Why APC may implode after convention —Oki

LANRE ADEWOLE engaged a factional chairman of APC in Lagos State, Honourable Fouad Oki, on the coming
convention of the governing party and other related issues.

 Court just sacked the state exco loyal to the acting national secretary. How optimistic are you about your case against the Lagos exco?

We are very optimistic. Though I won’t discuss the issue as it may be sub-judice, however, it is trite to say that the matter of Yunusa Jibo & 4 Ors V APC & 13 Ors which was heard before His Lordship, Hon. Justice Simon A. Amobeda sitting in the Federal High Court, Jalingo Judicial Division is very clear on the position of the law. The matter is very similar to our own. It is about whether the party, APC, having regard to the provisions of Section 85(1) and 86(2) 0f the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), can violate its Constitution and/or in the conduct of its activities, can act contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) or any other law, rules, and guidelines in the conduct of the 16th of October 2021 State Congress in Lagos State. We contend further that, the Party APC, having gone ahead to conduct its State Congress in Lagos State on 16th of October 2021 has not disregarded or disobeyed the Oder of the Court made on 6th of October 2021 in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/548/2021; Fouad Oki v. All Progressives Congress (APC) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Court made an Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Party APC  in a Declaration that, “in view of Section 3(2)(6) and Part 1 of the First Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered); Section 156 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and the decision of the Supreme Court in Attorney General of Lagos State v. Attorney General of the Federation [2004] 18 NWLR (Pt. 904)1, it is ultra vires for the 1st Defendant (APC) to conduct its scheduled congresses in Lagos State on the basis of 57 Local Government in excess of the 20 constitutionally created and validly-recognized Local government Areas”. In the light of the above, we are very optimistic of victory again. The light shall triumph over darkness very shortly and Lagos State will be free from the jackboot of an oligarch pretending to be a democrat.

 

Convention is just days away, yet the party is far from achieving peace. Do you think the convention will unite the party?

This convention in my opinion is the funeral obsequies of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Recall that I have said it so severally that Comrade Adams Oshiomole was the funeral undertaker who buried the soul of the Party, while Governor Mai Mala Buni is the undertaker that will bury the physical remains of APC. It is becoming very glaring that the Party is a Special Purpose Vehicle designed to midwife the election victory for President Muhammadu Buhari and nothing more. It is obvious that by the end of this month, the inevitable implosion will occur unless well-meaning progressives rally support to take away the Party from mercantilists, oligarchs, and others who do not want this country to attain its potential.

 

Lagos is likely to get the office of national youth leader at the convention due to the micro-zoning being done by zones. Why this inconsequential office for a state with the highest number of voters in the party and Nigeria at large?

It is unfortunate where we have found ourselves. When the office is zoned to geopolitical zones, it is expected that it will be micro-zoned into states at a meeting of key stakeholders in the political zone. Today, the key stakeholders are the state governors. They did not involve other leaders who should naturally make inputs on how to go about it. You know that it is only in the APC that when our people say ‘APC!’, they respond by saying ‘Change!’.  When you say Change, they reply to you that “e fit be you when you lick the boot of oligarchs”. Party members from Lagos State will ask our representative, that is Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu, who represented Lagos State at that micro-zoning meeting how he came about an inconsequential position for Lagos. After all, the parlance is that Lagos State is the Centre of Excellence.

 

Can a Youth leader position be the excellence that Lagos is projecting?

Let me shock you. Lagos State is the biggest contributor to the Legacy alliance both financially and with other resources. Political development and evolution started in Lagos and continued to be the reference point, unfortunately, because of the avarice and greed of one person, all of that was negotiated for an individual’s ambition.

Governor Sanwo-olu will pay very heavily for it at during elections if such a proposal comes to pass. Look, Lagos has always been amongst the principal officers of any political party since the evolution of political and party associations in Nigeria. Since the inception of the APC in 2013, Lagos held the office of Legal Adviser which is a very key and powerful office. Nothing short of occupying the National Secretary office or at the least the National Vice Chairman is good enough for Lagos State, but because Governor Sanwo-olu’s benefactor is aspiring for the Presidency, he negotiated those two offices for a paltry and inconsequential office of youth leader, Haba!!!

Lagos has the largest number of registered voters in Nigeria with over six million and five hundred thousand voters by 2019 figures, yet the best that can be negotiated by Governor Sanwo-olu for Lagos State is National Youth leader. Yeye dey smell and they siddon dey look, thanks to Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s introduction of BVAS voter accreditation module. You can now see why our votes have continued to drop. It is because Lagos State has entered a “One Chance bus” big time in the hands of those who do not mean well for Lagos. Lagos State, despite its resourcefulness and huge voters number, has never delivered up to one million votes in a presidential election since its creation. The only time the state recorded over a million votes was during Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s re-election. Look at the numbers recorded during the 2019 presidential and governorship elections in Lagos State and imagine what will happen in 2023 with the BVAS technology which INEC will deploy.

 

Lagos APC exco has said it is open to peace and reconciliation. Where do you stand on this sir and have you been approached as the arrowhead of the opposition?

Let us get something very clear. What manner of reconciliation are they talking about? What I think that they should be doing is to first embark on seeking justice for all, equity across the board. For any reconciliation to take place, there must be justice, equity, and fairness. This on its own will promote peace, hence genuine reconciliation. You know we are used to living in the trench and not afraid of the floor because we have been pushed to the floor; we are comfortable where we are. They are the ones that are afraid of falling. Either now or in the foreseeable time, we shall overcome. If Negroes in America overcame the hurdles, we shall overcome in Lagos. We know that it is a marathon, not a sprint, so we are prepared for a long haul to get to our destination. One thing is very clear, we shall overcome.

 

Now that North is having the national chairmanship of the party, do you also subscribe to the call for the South to have the presidential ticket?

I do not and have always insisted on merit. You see the way we recruit leaders in this country is faulty and we need to review our leadership recruitment process. I want to see a Nigerian who will work for Nigeria and Nigerians. A 21st Century leader who is not a mercantilist or an oligarch. I want an empathic leader, who understands the need of Nigerian youths, women, the weak, and the vulnerable, not where he comes from, rather a person who can deliver quality services for Nigerians especially the poor, weak, and vulnerable ones among us. A Nigerian who will lead Nigeria to attain its potential in the comity of nations and not someone who will look down on Nigerians is the President that I desire for this great Country. I don’t care why he or she comes from, please.

 

You share a family bloodline with ex-Governor Babatunde Fashola and close to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. Both are being worked into the presidential race. How difficult will your decision be if both eventually join the race or are there talks ongoing for the two acknowledged intellectuals to work together?

Possibly you know what I don’t know about Honourable Minister Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN),who Lagosians relish in calling BRF Eko O ni b’aje or Omoluabi Eko or Omo Eko Pataki. He doesn’t want to be drawn into all the shenanigans about throwing his hat in the ring. If he is interested, he is not someone who will be waiting to be prodded into expressing his aspiration. His only preoccupation is delivering on the mandate of providing infrastructure to the Nigerian people. So don’t draw him into this roforofo fight where good people of conscience don’t want to be counted amongst oligarchs who do not mean well for this country.

About my big brother, gentleman pastor, erudite professor, and Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I cannot speak for him as I haven’t heard from him anything about wanting to run for president. Until then, I won’t dwell in the realm of speculations. Remember that I said some time ago that, even [Senator] Bola Tinubu has not come out to declare that he wants to be president. Yes, he told the world that he was consulting, and I will wait until he formally declares his intentions. Peradventure or happenstance, through his consultations, he may find that the figures are not adding up and decide to abort his lifelong ambition. Don’t foreclose anything yet. Therefore, I will refrain from commenting on presidential gladiators until they formally speak out.

 

Are you worried North will again decide who wins the APC presidential ticket from the South, given the multiple aspirants coming forward?

It is not about the number of aspirants, rather it is about our inability to push forward our most suitable. One mistake many people make in this part of the world is the lack of knowledge or understanding of politics. People want the best man for the job. The question is how to determine the best man for the job. You will agree with me that the answer is highly subjective. In other climes, what they look for is the most suitable person for the job because you can never get the best but the most suitable who can fit the bill. Note one thing very clearly, just as we were given a southern candidate in 1999, so shall we be given another southern candidate in 2023. When they gave us General Olusegun Obasanjo, the South-West did not vote for him; he won the presidency without the South-West because we have the numbers but will forever be unable to pull it out. 2023 will not be different, especially against the background that the last two rounds of general election have exhibited our vulnerability which has become our folly. We can’t deliver the numbers if we don’t bring forth our most suitable candidate.

 

An average chieftain of your party thinks it may implode after the convention. Can a unity list on the basis of consensus pull the party back from doom?

Electoral Act 2022 has made mincemeat of unity list. Ask from the PDP in Lagos State what happened to Unity List. Electoral Act 2022 tore it into pieces. With the number of prospective aspirants jostling for the various offices in our party, it is becoming obvious that there can’t be any unity list. However, let us wait and see what will happen a few days to the D-Day.

I honestly know that there will be surprises that will ignite the implosion of the balloon call APC on Saturday 26th March, mark my words. Remember that there are a plethora of suits in courts spread across the country including our own. The outcomes of these cases will have implications for the party going forward. The 2023 Election calendar is another landmine that will consume the party as it has become a leopard. It can’t change its spots.

I foresee a replay of Zamfara and Rivers in so many states even if they miss the Ides of March. This party has never been faithful on the issue of consensus; so  it is too late for any consensus. It is instructive to note that the Presidency has become a lame duck, and nothing is being expected again from this president. The National Assembly has shown it in its classical demonstration of rebellion, the first since the commencement of the 9th Assembly. You think that happened by error? It was well prepared and orchestrated to send a signal to all that care.

 

You can be best described as a constitutionalist within your party, always suing when due process is breached. Why is it difficult for the party hierarchy to follow the law and due process while carrying out party activities?

Only people with conscience have respect for the rule of law. We are amid people who do not know the meaning of justice or equity, rather, they feel that might is right and continue to flout every law in the books, including our own rules and regulation, including the party’s constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The majority of them find themselves where they are today by fait accompli. They lack basic rudiments of a political association or the true meaning of politics, that it is community service that comes with a lot of trusts. For me, I will continue to fight injustices until we cleanse the Augean stable.

 

Some chieftains of your party in the South-West are reportedly working on the Third Force. Some say SDP, some say AD. Where do you stand sir?

I stand with APC. Though very sad and worrisome that the party, APC, has gone with the winds. The democratic values of the legacy alliance have been sold. How else do you explain these? The anointed National Chairman by Baba Buhari is from the North-Central, but a PDP turncoat; Hon. Yakubu Dogara from North-East is also a PDP turncoat; Hon. Faruk Adamu from North-East is another PDP turncoat; Hon. Victor Giadem from South-South is also a PDP turncoat; Sen.  Ken Nnamani from the South-East is a PDP turncoat; Sen. Iyiola Omisore from South-West also [had link with] the PDP. So, you will agree with me that the progressiveness of the APC is dead on arrival. Look at the caliber of people being sent by their respective zones to the centre, and all Lagos can send is a youth leader. Today, I will like to prick the conscience of all progressives in the APC to rise and challenge this assault. Why do we want to trust our progressive destiny to those who can change allegiance without thinking about its consequences? Those who can speak to Baba [Buhari] should speak truth to power. This is unspeakable. Are these PDP elements the ones we want to give our party to? Let all of us rise to say No to this insult. Every progressive politician and well-meaning Nigerian should resist this and teach the party how not to take Nigerians for granted.

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