Renowned activist and Trade Union Leader, Ayodele Akele, was the governorship candidate of National Conscience Party (NCP) in Lagos state in the 2015 election.
In this interview with Assistant Politics Editor, DANIEL KANU, he speaks on the performance of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressive Congress (APC) submitting that his leadership has been a total failure.
He also speaks on the future of NCP, President Obasanjo’s recommendation to Nigeria on a new political party and other national issues.
Situation of things in the country generally
Well, everybody knows the sorry situation in the land today unless the person wants to deceive himself or herself depending on where the person belongs. I say this because those that are part of the pillaging of our land will not see any evil because they are benefitting. There are also those that blindly follow either because their relation, friend, or someone from their area, region, ethnic group, is there. But the bitter truth is that the masses are suffering.
This country is going down, drawing close to a precipice, pushing towards abyss and that is sad. We must halt this dangerous trend. The great expectation by Nigerians continues to elude them as a result of bad leadership. The people’s expectation is so high but this APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari has disappointed Nigerians. It has been a record of abysmal failure in almost all sectors, despite the propaganda being brandished by the government in power.
Where do you want us to start from? Is it in reneging in all their promises? For the three solid years that the government has been in power, you cannot pin-point any project that directly bears relevance or impacts positively on the lives of an average Nigerian. Let me tell you, my impression of Buhari before now was that he was like the late Aminu Kano of this world. Although I had reservations when he was a military President, then I was a Student Union leader, one is taken aback that he has become so insensitive on critical issues. In terms of the welfare of the people, nothing seems to be happening as to improve the welfare and well-being of the people. The roads are still in worst shape than when he came in office. The issue of water has worsened and to add insult to injury, Lagos State Government is perfecting strategies to privatize water. I have warned them (Lagos state government under Akinwumi Ambode) not to dare Lagosians because we will resist it. The issue of light is still hopeless and you see them still bringing outrageous bills at the end of the month. They will tell you electricity has improved and I ask them where? Their lies are getting sophisticated each passing day, backed by high powered propaganda machine of government.
What of the security challenge which was one of the cardinal points the party canvassed for votes? God help you if you get back to your home alive each time you leave your home. It is just by the Grace of God that Nigerians are surviving because going by every available indices, this government has failed.
Look at the robbery in Kwara recently? Does that suggest we are safe? Can you imagine that this is happening in the regime of Buhari, an Army General, a so called military tactician, a former military President? What is his problem? Is it that the resources are no longer there or what? Look at the way we are celebrating nepotism under the Buhari regime? Does he think Nigerians are blind or fools? Look at the way the herdsmen have gone gaga, slaughtering fellow Nigerians and our President is keeping a blind eye? No herdsman has been brought to book and people like us have been canvassing that this notorious gang of terrorists in the garb of herdsmen should be proscribed. The president has refused and this simply shows that he is condoning them, probably because they are his kinsmen, Fulani. Look at how he proscribed IPOB with automatic alacrity. This is a group that is agitating for the rights of their people which is permissible all over the world. We cannot go far with this type of selective justice. You can see double standard in its orchestrated corruption fight. In fact everything about this government under Buhari is negative.
Nigerians sufficiently aware of the danger ahead because the President may likely go for another four-year term?
If he does not know that this is the time for him to step aside it’s a pity. Anybody or group telling him to continue is simply deceiving him. People urging him to run again are doing so for selfish reasons not for the general good. Of course, we know the antecedents of those influencing him to run because they have never had the interest of the people at heart. Personally, I have been canvassing at any given opportunity that Buhari should step aside or be removed by impeachment because we cannot continue like this. If it is not that he is taking Nigerians as fools, he cannot be thinking of contesting again.
Nigerians are aware of what is happening but I am apprehensive that the election is going to be rigged. If this election will be voted on merit, free and fair, Buhari can never come back because all the sectors are suffering from his poor performance and by extension, bad leadership.
Government accusing the previous government of President Goodluck Jonathan as being responsible for the present plight the nation is facing?
That argument is illogical. He asked for the peoples’ mandate so that he can fix or repair it. So why the excuse? What was he coming to do in the first place if not to improve upon what was on the ground when he took over? Great leaders do not leverage on giving excuses rather they do the job and give you result. This Buhari government has the penchant of giving excuses for its failure and still they want to continue in office. Look at the looters list that the APC released, it is laughable. No single APC was names in the list. Have you forgotten that the composition of APC today is over 90 percent of PDP members that were labelled corrupt? When you cross to the Buhari APC, you become a saint. Is that how to fight corruption? Why can’t they do the needful and ensure that the looters list cuts across the board? Why are they selective? Why are they making this country a laughing stock in the eyes of the world? I can mention the names of APC heavy weights that even a child in Nigeria knows are corrupt.
The truth is that we are living with fear in recent time and some people are afraid that when they speak out they will be arrested by government but I cannot be cowed because I am always on the part of truth. I have lost count of series of intimidation on my person but some of us are no longer afraid of arrest because somebody must tell the truth. I have been victimized for my views but we must keep the democracy tempo flying. For leading a protest to ensure that a minimum wage of N7.500 was paid to workers in Lagos state during the tenure of Bola Tinubu as governor, I was thrown out of service but that is a story for another day. I have told myself that it is too late to stop this struggle, not when Nigerians are still dying gradually each passing day.
My wife and children know that the struggle is my life and I am not afraid to pay any sacrifice to keep the fire of the struggle against injustice. Nigerians should know that APC and the PDP have failed them. It is time to try the NCP. We must reject recycling of leadership because they have not shown they are made of sterner stuff for good leadership. It is time for Nigerians to take their destiny in their hands and look towards the NCP for provision of better life for all.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third force to the rescue?
With due respect, Obasanjo cannot recommend or make prescription for us on the way to go because of his equally ugly antecedents. He was part of those that destroyed this country when he had the privilege and opportunity but he wrecked the economy. Was OBJ not the one that gave us Yar’Adua, Jonathan and also told us that Buhari was the messiah we needed and foisted him on us? He has had his time, wasted it; so he should leave us to chart our course for genuine democracy.
The fire in NCP gone down, particularly after the demise of Gani Fawehinmi
That may be personal opinion but of course none of us can be as vibrant as Gani Fawehinmi. The gap is much. You can only compare yourself to Gani at your peril. The shoe he left behind is too big for anybody to step in. We are just trying to do our best to keep the ideology alive. We must ensure that the ideology, ideal and legacy of Gani is promoted and kept alive to the best of our ability. I am a national executive, I don’t receive any dime, no allowance, and no salary because this job is done more like on Pro-bono but one is committed to the core. We must soldier on despite great odds. A national officer of the PDP, disclosed recently that he takes N3M (three million naira as monthly salary). I do my job out of great commitment and personal sacrifice to ensure that the legacy of Gani is sustained.
