Jonathan, PDP stand no chance in 2015, says Tofa - Jun 07, 2014 - via The Telegraph A former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) during the June 12, 1993, election, Alhaji Othman Bashir Tofa, has said the only way the 2015 presidential election could be adjudged as free and fair is for political parties to allow Nigerians, irrespective of tribe and creed to contest. Besides, he urged politicians jettison their “political ego” and collaborate with the electoral commission in making the election a huge success, especially above what was the case in 1993. Speaking with New Telegraph, Tofa said: “But for us to eliminate people’s right from the beginning, to say that South, West or East will not contest is just like eliminating them. The feeling, therefore, will be that of loss of faith and confidence in this party right from the beginning. After all, the party told them that they cannot produce presidential aspirants, they cannot aspire to rule their own country. “I think it is better that the party gives everybody equal opportunity to participate so that when you lose, you cannot say that is because you were not given the chance, the opportunity to aspire to rule your own country. That is how I think we should go about it so that people will not say the party that has denied them the opportunity of choosing their leaders. That is how we should do it to ensure that the convention is fairly-contested,” he said. Tofa, who was a former national financial secretary of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) during the Second Republic, said it was unfortunate that the PDP-led government had introduced Nigeria to a regrettable zoning culture, where a particular zone or ethnic configuration believes it should dominate the nation’s political landscape. “If you have been reading what I have been writing for a long time, even while in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), I was one of the most open advocates of zero-zoning, especially for presidential aspirants. Nigerians should go to the convention so that nobody feels bypassed or ignored. “Nobody has the automatic right to become president of this country. If people prefer a particular candidate or somebody from a particular part of this country, his promoters should work for him so that he can emerge as the candidate,” he said. While urging those clamouring for power shift to have a rethink, Tofa said: “You know there are so many people in the APC who have the belief that the presidency should come from the North, so all these people should decide at the convention which northerners should be given the chance or voted for. We should also give others the chance to fully participate and contest the elections, even if they will not win.” On the call by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, that the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, should be honoured, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, said: “I have no views on that. I promised myself that issues relating to June 12 are over for me. I will not discuss them again.” On the alleged intention to field former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari as the APC presidential candidate, Tofa said: “People become whatever they will become when their time comes and I can assure you that Buhari will not be the only aspirant in this convention. There are still one or two people who will be there.” From wrangling with state governors, the APC seems to be gravitating from one crisis to another. What is your take on this? What is your take on this? First of all, we have to realise that APC is a brand new party. So, many groups, many individuals are trying to find their level in the party and to ensure that they get to that level, everybody is struggling and scrambling. It is natural, you find that in every political party, not only in Nigeria but also in Europe. You find cleavages and groups in the parties projecting their particular interest. Either their interest about how to control the party or their ideological interest, you find them with different names and aims. I am sure you can find this in All Peoples Grand Alliance or in the Peoples Democratic Party. You will hear about these problems in other parties. So, it is not a new thing, particularly in the APC which people credit with a tremendous capacity to win most states and even the presidency. So it will not surprise anybody if there are competing groups of people. Not only the governors but some ambitious politicians who might try to make sure that they exert their influence so that their own interests in the party can be better served. So people are working hard. What is important now is how we can become the source of alternative hope for Nigerians. You know we are going to have our convention in the next few days and some people are going to contest to be chairman of the party, secretary and all that. That is another reason why people will group to ensure that the sort of quality they are looking for in who eventually becomes their chairman is considered. But in the end, the governors, the new leaders that will emerge and all of us will unite together for the common purpose of winning the election. So let us give it time, let us come out of the convention and let us see how the party can fuse together all these various groups so that we can focus on what is important which is presenting good candidates in the presidential election, senators, and all that so that we can rescue Nigeria. But prior to this, people accused governors who defected of importing strange tendencies into the APC in order to hijack the opposition party for their selfish reasons. These are all natural things, you don’t expect that a political party with new people coming in to remain the same way. These governors came in with their influence from other parties and nobody will like to lose his influence. The important thing is how to carry on, how we deal with this internal situation is a different thing altogether. Now that everybody is settling down and finding his own level either as governor or party follower, things are calming down. Most state congresses have been done, some with a lot of difficulties but they have been done, and do not forget that some of the governors did not come from the legacy party. They came into APC as a group and came with that complex that unless we assert ourselves, we will be treated like new comers and all. That, in itself, is enough reason for them, in their own assessment, to ensure that they are not left behind; but like I said, things are settling down. People are now used to one another and becoming friends and party members and by the time we have this convention, things will be quieter. Do you agree with Governor Babatunde Fashola that the issue of zoning is no longer tenable in the APC? If you have been reading what I have been writing for a long time, even while in the All Nigeria People’s Party, I was one of the most open advocates of zero-zoning, especially for presidential aspirants. I urge all Nigerians, whoever they are and wherever they come from, to go to the convention so that nobody feels bypassed or ignored. Nobody has the automatic right to become president of this country. If people prefer a particular candidate or somebody from a particular part of this country, his promoters should work for him so that he can emerge as the candidate. But for us to eliminate people’s right from the beginning, to say that South, West or East will not contest is just like eliminating them. The feeling therefrom will be that of loss of faith and confidence in this party right from the beginning. After all, the party told them that they cannot produce presidential aspirants, they cannot aspire to rule their own country. I think it is better that the party gives everybody equal opportunity to participate so that when you lose, you cannot say that is because you were not given the chance, the opportunity aspire to rule your own country. That is how I think we should go about it so that people will not say the party that has denied them the opportunity of choosing their leaders. That is how we should do it to ensure that the convention is fairly-contested. If zoning has been entrenched in Nigerian party politics, how can you now opt out of this arrangement? I think right from 1999 to date, the zoning formula you are talking about is all about PDP, not in any other party. For instance, the ANPP never zoned any position to anywhere because it was not given the chance to rule and showcase its political prowess and quality leadership. Do you also share the persuasion that power must shift to the North at all cost? No, I don’t look at it that way. You know, there are so many people in the APC who have the belief that the presidency should come from the North, so all these people should decide at the convention which northerners should be given the chance or voted for. You know there are two or three people willing to contest the election from the North but there are also others who might be willing. We should also give these others the chance to fully participate and contest the elections, even if they will not win. The opportunity to do so should be given to them so that they can feel the same sense of belonging; that feeling that the opportunity has been given to them. I don’t want APC to entrench zoning in the party. I want, in every convention, everybody is allowed to participate and contest whatever he so wishes. Are you afraid that internal wrangling within your party can rob it of its position as a strong opposition or even a viable alternative to the party in power? I told you that these problems could certainly be minimised. There is no organisation, no matter how small, that is without problems. People are sorting it out that this is what we want that and all that. This is only natural. Just because people are struggling to justify their positions or find their levels and achieve their individual ambition does not amount to what you call problems. Personally, my belief is that the best way to handle these kind of problems is to minimise it; to have greater internal democracy in the party. And part of that internal democracy is when you go to the convention, you allow all Nigerians to aspire for every position. Let us go as democrats and showcase that yes, we can do it. I don’t want any part of this country to be eliminated from aspiring to the leadership of his country. Let us go there as democrats and do it, because one strong reason that can make us fail and lose the election is to deny certain parts of the country the opportunity to contest. Let us demonstrate that all Nigerians have equal right in this new party. I am not saying that the north should not be given the chance but am saying that all parts of the country should be given the chance. I think is better for us to do it that way. Do you share the suggestion that the old guard in your party should give way to younger elements to revitalise the party? This is all nonsense because integrity, experience have nothing to do with age. Younger people are no better than older people. What we need in this country is not a young president, not an old president, not a Northern or Eastern or Southern President. We want a good President who will do this country well, regardless from where ever he hails and whatever his age. Those people who say we want young people because they are young, in the next 20 years or even 15 years, they will also be old and would automatically be eliminated, you know. I remember while we were in NPN, as young as I was, I was the national financial secretary and we were saying we have to make use of the time we have. Somebody said, ‘Bashir be careful, one day you will also be an old man too, and they will also eliminate you.’ I am beginning to see it now. So, what am I saying is that we should focus on good leadership. We should focus on who will remedy the situation and do all Nigerians proud, whatever his age is. So long as he is healthy, mentally well and will do well for the country, anybody can be the president. That is what we should consider. But will projecting Muhammadu Buhari, a candidate who has contested severally and failed, not jeorpardise APC’s chances of winning in 2015? I remember, I think, people said similar things about Abdullahi Wade, former President of Senegal who contested for about 10 times and then he got it when he was 70 years old. People become whatever they will become when their time comes and I can assure you that Buhari will not be the only aspirant in this convention. There are still one or two people who will be there. I remember Sam Nda Isaiah of Leadership Newspaper is also contesting. So, this is a good thing that APC should be seen to have varieties of people interested in the presidency. And then it is possible may be Abubakar Atiku may want it. I have also read that Bola Tunubu is considering contesting. All these are good indications that the party can sit and discuss between the various interests and see how they will navigate their way to victory. From these people who have shown interests, it shows that a lot of people have interest in the party. When you see people like these showcasing their interests, then you know that people have seen good things in that party. What we really need to ensure victory is the matter of strategy and that is a matter that the party has to sit and discuss in a very serious manner so that we do not make any mistake because candidates alone do not win e l e c t i o n s . There are ot h e r i s – sues that people are concerned about that need to be discussed, including the need to tell Nigerians this is how we are going to deal with these issues X, Y and Z. We have to do that in order to convince Nigerians that if they give the APC the chance, the party will do it and that the APC is a collective responsibility, not just a one man show. Nigerians should be told that because X is now the President, he can do whatever he wishes. The APC has to deal with each Nigerian as a human being who has rights equal to other Nigerians. That is the only way we can solve our problems and move forward. Do you agree with Femi Fani-Kayode who dumped the APC, after accusing the party of being a circle of murderers because of your support for amnesty for Boko Haram? Well, Femi Fani Kayode, I really do not know him very well, but I knew his father very, very, well. He was a very good man with strong points and so on. I think Femi, the son, has deviated a little bit from the path of his father as a consistent person. If Femi left the party, well I don’t think it should bother me. Anybody coming in or leaving the party depends on the ways he sees things. He may want to be in the PDP for a different reason than what he is telling us. He may want to defect from APC for a different reason than he is telling us. People must find a reason to justify their actions but I don’t think it should bother anybody. But does the party’s support for amnesty for Boko Haram qualify it as a circle of murderers? Well, allegations are allegations. What he needs to do now is to prove those allegations for the law to take its course. For someone who had the opportunity but refused to do so, could former President Olusegun Obasanjo have been sincere when he belatedly said that Chief MKO Abiola deserved to be honoured? I have no views on that. I promised myself that issues relating to June 12 are over for me. I will not discuss them again so you can skip that. Is the future of the foundation of the Nigerian state threatened by the unholy trinity of insurgency, corruption and tribalism? Well, the solution is good leadership, honest, transparent leadership. And there are so many Nigerians, even in the PDP, and that is why they should look more inward and find somebody whom they are sure can win them the election in 2015 because, as it is, it is unlikely if Jonathan can win any election anywhere despite what they are saying. I don’t see him having any support anywhere in Nigeria. What the country needs now, like I told you, is good leadership, whether from the South or from the North. He has to be a person with tremendous integrity, faultless not hundred per cent but to the extent that nobody can pink-point any harm that this person or the party has done to the country; somebody not a criminal or a corrupt person but somebody who is conversant with the country and its politics; someone whom Nigerians can trust. This is the solution all the parties should embrace as ultimate solution to our problems. Are you suggesting that President Jonathan lacks these attributes? I didn’t say he lacks in all. newtelegraphonline/jonathan-pdp-stand-chance-2015-says-tofa/
Posted on: Sun, 08 Jun 2014 12:33:53 +0000
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