Barth Nnaji, who is arguably in terms of name recognition, the most known person outside the shores of Enugu State. Go to China and United States and when you talk of Robotics engineering they will mention his name, this man was chocked out of the Federal Executive Council, I use that word advisably, and they told us that he resigned. Who had resigned that way in recent times from the Executive Council except for fraud? He never committed any fraud, he didn’t commit any crime, why did he go out? Because his name is Barth Nnaji? If I get to the NASS I will interrogate the authorities about what happened to him, no matter when it happened. To know why he was removed. You don’t get your best eleven shove them aside. Where you have galaxy of stars, your best star will shine. In places when people ask him where he comes from he would mention here. It is enough for us. And when you are talking of international investors and you are negotiating and you put him on the side, they will know that somebody is there. I will interrogate the authorities on his matter, not just him but any other person no matter how lowly placed who was treated like him.
What you are saying in effect is that when you get to the Senate you will revisit some of the injustices meted out to some people.
Of course, yes, and try to build a system whereby people will not suffer such injustice again.
You mentioned Coal Corporation and how it’s assets were stripped, Does it mean that successive governments in Enugu State never asked any question on the matter?
They may have, but you know that Nigeria Coal Corporation is a federal establishment and the National Assembly is also federal. I am going to the National assembly to interface with the government. The State government may have asked questions but if you check the tiers of government they are lower. When you are in the national assembly you are making laws for that executive arm of the government which is the federal to check such actions. Who did that, why did they do that. Questions would be asked and if the answers are meaningful, then how do you reinstate the people, make restitutions and repatriate most of the things taken away. Or reinstate the industry if possible.
Do you think there is any chance of doing that?
Why not? Why do we keeping singing alleluiah to the South South and they are paying them for getting oil from their area and what have we got for the Coal that was there before the oil? And was even there and sustaining the federal government even before the oil. They should pay us the back log of those things. Is it because the South South are violent? We might as well go that way if that is the best way to get it, but we are not made in that mode. We are civil and civilized to pursue it in that manner to get what we want .
Do you think the present APC ruling government will have the political will to right all the wrongs done in the past?
It depends on the presentation, the debate and the level of knowledge you bring into the issue. Over years and even during my short period outside the country, I have watched legislators that have made my day. Who are bipartisan, can go to the other side to get things done. I intend to be bipartisan in the Senate. Talk to others and make them see reason about what you have. You are not going there to shout or argue but to engage the others to do what we want. , I have done a lot of research and from my background, it is essential
How do you assess the present National Assembly?
Well, you may not want to agree with me, but I think they are robust compared to the other assemblies before them. You don’t have to be too conservative or either. When people talk about being progressive, you know that connotation, I don’t want to agree. Sometimes they become aggressive, that is good for our polity except that for some time there are issues which they have not been able to resolve because of the personalities involved. And this have tended to impact negatively on the relationship between the Executive and the National Assembly. As an institution, this assembly is good.
So in terms of rating, how do you rate them, in percentage?
I give them 65%. Though there are still people who are sleeping there. That’s a plus.
And you believe you will make a difference when you get there?
Not alone, not as an individual but with others.
Knowing your background, as somebody coming from the academia, how do you contend with money politics?
Well I have been trying to present myself as much as I can. I don’t have the money even if I have I am not going to throw it away that way. And I always try to educate people that when contestants offer them money, they don’t get to see them again until the next election. I am putting forward a manifesto which I want to be held accountable to. It is my covenant with the people. Telling them what I want to do, I have a track record, will meet them quarterly, review what I have done etc. Let me know what they want me to do and assess me on that over the period.
We have had instances people present themselves for elective positions and once they get it they disappear till the next election. Is your own going to be different?
Wht I am saying, once they have given them money why are they going back to see them? They have been paid off. I don’t have that kind of money, even if I have I have other uses to put the money to and not to throw it about that way. But having said that , if you engage the people like am trying to do, on the basis of things I think that should be done and they agree with me. That’s my covenant with them. I will continue to keep in touch, they review my own part and we assess theirs too, be sure they are doing what they are supposed to do. Those people that give money for election and run away, may not have a community address, for them, politics is a money-making venture. They will be trying to recoup that money they have spent when they get into office and, you don’t blame them. If you have taken what you are supposed to take in 4 years in one day through bribery and vote buying, why do you still expect the person to do anything for you? We should discourage that. And it pushes people away, those who are qualified to contest elections because they can’t afford the money.
Prof, Nigeria seems to be on the precipice, with insecurity the order of the day. What do you think will be the solution to have an enduring peace in this country?
First of all, mass advocacy. If everyone is knowledgeable about the implications of what happens around him, there will be peace. There is no rocket science about it. It is not about acquiring ammunition and weapons of war, it is about enlightening the people and making them to be part of that plans to have a secured future. Once they are sensitized on the things they are to do and not to do, what are the things they are to look out for. In more civilised climes when any body who is not part of the society comes into town, you find somebody ringing the police immediately that he doesn’t understand the movement of that strange person. They then check on him and to find out his mission. That is the type of preventive security that should be in place. Look at the causative effects and nip them in the bud. Not trying to quell when the people are settled and organized. Look at what is happening in the Northeast, every day we hear that they have been defeated, degraded , that they are not there again and all the rest while every day we see book haram insurgents taking over a local government. Where did they come from, where are they? You have the air power the foot soldiers, so how do you explain that?
So may be the ruling [party and the government are not telling us the truth?
How do I begin to say that they are not telling us the truth. I am saying that what they are telling us is not in line with the position of things. If that amounts to untruth, let it be.
Lastly, what kind of leadership do you think this country deserves?
Many people have suggested that we need to have an iron-fisted leader, but I don’t share that opinion. All we need is very strong institutions. What we need is the implementation of the provisions of our laws without let or hindrance, without bias. If A commits a crime and he is a Head of State and B commits and he is a farmer, give them their dues under the law and once that is done you will see everything falling into place. The big problem about our society is that we obey the laws in the breach. We don’t need a Jerry Rawlings approach, killing everybody to get things right, why do we spill blood? We can put them in the prison and make them to go and do community service. Go to schools and clean the toilets of students, wash the cars of public servants. People will now see that man who had thought himself untouchable doing those things. And those who are itching to do similar things will know where to go to when they commit such a crime. We have to be firm and fair, that’s all, and we will have a very good society.
