Tag: Arewa Consultative Forum

Chief Anthony N. Z Sani is the Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). In this interview with Abdulgafar Alabelewe, he talks on the state of the nation’s politics, vote buying and National Assembly leadership crisis, among others.

Primary elections and conventions of political parties have been concluded and presidential candidates and others are now known, how does ACF see the processes and events that led to the emergence of these candidates?

The processes that led to the emergence of the candidates in most of the political parties differ from party to party. For example, in the APC the process for emergence of presidential candidate was through direct primary which gave all registered political party members the right to vote Yes or No on President Muhammadu Buhari, whereas at state level the process was either direct primary or indirect primary where some select party members voted for party candidates in representative capacity. In other words, the processes were not uniform in APC.

We do not think that was good enough for the ruling party. Similarly, the idea that only the incumbent President stood unopposed is reminiscent of 2015 when PDP printed only one nomination form for the incumbent president. Such practice does not help the political fortune of the ruling party. Rather, it makes other aspirants to feel short changed and look for other political parties where their aspiration could find political space. I guess it is the lack of political space that made many of the gladiators to defect to other political parties where they had hoped their aspirations could come unto their own.

On the other hand, the main opposition party, PDP, had a uniform process of indirect primary at both national and state levels.

There was also another process which produced candidates through consensus. How they were able to build such consensus without intimidation is unknown to some of us. But the common mantra in all the processes adopted by all the political parties in the conventions and congresses suggest all the political parties fear to subject their parties through the rigour of internal democracy. Hence the topsy-turvy that is the aftermath of such conventions and congresses. We, therefore, advise the political parties to realize that without internal democracy in our political parties, democracy would hardly take root and thrive. This is because our political class would not learn from experiences how to resolve conflicts arising from party conventions and congresses.

Talking about the APC’s direct and indirect primaries; what is the effect of that on internal democracy? Which one is good for the nation’s democracy?

Direct party primary is where all the registered political party members have the right to vote for aspirants of their choice and wish. The candidates who emerge from direct primary often reflect the wish and choice of majority of the registered party members. Direct primary is not easily susceptible to abuse of power and influence of money. As a result, such process can improve internal democracy within political parties leading to proper democracy based on triple foundation of justice, liberty and common decency.

On the other hand, indirect primary is where some select registered party members are convinced to vote for their choice of candidates in representative capacity during conventions and congresses. The drawback of this method is that the process can be abused by influence of power and money. That explains why politicians seek to outdo themselves in control of party machineries, and those who lose out engage in parallel congresses or defect to other political parties.

Indirect primaries therefore hardly promote internal democracy especially in inchoate democracies. Direct primaries should be legalized for all political parties. This is more likely to improve the volume and quality of our multiparty democracy.

There is also this rumble lately over automatic tickets for some political office holders, how democratic is that?

I do not know how the automatic tickets were arrived at by the ruling party. But I guess it was aimed at gluing senators of the ruling party together, considering the challenges posed by the defections. I only read that some senators who did not benefit from the automatic ticket feel unrewarded for their loyalty. Even though the practice of automatic ticket reeks of undemocratic attitude, it should have been arrived at after extensive consultations with the stakeholders who are rain makers in the ruling party. This is because for democracy to take root and thrive there must be genuine recognition that people matter.

There have been allegations and counter allegations by political parties over alleged vote buying, especially from the recent Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and the PDP National Convention where dollars were alleged to have played prominent role. How do you react to that?

When there were allegations of vote buying by the two major political parties in Ekiti and Osun States, most Nigerians frowned at the prospect of plutocracy that fans kleptocracy and called on the relevant authority to nip the practice in the bud lest it become part and parcel of the multiparty democracy. But the report of dollar rains in PDP convention in Port Harcourt has not vitiated the fears. Worst of all, our local currency was replaced by dollar. This is also a criminal offence requiring attention of the relevant authority.

In order to douse the flame of plutocracy from such practice of vote buying in our democracy, the relevant authorities should identify the culprits and bring them to justice for larger interest.

Just as the Presidential candidates of the political parties were emerging, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Nigeria needs a President who understands the economy. How germane is this assertion?

I do not want to believe the former President Obasanjo would want to admit that his failure to put the Nigerian economy on the path of sustainable growth were due to his inadequate qualification or knowledge of the economy, considering that he presided over a country with millions of people who could multiply his strength and impel progress. And when the former President makes such assertions, he has forgotten to let Nigerians know how to identify candidates with his perceived qualifications or knowledge of the economy or economics. Is it by educational qualifications or by conversations in social media?

I do not share that view. This is because all purposeful and effective leaders are those who impel progress by multiplying their strength through others. Motivation is often the instrument and social skill is the requirement. Consider Presidents Clinton and Obama are not economists, but were able to bring the American economies out of the woods. Even the seed of today’s America’s buoyant economy is believed to have been sown by President Obama and not President Trump. That may explain why most Americans still take a poor view of the president amid buoyant economy.

So, what do you think that the former President is up to with that statement, considering that, he himself led Nigeria without economic background?

That is exactly what comes to mind from such statement. You remember President Buhari has been the butt of jokes that he is uneducated. Those who make such allegations feign ignorance of the fact that were purposeful and effective leadership a function of mere educational qualifications, then professors would be the only ones to rule countries across the globe. People need to know there is something called autodidactic education and the most successful leaders are not necessarily those with PhD.

Now that the National Assembly has resumed, what is your take on the two chambers of the assembly being presided over by members of the minority party?

My take all along has been that minority have no place in the leadership of the legislature. This is because the minority cannot be part of the government and provide viable opposition at the same time. That is why in parliamentary system a party without clear majority cannot form government.

Nigerians need to come to terms with the practice of multiparty democracy. In multiparty democracy, it is the ruling political party that is applauded for successes or for feckless performance of the government and not the individuals. This is because the mandates are given to the political parties and not to individuals. Therefore, majority should have both its say and way while minority should have only its say as demanded by tenets of democracy.

Recently, President Buhari was under serious verbal attacks over two of his Ministers, Kemi Adeosun and Adebayo Shittu who skipped NYSC, who in your opinion is to be blamed?

Somehow, I have the impression that even though President Buhari has his shortcomings due to human frailties, he is often unfairly criticized. Consider Shittu was Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in Oyo State. How did that happen in a clime that could beleaguer even military regimes? The same with Mrs. Kemi Adeosun who was Commissioner of Finance in Ogun State. Was she not screened before confirmation?

It is possible the Buhari regime took thorough vetting of the duo for granted. And this may be because of where they come from. Most of all, it is not the job of the executive to screen and confirm the ministers. That is an exclusive preserve of the Senate. Look at how thorough the recent screening of President Trump’s nominee for Supreme Court was handled before the confirmation. That is how it should be. But our legislatures do not consider it important to meticulously screen nominees for appointments. They are therefore more to blame for their cavalier attitudes, and not the president who is often given names that are not his own.

As we approach the 2019 general elections, what is your call to the political class and Nigerians in general?

My call to the political class is for them to know that their calling is for service to society by way of promotion of a Nigeria comprising a society that is socially diverse, politically active and economically empowered in peaceful coexistence. Hence, the significance of peaceful conduct during elections. This is because no society thrives by victory of its faction but through ultimate reconciliation. Victory and defeat are never final.

Nigerians should make judicious use of their democratic rights and ensure their votes count. Violence cannot solve problems and overcome socioeconomic challenges. Only peaceful conduct and ceaseless hard work can address perceived concerns creditably. And these cannot be matter of ON and OFF like a TV.

Secretary-General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony N. Z Sani, has opposed restructuring options put forward by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, especially six-year single term for president and governors, six vice presidents, and creation of an additional state in the Southeast. In this interview with Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Sani says structure is not Nigeria’s problem. Excerpts

WHAT is your take on recent proposal for single tenure? I do not subscribe to single tenure for president and governors let alone to multiple vice presidents, precisely because apart from being divisive, such provision has no provision for incentives, motivation and reward for hard work, since both the performing and feckless leaders are grouped the same. And we all know that any management practice that is devoid of incentives and motivation for good performance is unserviceable.

What is more, single tenure is undemocratic because it tends to limit the choice of best candidate to a particular region or zone, thereby promoting cleavages of the nation along regional or zonal lines and make people to believe that unless their own is in government, they cannot have access to national resources. This mindset is unhelpful and should not be promoted.

I cannot support multiple vice presidents which is uncalled for. We should try and make the most of our diversity given by God by working hard to overcome what divides the people.

Ohanaeze also recently called for redrafting of the current constitution of the country, saying it is a military document. Is the constitution really Nigeria’s problem?

I have never believed the constitution is the problem of Nigeria but our attitudes and the way we do things. No matter how good the law, the usefulness to society has to do with judgement of the operators. I do not think our problems have to do with the constitution but with our attitudes and the way we do things.

Now that you said structure is not Nigeria’s problem, would you then welcome the idea of scrapping the local government, as proposed in some quarters, considering that local government is the closest to the people?

Those hankering for abolition of local government are those who believe everything which does not go their own way is unserviceable. This kind of mindset is unhelpful. I say this because there are criteria for creation of local governments: population, land and even cultural affinity. We cannot abolish local government system simply because a group feels short changed. I therefore see nothing wrong with the local government system. What we need do is to improve the management practices and democracy at that level by abolishing the Joint Account and state electoral commissions both of which are used by state governments against management of local government for performance.

Aside their agitation for resource control, the Igbos are also asking for creation of one more state in the Southeast, do you think these requests are legitimate?

I find it morally preposterous for Southeast to ask for additional state purely on equality as if there are no standard criteria used for creation of states. There are standard and acceptable criteria applied in creation of states. You would recall it was Dr. Alex Ekwueme who espoused and brought about the six geopolitical zones by giving the Southeast five states and Northwest seven states while the other four zones of Northcentral, Northeast, South-south and Southwest got six states each. For him to turn around and cry foul that Southeast has been short-changed is hard to understand. I say this because the Igbo are acting his script.

The argument that an additional state be created in Southeast on equality cannot hold water because the former Eastern Region had nine states, the former Western Nigeria had six states and the former Mid-Western region has two states. Were equality a sole criteria for creation of states, Mid-Western region would also enjoy nine states to make it equal with the former Eastern region.

And finally, I wish to appeal to the Southeast to note that injustice is not only when equals are treated unequally but also it is injustice when unequals are treated equally. Land mass and population of Northwest are not the same with those of Southeast.

Are you in support of adoption of the 2014 National Conference report, as solicited by Ohanaeze?

While I agree that some of the recommendations of the 2014 could be useful, it is undemocratic and morally wrong to adopt the reports and use it to undertake far-reaching reforms of the polity, especially when regard is paid to the fact that the conference was of unelected delegates.

As regards the call for resource control, I do not see the wisdom because natural resources of land and mineral resources are commonwealth that hold the nation together. I therefore prefer natural resources be left on the exclusive list.

What in your own opinion is the way out of these mutual suspicions and mistrust among the various groups that make up Nigeria?

My opinion is that multi-party democracy be allowed to take its course. You would note that the good things of life are never natural order of things but are attained through ceaseless hard work by both leaders and the led.

Has the North taken a position on restructuring which the Coalition of Northern Youths has criticised?

I am not aware. This is because the Northern States Governors Forum, as elected leaders of the North, has constituted a committee to collate the views of stakeholders for purpose of an informed position which most northerners share.

However, the Northern States Governors Forum is yet to make the positions shared by most northerners on restructuring public.