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By Daniel Kanu
Comrade Akin Osuntokun, political scientist and strategist, served as political adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and was also a director of the presidential campaign of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in 2011.
He is the Southwest Coordinator, Obi/Datti presidential campaign council.
In this engaging encounter with Sunday Sun, Osuntokun says the 2023 election is not like the usual elections as any mistake in choice would spell doom for the existence of the country.
He speaks on the leadership challenge ahead, the candidates and the Nigerian condition, among other critical issues. Excerpts:
What is your take on the election campaign so far? Are they issue-based enough to your satisfaction?
For me, this is not a normal transition, it is not a conventional election transition. What is before Nigerians is a challenge that is far more than just another election, we have a nation threatening challenge itself. There is even an apprehension if we will get into the election in peace. We are in a challenging moment as far as Nigeria is concerned today and need to be very careful on the choices we make at this critical point. For me, it’s just some kind of a distraction, something to get along with before you confront the real issue. There is a serious constitutional issue that is before Nigerians to address. This electoral circle has serious challenges, we have two candidates and the two of them is like: they are mocking Nigerians. It’s like they are mocking us in a sense of saying: I dare you say I am not fit for president, but you can do nothing to stop me. One of them, the Fulani Muslim wanting to succeed another Fulani Muslim, which has given a bad name to that identity, but even beyond that is the fact that concerns the adoption of the general acceptance of the concept of power rotation. It means that the need and agreement for power rotation is being toyed with here. How do you explain a situation that a Fulani Muslim is finishing his tenure and another Fulani Muslim is strategizing to take over again? Again you have a Southern presidential candidate, a Muslim, running with a vice presidential candidate that is also a Muslim and you say it does not matter. It’s really funny, when it suits them they give reasons, when it is odd they will bring in all logic, all argument just to satisfy their selfishness. It’s pathetic and you can see the drift, but that does not matter to them because they want to have their way willy-nilly. In a manner of speaking, it is somebody trying to mock at you, a kind of defiance, a kind of impunity and you can see their short-coming, so obvious and conspicuous, glaring at you. All these are damaging the idea of building Nigeria as a nation. Fortunately, we have a third candidate whose future is balanced, which you can trust….
(Cuts in) You are talking of the Labour presidential candidate?
Definitely, that is the only salvation we have and need this time around.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a statement that its presidential candidate may not be honouring invitations for debates again…?
(Cut’s in) That just confirmed what I was saying earlier on the kind of impunity, the shameless boldness, the rudeness, the defiance, it is like, what can you do? How can any presidential candidate do that? It means you can just take Nigerians for a ride. But, of course, we all know the reasons they are doing it and that makes it even worse. He (Tinubu) cannot cope, he can’t cope with the rigours of the demands in debate and that itself brings us to the issue of first and foremost his health challenge and some other things. But as I said both the tickets of Atiku Abubakar and Tinubu are fundamentally flawed, what the lawyers call incurably defective by the constitution of the presidential candidate of the APC and PDP. The truth is that the way and manner the presidential candidates emerged, the way both were constituted without regards to the principle of rotation, without religious and ethnic sensitivity among other critical issues render both tickets fundamentally flawed. You cannot build a Nigerian nation on such flaws. I learnt that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar did not also attend the Arise TV debate, but had the courtesy of sending his vice, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State governor, which is far better than APC that didn’t show up at all. This is very rude and they should not give any reason for not coming for the debate. For me, that is taking Nigerians for granted. Well, as I have said those two tickets of APC and PDP presidential candidates do not inspire any hope for Nigeria. What they are doing is simply turning one ethnic group or one religion against the other. Both are part of the problems that are confronting Nigeria. The All Progressives Congress put Nigeria in this present free fall, so what do they have to offer again? There is none of the promises of this present government that they were able to redeem. Check their record. Is it on the economy? On security? Or on corruption war? It’s an abysmal failure. So, what fresh ideas do they have? Nothing. Today, Nigeria is deeply divided more than ever before courtesy the APC leadership. But Nigerians know all these, so they know what to do. They know they should punish APC at the polls and for Atiku, the presidency cannot go back to the North after eight years tenure of a Fulani Muslim. That is why I said his candidacy is fundamentally flawed.
What is your take on the redesigning of our currency, the naira? Is it good for the country?
Well, you know I am not an economist, but you can see where the naira is, it is in the negative, loss of value. But as a layman the only way it has affected me is in the loss of the value of the naira that we now have that is reflected in conversion in foreign exchange market that keeps on crashing every day. Today, if you are keeping your assets in naira, there will be loss of value almost on a daily basis. But in terms of the goals and objectives they want to achieve, you will observe that no matter what policy or whatever you design, the first thing Nigerians will do especially those who have the money, the resources is to device a way of defying that law, violating it to their own personal interest and gain. The commentary’s that I have read from those who should know is also sounding negative. But as I said anybody who is keeping his assets in naira as a store of value better think twice. The naira keeps on stumbling, there is this free fall of the naira and it is worrisome.
As Nigerians prepare for the 2023 elections, what type of a president is needed at this crucial time?
Thank you the way you captured it. This is indeed a crucial moment in the history of this country and any wrong choice of candidate by Nigerians will make or mar the future of this country. I have a vested interest in the question you have just asked as the Southwest coordinator of the presidential campaign of Peter Obi and Datti. To that extent, I have a vested interest, but speaking objectively, looking at, let’s say the first four in the race, who is the most competent? Of course, there should be more of the debate, but we have been listening to them, some talk through their spokespersons; we know their antecedents, where they served before, their records, competence, capacity, passion to salvage Nigeria etc. One man stands out and you can see him espousing his views with great knowledge, with passion, deep intellect and with ability to deliver. He has no crises of credibility, no baggage, but with outstanding, astonishing record of credible leadership of trust. That person is Peter Obi, he stands tall above others. He is the best for Nigeria and you can see how the generation that matters most, the younger generation has shown very clearly who and what they want. They are not talking about Tinubu or Atiku who is stuck with tribalism and all that. Among those competing for now there is none to compare with Peter Obi, and I refused to be biased here. Peter Obi will pull this country together; he is on a rescue mission to take back Nigeria to the people. I will not say this of him if he lacks the competence and capacity needed for what is at stake now.
