Politics
We Insist That Power Must Shift In 2023 -Ken Robinson
As the activities leading up to the 2023 general elections in Nigeria go into full swing, socio-political and cultural regional organizations and pressure groups have also been very vocal in their advocacy for what they think is best for the country, lending their voices and addressing burning national issues.
One of such foremost organizations that has left no one in doubt concerning where it stands on such issues as what the part of the country that should produce the next president of Nigeria and corollary matters is the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
Acting Political Editor, Opaka Dokubo caught up with the National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Hon Ken Robinson in Port Harcourt and had this chat with him:
PANDEF is
demanding a Nigerian president of southern extraction, are you satisfied with the way things have gone so far?
Our major concern has been the attitude of some of our brothers from other parts of the country, particularly Northern Nigeria because of a supposed majority . In every country, you will find that the South is more populated than the northern part. But here in Nigeria, the reverse is the case and because of that supposed majority, they throw up this attitude of thinking that they can always control power or always decide who becomes the president of Nigeria. And that is the attitude that is being displayed as we go towards the 2023 elections.
Having said that, if we love this country; if we want this country to be united, to be peaceful, to be progressive, to become the great country that it should be, or to be what we claim to be the giant if Africa, then we must do things in a way and manner that will promote equity, fairness and justice.
Without equity, fairness and justice, without ever sharing of power in a diverse country like Nigeria, what you’re calling for is further crisis, is anarchy, is disaffection. There is a strong feeling of alienation in certain sections of the country, particilarly in Southern Nigeria and that is why we have insisted and will continue to insist that after eight years of a northern presidency, the next president of Nigeria should come from Southern Nigeria.
And for us in PANDEF, we have said that whether it goes to the South west, Southeast or South South, it’s a different matter all together and we will not mind if the next president comes from the Southwest, Southeast or South South, power must rotate, or Power should rotate to Southern Nigeria in 2023.
What we see today is the display of political arrogance, political irrationality, political dishonesty to the greatest height. We hear particularly in the Peoples Democratic Party, that the people should consider winning election rather than zoning the presidency. Does that mean that there is any zone in Nigeria where there are no competent persons to win election in Nigeria?
Obasanjo won an election for the PDP; he is not from the north. Goodluck Jonathan won an election for the PDP, he is from the North. Of course. Yar Adua won election for the PDP, he is not from the North.
What it means is that anybody in Nigeria that is competent, that is capable can win election for any political party. The person must not come from the north in particular for him or her to win an election. So, the insinuation or the inpression that if PDP zones its presidency to southern Nigeria, PDP cannot win an election is insulting to the people of Sothern Nigeria and completely unacceptable to us, and we have insisted that power must rotate.
Any political party in Nigeria that does not zone its presidency to Southern Nigeria, the people of Southern Nigeria will mobilize and work against that party. That’s our position.
I was actually going to ask you what will happen to the PDP in particular that seems not keen on zoning the presidency to the south?
PANDEF is actually working with Afnifere from the Southwest, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the Southeast and elements of the Middle Melt under the Middle Belt Forum. We want to believe that they are together with us in all that we have said because these pronounaments have been made under the anspices of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum comprising these aforementioned orgainsations.
We have said that if any of the major political parties in the country does not zone its presidential ticket to the south, we are going to work against that party.
The position we have taken is that we will wait until the party primaries are concluded. After the party primaries are concluded, we will see the choices that are presidented to us and if one of the two parties gives us a southern presidency, and the others does not, we will sit down and discuss and see how we can mobilize and ensure that Southern Nigeria punishes the party that is against us.
Beyond the issue of zoning, what are some of the other issues that should be on the front burner as we go into the 2023 elections?
One of the greatest challenges in Nigeria today is insecurity and the next president of Nigeria should be able to stabilize Nigeria the next president of Nigeria; should be able to defuse the disaffections and the feelings of dissent in the country. The next president should be able to promote unity. And of course, the economy of the countr. The next president of the country should be able to see how we can boost Nigeria’s economy and make lining in Nigeria less difficult. And we are saying we have those kind of persons in abundance in the south south, in the southeast, and of course in the southwest.
So, beyond the issue of zoning, we need a Nigeria that is stable if we are not stable, we can’t talk about any other thing.
Now, after the stability of Nigeria, for PANDEF and the Southern and the Middle Belt Leaders forum, we are concerned about the inqualities, structural defects in the country, and that’s about restructuring to bring about devolution of power; let some issues that are over centralised at the centre be devolved to the states; and let there be stronger institutions so that some of the excesses that people fear may arise if more powers are given to states may as well be checked.
So, outside zoning, we’re talking about the stability of Nigeria, the restruturing of Nigeria; we’re talking about peace in Nigeria.
Going into 2023, are you confident that the elections are going to be remarkably different from previous exercises?
Nigerians clamored and insisted that the National Assembly should incorporate the electronic transmition of election results into the ElectoralAct and reluctantly they did; reluctantly the president signed it into law. So, INEC has a legal mandate to ensure that the transmission of results is done electronically.
Don’t forget that one of the major problems the Nigerian electoral process has faced is the transformation of results between the voting point and the collation point. We had seen situations where results that are announced at the polling units are completely different from final results that are announced.
So, if this electronic transmission of results is strictly adhered to in all parts of Nigeria (don’t forget that when the card reader issue came as, in some party of Nigeria card readers would work, in some other parts of Nigeria card readers would not work).
So, we will hope that INEC will have the administrative will and courage to stick to the electronic transmission of results across Nigeria without stories of network failures in parts of the country and network access in other parts of the country.
If it is done across Nigeria, we think that the 2023 results will, significantly, have a shift from previous ones.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, on Tuesday lamented that Nigerians have been turned into refugees in their own country.
Mr Obi made the remarks during the presentation of the book titled “Obi, The Political Change Agent” in Abuja.
He said that Nigerians must rise and change the current political system, adding that the current structure does not care about the people.
The former Anambra State governor highlighted the sufferings faced by Nigerians, as he listed issues troubling the country to include insecurity, poverty, theft, and lack of accountability by public officials, among others.
He urged collective efforts to dismantle the proceeds of ill-gotten wealth, insisting that “any country where those in government are richer than business people is an unproductive country. A very simple definition of production is value.”
He said the current system is totally unproductive, adding that the country has raised “Nigerian masters” who have destroyed rail lines and other infrastructures built by the colonial masters.
Mr Obi further explained that to rebuild the country, Nigerians must make sacrifices, as he disclosed that the Obidient Movement would look for genuine people who are willing to fix the country at all levels.
His remarks may not be unconnected to the activities of some federal lawmakers originally elected on the platform of the LP and have been criticised for allegedly abandoning their core opposition functions.
Meanwhile, the 2023 LP flag- bearer, while calling for transparency in the upcoming 2027 poll, cautioned against attempts to truncate the process.
He stressed, “We will make the election count. And those who don’t want it to count, we’ll count them.”
Speaking earlier in a welcome remark, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr Tanko Yunusa, stated that the momentum for the 2027 election had grown from a quest to change the old order of the negative Nigerian landscape to one of the biggest social/ideological movements in Africa and the world.
Dr Yunusa disclosed that the Obedient Movement is not a political organisation or an election regularisation scheme, but simply a movement that focuses on rejigging governance by pointing its direction to the people, and espousing the dividends of democracy for the people.
“Our beloved nation, Nigeria, stands at crossroads. The old ways have failed us, and the status quo is no longer tenable, yet, amidst the challenges, we find opportunities for growth, innovation, and progress.
“The Obidient Movement, led by our champion of change, Mr Peter Obi, embodies this spirit of transformation.
“The Obidient Movement is more than just a political phenomenon; it represents a shift in the narrative, a call to action, and a demand for a better future. It is a testament to the power of collective action, the resilience of the human spirit, and the unwavering desire for a brighter tomorrow.
“As we embark on this intellectual journey, we will explore the themes of resilience and the unyielding desire for a better Nigeria.
“We shall examine the role of leadership, the power of collective action, and the imperative of embracing a new vision for our nation’s future.
“We will discuss the challenges we faced, the opportunities we have, and the strategies we must employ to build a Nigeria that is just, equitable, and prosperous for all”, Dr Yunusa said.
The National Coordinator insisted that the inevitability of a new Nigeria is not just a dream but a necessity.
“We owe it to ourselves, our children, and future generations to ensure that our nation is a place where everyone can thrive, where everyone can live with dignity, and where everyone can reach their full potential.
“As we celebrate our principal, Mr. Peter Obi, it is pertinent that we bear in mind that this auspicious gathering today is far more than just the presentation of a book”, he added.
He said that the Movement could boast of 28 states with 7 outstanding states soon to be announced, with 540 LGAs out of 774, with 234 to be completed.
In her remarks, the Acting National Chairman of the LP, Senator Nenadi Usman, highlighted that in every generation, there arises a voice that does not merely echo the frustrations of the people but dares to chart a new path for them.
“Mr. Peter Obi, whose life and political saga we unveil today, has become such a voice. This book, meticulously authored and boldly titled tells a story far beyond politics. It is the story of accountability against impunity, simplicity against flamboyance, principle against expediency, and prudence against financial recklessness”, she said.
The factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, has warned that unless the suspended Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, seeks genuine reconciliation, not even his defection to the APC will save him from impeachment.
Chief Okocha, who spoke at a media briefing at the national secretariat of the APC, Abuja, on Tuesday, warned again that not even the lifting of the emergency rule will stop the impeachment of the Governor, wondering why he had been lobbying for his reinstatement.
He also took a swipe at the former Governor of the State and ex-Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as a partyless politician since he is no longer a member of the APC.
Asked if suspended GovernorFubara joining the APC will make his sins to be forgiven, Chief Okocha thundered, “Fubara’s suspension and the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State had no business whatsoever with politics. It was about his misdemeanour, and I said to you that he said that the President saved his job by declaring the state of emergency.
“Don’t forget that the Supreme Court in its judgment had said that there was no government in Rivers State. So, if there was no government in the State, something must be done, and that which happened was the declaration of the state of emergency…
“If Fubara decides to join the APC, it has nothing to do with the state of emergency in Rivers State. His sins cannot be forgiven because he came to our party. It is not true”.
He has not spoken to me. He will enter the party through the door, not the window. Not only him, there are procedures for defection to another party, and if he claims to be a politician, he will know that all politics is local; he will try and defect in his ward”.
Former Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mr Solomon Dalung, has described politicians moving from opposition parties into the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) as sinners seeking forgiveness.
Mr Dalung, who spoke in Abuja disagreed with the postulation that politicians were trooping into the APC because the ruling party has performed well, “rather they are sinners, who are seeking forgiveness for their numerous sins.”
Mr Dalung said the defectors were only fulfilling what a former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, said regarding corrupt politicians, that no matter the gravity of their sins, they would be forgiven as soon as they joined the APC.
Senator Oshiomhole has severally denied this quote attributed to him but politicians have continued to use it.
He said, “These are people who have committed heinous crimes against the Nigerian people and they are jumping into the APC ship for the forgiveness of their sins. Not that they believe in Tinubu, no; they do not. They are only assembling so that their sins will be forgiven.
“So it is a conclave of political cardinals who have committed grave sins against the Nigerian people and a political party has offered them the opportunity of forgiveness on entrance”.
The former Minister also warned that if care is not taken, the defectors would create problems in the ruling party in the future.
He said, “You know there is an adage in Hausa that if animals celebrate the death of a butcher, has the knife also died? If beneficiaries of the mandate of the people are defecting, have the people also defected?
“So there is no value added to Tinubu except that he has compounded the situation in his party and there will be an implosion.”
He also dismissed concern in certain quarters that the entrance of politicians like the former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai into the Social Democratic Party (SDP) could be a potential threat to the presidential ambition of Prince Adewole Adebayo, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, adding that “Adebayo’s political charisma, image and personality within the Nigerian political environment has presented him as an obvious force to deal with in 2027.”
He emphasized that Prince Adebayo is the only presidential candidate who has consistently maintained a media campaign against the failed and unpopular policies of the current government.
“So, Nigerians are very conversant with Adebayo’s voice, charisma and leadership qualities. So, whether you mobilize the whole politicians into the SDP, you must resolve the question of Adebayo in the SDP as a presidential candidate before any other person.
“This is because nobody has promoted the SDP in Nigeria like Adebayo. After Chief MKO Abiola, you rank Adebayo in the contemporary SDP as the highest. So, the concern as some people are expressing is normal. Human beings entertain such fears but the reality is that the name SDP since 2023 has been sustained unilaterally by the doggedness, commitment, dedication and selflessness of Prince Adebayo.
“So, he is a force to beat in whatever political arrangement that the SDP will put on ground to produce a presidential candidate. He is a patriot who did not join politics for himself; he has surrendered the rest of his life to the service of humanity and he did that at his 50th birthday.”