Prof Akin Osuntokun, political scientist and renowned strategist served as political adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and was also a director of the Presidential Campaign of the People’s Democratic Party in 2011.

In this no-holds-barred encounter with Sunday Sun, he came to a damning conclusion that nothing good can come from the President Mohammadu Buhari-led government because its leadership is rooted in incompetence.

He spoke on other critical issues including: restructuring, 2023 presidency, EndSARS protest, and its aftermath. Excerpt:



There are different views on the #ENDSARS protest, some say it was as a result of the anger of the people on what is happening in the country today while some others are saying that it was a ploy to disorganize the government of the day. I don’t know your view on this?

It’s ridiculous that anybody can come to the conclusion that it is directed to unseat the government. We all know, who of those leaders of the protest can you identify in that note? Does any of the leaders conform to this notion of having this ulterior agenda I don’t know how anybody can come to that conclusion from what we all saw and what we all knew happened. Was the protest not hijacked by hoodlums? So, if they wanted to conspire and think like that will it end up in such a manner as it did? I don’t know how anybody could have come to that conclusion. From what we saw they were specific in what they wanted, so I don’t see how anybody could have come to the conclusion that it was targeted at unseating the government, but how will they accomplish that? Are they working with some military officers or top politicians I don’t know, of course, nothing points to that. I can’t see the logic in it.

So, how do you see the freezing of the accounts of some of those alleged sponsors as some are claiming that officials of the government are seizing their passport?

Well, I think they are just using a sledgehammer to kill an ant. This government is incompetent in anything it does, so I shouldn’t even be surprised that they are reacting in such a blind manner to what has happened. They gave an account of all that they received. The last time I read anything about them as regards their account they stated specifically what they will use the outstanding balance for, for the care of people who were injured, for burial or for compensating people, etc. Look, they were that specific, and if the purpose is as transparent as that, where is the need to start chasing them around, freezing their account, or seizing their passport. These guys are not in any way a threat to the government in any shape or manner so I don’t know on what basis they are being harassed. Look, as I said the money they received, they stated what the money is used for and the balance, what they intend to do with it, is any of the purposes they itemized politically subversive? There is nothing that they have done on the account that they operate that indicates any threat to the political stability of a country or points to terrorism. For me, their response is one more demonstration of their gross incompetence in anything they do, so I should not be surprised. If anything, the lesson they should learn from it is that the delegation they sent around the country if they are serious about it they should go round the country listen to what the people are saying and what they want. As at today, there are serious calls for restructuring not only by the opposition parties, but by other well-meaning Nigerians. For instance, the resource person for the Arewa and the Northern Elders Forum are categorical in support of restructuring just as anybody from the Middle Belt. The same is also in the views of their columnists, they have more or less come to the same conclusion that restructuring is the key and have even gone ahead to suggest a return to 12 states structure that General Gowon created in 1967. So, I hope they have come to that conclusion, as well that the only viable option for Nigeria now going forward is restructuring. The government is collapsing, we now have a bankrupt government that can hardly fund payment of salaries let alone capital expenditure, so we have got to a stage in which the government has become bankrupt politically and economically and we have to find a response, despite how negative. It is not an amendment that the Nigerian constitution needs, it’s a replacement. We need to replace it. If you find yourself in a hole you don’t keep digging you try and extricate yourself from that hole. The only means available now for Nigeria to extricate herself from this hole is restructuring. Even the Vice President was saying, somewhere in the US, and I hope he was quoted out of context that what Nigeria needs is not restructuring, but competent leadership. I hope that when he says that he should look in the mirror and look at the reflection from the mirror. How can he say that competent leadership is what we need, so how have they provided it, with the structure that we have? Even as incompetent as they are there is an element of dysfunction about the federal constitutional structure that will undermine the capacity of any government to govern effectively.

So, you mean that the National Assembly that is doing piecemeal constitution amendment is just wasting time?

The National Assembly is another tragedy of this country. What they have revealed of themselves is not an indication of a National Assembly that can do this country any good. If you’re spending $100million to refurbish a building that has been refurbished repeatedly as at the same moment that this country is going through this economic strangulation and they are paying themselves an average of N1million to N1.5 million per day, so what good can we get from them? Every set of new legislatures they buy themselves the latest SUVs in town. I don’t expect anything good from this National Assembly. What they are doing is just to convince people that they are doing something. They cannot review the Constitution without the concurrence of the states in the country, so people are just over-estimating their role in the amendment of the Constitution.

A lot of people are already strategizing for 2023 although it is still far, but politically it is near. Different geopolitical zones are also reaching out in their bid to produce the president in 2023. What is your position on this and your region of preference if any?

It is mindless of any politician in Nigeria today who wishes Nigeria well, who believes in the unity of this country, to dispute the Nigerian presidency with the Southeast. It should be conceded to them. How do you explain if in the next round of election somebody else maybe, from the Southwest, that would just have finished the position of vice president for eight years that had the presidency from 1999 to 2007 and compared to a part of the country that has not had that? From a position of logic and rationale, the Southeast should have it. It’s just a reflection of how degenerate the system has become, but of course, this is subordinate to the more important issue of restructuring. Won’t you have a country in 2023 before you even talk of becoming the president? That is why restructuring is key now. If you have a country in crisis and in fractions in 2023 who will be thinking of where the president will come from? For me, it makes no sense for anybody to dispute it with the Southeast.

How do you react to the latest inflation index? Many have argued that it’s a global phenomenon that even in other countries the economy is going down?

They can deceive themselves that it is a global issue, that the economy can go into recession and all that, but the situation of Nigeria is worse than that with or without the global pandemic, the price of oil which Nigeria solely rely on as a source of revenue has crashed and, of course, on top of it is the economic mismanagement on a large scale of this government. There can be no doubt that this government; this President Buhari-led government has the worst reputation on corruption. Look at what they are doing on the so-called oil subsidy? Have they not just borrowed $33 billion, you are borrowing $33 billion to renovate National Assembly, is that what a serious government does and also $500 million for the Ministry of Information that adds no value to the country and billions of dollars to construct railway to a country outside Nigeria. What is the agenda for? So, like I said, they are simply using the global pandemic as an excuse for their fundamental problem of sabotage and incompetence. This government from every standard in its rating is incompetent.


https://www.sunnewsonline.com/nobody-can-dispute-presidency-going-to-southeast-in-2023-prof-akin-osuntokun/

Obvious. The North is looking for anyone loyal and can unite

It's either Umahi or Sullivan Chime. Former Enugu State Governor.

Umahi is very infrastructural. He is an Engineer.

Sullivan is a lawyer who transformed Enugu into a modern city.

Ok....let me go and ask my PVC if it would vote an Ibo man in 2023

Well my PVC decided, it's either Tinubu / Dogara or Professor Yemi Osinbajo / Professor Babangana Zulum


.

If it must go to the SE, then it will be Umahi or no one else.

Na person wey we don see him work na him go vote for. .
Umahi has been tested with fire and he has joined the party of the elites

PDP might be pretending to love the Igbos, but we know they never had the intention of handing presidency over over to the SE.

If IPOB says they wouldn't vote Igbos because of their useless ideology, the Yorubas and Hausas have made up their minds to put them to shame and vote an Igbo man

It is mindless of any politician in Nigeria today who wishes Nigeria well, who believes in the unity of this country, to dispute the Nigerian presidency with the Southeast. It should be conceded to them.

Funny enough, Akin Osintokun is a member of the PDP. He was one of the eight spokespersons that handled the publicity aspect oh the Atiku/Obi campaign in 2019. As a senior member of PDP, I expect him to impress it upon other members of his party to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the south east. He should grow the needed balls and tell Atiku and Tambuwal to their faces that they should drop out of the 2023 race and support the south east.

Talking in general terms is not enough. He should follow up his conviction with actions. It would also be very good if he can tell us that he will not support any PDP candidate in 2023 that is not from the south east.

God bless you Prof. Akin Osuntokun. You're indeed a patriotic Nigerian. Please help us to pass the message across to bigots who don't want justice and fairplay.

techmo:



Ok....let me go and ask my PVC if it would vote an Ibo man in 2023


.

No region in the south has the numbers on its own.Furthermore until we start including tribal information on voters registration no one can say for sure the number of Igbo voters we have

cktheluckyman:

No region in the south has the numbers on its own.Furthermore until we start including tribal information on voters registration no one can say for sure the number of Igbo voters we have

Kikikikiki hahahaha

It's on Election day we shall know if 1 out of 100 voters in Yoruba land and Hausa land are Ibos

Since Na you plenty pass for Zamfara, Ibadan, Ogbomosho, Kano

techmo:



Ok....let me go and ask my PVC if it would vote an Ibo man in 2023

Well my PVC decided, it's either Tinubu / Dogara or Professor Yemi Osinbajo / Professor Babangana Zulum


.

what will you vote if the major parties decide to give their tickets to an Igbo man?
Relax and watch the game play itself. I dont even know why umahi left to join APC. Only time will tell.

Na so una always talk

When that time reach now una go form new rules

lastmessenger:
what will you vote if the major parties decide to give their tickets to an Igbo man?
Relax and watch the game play itself. I dont even know why umahi left to join APC. Only time will tell.

How many APC delegates would vote Umahi in APC?! Is it the CPC guys or ACN?! Umahi just enntered a trap and best he is getting is juicy ministerial slot after Presidential primaries

techmo:



Ok....let me go and ask my PVC if it would vote an Ibo man in 2023

Well my PVC decided, it's either Tinubu / Dogara or Professor Yemi Osinbajo / Professor Babangana Zulum


.

You don't get it, you have but one vote, that's if you even have your PVC. The two parties will eventually have to field Igbo candidates just as it was done in 1999. Then Nigerians will have to chose between them.

techmo:


How many APC delegates would vote Umahi in APC?! Is it the CPC guys or ACN?! Umahi just enntered a trap and best his getting is juicy ministerial slot after Presidential primaries

till then let's all maintain calm and watch the delegate decide on who to vote. Let no one play god now. Its politics and it can be played.

Which nigeria? Igbos wee never rule nigeria

EastisBae:


You don't get it, you have but one vote, that's if you even have your PVC. The two parties will eventually have to field Igbo candidates just as it was done in 1999. Then Nigerians will have to chose between them.

You honestly think Party delegates in PDP loyal to Atiku and Wike would Vote for an Ibo man in a Presidential primaries?!

You honestly believe ACN caucus and CPC caucus of APC would vote in a Primaries for an Ibo man in a Presidential primaries



.

techmo:



Ok....let me go and ask my PVC if it would vote an Ibo man in 2023

Well my PVC decided, it's either Tinubu / Dogara or Professor Yemi Osinbajo / Professor Babangana Zulum


.

Out of 100 sw votes, 30 is coming from Igbos

Deal with it

Built2last:
Obvious. The North is looking for anyone loyal and can unite

It's either Umahi or Sullivan Chime. Former Enugu State Governor.

Umahi is very infrastructural. He is an Engineer.

Sullivan is a lawyer who transformed Enugu into a modern city.

Or OUK the north likes him alot

seunmsg:





Funny enough, Akin Osintokun is a member of the PDP. He was one of the eight spokespersons that handled the publicity aspect oh the Atiku/Obi campaign in 2019. As a senior member of PDP, I expect him to impress it upon other members of his party to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the south east. He should grow the needed balls and tell Atiku and Tambuwal to their faces that they should drop out of the 2023 race and support the south east.

Talking in general terms is not enough. He should follow up his conviction with actions. It would also be very good if he can tell us that he will not support any PDP candidate in 2023 that is not from the south east.

How are you sure he is not already calling Atiku and Tambuwal to jettison their idea of contesting in 2023? For him to have come out openly to say this means he is not trying to be politically correct. It is pressure from people voicing out that will make North to abandon the idea of succeeding Buhari.

seunmsg:





Funny enough, Akin Osintokun is a member of the PDP. He was one of the eight spokespersons that handled the publicity aspect oh the Atiku/Obi campaign in 2019. As a senior member of PDP, I expect him to impress it upon other members of his party to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the south east. He should grow the needed balls and tell Atiku and Tambuwal to their faces that they should drop out of the 2023 race and support the south east.

Talking in general terms is not enough. He should follow up his conviction with actions. It would also be very good if he can tell us that he will not support any PDP candidate in 2023 that is not from the south east.

Both APC and PDP will field a south Easterner just like buhari and Atiku in 2019

techmo:



Ok....let me go and ask my PVC if it would vote an Ibo man in 2023

Well my PVC decided, it's either Tinubu / Dogara or Professor Yemi Osinbajo / Professor Babangana Zulum


.

Yorubas and stupid propaganda. SE has more registered voters than the 5 SW states (excluding Lagos)

IamFINESSE:



Out of 100 sw votes, 30 is coming from Igbos

Deal with it

Well am in Ibadan, and I lived accross most SW state and I can tell you Ibos are less than 1 out of every 100 ... Infact we have more aboki here than Ibo.... Except for brothels

Kestolove:
Which nigeria? Igbos wee never rule nigeria

Igbos have ruled before and will rule again.. Thank God say man no be God

OfficialAPCNig:

Yorubas and stupid propaganda. SE has more registered voters than the 5 SW states (excluding Lagos)

Excluding Lagos?! Is Lagos in Iboland now?!

No wonder Ibo man had always been the Governor and Oba of Lagos


.

techmo:



Ok....let me go and ask my PVC if it would vote an Ibo man in 2023

Well my PVC decided, it's either Tinubu / Dogara or Professor Yemi Osinbajo / Professor Babangana Zulum


.

ATIKU HERE WE COME. IBO MAN MUST NOT RULE THIS COUNTRY, ABI WETIN YOU THINK YENEFER

techmo:


How many APC delegates would vote Umahi in APC?! Is it the CPC guys or ACN?! Umahi just enntered a trap and best he is getting is juicy ministerial slot after Presidential primaries

Why are you people crying? Is it your trap?

Umahi will defeat Thiefunubu in APC primaries.

So, the responsibility to choose whom Nigeria's president should be rests SOLELY upon him.

Smh.

techmo:


Well am in Ibadan, and I lived accross most SW state and I can tell you Ibos are less than 1 out of every 100 ... Infact we abokis are more than ibos here.... Except for brothels

OK

OfficialAPCNig:

Why are you people crying? Is it your trap?

Umahi will defeat Thiefunubu in APC primaries.

Cry?! !!! Why!! I just made my choice of who to vote and am smiling

techmo post=96310533
:


Well am in Ibadan, and I lived accross most SW state and I can tell you Ibos are less than 1 out of every 100 ... Infact we have more aboki here than Ibo.... Except for brothels

Dey decieve your self

We know what happened during the last election

How APC got their most votes from sw

techmo:



You honestly think Party delegates in PDP loyal to Atiku and Wike would Vote for an Ibo man in a Presidential primaries?!

You honestly believe ACN caucus and CPC caucus of APC would vote in a Primaries for an Ibo man in a Presidential primaries



.

E go shock you.