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.
You know, in Nigeria, our customs which vary from one political zone to the other affects the settings of political parties in the country.
Let me give you an example: rotation. It is not in any constitution that if your village, say in Abia State, does one thing it goes to Ebonyi, is it in the constitution? I don't think so. But that is fairness. It's not in the constitution. It is rotational. If a councillor comes from your village or chairman; next turn goes to another village. Is it written in the constitution? No. But its fairness.
So, it varies from one place to the other. It is only when one person now has to say it's my inheritance that it causes trouble.
Look at how they got rid of Senator Arthur Nzeribe in his place, Oguta. He has been there over the years. Perhaps, he has developed his village. He is like a king in his village, but when the people felt enough is enough they moved him to another place. Isn't it fair? And that is not in the constitution.
Looking at the sevenpoint agenda, it's good, but the concern is in its implementation. So far, do you think that the implementation is okay?
The entire budget that is being rolled out by the Federal Government is towards the implementation of the sevenpoint agenda, name them: education, health, power, gas, infrastructural development, etc., but if you have an area that you have discovered that is not in the budget, then you point it out.
Do you subscribe to the position that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is slow in his pace of governance?
When somebody assumes the leadership role in any association do you set a speed for that person? It is not the way you drive your car that I drive mine. The road is there and the speedometer will show you the speed; but you don't run at the same speed. No twoperson is the same. So, those saying that he is too slow if they have an alternative advice they can put it across to the President. He is the President of all of us, not the President of PDP, even though he won an election through the PDP platform. He is accessible; and if you are unable to see him, if you send a letter to him, he will respond, and you will get a reply.
Let's look at the recent PDP launch for its national secretariat; many believe it is not justifiable arguing that the money can be used for other developmental issues?
Well, I do not understand why people should be finding fault where there is none. It is sad every move of the party is always wrongly perceived in some quarters. Even in every local government, there used to be launching for developmental purposes: would you say that is wrong? Churches are launching, fundraising; is it not right? The Islamic people in their religious centres sometime do fund raising to build mosque: is that wrong? Now, this is a political party that invited their members to come and donate to the building of a befitting secretariat, for the largest party in Africa; what is wrong with that? I don't see anything wrong in that. To build a befitting permanent secretariat for the party and through which they can even make money by letting out part of it to bring income to the party.
These days, majority of the political parties need money for organisation and for maintenance. That is why some of the parties cannot even stand out to say that they are political parties, because of finances.
So, asking people to bring money to the secretariat is not by force. It is when you see the government putting money in the secretariat, then that is wrong.
But asking their members to come and contribute to the building of the secretariat, to me, I don't think it is wrong.
You speak as if the PDP is different from the government in power?
Of course, yes. Go and do your research well and you will know that those people in the Executive are not all PDP members. Is the secretary to the Federal Government a PDP member? He is not a cardcarrying member of the party: he is a civil servant. There are so many ministers who are not even politicians. The Minister of State for Energy is not a PDP person. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), a professional lawyer. Once you are a minister, you become part of the Executive. It is not all those who are in the executive arm of the government that are PDP people.
They pick people who have what it takes to provide leadership, people of integrity, those who are credible, and those who are sound professionally.
Is Prof. Dora Akunyili of NAFDAC, who is now being considered for ministerial appointment a politician? Have you seen her on a soapbox? Is she a member of the PDP? There are so many of them like that.
The minister of Finance, Shamsudeen is not a politician, the Minister of State for Finance, Babalola, is not a PDP man. So, it's not a good assertion that it is a PDP government. Those people are there because they stand out among other equals to assist the government in piloting the affairs of government.
Dr Okonjo Iweala was she a PDP member? What of Oby Ezekwesili? They brought them in because they could help provide the finesse and needed direction for development.
After their assignments, they have all gone back. Is Prof Charles Soludo, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, a politician or a member of the PDP? No. It's really a wrong assertion that must be corrected.
Looking at the new ministerial list, don't you think it is a recycling of the old hands and that Nigeria now needs new hands with fresh ideas?
Yes, I read it also in the newspapers. But those people who decided to bring same people back into the executive arm of the government may have their reasons, which I may not have access to. So, I cannot comment on that, or perhaps, I am not qualified to comment on that.
The former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has received strong criticism since he left office. What is your opinion on that?
Nigerians are not hero worshippers. The future will vindicate the former President whether he did rightly or wrongly but the cloud is gradually clearing away and those people who battered him then will continue to sing praises for him later. They say a prophet has no honour in his own town, but the honour is now coming from the international level. He has been recognised by the United Nations, and that is the highest organisation. He has recently been given an assignment and no doubt he will discharge it creditably. The truth is that as a leader, there must be criticism but, it is your work that will justify you. Obasanjo did so much for this nation as the President to put us in a right footing. These things are not contestable because they are there for all to see. I am quite sure that time will vindicate him and it has even started.
What of the Electoral Act?
It can also be reviewed later. I told you earlier that we brought some politicians together. We need to amend our Electoral Act so that the elections conducted in this country will be free, fair and credible. That it will not be money bags that will take over the electioneering, using thugs and then undue influence on the part of people who are in authority and so on.
All those things are reforms, so it's necessary for us over some period of time to have reforms, see something new to adopt that will help the system and know the ones to drop. The electoral reform is necessary to meet the aspirations of Nigerians especially to see how electoral fraud could be checkmated.
Do we really need to review the Constitution?
I don't know why people are always picking on this Constitution review issue. The Constitution of a country over time needs to be looked at to accommodate certain developments. Okay, let me not even go into the constitution of a country. If you have a constitution in your association your native or local association you must have rules and regulations, don't you? And it is capable of development; it will be growing with that association. So also is the Nigerian Constitution. It is open for amendment all the time. It must be growing otherwise it will not be a constitution. What obtains 30 years ago may be outdated now. So that is why the review is necessary to accommodate new ideas, new developments, new changes and innovations. The constitution has to be developed to suit and accommodate new things. As a country develops, the constitution will also be developing and will require amendments and reviews as the situation demands.
What's your take on the anticorruption crusade as currently being executed by the EFCC and ICPC?
Well, there is no perfection in any system. Every organisation has its own merit and demerits. I am not affected in any way. But if I have to go by what I read in the papers, I think all in all, it's a checkmate on some people who wants to hold Nigeria perpetually in poverty, because when one person grabs the money that belongs to all for his own use, it is not right. But I believe the EFCC and the ICPC is a welcome development in Nigeria. At least, their existence alone will put fear in the heart of people who wants to grab the entire resources of this country. I don't have anything against them. At least now, people know that they can be investigated and that the source of their wealth can be questioned.
What is the Nigeria of your dream?
The Nigeria of my dream is as it is specified in our national anthem. A prosperous country; a country that will stand out for truth and justice. A country where the people can sleep in peace and wake up in peace; where there is opportunity for everybody to achieve whatever they want to achieve. That is the Nigeria of my dream, and I wish Nigeria and Nigerians well.
What is the way forward for Nigeria?
I have always said it: the way forward is to keep doing what we think will benefit the Nigerian masses. That's my view.
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