Umahi’s defection, beginning of APC’s electoral tsumani in Southeast – PGF DG

Dr. Salihu Lukman Director General Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in this interview, speaks on the ongoing efforts of the National Caretaker Committee to reposition the party, resolve all the lingering crises and why there is no foreclosure in political contests against any zone ahead of 2023 general elections.  BODE OLAGOKE reports.

Governor David Umahi’s defection is on the front-burner now. Don’t you think the governor has indeed stirred the hornets’ nest?  

Whatever you call it, we see it as mere hot air. But beyond that, you will agree with me that what has been the frustration in Nigeria is that real political contestations are not taking place, and in recent times, APC appears to be the only party where political contestation is taking place. And I tell you whatever anyone will say of President Buhari, one positive thing he has done is to provide a level playing field in the party. Nobody can tell you that Buhari has called them aside and said this is what the party must do, which is what doesn’t exist in PDP where before you go to any meeting, you decide on what would be the decision. I dare say, as the DG PGF and this is the point people keep missing that does not happen here for which I celebrate our governors. They respect the fact that I’m a party member and they give me the recognition that I can have my own view that is independent of their own views.  That way, it’s up to me to decide whether I want to take the risk to publicize my view with the full knowledge of the danger that it may conflict with the position of some governors. 

You mean some kind of maintaining a delicate balancing?

It’s a very delicate balance that can be deep sometimes. This also tasks my job description here as the intellectual think-thank and situation room of the party. Most times, it comes with its inherent risks so you have to do your diligent risk assessment. To that extent, therefore, the call I have to make is whether the position I’m canvassing is self-serving or it is, in the long run, beneficial to the party I’m serving as an institution. Once I make the call that in the long run it is beneficial to the party which means every party member including the governors would benefit from that position, I can then go ahead and take the risk. It’s up to me to prove that it’s not going to be beneficial to me but I think on the whole you can easily see from the argument whether one is making a self-serving or altruistic argument. 

How do you then situate this position with the current run of events in the party?

That is the issue and that is why, for instance, everybody could see that the place is open, whether you call it with reference to 2023 or reference to any election, it’s about the fact that the spirit of political contest in the party is now very high. It means that if you want to negotiate as a good negotiator, if you want to canvass as a good canvasser for a specific interest, the party is up to you. The pertinent point to make here is that nobody can say President Buhari has decided or there is a decision on the party, this is where it would go. That is why in the whole speculation out there in the public; you’ll see that there are so many names that are being put in the public space which means that in 2023 there will be a contest in APC.  And if you’re a politician, what are you looking for, is it not a contest? So you go to where you know that if you play your card very well, there is a 50-50 chance that you can get what you want, when you want it and where you want it. That is the message now which the President has nurtured and popularized in the APC. By extension, it serves a death knell that marks the end of foreclosure in political contests in the Nigerian politics. What we are saying is that foreclosure in our political contests is dead. 

And how enforceable is this in real practical terms?

 Of course, it is enforceable and it is being enforced. Sound politics is impossible where there’s a foreclosure. In APC today, I can assure you that it is not going to be where you can tell there is a foreclosure. So this is the attraction in APC and that is why it is significant for us in APC in spite of all the slander that APC is anti-Southeast notwithstanding all the initiative of the Federal Government in terms of the sound and credible development initiative currently in place in the Southeast. That is why you now see a governor of the calibre, competence and credibility of Governor Umahi in the South East saying, ’no, no, where I am, there is no justice’. He has not said where he’s going, he’s guaranteed justice but he’s absolutely sure that if he plays his card well in his new environment, there is the likelihood that he will get adequate justice. 

Just because of the level playing field you’ve talked about? 

Yes just because of the level playing field which our leader, the President has diligently nurtured and popularized.

And which you think and believe the party will abide by in the long run?

Yes, this level playing field has been well conceived, nurtured and now gaining more traction by the day. It is the result of the President’s sincere desire driven by patriotic fervor running on diligent thought and efficient and clinical execution. You will only need to watch as we progress towards 2023.

 What makes you so sure about this?

I am very sure because the idea is propelled by sincerity, diligence and efficiency. Above all, it is people-oriented and that is what makes it desirable and attainable. This is the point we are making.  You can only grant it to him (Buhari) after our experience in PDP where the president is everything. We have had a situation in this country where if you want to contest for a House of Assembly position, you have to come to Abuja and once you were endorsed by the President or the party headquarters, it’s automatic. There is no political contest whatsoever at all; your name will just be given. And in some respect, bringing  the matter down home now, the battle in APC against the leadership of Comrade Adams (Oshiomhole), who I must say I am close to, and you know it, was informed by that danger that already, the cardinal principle and process of political contest was being lost. When Edo was mismanaged the way it was mismanaged you could see there was the potential and fear that even Ondo was going to be mismanaged. A semblance of gate keepers were being created, structures of the party were not meeting and then you talk of party supremacy whereas party supremacy derives from the decision of the organs.

So do you imply that the slogan party supremacy is just a mere ruse and a hoax?

Why is it party supremacy when the processes that make it supreme are missing? It is supremacy because it is the decision of organs, not the position of an individual no matter whom he is. In any case, who is the most senior person in the party? It is President Muhammadu Buhari. So who will take decisions without reference to him? Now this is it, whatever anybody would say, this is the attraction in APC and for me as an individual, I see more of the potential that anybody who is courageous to take risk and can canvass for position, there is ample space for you in APC. That’s the attraction. 

But in Gov. Umahi’s case, we heard that strategic stakeholders such as the Senators, House of Reps members and state assembly members have distanced themselves from him indicating that he is on his own. How do you explain this?

You see, for me, it even raises the profile of Governor Umahi, making it more appealing because he does not come across as a politician who has not come through as a leader who imposes himself on others. Rather, he places premium on the power of conviction which is very critical in political engineering where mass appeal is the goal. 

You think so?

Yes I think so, I believe so, I see it so, and that is the message from this, that although he has taken his personal political decision, he didn’t take it as a governor. He could have taken every step to ensure that he comes along with others but my view is that even those who made those declarations, there is the potential that once they see how good he is managing his politics in APC they would be attracted. So it’s a good development that we are seeing and I’m sure that this would go a long way in changing the dynamics and political profile of APC, not just in the South East but across the country. That is the way I see it.

But there is a view being raised that Gov. Umahi’s defection is practical evidence that your party is a power-grabbing machine and a real danger to Nigeria’s democracy. How do you respond to this?

My straight answer to that is this: you see, we tend to hold some views which unfortunately are not logical. What is politics without power? Politics without power content is empty. What is power, I dare ask? Power is the capacity to influence others. This is the thing. That APC is powerful to the extent that we are able to influence the decision of a nationalistic, progressive-minded, credible and leading political leader such as Governor Umahi, is a tsunami. And there is more. It is a major achievement for our party to win over such a strategic political asset who sees the party as a viable platform to canvass his politics as a leader of his people. They cannot run away from the fact that the coming of Umahi into APC is the beginning of an electoral tsumani for our party in the south east. The challenge and this is the point that stares us in Nigeria, we need to change and raise our competitive age because presently we are not competing enough we end up competing for the wrong thing. The PDP had Umahi as their governor, why should they allow themselves to lose him in such a cheap manner. It’s a pure management issue. In APC too, we have also had similar problems out of our own recklessness as a party that we lost governors in Benue, Kwara, Sokoto, name it. 

So your party has learnt its lessons and is getting its acts together?

Definitely we are still learning our lessons and getting our acts together, that’s what I will say and I have the confidence that our leadership and caretaker committee would take every step necessary to consolidate on this new development and especially now we are moving into the arena of membership registration, this is the best way to go. And we wouldn’t just be registering members; we would end up registering more leaders.

Leave a Reply