APGA stalwart, Sargir Auwal, who ran for the governorship of Kaduna State in 2007 and 2011, talks to Special Correspondent, BENJAMIN JIBRIN, on the state’s politics, President Jonathan’s re-election, Boko Haram and purported prediction on Nigeria’s break-up in 2015.
APGA not fielding candidate for presidential election
People were supposed to come out and contest under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). With no one showing up, the party has decided to join hands and support the aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
APGA an appendage of PDP?
I don’t think the party is an appendage of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But I see what is happening as a marriage of convenience. As I said earlier, in the absence of the party fielding its own presidential candidate, it has resolved to work with a family friend. That is the way I look at it. Like you rightly observed, in 2011, we didn’t have presidential candidate. We adopted PDP candidate at that time. Presently, the same situation is staring us in the face, having supported him at some point. I think the party feels he has done what it thinks it should. Therefore, he should be given some support to continue. That is where we are at the moment.
Jonathan’s declaration blessing for Nigeria?
He has full right as a Nigerian to contest. It is left for the Nigerian populace, the electorate in particular, to determine his fate in answering the question. Whatever they cast on the day of elections, determine the answer to this question. But then, people have their own perception. While some see it as a blessing, others see it differently. That is human being for you.
2015 and scars of 2011 violence
I think, for over some time, we have been having crisis. Before the political crisis that we are looking at, don’t forget that there is Boko Haram as well. To me, I think that is the most serious crisis that should be surmounted. All other political issues are things that happen all over the world. Whenever it is time for elections, the mood of elections is normally tensed. Boko Haram is more a problem to me and generality of Nigerians than this political crisis that will just come once a while. I said once a while because it comes once in a tenure of four years, but the Boko Haram thing seems to be ongoing, though government is trying its best.
Both Christians and Muslims are complaining. When it started, there was suspicion of a particular religion being responsible. I must say the number of Muslims that have lost their lives and that have had their property destroyed as a result of the Boko Haram crisis, outweighs any other persons outside Islam in this country. Of course, it has also affected Christians. But when it started, you could see the Christians saying it is the Muslims, their children, their people, and things like that.
So, there is no ownership of Boko Haram as far as religion is concerned. Coming back to the tensed situation in the country, I don’t expect anything less. We have a vibrant opposition in Nigeria that is getting together, forming formidable force and getting support. Recently, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, defected from the PDP and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). There is no way the ruling party can be comfortable with that kind of situation. The situation is, therefore, getting tensed by the day. The only thing is that we hope and pray there will be no replica of what obtained in 2011 when we recorded loss of lives and destruction of property.
I don’t pray for such, except if other people have agenda to unleash terror on this country. But then, they should note that as we are now, Nigeria has suffered enough.
Alleged American prediction for Nigeria’s break-up and denial of military hardware
I saw a post on Facebook where the Americans were saying they didn’t want to sell some of their military hardware to Nigeria, possibly because Nigerians lack the capacity to handle such things. Lack of knowledge to use the weapon we want is no excuse, as far as I am concerned, for America not to sell weapons to Nigeria. Why not teach us, if they are interested in our wellbeing?
America should tell us what its interests in Nigeria are. If they are not interested in us, they should tell us and not giving excuses.
America and Americans have predicted the collapse of Nigeria, but I can tell them that we can’t; we will surmount the challenge, and Nigeria is not going to break. Their prediction is a challenge and I am throwing it back to them. We know where we are coming from and where we are going to. Surely, we must get to our destination.
I call on America to retrace its steps by revisiting the sale of arms to Nigeria and stop portraying negative image about the future of Nigeria. The year 2015 is by the corner. We are going to succeed by the grace of God.
Contesting Kaduna governorship twice
I am proud and happy to say that God gave me the opportunity to be part of the 2007 general elections representing APGA. About 17 of us participated in the election, but I must tell you that the experience I came across during that time proved to me that, truly, there are people out there who are interested in voting for candidates that have the capacity to take them to new frontiers. I saw that in 2007. People came out and gave us their support, financially and morally. However, we realised that the government itself had its own agenda. It controls the security, resources, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Even as INEC tries to support the political process, the political hawks that control the entire system have their own interest. We went there wholeheartedly, thinking that it was going to be a fair contest. But when the result started coming, we were nowhere to be found; not because we didn’t have the people’s support, but because of manipulations in the system.
I contested then against Namadi Sambo, and from all indications, I thought I was going to be announced governor of Kaduna State. But when the result came and Sambo emerged as the governor of Kaduna, as a friend, I refused to challenge the result, but allowed the sleeping dog to lie. People wanted to make trouble, but I went on radio and appealed for calm, and there was peace. I also called on other participants to sheathe their swords and approach it through the court of law.
In 2011, I contested against Patrick Yakowa, thinking that the situation was going to change. At the end, they declared Yakowa as governor and as a result trouble brewed. For that, they imposed curfew which lasted for some time.
Scared of running in 2015?
I am not and will never be scared of challenges. All my life, I know there are and there will be challenges, but there is nothing like fear as far as I am concerned. This is because I know that tomorrow belongs to God and nobody can stop a moving force. Possibly, I am re-strategising. I have good dream and plan for Kaduna and, by extension, Nigeria. I am still thinking of what to do as the race for 2015 elections takes shape.