₦airaland Forum

CoronaVirusRelo:
The pot bellied and morbidly obese dwarf should be ignored!

Attention he is seeking and that he has gotten! Nothing more!

Superwave16320:
We have that already n Obidient keep on escaping daily from Anamabra n colume refugees into urchin territories in Lagos etc

In this interview with GODWIN ENNA, the immediate past secretary to the government of Katsina State, now state director-general of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign council, Dr Mustapha Muhamad Inuwa, speaks on a number of issues that could brighten the chances of the party in the forthcoming election.

Two months ago, you announced your defection to the PDP which brought a lot of controversies in Katsina State, with the APC saying you are ungrateful. Other people are seeing you as a selfish and desperate politician not ready to embrace the will of God. What actually prompted your decision to leave?

I don’t know for whatever reason those who are saying I’m angry or desperate to have moved to the PDP to get a ticket that could have confirmed the assertion, but I had offers from some parties for the ticket and I told them that was not the issue. I even mentioned to some people that if for any reason the APC was to ask me to come and take the ticket, I would have declined. Because like I always say, I want to go through the normal process, which I did despite the level of discrepancies and malpractice that were manifested in the election.

I never complained to anybody that I didn’t petition, but many people approached me with some documents on a number of issue. I said, it is not me and wouldn’t do that. And if anybody is interested, he can pursue the case among the aspirants, but for Mustapha Inuwa, mine is done and it’s over. For whatever reason we lost the election, I accepted it there and then and we moved forward.

And if for anybody is saying that I’m ungrateful for whatever reason, I served as a secretary to the state government, which was not my first time being there. I was in the late Yar’Adua’s government, where I served in four different capacities, including secretary to the government.

So, there’s nothing new for me to become SSG in the APC-led government. I was elected chairman of the party and if I wanted I would have remained chairman of the party, but the governor in his wisdom decided and asked me to be there. Ask anybody in the state, I never requested or asked anybody to give me any appointment either in the state or at the federal level.

So, even the secretary to the government given to me, I never asked for it. And I think I have a moral obligation to serve my state when given the opportunity to do so. There was nothing new for me to be the SSG and that’s why I didn’t even invite people during my swearing in because there was nothing new to me.

Ask those who were around and they will tell you. In fact, even my family didn’t know I was being sworn in that day until after the event and I returned home, then they complained and said, yes “was there anything new about it?” So, you see, there was no excitement there because it was not something new.

To me, I accepted it to serve because it’s our government and I was the chairman of the party who campaigned for the election of the government, and I was ready to serve the government which I did.

So, today, I’m not grateful simply because maybe I was given the secretary to the government, I don’t think that was a fair assessment.

If I’m keen about positions, before I left the APC to the PDP two months ago, I was reliably informed that the following week, I will be appointed head of a particular federal parastatal which I believe if I’m looking for an appointment I could have accepted. But I knew about it and still decided to leave the party before the announcement of the appointment.


So, I was never desperate, I left the party because I realised that those who won the election were never interested in me. They believed they could do it with or without me, because like you all know, I was the only person who stayed at the venue of the election until the last vote was counted.

I was there waiting to congratulate the winner, but his supporters shouted at me and I left the venue. But even then, the following day, I went to His Excellency, Governor Aminu Bello Masari, after the mosque, thinking that we’d talk and discuss the issue and think of the way forward. What I thought he would have done was to call the candidate, call me and himself, sit down and discuss the way forward. This he didn’t do. In fact, to be candid, the manner he treated me when I went to the office, it was really very bad.

What he told me was that, okay, that’s how the election turned out. Okay, I’ll see you later. That’s all he told me.

We learned they wanted to retire you from politics?

So if that is the case, I was not willing to retire. So, I feel I should move to where I’m needed. So, after that, I called a press conference in my office. I assured everybody that I am APC and I will remain in the APC, and we’d ensure the victory of the party.

Incidentally, the candidate came, and I also made the same promise. And from that time until the time I left the APC, nobody has ever called me and discussed the way forward. The only thing I heard people saying was, okay, please be patient.

But that was not the issue. We have supporters and we have people who really supported us with everything they have; time, energy, resources and so on. Maybe, if we were able to get elected, they expect some patronage and so on. But unfortunately, nobody considered that.

Nobody said, okay, let us sit down and see how we go together or what arrangement we should have to go together.

Another thing I realised is that the candidate kept talking about me in particular on social media, saying a lot of bad things about me and also some of his supporters, which means they were not only interested in us, but they also had no business dealing with us. They were saying a lot of things and calling us names.

So, I went to the governor because I didn’t just want to leave like that until after I told him. I said, okay, this is the situation; I realised that these people don’t need us, they don’t want me and my people. So, I don’t think I should have time to waste.

So, if he was really serious, he could have said, okay, no, wait let me call the candidate and myself to sit down and iron out issues. This, he didn’t do. And all those who called me couldn’t attempt to look at that either. The vice presidential candidate came here and said he wanted to work with us. When Tinubu called me, it was the same thing. He was talking about me as a person, saying I should work with him in Abuja and I’ll not regret. This is not about me in person.

So also the national chairman of the party who came, the only thing he said, to be fair to him, was a promise to relay back to Mr President what transpired and from there, he said, in a week or two weeks, I’ll hear from them, but for two months I didn’t hear from anybody.

The only thing I heard was just rumors that I’d be given appointments here and there. I said, look, this is not about Mustapha Inuwa but about those who supported our movement. What is our fate in Katsina?

If you appointed me as anything in Abuja, is that enough? Many of our supporters are locally based, and are only interested in what is happening in Katsina. So, what is their fate? How do we go into this government? How do we go into this campaign? And how do we participate in government after being elected?

These are the things I expected a right thinking person to consider and iron out, but it was not forthcoming. So, honestly, this is exactly the situation because we realised that we have no place in the scheme of things as far as this APC is concerned.

What makes you confident that you still have the strategy to return the PDP to power in 2023?

I’m very comfortable moving to PDP and we are on course to return the PDP to power come 2023. Before we finally agreed to go with the PDP, we set up a committee where we nominated our representatives, and they also nominated their representatives. We sat down two or three times and agreed on the mode of our participation in which they agreed on what would be our role, interest and how it would be protected. And people were happy.

Now, as we are going for the campaigns, we know the role we are going to play and our contribution. And if they eventually form a government, this is what our people are going to get out from the government. So, this makes our people comfortable and this is what we couldn’t get from the other party.

So, honestly, it is just a matter of time. We are lucky that the people of Katsina here are with PDP. Go to all the local governments and all the wards, you’ll see how people are yearning and itching even before the election day comes to ensure that they vote for the PDP.

Secondly, like you know, it’s just a matter of strategising and fortunately, we’ve gathered a lot of experience in this regard. Sowe are working and strategizing, we are receiving people every day from APC to PDP. These are highly placed and very influential people, groups, including religious, political and so on. So, by the grace of God, PDP will emerge victorious.

You’re coming to the PDP at a time of leadership crisis. Some people alleged that your unhealthy relationship with the former governor, Shehu Shema, caused the crisis. How would you react to this?

They don’t know the history of the PDP. The crisis has been there for some time, but it’s largely fueled by their primaries conducted, which I was not there at that time.

Some people contested against the other which is normal, and some emerged victorious, while those in the other group naturally were not happy which resulted in this issue.

They were even fortunate that I don’t belong to any of such groups, and I was not around when they had their primaries. So, I didn’t support any of the candidates and I’m neutral in that regard. As of now, we are working seriously towards resolving this crisis and we have gone far on it. And I believe that soon the issue will be over.

And let me tell you, honestly, this crisis is a clear indication that the PDP is on the path of victory, otherwise, people wouldn’t bother much. In 2019, they had primaries and because they were not hopeful as they are now, there was nothing like that. But now it’s very clear that the PDP is taking over.

So, that is why people are making all these issues out of it, but like I said, we are working towards it to ensure that the issue is over.

Again, my relationship with Shema was political, but let me tell you, after I rejoined the PDP, I made an attempt for us to meet in Abuja; we even had an appointment, agreed on the date and time. Unfortunately, something very important came up.

I had a meeting which lasted longer than the time expected with some members of the House of Representatives who were coming to join the PDP. And by the time we were supposed to meet as agreed, it was very late. And unfortunately, the following day was Friday and we couldn’t meet.

But as I’m talking now, we’re making effort to meet. I’m talking to Majigiri; he visited me twice and we spoke on the phone about two or three times and all those at the centre of the crisis, I have no problem engaging them.

Also, very soon, I’ll engage the former governor, Shema, on the matter. And I believe all these peace loving people who are truly interested in the PDP winning the election will certainly come together and work as a family. And very soon, you’ll see that.

With these discontent in your party both at state and national levels, how do you see the chance of the PDP in the forthcoming election?

This is not the first time political parties are having a crisis. Are you saying there’s no crisis in APC? Don’t you see court rulings all over on their candidates and what have you? Political parties cannot be crisis-free, especially political parties that have a clear indication of winning elections. It is normal and I know that the PDP has the capacity to resolve its crisis.

On the national issue with Governor Nyesom Wike involving the five governors, I think all of them believe they don’t have any other party like the PDP. Tell me which of these parties Governor Wike can join and make sense? He is a national figure and not a regional politician. Wike is eying the presidency and none of these parties can get him to that position. And you know, APC is not his party. He is too sophisticated for the APC.

Also, the APC even in Governor Wike’s state has its crisis. Now, I don’t know if APC has a gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State. So, the point is they can do all they can, but eventually they’ll come and bury whatever differences they may have, which we have seen they have started coming down from certain, maybe, impossible conditions to conditions that are tenable and so on. So, it is normal and if the PDP could be crisis-free, it means the PDP cannot be a national party.

How would you respond to APC’s assertion of having enough funds to use during the election?

I think they’re saying that they will use money to buy votes in 2023. It’s a simple question to ask them about what happened in 2015, did they use money? The same people who voted APC into power in 2015 will vote them out regardless of the money. That is true in Nigeria generally and not only in Katsina.

So, why do they expect now to give money to get votes? Let them bring the money because even at the primary money was used. The first time in the history of this country, a delegate in a local primaries of state congress was given N1 million to vote during our primaries.

The argument is that, if you gave a delegate N1 million just to vote for you to become a candidate, how much would you give them to vote for you to become a governor? Certainly, not N1 million; it must be much more than that.

So, maybe that is why they are talking about having the money because they realise they really have to bring a lot of money in order to buy the voters. But the contradiction is this, the party is of Mr President Muhammadu Buhari and he has assured not only Nigerians, but the world that there will be no vote-buying or money politics.

And you know, Nigerians and the world have a great respect for Mr President for keeping to his integrity. So, a president could say that and the same APC bigwigs are saying they have money which they have not even declared the source of, because we know quite a number of them could not have boasted of N50,000 before the coming of the APC to government. So, if they could have such money, they need to declare the source of that money.

Are they now contradicting Mr President who keeps assuring Nigerians and the world that there will be no vote-buying politics in the forthcoming election? In fact, some people are even alleging that even this re-designing of currencies was also part of the reason to check and ensure politicians do not have money at hand to engage in vote-buying, malpractices and what have you.

But now we’re hearing something different from the same APC that are saying they have money and commodities used in the election.The food which was purchased and donated by international organisations meant for IDPs are going to be used to buy votes.

You’ve been accused of sponsoring banditry while in government. How would you react to this accusation?

When we came into government, there was banditry. Who was sponsoring banditry? What about other states across the country, including the northwest and some other parts of the country, who is sponsoring their activities?

And now after Mustapha Inuwa has left the government, in fact banditry in Katsina increased to the level of coming into our states and towns. Who is doing that again?

So, all these were said by people who thought that its only when they bring somebody down that they can make themselves important but that never bothered me because I know very well it was just the handiwork of mischief makers. And we know them; we can even mention their names.

Honestly, on the issue of insecurity in this area which I’ve said severally in different gatherings and meetings including at the Villa in the presence of all the service chiefs and governors, my position is that, if the security agencies were really determined and serious about bringing this crisis to an end, believe me, it would not take them more than three months to do so. Especially in this area.

If you look at it numerically, I don’t think all the bandits are more than 100,000. If you talk about our security personnel, they are not many, but all the same, if we have just about 100,000 bandits, how many security agencies do we have to do the job? And it is not only the army, the police, other security agencies also, there must be synergy between them.

These weapons they are using were not manufactured in the forest; they came through our borders and through our towns and roads. Most of the banditry activities are being fueled by drugs because they usually take hard drugs to perpetuate their evil acts.

What are the NDLEA, the customs and immigration officers doing? And if you are to fly by plane, you see that everything is very visible. Today, you cannot pinpoint one serious bandit who was arrested or killed by the security agencies. Even when you find such a bandit killed, it must be as a result of internal conflict.

You also deploy military officers and keep them for six months, one or even two years in one location and they get used to the environment, including the bandits. Some of them are engaging in farming activities in the area.

What would be your message to the PDP?

My message to them is one, to remain resolute, united and really work hard towards victory by the grace of God is just a matter of time. Because the people are eager and anxious to disgrace the APC at the poll. So, by the first election of February 25, that is the last day the APC would take its last breath.

sapele914:
What truth? Shameless ipobian turned Obidient.

Eriokanmi:
Don't mind people hauling insults on Wike. He's one of the few patriotic Nigerians today. He had donated billions of naira to them in the north from the start of his administration to date. How much had any northern states donated to the south, despite the huge allocation at their disposal? Atiku lost and ran to Dubai, left the party scattered, only for him to come back and hijack the candidacy with dollars. Had wike too abandoned the party, would there have been pdp today? This guy spent heavily in bringing the party together. If you ask me, the only tribe in Nigeria that is not patriotic is Fulani. They have their home country to run to, should Nigeria explode. See Tambuwal, just because his kinsman was running, he betrayed Wike who fought for him in 2019 to be the pdp flagbearer. That's fulani for you . I pity any southern politician who thinks they would vote him.

FriendsAndFans:
We need more voters card against these funny kids bro

Misterone:
yeah, as usual. Quoting stupid statistics that have no bearing to Nigerian economics. Na statistics we go chop. Talking about stupid data as if they will implement themselves when he says abracadabra. Rubbish

Princebizzie:
FTC!

Obi should step down instead, stop all these your misleading statistics just like your patron, Obi. Tinubu is going to win the election whether your region vote for him or not!

mrvitalis:
What I really learnt from obi is this

Nigerian politicians are very very lazy ...most just depend on party structure to win election


Go out there , conduct interviews , tell the people your plans , records show your integrity and win the people over ....but no they don't

All the other presidential candidates combined haven't done half the interviews obi has done , most are not connecting with Nigerian people

Especially in the south media ,radio is very powerful Nigeria needs change but no body is offering it

officialchikzy0:
they paid oct stipend 30th december 2021 so expect payment during festive period which i know they always do, sallah too the same

lhordspy:
Sahara reporters?

“Corps members were asked to come for briefing from the Zonal Inspector, only for us to come and see that it was a political event.

“Unfortunately, the event turned violent for some hours and we were beaten by thugs. Yet, we were still mandated to stay as there would be attendance taking. They asked us not to go anywhere because there would be mandatory attendance.”

Some corps members serving in Borno State have accused an official of the National Youth Service Corps in the state of forcefully engaging them in political activities.

According to the corps members, they were on Monday asked to come for a briefing from one of the Zonal Inspectors, Audu Lawan, but on getting to the venue, they discovered it was an All Progressives Congress event.

They added that the event, which was held at the Maiduguri Municipal Council secretariat, turned violent and many of them were assaulted by political thugs.

“A Borno State NYSC official on Monday again engaged us to one APC political activity in the state,” one of them told SaharaReporters.

“Corps members were asked to come for briefing from the Zonal Inspector, only for us to come and see that it was a political event.

“Unfortunately, the event turned violent for some hours and we were beaten by thugs. Yet, we were still mandated to stay as there would be attendance taking. They asked us not to go anywhere because there would be mandatory attendance.”

Another corps member said, “Most of us aren’t surprised, The Zonal Inspector, Mr Lawan is known for treating corps members in Maiduguri like animals.

“Especially during monthly clearance, he will not come to sign in time and then maltreat corps members by abusing them or seize their uniforms without any genuine reason. He is known for punishing corps members to stand at the sun, so forcing us to attend a political rally against our wish isn’t a big deal to him.”

SaharaReporters gathered that the provisions of the NYSC Act and Bye-laws prohibit participation in partisan politics

“Any member who takes part in partisan politics is liable to extension of service for a period not less than three months without pay,” Section 9 under the Miscellaneous Offences and Penalties, read.

A few days ago, the acting Director-General of NYSC, Mrs Christy Uba warned members of the scheme against engaging in any form of electoral misconduct in the 2023 general election.

Corps Members In Borno Kick As Official Allegedly Tricked Them To Attend APC Campaign Rally

She said any corps member involved in any form of electoral offence would face the wrath of the law as stipulated in the Electoral Act.

“If you must participate, you are encouraged to remain neutral and apolitical.

“Do not involve yourself in politics; you are corps members and you have a duty to your country; you have to be careful.

“If you fall foul of the law, you will be treated as any other Nigerian. There is no cover for corps members; when you carry ballot box for anybody; you will go to prison straight”, she had said.

sweetonugbu:
Baba blue should go and rest.

A crowd in Yobe state on Thursday, December 22, embarrassed APC chieftains during a campaign rally. In a video shared by Dino Melaye, the crowd was heard shouting the names of Atiku Abubakar and other PDP candidates in the state. According to Melaye, this invariably means that the northern region is for Atiku during the 2023 general elections.

The north is torn between the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his All Progressives Congress (APC) rival, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This was proven in a fresh video shared on Twitter on Thursday, December 22, by Dino Melaye, the spokesman of the PDP's presidential campaign council.

In the video, the crowd was responding with the names of Atiku, that of the PDP governorship candidate in Yobe (Alhaji Sharif Abdu), and the Zone C senatorial candidate., while those on stage were shouting "APC!"

Reacting to this, Melaye concluded that the north is already dedicated to Atiku, a former Nigerian vice president

Melaye tweeted:

"Northern Nigeria blocked for Atiku. This is APC rally endorsing Atiku."

Northern Nigeria blocked for Atiku. This is Apc rally endorsing Atiku pic.twitter.com/s2fRdT5TVM

— Senator Dino Melaye. (SDM) (@_dinomelaye) December 22, 2022

Abdulg2019:
You don't need to ask, if poll will make your candidate to win then continue.

post=119341184:
Even APC governorship candidate know Peter Obi is most popular candidate in Cross River

A video of some Yoruba speaking individuals destroying the campaign banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, his running mate, Kashim Shettima and President Muhammadu Buhari has stirred mixed reactions from Nigerians on social media.

Naija News reports that a video making the rounds online captured some young people destroying the APC banner on a campaign vehicle.

One of the unidentified men in the viral video could be heard saying, ‘scrape APC off the vehicle now.’

Some others, on a standby, shouted at the man facing the camera to hurriedly scrape the inscription on the vehicle, threatening to cause commotion at the scene.

The video has generated a lot of reactions from social media users, with some condemning the actions and others applauding it.

balleeerrr wrote: ”Doesn’t make sense. We wouldn’t like this if it was done to a Peter Obi poster, why are we applauding it because it is another candidate? This is bullying. It should not be condone. Peter Obi wouldn’t want this.”

sexpleasurez_ wrote: ”This is an indication that people are actually VERY angry with the situation of things in this country. Only those who wanna keep supporting political parties or politicians will see otherwise.”

nazornnadi wrote: ”Majority of Nigerians are tired but few no one get sense.”

iamkshadow wrote: ”Yes I hate this man’s ambition, at the expense of Nigeria’s progress, but nahh! When injustice favors us, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right! This is wrong! I can’t vote Tinubu Never! God forbid! But we shouldn’t fight injustice with injustice.! However, hope say dem commot the poster totally sha.! #IDon’tSupportViolence”

precious.amengialue wrote: ‘APC is the one doing this just to give obi a bad name.’

iam_thickfaith wrote: ‘Na dem dem. If u know u know.’

king_babejoan28 wrote: ‘That’s the president right there what you doing.’

Ogbuefi2020:
Forget hired urchins on nairaland, Tinubu will lose SW

JoeNL22:
This in the southwest ooo!
Hmmm......

A popular Candidate won't have to pay for people to defend him whether online or offline. Such ought to be done freely out of love.

youngbabaj:
The Tinubus are really serious about this election
May the universe grant them there heart desires

ItsTutsi:
I'm a northerner and I'm voting Tinubu

arewaboy01:
…I feel more ashamed for you…so you go hate ur papa because him don old …? You are a disgrace to ur father

Moh247:




In Nigerian Politics, Market your strength and not your opponents weakness

If you call Tinubu old at 70, many Nigerian electorate are old and they know what it is like to grow experience, many people have father's in their early 70s

If you say Tinubu can't walk, many people with disability would relate with him especially since is meeting them and still traveling up and down


.

ItsTutsi:
Ok Ikechukwu