Balarabe Musa was the governor of old Kaduna State. In this interview by AYODELE ADESANMI, he insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not ready for the 2019 general election, among other issues.


There are fears and apprehension within the country that the next 2019 election might not hold. What are your thoughts?

There are indications of difficulties but it would not stop the elections from holding. However, there are frictions among the leading political parties. These frictions have implications on the political system and the country as a whole. There is the determination to win at every cost, particularly the leading political parties, because they have the resources. The PDP, you know, is not in power at the national level but in spite of that, they are very powerful because of their history, the resources they command, and at least, they are in control of about twelve states. Although they are in the opposition, they are formidable.

However, the present electoral commission can do more than its predecessors in ensuring free, fair and transparent elections that can lead to a legitimate government.


There are many crises in the country: poverty, unemployment, insecurity and quarrelsomeness of political leaders. Nigeria should not make the historical mistake of thinking that any negative state of affairs in the country is only as a result of internal forces. No! It’s not correct; it’s more than that. Imperialism is still much around but you don’t see the colonial officers around.



Do you think President Muhammadu Buhari would willingly surrender power if he loses just as former President Goodluck Jonathan did?

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP decided strategically to award power to the APC because they couldn’t continue in power. If it had tried to continue, there would have been a revolution which could have wiped them out. The PDP never insisted on continuing in power because they had made so much that only a revolution was the answer.


However, whether the PDP can come back or not is another matter but that won’t be a clever calculation. President Mohammadu Buhari knows that he can’t try not to hand over power should he lose. During election, you need to have representations in all the geopolitical zones but the North is stronger because of the population advantage. It is more than half of Nigeria. The North is more cohesive and besides, the power game in the North is more than in the South. However, the North is no longer strong enough to hold the country together.



Are you saying that the APC is not capable of handling the issues of the country effectively?


What is the evidence now after they’ve been in power for three years? Some of us said it immediately they were declared winners of the election. Some of the capable members of the APC warned the party that they must not repeat the mistakes that the PDP made otherwise, the same thing that happened to the PDP would happen.



What then do you think would be the end result?

Revolution! There is no doubt about it. There is hope that the revolution might be constitutional, but it is very difficult. Yet it is a possibility. However, in such a situation, the National Assembly will take the lead to bring about a constitutional revolution. After that the changes we need will come from the action of the National Assembly. If the National Assembly fails to bring about the needed constitutional revolution, then there will be a proletarian revolution in which case the people will take over power and establish alternative and appropriate power in view of the decay of the system.

Ekiti election: Fayose breaks silence, says “I will laugh last”
What is the position of the North in the forthcoming 2019 general election?

Unfortunately, I do not belong to their North; l belong to the cultured North: the North of liberation and not the North which divides the people into slaves and masters. Recently, when it was realised that President Buhari may not make it in 2019, they have been very busy. We know we are also observing them; we are as old as they are and we have played our roles.



You mentioned that the presidency was donated to the North in 1979. How?

Exactly! Let me tell you that sometimes I take advantage of my age, having been aware of political developments in Nigeria. When politics started in 1950, I was already there. In 1950 I was 15 years old. Education then was different from education now. Then a fifteen year old student was much more mature. I could observe things and analyse certain developments.

However, by 1979 Nigerians from all over the country, irrespective of geographical areas and ethnicity, accepted that we should never experience military rule. To avoid military rule, we had to compromise to get rid of military rule. The North, in spite of its problem, was more cohesive than the South. That was why it was agreed to hand over to a northerner.



Are you sure the military can’t stage a comeback?

The issues which brought the military into Nigeria’s politics in 1966 are there today. But the situation is even worse. In those days, the military took over principally because of corruption. Today, it is more than corruption. We have other reasons: incapacitation and the irresponsibility of civilians. A good example is the number of political parties that we have today. There are over 68 registered political parties in which there are not more than two relevant political parties among them. But there are indications that after the convention and before the 2019 general election, the PDP and APC will disintegrate.



Is APC better off when compared with the PDP?

If Buhari can take the right steps and begin to correct the wrongs, he can make a lot of difference because he is in power. In the case of the PDP, it will be more difficult because they are in the opposition. It will be difficult to arrive at any conclusion. What Buhari did with the recognition of June 12 was a master stroke.



What would you say about MKO Abiola?

Abiola had courage; the military men were his friends and they were in every sector of the economy. I knew his position as a chartered accountant plus his overseas connection helped him. He believed that the resources of the country should go to the common man. Abiola was more important than retired General Musa Yar’adua who was only concerned with power and you can identify this from the history of his family. But all of us agreed that we should support Abiola and that was how it happened.



What are your thoughts concerning the cold war between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Muhammadu Buhari?

It is good. Let them continue because it will expose both of them or all of them. While they are exposing themselves we will know what part they played particularly about corruption. You know what they were before they became presidents and what they are now.

For instance, Buhari said Obasanjo should explain the N16 billion power project that he sanctioned. Previously what Buhari said when he came on board was that he would only be concerned with what the PDP and Jonathan did. But because Obasanjo was provoking him by saying that he should not have a second term, Buhari decided to get Obasanjo probed. Let them expose each other so that we can know the truth about the misdeeds of others.



Will there be any hope in the horizon for Nigeria?

There is hope that the things that went wrong can be corrected. Presently our responsibility is to prevail on Buhari to concretise this hope


http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/155759/

This is the major problem

Aside this of master and slave

Nothing more is a major bottle neck


Restructuring will be the answer

Do you think President Muhammadu Buhari would willingly surrender power if he loses just as former President Goodluck Jonathan did?
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP decided strategically to award power to the APC because they couldn’t continue in power. 

Interesting, yes he will if he loses.... that is if Buhari loses.
A great Nigeria we pray for.
We believe in President Muhammadu Buhari.
GOD BLESS NIGERIA.

As buhari is getting closer to right the wrong of the past, he still need extra three years to achieve that.
Thank you,
Buhari till 2023.

Are you on night shift?

post=69594479:
Do you think President Muhammadu Buhari would willingly surrender power if he loses just as former President Goodluck Jonathan did?
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP decided strategically to award power to the APC because they couldn’t continue in power. 

Interesting, yes he will if he loses.... that is if Buhari loses.
A great Nigeria we pray for.

Did you skip your sense medication ?

somadinho10:
Are you on night shift?

RevenGeMission:
Did you skip your sense medication ?

you must be a very big fool.... Idiot.... Who the bleep are you.... Baba.... Mention me again and see what I will do to you

RevenGeMission:
Did you skip your sense medication ?

You should have kindly ignore him as we do ignore them bro.
He is here to derail this wonderful thread that sensible people are already commenting on.
That is all they are good in doing, causing chaos, swearing, cursing people out.
They are best ignored.

What do you think is holding Nigeria together?
THE NORTH AND THE WEST!

somadinho10:
you must be a very big fool.... Idiot.... Who the bleep are you.... Baba.... Mention me again and see what I will do to you

The moderators should do something about this guy cursing out another member on the this way.
Don't let them turn this forum to something else.
There are srill many reasonable members here.

I keep telling my people this...with more awarness in the middle belt and with longer democracy, the north will keep getting weaker and weaker.

One day...if we play our cards right, we would get our Biafra

Buhari till 2023! We can't afford to bring back the corrupt PDP party.

post=69594714:

The moderators should do something about this guy cursing out another member on the this way.
Don't let them turn this forum to something else.
There are srill many reasonable members here.

hypocrisy is when you saw his own provocation towards me and turn a blind eye towards his own..... Did I in anyway insult you initially?

if they fail to give us biafra then somalia will be a paradise to compare with the zoo called nigeria.

Holding which Nigeria.All the core northern Nigeria have given this country is poverty, illiteracy, backwardness, diseases, insurgency,

Apc time is up..?
Whether he rigs or win ..the dullard and his evil ritualistic party will be retired..

Otherwise..that which Jonathan tried to avoid will come in a hundred fold a..not even the combine strength of Nigeria armed force will stop it.


Nigerians are quitely observing too.


We all need freedom.. not all are slaves ..

Ofocurse, it is not and Nigerians know it. Boko Haram has decimated the North, and now herdsmen are adding to that weakness.

But, the good news for Northerners and others hell-bent on keeping Nigeria as one is that the South is weak and afraid of attempting another break off. The South is weak because of Christianity, largely, but poverty also has a way of turning people into defeated souls.

So far, the rich 1% are the ones controlling the fate of the country. When in reality, the over 150million very poor Nigerians do not know the immense power they have in crashing this hell-hole of a contraption. Imagine if Boko Haram-type insurgencies errupt around the country, which military is there to stop it?

The anger is there. More and more poor people are realizing the politicians and government workers have stolen everything for themselves. It is this anger that fuels Boko Haram, but why are Southerners not expressing their anger at the fraud that Nigeria's democracy is? Religion, fear, and generations of abject poverty, that's why.

The poor and the most cheated of Nigerians are too weak, too blind, and to afraid to do revolt. Besides, their pastors say they should be obedient, that it is God that wants them to remain poor and they agree.