Groups endorsing Atiku don’t represent North–Sani, ex-ACF Scribe

In this interview with NOAH EBIJE in Kaduna, the ex ACF Scribe also pointed out that, with the pull out of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from the PDP, they have already bastardised votes for Atiku in the forthcoming election.

Sani, who is one of the Advisory Patrons for APC Presidential Campaign Council, said the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, might carry the day since all northern governors of the party were rooting for him to win the election.

As a member of the Advisory Patrons for APC Presidential Campaign Council for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, what are your achievements and challenges so far?

The patrons’ role is advisory on how best the campaigns should be conducted for effect. So far, there is no cause for alarm about the campaigns which are trying to dwell on real issues of real concern to real Nigerians. The campaign council has been going round states for both town hall meetings and campaign rallies. So far, the turn out at the campaign rallies have been very encouraging in the sense that they confirm the fact that Bola Tinubu is the front runner and the candidate to beat, as well as confirm that Nigerians are becoming politically aware.

How would you react to the fact that, so far, all the presidential candidates of the various political parties are not addressing issues, but personality attacks?

Because it has been long that our politics have been practising the politics of identity, it is not easy to slough off habits that have been long. But I think the candidates are trying to supplant politics of issues on politics of identity which is divisive. I believe we are learning.

As it is, of what use is the peace accord signed before INEC by all the presidential candidates if this personality attacks continue?

The use of the peace accord is for the purpose of peaceful conduct of politicians in their campaigns. So far so good, because violence has not been reported that much in the campaigns. We hope the politicians would note this fact that it is their responsibility to ensure that they conduct themselves peacefully for larger interests.

What is your take on the endorsement of former VP Atiku by northern groups against the backdrop that it was APC governors from the North who caused the emergence of Bola Tinubu as presidential candidate of APC?

I am not sure if those northern groups who have endorsed former VP Atiku did so in representative capacity. For example, Arewa Consultative Forum was not part of the group, despite its umbrella platform in the North. Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation did not participate. Those who think northern governors would not work for Bola Tinubu on the basis of regionalism ignore the fact that the 14 APC governors in the North, who caused the emergence of Bola Tinubu in the primaries, rejected one of their own in the person of Senate President Lawan in favour of Bola Tinubu. This is because they want the president to come from the South in 2023. These same northern governors would not turn around to work against Bola Tinubu in favour of former VP Atiku. Also, when you consider the fact that both Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso defected from PDP with their supporters to their new political parties, they have effectively weakened the main opposition party. These actions favour APC and its candidate, Bola Tinubu. It is against such a backdrop that I posit that Bola Tinubu will prevail in the elections next year and emerge the victor to become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Both the constitutions of the political parties and federal government do not say power must shift to one section of the country or the other. Why then should some Nigerians keep on agitating for a power shift?

Those agitating that power should move around different constituencies by affirmation are those who do not believe they can win in free, fair and credible elections except through affirmation. I believe such agitations will fizzle out if our political leaders exercise power that is humane in its spirit, moral in its purpose and wise in its uses. Recall how Nigerians used to hanker for single tenure, because they thought it was impossible to unseat an incumbent. But, as soon as the opposition defeated an incumbent president in 2015, nobody heard agitations for single tenure any more. In the same way, if our leaders in government truly regard governance as an art of balancing competing demands among constituent parts and socioeconomic sectors, they will render politics of identity unnecessary.

There is this simple national calculation that the economy belongs to the South East, education to the South West, and politics to the North. If so, why shouldn’t the North where you come from hold on to power?

I am not aware of any existing formula you have mentioned, albeit I know the South has an edge in economy and education over the North because of their early contact with western education and nearly to the ports, as well as discovery of oil with its 13 per cent derivation. If there was any such national consensus, President Obasanjo from the South West would not emerge and President Jonathan from the South-South would not emerge. You would also note that, out of the 24 years of the nascent democracy, the South has governed the country more than the North has done. I, therefore, do not know where you have got this kind of conspiracy theory from. I pray the media would not inflame our worst instinct with such narratives.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy on cash withdrawal limits has generated a lot of reactions across the country. Where do you stand?

While I support any policies that would help grow the economy and generate employment through enhanced productivity, I thought the timing for the redesigning of the naira and placing cap on withdrawals is inappropriate. This is because the two policies can disrupt campaigns for the elections of leaders who are equally important in the management of socio-economic development for performance.

Prices of food items have skyrocketed due to fuel scarcity and increase in fuel pump price. When will Nigerians get out of this hardship?

Challenges in the mechanism of community living would always be around. That is why the founder of Singapore could say order, justice, liberty, common decency and prosperity for all are never natural order of things. These things are attained by ceaseless hard work by both leaders and the led. Inflation is now a global phenomenon and attributed to many factors, such as climate change and the war in Ukraine. What is more, there had been COVID-19 which stifled the global economy through lock downs. In the case of Nigeria, there is another factor of insecurity posed by activities of insurgents, kidnappers, armed robbers, gunmen and clashes between farmers and herders, all of which have affected agricultural production across the country substantially.

Nigeria does not control the external factors, but the country can try to tame insecurity in order to allow farmers to increase food production. President Buhari has been trying his best to tame insecurity which has reduced substantially. He has also been up and doing to increase agricultural production. Just as PMB will leave Nigeria better than he met it, we hope the incoming governments will improve on what they inherit. This is because nation building is a continuous process —work in progress, one may say.

Now that Christmas celebration is around the corner, what do you think the federal government should to curtail insecurity that may arise during the period?

Curtailing insecurity should be an all time and season affair and not during Yuletide alone. With the recent soar in campaigns by the armed forces and security personnel which have reduced activities of the insurgents, kidnappers, bandits/gunmen, especially in northern parts of the country, our prayers is that the security personnel would dominate the environment by taking the fight to the forests and smoke them out of the hideouts. They should not be allowed any breathing space.

In the southern parts where the IPOB is alleged to be responsible for the destruction of INEC offices and killing, and where kidnappers are harassing people along Lagos Ibadan Expressway, the government should step up the number of trained and well equipped security personnel on the highways to help protect commuters in this festive period while real efforts are made to sustain the tempo even after the festivities.

What is your advice to some state governors that do not allow political campaigns of other political parties hold in particular venues in their respective states?

It is against the law for any governor to prevent rallies by opposition parties. This kind of attitude clearly demonstrates the wisdom of those who say our political class does not have political spirit, and do not know that multiparty democracy is a contest of ideas and not a bull fight. The media should therefore spare no efforts at exposing such governors while INEC should sanction them by preventing them from the contests and they are barred from holding any public offices for some years.

Do you think that something positive will come out of the moves to resolve Atiku/Wike crisis, and do you think that removing the national chairman of PDP, Iyorchia Ayu will end the crisis?

Somehow, I do not see the wisdom of G5 governors’ actions that have posed real threat to the effectiveness of PDP as a viable alternative platform. The activities of G5 have cast doubts on the claims of PDP that it can rescue Nigeria from the myriad of challenges facing the country, especially when the main opposition party is unable to rescue itself from self inflicted injuries. I doubt the wisdom in the insistence that the Chairman must resign at this time of campaigns. It is better done after the elections, considering the resignation can throw up many challenges in the reorganisation of the party machinery. Why not wait until after the elections?  I guess the insistence by G5 is a ploy not to support former VP from the North in favour of candidates from the South, considering the G5 governors are pulled between the resolution of the 17 southern governors for power shift and party loyalty which demands they work for the main opposition party.

Some people are saying if the PDP crisis continues, APC is likely to benefit more from it. Do you think so?

I have mentioned that the G5 governors and their supporters are PDP from the South and Middle Belt which are the hub of the PDP. And if you add that to the fact that Peter Obi and Sen Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have both defected with their followers from PDP, it stands to reason that their departure has weakened PDP both in the South and in the North in favour of APC whose governors are already more than those of PDP. The whole dynamics in the political cock pit seem to favour Bola Tinubu of APC which apart from being the ruling party does not seem to have much challenges compared to those being experienced by PDP.

-diplomatic diary