Ebenezar Babatope, the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) chieftain and the former minister of aviation
and transport, has noted that many things are
wrong with the ruling All Progressives Congress
(APC).

“This is change to madness. This is change to
poverty'”
In a recent interview granted to The Sun, Babatope
has spoken on various national issues including
the promised change, actualization of Biafra, the
2019 presidential election. He also compared the
President Muhammadu Buhari administration with
the one of Goodluck Jonathan.

“We were promised change and change before the
elections but is this the change we are going to
have? This is change to madness. This is change
to poverty; I do not know how to describe it. I
want to appeal to you journalists to help us tell
them that Nigerians are suffering. I hate comparing
people or parties. It is true I belong to the PDP
and they belong to the APC but the truth is that we
are not having it easy at all.
“They said they are fighting corruption, what is the
level of corruption now? How does it affect the
ordinary man in Nigeria? It is a pity with what is
happening in Nigeria today. I cannot explain it. I
have been inundated with many, many calls from
people who are really suffering. I must tell you that
the state of the nation today is very bad. The other
day, President Muhammadu Buhari was
apologizing to Nigerians; apologizing to Nigerians
for what? It is a very terrible situation; please help
us tell them. We can no longer bear this
anymore.”

“Let us say that things were not as good under
Jonathan’s administration but things were not as
bad as these. As bad as the PHCN was under
Jonathan, it would try and give us light during
celebrations. During Jonathan’s time, no matter
how bad the situation was, they would try and give
Nigerians light. They said Jonathan has battered
the economy, who has not battered the economy?
They said they have been fighting corruption
taking N200 million, N300 million, N400 million
and N500 million but where is the money. Where
is the money going and what is the effect? I am a
member of the PDP and all of us said ok, go ahead
with your fight against corruption but where is it
leading us? I must tell you that it is a terrible
situation. There is so much frustration in the land.
They must stop making pretences.”

“Buhari is certainly different from Jonathan, his
predecessor. But the question remains that when
Jonathan was there, he did not interfere in the
electoral process to the point that elections were
becoming inconclusive. Under Jonathan, the APC
would contest in an election and win but now after
elections, the result would not be declared. Look at
what happened in Rivers State! They would go to
an election and kill people and at the end of the
day, the PDP led by 10 local governments to one.
The Buhari and the APC should close their eyes to
the fact that somebody is in power, let the
Independent National Electoral Commission have
freedom to conduct elections for goodness sake.”

“The APC as a party did not sit down to plan their
victory in a way that will make people know that
actually, there had been a change. That is the
issue. What we are having now is the noise about
N200 million, N300 Million and all that on issues
of corruption; fine, it is beautiful on paper but
where does it lead us. Does it lead us to three
square meals a day? Look at the issue of fuel
scarcity. You cannot even see fuel to buy to move
from one place to the other. Look at the issue of
power. There is no electricity. Honestly, it is
annoying to hear the APC say that the PDP has
destroyed the economy.”

“I pray for our party to come back but we cannot
come back until we have elections. We are trying
our best to ensure that we clear all the mess
within our party. I agree with you that the PDP is
full of messy situation. As I am talking to you,
there are some young men who believe that all the
young men must be buried alive. Within the PDP,
there are some young men who believe that
anything you say about anybody above 70 should
be thrown to the bin. They believe that they are
useless. But by the grace of God, we shall get over
all these matters and by 2019, Nigerians will vote
for the PDP because the best thing that would
happen to Nigeria is for the PDP to come back to
power. This is because the APC that is in power
now lacks focus.”

On Biafra issue

“Buhari has not done much about national
reconciliation. And I do not like the approach of
this government to the issue of Biafra. It is true
Biafra has come and gone but we must realize that
there were some innocent Nigerians who were
killed during the Biafran era and since some people
are embittered, the government should try to meet
them and try to ameliorate their condition. I do not
like the treatment being given to Kanu; it is not
right. We should meet them and talk to them. The
Igbo people are hardworking people and I do not
see why they should not agree with the Buhari
government. Let the APC government pursue
genuine reconciliation on the issue of Biafra so
that it would be seen that justice has been done to
the people.”
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