APDA’ll raise the bar in Nigeria’s politics

The build up to the registration of the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) was filled with speculation that the political association was the brainchild of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elements loyal to the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) as a fall back should the impending Supreme Courts decision on the raging PDP leadership crisis go against it. In this interview by Deputy Editor, LEON USIGBE, Asandia Hogan, the National Publicity Secretary of the new party, responds to this and other issues. 

 

Now that APDA has been registered, what’s next for the party?

Firstly, we want to sensitise Nigerians to our ideology, values, mission and agenda as captured in our Constitution and manifesto. We realise that Nigerians are broadly skeptical  about political organisations making bold promises. So, we are determined to not only sensitise Nigerians with the content of our constitutions but also to demonstrate and practicalize our conviction in the values we hold so dearly. We believe that our acceptance as a party is hinged on the transparency of our processes and the credibility of the promoters that endorse our party. We will be embarking on a massive membership registration drive. This is important to us not only because our capacity as a party is determined by the size of our membership, but because by our adoption of direct primaries as a means of electing our leaders, the larger our membership base, the more credibility our elected candidates will have to contest local, state and national elections. Coming from this perspective, our focus is not only on attracting the largest number of members, we are also focused on attracting the most competent, brilliant, meritorious members of our society to join us and contribute to the depth and content of our political discourse so we not only provide credible opposition but we also provide constructive opposition. We are all Nigerians and we have no other nation but this one. We wish to play a politics of higher morals and principles than has been offered to the country up to this point. The rest is for Nigerians to choose what kind of country, what kind of society, what kind of government and what kind of vision they wish to align with in this country. Ultimately, the most advanced democracies declare that nations get the level of governance they deserve. If we as a people cannot differentiate what is right from wrong, then maybe we cannot realistically demand for good or better governance. However as a party we cannot just go about criticising every policy of government be it APC or PDP without any moral justification. This is why we are creating a shadow cabinet of technocrats to scrutinise the incumbent government’s policies, check their excesses and hold them accountable to their promises. It is unfortunate that thus far there has not been any meaningful opposition. Our immediate goals and objectives are all geared towards demonstrating to Nigerians that the outcome of the 2015 elections was a lesson in gullible “one chance” politics. We believe Nigerians are wiser today and we need to raise the bar in the level and quality of our politics. This is our goal. This is our objective.  And this is our immediate next course of action.

 

How do you intend to break into the Nigerian political scene already dominated by APC, PDP, APGA, etc?

By offering Nigerians participatory politics. We are a party that allows any citizen to join and at the very least, have one vote in the decision making processes within the party, therefore strengthening internal democracy.

It is common knowledge that imposition and impunity contribute to systemic failure. APDA is a radical departure from that type of politics. We are a party that is pro-women, pro-youth and pro-people living with disabilities, as well as a promoter of disenfranchised people. We believe that stands us out as a party and clearly shows our unique selling points.

 

APDA, in some quarters, is seen as a Plan B for the Makarfi-led PDP, in case it loses out to Ali Modu Sheriff at the Supreme Court. How do you react to that?

It is quite flattering that a party that was in government for 16 years up to two years ago is being associated with our newly formed party, less than a week after our registration. We make bold to say that since the creation of the APC, no political party has been taken so seriously from inception of registration as APDA is today and we all know what happened with APC. When one takes the time to read through and understand what the APDA as a party is actually about, it is not surprising why any politician or political party will see APDA as the envy of the political landscape. We can categorically state that there is widespread disenfranchisement with political parties across Nigeria. A cross section of the PDP have canvassed for internal reform since 2008 when a “PDP reform group” was formed and members were subsequently suspended.  It goes without saying that some members of the PDP have been aggrieved with their party for an extended period of time and many have identified APDA as having the most progressive reform agenda on the political horizon and so maybe they want to seize the current leadership crisis and Supreme Court judgment as the basis for decamping to APDA. Some of those reform group members suspended by PDP then are today in the APC and other well-meaning Nigerians also joined the APC seeking an improvement on what the PDP had to offer.  These APC members have now realised that their aspiration was nothing more than a mirage.

The PDP itself has disassociated itself from APDA on, at least, two occasions. And rightly so. We are an alliance of differing people but with the same ideology and vision. We are not a plan B or C or K for any political party. Our doors are open to all Nigerians regardless of political associations with the caveat that they must share our ideologies and principles. Section 14.6 of our constitution states that “members shall accept all the aims, objectives, principles, values, policies,  programmes and manifesto of the party.”

 

Would you accept the PDP faction if they were to move enmasse into APDA?

We are an alliance. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria mandates freedom of association and forbids us from discriminating against anyone. We will accept all Nigerian citizens who will abide by our constitution.

 

2019 is not far away. What’s your plan for the election?

We are beginning with a strategic voters registration sensitisation. After which we plan on embarking on an aggressive recruitment campaign for members. We will also be sharing our ideology, vision and mission with Nigerians. In addition, APDA plans to conduct the freest and fairest primaries across board thereby filling every available position with credible candidates.

We are a transparent party. This is evident with our constitutionally enshrined use of electronic voting and direct primaries, which we believe in turn will produce less aggrieved members and lead to better cohesion at the elections.

 

Money is a major factor in Nigerian politics. What’s your source of funding?

Membership registration and dues is our major source of funding. We also have donations from members but strictly within the limits of the law.

 

Do you think you are in a position to raise enough money to be a viable political party?

There are a number political parties which are viable but do not have the capacity to effectively challenge the incumbent party at the next general elections. Make no mistake, APDA is seeking a knockout against the current political establishment. This requires a significant but not insurmountable budget. We reject funds from “money bags”, “godfathers”, government coffers or any other self-serving authority that can jeopardise the collective aspirations of our members at the altar of selfish political machinations. We are promoting a people’s party founded by members who have an equal stake in the decisions and influence of the party. We want a party that can project the best leaders and not just the richest candidates. We want to fund technical committees to proffer a roadmap for sound sustainable measurable achievable realistic and time bound policy objectives that will see APDA hit the ground running if voted into office. We want to fund leadership development programmes for the next generation of politicians, which we must entrust to take over the affairs of the country from the same old recycled “leaders”. We believe our programme justifies support from the widest cross section of Nigerians and we believe that once Nigerians are sensitised about our political offering, they will buy into our agenda, availing us the resources to succeed not just as a viable party but most significant as the most credible opposition party.

 

How soon will you have congresses and national convention to elect substantive leaderships?

We intend to have congresses around November this year. It will be the first time electronic voting is used in a political party primaries.

 

How do you assess the APC administration after two years?

APC came into power in 2015 riding on Nigerians’ disenfranchisement with the former ruling party PDP. Their failed promises and devastating policy decisions have crippled the national economy and impoverished the average Nigerian. Their shameful performance in government calls for the rise of a new party built on a commitment to responsible leadership and tireless conviction in improving the livelihoods of all Nigerians.

I will give just a tip of the iceberg of APC’s failures: Corruption – Whilst the APC has been touting the war on corruption as one of its major achievements, it is very clear how lopsided the war has been. Anyone who opposes them seems to get roped into a case with EFCC. Of course, there is the constant flouting of the rule of law whilst those with the biggest cases to answer in APC are given juicy portfolios as ministers or are godfathers in their party. In one instance, the SGF has been indicted by the Senate for award of contracts to ghost companies by the Federal government committee on the North East.