Jake Epelle is the Chief Executive Officer/Founder of TAF Africa. In this interview monitored on Arise Television, he speaks on recent developments in Rivers State, actions of the state’s sole administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, and other issues, ANAYO EZUGWU writes

What are your thoughts on the state of emergency in Rivers State and the activities of the sole administrator?

I’m not afraid to state my position. Truly, I think we need to re-examine his position, especially the fact that he is doing what I don’t think is constitutional, except there is a hidden agenda. I think he is doing what he was not sent there to do.

The mandate is clear, make regulations, not law, not arrogating to yourself, appointing people that have obvious connections with interested parties.

I think this is something we need to re-examine. The sole administrator is perpetuating himself and making himself more illegal than a legal entity.

Yes, the President appointed him but the fact that the President appointed him doesn’t make it legal. So, he needs to be very careful.

I’m concerned because of the way and manner he is balkanizing and dismantling all the democratic systems and processes.

It’s also very unbecoming. I heard, and I hope it’s not the one that gave an instruction for the removal of the suspended governor’s photograph and portraits across the state.

That is not what we need now when all of us are pushing and toeing the line of peace. I’ve always said it that Rivers people are peaceful people and we will remain peaceful and law-abiding.

There is no amount of provocation that will make us break the law because we are law-abiding people. We are people who follow the rule of law.

The same thing that Governor Simi Fubara was accused of; not adhering to court judgement and rule of law, is exactly what they’re doing. That is concerning to me and it is absolutely unacceptable.

No matter how much power they have, money they have, guns they carry, we need to do what is right, what is needful and what is constitutional.

I think, somehow, I want to believe that the President was ill-advised on some of the steps that he had taken, but as a leader, he can beat his chest to say, I made the decision.

That’s what leaders do. But also, leaders reverse themselves, when they know that the decision they have taken does not go down well with the people.

For heaven’s sake, we are talking about the people. We’re part of the citizens the President is presiding over. And when we say to him that we are not comfortable with some of his decisions, he should listen to us.

I’ve always said that there’s an aspect of this President that I’m very a champion of, is the fact that he’s a compassionate person.

And that’s why many times I hold back in my criticism that some people have said, oh, well, you support the President. Of course, he’s my president, there’s no doubt about that.

However, if they’ve taken a wrong step, I will say it. And like I said, I respect people, but I don’t fear people, and I’ll continue to let my voice count until the right thing is done.

I believe he wants to do the right thing. It’s probably that the people surrounding him are the ones making him to take some of the wrong steps that he’s been taking.

River’s people are crying; Rivers people feel marginalised. I can’t sleep. I feel this sense of injustice that is being done to us and we can’t continue this way.

What do you make of the fact that Vice Admiral Ibas has actually appointed 23 local government chairmen, and he says that it is urgent to do this to strengthen governance at the grassroots?

What are we talking about? Can you be strengthening grassroots governance when you’re on the trajectory to destroying the subnational?

I want to believe that the President was ill-advised on some of the steps he had taken, but as a leader, he can beat his chest to say, I took the decision

I mean, it doesn’t make sense to me. Now, I have made concerted efforts and sought the legal opinion of lawyers that I can trust.

I don’t trust every one of them but those that I can trust who can give me a cogent but practical interpretation and everyone says to me that what he has done in terms of that appointment is unconstitutional.

By the way, we know that the appointment is a script of somebody behind the curtain because there is no doubt there are some people, who have been appointed that we can trace to certain people; people of interest in this matter.

That also brings us to this level of nepotism and favouritism and political favours, you know, which is given to people and oftentimes, my concern is that it defrauds people with competence, as against to incompetent individuals.

So, let’s do an interrogation of the list of appointed people and see their connection with people of interest in this matter.

And for heaven’s sake, stop insulting our intelligence.

We’re too smart for anybody to bamboozle. We’re too smart for anybody to feel that we don’t matter.

You can say that I don’t matter behind me but when you say that I don’t matter before me, that is a gross insult and many of us will not take it. I kept saying it that these individuals have turned to a laughingstock.

We have become one day, several troubled states. We’ve been in the news for the past two years, and negatively so.

Must we continue like that? Must the state be pulled down because of two individuals who will not come together and see how we can resolve the problem.

My heart bleeds every time I remember what is going on with my people. I’m in touch with them and I’m going to stay in touch with them. Sometimes, I jet out just to feel their pulse.

The people are suffering, there is anxiety everywhere, the children are asking questions, and I want to say this categorically clear:

This President means well. However, let him not allow this to be part of his legacy. It’s not good for the country, it’s not good for him.

And like I said, I’m his fan in one area in the fact that he’s a compassionate person. I know that he has helped many persons with disabilities, helped many individuals pay their school fees, and all that.

I’m begging you, Mr. President, to repeat what you did in Lagos. And for heaven’s sake, you’re someone we know. I know, growing up, how you fought for democracy, how you stood for democracy.

So, my question is: What has happened? Don’t allow these cronies to deceive you and erode the good democratic dividends and values that you have set for this country.

I appeal to you. I respect you. I love you as a person but I will be bold to tell you the truth, the pain in my heart.

You’ve mentioned that you’re a fan of the President because he is a compassionate person but we’ve seen how some of his policies have left Nigerians in a state that they’re basically a shadow of themselves. In the event that your appeals fall on deaf ears, what’s your next step?

There’s no other next step other than to keep raising our voices. They cannot shut us down. When good people keep quiet, evil will thrive.

I don’t blame him for all the policies to be honest with you.

One of the things I blame him sometimes for is that his communication persons are not opening their mouths to admit that they inherited a dying economy from the past president.

Just like they inherited this nepotism, appointing people who are from a particular section of the country; they said Muhammadu Buhari did worse than Tinubu is doing but must we continue on the wrong trajectory?

The answer is no. We must come to a point where we tell ourselves the truth and reverse the course.

People are remembered for two things, the problem they solved and the problem they created. So, we’ll remember the President for the problems he solved.