What are your thoughts on the recently concluded PDP presidential primary election?
The recent PDP primaries were peaceful and pleasant, with little squabbling. That is how democracy should be practised. The disadvantage was that due to commercialization, applicants were forced to bribe delegates with money. As a result, rather than promoting democracy, the party is promoting plutocracy, or rule of, by, and for the wealthy. More troubling is the promotion of corruption through the purchase of delegates in order to influence their votes, much to the chagrin of party members who are essentially on the sidelines. This is the pinnacle of dishonesty. Political parties are supposed to embody the values outlined in their manifestos. As a result, I’m beginning to question whether a party that supports delegate bribery can combat corruption and establish democracy based on justice, liberty, and common decency.
Some political pundits argue that the votes cast by South African aspirants demonstrated that they did not do their homework as people advocating for a power shift to the South. What are your thoughts?
Given the South’s preference for a president from the South, particularly the Southeast and South-South, one would expect the PDP’s presidential candidate to be from the South. That, however, was not to be. I do not want to agree with those who have concluded that the South’s demand for power shift is not serious. I see the development as a result of the party’s winning game plan. In Hausa, there is a saying that goes, “a na ajiye Kwando in da akwai wake,” which means to put the basket where there are beans. So, to borrow from Dr Okadigbo, what happened during the PDP primaries was informed more by political arithmetic.
What advice would you give to Atiku Abubakar, the winner of the PDP presidential primary election, as he prepares to compete against other presidential candidates in the 2023 general elections?
My advice to the party and its presidential candidate is to be clear about what the party will do if elected to lead the country. Only clarity of purpose as to how he will intersect politics, economics, and morality can make Nigerians trust and vote for him.
Many Nigerians have accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of bias for extending the deadline for the submission of all candidates from all political parties. What are your thoughts on this?
Elections are important because they produce leaders who rule over us and our fate. Candidates for elective positions are fielded by political parties. It is only fair to give political parties enough time to find their first 11 candidates. So, I don’t blame INEC for giving political parties more time to organise their primaries and present their first 11 candidates.
Do you believe the APC will do the bidding of President Buhari, who has stated that he has someone in mind as his successor, now that the party is battling to choose its presidential flag bearer in its primary election?
Mr. President is entitled to his party’s presidential candidate of choice because he wants a successor who can carry on his policies and programmes.
That preference is without reservation, as long as it is exercised democratically.
Because the pursuit of his preference and internal democracy are not mutually exclusive, the president has the right to promote his preference democratically. I do not expect the president to keep members of his party at bay and choose the presidential candidate on his own without consulting members of his party. The president is aware of the party’s roles in the selection of a presidential candidate. That is, he understands that politics is never an individual endeavour, but rather a collective mission.
Who is your crystal ball telling you or a forecast of who will succeed Buhari, in your own wisdom as a respected elderstatesman from the North?
I’m not a psychic. As a result, I cannot predict who will win the elections. All I want is a president who will rewire politics, reengineer our sense of justice, make mercy smarter, and make hope strategic for youths, daring the rest of us to follow. That is, we want and expect the president to inspire cultural renaissance and transform the country into a convergence of politics, economics, and morality.
Some Nigerians believe that imposing a candidate on the APC will undermine Buhari’s integrity. Do you agree?
I do not anticipate Mr. Trump imposing a presidential candidate on the ruling party.
This is because the president is well aware that Nigeria operates on democracy rather than affirmative action.
He will not want to impose a candidate on party members who are expected to join in campaigns for the party’s flag bearer to win elections.
Do you believe the APC presidential candidate will be able to compete with Atiku in the general election?
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is a seasoned presidential candidate. However, he has previously been defeated by other candidates. So, unless he is more clear about what he will do as president and people believe him, there is nothing to suggest the man has changed dramatically.
The APC is considered a progressive party, whereas the PDP is considered a conservative party. Do you believe the two major political parties live up to their ideologies?
Yes, your observations are correct. However, because Nigerians do not see political parties as representing specific ideologies and philosophies, politicians are free to jump from political party to political party. Remember how, during the first term of this regime, the executive had a clear majority in the legislature and was expected to use the latitude to pass bills, but instead the government was at war with itself. Consider recent exchanges between the executive and the legislature regarding the Electoral Act, as if the party does not control both the executive and the legislature. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu is a progressive I know, whereas Senator Abdullahi Adamu is a Manderin conservative. Nonetheless, they are the leaders of political parties whose ideologies and philosophies are diametrically opposed to their own on the ideological spectrum. All of this demonstrates that our political class does not understand the role of political parties in the multiparty democracy.
