•Dennis Adikwuru
Hon. Dennis Adikwuru is the Convener and National Secretary, Igbo People’s Action Congress; former Secretary General of Igbo People’s Movement, as well as a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Imo State.
Adikwuru, a member of Imo State Presidential Campaign Council under Media and Publicity Sub-committee in the 2023 elections and erstwhile State Publicity Secretary, Imo State Professionals for Atiku, is also the State Coordinator, Imo PDP Grassroots Movement.
In this interview, he speaks on crucial issues in the polity, reports Sunday Independent.
Excerpt:
As Nigerian exited 2025 and entered 2026, how would you describe Nigerians’ lives last year?
The year 2025 was a year of multiple experiences for Nigerians. The government economic policies, the social and political engagements as well as the heightened insecurity in the country were not too palatable experiences of Nigerians.
The economy was still biting harder, the political scenario was disgusting and the lives and properties of Nigerians were at the mercy of kidnappers hence life was brutish, rough and uncertain, the government couldn’t do much for the citizenry.
As a political scientist, do you see the likelihood of the New Year, 2026, being better for the Nigerian citizens than 2025?
In truth the New Year, 2026 holds a brighter session for Nigerians. There will be mass friendly policies, there will be inflow of money, the politicians who have held us to ransom will begin to look for the masses in preparation for the 2027 general elections. There will be closer conversational distance between the ruling class and the electorate.
How do you see the controversies surrounding the new Tax laws which implementation the president instructed must start on January 1, 2026?
The tax laws are surrounded by controversies arising from multiple, yet uncertain interpretations of the laws. From the tax authorities to the banks and the government, you cannot receive a definite interpretation of the workings of the new tax regime.
Nigerians are confused just as the tax authorities, but the coming weeks will give clearer views of what the government tends to do with the tax laws.
How do you see the US intervention in the terrorist war in Nigeria?
The intervention of the United States of America against terrorism in Nigeria is both timely and divine. There seems to be a sigh of relief in Nigerians and a check on terrorists which has drastically reduced the spate of abductions, kidnapping and killings of innocent Nigerians. I can say here that the US intervention is a welcome development.
Would you say that the US missile attacks in the Sokoto area have really checked the terrorists as there have been attacks and killings in Borno, Niger, Kwara and Plateau states?
I think the US has been cautious in unleashing missile attacks in Nigeria. This is for the obvious reasons of not escalating casualties. This is the major constraint which still gives the terrorists the leeway to be operating in other parts of the country.
How do you see the situation in Rivers State since Governor Simi Fubara and the Rivers lawmakers defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC)?
Rivers State continues to be a case study of Wike’s search for absolute power even after leaving the corridors of power. The Governor, Simi Fubara took the only feasible option of defecting to APC, but Wike is yet undone with his orchestrated warfare in his inordinate chase for the stranglehold of Rivers State resources.
The latest command of the lawmakers to impeach governor Fubara is a new dimension challenging the people of Rivers state and the Nigerian government. We are eagerly watching the scenario of Wike versus the rest of Nigeria, using the tool and instrumentality of the lawmakers. We are also looking forward to the intervention of President Tinubu to forestall breakdown of law and order in Rivers state.
Still on Rivers, how do you see the war of words between the APC National Secretary and the FCT Minister over the running of the state chapter of APC?
Unfortunately for Wike, he has no authoritative outreach in APC, while he has deliberately run down the PDP. His encounters with the National Secretary of APC derives from his ignorance of the fact that he is not known in the books of APC, and therefore, is a persona non grata in the party.
This frustrating reality has led to the aggressive outbursts from Wike, but unfortunately for him, this has nothing to do with his core official administration of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he holds sway as the Chief Executive. He is seen as encroaching in the affairs of APC where he is not known to be a member.
How has the division in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) impacted on the running of the party in, your state, Imo, in particular and South East in general?
There is not much happening in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) either in Imo State, South East or the entire country. The architects of discord may have achieved their mission of putting PDP behind reckoning.
For those of us still bearing membership of the party, we are better students of Bola Ige’s ‘siddon de look’ school of thought.
How do you see the emerging realisation that the APC is gradually taking over the South East, which was unheard of in the past few years?
It is not surprising that the South East is turning into an APC stronghold. I will at this moment tell you that APC and in particular, the President have worked their way into the heart of the South East and there is nothing anybody can do about it.
Do you see the possibility of All Progressives Congress (APC) losing Imo State after Hope Uzodimma’s exit?
Imo State is witnessing the consolidation of APC grip though with ADC rearing its head. There is yet no mass trust and confidence in ADC because of power chase by certain recurrent politicians and this will greatly affect the party in the state and give APC the momentum of victory to succeed Governor Hope Uzodimma.
Following the resolve of IPAC to support President Tinubu in the 2027 election could you give an insight of how the group will pursue this vision without being swallowed up by Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Movement?
Igbo People’s Action Congress (IPAC) has a unique strategy in achieving the mission of building support for President Tinubu. The Renewed Hope Movement has its own. I do not foresee any clash, especially when the mission and interest are the same. IPAC will come up with enduring peace moves, unity drives, and eventually achieve mass Igbo support for the President’s second term election.
You have remained a frontline chieftain of PDP, leading one of its strongest grassroots support groups and occupying strategic positions in the party since you were betrayed by your former political friend and former Gov Rochas Okorocha under APGA, who later ditched the party leading a faction to the APC. Now, you seem to be tilting towards President Bola Tinubu. Should Ndi Imo expect your formal defection to APC? Or, shall Nigerians be expecting the repeat of Nyesom Wike’s brand of politics of working for Tinubu, but still remaining in PDP?
You captured the terrain of my political adventures very well. I have traversed the PDP, APGA, APC, back to PDP where I remain till date. My experience so far in all my political activities has remained the same. Politicians come for you when they need you most, especially when they understand your values. When you give in your values and they win the election, they go back to their confraternity and if you’re not in that circle, you are no longer in their values list.
This is the experience of most clean personalities who get treated badly despite their inputs in getting the politicians elected.
To your question, I am concerned with building bridges, mending fences and cultivating a Yoruba/Igbo unity. As it stands today, the only feasible futuristic strategy to launch the Igbo into national limelight is to rally Igbo votes in support of President Tinubu’s re-election. Once we take off the activism, I will decide whether to play it from within APC or outside APC.
For now, I am paying keen interest in the many dimensional intrigues in the PDP. I have decided to take the bull by the horns, never to play anyone’s sheepish follower and be used to climb, then get abandoned because of fraternity
As Nigerians enter the New Year, what do you think should be the focus of the federal government?
For obvious reasons of the New Year and strategic political era of the year, the federal government is expected to draw nearer to the people and create people oriented, mass friendly policies which will drive in a peaceful 2027 general elections.
From the tax authorities to the banks and the government, you cannot receive a definite interpretation of the workings of the new tax regime. Nigerians are confused just as the tax authorities.
