Olapade Agoro, a former Presidential candidate of the National Action Council (NAC), in this interview with our Reporter, Gbenga Abegunrin, expressed fears that a general form of national conference may lead to total collapse of Nigeria. He also bared his mind on the nation's politics so far. Excerpts:
You have always advocated for a national conference. What is your reaction to the plan by the President Jonathan-led government to organise it, any reservation?
I have since 2011 vehemently called for a national conference, but only for peace. The plan by President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government to hold a national conference, good as it sounds, could be a shot in the leg for the unity of this country. One is convinced that at this period when Nigeria is at war with herself, we cannot have a general form of national conference, but a clearly defined one that will focus only on how to ensure peace in the country. Unless care is taken, some elements of disunity in the country may capitalise on a general form of national conference to foment trouble that could lead to the total collapse of this union called Nigeria.
Currently, Nigeria is at war with herself in about 60 per cent of the northern part of the country. There is also an unresolved crisis in Plataea State, and economic war of self-destruction in the South-South. This, therefore, is the reason why a general form of national conference should not be held now. What I believe the country needs now is national conference that will focus only on how to ensure peace, to know how and why we got to the messy spot we are today, and how to get out of it. We need to know what led to the Boko Haram insurgency, and how to get out of the problem.
Are you not concerned about this face-off between President Jonathan and some northern governors, allegedly over the President's second term ambition?
Of course, I am seriously concerned, and I will only appeal to those dividing Nigeria along ethno-religious divides to have a re-think. It would not be in the best interest of peaceful co-existence of Nigeria for some northern governors to continue the gang-up against President Goodluck Jonathan, all because of 2015 election. The aggrieved northern governors should allow peace to reign within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the entire nation because further confrontation with the President by the northern governors is capable of sending wrong signal, especially with the suspicion by many Nigerians that activities of Boko Haram are been sponsored by some northern political leaders, who don't want Jonathan in the Aso-Rock Villa. The dastard acts of killing innocent Nigerians as if human life means nothing to us any longer, and the chasing about in the country, of President Goodluck Jonathan by those who believe that ruling Nigeria is their birth right, calls to question if we have any cause to celebrate further independence anniversary. The horror sentiments pervading the socio-economic and political climate in Nigeria makes the country good enough for animal farm. I don't know the reason why some people should believe that Nigeria have to be burnt down because of Jonathan. All the horrors being witnessed in Nigeria are nothing but the handiwork of evil ones seeking for political power.
You referred to the northern governors' face-off with Jonathan as a gang-up. What do you mean?
I called it a gang-up because it will pay the nation for President Jonathan to be allowed to contest the 2015 election, if he wishes, and lose fairly, than being gang-raped by the religious-political sentimentalists. Look at the fragmentation of the ruling PDP, you will discover that it is a direct attack on the President's second term ambition. The emerging new political parties and the political association of the group of eight northern governors are clear manifestations of a gang-up against Jonathan on ethno-religious background. The Atiku Abubarka's Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and the new parties coming up have their roots in northern Nigeria, while the leadership composition of the All Progressive Alliance (APC) suggests that the political party is pro-Islamic. The leadership composition of the newly registered APC is pro-Islamic with Buhari, Tinubu, Raji Fasola, Abiola Isiaka Ajimobi, Rauf Aregbesola, Ibikunle Amosun, Bisi Akande, Lai Muhammed as leaders. If care is not taken, the new political divide in Nigeria, if viewed from all ramifications, suggests Christian/Muslim divide, which may lead us to another Syria or Lebanon. With President Jonathan's government fighting the Boko-Haram, a pro-Islamic fundamentalist group, all the new political parties will be adding fuel to the burning inferno.
The 2015 general elections are fast approaching. What are your expectations?
My stand is that all politicians who have been indicted for corruption should not be allowed to contest the 2015 general elections. If INEC allows it, I will be ready to take legal actions against the candidature of corrupt politicians. It is sad to note that those indicted for corruption are still taking active role in governance in Nigeria, and until corrupt politicians are flushed out of the system, Nigerians will continue to witness corruption in high places. Let me tell you frankly, until Nigerians are able to sanitise the evil corruption has done to the political system in the last fourteen years of democratic dispensation, the country will not only be denied progress, but also will be devoid of peace.
I want to specifically express concerns over the composition of the current National Assembly. The current National Assembly cannot help to ensure credible elections in 2015. Members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives should be asked to render the account of how much they have collected as constituency allowances, and how much they expended on projects.
The large amount of money the federal lawmakers collect as salaries and allowances have made them super rich, and this informed their nuisance value of wanting to impose themselves as governors of their states. They either come back after their first term to become the chief executive of their states, and after two terms as the governor of their states, they go back to the National Assembly to protect their loot.
The Atiku Abubarka's PDM and Buhari/Tinubu's APC, together with the PDP that want to fight are all political rodents. What has Atiku got to offer the country? Also, until Bola Ahmed Tinubu is able to deny his enormous and embarrassing wealth published recently in one of the national dailies, he cannot claim to have the interest and love of the Nigerian masses at heart.
But APC governors in the Southwest claim to be performing?
Of course, I still commend them for their efforts so far. I am happy to see my dream for Nigeria coming true in the South-West geo-political zone of the country with the performance of the current crop of governors in the zone. I will like to commend Governors Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo S and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State for ensuring the dream of the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, for the Southwest. I must say that Aregbesola, Amosun and Ajimobi deserve second term of office, if they so desire because of unprecedented development they have brought to their respective states. Yoruba land would have developed beyond other regions of the country if past governors had the mindset of the present crop of dynamic governors. Although I have no affiliation with the APC and where their governors belong to, but what attracted me to them was their commitment to the development of the Southwest states. I believe democracy goes beyond the level of party politics. It is all about the people and those who can adequately take care of the interests of the people. I don't belong to the ACN or APC, but I just have to appreciate the wonders these Southwest governors are performing.
