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Tag: BUHARI

  • Buhari: why I became a democrat

    Buhari: why I became a democrat

    President-elect Muhammadu Buhari yesterday made a solemn promise to Nigerians –  that his administration will not betray them.

    Besides, he spoke of his belief in multi-party democracy.

    Gen. Buhari, who was receiving a  Taraba State delegation, led by the All Progessives Congress (APC) governorship  candidate, Senator Aisha Alhassan, said the people sacrificed a lot to achieve the success being celebrated across the country.

    Acknowledging the fact that some people lost in the process, the President-elect said: “We will never betray the people because they have risked everything. Some even lost their lives in this cause to make sure that APC succeeds and that we have a leadership in place that they trust. That is what multi party democracy is all about.”

    Gen. Buhari promised a broad-based government, saying: “I assure you that the government of the APC, when eventually put in place, will be a competent Nigerian government.”

    Explaining his belief in multi-partly democracy, the president-elect said: “I will tell you what made me a multi-party democrat. In 1991, after coming out of detention, I was sitting at home and the Soviet Union collapsed.

    “They were the world power fighting the western world. In technology, they were the first to go to space and they had intercontinental war heads than NATO. They had more sophisticated weapons, but something happened. There was confusion.

    “Today, there’re 18 countries in the former Soviet Union. That was when I believed that multi-party democratic system is a superior form of governance and that is why I joined democracy.

    “We have made a big stride this year and I assure you God willing, if we survive the next four years, Nigerians will be in a position to confidently raise their heads up and elect their own representatives and leaders.

    “They will choose those they want as their representatives from local  government, states, to the centre. I will fight for free, fair and credible election because that is why I remained in politics. I thank you very much for the sacrifices you have made to make sure we succeeded.”

    Gen. Buhari went on: “I think that 2015 will go down in Nigeria’s political history as a glorious year. Nigerians have deliberately understood what is multi party democracy. But we thank God for technology-PVC and card reader.

    “If not this, luck we had with technology and the insistence of constituencies to make sure they are used, in two political zones where they were subverted, the people wanted to vote, but hey were not allowed to vote.

    “They continued with what they used to do; retun to their party offices or their siting rooms, write the results, go to radio house and television house and announce the result and say whoever does not want the result should go to court.

    “How many people can go to court when they are struggling to get the next day’s meal? Where will they get the millions to give to those Senior Advocates of Nigeria? I was able to do it because of the goodwill of Nigerians, which again demonstrated itself this year.

    “People agreed that I am not a very rich man, but I was lucky that Nigerians believe in me and they put their strength together, voted and made sure that their votes count. I say thanks to the technology. Please continue to support those among you that you feel will go and work for your state and for the country.”

    On the battle for Taraba governors, he said: “It was a battle well fought and I am very pleased that you have taken the honourable way out. According to the Nigerian constitution,  you go to court. I was there three times and ended up in the Supreme Court.

    “Sometimes, people wonder why I tried so hard. I tried so hard because it is a system I believe in. I believe that multi-party democratic system is the best form of governance with a big caveat that election must be free and fair. Really, this is why I am in it. I was in APP.

    “I joined partisan politics in April 2002 and on that date, at my ward, I said that those who knew me, and myself, following my career antecedent in the military, if people say that I’ll participate in partisan politics, people would not believe it and I will not also believe it.

    “But I found myself in it and I never turned back. Within one year, APP gave me the ticket. There were governors, senators and much older people than me, but all the same, I got the ticket. I lost. I was in court for 30 months. In 2007, we tried to have a limited merger and became ANPP and, again, I participated and was told I lost.

    “ I went to court for 20 months up to the Supreme Court and I felt that my party was not fair to me. While I was in court, the leadership of he party proceeded and took two marginal ministries in late Yar’Adua’s cabinet and an adviser.

    For that disgraceful behavior by the party leadership, I left the party and we floated the CPC. Again, I attempted in 2011 and lost and, again, I was in court for about eight months and I contested now for the fourth time under APC, having successfully gone through with the merger of the three legacy parties.

    “So, Aisha, don’t give up. You are younger and this is your first attempt. I contested three times and this is my fourth attempt. I hope that you succeed in the court. I am impressed by the quality of Taraba people you brought here. I think that for all I get and purpose, the whole of Taraba is here and I am very grateful for that inspite of your expensive shopping list .“You said you have gold, you have tantalite, you want your roads to be finished, you want agriculture. If you will, I think I am in trouble. Honestly, I hope you will win in the court.”

    Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation, Senator Aisha Alhasan, urged the President-elect to ensure a fair deal for Taraba State in his administration, adding that the state had been unfairly treated in the past.

  • Buhari blames politicians for slow growth in oil, gas sector

    Buhari blames politicians for slow growth in oil, gas sector

    President-ELECT Muhammadu Buhari has blamed politicians for the slow pace of development in the nation’s oil and gas sector.

    Buhari, who spoke when he received delegation from Total Oil Exploration and Production Group, said the slow progress recorded in the development of the country’s gas production and distribution infrastructure could be attributed to sheer sabotage by politicians and inefficiency by the officials.

    However, the  Chief Executive Officer of Total Group, Mr. Patrick Pouyanne, assured that his company has directed its downstream subsidiary to ensure all-round supply of petroleum product to its 500 distribution outlets throughout the country.

    He told reporters after a congratulatory visit to the President-elect that the management of the company has discussed the way forward with the Federal Government and that some of suggestions were being implemented.

    “We have discussed and I think some solutions are being implemented. Our downstream subsidiary, Total Nigeria Plc, is doing its best in order to supply its 500 outstations throughout the country with fuel to help check the scarcity.

    “Nigeria is an important nation in our business outlook. It presently accounts for over 10 per cent of Total Group’s investment worldwide. We are not just involved in the Upstream and natural gas production, but in the downstream operations.

    “We are deeply concerned on the current challenges being witnessed  in Nigeria and global oil market.”

    Pouyanne, who was accompanied by the Managing Director, Total Nigeria  Plc,  Elizabeth Proust, said they came to congratulate the president-elect and Nigerians on the on-going smooth transition of power.

  • ‘Buhari should punish looters’

    ‘Buhari should punish looters’

    Senator-elect Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central) spoke on the recent general elections, power shift and the other transition programme. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN met him.

    What does Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory portend for the country?

    Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory portends hope for the country. It also portends a new dawn for the Nigerian people. He is a dogged fighter and never tired of fighting the cause of the down-trodden. He has a duty to rekindle our hopes, to give the nation a new sense of direction by containing and combating fundamental issues that retard our progress as a nation; that tarnishes our image.  Nigerians are hopeful that Gen. Buhari will clear the mess which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has heaped on Nigeria in the last 16 years.

    The people of Southsouth and Southeast allege that their counterparts from the North and Southwest ganged-up to remove President Goodluck Jonathan from office. What’s your view?

    In democracy, gang-up is legitimate. They had their gang-up in 2011 and crashed in 2015. A bigger gang-up is at play. The Southsouth and the Southeast should adapt themselves to the reality on ground. That reality is that Nigeria has done away with the Jonathan era. They should embrace the change that has taken place in Nigeria.

    Do you think the sack of former Inspector General of Police Suleiman Abba was necessary?

    It was not necessary for a President whose tenure would terminate in the next one month. President Jonathan became a frustrated and angry man since he lost presidential election. He was on revenge mission. The police had performed creditably in the general elections, compared to the past when they were biased. They remained neutral throughout the general elections. They adhered strictly to the ethics and professionalism codes in discharging their duties during the elections.

    Will the probe of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) not distract Gen Buhari?

    Buhari must institute a probe on the NNPC accounts for two fundamental objectives: for the recovery of the looted money and to punish those involved in the looting of the treasury. If we don’t probe, we are setting a bad precedent and giving the perpetrators a leeway to continue the looting. All stolen money should be returned and the looters punished. People say we should forgive. How do you forgive what you don’t know. We need to know the level of rot before we can give.

    How should the new federal cabinet be set up?

    The incoming cabinet should be made up of competent people, not a theatre for settling political patronage. He should not appoint people for the sake of compensating them for their contributions to his electoral victory. If he fails, he will carry the blame. If he succeeds, he and his team will get the commendation. Nigeria is in emergency, we need people that can assist in rescuing it. The cabinet of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo were made up of people that were rewarded for their contribution for his electoral victory.

    As a Senator-elect, will you support a reduction in the salaries and allowances of legislators?

    If the sacrifice is in the national interest, it is a welcome development. We should all make sacrifice. Patriotism should not be for poor people alone. All of us should be ready to make sacrifice for the progress of the country.

    Will you encourage the government to honour the late Chief Moshood Abiola?

    Yes, I will use the Senate platform to ensure that a presidential library in Abuja and a monument in the National Assembly are named after the late Chief Abiola. He remains the hero of freedom and democracy and the foundation of our democratic journey in the past 16 years. Without the sacrifice made by Abiola there would be no democracy in this country today. All political office holders are beneficiaries of Abiola’s sacrifice.

    The success of March 28 presidential elections will be better attributed to the sacrifice made by Abiola. He lived at a time when human sacrifice was very rare. It was resistance against the annulment of June 12 that gave Nigerians the inspiration to resist dictatorship and call for positive change. The hopes and dreams dashed in the past 16 years are now reawakening with a new government to be installed on May 29. Buhari was one of the few northerners who called for the revalidation of Abiola’s mandate in the heat of the struggle.

    The PDP government appreciates party members holding political office and people that are loyal to government in power. Many Nigerians who struggled for the restoration of democracy are not recognised. MKO Abiola deserves all the honours we can bestow on him. Heroes in other climes do not die in vain.

    What is your plan for Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone?

    I will pursue bills that will enhance five major areas: education, jobs, industry, healthcare, peace and security. All these are vital to the development of my senatorial district.

    It appears the youths have taken over the political leadership of Kaduna State. What do you think?

    Yes, you are correct. In Kaduna State today, there is new spirit, new order, new era, new generation that think differently from the old brigade. A new political order has emerged. The youths are challenging the older generation and determined to bring down the wall of conservatism that dominates northern political class in the past.

  • My security officials must obey traffic laws – Buhari

    My security officials must obey traffic laws – Buhari

    The President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, has instructed police and military security personnel attached to him to respect traffic regulations during his movements.

    In a statement released by his media team in Abuja, General Buhari said law abiding would be the guiding philosophy of his administration,.

    “Without leadership by example, the ordinary citizens would become copycats of the lawlessness of their leaders.”

    The President-elect explained that the “arrogance of power, lawlessness and disregard for the rights and convenience of fellow citizens would have no place in his government.”

     According to him, for leaders to inspire respect, they must obey the laws of country, adding that when leaders treat the country’s laws with contempt, they might send the wrong message to the citizens.

     General Buhari lamented a situation where fellow citizens are punished at traffic points and public roads because of the “arrogant lawlessness of the leaders.”

     He said in a democracy, leaders should not inflict inconveniences and other unbearable ordeals on the citizens for their own comfort.

     The President-elect advised his military and police security personnel to be in tune with his philosophy of “bringing the rule of law in the conduct of leaders during their movements on public roads.”

     

  • Buhari to Nigerians: I won’t betray you – Buhari

    Buhari to Nigerians: I won’t betray you – Buhari

    President elect, Gen. Muhammdu Buhari, on Wednesday assured Nigerians that his government will not betray them, saying 2015 will go down in the political history of Nigeria as a glorious year.

    Buhari, who spoke when he received a delegation from Taraba State led by the All Progressive Congress governorship candidate, Senator Aisha Alhassan, said Nigerian people sacrificed a lot to achieve the success currently being celebrated across the country.

    While acknowledging the fact that some people lost in the process, the President -elect said, “We will never betray the people because they have risked everything. Some even lost their lives in this course to make sure that APC succeeded and that we have a leadership in place that they trust. That is what multi party democracy is all about.”

    He also assured that he will form a broad based government saying, “I assure you that the government of the APC, when eventually put in place will be a competent Nigerian government.”

    He continued: “I will tell you what made me a multi- party democrat. In 1991, after coming out of detention, I was sitting at home and the Soviet Union collapsed.

    “They were the world power fighting the western world. In technology, they were the first to go to space. They had more sophisticated weapons, but something happened. There was confusion and everybody went their way.

    “Today, there are 18 countries in the former Soviet Union. That was when I believed that multi- party democratic system is a superior form of governance and that is why I joined democracy.

    “We have made a big stride this year and I assure you God willing, if we survive the next four years, Nigerians will be in a position to confidently raise their head up and elect their own representatives and leaders.

    “They will choose those they want as their representatives from local government, states and to the centre. I will fight for free, fair d credible election because that is why I remained politics. I thank you very much for the sacrifices you have made to make sure we succeeded.”

  • Still on the matter of Buhari and AIT

    “If it were left on me to decide whether we should have a government without Newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” – Thomas Jefferson

    The above quotation from Thomas Jefferson, a former President of the United States, underscores the importance of the media in a democracy. The media is the lifeline of any nation. It provides not only information on what may affect the normal human being in his day-to-day functioning, but also by other features that keep him informed of developments, national and international. In Nigeria, the press has always been in the forefront of the nation’s democratic struggle. From the colonial era to the post-independent era, the press has been a major rallying point for the people. It is to its credit that it has outlived many anti-people governments, though with many wounds and scars. In the dark days of the military, when men of courage and honour were few, the press, it was, that fought the military to a standstill.

    Considering its critical role of the press in a democracy, many have questioned the recent barring of African Independent Television, AIT, from covering the activities of Nigeria’s President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari. Bearing in mind how the press fared during his reign as a military dictator, many have thought and, perhaps, rightly so, that this might be the sign of things to come in the yet to be inaugurated Buhari led government. It is, however, heartwarming that the President-elect and, indeed, his political party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, have both dissociated themselves from the alleged ban. According to a statement from General Buhari, he was neither consulted nor informed about the AIT barring, and only became aware of the matter after the public uproar it generated.

    While one welcomes General Buhari and his party’s swift response to the AIT imbroglio, it is however, important o stress that gagging the press would not be in the best interest of any individual, organisation or government. Any attempt to gag the press is an affront on democracy. Restricting the press from performing its constitutional duty is completely against the spirit of liberty and the rule of law in a democracy. It would result in a slide into anarchy. If the media has impeded on the right of any individual or organisation in the discharge of its duty, there are constitutional ways of dealing with such. Taking recourse to constitutional means in addressing such would further help to strengthen democracy.

    However, in as much as the media plays a crucial role as the watchdog of the society and by implication the preserver of democracy, it behooves on the media to adhere strictly to ethical rules and conducts in the discharge of its functions. In a democracy, it is essential that the media exercises its duties with utmost responsibility. Democracy can only flourish with a responsible media. Being the watchdog of the society places huge responsibility on the media in terms of objectivity and non partisanship. Though, it is the right of every Nigerian to support a political party, but the media must not be seen to operate in manners that depict partiality. When this happens, democracy would be endangered.

    It is, perhaps, in this respect that one could probably affirm that the AIT erred. It is, for instance, a well know fact that the proprietor of AIT, Dr. Raymond Dopkesi, is a card carrying member of the ruling People Democratic Party, PDP. It was even alleged by the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, that Dopkesi, in the company of some soldiers during the presidential election, “attacked the electorate and disrupted elections at Auchi once they saw that the result being announced so far favoured APC and favoured Buhari”. Though, the media mogul has come out to deny the allegation, it has however cast aspersion on the reliability of his media organisation, AIT. Many have labeled the AIT has a PDP megaphone based on its perceived  biased reportage of political developments in the country and the scratchy documentaries it beamed on the President –elect, General Buhari. As it has been earlier emphasised, Dr Dopkesi is backed by the constitution to support any political party of his choice. The snag, however, is that it would be unprofessional and immoral to turn a national network such as AIT into a propaganda platform of any of the country’s political parties. This is against the ethics of journalism.

    The documentary aired on the AIT against General Buhari has quite a number of wrong information. For instance, the AIT documentary claimed that it was the Buhari administration that expelled Ghanaians from Nigeria. The truth, however, is that it was the Shehu Shagari administration that actually repatriated Ghanaians and other foreigners from Nigeria. Also, the issue of Gloria Okon disappearing under Buhari’s administration was also false as she disappeared under General Ibrahim Babangida regime .Also, the assertion that Fela’s mother died under Buhari was false because she died after Kalakuta republic was attacked by ‘unknown soldiers’  during Obasanjo’s government in 1978. One also wonders what the death of two of Buhari’s daughters has to do with  Buhari’s ability to rule.

    Expectedly, Dr. Dopkesi has come out in defence of his organization’s role in the just concluded general elections with a justification that the Daar Communications, owners of AIT, is a commercial entity and therefore reserves the right to run anything it considers worthy of being televised. He said there is also a right of response available to anyone who feels strongly about any matter broadcast by the station. He said: “What is obviously very clear is the fact that AIT believes that the historical information about the President-elect that were ran, were factually correct. Nothing was done to defame him or impinge on his character or integrity.” But then, based on the several inaccurate information contained in the said documentary, it is certain that Dr. Dopkesi was only being economical with the truth.

    The Code of Ethics guiding the practice of journalism in Nigeria demands that every journalist to ensure a strict adherence to the highest levels of ethics and professionalism in carrying out their duties. One of the main responsibilities of the press is to present and defend the truth as every scientific structure can only be sustained by the truth.  When the media trades in lies and half truths, it only does so to the peril of the society. It is the sacred duty of the media to have a perception and a goal of standard morality and ethical revolution if its performance is to have the expected impact on the society it serves. This is the expectation of the citizenry, especially where morality and professionalism are allowed to dictate the pace.

     

    • Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • Buhari and the Igbo power-elites

    Two recent developments, make it necessary to pre-empt the relationship, between the in-coming administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the Igbo political-power-elites. First, was the heart-rending experience of theformer Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji,with regards to his inspiring, but now dithering,Aba Integrated Power Project. An account he publicly rendered, recently. The other instance, was the GovernorOkorocha led visit, of Igbo members of the All Progressive Congress (APC), to the President-elect, and their half-hearted courage, to demand ‘for something’.

    To appreciate the challenge facing Professor Nnaji, as he battles his Igbo cousins, who have used their humongous resources to appropriate the exiting national bureaucracy, against his power project; there is the need to examine the two variants, of the Igbo power-elites. Interestingly also, it is the absence of thedominant faction of the Igbo power-elite in the APC;that made Governor Okorocha to lack the confidence, to specifically ask for political posts, from the President-elect, as is the case, with some other interest groups.

    As the President-elect, Gen. Buhari prepares to take over power in few weeks’ time, it will be interesting to see his preferences,from the variant Igbo power-elites, in the days ahead. Among that power-elites; there is the poorly educated, excessively rich and rambunctious faction, on one side. This group can be very useful to the President-elect, for carrying out duplicitous and unconscionable power-projects.  Here, I mean the real power, the source from which other powers, cometh –political power. While they may have little or no formal education, they are well heeled in power chicanery.

    If the President-elect will prefer the services of this group, he should consult former President Olusegun Obasanjo, under whose watch the group reached the apogee of their power in this republic. I bet he may have the master-list of candidates. I guess also that on that list, will be those, who years back, egregiously put the government of Anambra state to sword, under the watchful eyes of national security agencies. Well, if he prefers to consult a victim, he should call Senator Chris Ngige, for an eye-witness account. While Chris was the Governor of Anambra state, the leading lights of that faction, with the connivance of the federal power, choose to bring him to account. The macabre drama that followed that decision, can be better explained by the Senator.

    There is also the other group. They are the fecund, cerebral and highly gifted Igbo power-elites; who would have a lot to contribute, if there services are needed. Professor Barth Nnaji happens to be one of them. The erudite professor is perhaps the most knowledgeable Minister of Power (here, I mean electric power); that we have had since 1999. Interestingly, it was former President Obasanjo that also brought him and similar others into government. This group have been outstanding in their contribution to national development, and there are many others on the side-lines, awaiting opportunity.

    If the President-elect prefers the latter group, he could seek them out, and galvanise their God-given talents, to support his team from other parts of the country, to meet the great Nigeria expectation, from the APC. With little political IOUs in the South-East, since the dominant faction of the Igbo power-elites have been drowned with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); it will be a lot easier for the General and his Party leaders to choose only the very best from the Igbos, to serve in his government.Of course, this is not to discountenance the brave efforts of members of the APC, from the South-East.

    Some of the Igbo brave hearts that stood for change, even as the majority pushed for President Goodluck Jonathan, during the last general elections, joined Governor Rochas Okorocha to visit the President-elect. Apart from Governor Okorocha and Senator Chris Ngige, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu also stood out, with Senator Osita Izunaso and a few others. No doubt, the highly educated Dr. Onu, deserves whatever promotion that may come his way in the APC, considering that he has showed great tenacity, all the way back to his days, at the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).As the leader of one of the legacy party that saw to the emergence of APC, it is expected that he would gain the necessary recognition and authority.

    In opening up the south-east to the APC, the party would need to invest some of the outstanding party members, with political influence and privileges. This column is hopeful that the APC would see the Igbos, as an important partner in their Nigerian project. While a majority of lawful Igbo votes no doubt went to the PDP, during the last elections; there was a lot of unlawful votes, appropriated by the PDP, which in a transparent contest, would have gone to the APC. So, I have implicit confidence that APC has potentials in the south-east. Giving a good deal to the region,would be in APC’s long-term interest.

    As for Professor Barth Nnaji and the potential beneficiaries of the Aba Integrated Power Project, their patriotic attempt to promote skill and ingenuity, for the greater good of our country, has been frustrated by the corruption and brusqueness of the alternate power elites. To appreciate what is at stake, Professor Nnaji, in his write-up said: “to date, we have invested over 500 million (dollars) or in today’s money over 100 billion (naira) in this project”. The reason why Aba was not excised from the concession granted to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company,is because President Goodluck Jonathan,preferred to promote political expediency, over success in the power industry. Now, with a new government at the gate, those who orchestrated the sham of a power-privatisation across the country, have every reason to be jittery.

  • Don advises Buhari

    Don advises Buhari

    A former World Bank scribe, Prof. Ladipo Adamolekun, has urged the President-elect, Gen. Muhammad Buhari, to fight corruption to bring change in the country.

    Adamolekun spoke at the Silver Knights’ 2015 edition of May Day Lecture held at the International Conference Centre, Lead City University, Ibadan.

    He said the only way to bail the country out was by tackling corruption.

    Recalling the case of a convicted former governor, who was pardoned and given a national award, Adamolekun said: “A president who says no stealing in my government will not pardon a convicted thief and award him a national honour.

    “First evidence from countries that have successfully reduced corruption support the assertion that just as the fish rots from the head, corruption at the head of a national government will permeate the entire government as we have witnessed in the country.

    “In order to turn Nigeria into an environment that will remain permanently hostile to leaders with high degree of corruptibility, the president-elect must prosecute a genuine war on corruption during the next four years.”

    The professor of Public Administration and former Dean, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, said there were disjunctions at critical points of Nigerian history.

  • Religious politics is bad for Nigeria – Bishop Ighele

    Religious politics is bad for Nigeria – Bishop Ighele

    Bishop Charles Ighele is The General Superintendent of Holy Spirit Mission (Happy Family Chapel) read Political Science at the then University of Ife. He spoke with David Lawal on the lamentable roles of religion in the just-concluded general elections. Excerpts:  

    How have you been able to use your background in political science to advance religion?

    After graduating in 1980, I have seen that my background in political science and history has helped me to see how decision-making brought about a lot of suffering to families in different parts of the world.

    You now see that the way government is run, the way government is advised to do things, the quality of the citizens and how much the citizens are ready to be a part of the system. All these helped me. When I studied bureaucracy in the university, it made me understand bureaucratic bottlenecks.

    It is helping me so much in the ministry, and when you look at the bible; in the New Testament, in the Acts of Apostles, you will see people sell parts of their properties to take care of the poor and this is what the church has always stood for.

    This is how it supposed to be because it is not about we men of God getting extremely rich and the people getting extremely poor. We were not anointed just for us to feel good and be rich. We were anointed because God has other people in mind. That is what I keep telling people, it is not about us – it is about the people.

    Can religion and politics walk together for the good of the people?

    Well (smiles) you know as a preacher when you look at the Old Testament, you would see the mixture. You see religion and you see politics or should I call it governance. People like King David. You can’t divorce the two but the church has to be interested in the quality of the leaders that are arising.

    So you can’t separate the two. As far as I am concerned, I don’t believe in this is spiritual and this is secular; everything goes together.

    So, you are saying that religion and politics go together. You didn’t mention that clearly enough.

    Well, I didn’t really talk about partisan politics. Consequently, there is something known as partisan politics. What is politics? I don’t want to go into defining what politics is. But you see, man critically cannot be divorced from governance; man cannot be divorced from the people in charge unless you want to live on an island like Robinson Crusoe.

    So, there is also one known as partisan politics. Personally, I am interested in politics; I follow it to the minute details, just as I also follow football. I am not a footballer but I follow it and then I am not a politician but I follow it. I am interested in politics but I am not in partisan politics.

    What do you really mean when you say partisan politics?

    Well, partisan politics is when you decide to join a party then be a politician in that particular party, which I have personally said I will not go into. Now, I’m not saying that some of my colleagues who have gone into it have done anything wrong. As far as I am concerned, there are two groups of pastors, two groups of preachers.

    There is a group of pastors called to go into partisan politics just like somebody can also be a journalist and a pastor. Somebody can be a medical doctor and also a pastor. Somebody can be a pharmacist and also a pastor; somebody can be a footballer and a pastor. So, somebody can be a pastor and also be into partisan politics.

    I don’t condemn them at all but there is yet another group. This particular group, God has taken them to a status and God has put them in a place whereby their own is to act as fathers in the land but it does not mean that a father cannot support any of the children. People like Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Bishop Mike Okonkwo would not go into partisan politics; they belong to this other group I am talking about.

    How do you assess the last general elections?

    I did not like the last elections. I am not talking about those who won and those who lost. I am not going into that at all but you see the forces of religion and ethnicity. These two forces played a major role. Jigawa state governor, Sule Lamido, said during the campaigns that if you were campaigning for Jonathan in the north they will call you a pastor.

    In the north, people were told to vote for Buhari. Now in many churches in parts of the south, there was a lot of campaign also in the churches. People were told not to vote for a Muslim. In the north, Muslims were told not to vote for Christians.

    So, that is what I didn’t like at all and you see this is taking us back to the days of Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), NCNC and Action Group when the election was terminated through the January 16, 1966 coup. That is the element I did not like at all. I liked what happened during the SDP and NRC days when Abiola and Tofa contested. I like it that way because religion did not play a role. When religion become a major issue in campaigning in any nation, it is dangerous. I didn’t like it at all.

    I cannot see what happened during the 2015 election as political progress. It is not political development. I didn’t like it. I don’t want this country to turn to another Lebanon.

    Our two main parties have been stained with religious garbage. Those clothes need to be washed. I am not a preacher of doom but all I am saying is that corrections can be made. The APC-led federal government can begin to see how it can fill the religious gap for us.

    This is what I believe would be in the interest of our nation. Religion is worse than Indian hemp; it makes people go crazy and makes people not to think again. Religion is more than opium. It makes people to kill.

    Were you pleased with the roles religious leaders played in all of these? 

    What happened in the last elections was that APC was smarter than PDP in playing the religious card. Both parties played the religious card heavily. They were able to re-brand General Buhari from the way he had been known even four years ago. So they were able to put their hearts together.

    He brought his brain box and put it in APC to iron the whole thing. They did a very smart campaign and played a better job with the religious card.

    It was silently played in some sections of the north while some of the Christians were busy making noise about it. You won’t see the Muslim core North, you won’t see the Imams talking in papers vote for this. It was not so but here it was so because you will find out that the Muslims were highly well organised and I really commend them for that. The Christian community does not know how to move as one body under Christ to achieve what they want to achieve.

    What will be your advice to the incoming government?

    My advice for this incoming government is that they should make sure they deliver what they promised during campaigns. When I look at their package, I look at the area that they lay emphasis on being corruptions and that seemed to have struck a chord in an average Nigerians because there is corruption in this land. And so many Nigerians have now seen General Buhari as a symbol of fighting corruption.

    So hopes are high. The people are beginning to see that perhaps within six months corruption should be off from Nigeria. The first 100 days, there should be light everywhere but I think that as I speak as a leader and I want to plead with Nigerians to go and learn how to speak as leaders.

    If this government really means business, instead of just handling corruption from the top, there should be what I will call a socialisation progress – from the grassroots. In the village there is corruption, secondary school there is corruption, everywhere there is corruption. So there should be a team of think tank that should be quietly assembled and this team should be asked to produce a blueprint on how to fight corruption.

  • Sambo seeks support for Buhari

    Sambo seeks support for Buhari

    Vice President, Namadi Sambo on Saturday urged Nigerians to give the incoming administration the maximum support to enable it succeed.

    He made the call during the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Stakeholders Conference held at the Main Conference Auditorium, National Mosque Complex, Abuja.

    According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Umar Sani, Sambo said “Government as you are aware is a continuum and with the coming of a new democratic dispensation, it has ushered in a new government, which will soon be inaugurated.”

    “I urge you to continue to give them maximum support and cooperation to enable them succeed.”

    Noting that the contributions of the MSSN is positively shaping the moral upbringing of the Muslim youth, he said “I am delighted to note that it has remained one of the veritable tools for grooming our youths to becoming responsible future leaders leading to the emergence of outstanding and eminent personalities. Most importantly, MSSN has continued to promote national unity and harmony in the country.”

    He assured of the “Federal Government’s support for this forum and all others with similar objectives and will also do our best in encouraging you to achieve peace and stability by forging inter and intra religious harmony.”

    The Vice President therefore stressed the need for the MSSN and the entire Muslim Ummah to propagate the true message of Islam as encapsulated in the Glorious Qur’an, Hadith and Sunnah, saying “The Message of Islam is the Message of peace, hope, harmony, goodwill and Brotherhood.”

    While congratulating the MSSN for successfully celebrating its 60th anniversary, having been founded in 1954, he expressed worries over the absence of a befitting national monument as its headquarters.

    “As a student member in my secondary and university days, and now as stakeholder, I assure you of my continued support in and outside government whenever the need arises.” He said