₦airaland Forum

Welcome, Guest: RegisterLoginWith GoogleTrendingRecentNew

Stats: 3,325,406 members, 8,421,765 topics. Date: Sunday, 07 June 2026 at 12:47 AM

Toggle theme

Quickberry's Posts

Nairaland ForumQuickberry's ProfileQuickberry's Posts

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 (of 117 pages)

PoliticsRe: How Buruji Kashamu Can Escape US Extradition by quickberry(m): 10:54pm On Aug 10, 2018
No matter how u demarket APC, it's Sai Baba till 2023
PoliticsRe: They Claim Buhari Is Loosing Popularity In The North. by quickberry(m): 9:41pm On Aug 10, 2018
Hehehehehe
PoliticsCrowd Boos Kwankwaso Again by quickberry(op): 4:47pm On Aug 10, 2018
Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/crowd-boos-kwankwaso-again/
Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso , the 61-year-old former Kano state governor, who recently defected to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again been booed by members of the public. *Kwankwaso At the close of Jumat service in Kaduna on Friday, the politician seeking presidential ticket of PDP, walked into the waiting hands of hostile crowd who chanted “Sai Buhari’’. As he waved, the jeering crowd surged shouting “Sai Buhari’’, an indication of his rejection. The twitter video of the incident is succinctly captured by the twitter handle of APC United Kingdom. APC United Kingdom @APCUKingdom [BREAKING: KWANKWASO ROASTED AGAIN!] Second time within the week: Sen. Kwankwaso got the SAI BABA treatment AGAIN at Jum Mosque in Kaduna after the Abuja airport 'roasting' earlie the week! @OfficialAPCNg @fkeyamo @DeeOneAyekoot @dgebis @hbgumi @gebusit @ToksAfikuyomi 13:45 - 10 Aug 2018 224 266 people are tal He was similarly humiliated at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where passengers and onlookers booed, shouting “Sai Buhari’’. APC United Kingdom @APCUKingdom ROASTING OF THE DAY: Sen. Kwankwaso got the SAI BABA treatment at the airport Tough times ahead .... 13:07 - 6 Aug 2018 567 499 people are tal Kwankwaso was two times Governor of Kano State from 1999–2003 and 2011–2015 and he was the first governor of Kano State in the fourth republic who was elected under the platform of People’s Democratic Party (Nigeria). Kwankwaso lost re-election bid in 2003 to Ibrahim Shekarau and was in July same year appointed Defense Minister by President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2015, Kwankwaso unsuccessfully contested the presidential primaries nomination under the opposition All Progressive Congress, but lost to Muhammad Buhari. He then swapped to contest the senatorial seat for Kano Central Senatorial District. He recently defected again to PDP, causing some ripples in APC.
PoliticsRe: While They Keep Acting Movies, Pmb Keeps On Going! by quickberry(m): 2:26pm On Aug 10, 2018
Sai Baba till 2023
PoliticsJonah Jang Declares His Senate Seat Vacant From 2019 by quickberry(op): 8:49am On Aug 10, 2018
JOS — Senator Jonah Jang has opted out of a second term and has declared his Plateau North Senatorial Seat open for a successor.


The immediate political future of the one term senator remains, however, unclear. Senator Jang had lately mooted the idea of running for the 2019 presidential contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP but that aspiration has yet to get traction and it remains uncertain if he would pursue the ambition.

At a meeting with PDP stakeholders from the Plateau North Senatorial zone held at WAYE Foundation, Doi, Jos South local government area, Jang disclosed that the Senate seat would be vacant in 2019 and left for people of Plateau North to decide who should represent them in the Red chamber.

Though nocturnal meetings are being held by aspirants for the seat but only the member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Istifanus Gyang has officially made his intention known to the PDP and his supporters.

Vanguard gathered that others nursing ambition for the seat from the All Progressives Congress, APC include the member representing Jos South/Jos East federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Edward Pwajok, the current Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Rufus Bature, former Chief of Staff during Jang’s administration, Francis Bot and former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly Hon. Isa Song.

The PDP, Northern Zone Leader, Mr. Chris Hassan, said: “The Senator called the meeting to meet with all of us from the zone. He made known his intention not to re-contest the Senatorial seat and asked us as a Party to work together and ensure unity.

“We are giving a level playing ground to all the aspirants; there will be nothing like the issue of zoning. Zoning is not going to be discussed; we are leaving everything open for all interested people to contest.

What the Senator asked was that we should quickly convene a meeting of all PDP stakeholders in the northern zone and deliberate on the seat but as a Party, we are leaving the seat open to whosoever is qualified to go and contest.

“He did not categorically declare his intention to contest the presidential seat but in a fortnight from now, he will do the formal declaration for the Presidential seat.”
Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/jang-opts-out-declares-his-senate-seat-vacant-from-2019/

PoliticsDon Etiebet Welcomes Sen. Akpabio Into APC by quickberry(op): 8:27am On Aug 10, 2018
This is hogwash. I was not at the reception because I had been out of the country since Saturday 29th July, 2018 for some medicals which I had been postponing since April because of all the APC activities during the period and I had to leave in order to come back on time for the start of the primaries. When I left, it was only rumours that Senator Godswill Akpabio might be decamping to APC. While away Vanguard newspaper texted me on my feelings towards the rumoured decampment of Senator Godswill Akpabio and I replied that if the rumours become consummated I would be very excited. Of course, as the leader of the Party and Chairman the State Caucus of the Party I have been bombarded by so many calls by our members, even from the reception grounds at Ikot Ekpene Stadium when it was said that some of our National Leaders had pronounced Senator Akpabio Leader of the Party in the State. I told them to calm down until I return. I want to state categorically that nothing can sway me to leave APC for any other political Party. I will live and retire from politics with APC and whosoever is fishing is wasting his or her time. I also want to state that I welcome whole heartedly Senator Godswill Akpabio into the APC family in Akwa Ibom State and his coming will undoubtedly consolidate our work to build a very verile APC in Akwa Ibom State to drive away PDP from Akwa Ibom State. We were the PDP in Akwa Ibom State which made Akwa Ibom 100% PDP and with Senator Godswill Akpabio coming to APC, the annihilation of PDP in the State is complete and Akwa Ibom is now 100%APC and Governor Udom Emmanuel is counting his days at the Hilltop Mansion, Uyo. ~ Chief Don Etiebet, CON.
Politics"Two South-East Governors To Join APC" – Okorocha by quickberry(op): 8:53pm On Aug 09, 2018
The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha Thursday disclosed that two serving governor’s from the Southeast will be formally joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okorocha who did not disclose the identity of the governors, stated that there is an agreement among the Southeast governors to move in one direction.

According to him, “the insinuation that Southeast governors from other political parties will work for President Muhammadu Buhari for President and work for their candidates in the governorship election is not acceptable, you are either a member of the APC or not”.

He continued that, “you will agree with me that Ndigbo played a dangerous politics in 2015 but we must correct that in 2019”.
Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/defection-two-s-east-governors-to-join-apc-okorocha/

PoliticsBode George On Akpabio's Defection by quickberry(op): 5:43pm On Aug 09, 2018
"Bola Tinubu is desperate to
destroy PDP and he is succeding
through Adam Oshiomole. First,
he shipped expired and
dangerous drugs to us, and
today (yesterday) he raided our
strong hold, Akwa Ibom and
took one of our finest,Now let
me tell you, Oshiomole is one of
the most deft and dangerous
politicians you can't toy with.
"We never believed a day like this
will come in any States of the
South South. I can tell you we
didn't see it coming. It's today
we realised the enormity of
disaster that struck us since
Buhari, Tinubu and others
merged forces to form APC. The
loss of Senator Akpabio to APC is
complete disaster. PDP need
people like me, and not Secondus
to stop Oshiomole from adding
salt to our injury."
-Chief Olabode George.

Source: https://mobile.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2130115873696194&id=781222181918910&refid=17&_ft_=top_level_post_id.2130115873696194%3Atl_objid.2130115873696194%3Athrowback_story_fbid.2130115873696194%3Apage_id.781222181918910%3Apage_insights.%7B%22781222181918910%22%3A%7B%22role%22%3A1%2C%22page_id%22%3A781222181918910%2C%22post_context%22%3A%7B%22story_fbid%22%3A2130115873696194%2C%22publish_time%22%3A1533819092%2C%22story_name%22%3A%22EntStatusCreationStory%22%2C%22object_fbtype%22%3A266%7D%2C%22actor_id%22%3A781222181918910%2C%22psn%22%3A%22EntStatusCreationStory%22%2C%22sl%22%3A4%2C%22dm%22%3A%7B%22isShare%22%3A0%2C%22originalPostOwnerID%22%3A0%7D%2C%22targets%22%3A%5B%7B%22page_id%22%3A781222181918910%2C%22actor_id%22%3A781222181918910%2C%22role%22%3A1%2C%22post_id%22%3A2130115873696194%2C%22share_id%22%3A0%7D%5D%7D%7D%3Athid.781222181918910%3A306061129499414%3A2%3A0%3A1535785199%3A-4684060084632052022&__tn__=%2As-R
PoliticsRe: Tinubu Alleges Plan To Impeach Buhari by quickberry(m): 8:30pm On Aug 08, 2018
On your(Tinubu) mandate I stand.....Sai Baba till 2023
PoliticsRe: 2019: Sule Lamido Visits Obasanjo For Consultation On Presidential Election by quickberry(m): 8:01pm On Aug 06, 2018
Hehehehehehe
PoliticsRe: 2019: Sule Lamido Visits Obasanjo For Consultation On Presidential Election by quickberry(m): 8:00pm On Aug 06, 2018
Yeye dey smell


Sai Baba till 2023

On his(Tinubu) mandate I stand
PoliticsRe: Osinbajo And Ahmed Lawan Meet Inside Aso Rock by quickberry(m): 7:55pm On Aug 06, 2018
Johnnyessence:
that was during yaradua government.
He won d case while OBJ was still the president, but it was Yaradua who paid d money.
PoliticsRe: Osinbajo And Ahmed Lawan Meet Inside Aso Rock by quickberry(m): 6:44pm On Aug 06, 2018
Johnnyessence:
lol what did osinbajo did please. nairaland politician always amazed me with their comment. well let me enlighten you further, obj didn't pay the lagos money through out his term. it was yaradua that paid that money in full.
@facebook politician, I know that........atleast he won d case against OBJ
PoliticsRe: Osinbajo And Ahmed Lawan Meet Inside Aso Rock by quickberry(m): 5:54pm On Aug 06, 2018
Johnnyessence:
osinbajo is still a new breed in nigeria politics. you can't impeach bukola saraki. their lawyer falana have already cleared the air about it. it is only omo baba oloye that can recoven the senate. and it will happen next month. mere commissioner prof osinbajo is still a learner in nigeria politics. resumption of the nigeria senate is september 25.
New breed? Ask OBJ what Osinbajo did to him when Osinbajo was commissioner of justice in lagos state.
PoliticsRe: Godswill Akpabio Visits Bola Tinubu In Abuja After Meeting With Buhari In London by quickberry(m): 5:37pm On Aug 06, 2018
Jagaban of the universe
NYSCRe: Breaking News! New Monthly Payment For NYSC by quickberry(m): 5:36pm On Aug 06, 2018
Sai Baba
PoliticsRe: PDP Mulls Fall-back Options For Presidential Aspirants by quickberry(m): 4:00pm On Aug 06, 2018
Yeye dey smell
PoliticsRe: EFCC To Grill Ekweremadu Again, Goes After Wife by quickberry(m): 9:38am On Aug 06, 2018
Very good


Sai Baba till 2023
PoliticsRe: Presidential Candidate: Nigerians’ll Help Us Choose Among Saraki, Tambuwal, Atik by quickberry(m): 8:02am On Aug 04, 2018
Thisis2raw:
any Nigeria that votes for buhari is not just dumb.. But a myopic daft
But any Nigerian that votes for PDP is wise in ur myopic eyes, there are too many toddlers on this forum...go and ask ur parents how Obasanjo ruled this country for 8 years despite financial supports from world bank and other agencies.
PoliticsRe: Presidential Candidate: Nigerians’ll Help Us Choose Among Saraki, Tambuwal, Atik by quickberry(m): 7:57am On Aug 04, 2018
The change ur party could not deliver in 16 years? We are not stupid, we say no to PDP. Sai Baba till 2023.
PoliticsRe: PDP Jittery As APC, Akpabio Parley by quickberry(m): 7:32am On Aug 04, 2018
I can't wait to see what will happen to PDP after their primaries.....hehehehe. On his(Tinubu) mandate I stand....Sai Baba all the way.
PoliticsRe: Inec Schedule And Activities Marking 2019 General Election by quickberry(m): 9:03am On Aug 02, 2018
obi4eze:
It's getting closer. Hope Buhari is getting ready 'cause he won't retain that seat.
Says who?
PoliticsRe: Record Breaking Crowd Protest Against Saraki And PDP In Kwara. Call Them Thieves by quickberry(m): 7:19pm On Aug 01, 2018
It is over for Bukola Saraki in kwara state.......with F.G on our side, we will defeat Bukola and his foot soldiers
PoliticsRe: It Will Be Disastrous, If PDP Fails To Give Me The Ticket~ Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by quickberry(m): 8:56am On Jul 31, 2018
NgeneUkwenu:
Anywhere Devils May Gather, Holy Ghost Fire Consume Them...

Anywhere Enemies May Gather, Holy Ghost Fire Consume Them...
Amen!!!
PoliticsRe: Buhari keeps delivering. Buhari Cannot Be Stopped. Wailers keep wailing by quickberry(m): 7:41pm On Jul 30, 2018
I stand with Tinubu, I stand with Buhari....I stand with APC
PoliticsRe: They Claim APC Is Dead In Rivers State. Pure Lies. Check This Out by quickberry(m): 7:38pm On Jul 30, 2018
dollytino4real:
Dead b4 arrival. pdp is rivers and rivers is pdp
PDP is rivers my foot.....2019 will be so sweet
PoliticsRe: They Claim APC Is Dead In Rivers State. Pure Lies. Check This Out by quickberry(m): 7:28pm On Jul 30, 2018
Sai Buhari Sai Tinubu Sai Apc
PoliticsRe: Igbo Lady From Imo Praises Buhari For Rehabilitating Her Home Town Roads by quickberry(m): 5:25pm On Jun 20, 2018
Sai Baba
PoliticsShine Your Eyes......2019 Is Around The Corner by quickberry(op): 5:41pm On May 25, 2018
In 2006 Obasanjo liquidated
Nigerian Airway, sold it and came
out with Virgin Nigeria.
A PDP friend once argued with
me that government has no
business in airways operations.
That is the brain damage PDP has
caused many of their supporters.
We have Ethiopians, British
Airways, EgyptAir and Malaysian
Airways just to mention a few.
These airlines are national
brands and pride to their
respective countries though
maybe managed by private
hands.
They equally serve as strong
competitors to privately owned
airlines to checkmate monopoly.
Obasanjo sacked all the staff of
Nigerian Airways, and paid
nothing to them in the form of
severance, gratuity and pension.
Today, there is no Nigerian
Airways and no Virgin Nigeria
either.
The good news from the PMB he
vows to remove in 2019 is that
the staff are being paid their
entitlements after 12 years.
Do you know what?
NIGERIAN AIRWAYS will be back
on air once again in December
2018. Of course, thousands of
jobs are been targeted
PMB is building Nigeria, I can
never be on the other side that
housed criminals and thieves..
May PMB Lives In Good Health
And Succeed.
Jimoh Sule

Source: https://mobile.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1991153324259117&id=781222181918910&refid=8&ref=opera_speed_dial&_ft_=qid.6559556586922822598%3Amf_story_key.3364692898261861201%3Atop_level_post_id.1991153324259117%3Apage_id.781222181918910%3Asrc.22%3Apage_insights.%7B%22781222181918910%22%3A%7B%22role%22%3A1%2C%22page_id%22%3A781222181918910%2C%22post_context%22%3A%7B%22story_fbid%22%3A1991153324259117%2C%22publish_time%22%3A1527261058%2C%22story_name%22%3A%22EntStatusCreationStory%22%2C%22object_fbtype%22%3A266%7D%2C%22actor_id%22%3A781222181918910%2C%22psn%22%3A%22EntStatusCreationStory%22%2C%22sl%22%3A5%2C%22dm%22%3A%7B%22isShare%22%3A0%2C%22originalPostOwnerID%22%3A0%7D%2C%22targets%22%3A%5B%7B%22page_id%22%3A781222181918910%2C%22actor_id%22%3A781222181918910%2C%22role%22%3A1%2C%22post_id%22%3A1991153324259117%2C%22share_id%22%3A0%7D%5D%7D%7D&__tn__=%2As-R
PoliticsRe: Another PDP Member Defects To SDP by quickberry(m): 5:09am On Apr 26, 2018
grin
PoliticsWhy The North Will Still Vote For Buhari In 2019 –matthew Kukah by quickberry(op): 2:42am On Apr 15, 2018
Source: http://punchng.com/why-the-north-will-still-vote-for-buhari-in-2019-matthew-kukah/
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto
Diocese, Bishop Matthew
Kukah, speaks to TOBI
AWORINDE on the socio-
economic situation in the
North, President Muhammadu
Buhari’s performance and the
forthcoming 2019 elections
You were one of those who
vehemently opposed
Muhammadu Buhari’s
presidency from the outset.
How would you describe the
quality of leadership in Nigeria
in the immediate past era?
Vehemently opposed to
Buhari? Where did you get this
from? I think you were sold
this dummy in the heydays of
ecstasy, frenzy and euphoria
of the Buhariphilia, who
jumped out of every corner of
Nigeria believing that their
redemption was at hand.
Sadly, today, a good chunk has
since apostacised. I never
doubted the sincerity of the
President’s intention to fight
corruption. However, no
matter how much you hate
leprosy, you cannot cure
leprosy by just giving Panadol
to the victim.
My fears were threefold and
based on experience. First, no
matter the goodness, holiness
or devotion of any human
being, wait until he or she has
power entrusted to them and
see what they become. So,
even in the most optimistic of
situations, set goals and
expectations and let the
person prove himself or
herself. Secondly, what Buhari
kept saying about corruption
did not seem to be the result
of some deep reflections. His
claims and strategies had
never been interrogated. And
finally, I insisted that national
cohesion was far more urgent
a task than just saying ‘we are
here to fight corruption’. That
informed what you may have
referred to as vehement
opposition. I was simply
warning against too much
blind trust and now we are
where we are today.
What worries you most about
this administration?
I am worried over the lack of
fresh ideas, focus, vision and a
seeming insensitivity to public
feelings; a kind of contempt
for how people feel and the
impact of policy choices, on
the part of this government.
This is a season of anomie and
alienation. The (Buhari)
government seems closed to
ideas that challenge their
assumptions and apparently
does not care what Nigerians
think and what they feel. Else,
there is no way that you can
have a government make the
mistakes that this government
has made; refuse to engage
citizens and simply refuse to
give a damn. It is disturbing
and, clearly, the government is
listening to other drummers.
Technically, no one suggests
that their views should be
taken, but this government
has given Nigerians a feeling
that they were sold a dummy.
This is sad; very sad indeed.
Buhari and the military under
his government have
continuously claimed that
Boko Haram has been
defeated. Do you believe
them?
Well, this is part of the
problem and I think we should
let the evidence — not the
sloganeering and propaganda
— do the talking. The
government has refused to
listen to the views of Nigerians
about the rather incestuous
and non-plural ways it has
dealt with security and the
appointments of their heads.
Perhaps the government has a
reason for allowing members
of only one faith to
monopolise the security
apparatus, perhaps because it
thinks Boko Haram is a
problem within Islam and only
Muslims can address the
issues. Either way, our country
is haemorrhaging in a way
that ending the Boko Haram
conflict will only open a new
chapter in a country of people
suffering the collective trauma,
fear, self-doubt and a feeling
of being totally disconnected
from the state that has no
empathy. With the government
seeing this purely as a military
operation, we can spend all
the money in the world, but
we will be nowhere near
having a united nation or
people. This battle has become
a military operation with all its
consequences on the
economy and the dynamics of
the engagement.
What was your reaction upon
hearing the news of the
Dapchi girls’ abduction?
My reaction was that of shock,
sorrow; a tragic sense of déjà
vu, and some level of near
despair.
Do you agree with Buhari that
his response time to the
Dapchi girls’ abduction was
better than that of the
previous administration to the
abduction of Chibok girls?
This comparison does not
arise. One tragedy is bad
enough; a repeat is a disaster.
It is like asking whether dying
by injection is better than
drowning.
Do you think Buhari owes
Nigerians an apology,
considering his commitment
to rescuing the Chibok girls
and defeating Boko Haram
within the first few months of
his presidency?
Why should he apologise? I
believe this government has
done its best and this is about
all it can offer. So, they should
be judged not on speculation
but on the reality. The issue of
an apology does not arise
because what we are seeing is
the best that is on the table
and this is the best team for
the job in their view.
Buhari’s health was a major
talking point last year with the
President spending several
weeks on two medical trips.
Do you think Buhari owes
Nigeria an explanation about
what he was treated for?
You mean he should apologise
that he was sick? I think we
should respect everyone’s
privacy. You don’t lose that by
being a public servant. I was
not happy the way we
handled the issue of the
President’s health. Others
behave differently and I think
we should learn not to play
politics with everything in
Nigeria.
Does his physical fitness worry
you, given the possibility of his
running for a second term?
There is a Hausa proverb
which says, ‘You cannot
borrow someone else’s mouth
to eat onions’. No one has the
right to decide on anyone’s
health and as to whether they
are capable of a particular
function. It is left for the
insiders of a party to decide
whom they will field as a
candidate even if the person is
on a stretcher. Today’s
weightlifter could fall sick
tomorrow. Let the party
decide who their best
candidate is.
Three of the major promises
of this administration are to
fight corruption, boost the
economy and conquer Boko
Haram. Would you say the
government has made any
significant stride in these
areas?
I have said repeatedly that
personal opinion does not
matter in the long run. Look at
the reports from the Federal
Bureau of Statistics, the United
Nations Development
Programme, Amnesty
International or Transparency
International. What does the
evidence suggest? You cannot
pick and choose what you
want to believe. Or look at the
entire Nigerian landscape
littered with corpses,
destroyed businesses and
buildings, all the ravages of
war. This is very painful.
What achievements do you
think the Buhari government
has made?
There is a Minister for
Information; he has that duty,
not me. They said they have
technically defeated Boko
Haram, reflated the economy,
and brought back some
Chibok girls and the Dapchi
girls, bar Leah. We now have
7,000 megawatts of electricity
and so on. They are also telling
us about new multi-billion-
naira projects which they are
embarking on with no idea
when they will be completed.
The faces of Nigerians tell a
different story and, sadly, we
are not communicating with
one another.
How do you feel about the
recent revelation that senators
receive N13.5 million monthly
as running costs and that
House of Representatives
members receive N12m
monthly?
Senator (Shehu) Sani has done
his job. It is left for Nigerians
to decide what to make of it. It
is a pity that we are in such a
state of stupor that nothing
can rouse us from our apathy
and this country will continue
to sink. Will the President, Vice
President, governors and
ministers ever come clean or
does it require reverting to the
Freedom of Information Act?
In the mafia, they call this
destructive secrecy ‘omerta’,
an oath of silence under pain
of death. This is why Senator
Sani deserves our respect for
taking the decision he took.
We hear that the Revenue
Mobilisation Allocation and
Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) is
claiming ignorance as to these
sums. But, as I have always
said, governance in Nigeria is
a criminal enterprise which
functions above the law.
What are your thoughts on
governors’ transition to
senators when their eight-
year tenure is completed?
Well, what else is there for
some of these people to do?
Can they go anywhere to
deliver a lecture or write
books on their experiences?
This country stands or falls
depending on what the
governors do.
What is your grouse with
Governor Nasir el-Rufai?
What do you mean by grouse?
You recently criticised el-Rufai
on his handling of the
Southern Kaduna massacre. Do
you think there is room for
reparations?
Did you read my sermon in its
entirety and why do you single
out Governor el-Rufai? It was a
funeral and there was the
need to set the records
straight. I simply articulated an
evidence-based side of a story
that I had played a role in. If
that is what you mean by
criticism, then fine. We are all
entitled to our opinions but
we are not entitled to our
facts because facts are sacred.
I presented my side of the
story based on my personal
experience with the claims he
made.
What can the governor do to
make amends?
Amends with, or to, whom?
That is within the realm of
governance which requires
consultation and consensus
building.
You have been vocal about the
role of the northern elite in the
poverty and
underdevelopment plaguing
the North. Can you elaborate
on this?
My field of doctoral research
was on Religion and Power
Politics in Northern Nigeria
and the result was my book,
‘Religion, Politics and Power in
Northern Nigeria’. It opened
up new frontiers and it was a
pioneering research on how
religion has been used to
mobilise and retain power by
the northern Muslim elite. I
had over 100 recorded
interviews with a cross
section of northern politicians
across the divide.
This has given me an
appreciation of the issues. It
does not make me an expert.
However, it is because of this
that those who do not want to
follow the arguments keep
falling back and accusing me
of being anti-northern or anti-
Muslim. This is the easy line for
those who benefit from this
manipulation but do not want
to face the consequences.
There is a noble obligation
that all elite owe to those they
represent; those on whose
shoulders they may have
stood; those who voted for
them or those who helped
them get an education. In the
rest of Nigeria, this elite have
met these obligations by
building schools, hospitals,
clinics, and so on for their
people. They have bridged the
gap between government’s
absence and the welfare of
their people. This is the story
of almost all of southern
Nigeria and parts of the Middle
Belt.
In the North, the evidence of
this dereliction of duty litters
the entire landscape, millions
of out-of-school children,
federal and state government
projects such as irrigation and
power-generating dams that
now lie abandoned in remote
communities, structures, such
as the Almajiri schools, all in
decay in many communities,
and so on.
Look at the World Bank, UNDP
and other reports on
development in Nigeria and
look at northern Nigeria. The
sad thing is that for the elite,
these lives of destitution,
illiteracy and squalor are
reservoirs of investment from
where they draw their oxygen
of political relevance. The
grinding poverty leaves the
people permanently below
zero and all they do is
continue to look at the
stupendous wealth of the elite
with awe. In exchange, they
(the elite) pretend to offer
them (the poor) dubious
religiosity through the
manipulation of pilgrimages
and construction of mosques.
Could that be the reason for
the emergence of Boko
Haram?
In my view, it is the long
historical experience of this
distortion of the religion of
Islam with its exclusionist
tendencies that Boko Haram
has exploited. Boko Haram
exploited the fact that this elite
proclaimed Sharia in 1999 and
2000, while in reality, they did
not believe in the religion
itself. So, Boko Haram simply
has asked them to step aside.
Indeed, the Buhari project
presents us with an
interesting view. The average
northerner has become far
more impoverished under
Buhari than he was under
(former President Goodluck)
Jonathan. But they will still
vote for Buhari because they
see him as the only one who
can help bring their derelict
elite to order. It is a strange
appeal but that is it. They
believe their corrupt elite are
above the law. They were
seduced with Sharia because
they believed it was going to
help them punish their own
elite, who they see as being
above the law of Nigeria.
These are the issues.
Did the northern elite act
against the interest of their
people intentionally?
If they were mistaken, 50
years would have been
enough to correct the mistake,
but as I said, this culture of
ignorance, poverty and
squalor is an investment.
Aminu Kano spent his life
trying to open the eyes of his
people, the Talakawa. The late
Bala Usman, a phenomenal
intellectual, made massive
contributions in this regard by
subjecting this charade to
critical social analysis. The
result was a ‘saner’
environment for the
generation of fresh ideas
among Christian and Muslim
scholars. Ideology replaced the
divisive tendencies of religion
among the elite. Fighting the
Kaduna mafia and other
mafias was an ideological
project. Today, Alhaji Balarabe
Musa and some of the
remnants of NEPU (Northern
Elements Progressive Union)
politics remain the last of the
best wine.
What are the interests for the
northern elite?
They want to permanently
hold on to power. Inherently
(there is) nothing wrong with
that if it can be used for the
good of the people, but after
all these years of monopoly of
power under the military and
civilians, we northerners are
still the weakest, the most
sickly, the poorest, the most
illiterate, and the most
vulnerable. We have the
highest number of childhood
stunting, which is a danger to
the future. The elite have
brought shame on us and
made us too weak to fight.
Do you believe in
restructuring?
Does it matter what I or
anyone believes? Even if it
determines the outcome of
the elections, did the All
Progressives Congress not
promise us restructuring?
Promises have never been a
problem. The saddest part of it
all is that even the politicians
do not expect to be believed,
but somehow, we stupidly do.
The Kenyan scholar, Patrick
Lumumba, once said the
tragedy with Africa is that
those with ideas are not in
power, while those in power
have no ideas. The sad thing,
he said, is that when the
people have a chance, they still
vote for those with no ideas.
What do you think the North
has to gain or lose in
restructuring?
They may perhaps gain the
chains of poverty and the fear
of those who hold the chains
over the majority of our
people.
What do you make of the APC
committee on restructuring
led by el-Rufai?
I have not seen it.
Many have described the APC
panel on restructuring as an
afterthought by Buhari to
score political points. Do you
agree?
No idea. Nothing is ever late. It
is when honesty appears that
matters.
What are your thoughts on the
Catholic Church in Nigeria
rejoining the Christian
Association of Nigeria?
How can we rejoin what we
started?
Do you still maintain a
relationship with former
President Goodluck Jonathan?
I don’t know what you mean
by ‘a relationship’. The last
time I saw him was when the
Peace Committee had a
consultative audience with
him after the swearing-in of
the new administration.
Do you have any expectations
concerning the outcome of
the 2019 elections?
Let us pray to be alive first.
2019 is a long way away. But I
tell you that I have never felt
this sense of foreboding.
Things could change, but we
have to plan how to cross this
wide river that lies ahead of
us.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 (of 117 pages)