From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Abdulaziz Abdulaziz is Senior Special Assistant (Print media) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In this interview, he spoke on the rumoured plans of former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the Presidency in 2027. He also spoke on the demise of former President Muhammadu Buhari and the implications of his absence for the APC.
Nigeria just marked its 65th anniversary as an independent nation. Do you think Nigerians had a very strong reason to celebrate given the performance of the administration so far?
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Well, I think that Nigerians have every reason to celebrate 65 years of Independence for many reasons. First, the attainment of Independence itself- the getting away from the clutches of the colonial masters, in itself, is a no mean achievement. Because it is said that only those who had experienced life under the very oppressive colonial regime actually will appreciate the freedom that comes with the Independence. Then, of course, today we are in 2025. That is 65 years after and under a democratic dispensation. For those who had witnessed life under the colonial regime- if they were to be resurrected today to see how we are enjoying freedom, I think it will be a very big surprise to those of them who were very much conscious of happenings under colonial regime. So that alone is cause for celebration. But also that self determination of leadership has given Nigeria and Nigerians the opportunity to grow, the opportunity to self determine how we are led and as you tie the question to this administration, I will tell you that we have not had it this good in terms of the enjoyment of our freedom – which is essential to Independence. This government is a government that respects free press, that respects the freedom of individuals to hold dissenting views, to have political associations and otherwise, and to move around . If you could remember there were regimes, even the so called civil or democratic regimes, who were hounding newspapers. This is not happening again under this government. Under this government, there were instances where newspapers even recklessly slandered the government, but the government never resorted to self help- which, as I said, is a very important departure and also shows to the extent to which our independence journey and democratic journey have really matured.
Out there, Nigerians are crying of hunger, insecurity and other maladies. As a result, some believe there is nothing to celebrate. What’s your view?
That is actually another part. I had only touched the first part which is the issue of freedom and liberty that comes with Independence. But also in terms of development, 50 years ago- not even 65 years ago- things were not like this. There have been tremendous developments. If you are talking about the fact that there is no power or it is not consistent, or if you are saying that infrastructure is not good, reflect or get somebody who was very much aware the surrounding to tell you about 50 years ago, not even 65 years ago. Sixty five years ago, there were no tarred roads, almost 90 per cent of the tarred roads today were untarred then. Sixty five years we didn’t have the level of electricity that we have today, and 65 years ago, the educational level is not this much, and 65 years ago, we didn’t have the kind of private sector that we have today. All these things are aspects of development that have changed tremendously in the last 65 years. Before to make your call is hell, now it is easy. Before to move from Kano to Zaria, is like going to another world. Now, it is a journey that you do under two hours. So, all these things are because of advancements in infrastructure and other things. Also, if you look at security, it is almost the same thing. Let me tell you, Nigeria has always had security problem. And if you are looking at banditry, let me tell you that banditry has been there for over 200 years in some parts of this country. Cases of cattle rustling are age long and so, it is not like there is anything new. Of course, you will say that there are only changes in terms of scope and sophistication of those crimes but also the state’s capacity to respond has also changed. So some things happen with change in times. But it is not that it has never been in existence. It is just that the sophistication has changed and maybe the scope has also changed. But if you look at it, there are cases of armed robbery for example. Not until the 2000s, it was very frequent both highways, break-in into houses, which now only got replaced by the issues of kidnapping. So, the crime changed. Crime patterns sometimes change over time. It is not like absence of crime or the crime just emerged out of nowhere.
And the administration is not directly to be held responsible for these things?
Definitely of course. Definitely! As you know, this administration inherited most of these problems. If you are to take a very close and dispassionate look at it, you will see that in the last two years, there have been improvements. We are not saying that these problems have stopped, but the problems have been tackled and changes are being witnessed. For example, look at the South-East where at a point it became a no-go area for almost everybody- indigenes and non- indigenes alike. But for the first time, these people are going back home for funerals freely, people are going for Christmas, and people are going for their businesses. Hitherto, one or two years before the coming of this administration, these places were like dead zones and now, things have really improved. In the North, it is also the same thing. There were time even to come to Kaduna from Abuja was also impossible. There were times that almost on daily basis, newspapers report the sacking of villages upon villages, killing in numbers, not 10 nor five. I am not saying that 10 or five is not bad, but at least at the scale. We have that time while in 24 hours over 200 people were killed in Zamfara. But now hardly do we have mass atrocities, mass violence like we used to have before the coming of this government.
What about Benue and Plateau states?
Yeah, but even Benue and Plateau are not new. Let me tell you, a lot of it- I am not saying that there are no issues- it is also being exaggerated by people with agenda. by people trying to butter their bread through the conflict situation in these places. Recently, I am sure you have heard of how some celebrities from the US and other parts suddenly came out to speak about the so- called genocide in Nigeria against Christians, which was a complete fiction. But it is a narrative which some people were getting money to perpetrate, through releasing fake and distorted statistics or unreliable figures to say that so, so villages have been ransacked or so so number of people have been killed in Plateau and Benue States. There was a report earlier this year by Amnesty International which in all intent and purpose, in all critical assessment, you will see that it is something that was very very flawed but which was perhaps deliberately engineered to suit a narrative- where they claimed that in two years, 10,000 and something people were killed and they claimed that over 95 per cent of the number were killed only in Plateau and Benue States. we are not saying that people were not killed in Benue and Plateau States ,but you cannot say that these places outnumbered victims of insecurity in Kastina State and Zamfara States. But here is an organization that is supposed to be non- partisan , that is supposed to be thoroughly professional saying that almost 7000 people were killed in Benue alone and 3000 were killed in Plateau alone. This for any passing observer and more for a professional like me and you, you know that there is no way that this can hold water. So , there are things like that, people who are conflict entrepreneurs, who want to profiteer from some of the these conflicts or from negative friendliness so that they can get money from far right American organisations or from some Christian groups around the world.
In what way will the absence of the Buhari phenomenon affect the chances of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term ambition?
Well, the late President Muhammadu Buhari was a revered figure. He was somebody that had a very large following, a lot of respect and all that. But this does not mean that he is gone with his numbers. Of course, you can say that he does not have someone that you can say or call a successor, but even at that, APC is a child that Buhari sired along with others. But it is also a child that has come of age. It is just like you giving birth to a child who came of age and could stand on his own and could answer its name. That is the situation of APC now. So, it is not about Bola Tinubu nor about Buhari, who were founding fathers or people like Chief Bisi Akande and the rest. It is a party that have assumed its own life and whether any of these figures is alive or not, the party will continue to grow from strength to strength and will continue to have some independence of these figures and then even beyond that, you will see that the family of President Buhari and most of his close political associates identify with this government. It shows you that even it is sympathy votes from the people who traditionally supports Buhari and from the people who appreciate what the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu did to the memory of former President Buhari during his funeral and in the aftermath of it. Even lately, when he went to Kaduna, he took time off to personally go and see the family. Personally that is the only place he went to apart from where he was officially assigned. He took time off to personally go and see the family of Late President Buhari, and the family has nothing but profuse appreciation to President Tinubu and for staying true to the friendship he enjoyed with former President Buhari.
But some of Buhari’s associates and allies in the CPC axis of the APC appear uncomfortable with the party. They feel largely isolated from this administration.
No. You know that all that talk is largely, with all respect, is rubbish talk because as I said, Buhari’s family is with this government. Some of the very close people who were in the CPC block, people like former Governor Bello Aminu Bello Masari, who was the Secretary from the CPC block that initiated the merger into APC, people like Hadi Sirika who were very close to Buhari and the only governor that CPC had at the time of the merger, Senator Umar Tanko Al Makura and a host of other people from that block freely identify with this government. Only recently, they went to see the president and offered their total backing and solidarity and they reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
There is the speculation that former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is being courted to join the APC. Have you heard of this speculation and then what is the thinking in the Presidency about this development?
Whether it is Kwankwaso or anybody, the thinking is that anybody willing to join the party is welcome. It doesn’t have to be Kwankwaso, it doesn’t have to be any former governor or an ordinary person, because political party is for the people and you don’t isolate, you don’t segregate and choose who you will work or who you will not work with. Kwankwaso, I will say, is a friend of the President because they were elected governors at the same time and they have close relationship among each other who were the first set of governors in this dispensation but also they were elected into the National Assembly in the botched Third Republic, and so many other relationships or opportunities for working together between two of them had happened in the past. And if you remember, President Bola Tinubu was among the people who came to Kano to woo Kwankwaso into the APC after it was formed. To answer your question again, in summary, I will say that anybody is welcomed to the APC. The party is big enough for all tendencies, for all hues of political leanings and President Tinubu is somebody that is very open- minded as a politician. For him, he will never say no
There was a report that Kwankwaso has listed some conditions for his coming. Do you think his conditions can fly in the APC, especially when the body language of the APC in Kano is that they can give the President all the votes he needs without necessarily bringing in a Kwankwasio that might lead to disunity in the party?
So you see, the condition. It is only what it is, condition. It is one-sided. As I said, I am not privy to any concrete conversation. I know that it is being speculated and politicians, you can’t stop them from talking about themselves. So, there is nothing formal and nothing too serious about it. But be that as it may, as I said, condition is just a one-sided thing. The other side can look at it and maybe throw it in the dustbin or choose to discuss it and say okay let’s do “give and take.” We can do this and we cannot do this and then arrive at a solution. And on the issue of whether some people want Kwankwaso back or don’t want him back in the APC, as I said, a party is beyond one person. It is beyond an individual and only over the weekend or early this week, the former National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje publicly said that all manner of people were welcomed to the APC. so I will leave it at that. I will not want to speculate whether some people are opposed to it or not. Ganduje is a leader of the party in Kano State and for him to have publicly come out to say that, I don’t know who else is not okay with the idea of Kwankwaso returning to the party.
Are you people afraid of the second coming of former President Jonathan to the political space? Speculation about his return seems to be gaining momentum.
Let it gain momentum. Somebody who was defeated while he was a sitting President, there is nothing he can do now. Maybe he can come and try his luck. It is the beauty of democracy. Anybody can decide to contest. But Jonathan is not a threat at all. No one is scared of him. Certainly, not the President. As I said, someone who could not win his election while he was president, why will he be a threat now that he is far away from the stool, aside other constraints? I am sure that some people will want to mislead him, which sincerely, personally I will say that he should not listen to people who want to destroy him or who want to demystify him by urging him on to a contest that is a no contest in the reality- because I don’t see where Jonathan will make an in-road or get any substantial vote in that election.
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