In what appears a shocking revelation, facts have emerged on how some of the governors in the South East have continued to Islamize their indigenes indirectly.
The traditional Prime Minister and former publicity secretary of the Imo State All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Okenze George Nkworji made the disclosure in an exclusive interview with our correspondent at the weekend.
Responding to a question on the IDP camp in Imo State and the alleged attempt to Islamize the state, the publisher of the Nigerian Moment newspaper had this to say:
“But one thing generally about islamization, I noticed that some state governments in the South East obtained loans from Islamic banks. And there is no way that you can obtain Islamic loans without giving them some leeway to show some visibility.
“It goes with some concessions. I am not going to say that the state governments don’t know what they are doing but they are also using the soft loans to Islamize their people and there is nothing that you and I can do about it because we are not in power.
On if Imo State is also a beneficiary of such facility he said, “To my knowledge, no. It is a give and take thing when you collect religious loans.”
It would be recalled that one of the things that the Southeasterners had stridently fought against is the islamization of the zone which is manifest in the various federal government’s policies aimed at encouraging herders’ (RUGA) activities as well establishing the IDP camp in the state among others.
On the last Imo Council election, the community leader took a hard look at politicians and remarked that no politician has any reason to complain about the issues that played out. Hear him:
“They are not supposed to complain because they themselves, all the political parties, which one conducted primaries, none of them. All they did was selection. You see until we stop this issue of beating about the bush, causing crises here and there blaming other people we will continue to play politics of winner takes it all.
“Ordinarily Nigeria both at national and state levels is running one party system. Any government that is in power at the federal level control and determine who become governor at the state levels. Is that not a one party system? At the state level the same scenario plays, just a walkover at Council election. So it is a one party affair.
“What I had expected politicians to do is since one party is convenient for us then let everyone join that ruling party and then during elections they can decide to appoint or go for consensus candidates like APC did in Imo State. This saves people so much expense in campaign, consultations. What the governor did in APC is something that should be emulated and developed.”
Tasked on why he supported the APC consensus style of picking candidates he responded thus:
“It reduces the cost of electioneering, infighting, so that for every councilor or chairman the leaders can say let this person go and so be it. Other aspirants will not waste their time and money. If another party captures power in Imo State they would do the same thing. So why do we blame others when we are guilty of the same offence. “
