₦airaland Forum

Hon. Abdullahi Candido, is the State Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In this interview with IGHO OYOYO, he said that unseating the incumbent government of the PDP will not be difficult… Excerpts

Do you think Nigeria is matured enough to organise a free and fair election that can unseat an incumbent President?

Unseating a very serious incumbent President could be difficult. A government that has showcased very important development, and you want to unseat it, that would present a very difficult task. But, for a government such as this, led by this incumbent President, to unseat it, it will be as easy as pie. Nigerians from every zone and even with varying opinions have come to term with the reality that never again can they invest their trust in the present leadership of the ruling PDP. That is why the clamour for change has gathered huge momentum. Nothing will stop this PDP government from leaving, no matter who is on the saddle of leadership, nothing will stop the government of PDP from going on March 28.

How prepared is the APC to capture the FCT in the general election?

In APC, we are ready for the polls, all we need do now is just to keep reminding the voters to come out en-masse to vote for the party and all the candidates across board. We have vibrant men who have the capacity to represent the wishes and aspirations of the people of the FCT people in the National Assembly. Unlike what we have now, that the crop of legislators are just bunch of empty heads. These are people who are religious and ethnic bigots whose tenure were characterized by total failure and therefore cannot afford again, as we are expecting a vibrant leadership of this country, we cannot afford to send bench warmers into the National Assembly. We need vibrant men, who can go out there and speak for us, so that we can get what we have lost in the past five to six years.

How did the postponement of the election affect the APC, since it seemed you were fully prepared for it before it was postponed

I think that the postponement of the election was a deliberate attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their government to perfect their rigging plans and to also frustrate the momentum that has been gathered by the APC Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. So, they did it just to avoid the outright defeat. Yes, reasons sited were that it was due to security challenges, but we the APC saw it as a mere rigging tricks by the government of the day, in order to assure that their defeat is a little bit postponed, so that they could go back to the drawing board to see what else they can do. They saw that the momentum already recorded in the field was so high and could take APC to victory if election was to hold on February 14. But, be it as it may, no matter what happens, we believe the fact that nothing stops an idea whose time has come. It is the time for the positive change, which Nigerians have been yearning for and there is nothing whatsoever that the PDP would do to scuttle the aspirations of Nigerians. Nigerians have decided to effect the change come March 28, even if they shift the election for the next three months to come, Nigerians are ready with their voters cards to effect that change and there is no going back, and nothing will intimidate the APC supporters to actualize this dream.

Do you not think that the issue of insecurity was a good reason to postpone the election?

We have noted sincerely with dismay, reasons extended to the postponement as that of security challenges. But, elections have taken place in crisis affected countries like Iraq, Iran, Syria amongst other countries that are ravaged by war, even in Afghanistan were the country is in absolute state of war. Unfortunately, that of Nigeria, what we see is that the military has always succeeded in compromising their integrity and that is a shame on the part of the Military, that they could go down so low, bringing down their much cherished integrity to the mud. They have allowed themselves to be partisan in nature. If you look at what took place in Ekiti and Osun State, you cannot believe that this is the Nigerian military that we know, where most of them led by serving Generals have all taken to side with a none performing government, all in the name of ensuring security, where we have the Police and Civil Defense that can actually do the job, if not for the fact that they were only recruited to do the biding of the government.

So, to me, the military has brought shame to themselves, they have compromised and I want to think that their integrity is at stake as it is, that unless they do something else to regain their integrity, Nigerians will no longer have confidence in them. So, for me, if I have my way, I will even call on the entire Service Chiefs to honourably resign their position, so that we can have better commanders in the field, who would really be what we can see as military men. Because, their action is the episode of extension of election, I think they have lost the credibility and their integrity has been compromised.

The presidency also denied the knowledge of plan extension by INEC?

Those were statement credited to President Goodluck Jonathan himself. But we in the APC already know that it is the presidency and to a larger extent, it is the president himself that has both hands and legs in intimidating the INEC to ensure that election is postponed. Like I told you, nobody can convince me, that President Jonathan was not aware of plans to postpone this election. He is part and parcel of all the tricks, in order to see what could be done to save his face from total defeat that was almost coming his way. So, the best way he could do was just to truncate the election, by intimidating INEC to come out with ideas that election must be postponed on reasons of security. I can tell the world that the threat to extend the election was the brainchild of the President himself. He knows everything about it and that will not save him, because, Nigerians have decided, that whenever the election is going to hold, he will be going back to his community where he belongs to, so that we can have a proper and positive government in place in this country.

The issue of overheating the politic is going on, with bomb blast, shooting in campaigns, also some warlords are threatening fire and brimstone if their choice candidate did not win, what is your opinion on that?

Yes, it is very unfortunate that these are people who have voiced out their hate speech on numbers of occassion and yet the government have never invited them to caution them on their hate speeches. I want to draw the attention of Nigerians to know that nobody has the monopoly of rudeness. But this country must remain one and that is what we are preaching as a party. Unfortunately, those who feel that they come from the same place with the President, believing that their brother is in office today, have voiced out so many things, like the Asari Dokubo, Tompolo and the Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, have all said so many things that could ignite crisis in Nigeria. But, there was no attempt by the security agencies to even invite them for caution. To we, it is better we send the message clear that nobody has the monopoly of being rude, everybody can be rude in Nigeria and everybody has mouth or words to say that could suggest crisis. But we are promoting peace, we want to ensure that never again in the history of this country that we would come across crisis, because it is not going to be good for anybody. But, if people think that they are above board, they should remember there are others who can do more than they are doing presently. So, it is better that the government sit up to ensure that whoever speaks out hate speech should be called to order, so that this country is can remain intact and in peace.

There is this fear from the APC that there might not be a free and fair election, that the PDP is planning to rig the election, what are you going to do, if that happens?

We have seen them, we know their tricks, we have seen what they intend to do and for us in the APC, we will not allow it. Even if it is the last drop of our blood, to resist any attempt by the PDP to rig the general election. We are ready as far as we are concerned, with the last drop of our blood, to ensure that we save this country from the blunder that the PDP is planning to put Nigeria. So, whatever happens, all that they intend to do and planned, we have seen it all and by the grace of God, we are going to check them step by step, to ensure that they did not actualize their desire. We have perfected plans on how to resist their plan.

If in resisting it, it is going to cost us our lives, we will save this country from another blunder.

What if the military is involved as it was alleged in the case of Ekiti State election?

This time around, they will not have their way, that is why we have said that the military has lost its credibility. This time around, except if the military are going to be angels of God, but if it is the Nigerian Military that we know, this time around, the power of the electorate will overwhelm the military. If they dare use the military for any tricks, in order to help the PDP to come from other ways to win election, I am telling you that Nigerians will resist it. There is nothing that would suggest that the electorate will not surpass the might of the military in ensuring that the will of Nigerians though the election is achieved by their votes.

Some politicians are saying that the APC is desperate for power, how true is it?

Desperation for power are two sides of the coin. The PDP is desperate for power that is why they are doing everything they can to remain in power. But, the question is how positive your desperation is. If you are desperate for power, what do you intend to do with the power? For us, we want to ensure that we stabilize this country, we want to bring in the best form of government for Nigerians to hive a sigh of relieve. Because, for the past years that President Jonathan has been governing this country, I must tell you that if not for God, Nigeria would have been ruined by now, because of maladministration. This is a government that does not have focus, therefore the best thing to do, is for any political party that has good intention and is going for election is to be desperate, so that they can get the power and restore sanity to the society and bring back hope for Nigerians. So, that the people can begin to be happy once again. I will say that all the political parties are desperate for power, but, what is the desperation for? Our presidential candidate was a former Head of State and he has seen it all and because Nigerians have realized that things are no longer the same, that things are bad. That is why most of them are saying that it is time for this man to come to power and correct the lapses, so that we will start getting the best, and for our unborn children. That is the desperate aspect of the APC. We want to bring the best to this nation, so that everybody will hive a sigh of relieve.

Recently, former President Olusegun Obasanjo dumped the PDP and tore his party membership card. What does that potent for the general election and future of Nigeria?

That is a clear manifestation that even within the PDP some people are tired. Imagine somebody who had led this country on the platform of that party, publicly disowned the party, get the membership card of his party torn disgracefully. That has also shown you that without even been told, that Nigerians are tired. That even the people who are still romancing around President Jonathan, they are only deceiving themselves. President Jonathan should know that if former President Obasanjo can do what he did, then any one who is around him, is there because of what they are getting today. Or else, after the general election, he will turn his back and will not see anybody and he will realize that he has been deceived all along. So, it is a clear manifestation that the PDP is gone and by the grace of God, the APC is going to take the lead this time around in ensuring that a positive administration is put in place, under the leadership of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

http://leadership.ng/features/415822/unseating-the-pdp-government-will-not-be-difficult-candido

Even if AIT shows d video of tinubu and buhari stealing money, our foolish and brainwashed supporters will still vote for us! Imagine wad apc said abt dem supporters!
Dis shows how foolish apc thugs re, I pity dem and dem generations!

Monitoring demons in d forum!
Make I leave asap before dem attack me.

[size=13pt]Would this be through democratic means, violence or through coup plotting, (a science Buhari is well versed in)?[/size]

OREMUSSANCTUS:
Even if AIT shows d video of tinubu and buhari stealing money, our foolish and brainwashed supporters will still vote for us! Imagine wad apc said abt dem supporters!
Dis shows how foolish apc thugs re, I pity dem and dem generations!

Monitoring demons in d forum!
Make I leave asap before dem attack me.

LooL..

I swear ur mata don tire me..if I get pikin like u, I go just assume say na minus 1.

[s]

midolian:
LooL..

I swear ur mata don tire me..if I get pikin like u, I go just assume say na minus 1.

[/s]

Face front abeg

Vote your choice.

midolian:
Do you think Nigeria is matured enough to organise a free and fair election that can unseat an incumbent President?

Unseating a very serious incumbent President could be difficult. A government that has showcased very important development, and you want to unseat it, that would present a very difficult task. But, for a government such as this, led by this incumbent President, to unseat it, it will be as easy as pie. Nigerians from every zone and even with varying opinions have come to term with the reality that never again can they invest their trust in the present leadership of the ruling PDP. That is why the clamour for change has gathered huge momentum. Nothing will stop this PDP government from leaving, no matter who is on the saddle of leadership, nothing will stop the government of PDP from going on March 28.

the part I luv the most

MOG1D1:
[s][/s]

Face front abeg

why trying hard to be noticed? Taking panadol for another man's headache won't cure ur mental illness.