Without doubt, Dr. Umar Duhu has become a major voice in Adamawa politics, having at different times being chairman of the defunct ANPP in both FCT and Adamawa state at different times. And upon the merger of some political parties to form the All Progressives Congress, he became the Nort-East zonal vice chairman of the party. In this interview with TOPE SUNDAY in Abuja, Dr. Duhu, a close confidant of Governor Umar Jibrilla Bindow, speaks on the primaries that threw up Bindow as APC candidate and the party’s chances in 2019, among others.
Excerpts
Amidst controversy, Governor Umar Bindow emerged top at the APC primaries in Adamawa. What is your comment on this?
I hold that even if the APC governorship primary election is repeated several times, His Excellency, Senator Mohammed Umaru Jibrilla Bindow will definitely win momentously, as far as the Adamawa politics is concerned. Governor Bindow has displayed exemplary and altruistic character as a private citizen, as a Senator of the Federal Republic and as the governor of Adamawa State. It will also interest you to know that Governor Bindow has made the office of the governor less attractive despite its flagrancies and atrociousness.
I have known Governor Bindow from our toddler ages to present day, and I can comfortably vouch for him in all spheres as a character worthy of emulation. I am therefore honoured to associate with him both as governor and a brother.
We should also accept the fact that politics is local. Governor Bindow has proven to be a grassroots politician. He hardly stays for over a week outside the state, except on rear compelling circumstances. He has always been on ground attending to state matters for which he was elected. This has indeed, earned Governor Bindow the trust and confidence of the good peoples of Adamawa State and beyond.
Therefore, any governor who has these qualities will always win the trust and confidence of the party, the working class and the citizenry.
It is also a fact that Mr. Mahmoud Halilu Modi, the younger brother of Mr. President’s wife has not been visible on ground in the state, let alone his primary constituency, Yola South Local Government Area. His only known identity is ‘President Muhammad Buhari’s in-law.’ We, the people of Adamawa state, being versatile in all spheres of life, will not be naive and taken for granted nor cajoled into deciding their faith. The name Bindow is today a household name in Adamawa politics, and is synonymous with honour, probity, credibility and above all humility.
What really is the issue or are the issues in the Adamawa APC crisis?
Being loyal and absolutely committed party leader, I am bound by any democratic decision handed by the party, and it subsists until the contrary surpasses the earlier. I therefore expect anyone who calls himself party leader or stakeholder, to accept in good faith, policies of the party. In the event a presumed leader does not obey any democratic decision of the party, it amounts to gross disloyalty which could be viewed as anti-party and punishable under the extant laws of the party.
The Adamawa APC met and unanimously agreed that APC primary elections in the state shall be conducted through indirect primaries. Suddenly, some interest groups in the party from within the state APC, petitioned the National Secretariat and insisted that, governorship primaries must be through direct primaries. The National Working Committee, without recourse to the party in the state and its critical stakeholders, upheld their complaint and approved of direct primaries. The NWC also went ahead to suspend the Adamawa State Working Committee and barred them from participating in the exercise.
The position of Abuja was respected and the outcome, which is now in the public domain, speaks volumes of the decisions of the party in Adamawa state. Let me reiterate also that the results of the governorship primaries could not have been something different as one does not expect the result to favour those who audaciously challenged the legality and sanctity of the party leadership in Adamawa state, and still expect the party to work in their favour. My advice to the perpetrators of this mischief is to apologise forthwith to the Alhaji Ibrahim-led Executive and garner back relevance to remain in the mainstream and avoid the shrewdness to linger.
With all this, would you say Adamawa APC is still one?
The Adamawa APC, as presently constituted is vibrant, cohesive, resolute and determined to win all elective positions in the 2019 general elections. Anything short of this resolve is unacceptable and is alien to the cardinal objectives for which the party is constituted and accepted by people of the state, and coupled with the giant strides of Governor Bindow in the critical economic sector of the state economy.
I have no doubt in my mind that when all the critical stakeholders in the state come together and work for the enthronement of the APC and its candidates, APC will definitely deliver Adamawa to President Buhari, win the governorship, National Assembly and the State Assembly seats. It is therefore incumbent on all of us to remain focused and come together now that the primary elections are over despite some skirmishes, and work in the best interest of the party. We must all appreciate the fact that, only God, the Almighty anoints a leader and that should never be in dispute to warrant losing sleep over the outcome of the primaries as I am confident, it will be better tomorrow simply because one loses today.
What fence-mending is the governor doing, especially with the aggrieved parties?
I would have loved if leaders will come to terms with His Excellency, Senator Bindow. He is one individual who will hardly hurt one’s feeling wittingly. He is a forgiving and a kind-hearted leader. Despite his exalted office as the Governor of Adamawa state, he still bows down to greet all our leaders and his contemporaries alike. He has made the office of the governor less attractive despite its enormity. I had cause to ask Governor Bindow, if he was extending hands of fellowship to his co-contestants. Indeed, his response excited me. He told me that, ‘he has already forgiven anyone of them who might have offended him during his three and half years in office and that, he has also forgiven anyone of them for any misdemeanour for the next four years he will be in office as governor of Adamawa state, Gods Will’. This pre-supposes that Governor Bindow does not wish to hurt anyone let alone his political associates.
Like I have said, all those who contested with Governor Bindow know very well that, only one of them will be governor in 2019, and as firm believers, we must accept the fact that, God has anointed Governor Mohammed Umaru Jibrilla Bindow to hold forth and anyone who does not believe in this, is rather going contrary to our injunctions. It is time to put behind all the brouhaha associated with the conduct of the APC governorship primary elections in Adamawa state, as it has been decided.
Anything short of this will amount to gross anti-party and will be doing disservice to the party that some claimed to have nurtured and enthroned.
Let me further caution our respected aspirants to emulate my resolve in the APC. Despite all the infractions meted to me and the encumbrances I underwent, which some of the aspirants were a part, as firm believer in the will of God, the Almighty, I have since forgiven them and remained absolutely loyal member of the APC. Let us also not forget the fact that, whatever that goes around shall one day come around.
A ‘divided house’ confronting the PDP with former Vice President Abubakar Atiku as its candidate…
It should be noted that Adamawa is an APC state and it shall remain so for a very long time to come, and anyone averse to this assertion is definitely not in tandem with the political realities of the day. It is also indubitable that President Muhammadu Buhari won elections in Adamawa state and National Elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011, but, was rigged out, until the 2015 elections, when the forces galvanised under the great APC. This statement was indeed, corroborated by a former American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell.
Therefore, in 2019, it will not be anything different.
The emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the opposing presidential candidate is not, and shall never be a major threat to President Buhari’s re-election bid and the fortunes of the APC in Adamawa state and the North East states. Every sensible and matured Nigerian knows President Muhammadu Buhari and the values he represents. Nigerians should also appreciate that the 2019 election will be predicated on issues, ethical values, records of services and integrity. We are only waiting for INEC to lift the ban on campaigns, Nigerians will be barraged with the realisms and specifics to back up any issue the APC will bring to the fore and prepare the minds of Nigerians for the 2019 general elections and for the prosperity of Nigeria and the citizenry.
Do you see any threat in this regard in Adamawa state?
I hold that none of the issues raised by the aggrieved aspirants would constitute any electoral misfortune or threat to the chances of Governor Mohammed Umaru Jibrilla Bindow at the 2019 polls. Adamawa Peoples are accomplished and versatile in the politics of our land. I therefore see no reason why anyone of them will be inveigled into selecting any aspirant against their resolves.
You once said direct primary is the best for APC. So what do you make of the crisis your party faced during its novel mode of electing candidates?
Under the circumstances we found ourselves in Adamawa state and the North East zone, indirect primary election would have been the most appropriate as the life of one citizen is most valuable to any politics. In arriving at that decision, the safety of lives and properties of our peoples was considered first above any politicking. It is evident that, there are still insurgent’s black spots in the Northern part of Adamawa State. However, the National Chairman singularly upturned the resolve of the Adamawa APC for an indirect primaries.
As loyal party leaders, we wholeheartedly accepted the decision and fully participated in the rescheduled direct primary elections. When the results were released, the same proponents of the so-called direct primary went haywire, mouth lashing and complaining of injustice and compromises. The Adamawa APC has conscience as any good term deserves another and vice- visa.
Finally, what is your assessment of INEC preparations for 2019?
I am confident INEC is on cause and prepared for the 2019 General Elections. The elections held in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states are testimonies of the levels of readiness and the preparedness of INEC to conduct the 2019 general elections and any other election in Nigeria. What is expected from INEC is to remain totally independent and refuse to take sides with any candidate of political party. As law abiding citizens too, we are expected to give INEC our outmost cooperation and support to succeed in the task of consolidating Nigeria’s enduring democracy.
