Chekwas Okorie Outperforms All At Nigeria’s Presidential Debates

Okorie

 

 

By Ugorji Okechukwu Ugorji

On Saturday, March 22, 2015, Chief Dr. Chekwas Okorie, the presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP) demonstrated why he is the real change Nigeria needs and deserves by delivering the most statesmanlike performance in a national debate organized by the Nigerian Elections Debate Group. He was one of five candidates on that second session of the debates, which included the incumbent president Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. President Jonathan is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

During the highly anticipated debate that was televised nationally and internationally, Chekwas Okorie showed not just command of the language and facts of the nation's challenges, he was also a master of his party's agenda rooted in what he called a revolutionary agenda. Toning down his usual fiery oratory, the candidate who has been running third in national poles played for the middle of the Nigerian electorate where most voters are. And as great as he was in nationalizing the issues, Okorie was cognizant of the fact that all politics remain largely local.

On Corruption

The UPP candidate was the only one who articulated not just preventative measures against corruption, but also enforcement plans. Okorie said it is hypocrisy to speak ill of corruption and yet have very corrupt and dubious people funding one's presidential campaign. "We in the UPP will throw stones because our house is a moral brick house. We don't live in a glass house." He went on to list the measures a UPP government will adopt to address corruption: Annual and public declaration of assets by all public officers from the position of Director to President; elimination of avenues for stealing; empowerment of the law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute suspects of corruption; elimination of immunity for public officials on criminal allegations; and the restriction of Security Votes to only security matters with transparent accountability.

On Resource Control

On the question of diversifying and growing the economy, Chekwa Okorie was the only candidate who advocated for resource control as a way to grow a competitive economy between the various regions of the country. When the various communities control their resources, they are better able to be creative in developing those resources and then send a contribution to the center, he said. In speaking up for resource control, Okorie authenticated the revolutionary thrust of the UPP before the largest audience in Nigeria's electoral history.

Okorie said he would take the Federal government out of the oil business, except for broad policies and controls, with the private sector and local communities as the primary players. He also advocated true federalism in Nigeria. He said the UPP believes the federating units of Nigeria should be the current six geopolitical zones, with equality of the zones and freedom for the zones to develop at their paces.

On Security

On the subject of security Chekwas Okorie again set himself and the UPP apart from the rest of the candidates when he stated his commitment to State police outfits. A UPP government, he said, will decentralize the police into community based outfits as opposed to occupying and distant forces. He also said that he would decentralize the Armed Forces for a much more nimble, highly trained and well equipped fighting force strategically located around the country and its boarders to defend the territorial integrity of the country.

On Education

The progressive in Chekwas Okorie became manifest again on the issue of education. The federal government should not be involved in education, except for setting policies and standards, he said. Education should be the purview of states and local communities, with the private sector as a major player as well. Okorie said he wanted educational institutions at all levels to become competitive again, inspiring students and faculty to seek to produce best results. He also wanted academic institutions, especially those at the tertiary level, to advance knowledge and innovations that would solve problems in the communities where they are located.

Recognizing the special circumstances of Nigeria, Chekwas Okorie commended President Jonathan for setting up Almajiri and nomadic schools for itinerant cattle rearers, but he said that the same gesture should be extended to the youth and adults in the marketplaces of Nigeria. If we provide educational facilities in the marketplaces funded by the federal government, these shops can close for a few hours so that these young traders can get formal education as the Almirija children.

Chekwas Okorie wondered why in 2015 cattle should compete for space with humans in villages and towns or on Nigerian highways. He said he will review the grazing policies in the nation to provide grazing reserves away from human settlements.  

The Debate Process

The UPP is glad to note that the Nigerian Elections Debate Group listened to our critique of its first set of debates in February. In a letter written to the NEDG in February by this writer, the UPP had asked that certain restrictive rules of the debates be relaxed to allow for a robust and meaningful debate. The debates that took place on March 22, 2015 came very close to what we had in mind. We commend the NEDG and thank its operatives for this huge service to the nation.

In this light, the UPP salutes President Jonathan for participating in the debate. The President lent credence to the supremacy of the Nigerian people in a democratic environment and to the right of the people to see those who seek the presidency, debate one another on issues important to them. The president conducted himself with no air of entitlement and treated his fellow candidates with the respect and dignity they deserved. In both the conduct of the moderators and in the performance of the participants, the debate erased all significant fears in some quarters of a built-in advantage for the president.

As patriots, the UPP condemns the absence of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Mohammadu Buhari at the debates. His absence was ill-advised and may have sent the message that both he and his party have contempt for the Nigerian people and for the kind of unscripted exchange of ideas that took place at the debates. This is the wrong message to send at this critical stage of our development as a democracy and as a nation.

Dr. Ugorji Okechukwu Ugorji is Director General
Chekwas Okorie Presidential Campaign Organisation (COPCO)