The director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola, speaks with SAHEED SALAWU on politics and governance in Nigeria.
What is your take on the preparations for the 2019 general election and what are your expectations?
I think [the Independent National Electoral Commission] INEC is set. The political parties are the problem. They are still defecting. They lack principle. There is no sense of loyalty in our politicians. There is no political culture we can be proud of. If the only rationale for leaving your party is because you could not get the ticket then your vision is blurred. You are a born divorcee. You are inconsistent. That is why we need a new class of politicians.
ALSO READ: Sugar consumption does not cause diabetes – Expert
Your organisation recently brought to the fore the relationship between religion and politics when it came to the defence of two prominent clerics, Reverend Matthew Kukah and Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, for the role they played in the rapprochement between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar. Could you expatiate on that, sir?
Those who think religious scholars should keep away from politics miss the point. You all can see what is happening in the political arena. Only a few politicians are trustworthy. They only take care of their personal interests. Look at the National Assembly. Are they working for us? Many politicians siphon our common patrimony to foreign countries. They purchase yatchs and private jets with our common wealth.
Religious scholars can add piety to politics. They can also attract patriotic citizens to politics. If good citizens abandon politics to bad people, then it is those bad people who will rule them. Bad laws will be promulgated. Do you remember when members of the NASS wanted to secure immunity for themselves? That is just one example. Their humongous salaries and other emoluments is another example.
Do you see yourself joining mainstream politics someday to try and put things right with your own hands?
I don’t have the flair for politics and I don’t intend to cultivate that culture. Nigerian politics in particular calls for the ability to deceive the people, a capacity to call black white. I can’t do any of those.
You can’t be a successful politician in Nigeria if you are too blunt. You can’t get along if you are not a natural kleptomaniac. That is the problem President Buhari has with the current capitalist bourgeoisie. He lives a Spartan life. They see him as fish out of water. But that is the kind of leader that can take Nigeria to El Dorado. Not the hawks that are hovering over the National Assembly.
In what areas would you advise the present administration in the country to step up its game?
Indiscipline is creeping into the ruling party. That is why there is misunderstanding between the party chairman and some state governors. They also need more counter propaganda. The present administration is up against smart Alecs who are capable of turning white into black. Many in the opposition camp are comedians in political garb. Many Nigerians are gullible people and these actors easily deceive them.
The information managers are trying their best but they still need to design faster and more effective ways of dealing with fake news. This is the first administration since colonial times that will pay serious attention to infrastructure. New roads are springing up everywhere. Dilapidated ones are being refurbished. Bridges are being constructed. Light rail has started in Abuja and railway is fully back on Lagos to Kano route. Lagos-Ibadan rail is 80 per cent completed. Who is going to use all these? It is the citizens. It is the taxpayers. Buhari could have diverted the $1.4 billion being used to construct the Lagos-Ibadan railway to buy private jets for himself and a yatch for his family. At least that was what some people did for the 16 years that they were in power. Yet some people want to bring them back. I wonder if common sense is common at all.
This administration needs to blow its own trumpet this time around. N-Power, school-feeding project, trader-moni and so many other social intervention programmes of this government need to be well propagated. There should be small leaflets in all Nigerian languages enumerating these colourful ideas. Instead of stealing money, this administration is sharing the money among the poor. It is touching lives at the grassroots level. There is every reason to take the news to the mountains and valleys.
HOW ATIKU MADE NIGERIA THE POVERTY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
A. NigerDock is the largest ship fabrication yard in West Africa sub region. When it was sold, its Ex-MD Engr. Nkpubre Okon, openly stated how “Mr Job Creator” ignored the Transport Ministry then to Open bid for NigerDock.
Atiku’s preferred bidder, ‘Global Energy’ that agreed to increase NigerDock’s workforce from 4,800 to 6,000 as part of privatization agreement dismissed 2,200 immediately it took ownership. Jagal Group that took over after Global Energy lost out on power play also sacked 1,400.
B. Nigeria Port Authority reform was purely contrived to grab landed properties. 10,000 workers were sacked & 133 bids opened for NPA properties consisting of 68 properties in Apapa, 28 houses in Ikoyi. The highest reserves bid was for a property in Ikoyi fixed at N390.4 Million.
C. NIGERIA RAILWAY
Did Atiku forget how 7000 railway workers were sacked in 2005 without compensation to reduce its workforce to 6,300? Another 1,260 were fired in 2006. When ATIKU and his Headmaster were leaving in 2007, they left ~N5 Billion in unpaid Railway pension arrears.
D. FEDERAL SECRETARIAT IKOYI
In 2006, Babalakin’s Resort Ltd acquired this 15 storeys prime asset overgrown with weeds from atiku and OBJ through a Development Lease Agreement (DLA) for N7.2Billion. A Court has asked Buhari to pay N54 Billion to Babalakin for that blunder.
The DLA, dated October 10, 2006, granted Babalakin Resort Ltd a 99-years lease to redevelop the Federal Secretariat complex, that OBJ & ATIKU had abandoned for 7 years into 480 luxury apartments. This was at the eve of their departure from government. The transaction was one for the road.
The DLA hit the rocks when Lagos State Govt in the interest of the public indicated willingness in acquiring the Federal Secretariat complex. LASG insisted it should be accorded right of first refusal since LASG is the Issuing Authority of the C of O, coupled with other reasons.
Finally, lets compare OBJ & Atiku’s first 3yrs in power to the first 3yrs of PMB that hasn’t retrenched one civil servant, but has bailed out states on salaries. Lets not forget Atiku was in charge of the economy and OBJ gave him free hand until Galaxy Backbone scandal happened.
In 2002, first 3yrs of the Obasanjo/Atiku, manufacturing accounts for 6% of GDP. Nigeria’s GDP fell by half for d first time in 20yrs. This was d year all textile factories in Nigeria closed down and unemployment was 28% within d formal sector alone; I repeat, alone!!
In 2002, UN estimated that 70% of Nigerians live below poverty line compared to 48.5% in 1998 under a military rule. Life expectancy fell from 54yrs to 51yrs. Two-fifth of every child below age 5 were malnourished and only 50% of the 128Million Nigerians have access to clean water.
copied:-
FACTUAL REPORT ON HOW ATIKU SUPERVISED THE SALES OF OVER 145 FG INVESTMENTS AS A VICE PRESIDENT !!!
Please any or all ATIKU supporters or his campaign structure are free to deny these submission with facts not sentiments.
“As Head of National Council on Privatization (NCP), from 1999, atiku dug Nigeria’s economic grave for today’s extreme poverty and unemployment.
There were over 600 federal assets when Atiku’s NCP started selling.
Atiku should tell us who bought what and what was left for the country when he left power.
To who did Atiku sell the following companies:
Nafcon
Eleme Petrochemical
Daily Times
Ughelli Power
Egbin Power
NICON Insurance
ALSCON
Transcorp Hilton Hotel
NICON Luxury Hotel
Sunti Sugar Ltd
NetCom House
Bacita Sugar Ltd
MM2
In 2007, Onigbolo Cement operating at 500,000 tonnes per annum was sold to Dangote at N1.7Bn ?
To those selling Atiku, let me remind you of Senate public hearing of August, 2011 which succinctly captures how Atiku through retinue of cohorts, fronts, shell companies, ring fenced over 70% of FG’s assets through a brazen daylight robbery privatization that he supervised.
This is nothing sensational. Its real life facts and all the Senators are alive today.
The 2011 privatization Senate committee was made up of Senator Ahmed Lawan – Chairman, Senators Babafemi Ojudu, Philip Aduda, Mohammed Ndume, Ifeanyi Okowa, Hope Uzodinma and Mohammadu Magoro.
Lets look at Aluminium Smelting Company, ALSCON, that Atiku privatized.
ALSCON which Nigeria built with $3.2 billion, was sold to a Russian firm, Russal, for $130million. As of the time of sale, ALSCON had received $120million for the dredging of Imo River, but was never done.
When the Senate Seating of August, 2011 asked the Russian company the whereabouts of the $120million dredging money, the company’s Deputy Managing Director, Vitaly Kuzrestov, said that the money has been used for Environment Impact Assessment.”
FG’s Five percent share in Eleme Petrochemical worth USD27 million was never presented at the National Council on Privatization before t’was sold to Indorama.
Indorama recovered this amount selling Polyethylene and Urea to the entire west Africa sub-region in just 14 months.
The Atikulate Business Theory: Sell to yourself Government assets that leaves millions in penury, to set up personal businesses that provides for a few. Atiku didn’t employ the few hundreds he employed because he likes them, he needs them to work to preserve what he took from Government
A man who supervised sales of over 145 federal investments as a vice president, without a thought for today wants to be president.
He didnt revitalize them.
He didnt resuscitate them.
He sold them to whomever agrees to his personal terms
This idiot again !
God bless you sir! Many Nigerians are gullible. Their parents retired under PDP for years without gratuity and now Buhari is paying the gratuity without diverting the money to himself and family yet they are ingrates!
Kano Governor, Ganduje donates N5bn cash and 200 Buses to Buhari’s campaign. The Dollar bribe collecting machine promised N10bn more next month when Campaign heats up.
Ganduje was caught on videos collecting Millions of Dollars as kickback from contractors. President Buhari singled out this rogue governor last week claiming that he is a good man.
~@Hope For Nigeria.
NIGERIA CUSTOM IMPOUNDED SEASON SALES
WE HAVE DONE IT BEFORE NOW WE ARE
DOING IT AGAIN. A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
OWN A VEHICLE OF YOUR CHOICE AT MINIMAL
COSTS. IT’S LEGAL, AUTHORISE AND APROVED
BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA.
we are using this medium to bring to your
notice the availability of foreign used
impounded vehicles in our custody which
are readily available for sales at an
affordable prices.and also bags of rice available for 8,500.FOR ENQUIRY…CONTACT
THE OFFICER INCHARGE, CUSTOM GRACE ON (08068861514)
Below are Some of the vehicles:
TOYOTA SIENNA-N500K, 000-700,000,
TOYOTA
PICNIC.N300K-500K,
HONDA BABY BOY.
N350K-500K,
Honda Accord 2002-2014 N400,000-900,000,
Toyota
Camry N400,000 – 850,000, Toyota Corolla N500,000 –
800,000,
Toyota Hiace Bus 900,000,
Toyota highlander N500,000,- 900, 000,
Toyota Matrix
N500,000 -7000,000,
Toyota
Prado N950;000,
Toyota
Rav4 N750,000,
RANGEROVER SPORT
N1.4M,
Benz Ml350=900,000,
Lexus Rx350=950,000,
RX330=N650,000 AND MANY MORE. WE DELIVERY TO ALL 36 STATES IN NIGERIA. NOTE:All
vehicles are in good condition… SIGN BY NCS.
THANKS FOR PATRONIZING WITH US .[08068861514]
Thank god today i am free from this virus called hepatitis B with the help of doctor momoh who save me from the virus with is herbal medicine so my brothers and sisters if there is anyone who is suffering from this virus and any other diseases like hep C, HIV, cancer, high blood pressure, you can call or whatsapp this great doctor for help on +2349058587788 or +2349068579672
All thanks to doctor Okosun who save me from the virus hepatitis that almost kill me, and with his herbal medicine am are life today to tell my story call or WhatsApp him to help you with your virus.+2347080745608