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•APC an overloaded ship; it may sink
•Many politicians rushing to APC, ADC will be disappointed
Elder statesman and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Mike Ahamba, SAN, has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is overloaded, noting that like every overloaded boat, it runs the risk of sinking.
In an interview with VINCENT KALU, the legal luminary pointed out that the government has decided to draw all the blood from the people through tax. He spoke on other issues.
The build-up to 2027 elections has started. What are your expectations?
Well, I expect there will be many surprises; a lot of people will feel betrayed, and there will be implosion in some parties that think they are very big now. So, I expect a crisis-filled 2027 elections, beginning from 2026.
How?
I feel so because many people have crossed into certain parties, like the APC for protection. People went to ADC in an escapee’s mood. And everybody who went there, went there with the hope that what you couldn’t get in APC or PDP, that you’ll get in there. And there are many people making that expectation.
So, if there is no agreement amongst them, they’ll fight. They’ll fight and that will be enormous. In any case, I understand there is still a matter in the court to determine whether the present executive of ADC was properly consulted or not. However, I don’t know whether any court has jurisdiction to do it. So, this is it. I expect some problems.
APC itself is overloaded. Every overloaded boat runs the risk of sinking. I know some people might have gone into that place to find a way to retaliate for what was done to them. You don’t worry. It will be very interesting to watch events.
Some political pundits say President Bola Tinubu has won his reelection, even before the election, considering that APC almost has 30 state governors out of the 36. And in the National Assembly, the party controls a far majority, as well as in various states Assembly. Do you agree with that?
I don’t agree with them because by the time they finish the infighting to take advantage of what they thought was an advantage; there would have been splits in opinion. It’s political. Definitely, there will be. There are many people who are in APC so that they can become governor. There are many people who are in ADC so that they can become president or senator. Others are running to some smaller parties so that they can get tickets with ease. It won’t be that easy when the time comes.
So let’s all watch them. Eventually, after the Court of Appeal judgment, we will know what the fate of PDP is. They may be the only stable party by the time the elections come.
People thought that after the Ibadan convention that the PDP has come to stay, but the court has nullified the outcome of the convention. What’s your view?
I’m happy you know that. It is for the courts to tell us why they assume jurisdiction they don’t have. We have a matter in the court of appeal challenging the order made by Justice Omotosho. It’s only after that judgment that I will know what to say to the nation, because if the courts will not keep within their jurisdiction, we will have a crisis in this country.
The law is very clear. The federal high court is on limited jurisdiction circumscribed in section 251 of the constitution. And then a single jurisdiction puts it in section 272. That’s all. So, we will eventually know where they got the jurisdiction to meddle in, even after the Supreme Court has said no.
The Supreme Court, once they have taken a decision, even if they are wrong, every court of the law must follow. Let us see what the Court of Appeal says about it. It is after that, that people like Mike Ahamba will now open their mouth because what is in it is not political to me, but it is something that is fundamental for the survival of the country.
If we can’t have discipline within the body that should correct those who have no discipline, it is dangerous. Let us see what the Court of Appeal will say, because in recent times, the Supreme Court has said that the courts don’t have to resolve internal affairs of political parties. It is not only political parties, but also private associations. There are many judgments in the law reports on it. You don’t do it, unless someone has breached in respect of an individual’s interest – the rule of fair hearing, and then go on that line. You don’t use it to go and stop a whole convention from happening. Even if you are wrongly sacked from the place, you fight your cause as an individual; and that is no reason you want to destroy the entire system. Let us see what they decide about it. It is up to them to decide. It is after they have decided that we know where we are in this country.
According to some political pundits, the Tinubu reforms, which are yielding results, will boost his reelection, citing the electricity act, which allows states to generate their own electricity. What do you say to this?
So, you have lights 24 hours a day? So, where are the results? I don’t talk politics when it comes to things that affect the common man. It is not right to say things that we know are not correct. Where I stay in Owerri, Imo State, it is only today that I have seen light for up to one hour in the last one week. It is only today; right now it is on, they will soon remove it.
It may yield results later on, but it has not yielded yet. So, let’s all wait till it yields before we begin to praise ourselves.
President Bola Tinubu has presented a budget of about N58 trillion for 2026. Out of this amount, about N15 trillion representing about 27 per cent is for debt servicing. What is your view on this?
It is unfortunate, but they are in charge. If the nation does not like it, let them change those who are in charge.
How can they do that?
It is by their votes. Their votes should decide who they think has done well or not done well. So long as the individual does not realise the power of his votes, so long shall the individual be toyed with in this country.
But people say votes hardly count in this country?
That is a problem we have. The votes have been counting, but certain things have been messing up the votes that counted. Let the people keep voting until the votes begin to count. This will end someday. It will end. Let everybody vote. Every voter who stays at home on election day hates this country and hates himself.
Some time ago, the president set up development commissions for all the zones. You have the Southeast Development Commission, and five others. How do you think the SEDC has fared in the last one year?
I was in the 2014 National Conference that passed the resolution that the government should set up these commissions for the South-East and the North-East.The government has set up these commissions, and naturally their party lackeys have been put in there. I’m yet to see what they’re doing; maybe they’re doing something that I’m not sure.
But you are in the South-East and you’re supposed to know what they are doing…
We’re supposed to have light for 24 hours by now, is that not the announcement? Do you have it? Maybe there’s light for 24 hours somewhere, but it doesn’t apply to where I live or where I have my office. I’ve not seen it, maybe others have seen it; it may be so in the Government House. So, they are taking people for granted because the people themselves create problems for themselves.
I’m happy that the world has recognised the musician, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the other day. He sang a song sometime saying: ‘Suffer, suffer…, you dey complain, na your fault be that…’
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People should analyse that song very well. It is true. The suffering of the people is the fault of the people. When you say you have to cast your vote to show that you like an administration, and that administration continues to pepper you, it is your fault
Let those who feel they have been happy within this period the APC has been ruling in this country vote for the party in 2027. That’s alright. They’ll be part of the suffering as I’m suffering too.
What is your position on the Tinubu tax reforms?
I don’t know what to make out of it, except that here’s a government that has decided to draw all the blood from the people. For what purpose, I don’t know. You have money in the bank, they tax you there. They take VAT, they take commission. When you come out, you have to fill form with the tax administration here, and they will tax you and you pay from the same source.
People keep bleeding until we all die. My problem about some of these things is that those people you put in the legislative house, I don’t know if they understand why they’re there. Every legislator represents a group of people in this country. The president doesn’t. The governor doesn’t. It is the member of the House that represents the people. And when they take decisions, I don’t want them to pass it to the executive. They should know that they are breaking laws, and punishing those who they are supposed to represent. That’s the problem we have.
They don’t understand their role. The law was passed by the National Assembly. It will be very difficult to manage. VAT is defined as a payment made by a service beneficiary to the service provider. Which service is the bank providing that will require the government to be taking VAT that has now increased from five per cent to seven and half percent? You have seven and half percent taken out of somebody’s money. You have other percentages taken out of that same money. Cry, my beloved country, cry.
The Presidency says that they are generating so much money to tackle infrastructural deficits across the country. What is your take on this?
The one they saved from subsidy, have they applied it? Let them apply that one first. I don’t know why people don’t even consider themselves when they do things. When APC was trying to come to power in 2015, they said there was no subsidy; that subsidy was a fraud by the PDP. That’s what they said. Now, the same people who said something was a fraud, came to power and said, subsidy is now gone. And the people are listening, but they are not thinking.
Why were we told that there was no subsidy that PDP was being fraudulent, talking about subsidy? Why? It was just because we want to win the election. It’s unfortunate. People are running under the canopy, where they think the rain will not beat them. The rain will come and it will beat everybody.
People lay the blames on PDP; they say that the party laid the foundation for what the country is passing through today. What do you say to this?
They have done their own. When I was in the ANPP, I made a statement after something happened in Adamawa State. And I said, those who are perpetrators today might be victims tomorrow.
Now, the world moves around. Everything in this world goes round. The moon is going on its way. The earth is moving. Jupiter is moving. You move, move, move, and you come back to the original point, and you start again. That is how God has created the world. So, when you create a situation, be sure that you might be the victim.
I’m a member of the PDP. I’ve told my people. I said, when I was in the ANPP, and was telling you that these things you were doing weren’t good, but you didn’t believe me; you called it politics and now, we are victims.
I want to tell APC, they may be victims tomorrow. Do the right thing if you know you’re there to serve the people.
Those who go into politics as avenue of self aggrandisement should know that politics should be an avenue of service, because if you feel you have some advantages, there should be a payback time to the society.
When you have opportunities as a politician, that’s the time you pay back to the society that made you capable of saying you are competent to be a top politician, you are competent to be governor, and you are competent to be senator and all that. That society you are in, when you have that opportunity, you pay back. They should think about the future, not think about now. The people think that the richer you are the better. And the people clap. Now, election is coming. Watch the people talk – oh, that man might run for governor, he has a lot of money. Is that a qualification? For an average man in the street, that’s a qualification. Why should people assess those who can rule them based on who is richer? It’s unfortunate, very unfortunate. We have lost a lot of good materials because of this.
The National Assembly is working on amending the Electoral Act 2022. What do you expect?
I just laugh. Listen to me. Do you know that the 1983 election was conducted with the 1982 Electoral Act? Do you know that 1991 election was conducted by 1989 decree? Do you know that the 1999 election was conducted by 1998 decree? Do you know that 2003 election was conducted with 2002 Electoral Act? Do you know that 2007 election was conducted by 2006 Electoral Act? Etc.
Is the problem the law or the operators of the law? I can tell you in a more detailed interview what was removed in each electoral act to make it possible for rigging to be easier. I’ve come with them face to face as a lawyer of a presidential candidate twice.
So, it’s not the law that is a problem; the problem is who wants to apply the law. Changing the law every time doesn’t create expertise on the law.
Even, you can’t write a book on electoral acts in Nigeria because by the time you finish writing your book, the law has changed. So, my brother, it’s a terrible thing we have here. Doing things in official capacity for selfish purposes is very bad. It doesn’t help anybody. When the crisis will come, all of us will face it. Those who think they are safe may not be safe. Prevention will always be better than cure. And we prevent by following the law. I want to tell you that law is good enough as we have it, if only people can apply it as it is.
How can this Nnamdi Kanu question be solved?
I think it’s on appeal? Let us see what the Court of Appeal will say. He has the right of appeal. That’s much I can say about it. If the president feels that he can give him pardon, he can do so now that the trial is over,
I was just worried about people asking President Tinubu to interfere during the trial. As a lawyer, I couldn’t join to ask the president to interfere with an ongoing trial. If he does it once, he can do it twice, he can do it thrice, and people will begin to complain.
Now that he has been convicted, he can pardon him if he wants. Otherwise, let his lawyers go on appeal to challenge what Omotosho ruled. That’s all.
Sunday Igboho, who was also facing terrorism charges, has been pardoned, and last week, his name was removed from the ‘Wanted List.’ What are your thoughts about both cases?
Find out what happened before he was pardoned; has he recused himself from certain stance he had before? He had been in the country. Has he not been signing paper with other Yoruba leaders? He renounced certain things.
The message of Nnamdi Kanu is appealing to almost every Igbo man, including myself. I believe in Aburi Accord, I believe that Nigeria separate a little; this tight thing will not save us; will not help us. I believe in it, but everybody has his own method. I may not like his style. Igboho at a point changed his style to petition writing, instead of threatening. We’re all here in this country when it happened.
In spite of all that, in the interest of peace, Tinubu can grant Nnamdi Kanu pardon, and I expect he will do it, too, for political gains. He will do it. He will release him. I believe he will.
But, as a politician, he wants to do it when it can be of a political advantage to him, when it will be politically convenient for him. Watch out.
