All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and human rights activist, TUNJI ABAYOMI, talks to Assistant Politics Editor, DANIEL KANU, on Nigeria at 54, expressing disappointment at the country’s level of development and loss of opportunities. He also speaks on activities of his party and its readiness to turn the tide of Nigeria’s underdevelopment.
Future of APC, given developments in the party
I think APC is heading towards creating a new phase for politics in the country which ultimately will translate to lifting the nation. When we look at the principles and the ideals imputed in its constitution as well as the performance so far of the governors or government under the APC umbrella, I think that is where APC is heading.
Imposition of candidates at party primaries
Well, if we look at the recent primaries, let us take Adamawa State as an example, and the past primary in Anambra State, I think we can affirm that the party is completely committed to due process and fair competition, especially to ensure that the winner wins justly and the loser loses fairly.
APC losing Adamawa governorship poll and 2015 election
There is a difference between what we want for national government and what we want for state government. It is not necessarily that if you lose in any of the state, we will automatically lose at the federal level. I believe that APC has a very good chance to win the national government because when we truly, objectively assess the country since 1999, we really have not moved forward sufficiently to inspire confidence in the leadership of PDP. That’s my humble assessment.
I want to say categorically that this assessment is not based on the fact that I am in the APC, because when we look at the foundations or the basic development parameters that inspire confidence that we are moving forward, basic needs of the people such as health, education, power, roads, road network and simple thing as ordinary water, we really cannot see any fundamental change.
In my view, what effective leaders do in a nation is to bring about fundamental change that will be to the benefit of the people. But I have not seen any in our situation. When you look at this nation, you are disturbed. I just came back from Dubai, and I must tell you that I am totally embarrassed by the condition of Nigeria. You just come down, you look at the airport as the simplest evidence of growth in a nation, and you ask yourself if this is really what Nigeria should be, with all the wealth that this nation is endowed with and the boldness of the faculty of our citizens. We have enough human resources. I think the nation is not inspiring.
Let’s go into the security issue. We are in a terribly bad shape and I believe that, largely, the government has under-developed us. I am talking about the PDP government in the country. They appear to be the only ones celebrating their achievements. As far as I am concerned, if I were to vote objectively, if I were not in any political party, I will look at my condition, my environment, my children, and the young people that have no jobs. Even when we train some of our children abroad, after very serious and expensive education, they come back and they cannot find jobs. There are no jobs, even for the best and brightest of our children. So what is there to honour in the PDP government with another commission of office?
Ikimi, Sheriff, others leaving APC
I am not in any way worried because, to be honest with you, those two gentlemen you just mentioned are really strangers to the ideals of APC. How do you define the contributions of Tom Ikimi before now? If Ikimi became the chairman of APC, the ideals of good government, honour and respect would have flown out of the party.
Now if you take Ali Modu Sherrif from the time he became governor, he has been surrounded by this uncomfortable description of his tenure, as connected with the disorder in the North Eastern part of the country. See where we are today; can we find an explanation beyond what he says? Can we find a witness against the accusations against him? Can we find distinguished citizens who stand to defend his honour? You cannot. So if such men leave APC, I don’t see any problem. I do not believe in victory without character such as I don’t believe in wealth without honour. I do not see anything wrong in their leaving the party because it is better for the image of the party.
Nigeria winning the war against Boko Haram
I do not think Nigeria is winning the war. I also do not think Nigeria is losing the war, judging by the complicated nature of this assault on our collective security. This is a new phenomenon in the world and it is not just a new phenomenon but a difficult one. The difficulty is compounded by the wrong interpretation of religion which has the potential to deceive the people, and that is why a whole lot of people are rushing for it. I believe that a period of adjustment is what the armed forces of Nigeria are going through and they will need some time. The unfortunate thing, however, is that just as the time needed for them to strategise and consolidate their struggle against Boko Haram, time is also a valuable instrument of the Boko Haram because the more time they have the more problem, and the more nuisance they become. So we are facing a fairly difficult time generally.
Death sentence on 12 soldiers
I cannot really say much about military justice. I think the military law frowns at the refusal of the military persons to carry out military instructions, especially at war time. One of the leaders in the military service, Black Scorpion (Benjamin Adekunle), who died recently, said you carry out or you refuse to carry out instructions regarding your active participation or inactivity in war at your own risk.
I think we should be careful when it comes to military issues because when the military fails, especially in the face of the present security challenge, we run a great risk. What is essential, however, is that there must be equal protection under the law. As long as the military guarantees that and guarantees maximum justice, which is according to international standard, I think we cannot really complain.
Controversies arising from INEC additional polling units
My understanding of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is that the creation is essentially to reduce pressure in the existing units. I do not believe it is detrimental to election population because I understand from the chairman of INEC that in some places, you have over 1,000 voters whereas a unit is supposed to have just a 500 voters. If we have such bad situation in the North and we don’t have such kind of bad situation in the South, I think there will be justification for creating more units in the North.
As long as the creation of more units has not disadvantaged the South or any part of the country, I do not think we have a reason to complain or ground to protest. But if it can be shown that the creation of these units disadvantages any part of the country, then it’s a separate situation. I haven’t read about such complaint yet. I have read about the complaints by some zones and groups, but I haven’t read that the creation of these units, to reduce pressure on existing units, has any negative impact on any part of the country.
Nigeria at 54 and level of development so far
I am totally embarrassed about this country. The main problem of this country, the neurosis that beset this country, is corruption. Unfortunately, instead of this problem reducing, it is increasing and making our situation piteous and detrimental to Nigerians, especially in our political system. Corruption in Nigeria is like a wasting disease such as cancer. At the early stage, it is difficult to detect but easy to cure. But we are now at the late stage; it is easy to detect but difficult to cure. That is the situation, and because we did not pay attention to corruption at that early stage immediately after Independence, the whole nation has fallen victim to its profound negative effect.
This nation has some basic questions that torment the mind. You just take a few issues. How can you have a nation that has spent trillions of public money on power generation and we are still nowhere near resolving it? How can we have a nation that has been independent since 1960 and you cannot even find any city that has good water? How can you have a nation that has been independent for well over 50 years, and with its wealth, you cannot find one single public primary school that any elite can put their child and be satisfied? How can you have a nation of large population with men and women of both faculties, yet when there is a minor health challenge, we run to India or Dubai for minimum guarantee of health? How can you have a nation that, 54 years after, you cannot find 50 kilometres of road without pothole? How can you have a nation that has been self-governed for over 50 years, not even one university can you claim is world class? We spend all our money training our children abroad –America, Britain, Canada and even Benin Republic – and even after their training and they come back, they can’t even find job. This is a nation that cannot make use of its best and brightest children. Is that a nation that one can be proud of?
We can deceive ourselves and delude ourselves that it is wrong to speak wrong about Nigeria, but it is also deceitful and fraudulent to speak well of Nigeria when Nigeria is in bad shape. That is what the government does. They deceive us, but a serious nation does not deceive itself; it faces the stark reality of its problem.
Nigeria, in my view, faces an embarrassing prospect, and that is why the leadership of this country must definitely be changed. We are governed by what I call a corrupt and pitiless oligarchy in Nigeria; hence we are where we are today. There is nothing that occupies them, rather than fighting for their region, ethnicity, personal interest and religion. In fact, in this country, the common man has no friend in government. How can anybody be proud of this Nigeria? I cannot and I will not unless I want to deceive myself.