From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,(PDP), Nasarawa State, Francis Orogu has explained why the opposition party lost the 2015 and 2019 elections in both the federal and state levels. Among other issues in this interview, he spoke on why Nigerians should vote out the APC.
As the PDP PRO Chairmen Forum, how would you describe the state of the Nation, after losing power in 2015 & 2019.
Strictly, I want to say as long as development and governance are concerned, APC has not achieved anything and the answer to that question is in the street, you don’t need to go a distance before you know that the APC government is a failure; they have lost the confidence of the people because their performance is grossly below expectation.
They came and deceived the people, created an impression that they are going to be a better government, abused the mind of the people, set people against the PDP government, unknown to the people they never knew that they were preparing to enter one chance.
But the good thing is whatever has a beginning has an end; I want the people not to think too much but to prepare themselves ahead of 2023, so they can do away with the confusion created by the APC.
How would you describe the security situation in the country at the moment?
The security challenges in our country is in a high proportion; it is something that Nigerians can’t explain; in Somalia, only 92 persons died of cholera, and the people came out and reacted by refusing to celebrate their National day but in Nigeria, thousands are being killed in one community; in fact, in the President’s state of Katsina and nothing is done about it.
The president often times gives orders but are not carried out and nothing appeared to happen; no one is fired but rather being rewarded by reappointing them for the job not done.
Are you saying that when PDP led this nation, they didn’t encounter security challenges?
We cannot say there was no insecurity in the country during the PDP government but what we are seeing presently is 10 times higher than what was happening then; thousands of lives are being lost in all the regions of the country. Nigeria is more divided along ethnicity, religion and tribes; nobody has confidence in the government except those that are benefiting.
Yet, the national assembly is propagating a law to take away small river in my village, that they will take over or control all the rivers in the country. Every water phase will be the property of the Federal Government to regulate the affairs of water route.
There are already existing perceptions about this government on land grabbing and coming up with such law will create an impression that the government wants to permit herdsmen across, knowing fully that the government of the present administration is on its exit in the next six months; why in a rush to implement such law at the time Nigerians are demanding for restructuring.
Nigeria is bigger than one person’s ambition, when the people are clamouring for the devaluation of power to state and local government, the present government is busy planning to take over water from the river and streams to the Federal Government because of some groups’ belief.
That is why like minds of the President are always seeking opportunity to be part of the Federal Government so they can take state assets for themselves, using the Federal Government law.
I must say that this administration has caused a lot of confusion in Nigeria; the division, lack of trust is enough to stop them not to go beyond 2023. In fact, even the northern unity we used to enjoy, this administration has put it to coma. We need a political surgeon to revive this National unity and that is Dr Atiku.
How would you describe the state of our economy, considering the everyday increase of the exchange rate, particularly Dollar to Naira
The economy today, if you have ten thousand dollars in your house, you will not want to touch it because it is perceived to be gold; it is now an investment when you have dollars; this government has completely messed up the reputation of the Naira.
I remember when they were accusing the then PDP government led by Goodluck Jonathan, saying they would adjust the dollar rate even when it was then 150; has it happened? It is also on record that the APC said during campaigns that in six months, if they can’t change the system, the people should stone them.
“Stone us if we didn’t fix the economy, security and kill corruption”
It is painful that until this time, they are still giving people reasons to leave them for another 8 years, how could that be?
When they could not fix any as said, they are rather shamefully accusing PDP for being responsible for their failure, saying that it was the foundation laid by the PDP.
The people are now paying the price for that accusation; nothing has changed in Nigeria; the foreign reserve is empty, nobody could tell you about what the country’s reserve is right now.
The fight against corruption was one of the tools used during the campaign of the APC, how would you rate this administration in that light?
Corruption, it is the worst of it all; it is either Python is stealing money here, or snake is swallowing or termites having their own shares and all these are said without remorse or shame as if they don’t go to church or mosque.
The APC had undermined Nigerians when it comes to stealing and deceit; this administration has more scores when it comes to corruption. Do you recall that it is in this administration that a sitting governor was captured putting dollars inside Bubanriga and nobody said anything. In fact, the nickname of corruption in this government is that NOTHING IS NEW.
I think what should be done is to stone the APC out through the ballot papers because they have further cause more damage to Nigerians.
The Wike Atiku Saga, don’t you think it is dividing members of the PDP and even the electorate?
Well, as far as I am concerned, no election comes without a dust. I want to believe what is happening now is the internal dust as a result of the primary election held earlier this year; so it is part of the electoral process. You will agree with me that Wike has never said he will leave the party; he has often referred to Atiku as the legitimate and the duly elected candidate of the PDP that solved 75 percent of the problem; the 25 percent that is left is a normal thing.
In politics, once you have the weight to influence policies, decisions in a political party, you will always look for a space and assurance to still be more relevant to continue to make a mark, and if that is not giving, you demand for it. That is exactly what is going on which will come to pass because we are talking about someone who has the party at heart, committed to the party and had spent a fortune to keep the party together.
I don’t think that Nyeson Wike will want to tear the umbrella considering all his efforts and achievements in the party. Atiku on the other hand, has seen it all in 2011, 2015, 2019 and what happened during the Abiola election, so in politics, it is not over until it is over and nobody knows this game of politics better than Atiku today.
So, I want to believe that he knows how to handle issues like this; it is just the remnants of what happened after the PDP primaries. Even as it is lingering, it is political. Somebody or group of persons want it to linger for selfish reasons; that is why Tinubu followed Wike to London and Atiku was also in London but it will come to pass.
Wike is a major stakeholder in the party and we are not ready to lose him. I want to believe that those that matter in this matter will handle the problem, the process of reconciliation is ongoing, so let’s wait and see the outcome.
Obi Movement is gaining momentum, do you consider it a threat to the PDP?
Let me tell you, PDP did not lose 2015 election because one person or two left; the party, PDP is like an ocean; as you are flowing out, another water is flowing in; when one flesh is cut off, another is growing up and it get healed. PDP is not a party that injury like cancer will stay for a long time.
What led to the loss in 2015 election is because of the gross misinformation, blackmail used by the amalgamation of political parties and actors that formed APC. The bitter message they passed against the PDP instigated the electorate against the party. In fact, somebody could instigate you against your mother if you are not careful and the mother is the most lovable being.
That was exactly what happened to the PDP, people were instigated, threats of all kinds were issued, the president at that time was not a Desperado; Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who loves the country is a man of honour; the party knew, the people know even the opposition knew that he did a lot in the area of security to a large extent, even economy and otherwise. Even the security issue going on at that time was alleged that it was instigated; revelations are coming up right now that it was stage-managed.
That was why PDP lost the election not because one man left the party; many had left the party and PDP never lost,
So in summary, the exit of Obi from PDP, yes he will win one or two votes using what some politicians use for election -religion, tribe and region to win the consciousness of the people.
But it will not be enough to be the president of the largest black country in Africa. His political scope is not widely spread enough to give him what it takes to be president. The same with Kwankwaso; he will also grab votes as well.
But with the emergence of these two people on the ballot, that could cause APC, PDP reasons to lose against each other because of the distraction but not that they will win. However, their participation has come to stay in the history of Nigerian politics that anybody who has the vision to lead and change things in this country would have the courage to contest for major positions in the country.
There are one million and one Obis and Kwankwasos out there who are still hiding but Nigeria is experiencing a new dawn in politics but one person that you cannot find a trace of religion, tribe or ethnic belief is Atiku Abubakar and for now, he is the option.
You were the Chairman of the PDP in 2019 and the PDP lost to governor Abdullahi Sule, now still the Chairman, what have you done or doing differently to take power from the APC?
I came into the office of the Chairman full of experience; I was well loaded with the weaknesses of the APC before I came in because I was a legislator and I knew that this government could be displaced if the right message is passed and a good team is formed with the right candidates provided through credible democratic process.
One of the reasons why we all lost the 2019 election was as a result of accumulative breach of trust, lack of internal democracy; some people believed that they were not fairly treated and moved to another political party; that was why we lost as a party.
But since I came in, one thing I believed was to give those who deserved to be in the party the opportunity to share their experiences and that was why we zoned our candidate to the northern zone, and we stood by that.
We had a fundamental problem that we could not resolve at that time which led to people like Labaran Maku leaving the party and moved to APGA which became a major division in the party even though physically, the party was not divided because members of the party were still in the party but at all electoral moments, some members of the party were still loyal to Maku but yet members of the PDP; therefore, our votes were always divided.
How would you x-ray the present administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule?
As far as I am concerned, he is a total failure; his coming showed inexperience in Nasarawa politics in terms of infrastructure; agriculture is only on television. As I am talking to you right now, the whole schools in Nasrawa State are on lockdown; is it because we are close to the FCT? We don’t just know where we are.
I am telling you on television that Abdullahi Sule is beautiful but on ground, nothing to uphold.
He has succeeded in grading one street or the other; there is nothing you could hold on to; yes he has graded everywhere but that is a project that should be done by either a chairman of a local government or a House of Assembly member.
Look at the Bus terminal he constructed, the job was badly done and that is why when rain falls, it is flooded and the rest is history.
Where are the buses that the president came to commission; they all disappeared, they were hired just to show to the president and after the inauguration, the buses disappeared. That is a corruption issue and that is what section 419 of the law stands against.
We are prepared to take back power from the APC because they have deceived our people. The people will vote for a man that will come and speak less grammar and do more work and if the PDP doesn’t do well during their time in this present Nigeria and Nasarawa, they will also be butted out as well.
The governor had said in different platforms of being a business man; he is a capitalist; that is why he said even if he did not win the election, he will go back to America or Dubai to continue with his business, so the PDP will help him achieve that feat.