What Buhari must do to avoid people’s revolt —Hadiza Ibrahim

Hajia Hadiza Ibrahim, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was a governorship aspirant during the 2015 elections in Kogi State and a delegate to the 2014 National Conference. In this interview by DEPUTY EDITOR, DAPO FALADE, she speaks on sundry issues affecting the country.

 

As a woman, mother and wife, what is your view on the increasing rising cost of living, especially food items, in the country?

To me, the problem lies with us, especially as it concerns local foodstuffs we are producing in the country. It is so sudden for the prices of food stuffs like gaari, palm oil to just go up like that. This is more especially of sachet water which price rose from Five Naira to N20 Naira. Who do we blame for this? We will blame ourselves. What has the dollar got to do with the price of local food stuffs. Why the rising price? The cost of labour has not really changed; the minimum wage remains N18,000. Why are we killing ourselves? The pump price of fuel still remains N145.

Few months ago, when I was doing the renovation of one of my property, I bought cement for N2,100 per bag, instead of the former price of N1,200. Even as we speak, I learnt that it is now between N2,400 and N2,500. Tell me why this should be so. Are we not the cause of our problems? I think we should put our heads together to know why the rising inflation to the extent that the common man cannot afford to feed, even once a day any longer.

It is pure sabotage. Some of these people around Mr President are not sincere and they are not policing or monitoring what is going on. Yes, Baba himself is not talking to the people but are those he appointed doing anything at all? As a concerned citizen, I am calling on fellow Nigerians to ask ourselves the question, ‘why the high price on food items?’

 

You said the president is not talking. Can this attitude be taken as a rationale for the ongoing protests against an administration that is less than two years in office?

As a matter of fact, there are lots of problems on ground and I do not expect these problems to be solved so soon. Let us be fair; can you, as the president of this country, do more than what Baba is doing? This country is so corrupt and there is increasing embezzlement of public funds in virtually all sectors. Unfortunately, the price of crude oil which we depend upon has gone down drastically. With the increasing attacks on oil pipelines by these militants, production of crude oil has gone below 40 per cent. Looking at all these, I will not put the blame at the doorstep of Mr President and two years is a short period to solve all these problems.

The most critical issue we have at hand now is hunger. If the people can get enough to eat, not many will be talking about buying cars or building houses. People are dying of hunger and this is perturbing.

 

But we are all in this country and the cost of living has never been as high as we have it now. What could have accounted for this?

The prices of local food stuffs, including gari and palm oil, were constant and not high before now. Don’t you think that something is wrong somewhere? What is happening now is not about the president not being popular. The people said they wanted change and that was why they voted for him. The change that the president called for is for a better life for Nigerians; not for people to die in hunger. I don’t know who are those people behind these problems.

At the same time, however, Baba himself also have some blames; he is not saying anything. He should voice out and say something. For example, a father who has been retrenched, all he needs to do is to talk to his children and explain that things are not working the way it used to be. Doing this will calm them down. But Baba is not doing this; he is not giving the people any hope. People are dying of hunger because there is no hope. Let him talk and call those people, those saboteurs, to order.

 

Given what you just said, can you say with all sincerity that the president has good intention for the country and the people?

Singularly, he has a very good intention but most of the people around him are not sincere. Let me give you an example: sometimes in June last year, I cannot remember the exact date now, I wrote a letter to the president, through the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to give him an information. But up till now, nothing has been done about what I told the president in the letter. They don’t care about information; they don’t care about the people. I am not even sure if the letter was delivered to the president. For how long shall we continue like this?

You said he has good intention but the problem is the people around. Who appointed them?

It is just like having four or five children; they cannot behave same way in the same manner. But all I am saying is that the president should remove those who are not good among them. Baba did not know that these people are not sincere; that they are not going to be helpful or guide him; he did not know that they are not going to support him. He thought that they are going to be useful. But since he has discovered and now that Nigerians are crying that they are not good, he should change them.

Some of these ministers are not sincere; they are not committed and dedicated. You cannot even tell them that somebody is coming to slap Baba tomorrow and that he should not come to office. Some of these ministers will not tell him. Rather, they will want Baba to be slapped. They are the ones that could quench this fire burning around him, but they are not doing it. If your security man could allow a mad man to come into your compound, don’t blame the mad man but the security man and you can sack him. That is why we are now telling Baba to sack some of these ministers. If not, something will happen to Baba.

 

There are rumors and speculations about the state of health of the president. What is your view and how does it affect the country and the people?

Baba is an old man. Even me, a young person who can be a daughter to the president, sometimes, I do break down. I will not say Baba should not be sick; he is not a wood or an iron. He is a human being like any one of us but the issue is that hatred for Baba has risen from zero per cent to almost 70 per cent

The president is not the only person to go on vacation; many presidents before him went on vacation. Queen Elizabeth of England, as old as she is, do go on vacation. Baba has travelled for just some few days and I don’t know why all this squabble. But the issue is that the level of hatred has increased. Baba should sit down and think about how he is going to solve the problem. There are many people like us who want him; I supported him, not because he sent for me. But many people are pointing fingers at me now, insulting me, saying ‘see the change you brought to us. See what this man is doing’. I am speechless. Baba should realise that many Nigerians are not happy with him now.