A frontline politician in Anambra and the former Boss of NIWA, Chief George Moghalu, in this interview while interacting with our correspondent at his country home in Nnewi, said that he is going into the race to showcase his long stand of consistency and a cosumate political idea based on the people's mandate, reason, he left the ruling APC for Labour Party, he also highlighted in the reason he is going to contest for the governorship election in Anambra state coming up in 2025 and many other intriguing Revelations.
Excerpts
Q. Sir, what prompted you leaving APC for Labour Party?
George Moghalu: Regarding my leaving the APC for the Labour Party, like you asked. My answer to that question is very simple and straight. In every political contestation two reasons are critical. One is the person and the second aspect is the platform. There is no doubt to the fact, that I am a politician and I intend to remain a politician, as I have not decided to quit active politics. In the light of that basic fact, the decision as a person is for me to make, because it's me that will decide, how I will live my life,what I tend to do with my life, it's me that will talk about my ambition, and the best I can do in that circumstance is to involve my immediate family,my wife and my children. The second one which is very critical is the platform. And for you to consider the platform, a lot of issues have to be considered. A lot of consultations have to be made, and if you remember, by the time I resigned from the APC, I said that I am open to consultations across the country, talking with my colleagues, talking with my friends, talking with my political associates. I came back to Anambra state and stayed quiet a while, talked with a lot of people, especially my supporters, I called my campaign council to a meeting and asked them, now that I have resigned from APC what do we do? So, after all my consultations, it became clear to me that for me to realize the ambition that I have, and for me to have a platform to serve the people inline with my aspirations and desire, that a viable platform for me to join was the labour party. So, I now on the 1st of October 2024, decalered for Labour Party, so it's not the issue of any party failure. It's about my decision and my collective team with a view to furthering my desire and aspirations as a politician.
Q. You have been a one party man for years now, but we are surprised that you left a party you built to join another party entirely. There are also insinuations that you have been promised the ticket of the party in Anambra, how true is this?
George Moghalu: Facts must be sacrosanct. If there is anything I have strived to do, is to maintain my credibility. To be honest and sincere, even in the face of daunting lies and challenges I try to live that life that at the end of the day, even after politics, that my children can say to me that they are happy with me. So, that has always informed my decision. Yes, I agree with you that I am a one party man. Not even from 2003, I participated in forming of APP in 1998. As far back as 1991, when NRC was formed by the decree of the military, I was also part of that movement. Those my friends in NRC will tell you that we stayed together before moving to APP. Consistency, has always been my mantra,and I have followed it up. So, as to whether somebody made me a promise, I will be very happy if anybody makes sure a promise, but as we speak, nobody has made me the promise, because I know that even as at today, a few others have indicated interest in using Labour Party as a platform, but by the time we further the campaign and consultations,the party themselves, the party members, the owners of the party, from my own understanding of party politics, will now be in a position to say who or who they can work with to contest an election, because it takes too many things to win an election, acceptability is there, credibility is there, capacity is there, ability is there, so there is quite a lot of considerations and the party members will take these decisions into consideration. Is he a known face? Is he acceptable to the people? Can he win the confidence of Anambarians? So, all these issues will come into discuss before a final decision is taken. But as for if someone has made me a promise, the answer is no. But from the reactions and the responses we have been receiving it goes to say, that quiet a lot of people within party think that my coming into the platform will help the party.
Q. Sir, now you are in the Labour Party, can you tell us your intentions and the position you intend to aspire to contest for in the future.
George Moghalu: The truth about it is that, I am qualified to be councilor, I am qualified to be Local government chairman, I am qualified to go to the house of assembly, I am qualified to be at the house of Reps or Senate, I am qualified to be governor, and I am as well qualified to be the president today, by every stretch of imagination. So, people are free to speculate, which also goes to show that I am an issue for discussion. But, I am running for the governorship of Anambra state.
Q. Now we know you are running for the seat of the governor of Anambra state, what did you see wrong in the system that spurred you to aspire to become governor in 2025
George Moghalu: A lot of things are wrong. Quite a lot. And you also know that a lot of things are wrong. However, one thing I do, is that I don't criticize without providing an alternative. I am going to issue a statement on my declaration, because I have not formally decalered. My declaration will come with a formal statement and I will take all the issues of governance and what I expect, and what I promise to do, how I am going to address all the issues, but the truth about it today is that the people are not happy. There is total infrastructural collapse, there is Insecurity at the highest level, there is a lot that needs to be re engineered. For the biggest loss, for any administration is when you lose the confidence of the people. If you remember when I contested for governorship in 2003, I made it very clear that my major agenda is to restore the confidence of Ndi Anambra in their government, because the moment you win the confidence of your people, governance becomes a lot easier, because you can relate with them, you can communicate with them, they can disagree with you, they will tell you where they want you to go, because you are talking about them. If it was not because of people, some of us won't be in politics, but the truth remains that you need a platform to be able to execute your intentions and bring them to practical reality, and that is why we are here.
Q. On the issue of zoning, most people want Soludo to continue and conclude 8 years, so as to balance it for Anambra south, especially those from Anambra central who are of the view that your governorship will truncate their chances, what is your stand on this?
George Moghalu: The sentiment is right, because they have not heard from some of us. I have said it time and time again, that what you can't do in 4 years, you can't do it in 8 years. That is the truth. Let me re-emphasize it here. I am going for the governorship of Anambra state, realizing in all honesty, God be my witness, that there is a sustainig zoning formula, that must be adopted, for stability, for credibility, for balance, for equity, justice and fairness, and I will go for one tenure. Yes, I will go for one tenure, let it be placed on record.
Q. Do you think you have a better chance at becoming the governor of Anambra state now.
George Moghalu: It's not about better, the truth about it is that, power belongs to God and he gives to whom he pleases. What we mere mortals do, is to make ourselves available for God to choose, because if we don't make ourselves available,God can't come to your bedroom, as there is no kiosk or supermarket where power is being sold, for one to go and pay and collect it, so you must make yourself available. All power belongs to God and he decides whom he gives. I decided that this is the appointed time, after wide consultations. Like I have always said, it's not cast on iron that I must be governor, what if you don't make life? Or you don't have life to be governor? Many instances abound. The same God who did it yesterday, will still do it again as he doesn't change. And if God is God, his will must be done. If it's God's will that I will be governor, to him be the glory, if it's not his will, to him also be the glory.
Q. Looking at other contenders in the party before you, how do you intend to surmount the challenge of wrestling the ticket from the likes of Val Ozigbo, Barth Nwibe, John Nwosu and many who may decide to join the race in Labour soon.
George Moghalu: It's a welcome development. Everyone of them is qualified, but most importantly, it's only one person that will fly the flag of the party. We will talk, we will consult, if it's the will of the people and it becomes me, we give God the glory, if it's God's will for any of them, to God also be the glory. I have never gone into any political contest with a fixated mindset that it must be me, otherwise it will not work. That is not the attitude. The attitude is that of friendship, but I believe very strongly that with us in labour and with the kind of mindset I have, and the kind of mindset I believe they also have, we must all come together to lead a strong force, as we are fighting an incumbent,so we can't go to such a fight with a divided house, as we must all come together and work as a family.
Q: On the recently concluded local government election in Anambra, what is your take on it?
George Moghalu. The local government election is a sham. I can't waste my time discussing such. If that is the way elections are conducted, sorry for democracy.
Q: On the Leadership Crisis I'm Labour Party, don't you think it may affect the chances of Labour Party in working as a United body?
George Moghalu: Every human organization do have problems, because you are managing human beings, you are managing interests, you are managing expectations, ambitions and the rest. It's a matter of how you resolve it that matters. All political parties as we speak today, have one problem or the other. However, I believe very strongly, and from what I have heard, I am sure that it will be resolved soon. I am very certain about that.
Q: From all the years you have been in an out of government, it's certain that you must have picked a lot of experience which you want to bring to bear into the governance of Anambra. Please can you share some of them with our readers
George Moghalu: Like I said, I have been around and have served both in the public and private sectors. As at the time I was the director general and later permanent secretary in the government of Abia state as far back as 1992, I was indeed the only non indigene to get to that position in the country before Sir Adetola appointed someone from Warri. I was the only non indigene who was appointed at that level of governance in a state where he is not from. I believe God, I served to the best of my ability. I served in the political sphere from the national secretary of APP, to been vice chairman of the party in the zone, to been gubernatorial candidate of the party in 2003, to being member and secretary of the merger community that formed APC, to being the first elected national auditor general of the All Progressive Congress, and also re elected as the national auditor, to being appointed the MD of NIGCOMSAT and was there until I was appointed the DG of National Inland Waterways Authority ( NIWA) until 2023 when my tenure elpased. All what I did, is not in my position to praise myself, as all what I did has been documented in a book and it's also online on the public view, as you can Google it or search for it to know if I served well and creditably. For a fact, I am happy that i did not disappoint my supporters, my family, my wife and my children, as I made my own mark and built on the structure that i meet and it's my expectation that the new administration at NIWA will also build of the solid foundation that I left behind.