Auwal Haruna is a chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for long. He had first aspired for the chairmanship of Jos North Local Government in the suspended polls in Plateau State and is now gunning for the seat of Jos North-North Constituency, in the State House of Assembly. He holds a Masters in International Logistics and Transport. In this interview he narrates to MUHAMMAD TAANKO SHITTU, his experiences and the confidence he has in the National Chairman of the PDP’s bid to fix the odds in the party towards the 2015 general elections
You have once aspired for the chairmanship of Jos North Local Government Council, under one of the legacy parties, the ANPP in 2008, what happened that you now switched camp to PDP?
You see, when you go into politics there are things you must look out for. While I was in ANPP, my thinking was that the party was concerned about the issues that are bedeviling this nation and the urgent need for solution to some of these problems, but when I got in there, I realized that it does not practice internal democracy one bit. And they do not have what it takes to bring development to the people. As such, I looked closely and weighed that experience against what obtains the PDP, particularly in the respective states where they are ruling.
I then realized that if I want to achieve my mission of enhancing the quality of the life of my people, definitely the ANPP as it was known then, was a wrong place for me to stay. For this reason the fallback option was that I moved to the PDP. And don’t forget that while I was in the ANPP, some people thought that the party was a personal property that belonged to them; people that felt if you are not part and parcel of them you would not be allowed to see success. And I thought we should look at quality in democracy, but not personal relationships.
But what you have described as the problem with the party you ditched is what others are arguing that is happening within the PDP itself, notably the issue of god-fatherism. To what ezxtent would you say the P.D.P is different from your former party?
You will agree with me that PDP is the largest party in Africa, a party that has all it takes to command loyalty and it has been ruling this country since inception of democracy in 1999. It is for this reason that you expect to have quality people within the system and because of that you should expect that, naturally, there would be challenges, and competition is what is making some people assume that it is bedeviled by god-fatherism.
To what extent would you say the Local Government elections conducted in Jos Northffected your ambition?
Well, it has certainly affected my ambition, because I thought an opportunity has come for me to get elected into that office and make a difference between what used to obtain at the Third-tier level and the quality of leadership. My intention was to bring about serious reforms in the council, but unfortunately, as God will have it the election did not take place. Of course the government has said it could not hold for security reason and I want to believe what the Governor has said, because he has the privileged information that we the aspirants don’t have.
I want to believe that his excellency the Governor of the State did that in good faith and in the interest of the people and that of peace. And I think the peace we are now enjoying in Jos is beyond my ambition, because you can only aspire to lead people if there is peace.
What has motivated you to aspired for the State House of Assembly seat against 2015 ?
I am motivated by the need to promote positive development; positive change and understanding between the various communities that make up the constituency. Though the occupant of the seat, who has been there for eight years, had done his best, yet we need this change, especially a new approach to doing things.
There are fears about the possible return of rubber-stamp state legislators in plateau come 2015.What is your take on that?
The fears are unfounded. I am assuring that by the grace of God I will not be part of those so- called rubber stamp lawmakers, because I will use the level of education that I have attained, the exposure and experience that I have, not legislate in anyone’s shadow, one I win.I will ensure that I do everything within the limits of the nation’s constitution, which is the ground norm that encompasses all other laws in the land; including those ones that have been formulated by the state houses of Assembly. I will see to it that laws are formulated based on natural justice, fairness and equity to all, for the overall development of my State and my constituency in particular.
The incumbent governor has once said the State is for the PDP but based on past results of elections in Jos North, it could be seen that the PDP is not getting it right. What do you think can be done to upturn it?
I am happy that the Governor has said that, looking at all the local governments in the state with the exception of Jos North, you will discover that we have produced more than 90 % of the members of the state legislature and also we have two Senators that came from the PDP; we have majority of members of House of Representatives. Now taking the statistics, you would agree with me that Plateau is a PDP territory.
Now coming back to Jos North, the major problem we are having here is that the government thinks that we are normally not giving the desired number of votes to the party because previously we were feeling that the government was carrying out a policy of isolation, particularly in the community where I come from. But I think that, with what has happened just before the Jos North election was suspended, where I was given the certificate of clearance as been eligible to contest for that election, means there is no denial.
Mind you in the bye- election that had put Senator Gyang Pwajok, on his seat was because our people have massively voted for the PDP.
So you are saying that the PDP is not marginalizing Jos North?
Yes, for now.
But the talk from other People was that most of the aspirants in the past prior to your emergence from the same community were also able to scale through the screening but at the main primary election they were denied the level ground…
I want to talk based on facts that are available before me. When there are insinuations and allegations, before we go into an election I assumed that every aspirant must know the number of delegates that are going to cast their votes. Yes, in politics anything happens, but you have to do your rudimentary work at the grassroots and then if the people are feeling marginalized, that is not enough reason to say we are not participating under this party. It is better to participate and show the whole world that so and so is the injustice that has been meted to me… than not to participate. So, I am of the opinion that even if it is true that it had happened, I think that should be an opportunity for us; it should ginger us to stand up and face the challenge.And with me now as a testing ground I will want to assume that with little hard work Jos North will come back completely into the PDP fold.The national chairman of the party in person of Dr. Ahmad Adamu Mua’zu is an upright man and he is now bringing total change to the party and the system itself and I’m happy that Governor Jang has seen reason on why there should be peace everywhere and he is working hard towards that. By the time this able leaders, teeming up with the national chairman and all other people give everybody the right he or she is supposed to be given, I don’t think we should have many problems.
Giving the emergence of a strong opposition in the country today, do you think the National Chairman can lead the PDP to victory in 2015?
Yes, I think so. Mind you, two things are identifiable with him: he is relatively a young man compared to the former chairman of the party; he is a seasoned administrator and was one of the best Governors during his time. He is one of those that had elevated and developed Bauchi State to its present status. This is somebody that has served in so many Federal Government boards and parastatals and everywhere he had worked, he left a mark. We are talking about someone who appreciates the difference between the North, South and West and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, tribe, region or religion. In a nutshell, take it or leave it, he is a unifying factor. And you will agree with me that from the time he assumed chairmanship, the party has stabilized and it is moving forward. To my mind, the PDP is still the party to beat, because I am sure that the national chairman has all it takes to bring everybody back home.
The opposition parties have been tackling the P.D.P-led government at all levels in the country for impunity, don’t you think this could weaken the fortunes of the ruling party ahead of the elections?
You see, when you look at the PDP as a party and look at all the other parties, including… I don’t even know all the names of the so-called opposition parties, but especially the APC, the Labour and all the others, you will realize that they are merely busy criticizing the policies of the of the PDP government, but none of them has been able to come up with the solution better than what the one PDP is finding as at today. They so easily to criticize but none is coming up with e solution. What is the essence of criticizing something without providing solution?
Look at all the PDP states, take for example Akwa Ibom, or even right here at our door-step the efforts Governor Jang in bringing infrastructure. Look at the transformation that has taken place in the aviation sector of the economy, look at what is taking place in agriculture; look at our relationship with other countries. Again, when you look at the economy itself, you consider our GDP; look at the stability we have and so many other things. Now, you cannot achieve 100% success overnight; it spreads over a period of time and then every human being will do his best based on the prevailing circumstances. With current security challenges we are having today in the country, it is only because the PDP is able to curtail the situation that it is been reduced to a manageable level today.
So, we know that 2015 is for people that have long life, but we are praying that God will spare our lives upto that moment and we are sure that by the grace of God, Nigerians will go into a renewed contract with the People’s Democratic Party. We would want to consolidate on all the gains, we want continuity on all that we have put in place.
