–Umar, Buharist and APC stalwart
What is your reaction to the recent face off between Aisha Buhari and Mamman Daura, as well as the Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu?
The wife of the President should stop distracting Mr President. She should come to terms with her husband, his relations and friends who are very close to the government. It is embarrassing the way she dragged the name of the president in the mud. I feel she should tailor all her complaints to the president himself or even his nephew Mallam Mamman Daura.If she does that I am sure they will address her problems. She should not join issues with government functionaries like she did with Garba Shehu,the Presidential spokesman.
Some Nigerians are of the opinion that power will still return to the North in 2023. How do you want to allay this fear?
Why should Nigerians be afraid that power will still return to the North? By implication, you mean that even the North is afraid because the North forms the majority of Nigerian landmark and population. I don’t support the zoning of national elections of political offices. After 20 years of democracy, we should be looking for competence and not zone. We need a president that will continue on the foundation laid by President Muhammadu Buhari, a person that will be efficient and effective, a nationalist, patriotic Nigerian that will move the nation forward. If we find such a person from the North, may he be the next president. We should graduate from politics of sectionalism, ethnicity or religion. Politics being a game of number on the other hand, the North has advantage, but I still feel we should have a patriotic Nigerian, nationalist, selfless person as president, if he comes from the North, so be it!
As a chieftain of APC, what calibre of people do you want to form its national leadership?
I will prefer core politicians with crisis management skills, humble politicians to lead the party. Not necessarily ex-this n ex-that.The party had all its former and present chairmen as former governors, I feel we should turn away from such caliber of people, after all they have little to show as their achievement. Winning elections doesn’t make a success of a party leader, but managing the success and the ability to carry everyone along. We have not seen that in the past and present leadership. Therefore, we need a true change that will bring in true party leaders that will ensure good crisis management, party supremacy etc.
Do you see the current national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiohmole retaining the position in view of intra-party crisis rocking the ruling party?
Honestly, I don’t. If he is able to retain it, then we will not have efficient crisis management. He is presently at loggerheads with some governors and even some of his National Executives members. Like I earlier said, we should drive away from those people that think that they must control the party. I support the party’s state chairmen, where they are calling for party supremacy, but disagreed with them where they are supporting the current chairman. If the position of the national chairman will be zoned to the North West, I will contest and ensure that I beat hands down any ex-this or that. Enough is enough, politicians should take over affairs of the party from contestants. The recycling is getting too much and we shall all be out to stop it.
Which zone do you think should produce the national chairman in the event that Oshiohmole goes?
I wish we shall be democratic enough to allow anyone to contest irrespective of his geo-political zone. Me and you, and indeed everyone knows that zoning is not democracy, it was brought into our governance systems by the military for their convenience. So, as far as I am concerned, positions should not be zoned, in the event that it is zoned, then I wish for a chairman that will come from that zone to be a true progressive that will ensure party supremacy and cohesion.
Do you see APC retaining power beyond 2023, considering intra-party crisis rocking the party?
The APC will still bounce back despite the intra-party crisis. There is virtually no opposition now. The voters are seeing rapid infrastructural developments across the country, the economy that was collapsing before the coming of APC is bouncing back. Nobody will want the coming back of the PDP to take us ten or more steps backward. No Nigerian will want the era of Boko Haram and shedding of blood to return. There may still be some killings here and there, but insecurity has been drastically curtailed and may come to an end before 2023. No Nigerian will like to see the return of massive corruption.I assure you that Nigerians will appreciate the jailing of thieves that looted the country dry and vote the APC. To get more support of Nigerians, correct leadership needs to be in place to handle the intra-party crisis. We shall bounce back in 2023 to continue the good works put in place by the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Supporters of Bola Tinubu and governor Nasir El-Rufai are respectively clamouring for them to take a shot at the presidential race in 2023. Who do you think should step down for the other?
I want to say that consensus is also good in politics. But limiting the aspirants to just Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Mallam Nasir ElRufai is not being fair as I absolutely believe that more candidates may emerge. As more candidates emerge that will be the appropriate time to start thinking of who should step down for who. If as events unfold it is only Bola Tinubu and Mallam Nasir El Rufai that will take the shot, I am of the opinion that party members should be given a choice, like it was done in 2014 where others contested along with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Some Nigerians are of the opinion that the country is drifting towards one party state in 2023, and that APC may take it all. What is your reaction to this?
As I said earlier, there is virtually no opposition now. If Nigerian voters massively reject the other parties and vote only for APC, so be it and that is their wish that we have only a one strong party, APC.
Do you support the idea that pension payment to former governors across the country should be stopped?
Yes, I am of the opinion that pension payments to former governors and other political office holders should be stopped. In fact, to be fair to Nigerians all such payments should be refunded. Additionally, payments of severance packages to political office holders should also be stopped. All these injustices that are unfolding now is because the APC is in control, if it were the other party its looting continues! How can someone be in office for four or eight years be collecting such millions of Naira, whereas other workers who worked for 35 years end up with peanuts? Addressing this issue by the PMB regime is addressing injustice. This is another plus for our great party, APC!
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Border closure has added economic hardship to most Nigerians. Don’t you think it is high time the borders are reopened?
I disagreed that border closure has added hardship to Nigerians. No, it added hardship to smugglers and our unpatriotic neighbours. Benefits of the border closure among others are springing up of industries in Nigeria. I wish that the borders will be closed for up to 10 years, then we will witness the industrialization of Nigeria. No country or company will like to miss the abundant large market of Nigeria, so they will come in, set up industries, our economy will improve, unemployment will also reduce.
Do you think that Hate Speech bill is good for this country?
The intention of the Hate Speech bill is selfish. However, such bill is good for Nigeria and Nigerians. It is good because it will tame irresponsible Nigerians from abusing and insulting people based on tribe and religion. I consider it selfish because of the Senators sponsoring and supporting the bill are only interested in silencing their opponents or critics.I am sure if the bill sees the light of the day there will be a clampdown on advocates of #SCRAPSENATE. Senators should concentrate on bills that will improve the living standard of Nigerians, curb corruption and end insurgency.
THISDAY
