Why PDP will overcome current challenges —Salvador

Honourable Moshood Adegoke Salvador, a delegate to the 2014 National Conference, national auditor of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) and current chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, speaks on the crisis in his party, federal appointments, war against corruption and the Yoruba nation. KUNLE ODEREMI brings excerpts of the interview:

RECENT developments in PDP appear to have confirmed the views of a former leader of the party who declared that PDP is dead and Ali Modu Sheriff its undertaker, while the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) is at the intensive care unit…

I strongly disagree with such analysis. One, the person that said it I believe does not have a sufficient political experience. Two, he is not very vast in the politics of the country.

You mean a former president like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who made such a comment lacked the necessary political experience?

Yes, I know it is former President Obasanjo, who made the comment. But, you can imagine his age! He is our Baba; he is a comedian; he is a man with a very high sense of humour. So, you don’t take his words seriously when made in certain context or on the face value alone. He only thought aloud and which may not necessarily reflect the contemporary reality in the PDP. He merely gave a signal or, if you like, a message. And he has always done that on national issues based on his own perception and understanding of a particular situation.  So, his view is just to tell you that both the PDP and the APC are sick; that they need overhauling.

But he was specific that the PDP was dead?

No human being is complete, not to talk of a political party, which comprises people of divergent views, diverse backgrounds and variegated interests. You saw what happened in the United States. Do you mean it is because the Democrats were not good that the Republicans got to power, even when Republican members refused to either identify with, or vote for Donald Trump? If you believe the Republicans had no problem, why were they divided, or some bluntly refused to support his presidential ambition? So, the trend is not peculiar to Nigeria. The issue of the PDP being dead and in the hands of an undertaker or that the APC is in the intensive care unit is a mere conjecture and personal opinion. The PDP cannot die. Why should anyone say the PDP is dead, when it has governors in 12 states, who have shone like stars in terms of performance? Why would anyone think the PDP is dead, when it remains the only party that has formidable structures and presence in all the nooks and crannies of the country? We will not give in to blackmailers. We know the authentic leaders of our party and remain resolute and steadfast in the quest to taking the PDP to the next level, notwithstanding some challenges, which are normal in every human organisation.

Why do you still believe that the PDP can rediscover itself before subsequent elections, given the protracted leadership tussle at the centre; the party appears to be in total disarray?  

This is a cultured political party that believes in due process, not dictation or whatever and that is why we instituted the National Caretaker Committee to manage the party under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Markaffi, while Senator Ali Modu Sheriff watched from the sidelines. But let me say it without equivocation that the governing APC party is behind the current shenanigan by some fifth columnists in the PDP.

What evidence do you have back such claim?

Do not start looking for evidence afar; I will talk from experience. When we were in the Alliance for Democracy (AD), the then ruling PDP did the same thing to us. They brought Abdulkadir to be a factional chairman of the party against Mamman Yussuf, who was the chairman recognised by all the major stakeholders, among them governors, NASS members, state EXCO and others. Which structures in terms of executive did Abdulkadir put in place? None. He was only on a solo mission to destabilise, castrate and weaken the AD as a vibrant opposition. He came to throw spanner in the works of the AD. What was the reward he got from the authority? He was made the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. That is what is probably playing out, given the externally induced challenges in the PDP.   We have the experience; we know how to manage this type of situation. We will not succumb to the antics and theatrics of detractors and fifth columnists. At the end of the day, you should not be surprised if the arrow head of the destabilisation plot against the PDP is compensated with the portfolio of Nigeria’s Ambassador to Chad Republic.

Why has it remained difficult for the PDP to penetrate Lagos and win the governorship since 1999?

The issue of Lagos is a pathetic thing. It is the judiciary that is completely compromised by the government in power. They have access to free fund. Again, it all boils down corruption. Take for example, the last local council polls in Lagos State, if we were to apply force, definitely it might cost lives. How can an election be held and the votes were not counted, as the electoral chairman just came out and declared that APC won all the seats, and that’s all? There were no figures. That’s to tell you the high level of corruption we are facing in this country. It was known to the public the high level of corruption in the judiciary until President Buhari came in to expose some of the culprits. The clerk of a court once told me that he was the one that usually changed dollars for a judge. I asked him if he operated a bureau de change that enabled him to play such role for his master. When you see a judge that has a fixed salary building mansions almost every two years and nobody raises an eyebrow or ask questions, a society will find itself in our current predicament of morality. When Lagos State will just give land at choice areas, with exotic vehicles to judges, will the judiciary be able to toe the path of justice and fairness? Because we do not believe in compromising the institution, coupled with the fact that we don’t have that kind of money, we are bound to find ourselves as party in the current problem. You can imagine what happened in Eti-Osa, where the PDP candidate for chairmanship election, Babatunde Obanikoro won but they refused to declare him winner. We went to the tribunal, where again he won, yet, they refused to let him assume office. A similar situation occurred in Badagry and Agbado-Okeodo, where we won hands down. In Somolu, we won more than 10 councillorship seats, they only released six. Ditto Kosofe. Is that democracy?

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo have come to be acknowledged as the voice of the ethnic nationalities in the North and the South-East respectively. Why is it difficult for the Yoruba nation to have such a body, in view of the amalgam of groups claiming to represent the interest of the Yoruba?

I believe the problem we have now is similar to what Papa Obafemi Awolowo had in those days, which was as a result of opposition. So, what we are saying now is that we don’t want politics to divide us. That was why we formed a socio-cultural organisation, where everybody, no matter what political party you belong, will come together and speak with one voice. Some years before Mama HID Awolowo died, she realised some knotty issues concerning the Afenifere and she intervened. Mama said she would not allow that philosophy behind Afenifere to die. That was why she came up with the organisation, the Yoruba Unity Forum. In short, Mama HID Awolowo formed the YUF. We are the umbrella body of all the other organisations and that is why whenever we want to any event, we make sure that all other groups in Yoruba land are invited; just to foster unity of the race.

Most Yoruba believe that the unifying venue for the Yoruba is Ikenne, as a sign of deserving honour to Chief Awolowo. That was why we said Ikenne must remain YUF office. If there are other things we want to do that we believe that Ibadan will be central, we sometimes hold our press conferences in the Oyo State capital. So, the venue of YUF events will always be between Ikenne and Ibadan. We need to appeal to those people that are bent on dividing us.

Taking a cursory look at challenges such as bad economy, insecurity, and rising inflation, corruption in high places, do you think they could have been prevented? 

Definitely, they were avoidable. The mindset of any pilot or driver will determine the direction of an aircraft or a vehicle. Most the challenges are as a result of a hidden agenda by those in authority. All of us agree to a constitution for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In the document, there is provision for Federal Character principle. In the same constitution, it is stated what Mr President can do and cannot do. After the change of baton, all the principal appointments came from the North. All the security offices were made from the North, not just northerners but from the Hausa/Fulani ethnic extraction. That cannot in any way make other geopolitical zones comfortable. That is a sort of crisis.

Again, people talk about the relationship between the President and some of the key appointees. All these cannot help a nation of 180 million population. You cannot compare yourself to a country like Ghana, where the population is just 28 million, the size of Lagos, or you compare yourself with a country like The Gambia, where the population is equivalent to that of Alimosho Local Government Area in Lagos State. So, you don’t do things that way. These days you don’t go to the social media after waking up, otherwise the kind of comments you get there could spoil your day, even though there are some excesses on that platform. We can see the agenda of the North in all the core areas of our national life under the present administration. So, Mr President needs to be properly advised; he needs to make sure he puts things in a proper perspective.  I believe those in authority for now are doing nothing; It is only sycophants that can claim the government and its functionaries are doing it right. That is why I said they have their own hidden agenda.

At the beginning of the interview, you scored the Buhari government zero in terms of performance. But, the administration has succeeded in degrading Boko Haram in the North-East?

Ask our military guys, though they are barred from talking, to what extent that claim is true?  I am a Nigerian; I have to protect the interest of my nation. Therefore, I cannot say everything I know because it can affect my dear country. Not too long ago, two communities were burnt down by Boko Haram members.  But, I do not know the instruction given to the press, but they seem to be keeping quiet over some of these ugly developments now, maybe, for security reasons.   But, we have to put the government on their toes so that they can do better things for the country.

The PDP was in government for 16 years and the contention of the APC administration is that it did not do well in power; that it created virtually most of the core challenges facing the country?

But it was during the tenure of PDP that we had Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa. Yet, they are saying Nigeria almost crumbled under PDP. It was during PDP that the number of universities in Nigeria increased by 10 to enable millions of people to further their studies. It was under that regime that special almajiri schools were built by the federal Government. Everything was going on steadily and progressively, including the economy. Businessmen were happy; you could see the number of people that had private jets. That is the kind of situation that exists in any good economy. Nobody has it now except the APC politicians. Where is their factory? What are they producing? Nothing! It is only your money they use to manage their ego. It is glaring that during the period of PDP nobody talked of hunger the way and manner millions and millions are complaining and suffering today. If you are now saying somebody spoiled the economy and during that time people were enjoying and you now came to correct it, we expect it to move to a better level.  Not to ground zero.  It is only propaganda that Nigeria lives on.  I am talking reality and not propaganda.  I am not that type of politicians. When you see things happening. Railway was picking up, the airports were rehabilitated. The Bank of Industry empowered people and created jobs and wealth. What is the exchange rate of the Naira to the United States Dollar, and other foreign currencies? Enough of this blame game. Nigerians are tired, hungry and famished.

You talked about the principle of Federal character as enshrined in the Constitution. The National Assembly is there to ensure compliance with by the Executive arm of government. Are you saying it has shirked in the onerous responsibility of acting as checks and balance?

No, they are performing their functions, but they need to do more. You can see how the Executive engaged the NASS by rattling the principal officers. You knew what happened to the president of the Senate shortly after the election of the principal officers of the Senate? They took him to court and later CCT. And what is the outcome so far? The CCT trial is there, and it might remain till God knows when. It is as good as no case. It is all politics. Once you put politics before the interest of your nation, just forget it, this is what you will be getting.  How can you expect much from the House of Representatives, when the Speaker himself has been accused of sundry allegations? One Honourable Abdulmumini Jibrin was the one talking and now they have succeeded in making him to keep silent.