‘I was arrested by the PDP in 2015 and detained for two months by SARS’ – Gboms

A politician and activist, Hon. King Tony Gboms exposed some hidden secrets in this exclusive interview with Gloria Boma Harry, at his residence in Port Harcourt.

Excerpts below:

As a major stakeholder in Rivers State, what is your take on this SARS saga?

Well, it shocks me when I hear people talk about SARS. The same people who are talking about SARS today are the same people who have used SARS. In 2010 and 2011 they used SARS. In 2015 they used SARS on their opponents. On those free fighters of democracy.

Why is it that today SARS is nothing to write home about in their own eyes?

I have not seen anything wrong with SARS. I have been a victim in the hands of those people who are fighting against SARS.

You can vividly remember that my humble self, King Tony Gboms was arrested by the PDP in 2015 and detained for two months. Why is it now that they don’t find love in SARS again?

Is it because SARS is not doing their bidding? Or is it because SARS is going after those who have been perpetuating crime?

On innocent free democratic people or on innocent citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and this state?

I haven’t seen anything SARS has done wrong and those who are crying foul should stop crying foul because what somebody do today comes one way or another back to him or her.

When you kill with a knife, you expect people to use knife on you. When you kill with anything you expect people to use that back on you.

Nobody is using SARS for anybody. SARS is doing their work and people should stop crying about SARS! SARS!! SARS!!!

That’s my take on SARS. If SARS is not here, there would not have been sanity in Rivers State. We need SARS.

From what you have just said, will it be proper for me to say that there seem to be a political undertone to this SARS quagmire?

Thank you very much. Like I said PDP used SARS in 2015 against APC. As at today, I haven’t seen  anything SARS has done to intimidate anybody. No political party is using SARS as at today.

They are free as an independent people and they are doing their lawful duty. So they are not being intimidated by anybody using it against anybody. SARS is doing their work.

When you talk about the political part of it, PDP may have wanted to use them again to do same bidding they have used them for.

But I don’t think it is working out, because the man governing SARS now is a man of God. He knows what the law says and he is working in the direction of free Nigeria and to make sure that citizens have unhindered movement and security.

The politics of Rivers State has not been very very easy.  It has been this kind of do or die affair. I can assure you that this time around anybody who thinks he can shout anyhow he wants to shout to intimidate or undo people to have his or her way, that person better have a rethink because today as I speak to you things are coming to unfold to a normal life of a man and woman that can have their way and have their say and freedom of speech.

So there has not been any political undertone in this matter of SARS or anything.

There are insinuations that there might be a crack in APC, which might be the reason behind its inability to conduct a national convention just as PDP has done. Is it true that APC is dead?

Completely not true. They are bloody lairs. APC is not dead. Mr. President Buhari , I do know and the party hierarchy in APC are people who have love for Nigeria and they are taking their time to put things together. We are not in a hurry to have a convention.

We are not in a hurry at all. We are the ruling party. In as much as we are the ruling party, we take our time to put our house in order. Anywhere anybody thinks we have problem, it is not abnormal because you  have problem everywhere.

We don’t have any problem today that we can say we are afraid to resolve.

PDP has cracked. They are gone. Irrespective of what they are trying to showcase and all that, they wouldn’t be like PDP before. So APC has no reason whatsoever to be afraid. We are still united. Except those who want to be in a hurry pursuing their personal interest or a few that could not find their way. If I may borrow language – somebody must cry foul!

Why are they crying foul? We are not at that point were people will cry foul . People are just showing unnecessary interest. You need to work, build the place and put the things in place before you talk about having interest to run for any political position.

Let me just brush trough a little about Rivers State, when you talk about what is happening in APC in Rivers State, Magnus Abe that I have respect for and also Amaechi who is our leader.

Amaechi should be respected. He has been our leader. As a former Governor, he deserves every bit of it. He needs to be respected and supported. And that is what we are doing.

I am not against Magnus for airing out his ambition. I think it is too early. For me, if I am close to him, I would have advised him. I would have told him that it is too early to make such ambition public.

APC is in order except for one or two people who have one way or the other sold their conscience. I love APC and I want to thank members of APC, because the defection from the party is not as visible as defection from PDP to APC, which is very visible. PDP is dead and they will not get any position in 2019.

Considering the volatile nature of Obio/Akpo Local Government Area, where you come from, what advise do you have for the youths during this festive period?

For me, it is not only in Obio/Akpo where they have this kind of situation. Every part of Rivers State has this security challenge. If anybody has taken it up as a governor, he should step up to see that the lives and property of people are protected, irrespective of political affiliation  they should support all and sundry, because when one attains the class of being a governor or president, we assume that you are father to all, both the good and bad. So I want to advise that those in governance should do more to protest the lives and property of the people irrespective of what they will gain or what they will lose.

And also those involved in this kind of unacceptable crimes should find a way out of it and have a better life and change. I also believe that the spirit of the Christmas will touch each and every one of them to leave a good legacy and live a good life.

And they should desist from those bad omen, it will not help but rather it will destroy. They should desist from it and look for something better to do. That is why I talk about good governance. That is why I clamor to be somewhere , where we will take a new revolution . Where the people will be touched. Their lives will be touched. A revolution that will impact positively on the lives of Rivers people. Most of theses outdated politicians, they need to go and retire. They should go for retirement because they have not given anything good to the people. They are only there for their selfish interest. That is why we are experiencing more crimes and they don’t want to go. They keep looting and partying and nothing to give to the people.

This I will stop! This I will fight for. I am going to start a revolution.

What is the implication of the sudden demise of a political juggernaut, Chief Nnamdi Wokekoro in the affairs of APC in the Ikwerre communities?

The death of late Wokekoro is quite touching.  The people of Ikwerre land, politicians and all those who have known the man will feel the bow.

He was someone who in his time, supported humanity, one way or the other and impacted on society and as such he will be remembered.

It is quite painful that he died at a time we needed him most. Mostly in APC.

He was a strong supporter of APC, always there to render service. I know that if death had not taken him away, PDP wouldn’t get up to 10 % vote in PHALGA. Maybe now that he is dead, maybe they might get 10% or 15% as the case might be, but in totality APC is still on ground in PHALGA.

But even at that it will not be an easy ride for them despite his death. Be rest assured that Nnamdi or no Nnamdi APC will take PHALGA come 2019.

As a matter of fact, we all stand together to express our condolences to his family, I am so sorry for their loss.