Daily Independent (Lagos)
Daniel Kanu
3 December 2008
interview
Senator YINKA OMILANI, the immediate past national vicechairman, South West, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), remains a high player in the nation's politics. He sees democracy as a process and believes that despite some distortions there is hope. A defender of former President Olusegun Obasanjo's tenure, he asserts that only time would vindicate the widely vilified Ota farmer. In this interview with Senior Correspondent, DANIEL KANU, the former senator from Osun State discusses the anticorruption crusade, recent PDP secretariat launch, the Constitution review, and the Electoral Act among other issues. Excerpts:
How would you assess Nigeria at 48?
Well, as they say, life begins at 40 and Nigeria is 48. I think we have advanced more than when the country was 40. The indices show that we are improving upon our last effort. It shows we are advancing more than when we were 40, because there is no stagnation in nature. The 48 years of the nation's independence even though it was not with glamour is still something to thank God for. I think by the time we get to 50, to celebrate our golden jubilee, we can then sit down to count our blessings.
It is sad that most people only focus on the areas of our weakness rather than the areas of strength and the unity so attained despite wide divergent nationalities that leadership has to contend with. At 48, in all honesty, we are not worse off at all. Nigeria now is a debt free country, which is very uncommon in the whole world for a nation to be debtfree. Also our reserve has gone up to $63 billion. In all fronts, we have scored records of progress, records of advancement. The areas that Nigerians still need to work on is to change our maintenance culture. You can see all over the country, despite the amount of money the government has sunk in different areas like on roads construction, for instance, they are not well maintained and this is bad. I think we need to do something in that area.
Most countries that started the development race with Nigeria are ahead: what went wrong?
It is true that some countries were even behind us like Malaysia but when you have a purposeful, focused and foresighted leader then the rate of acceleration to development will be faster than when you have leaders who are not properly focused. Also, you can know how many governments that have been in place in this country, just from 1979 till date. The baton has been changing hands among the military, so that may also have contributed in the slowness of development on the Nigerian part. But now I think we will catch up, at lest democracy is now here to stay. In the past 12 years now, we are experiencing the government that has been chosen by the people and, although, we are not yet perfect but after sometime, after the initial hiccups, we will get there. There is no doubt that in every democracy, there is always the learning periods and, at such time, there will be initial mistakes that will be corrected with the passage of time. We will surely get there.
Democracy develops and gets strengthened with the existence of an articulate and organised opposition; but most Nigerians believe that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party is intolerant of opposition
I think that is a wrong statement. How can anybody say that the PDP is intolerant of opposition? The party is not intolerant at all. That is a wrong impression some people have for the party. I think it is a wrong statement. How can anybody say that the PDP is intolerant of opposition? The party is not intolerant at all. That is a wrong impression some people have for the party. The party is large and has attracted people from different parties, ideologies and backgrounds. Perhaps, that may even account for the slowness of things, sometimes, because of the level of debate and consultations in the party.
But one thing is that the party is reasonably more democratic than others. When you look at the party you will find out that we accommodate even people that came in from other parties. This is to ensure that there is peace especially when you put into consideration our divergent groups.
The issue is that the opposition needs to get their acts together and decide what they want. I mean whether they want to remain in the opposition or not and then form a formidable opposition. Nobody is stopping them from having a virile opposition.
We have not less than 50 political parties in Nigeria. If PDP is trying to harass other political parties, can they defeat 50 political parties if they come together to form a strong and viable opposition? Is that the fault of PDP? So, we must watch what we say at any given time. PDP is not resentful to any opposition, it is the opposition that is drifting, and they don't know where to pitch their camp. If the PDP offer those people in the opposition any position, they will come and they will gladly accept it and still some people say the party is intolerant. The party will always stretch out hands of fellowship to them. When President Musa Yar'Adua came in, he harped on the need for a government of national unity. We invited all the political parties to come. I was one of those people that were delegated to have meetings with them and only three or four political parties showed up and we started negotiating on several issues including on the electoral reform system. This was to ensure that there was no question of violence, thuggery and unhealthy intrigues in our political life which is centred on the right direction. We held the meeting in the Villa and we talked on so many issues that will move this nation forward. Chief Edwin Umezuoke was the chairman of the meeting and many other politicians were there. So, I want you to let the nation know that PDP is not intolerant to the opposition parties at all.
But don't you think that the PDP accommodating other political parties with different ideology is also part of the problem with the party?
You see, what the PDP is doing is an acid test to bring about unity in the polity of this country. It is an exercise to ensure that we have unity and then move this great nation to the path of progress. I must say that the party has a big heart. In your village, I am sure, nobody will like to share the father's land with somebody else or somebody comes to encroach in your area of authority: will you allow that? So, it is that big heart that the party has that it using to ensure progress. The party extends hands of fellowship to others to come in so as to effectively run this country. I believe such gesture is good for our development at the level of our democracy now.
Do you think that the PDP is performing because most people believe that the average Nigerian is still poor?
You see, people make the mistake of thinking that PDP is the government. That is a wrong impression. PDP is not the government, rather a political party, and we have our manifesto, which we have circulated all over the nation. The executive wing headed by the President they are to execute. And you can see that the sevenpoint agenda covers all the areas (that)will benefit the masses of this nation. So, I cannot see why some believe that PDP is not performing. Mr President is at the driving seat of the development in this nation and he has rolled out his articulated agenda; what else do we expect?
It is only after his tenure that you can give a balanced critique of his performance or non performance. It will be wrong to give verdict now because the seed being planted is still germinating and growing. It will not happen over time (night), rather time is required and it is early now to pass such verdict.
Don't you think that part of the problem is with the selection process at the party level, a process that throws up bad leaders to contest during the election. What do you think should be done at the selection process level within the political parties?
Well, that is left to each political party. No two parties are exactly the same. The constitution of each political party is different. So parties have to be up and doing and stand firm with their constitution, especially the modality that is contained in the constitution of their party. I have told you, every constitution, rules and regulations is capable of being updated all the time, to meet the challenges of the time. It is not what you neglect or push aside. Those parties that don't have written agreements, or written constitution or what ever that guides them have themselves to blame because you cannot pin them down. If people follow the rules and regulations of the party, there will be no misgivings or undue intrigues of who is going to be here or there.
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