Why APC must go in 2015 — Nasarawa Speaker

As the 2015 general elections hot up, Nasarawa PDP is strategizing on how to pick a candidate from the nine aspirants   contesting for the governorship ticket. In this interview with AHMED TUKUR, the speaker of the state assembly, Hon Musa Ahmed Mohammed, gives an insight on the issues that would shape the party’s primary election.

 

What has the assembly done to arrest the incessant crisis in the state with the recent incursion into Lafia?
As you may be aware, the state legislature as an arm of government knows that the crisis in Nasarawa state did not start with the recent incursion into Lafia. This is because even before now, the assembly has recorded five resolutions on the issue of insecurity in the state. Passage is our main responsibility but the implementation rests with the executive. If government had religiously implemented those resolutions it would have helped significantly in resolving most of the security problems we are witnessing today.
We will continue to do what we think is right, to address the security challenges in the state as an arm of government and God’s willing, we will not relent in ensuring that we sensitize our electorate in the various communities on the need to live in peace and harmony with one another; irrespective of tribe or religious differences.

There are 20 lawmakers, out of 24 members in PDP in the state assembly. How helpful could this be to your Party’s bid to wrestle power from APC in 2015?
Take or leave it, Nasarawa is a PDP state, we don’t have APC. Apart from the 20 lawmakers belonging to the PDP in the state assembly, you also know that the PDP has been receiving serving members of both chambers of the National assembly into its fold; which is to show you that we are very much on the ground. I have no doubt that we will reclaim our mandate come 2015.
Infact, 2015 is a foregone issue and by the grace of God the APC will be parking their baggage out of the state because PDP by then, would have swept the polls, with a walk-over, during the gubernatorial election in the state. There are no two ways about it.

How true is it that you went on break in order to prevent Governor Almakura from presenting list of commissioners to replace those that were sacked?
I am not aware that the state government was planning to send any list of nominees to the assembly because such communications are done by way of memo from the governor not through the grapevine. At any rate, I am yet to receive such memo from his Excellency the governor of Nasarawa state – over nominations for consideration by the house.
Secondly, it’s not only Nasarawa state house of assembly that is at the moment on a short time break, because as you can see, you met me in the venue of the screening exercise of our party ahead of the 2015 general elections. So, we have to close for our electioneering campaigns. The national assembly and most state assemblies have closed for same reason. So, what makes that of Nasarawa an exception, that you will correlate it with an assumption that is unfounded?
Let me just say that I am not aware, because our reason for the break in Nasarawa state is clearly to allow members partake properly in their political activities of their respective constituencies.

Do you subscribe to insinuations that the crisis in the state is politically motivated?
Well, certainly there is no smoke without fire. So, if  you think it’s motivated by politics, you must have your reasons but as a head of an arm of government I want to say that  we have seen this when it started and we did our part as I mentioned earlier; to ensure that the situation is brought under control as far as state security is concerned.

How true is it that PDP members of the state assembly would determine who picks the party’s   gubernatorial ticket in the state?
I have said it times without number, that the Nasarawa state house of assembly has been speaking with one voice up to this moment and I want to assure you that we will continue to speak with one voice, irrespective of our personal and individual interests. We have done that in the past, in all elections right from state levels. When the present leadership of the party was brought into office, the assembly spoke with one voice. The assembly members equally spoke with one voice even at the zonal level of the party executive in the state. So, we shall continue to speak with one voice irrespective of our individual or personal interests. Yes, we have eight or nine aspirant for the governorship and we feel concerned about the number; yet we are proud to be associated with the PDP and that alone is enough to tell you that the party is on ground and as it is today; with or without the purported endorsement of Almakura by the APC nobody has come out to say he wants to contest on the APC platform.
This is not because the governor is seeking second term but because the APC is nowhere to be found in Nasarawa state and that is the truth.

What motivated you contest for the House of Representatives’ seat?
The responsibilities of the legislature, the world over are three: that of representation, making good laws, and that of oversight function; and I can confidently say under my leadership, we in the Nasarawa assembly have done quite well in the last seven-and-a-half years.  I am proud of the members and the entire leadership in that direction and even the staff, who have assisted us to carry out our job perfectly. So, in that regard, I thought every good father would avail his children the opportunity to grow. And having served twice, I though it wise to step forward and give others a chance and the opportunity to serve; and I wish them success.