A week ago you joined the line of aspirants for the governorship of Adamawa State. Why have you joined the race?Well first and foremost, I would like to tell you that we have been in this game called politics for so long. I’m not just coming around the politics of Adamawa State and because the immediate past governor brought the state down to its knees, I feel after robust consultations with my people in the state who encouraged me to come out and contest the election, that if the majority of the people feel I will be the uniting factor in the state, then I should obey. That was what motivated me to throw my heart in the race so that within the PDP, I can offer myself so that party members at the state level can talk about the election coming up within 90 days.
My motivation is based on the fact that Adamawa State has been brought to its knees by the past governor and we need an emancipator to bring it up and work extra hard to recover lost ground. Adamawa is one declining state where the issue of zoning resonates anytime there is election for the governorship.
My motivation is based on the fact that Adamawa State has been brought to its knees by the past governor and we need an emancipator to bring it up and work extra hard to recover lost ground. Adamawa is one declining state where the issue of zoning resonates anytime there is election for the governorship.
My removal from office was not based on any offense; nobody invited me to answer questions in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the police. My leaving office was predicated on the fact that I have been there for seven years. I worked with the president from when he was vice president and I’m not expected to be political adviser forever. I played my roles and I can beat my chest that I played it creditably well.
In 2010, I came out to set up Goodluck Support Group, the pioneer voluntary organisation that went round the country to mobilise people for the president to offer himself for election and as a political adviser, I have done the job the best way I understood it. My job was to defend every political move; every policy of the government and I have taken on anybody who thinks the man is not good enough to be president. I have taken on anybody who showed signs to indicate that Jonathan should not stand election.
It’s funny for them to say that President Jonathan should not offer himself for re-election. It is a different thing if you say you have the constitutional right to stand for re-election but I will not vote for you. On no grounds should anyone say that he should not stand for election. I believe that this country belongs to all of us, irrespective of where you come from, what religion you practice, what language you speak. We are equal partners; no one is inferior. If some past presidents were elected for second term, why would somebody say the president should not run for a second term? I will not allow anyone to stand the constitution on its head. I have said it several times that this is the first president that means what he says. Our railways are working again after 35-40 years. No president in the past had deemed it fit. This is the first president who exhumed the light rail. I have said that there is no alternative to President Jonathan in 2015 and people have come to confront me asking why I had to make such statement. Some government officials, even in federal government also asked why I made the statement.
Are you saying there are saboteurs around the president?
I said we have moved round the country and have found out that there is no alternative to President Jonathan. If a government official walks up to me and asks, “why should you make that statement?” To me, I have to say he is a saboteur, he doesn’t like the man. If he is really selfless and sincere, he wouldn’t have confronted me. But that is by the way. I remain focused; always standing for continuity, unity of this country. There is no alternative to President Jonathan, the country should rally round him.
In 2010, I came out to set up Goodluck Support Group, the pioneer voluntary organisation that went round the country to mobilise people for the president to offer himself for election and as a political adviser, I have done the job the best way I understood it. My job was to defend every political move; every policy of the government and I have taken on anybody who thinks the man is not good enough to be president. I have taken on anybody who showed signs to indicate that Jonathan should not stand election.
It’s funny for them to say that President Jonathan should not offer himself for re-election. It is a different thing if you say you have the constitutional right to stand for re-election but I will not vote for you. On no grounds should anyone say that he should not stand for election. I believe that this country belongs to all of us, irrespective of where you come from, what religion you practice, what language you speak. We are equal partners; no one is inferior. If some past presidents were elected for second term, why would somebody say the president should not run for a second term? I will not allow anyone to stand the constitution on its head. I have said it several times that this is the first president that means what he says. Our railways are working again after 35-40 years. No president in the past had deemed it fit. This is the first president who exhumed the light rail. I have said that there is no alternative to President Jonathan in 2015 and people have come to confront me asking why I had to make such statement. Some government officials, even in federal government also asked why I made the statement.
Are you saying there are saboteurs around the president?
I said we have moved round the country and have found out that there is no alternative to President Jonathan. If a government official walks up to me and asks, “why should you make that statement?” To me, I have to say he is a saboteur, he doesn’t like the man. If he is really selfless and sincere, he wouldn’t have confronted me. But that is by the way. I remain focused; always standing for continuity, unity of this country. There is no alternative to President Jonathan, the country should rally round him.
Are you sure you are the favourite despite the clamour for zoning within the party?
The last governor was from the southern part of the state and I’m from the northern part of the state and I believe the people of Adamawa State are not particular about zoning. They are particular about somebody who can come to the state to give it accelerated development. That is what the people of Adamawa want.
It is not about zoning, they are looking for somebody who is sincere and committed. We in Adamawa were left far behind, underdeveloped for 7 years where some states have achieved a lot in form of infrastructural development, human development. Adamawa people are not even particular about zoning. If you are talking about zoning, the last governor, Nyako, is from the southern zone and I’m not from the southern zone.
Recently, there was a rumour that the former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Nuhu Ribadu, is being persuaded by the leadership of the PDP and even the presidency to contest the election.I think I have talked about this on more than three occasions. First and foremost, I don’t believe that Nuhu Ribadu will jettison what he has been prophesying simply because he wants to be governor but if he is sure of his popularity, he can contest the election in whatever party. This is a man who contested presidential election in 2011 under defunct ACN, now in APC, as I speak to you today, Ribadu has not come out to say he wants to contest with PDP or APC. Everybody is watching and as far as I’m concerned, he is welcome to PDP if he desires to depart from his party. Our doors are open, we are not just coming around as politicians. I don’t think there is anyone who has been in politics earlier than myself. Nuhu Ribadu just jumped into politics after his EFCC assignment.
Politics is something you grow within, it is not about you are in Abuja and you want to be governor. Yes, if you want to be governor, you have to test your popularity. We have been in this game since 1990s. As far as I’m concerned, Nuhu Ribadu like any other person, has constitutional right to contest the governorship of Adamawa State. If he wants to abandon his party, APC, he is welcome.
What we are saying is that the field is there, the people are there, it is the people who will decide who will govern them. The least you can give the people of Adamawa State today is the right to make their own choices. Adamawa people of 2014 is different from the people of 2011 when the then federal government imposed Nyako on us and we have seen the result. He did not contest the primaries, the then leadership of the party for whatever reasons imposed Nyako on PDP. He never aspired to be governor of Adamawa State from PDP.
What are the chances of the PDP in view of the rising profile of the APC in the North-East?
I don’t think the profile of the APC is rising. On the contrary, it is declining. Who are the APC people? When Nyako left PDP and joined APC, most of them in the APC like Engr Gundiri, Buba Marwa joined the PDP. Now, another political heavyweight in APC, Ali Modu Sheriff, is leaving for the PDP. I can’t see why you said that the APC profile is rising. Gradually,the space is closing up on them; people are leaving APC for PDP.
As a former speaker of Adamawa House of Assembly, do you still have contacts and structure on ground to contest the state governorship?From my own understanding, I’m not talking because I’m interested. I’m talking out of experience; out of practical interaction. I have not seen a candidate who can beat me in a free and fair contest either in the PDP or at the general election. We have been on ten assignments in the past one and half years and we are sure of our stand.
It is not about zoning, they are looking for somebody who is sincere and committed. We in Adamawa were left far behind, underdeveloped for 7 years where some states have achieved a lot in form of infrastructural development, human development. Adamawa people are not even particular about zoning. If you are talking about zoning, the last governor, Nyako, is from the southern zone and I’m not from the southern zone.
Recently, there was a rumour that the former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Nuhu Ribadu, is being persuaded by the leadership of the PDP and even the presidency to contest the election.I think I have talked about this on more than three occasions. First and foremost, I don’t believe that Nuhu Ribadu will jettison what he has been prophesying simply because he wants to be governor but if he is sure of his popularity, he can contest the election in whatever party. This is a man who contested presidential election in 2011 under defunct ACN, now in APC, as I speak to you today, Ribadu has not come out to say he wants to contest with PDP or APC. Everybody is watching and as far as I’m concerned, he is welcome to PDP if he desires to depart from his party. Our doors are open, we are not just coming around as politicians. I don’t think there is anyone who has been in politics earlier than myself. Nuhu Ribadu just jumped into politics after his EFCC assignment.
Politics is something you grow within, it is not about you are in Abuja and you want to be governor. Yes, if you want to be governor, you have to test your popularity. We have been in this game since 1990s. As far as I’m concerned, Nuhu Ribadu like any other person, has constitutional right to contest the governorship of Adamawa State. If he wants to abandon his party, APC, he is welcome.
What we are saying is that the field is there, the people are there, it is the people who will decide who will govern them. The least you can give the people of Adamawa State today is the right to make their own choices. Adamawa people of 2014 is different from the people of 2011 when the then federal government imposed Nyako on us and we have seen the result. He did not contest the primaries, the then leadership of the party for whatever reasons imposed Nyako on PDP. He never aspired to be governor of Adamawa State from PDP.
What are the chances of the PDP in view of the rising profile of the APC in the North-East?
I don’t think the profile of the APC is rising. On the contrary, it is declining. Who are the APC people? When Nyako left PDP and joined APC, most of them in the APC like Engr Gundiri, Buba Marwa joined the PDP. Now, another political heavyweight in APC, Ali Modu Sheriff, is leaving for the PDP. I can’t see why you said that the APC profile is rising. Gradually,the space is closing up on them; people are leaving APC for PDP.
As a former speaker of Adamawa House of Assembly, do you still have contacts and structure on ground to contest the state governorship?From my own understanding, I’m not talking because I’m interested. I’m talking out of experience; out of practical interaction. I have not seen a candidate who can beat me in a free and fair contest either in the PDP or at the general election. We have been on ten assignments in the past one and half years and we are sure of our stand.
Source: Leadership
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