Interview

Outcome of 2023 presidential election will teach many politicians vital lessons –Pogu, MBF president

Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi was a member of the 8th Senate. He is currently the gubernatorial candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kaduna State. He shares his thoughts with our Northern Bureau Chief, MUHAMMAD SABIU, on the 2023 elections, predicting that there might be a re-run as well as other surprises.

What is your view about the 2023 general election?

It is going to be an election that will be credible, because of the electronic transmission of results. Elections in the past used to be manipulated. In 2019, so many results were thrown out without any justifiable reason, probably to favour some politicians. At Karu local government in Nasarawa State, thousands of votes were thrown out in the presidential election, likewise in the gubernatorial election. There were other local government election results thrown out and some people declared winners with a margin of five thousand, while many were thrown out without any justifiable reason and a re-run or whatsoever. So all these things will be addressed through the electronic transmission of results. In spite of the fact that we cannot have it perfect, because Nigerians are prone to devising new ways and means of rigging, just as you cannot stop people from buying votes, substantial machinery of rigging will be addressed by the BVAS and, in the end, we may have a better election. Another thing is that, out of desperation, politicians may still introduce violence to stop voters from coming out to vote, but all the same, I believe people are more ready to protect their votes now than before in spite of all the suspicion. Our prayer is that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should conduct the elections based on equity, fairness, and justice. We believe things may be better in 2023. Then, only God can determine the outcome. We want to do the right thing; let posterity judge us.

The Middle Belt Forum has thrown its weight behind the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi. Is he that popular to get the backing of MBF?

If he was not popular, you wouldn’t have seen all these rallies across the country, most especially in the Middle Belt.

The MBF, Afenifere, Ohaneze, and PANDEF have been clamouring for restructuring of the country towards a better governance. Do you think Obi has all it takes to implement this in spite of opposition to restructuring in some quarters?

We have looked at his pedigree, antecedents, and what he stands for. This man came into the political limelight through a process similar to this. In Anambra State, when all the problems were there, the stakeholders said, “Give us three names from which we can select, because, at that time, nothing seemed to be working. Three names were submitted and all three names were the same. That was Obi. In the end, they settled for Peter Obi and he won in a state where all the members of the State Assembly were of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Based on sentiment, they impeached him, but he came back again on the same platform, just as some people are presently saying that he doesn’t have a structure. He transformed Anambra, the state at the bottom came first in education. And at the end, he was able to leave a substantial amount of money for the incoming administration to kick-start the government with. I think he is determined to add value to the Nigerian situation. He is somebody we can trust and we believe he can deliver.

In your estimation, is the 2023 presidential election a contest between the North and the South?

It is a contest between those, who want a better Nigeria and those who want the status quo to remain. People who want a change against the traditional people. We stated before the primary that equity, fairness, and justice are required in this contest. After eight years of the Buhari’s administration in 2023, we are not bothered if it is the APC, the PDP or any political party, we said the president after 2023 must come from the South and our friends from the South equally said for the sake of equity, fairness and justice, it should go to the South-East. We have had eight years of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. By 2023, Professor Yemi Osinbajo would have completed eight years as vice-president. We had Jonathan for nearly six years from the South-South, but the South-East has never had it. So when it comes to the South, just as we micro-zoned to the South-West in 1999, it should go to the South-East.

Our brothers from the South brought somebody, whom they believe can be a Nigerian leader to deliver the country from the quagmire we have found ourselves. Peter Obi is the person. Not that there is no one in the South-East, but through permutation, he became the person. In the PDP, they could not zone the ticket to the South, because of the game they were playing then. Obi is Nigeria’s candidate, not a southern or northern candidate. He is being marketed by segments of the country. Both Obi and Dati are not from the South-West and Middle Belt like those of us who are preaching. They are Nigeria’s candidates. When somebody becomes a president, he is a Nigerian president, not a South-East president, but a Nigerian president of South-East extraction. Maybe some South-East people also feel that they are on the ticket and recognise them as bona fide Nigerians. That is what we are working on. We want the unification of Nigeria where everyone will have a sense of belonging, not just the South or North.

The belief in certain quarters is that a vote for Peter Obi is a vote for Biafra. What is your opinion of this?

A vote for Obi is a vote for Nigeria, but in other words, the Igbo felt marginalised and that is why agitation for Biafra has been there. And even now that Peter Obi has not won the election, just because he is on the ticket and he has mass support, it appears the agitation and the militancy has gone down. Peter Obi is the solution to the Biafra agitation and militancy in the South-East. It means everybody in this country has a stake, and if everybody has a stake, no agitation for separation will be entertained by anybody

Should religion be used as a strategy to win elections?

That is a wrong premise. It is unfortunate that some people or political parties are playing religious cards to win elections, but they will be disappointed. Politicians have always been doing this, but it was not as bad as we are experiencing today. It is an unfortunate development. Many Nigerians were disappointed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could descend to the level of playing religious cards. For its presidential candidate to have picked another Muslim as a running mate, it is wrong and it amounts to taking Nigerians, especially the Christians, for granted.

More so, this is coming when we have Boko Haram tormenting Nigeria: we have ISWAP, ANSARU, and bandits, all of them tormenting Nigerians and some politicians are saying it doesn’t mean anything. They are all the same. The issue is insensitivity at this time and Christians and other non-Muslims feel that this is insensitive and improper. It is extremely wrong to introduce such a thing at this time. It should not be allowed to succeed; it is dangerous for Nigeria. Those who introduced this should have a rethink. It is not too late. According to INEC guidelines, changes can still be made 90 days before a particular election. We are advising Bola Ahmed Tinubu that for the development of Nigeria and the progress of the country, we must do away with this for everyone to have a sense of belonging on the platform of the APC. The argument of competence is unfounded. There are quite a lot of intelligent people who are Christians all over the country, especially in the North.

Most of your governors in the Middle Belt are not in tandem with this Obi movement. How are you going to convince them to join the bandwagon?

This is a mass movement of the people. The result of the election will show whether the like of Governor Lalong in the Middle Belt are in control of the people or not. The outcome of the 2023 elections will teach many politicians a lesson. The crude idea of rigging will be a thing of the past and I am sure the outcome will reflect people’s aspirations. Those who are going to go against their people are going to be disappointed and frustrated. We are not against anybody, but our advice to them is to go along with their people

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