Prince Kassim Afegbua, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Commissioner for Information in Edo state, speaks in this interview with TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI, on why he is at the forefront of a Southern president in 2023. He also explained why former Vice- President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar should drop his ambition as the North cannot hold on to power after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure. Excerpts:

You have been silent for some time after the battle with Secondus-led executives. Suddenly we see you taking up Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. What is the problem this time?

There is really no problem if some persons can be fair enough to allow us in the South the opportunity to breathe. They need to bury their ambition and allow the South the opportunity to elect the candidates of the PDP. In a heterogenous nation with several pluralities, you need to balance the equation and ensure that a lot of people buy into what you are doing. So, what I am advocating for is the entrenchment of the culture of justice, fairness and equity in terms of political balancing. You cannot just wake up and want to give the north the opportunity to present candidate for the election. That will amount to double tragedy for the southern states. We need to assuage their feelings for a holistic appraisal of the issues. How do you, for example, have a Buhari presidency that will be finishing 8 years in office and you want to elect another that will spend another 8 years? How? That will be 16 years unbroken run. Who does that? That is why I am starting this advocacy to allow the South have their way. And the likes of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar should simply quit the stage at this time.

But we understand you have been insisting on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s age as an issue, how do you reconcile that?

Well, for me, his own case has a double jeopardy. First, he Is from the North and secondly, his age is no longer an attraction especially as majority of people of my generation do not want the Aso Villa to be a retirement home for the aged. We cannot afford to have another President Buhari in the Villa. We need an lable-bodied Nigerian, who is upwardly mobile to occupy that position, and at this time, the person must be a Southerner in order to balance the equation. We need someone who is fit like a fiddle to help manage our diversities at a time that we are heavily polarised. We cannot afford the luxury at a time of leadership inertia, to recruit another old man, with tired bones, to lead us again. It is the turn of the South and that should be clearly stated. In 2019, all presidential aspirants were from the north. That was an understanding from our southern brothers that the north should be allowed to produce the candidate. This time around, the South should also be allowed to produce the candidate of the party for the sake of equity, unity, justice, and fairness. This is the right and proper thing to do for political balancing.

Is there such agreement of a North- South rotation?

Yes, there is such understanding and that is why former president Goodluck Jonathan was defeated. He contested against the run of play. The North felt they wouldn’t allow power to reside in the south for that long, and only wanted the former president to complete the late President Umar Yar’A dua’s tenure, as it were. But Goodluck Jonathan tried to alter the calculation and he was beaten to it. Therefore, with a Buhari finishing 8 years, the natural, equitable and fair thing to do would be to allow the South to produce the candidates for both parties, APC and PDP. That is the beauty of political balancing. And now, having an Atiku Abubakar trying to spoil that smooth reading of political rotation of power, will be very unfair, unjust and against the run of play. We are in delicate times and we must be very circumspect about our political emanations so that we don’t unduly promote or encourage internal crisis in the polity.

Does this your contestation seem like a holistic one or you have personal axe to grind with the person of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar?

Far from it! . I have tremendous respect for the person of Alhaji Atiku. But I am saying that having been in the saddle of seeking presidency since 1990, it is about time he called it quit. It is not just about his age, but the age of his ideas especially in a contemporary world or jet age, if you like. It is time to allow the South the opportunity to present its own candidate to balance the equation. As far as I am concerned, it is time for Alhaji Atiku to take a bow, at 76, and bid bye-bye to partisan politics. We are not in an era of gerontocracy or trying to convert the Aso Villa to retirement home for the aged. Please, help us tell the PDP, my party, and Alhaji Atiku or any other aspirants for that matter, to allow the south produce the next president. The fact that Alhaji Atiku abandoned his troops in Nigeria to seek refuge in faraway Dubai makes his case complex. In 2019, some of us worked tirelessly to ensure that we come out victorious. Once the election was over, Alhaji Atiku bolted away and left us in the cold. There was no reason for such. It is like a General abandoning his troops when the ashes of war have not settled down. Now that elections are close, he sneaked in and already jump-starting his campaigns. He should stop being a professional aspirant or perpetual candidate. He should please allow the South. It is our turn.

But High Chief Raymond Dokpesi said Atiku Abubakar is only coming for a term and that he would go naked if he doesn’t hand over to the South-east. How do you react to that?

I think it is better for Alhaji Atiku to support a south easterner now than waiting to hand over to them. He cannot afford to want to take what belongs to the south. If he feels so convinced about a South East presidency, then be should support that position right now. Secondly, please tell my senior brother and our respected Chief not to go naked in matters that have to do with power and its crazy aphrodisiac. You cannot predict what will happen, so that scenario should not even arise. We need Chief Dokpesi, my very good friend, elder brother and a man I share so much love for, not to go to the extreme. He is a respected Chief from my part of the country. It will be a sacrilege to go naked just because someone is not trying to live up to a billing. The south should be allowed to produce a candidate for the 2023 election, pure and simple. Is it too much a thing to ask for given our diversities?

What are you going to do if the ticket is ceded to the North?

That will mark the beginning of another round of political contestation and crisis. True. We cannot afford that luxury now. We need to call a spade, by its very name. It is better avoided than allow selfish political interest to detail the flow of discourse in terms of our political stability. If only Alhaji Atiku can behave like a statesman and bid bye to partisan politics and join his colleagues Octogenarians in helping to shape public discourse and mentoring the younger ones for political office. At age 77 in 2023, he would have become older. The bones at such age will be showing signs of exhaustion and weakness. President Buhari recently told Nigerians that working 6 to 8 hours everyday, at age 79, was no joke. That’s the honest truth, and yet you want us to go for another methuselah again? Haba naa. Please help us beg Alhaji Atiku that it is the turn of the South and he should not use his ambition to thwart the flow of events, help us beg him.

We haven’t seen aspirants from the South, yet you are clamouring for Southern candidacy?

That is an insult on our collective psyche. How can you say there are no ;aspirants? Has INEC blown the whistle? Haven’t you been seeing aspirants like Anyim Pius Anyim, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Dele Momodu and others. More are still coming who are eminently qualified to run for the number one office. There a lot of quality aspirants who will soon join the fray. I hate to hear such narratives as “where are the southern aspirants?”. It is very annoying. Allow us to have our turn, that is the simple request. Tell Alhaji Atiku to allow us to breathe. We need to breathe. He should bury his aspiration. He has tried his best, be should allow others from the South to try their own luck this time around. It is about time he retires. He has gone out of tune with the reality of our present situation. We need new thinking and understanding. We need paradigm shift. Politically as far as I am concerned, Alhaji Atiku, with all due respect, has expired as an aspirant seeking for election every now and then. This is why my advice is very apposite at this crucial time.

In the event that PDP picks a candidate from the North, what will happen to you?

I will gladly support a candidate from the south at the elections to fulfil my inner craving and have peace with my inner self. I am a very conscientious person and would not want to be at crisis with my soul. I would appease my conscience by voting a southern candidate. Even if the so-called northern candidate wins the election, I would not go near it. After all, I worked assiduously for a Buhari presidency, thinking he would perform, only to be disappointed abysmally at the turn of events. I stayed away and heaven has not fallen. I am still living my normal life, you know and the government is on its last lap. That’s life for you. Please, tell those who have the ears to hear us loud. We in the South would not take our opportunity for granted. Allow us to produce our candidate from the south in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice. To do otherwise will be tantamount to eating our cake on our behalf.

Jostoman:
Somebody should tell afegbua that his opinion is not needed in PDP because we already know that he is APC Mole in PDP to destabilize PDP.

Moferere:


You detest the truth
Shey dem use old men do you ni?
Buhari, Atiku, Tinubu

Nansense

helinues:
Toh

Honor10:
Atiku and his 5% supporters will be disgraced in 2023

Khaleepha5681:


As long as Atiku or Osinbajo is president... There will be no more 5% or 97%.

I warn Nigerians from voting the likes of Kwankwaso,Wike,Obi,Elrufa'i,Tambuwal etc.

The best ones are Atiku,Osinbajo,Tinubu,Dave Umahi. But Tinubu's old age is reading on him...he would be another Buhari,where cabals would be ruling us.