Nigerians’ living condition is getting worse — Balarabe Musa

During the 2015 campaign, All Progressives Congress(APC) had promised to improve the living condition of Nigerians. In this interview with IBRAHEEM MUSA, former governor of Kaduna state, Alhaji Balarabe Musa said that Nigerians are groaning under the APC-led administration almost three years down the road. In addition, the leader of the Peoples Redemption Party(PRP) spoke of his party’s plans to reposition ahead of the 2019 elections.

About three weeks ago, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu promised that petrol will be readily available within 48 hours. This promise has not been fulfilled and Nigerians are experiencing one of the worst fuel scarcities in recent times. What do you think is the problem?

Such misleading statements by Nigerian leaders, in respect of virtually every issue have become the order of the day. Every Nigerian leader, whether the president, minister or governor and so on, have been making promises that have never been fulfilled. This has been the situation in Nigeria since the army took over in 1966. The present situation can only be worse. In the case of this fuel scarcity, even the president, when he was campaigning, said the price of petroleum in Nigeria should not be more than N40 per litre. But what is the situation now?

It is N145 per litre officially and when it is available. But as it is today(25th December) in Kaduna state, its about N500 per litre at the black market. You can’t get it in the filling station.

So, these unfulfilled or unbelievable promises have been the feature of Nigeria since 1966 when the army took over so it is not surprising. But it is very disappointing because it should not be so.

Why is government unable to control the supply of petroleum products in Nigeria, knowing its implication on prices of other commodities? Is this because of deregulation? But obviously, it shows the beginning of collapse. We have seen this uncontrollable oil prices over the years, simply because the marketers can’t be controlled. This is very serious.

Recently, you accused the All Progressives Congress(APC) of riding on false promises to power. What do you exactly mean by this serious allegation?

For instance, they made a case that the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) was incompetent and they promised that they will correct the mistakes of the PDP but have they done so?

If anything, they have made things even worse. Every problem of Nigeria which APC accused PDP of, it has not been able to solve them. The condition of living of the people before 2015 election was bad and that was one of the contributory factors of why PDP was defeated by APC. But what is the position now? It is even worse.

As the nation inches towards 2019, when Nigerians will go to the polls, how can the situation be corrected?

The reason for this negative state of the nation is that the socio-economic, political and cultural system which controls every development in the country, is based on self interest first. This system has produced leaders appropriate to it.

Up till the time when the military took over, we can say relatively that the system that controlled all development in Nigeria and the political leadership produced by the system, were based on public interest first, enlightened self interest second. But when we started this talk of privatization, particularly with the withdrawing of subsidy by around 1982, when President Shehu Shagari started austerity measures, we started having problems.

Austerity measures were opposed to public welfare, which is the purpose of government. And that was the beginning of privatization and since it started, then in almost everything, the thinking changed to self interest first and public interest second and even incidental.

And from that time, the system has been becoming worse which has produced this dissembling level of corruption, stealing and criminal waste of resources.
Now, if you want to change the situation, that is the negative state of the nation as it is today, then you have to start with the leading role of the state in the economy to ensure peace, equality, justice, dignity of the human person and progressive even development. Whatever way you describe this, it will lead to the correction of the present negative state of the nation and build a strong, secure, peaceful and prosperous country. As it is now, because the state is not playing a leading role in the economy, you cannot talk of the welfare and security of the people.

About two weeks ago, the Peoples Redemption Party(PRP) which you lead, held its National Executive Committee(NEC) meeting in Kaduna. In summary, what were the resolutions of the meeting?

We held two meetings. One on Monday, which was the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, to brief members on what has been going on in this country, with regards the development of the nation and the PRP itself. We also sought from NEC the authority to establish three committees for the purpose of strengthening PRP with a view of 2019 elections and thereafter. These three committees are, Registration of members Committee. Secondly, there was the Convention Committee, which will hold a national convention and elect new leaders.

Thirdly, we sought permission to establish a holistic Review Committee, to review the past, present and future of the PRP . We got the permission from NEC and named members of the three committees. Our aim is to strengthen PRP for the 2019 elections and thereafter.

When you say that you intend to strengthen PRP, does it mean that you will go into an alliance with another party?

If that is necessary. Wherever we find that we can’t cope with the problem of resources to run a modern democratic party which is self reliant and the intellectual capacity of the party, we might do so.

Will I be correct to say that PRP will be rebranded?

No, rebranding is not the correct word. Political parties like APC and PDP that have derailed completely and there is still hope of being better than they are, you can talk of rebranding. But in the case of PRP, it is not a case of re-branding but renewing and making it stronger.

Will PRP jettison its leftist ideology for a more centrist one in order to make it more appealing to new members?

No, we cannot sacrifice what we stand for. Of course, we can make compromises, principled compromises that is why we are not insisting on the socialist reconstruction of Nigeria. We are now talking about the leading role of the state in the economy.

So, am I correct to say that PRP has left socialism for modified capitalism which is welfarism?

No, we have not. We are merely talking to people in a language that they can better understand, without putting them in a position to make difficult compromises. But if you look at the history of PRP, particularly in 1950, when Northern Elements Progressives Union(NEPU) was established till today, you will know where PRP is going, which is the socialist reconstruction of Nigeria.

But a large number of people who will support PRP may misunderstand this term. So, our position is not to force people to accept our ideology; let them gradually understand. We are now talking about the leading role of the state in the economy to ensure peace, equality, justice and progressive even development of the whole country and the dignity of the human person. We are talking about the same thing as socialist reconstruction of Nigeria but you have to use the language of the time. So, it is only the vocabulary that is changing not the principle.

There is speculation that there will be an alliance between PRP and PDP, is it true?

No, no, no. PRP is positioning itself in a way that people can understand it better. If you are always saying that you are good, people will say that you are better but why can’t you go along with other people up to the time that they will see this ‘’better’’ in you? Is it good to always tell people that I’m better than this, without taking time to explain and prove to them that you are even better?

We are now at certain stage in history. There are three basic conditions that have to be installed for a nation to survive.

First, you have to establish a condition that will bring about one united country. Now, in spite of all the problems, we have a one united country. The next stage is avoiding things that threaten the unity of the country.

For instance, monarchy and feudalism, that is the next stage, because they are so arrogant and not in tune with time. The third stage is to bring about democracy. Then, we have to enlighten the people about their rights. We are now at the stage of democracy. PRP wants to take us further than democracy to the issue of all round development.

For instance, we aspire that in 20 year’s time, under the leadership of the new PRP, we will be able to make Nigeria the 5th most developed country in the world. We have the resources. For example, we will bring about free and compulsory primary and secondary education as well as university education throughout the country.

First, we have to get rid of this high level of corruption and stealing of resources. Once we can do it, we will have the resources to do that. Achieving that will do away with uneven development in the country.

At the moment now, the north is the problem of Nigeria. Why? Because, collectively the north is at least 40 years behind the south in educational development. Now, how can you bring about the unity of these two? Somebody who is just a shadow of the other? How can the north which is only a shadow of Nigeria, how can you ask it to cooperate?

It will always see reasons to be different. Even if the present administration decides that under its national development and reconstruction programme, they want every state of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, to provide 1000 engineers that will be put in the national pool, for achieving this, how many northern states can produce this number?

Except out of their state pool. Even Kwara and Kogi states will produce this number with difficulty. But in the case of the south, a local government alone can produce that number. That is why education is necessary to achieve unity, peace and progressive even development in the country. This where the new PRP will focus on in order to make Nigeria one of the 5th most developed countries in the world.

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