Radical lawyer and politician Barr. Ray Nnaji, a former national auditor of the PDP, former commissioner and close associate of Enugu’s political godfather Governor Chimaroke Nnamani does not want his boss to join the APC as being speculated.
In an exclusive chat with Everyday News in Enugu Nnaji advised the former governor to remain in PDP but warned that it will be tough if the former governor and senator finally joins APC.
Everyday News had exclusively reported of a deal between the former governor and the national leadership of the party to hand the party structure in the state over to Nnamani in a deliberate bid by the party to make some in roads in Enugu come 2019.
In this first part of a revealing interview the outspoken Enugu based lawyer also reopened old wounds stating that he never knew that Chimaroke didn’t know Sullivan well before making him governor.
Excerpts:
I must say that Chimaroke is the political father of most of the people who have virtually made it in politics in Enugu state so I believe before such a move he must have considered it thoroughly.
I don’t think that joining APC now will be the best not minding that there are certain things that have actually made him to be considering such an option. He was a founding member of the PDP, for one reason or the other he had to leave the party when his political godson Governor Sullivan Chime decided to use him as a punching bag. He formed his own party, The People For Democratic Change, unfortunately that move seemed not to have paid off because several attempts he made to return to the senate have been thwarted by the instrumentality of those people he had assisted to become somebody in the society.
And when he eventually returned to the PDP I was delighted because if he had heeded my advise he wouldn’t have left the party. Now a lot of pressure is on him from some of his friends to join the APC, but the question is, why are you joining the APC? What are the benefits, now and in the future?
Personally I won’t advise him to join APC; I know it’s the ruling party, but our people in this part of the world because of the story of the herdsmen, our people do not believe in APC.
However I must admit that it will be tough for the PDP in the state if he eventually joins the APC, but I must also tell you that it’s not going to be easy. If I were him I will remain in the PDP and contest the primary, nobody will beat him. Let me see those people who can face him. If you refuse to give him ticket, go to the field and I bet you he will floor whoever.
But you know PDP is not used to going to the field?
Yes, but today everybody including the national chairman are apologizing, asking people for a second chance. And I must have to tell you if the PDP goes back to their old self I will wash my hands off and I will criticize it as usual. I criticized the party before and that was why we lost; because of imposition, not allowing the will of the people to prevail. If they adopt that system again they will continue to be where they are or even the worse, but l believe they have learnt their lesson.
And that’s why I am urging Chimaroke to remain in PDP; if there is a problem between him and the governor we can sought it out, it can be settled. If I am given an opportunity i will settle them.
I never knew that Chimaroke didn’t know Sullivan very well. Because by the time Sullivan started dealing with him I was the only man standing, the only one that challenged Sullivan for his negative actions against Chimaroke. His plans to demean and destroy the man, to the extent that Chimaroke would confide in me that he didn’t know the man very well. But he told me that the reason why he wanted to make him governor was that he had known him for 35 years, that he wouldn’t have the heart to hurt him; that was the man’s language. Whereas i was telling him that Sullivan will deal with him squarely and it came to pass. He had virtually destroyed the man if not that some of us came and said no, it’s not going to happen.
