Hon Afam Victor Ogene is the member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and leader of the Labour Party caucus.
In this exclusive interview with Sunday Sun, he opened up on the role of the opposition lawmakers in the recent proclamation of emergency rule in Rivers State, the coalition plan between Labour Party and other political parties ahead of the 2027 election and other national issues.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and others yesterday announced a new coalition to oust President Bola Tinubu from power in 2027. Is your party part of this coalition, and do you think this alliance will be a formidable force strong enough to remove the APC from power?
Nigeria is currently in some form of dire straits, even more worrisome than the situation the country found itself during the President Goodluck Jonathan years. Although the issues prevalent at the time largely hinged on insecurity occasioned by the rampage of Boko Haram and the seeming indecisiveness of the then President, what confronts our dear country now is clearly an existential threat to its survival as a democratic state. While Jonathan was roundly dismissed as ‘clueless,’ the current occupant of the seat, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has conversely proven to be a conscript, ready to compromise all vestiges of our democracy, in favour of the rule by one man. Thus, in my estimation, if indeed there was a need to form a coalition in 2014, to ensure the removal of then President Jonathan from office, there’s even now, a more compelling need for disparate opposition leaders and political parties to come together, in the quest for power. Regarding whether my political party is part of the coalition, all I can say is that my leader, Mr Peter Obi, is in the mix, and is, in fact, the beautiful ‘bride’ in the entire equation. Indeed, besides all political parties, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) craving to have Obi in their corner, Nigerians across tribes, region, religious, age brackets and Diaspora, who yearn for a better-run country want him on the saddle. So, essentially, we are part and parcel of this emerging coalition, of either political parties, or genuine leaders who can no longer watch our country being run like a fiefdom. Concerning whether the emergent coalition will be able to oust the APC from office in 2027, the answer flies in the wind. I say so, because any team desirous of winning a game must begin by fielding its first eleven, with youthful zest, dexterity and global acceptability in mind.
There has been a great concern among Nigerians over the sleeping state of opposition parties in Nigeria. Many have expressed disappointment that the opposition members of the National Assembly in particular do not perform their roles of holding the APC government to account. Can you speak to that?
In every democracy, it is a globally accepted axiom that while the minority would have their say, the majority will have its way. In Nigeria, across the different tiers of government, our legislature operates under this time-honoured maxim. In the House of Representatives, where I operate, after all the filibustering, lobby, shouts and disagreements, all issues boil down to one germaine point, each individual has one vote. Even in instances where a voice vote is deployed, the ‘voice’ of 200 persons will most certainly drown that of 100 people.
Don’t also forget that the minority caucus of the current 10th House of Representatives took off with a K-leg, with a critical part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) already a department of the ruling APC. What is more, over a period of time, we have witnessed an increasing depletion of the ranks of the opposition, with the PDP losing over 30 of its members, Labour, 6, SDP, 1, ADC, 1 – all to the APC. In the midst of these depletion of our ranks, the minority caucus still remains a critical voice in parliament, achieving modest gains, oftentimes through amendments, which in our absence would have sailed through in the way and manner the APC wanted it.
On the matter of proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, it has been said that the opposition did not object when the National Assembly was requested by President Bola Tinubu to approve it. Does this mean that you support it and believe it is the best way to handle the political crisis in the state?
Closely related to the place of the opposition is the issue of a presidential proclamation of state of emergency in Rivers State, for which the opposition is being unjustly vilified. For every unbiased observer, who watched the proceedings last Thursday, you would observe that immediately the process started, it was a member of the Labour Party, Hon. Obinna Aguocha from Abia State, that raised a constitutional point of order, to the effect that the quorum for the day’s sitting needed to be established, as required by Section 305(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered. Despite his best efforts, and the insistence of a ranking member, Hon. Fred Agbedi, PDP, Bayelsa, to rely on the same constitutional point of order, the presiding officer, who has the power of the gavel, simply noted their observations and moved on. In the circumstance, we had to rely on our earlier agreed amendments, so as to ensure that the President and the APC majority didn’t get, hook, line and sinker, everything they wanted in the proclamation. For instance, in the fury and rage against the opposition, many did not realise that we were able to extract certain concessions, through amendments, to wit: Periodic review of the emergency rule within the initial six-month duration, with the possibility of an early termination of the state of emergency, if peace is sufficiently restored; Constitution of a National Mediation Committee comprising eminent Nigerians, including representatives from the Federal Executive and the National Assembly, to facilitate dialogue, peace, and resolution during the emergency period; Adoption of the provisions of Section 11(4) and (5) of the Constitution, which empower the National Assembly to take over the legislative functions of the State House of Assembly when necessary to restore order and governance. This is against the express powers granted the Administrator to formulate regulations as may be necessary, and passed on to the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for implementation in Rivers State. So, in approving the President’s for legislative ratification of a State of Emergency in Rivers State, neither the opposition, nor the House of Representatives, acted as mere rubber stamps as is being insinuated. In fact, I dare add that, in any deliberative assembly, a walk-out does no one, least of all a minority caucus, any good. For, if the opposition caucus were absent at the sitting – as was about five pro-Governor Fubara members from Rivers State – the modest gains achieved through the various amendments would not have happened.
The governorship election is coming up in your state, Anambra. What kind of candidate would you be looking at to support in the election? Is the Labour Party going to have an alliance with any other party to strengthen its chances in the election?
Concerning the forthcoming Anambra State gubernatorial election, I am sorry to say that my platform, Labour Party, appears to have been caught in some form of a bind. As you know, my leader, Mr. Peter Obi, is a national icon on the principles of zoning of political offices, so as to ensure equity, inclusivity and a peaceful political climate. In fact, what is today known and widely accepted as ‘Anambra’s Zoning Principle’ was His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi’s creation when he served as governor of the state. And as a man of conviction, in words and deeds, he has kept faith with the dictates of this zoning principle.
Unfortunately, for us at the Labour Party, we have been caught in the snarl of zoning, as far as the Anambra governorship election of this year is concerned. I say so because, who I would consider our best foot forward, Distinguished Senator Tony Nwoye, has been shut out of the race because he is from the North Senatorial Zone, as against the South, to which all the political parties look towards for their flagbearers. These, notwithstanding, the Labour Party still has two honourable gentlemen who are currently jostling to fly its flag in the election, Dr George Muoghalu, pioneer National Auditor of the APC, and Mr John Nwosu, an ICT expert. Any of these gentlemen, with the iconic presence of our leader in the campaign, accentuated with efforts of two serving senators and six House of Representatives members, should be able to secure victory for the Labour Party.
You chair the House Committee on Renewable Energy. Can you speak on what the committee has been up to since you assumed leadership?
It has been an interesting journey of hope, discovery, learning and unlearning. As you know, Renewable Energy is an emerging sector in our nation, and government is intentionally giving the sector the needed attention as a strategy to addressing the nation’s electricity power supply challenges and also taking decisive steps away from the fossil fuels dependency. The development of Nigeria’s renewable energy sector is a top priority for the 10th House of Representatives, led by Speaker Rt. Hon. Abass Tajudeen, PhD. We recognize that renewable energy is the future, and the government is taking concrete steps to invest in and promote sustainable energy. This strategic approach aims to encourage Nigerians to adopt renewable energy solutions, thereby strengthening national energy security. So, in a historic first, the Speaker established the Committee on Renewable Energy to spearhead policies, track progress, and promote development that attracts investment and sustains renewable energy technology in Nigeria. The House has taken a significant step towards promoting sustainability by recently adopting a resolution that makes it mandatory for government ministries, agencies, departments and institutions to transition to renewable energy sources for their power needs. But before this crucial step which will soon enter the implementation stage, the Committee through the mandate of the House has also initiated investigation into the manner the multi billion dollars government investments and foreign grants in the renewable energy sector were handled between 2015 to date. Our investigations, though still ongoing, have been so revealing. And this calls for a deeper oversight of the sector in order to ensure that the right thing is done in the interest of the nation and her energy needs. The committee in conjunction with the office of the Speaker has also scheduled a National Legislative Summit in May to cast more light on the legislative and regulatory gaps in the sector. Specifically, the summit aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, promote dialogue among legislators, experts, and stakeholders on critical legislative priorities, regulatory frameworks, and global best practices to accelerate renewable energy adoption in Nigeria. It will also strengthen legislative collaboration and establish a coordinated platform for federal and state lawmakers to harmonize policies, address regulatory bottlenecks, and align efforts in advancing Nigeria’s renewable energy transition and develop an action-oriented roadmap that will produce a clear, time-bound legislative action plan with prioritised reforms, investment incentives, and accountability mechanisms to drive renewable energy growth and grid modernization. So, you can see that we’ve long folded our sleeve and gone to work on this important assignment.
Finally, the APC government says it has improved the lives and living standards of Nigerians since 2023. What is your opinion on this?
I have consistently called the attention of the government and its leadership to the ever-increasing economic difficulties in the nation. So, the APC government’s claim of improving the lives and living standards of Nigerians since 2023 is a matter of public opinion, rather than relying on personal views, it’s essential to consider the experiences of everyday Nigerian. To gauge the accuracy of this claim, look around your immediate environment, speak with people at the market, workplace, or place of worship, and ask about their experiences. Their collective opinions will provide a more realistic assessment of the APC government’s impact on their lives.
– Culled from Sunday Sun.