Prince Adewole Adebayo was the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) within the 2023 presidential election. On this interview, he speaks on the defection of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and Main Hamza alMustapha to the occasion, amongst different points. ANAYO EZUGWU writes
You might be significantly excited by the brand new additions to your occasion, Nasir El-Rufai and Main Hamza al-Mustapha. Significantly about El-Rufai, you mentioned he’s an asset to the occasion, however he has weaknesses. Would you prefer to elaborate on what you take into account his weaknesses?
I used to be interviewed by the media after I welcomed Mallam Nasir ElRufai into the SDP. Somebody mentioned, why was I praising El-Rufai and all of that and I mentioned, look, I’m not praising him. I recognise El-Rufai as somebody who’s a technocrat and an achiever whenever you give him an government job to do.
He has his weaknesses. He talked about to me some issues; that folks don’t like him in some locations. I mentioned everyone has their weaknesses. He has his weaknesses and it’s his job to cope with that. It’s not my job. I’m not his therapist. I’m not his mentor.
However you can not deny that he was a really efficient as FCT Minister. He developed Kaduna with infrastructure and he was excellent and clear when he was on the BPE. I mentioned to that individual that El-Rufai, like some other particular person, has his weaknesses and he’s the one who works on that, t’s not me. I’ve my weaknesses.
Perhaps, you might be good, however I think that you’ve got your weaknesses too. But it surely’s not for me to be the therapist for El-Rufai on that one. The explanation why I welcome him to my occasion is that I see him as a patriotic Nigerian, hardworking, and really efficient in an space the place we don’t have efficient folks in authorities.
The impression many individuals have is that your occasion’s internet simply caught a giant fish with El-Rufai becoming a member of your occasion. Additionally it is being rumoured in some quartets that El-Rufai might be the most important character within the occasion. Is that this the start of defections anticipated into the occasion?
El-Rufai is just not a fish in any respect. He’s a fellow fisherman. So, he has simply joined us on our fishing expedition. So, he’s an outfit fisherman, who is aware of the waters and the ropes.
He has joined us, many have joined. I don’t know the way the media determines who is larger than who, however what we’re searching for is that each Nigerian who understands the predicament we’re in would need to be a part of the SDP as a reputable platform.
Attahiru Bafarawa has joined the SDP, for instance, he’s a former governor of his state. Lots of people have joined him. I’m not going to steal their present of others as a result of everybody has their protocol of announcement. So, someone needs to ship a tweet tomorrow.
If I let you know he has joined at this time, then you may have stolen his present. Any individual who has to hunt help from his household and associates, you go and now say at this time he’s going to hitch subsequent week.
You have got already upset their plans. So, many will be a part of however the abstract of it’s that we’re searching for fishermen as a result of Nigeria’s ship is within the wilderness and we have to go into the depths of the ocean to rescue the nation.
The presidency is neither within the North nor within the South. The presidency is within the fingers of the fallacious folks proper now. So, what we need to do is to return the presidency to the folks of Nigeria
And I feel that each Nigerian ought to take into consideration what they should do to get this nation out of the state of affairs we discover ourselves in. Nothing is working. And those that need to be a part of different political events are free to hitch as properly. However I feel that to grasp the sense of urgency the nation goes by means of now; the SDP is a viable place for them to come back.
What’s the compensation package deal, and what’s the discuss a grand coalition to take away President Bola Tinubu from workplace?
Tinubu goes to be faraway from energy; that one is bound. And there will probably be an SDP president. As a coalition, all of that’s not inside our occasion. Perhaps individuals are having a dialogue outdoors. After having their dialogue, they really feel like they’ll come to the SDP and attempt to work inside the SDP.
How is that this defection including worth to your occasion as a result of there’s hypothesis that ElRufai might have a joint ticket with Peter Obi?
I don’t know all these names you might be mentioning; they haven’t come to our occasion. Solely ElRufai is our member, and he’s our member on advantage. We need to have him. He’s not our member as a result of someone else is hoping to pair with him or no matter. We see him as our member due to who he’s and what he can do. It has nothing to do with presidential ambition or something.
Give him six months within the occasion and you will notice the quantity of labor he can have accomplished for the occasion. Within the final a number of months that we now have been having pre-joining discussions with him and preliminary work, every part he mentioned he was going to do, he has accomplished. Every little thing is nice, and he has delivered each task given to him.
Each milestone has been reached. So, we now have no concern that he will probably be occasion particular person. A few of them are simply attempting their greatest to pursue their ambition. And the SDP could be one issue they’re contemplating, however they’re free to go wherever they like. Ambition is just not against the law.
Nonetheless, the SDP is just not obtainable for use for the ambition of people who find themselves determined and indiscriminate. The SDP is for individuals who take a look at our ideology, our manifesto, our platform and the type of management we now have given to the opposition; those that say they need to be a part of us. However people who find themselves coming in from the primary day with the ambition on their faces, are usually not welcome.
The one that needs to come back in, grow to be a member of our occasion, settle within the occasion, mix with us, if he develops ambition, we’re not going to say we remorse having him round. However those that are coming in, searching for a platform to purchase and pursue their ambition, are losing their time. The SDP is just not like some other occasion the place you’ll be able to simply say how a lot I provide you with to provide me the mandate or ticket.
The SDP is just not like that. It’s a must to are available, go to your ward, be a part of, perceive the occasion, and see how the method works, and if you wish to persuade any occasion member to assist you to vie for any place, then you are able to do so.
With what’s going on, some see the SDP as the brand new face of opposition in Nigeria. Might this be true?
SDP is the true face of the incoming authorities. That’s how we see ourselves. If that’s what they consider us, tremendous, no downside. We’re simply constant. We now have been the opposition even earlier than Tinubu got here. Our manifesto was a special one. Our agenda was a special one.
So, we simply stay constant. Extra individuals are listening to us. Many individuals come as much as me after I go round. Oh, we have been carried away by the frenzy of the 2023 election, and we didn’t hearken to you adequate. We will probably be listening to you.
We now perceive you. Some folks opposed us earlier than. They usually mentioned, properly, I solely opposed you since you didn’t have any authorities expertise. Now that we now have examined those that have authorities expertise and you might be much better than them, what you predicted has come to cross.
We at the moment are prepared to hitch you. So, the individuals are acknowledging a truth, which has all the time been there, that the SDP has been the actual opposition In the event that they acknowledge it, it’s like my Igbo brothers and sisters would say, anytime you get up, you say, good morning.
So, for individuals who see us now as the brand new face of opposition, we thank them and those that have all the time identified that they have been the true opposition. We all know them, and we’ll proceed to do the work till we ship to the Nigerian folks; we can’t relaxation.
Given the truth that some parts within the North are saying the presidency should return to the North, is the Southern presidency for 2027 nonetheless attainable?
The presidency is neither within the North nor within the South. The presidency is within the fingers of the fallacious folks proper now. So, what we need to do is to return the presidency to the folks of Nigeria. The Presidency that’s there now doesn’t serve East, doesn’t serve West, doesn’t serve North, doesn’t serve South.
It’s a self-serving one. So, all that is only a waste of time. What we would like is a presidency that works. So, there’s nothing known as Southern presidency or Northern presidency. What we now have is a authorities that serves the folks or doesn’t serve the folks. The one that’s there now doesn’t serve the folks and we have to convey one which serves the folks.
These are the conversations we’re having. We don’t know what the hegemonists are considering elsewhere. Within the SDP, we take a look at the federal government, we take a look at Chapter 2 of the Structure, we take a look at our manifesto, and we take a look at the programmes of that authorities.
After we evaluate, we all know that APC is just not on the aspect of the folks. Similar to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) earlier than they haven’t been on the aspect of the folks. So, allow us to come to energy and present a authorities that’s on the aspect of the folks.
As we’re speaking at this time, individuals are fasting, each Christians and Muslims, however most households are hungry. There isn’t a disparity in starvation within the North or South. Folks have youngsters and they’re unemployed.
There isn’t a higher employment within the North or the South. With regards to insecurity, everyone who leaves his home is praying laborious, and those that are of their homes are having sleepless nights. If it involves the economic system, it doesn’t favour the North, and it doesn’t favour the South. So, these discussions are usually not of precedence to us. What’s precedence to us now’s to ask ourselves these questions: Are there no patriots left on this nation?
Are there not, any extra, competent folks left on this nation? Are there not any sincere folks left on this nation? If the reply is that there are, then the place are they and why are they not marching to the SDP? That’s the clarion name, and that’s the reason I’ve been in Kaduna State for the previous few days. I simply returned to Abuja, and I’m taking the journey to a different place.
We’re going around the nation and ringing this bell; if there’s nonetheless any sincere man left on this nation, present your face now and are available and be a part of us.
If there’s nonetheless any patriot left on this nation, present your face now and are available and be a part of us. And if there’s anyone who’s self-righteous and needs to do what is true, come and be a part of us as a result of that’s the clarion name.
The Tinubu administration is sort of two years in workplace. Are you able to assess its efficiency to date?
It has been working off the syllabus, so most of what they’ve accomplished is off-syllabus as a result of the syllabus for governance in Nigeria is the structure. The syllabus is specific in regards to the space of focus, and that space of focus is Chapter 2 of the Structure. Even with their watered-down Renewed Hope, they haven’t even gone 5 per cent of the way in which.
Their finances final 12 months underperformed, and even the President acknowledged that the finances carried out beneath 30 per cent. So, they’ve scored themselves. President Tinubu was on the joint plenary of the Senate and the Home of Representatives, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives mentioned whereas the President was presenting the finances that the earlier 12 months’s finances underperformed.
So, what extra do I’ve to say? Is it within the space of insecurity, individuals are being carried up and down like cattle and the households should redeem them again like goats. Which space do we now have? Is it within the space of employment? He’s doing a programme now to get the youth to come back and do conferences. He’s not taking the youth to the factories and the farms to go and work and produce.
He’s bringing them just like the late Sani Abacha to Abuja to be entertained and be given compensation. He’s not directing the youth to go and work. He’s not recruiting them to the armed forces. He’s not recruiting them to the civil providers.
He’s not recruiting them into commerce, agriculture, or railways. Nothing, he’s losing their time. So, what’s the efficiency? The place is the efficiency? Take a look at the appointment. The place is the range? The place is the range of expertise?
The place is the range of gender? The place is the range of ethnicity? The place is the range of faith? The place is the range of ideological views? The place is the creativity? So, do I have to say extra? So, they’re on their method out. What we are attempting to do is usher them in an orderly vogue.
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