Follow Us on Google
Mr Patrick Lawson is a Kaduna-based, Abia State-born conflict manager and convener, Integrity Group for Better Nigeria (IGBN), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working for a peaceful coexistence across the country.
In this interview with NOAH EBIJE in Kaduna, Mr Lawson expressed worry about presidential campaigns going on across the country, noting that the campaigns are devoid of developmental issues and reduced to what he called dog-chop-dog, at the detriment of the masses and entire stakeholders of good governance.
He spoke on other issues.
What can you say about the presidential campaigns?
What I can say about the presidential campaigns is that it has now amounted to what I will describe as ‘dog-chop-dog.’ Every candidate has resorted to backbiting, trying to get what he will get from the crowd. But one thing they should realise is that they should tell the people what they want to do for them. Tell the people what kind of leadership you want to offer, tell them to hold you accountable if you fail in your promises, so that if you fail to do what you promised then they will hold you accountable at the end of the day.
And I am saying that the electorate should grow up to know how to hold leaders responsible and accountable. Leadership is all about service, and if you don’t serve the people, they should not applaud you or elect you. I see no reason why people should applaud a governor or any elected leader for digging a borehole for them because they are managing the people’s resources. If you rendered service that you ought to render, you don’t need anybody to applaud you because you are the custodian of their resources. So Nigerians should wise up. And I pray Nigeria lives, so that the people will get the leadership that will serve them better. As the convener of Integrity for Better Nigeria (IGBN), we are mobilising our over 20,000 members to vote for a better leadership in the forthcoming general elections in our dear country. We are praying to God to help us do the right thing. Our members will support a leader who has equity, justice and fairness in his mind for the betterment of the entire country.
Many Nigerians are also worried that ethnicity, tribal and regional sentiments have crept into political campaigns. How worried are you?
The masses don’t understand this language of using religion, tribe and what have you; it is all about divide and rule, but these politicians do everything together. They dine and wine together without religion and tribal sentiments. And that is why I am saying that Nigerians should be wise so that we are not divided along religion and tribal sentiments. If you want to enter a vehicle from Kaduna to whatever destination, you don’t ask what tribe is the driver and what is his religion. The driver could be a Yoruba man, Igbo man, Hausa man or any other tribe. You enter the vehicle and pray for a safe journey to your destination. The same thing if you are travelling by air, you don’t ask who is the pilot. All you want is to get to your destination safely. So Nigerians should be more worried about their destination, and not who is taking them to the destination because who takes you is inconsequential but will he drop you where you are going. Nigeria needs a person that can take the people to the promised land.
How will you rate the quality of programmes by the presidential candidates so far?
Programmes are not manifestoes. We should look at the implementation of manifestoes. We have seen political parties that have perfect manifestoes without proper implementation. You should have asked me those who will implement the manifestoes letter to letter. It is about the execution of ideas in the manifesto. So we are looking forward to those who will implement their manifestoes letter to letter.
You are the Convener of a non-governmental organisation, Integrity Group for Better Nigeria (IGBN). What has been the contribution of your members towards the growth of democracy in the country?
This organisation has done so much in terms of voter education, to make people realise that Nigeria should grow above party politics, telling elected persons to carry everybody along irrespective of party differences, that the era of winner taking it all is gone for good, if you win an election, look beyond your party and look for those who can help you to deliver. For instance, Dr. Okonjo Iweala was not a card carrying member of the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the time President Olusegun Obasanjo went and picked her to work for his government. And she delivered. So if you win an election, try to develop a large heart and bring on board those that can deliver irrespective of where they belong.
What’s your opinion about the G5 governors and their feud with the PDP leadership?
If you look at their fight, I will say it is a big man’s fight. But again if you look at it, Wike may have his reasons and other members of the party may have their reasons. What I am saying is that he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day. They should look at the soul of the larger Nigeria than the personality clash they have engaged themselves in. They should look beyond self and sit at a round table to trash out their grievances and come together amicably for a better Nigeria.
I am being careful on this issue because our organisation, IGBN is not founded to work for a particular political party but for the betterment of the entire country. We are out to propagate good governance in the country. But I want to tell Governor Wike and his group that it is better to be united to a larger group because united we stand, and divided we fall. It is always good to go with the majority.
What is your advice to INEC towards the forthcoming elections?
The point is that our organisation had visited INEC office in Kaduna, had discussions with the them, we have explained to them the need for them to remain credible, because the elections they conducted in Ekiti and Osun States showed that they have improved tremendously in conducting elections. And Mr. President has also assured Nigerians that he will ensure a free and fair election for peaceful handover on May 29. So we are trusting God that INEC will deliver a free and fair election.
What’s your opinion about politicians rushing to the Chatham House London to sell their programmes?
One thing you should take note of is that Nigeria is a very huge market, so the election in Nigeria is a global thing. So I don’t really fault them going to London to tell the whole world about Nigeria.
Don’t you think they can do same from here in Nigeria?
Yes, you are correct to some extent. There is nothing actually bad going to Kuru to do same thing they are doing in London. But physical appearance sometimes matters a lot. We will get there one day. It is a trying moment.
Recently President Muhammadu Buhari warned the international community not to interfere with the forthcoming elections. What do you have to say to this?
I don’t know how much the international community has been interfering before now. The president who is at the helm of affairs knows the level of interference. He contested election and won the election, I don’t know whether they interfered. Be that as it may be, for me I don’t think they are coming to interfere, but as international observers of the elections to see whether we are getting things right. So for me, I don’t know what Mr. President means by interference.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently came under heavy criticism for endorsing the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi. What is your reaction?
Why should he be under criticism? He is a Nigerian, and he is entitled to his opinion. And nobody can fault him for expressing his opinion. You cannot fault him because he is exercising his franchise. Democracy is freedom of expression. Everybody is free to declare support for which candidate he or she wants. He has every right to endorse whoever he wants to endorse. To me, it doesn’t matter whatever anybody is saying.
Some Nigerians are saying that age is no longer on the side of some of the presidential candidates, and that they may not be able to perform optimally in office if they become president. Does that also bother you?
For me, age plays a very important role because the younger you are, the better you lead. But again we have seen a situation in Nigeria where younger ones were given the opportunity as governors and they didn’t do well. And again if you are old and your brain is still intact you can still lead the people. Age could still be on the side of the old people. Leadership is not about one person, it is a team work. If you are old and you are still strong, reason well, healthy, there is nothing wrong with your age, you can still lead the people. The important thing is for the old person to lead well as long as he is healthy. So for me age is no issue.
Insecurity is still prevalent all over the country. How concerned are you?
I am seriously very much concerned about insecurity in the country because when people are not secured, it means there is a problem somewhere. Sometimes you think and begin to ask yourself, is it politically motivate? Something is fundamentally wrong somewhere. And I think the nation’s leadership should rise to the occasion. My call to the government and security agencies is that they should rise up to the occasion because Nigeria has what it takes to end insecurity in the country. So I am calling on government to rise up to the occasion and find lasting solutions to the security challenges.
Some Nigerians fear that the election may be marred by crises across the country. What’s your view on this?
If politicians believe that they are but mortals, they should know that it is God who gives power and He gives to whom He wishes. I remember Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri of blessed memory who would say there should be politics without bitterness.
Politicians should play politics without bitterness because after politics there is still a relationship, brotherhood, family. They should take it easy, if you don’t win an election this time, next time you may get it. If you know you have something to contribute to the development of this country you don’t need to be a president, governor or Senator before you contribute your quota or before you bring suggestions to solve our security challenges.
Some people are also worried about money politics in the country. Are you also worried?
You see, on money politics, sometimes you cannot blame the people. Nigerians are hungry. Nigerians are desperate and a hungry man is an angry man. Bring a bag of garri and throw it at a man who had not eaten for two days, he will dive at it. So it is a deliberate thing to make Nigerians hungry and poor so that whatever they bring for them during or before election they will accept it. Even at that, no matter how hungry you are you don’t lose your sense of reasoning. Think right and take it right.
