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Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice Chairman, North Central, Ahmed Suleiman Wambi, speaks on the contest for National Assembly leadership, and other issues, ranging from the crisis within the ruling party, what to expect from the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari, the forces against Buhari in the 2019 presidential election, why Atiku should discontinue the legal action on the outcome of the presidential election to the controversy of which zone will produce the president in 2023.
How did President Buhari get such massive votes in the North Central?
Let us not forget that the North Central determines who becomes the president of this country because the geographical zone is key in the political pendulum of Nigeria. We are major and critical stakeholders in the political equation of this country. From 1999 to 2015, the zone has always determined who emerges president. PDP remained in power from that time until 2015 because the zone voted the party. The zone equally changed the trajectory in the 2015 presidential election and that was why president Buhari emerged winner then.
We did so much to support the PDP yet we have nothing to show in terms of democratic dividends, physical and stomach infrastructure. We left the PDP because the party is conservative, it perpetuated corruption. PDP government was a trademark of shambolic economy and insecurity. We joined the APC because it is a progressive party. Politics in the North Central is complicated because of our heterogeneous nature. We are the zone with the highest number of tribes and religions. Other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria are of the same tribe. The whole South East speaks Igbo language, though there may be dialectical differences, they have almost the same religion. It is the same thing with South West, South South, North East and North West. Their political platform is the same and their political machinery is smooth due to the affinity they have.
In Niger State alone, there are different tribes and religion. It is the same with Benue, Nasarawa, Kwara, Plateau and Kogi states. The level of education and political awareness is very high. North Central has built a reputation as the only region that has ruled the country more than any other. We also have the highest number of ex-Generals, ex-Heads of state etc. Our contribution to the political development of this country can never be quantified. The mobilisation of persons to get the number of votes we delivered was not difficult. If the election was free and fair in Benue State, APC would have won the election but we will reclaim our mandate in court.
How do you reconcile the impression that the North Central is not part of the northern oligarchy that decides political power in Nigeria?
I disagree with that impression because it has no analytical prove. It is incontrovertible that the North Central produced the highest number of Heads of state. Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalam Abubakar were all from the North Central. Again, from 1999 till date, the North Central has occupied the Senate president position for 12 years. With all these, who says that the North Central does not determine and decide the pendulum of the politics in Nigeria? Politics is combination of mischief-makers, liars, killers, robbers, honest and dishonest persons. Politicians are like people in the market, comprising all manner of people, the good, the bad, the ugly and the most beautiful.
How did the APC achieve success in the just concluded election despite the crisis rocking the party?
Depending on what you mean by crisis, there is no human element and organisation, the world over without problem. Even those that have recorded success, there must be the bad side of that success. America has practiced democracy for more than 100 years, but the emergence of President Donald Trump was a rigging that has never been known in human history. The reason America kept quite was because they were ashamed to send Trump away through the court process. It would have sent a negative signal to the America democracy. Sometimes, a presidential candidate may not have won clean and clear, but they allow the election to stay instead of upturning it through the court process. They do so for a wider and public interest.
We won election even when we are in opposition. The PDP we defeated had lots of resources, big politicians and government officials. They have domestic and international connections. They stockpiled dollars in their houses. There were so many forces against the APC ranging from the masses that did not appreciate the value change; the Police, the soldiers, the media; particularly the electronic were against the APC. But in spite of all those forces and their blackmail, APC still won.
What are your fears in Atiku Abubakar challenging the victory of President Buhari in the court?
To be honest, if Atiku has no shame, I have. In the first place, he was not qualified to contest that election. It is obvious that he is not a Nigerian and has no business in the Nigeria politics let alone qualifying to contest. We were not informed in the past but we are better informed now to know that he has no moral rectitude to contest or even go to court. He was defeated comprehensively. He lost his balance and deposit in that election.
But your party was accused of rigging. Did APC rig the 2019 elections?
We did not rig and as a matter of fact, APC should be the one complaining. If it were during PDP regime, it would have been practically impossible for the APC to loss Adamawa and Bauchi states. The language APC knows is honesty, transparency and accountability. We strongly believe that election should not only be free, fair, transparent, credible but also peaceful. During the PDP era, the entire South East use to write bogus election results. They don’t have the population yet they bring over one million because they did not use card reader. But now, where are the figures they use to bring in the past?
What is your feeling on the agitations by the National Assembly members from North Central to produce the Speaker of the 9th Assembly?
I share the assertion that things should be given to any region based on contribution and acceptance of change mantra. But in politics, you may not get what you sometimes think it is yours because of certain pecuniary reason and expediency. But as far as I am concerned, consideration should be given based on merit.
Having produced the Senate president for the past 12 years or more, the North Central should allow other zones to produce the Speaker since they are not the only zone. Recall that in 2015, the post of Speaker and Senate president were zoned to South West and North East respectively. Ahmed Lawan from the North East and Femi Gbajabiamila from the South West were favoured but there was internal coup which truncated the process. These two persons have shown commitment to the tenet of democracy as far as APC is concerned. They have shown loyalty and have been consistent with the values and norms of our party. The choice of Lawan and Gbajabiamila is not because of where they come from but based on their contributions to the progress of the party. They have received lots of intimidations, frustrations fighting the present leadership of the National Assembly in favour of the APC. Why should anyone think that the party should not reward loyalty and experience?
We don’t want to concentrate on the issue of religion that will not move this country forward. Most Nigerian politicians use religion for personal reasons.
We did not anoint Lawan for Senate president because he is from North East or Gbajabiamila for Speaker because he is from South West, but it was based on their performance, contribution and loyalty. There was a time Mr. President sent budget to the National Assembly and that proposal was kept for about seven months. Gbabiamila and Lawan were the ones that fought and in turn they were traumatised and intimidated by the present leadership of the National Assembly.
So, do you think the party and Mr. President should not reward those people?
No. Since the North-West has the president, the South West has the vice president, the Senate president is zoned to the North East, Mr. President felt we should reward Gbajabiamila based on the compelling loyalty and his experience. Mr. President prefers these people because of their past experiences. We are not saying that there is nobody qualified in the North Central, no. But the issue is that there are certain considerations. We will fight for the zone to get Deputy Speaker and also Senate Majority Leader.
You do not understand the political dynamism of this country. Do you think if we concentrate on religion this country will move forward? We go for excellence sometimes, we go for those people who can key into the project of change and deliver. What do you mean by religious sensitivity? Between APC and PDP which party is more sensitive? Do you think Islam or Christianity can provide solutions to the problems of Nigeria? Nigerians must be aware and key into excellence, and stop the discrimination against anybody who has something to offer based on religion. The moment a nation starts thinking about where someone comes from or the religion he or she practices, such a nation is doomed.
Where do you want President Buhari to improve on in his second tenure?
There is nothing wrong with his first tenure as far as I am concerned. However, my expectation is that he should consolidate on the peace recorded so far. He should improve on the economic extravaganza without bonanza he recorded.
The fight against corruption should be intensified. Ultimately, the party should be able to give hope to the hopeless Nigerians by the end of the next four years. The needy and the indigent should have course to proudly claim to be part of this country. There must be economic prosperity.
What is your take on the agitations for 2023 presidency?
My take is that the taste of the pudding is in the eating. We should first pray to be alive till 2023 and those that survived should determine where the pendulum should swing to. The determination of the zone to produce the president in 2023 is in the hands of God. If God has decreed that the North or South should produce the next president, nobody can stop it. Don’t forget that man proposes but God dispose. However, it is wrong to assume that the South East don’t deserve the ticket because they did not vote the APC. That they did not vote the APC does not mean that they are not part of Nigeria. There must be equity in the distribution of power in Nigeria. What you should know is that APC will not negotiate sectional politics above merit.
