Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, chairman of Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, as well as the Conference of the Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP spoke to FEMI OLANREWAJU on recent national issues. Excerpts:
There have been calls for an Interim National Government, ING, by opposition parties despite the fact that there are still pending cases in the court. Does this mean they do not believe in the judiciary?
I know that the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, which is an umbrella organisation for all registered political parties and Nigerian United for Democracy, NUD, which is an umbrella organisation for registered political parties and civil society organizations have called for ING and Sovereign National conference, SNC. They have been doing so since after the 2003 fraud called election. The constitution review or amendment being embarked upon now by the National Assembly is irrelevant, wasteful and diversionary because of legitimacy and political will. A SNC should produce a new constitution for Nigeria and it should be established by an ING, which should take over from the present illegitimate government headed by Yar'Adua, and preferably, through constitutional means otherwise, through fundamental revolutionary means based on these three constitutional concepts. Firstly, the supremacy of the people, secondly, the purpose of government is the welfare and security of the people and lastly, the right of the people to protest against bad governance and bad government policies.
Therefore, the ING would conduct free and fair elections and handover to a legitimate elected government.
How do you see the recent creation of the Niger Delta ministry by the federal government?
It is normal. It is done by almost every government at its own discretion. Here, we can say there is nothing worth commenting about apart from the Ministry of Niger Delta. I think the reason for the creation of Niger Delta on the face of it is better since it would enable the government to have direct control over the developmental projects in the Niger Delta area. But, Nigerians should not deceive themselves that the creation of the ministry is a solution to the problem of the Niger Delta. The solution to the problem of Niger Delta should begin with a national summit to find out the truth about the oil industry in the Niger Delta area. Thereafter, we can now solve the problem with the knowledge of the truth found out by the national summit. I emphasize national summit because the government and the shareholders in the Niger Delta are deceiving themselves that the problem of the Niger Delta area is the concern of only the federal government and the stakeholders in the Niger Delta.
In fact, the crisis in the Niger Delta area is first an issue of justice. Also, it is a national issue calling for a national summit, in which all Nigerians can participate with particular emphasis on the participation of the stakeholders in the Niger Delta area because they are at the receiving end of the injustice. Even foreigners, who benefit from the Nigerian oil and gas industries can participate.
The national summit is also justified by the fact that the oil and gas resources of Nigeria are now the mainstay of the Nigerian economy, if you take into account the fact that they produce over 90 per cent of the revenue of the federal government (and by implication, the revenue of the state and local governments) and over 90 percent of the foreign exchange earnings of Nigeria. The gas and oil industries also contribute, next to agriculture in the gross domestic product, GDP, of the country.
Don't you see the creation of more ministries as avenue for creating jobs for politicians, who lost at the polls?
There is no doubt about it. So, Nigerians should be watchful.
What is your comment on the call from some quarters that a Niger Deltan should head the ministry?
It should be looked at strictly in the national interest, which may suggest who should head the ministry. And, I don't think it should be a controversial issue unless there is a good reason for the controversy because the ministry will be and remain under the federal executive council and the president in-spite of who is the minister.
What is your comment on the recent dropping of Baba Gana Kingibe as Secretary to the Government of the Federation?
The secretary to the government of the federation is a political appointment, whose appointment and removal is at the discretion of the president. And therefore, the matter does not call for controversy unless the reasons given for the removal is fundamental. But, in this case, the President has not given reasons for the removal and, there is no credible indication of any reason for the removal.
President Yar'Adua has been speculated to be ill for sometime now which warrants his constant traveling abroad for medical treatment. People blame this on the poor state of the nation's health care services. How would you assess the PDP government vis-à-vis health care delivery in Nigeria?
The PDP government created a negative state of the nation in all areas of governance. In the case of medical services, it has virtually collapsed because even ordinary drugs are not available at affordable prices, while medical institutions that exist are not being taken care of. There is no medical staff which makes the people to revert back to herbs and native doctors. Those that can afford the cost go to private hospitals for care where the hospitals are equipped. But, very often, the private hospitals are not equipped; hence, those who can afford to go to overseas for treatment. But unfortunately, those who can afford treatment in private hospitals and overseas are the rich and powerful, who constitute less than 0.5 per cent of the population. And most of them have acquired their wealth either through corruption and stealing or as a result of waste of public funds. The fact that the president cannot rely on medical services in Nigeria and has to constantly go overseas for treatment proves the negative state of medical service in Nigeria.
Can you comment on a call by Farouk Adamu, former minority leader in the House of Representatives for the National Assembly to set up a medical panel to look at the President Yar'Adua’s condition of health and whether he can rule the country?
The call by Farouk Adamu is timely as the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that the federal executive council and the National Assembly can call for a medical panel to establish the state of health of the president. And, if the panel finds the president permanently incapacitated either physically or mentally, he can be removed from office by the National Assembly.
Do you agree to a recent statement made by the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Uwazurike that there will be no peace until Nigeria divides?
I disagree with him for some reasons. One, the unity of Nigeria has gone far in spite of the differences and difficulties. And, this is proved by the defeat of Biafra secession and overwhelming acceptance of the Ibos in particular that Nigeria should remain as one united country on the basis of justice. Justice has not yet been achieved in such a way that we can avoid sentiment like that of MASSOB. But, it cannot be denied that the Ibos are part and parcel of the governance structure in the country in almost all respects. Even the marginalization of the Ibos in the security services is now progressively disappearing.
Secondly, even if these grievances calling for the disintegration of Nigeria continue because of injustice, the worse that would happen is a fulcrum civil war throughout the country, which will destroy all the public resources and progressive elements in the country. And only in the end, the rich and powerful ruling class throughout the country emerges stronger and destroys the forces of secession. They would do this because Nigeria is now a stronger economy with greater potentials and they are the beneficiaries because they own the government, the banks and the oil resources. They provide the President, governors, the contractors, the commission agents and members of the boards. In other words, they own Nigeria and they will see that there is no way to disintegrate Nigeria. How the Biafran secession was defeated is a lesson in this case.
What then is the way out of the injustice that is prevalent in the country?
The only way out is for all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion to unite on principles and struggle against the forces of injustice, which comes from all sections of Nigeria and all nationalities. The unity can be based on the replacement of the present socio-economic system controlling all development in the country, which is based on narrow self interest and political leadership produced by it. Such can be replaced with another system based on the primary role of equality and public interest.
I want to remind the MASSOB and all other organizations and individuals calling for the disintegration of Nigeria to realise that as long as the present disabling level of corruption, stealing and waste of government resources continue, even if there is disintegration of Nigeria, the various new nations created after Nigeria will not appease because the same evil rich and powerful now governing Nigeria will reconstitute themselves in the new formations and perpetuate even greater evils. Take the South-East and North for example.
In the north, there would not be one north again, even though it now looks there is one north. The components that formed the old north will fight civil war for various reasons such as religious, ethnic and ideological differences. In the South East, their particular problem is that they know that by their character, they are people who need a larger space to prosper and their territory does not provide room for that because of their low level of technological development. They cannot establish another Israel for the foreseeable future. Even the South west will be worse as their history has proved that. In the south-south, the same logic, which makes Nigerian unity a problem in a particular ethnicity will make their situation worse.
To strengthen the unity and progressively even development throughout the country, a new system should emerge. Such a system should be based on public interest rather than narrow selfish interest and should also be based on a federal structure made up of six to eight regions with a strong centre, which is capable of maintaining unity but not capable of overruling all the regions. And the National Assembly should allocate not more than 30 per cent of the revenue to it while the remaining 70 per cent should be shared among regions.
The regions should be empowered to create as many states and local governments as they can afford within their means. For the first ten years of the new federation, corruption and stealing should be regarded as treasonable offences as well as major electoral violence that lead to massive loss of lives and property throughout the country.
It seems that PRP, AC and ANPP are still the only parties in the CNPP. What is the relationship between CNPP and other political parties?
This is not true. It is pertinent at this juncture to let you know how CNPP came into being and what it stands for. CNPP was established on May 7, 2002 at Agura Hotel in Abuja as a result of a fundamental disagreement between INEC and the six registered political parties at that time and numerous political associations seeking registration by INEC when the electoral body presented its draft guidelines for the formation and registration of political parties. The political parties in attendance opposed most of the provisions of the guidelines on the grounds of unconstitutionality and undemocratic features. INEC refused to look at the items complained about by all the parties present including the PDP. As a result of disagreement, the political parties left the meeting in INEC headquarters and went to Agura Hotel, where they resolved to establish CNPP and it was established.
The first objective of the CNPP was to protect the interests of registered political parties and political associations seeking for registration against the manipulation of the INEC and government in power. Subsequent events and struggle both political made the CNPP (to) include four other objectives. That is, strengthen party political system in the country; restraining undemocratic forces from taking over political power in the country; furthering the cause of democracy; assisting any political party that wins a free and fair election (to) constitute a legitimate government to perform in spite of the continuation of healthy political party competition. We have state chapters of CNPP across the federation and we rotate the meetings at the national secretariat of all party members.
Why is PDP not participating in the activities of the CNPP?
PDP at the national level has decided not to participate in the activities of the CNPP even though they are entitled to participate. But, in states not controlled by the PDP, the party participates in the CNPP. And, even in some states like Niger controlled by the PDP, the party participates in the CNPP. In fact in Niger State, the PDP sponsored the national publicity secretary of the CNPP. This removes the suspicion that the CNPP is an opposition group. Whatever appears to be opposition in the case of the activities of the CNPP has been imposed on the CNPP by the circumstances.
For example, the CNPP is opposed to the actions of the PDP, AC, APGA, ANPP and PPA, which controls governments at national, state and local levels whereby they impose election fees in local government elections and misuse the power of incumbency. This in spite of the fact that at the national level, the four other parties participate in the activities of the CNPP and even at state levels.
You have remained the chairman of CNPP since 2002; does it mean there is no internal democracy in CNPP?
We have consistently proposed election of new officers for the CNPP since 2004 and re-structuring of the organisation but member parties have considered it unnecessary for the time being. This has resulted in encouraging a few parties favourable to PDP to form factions within the CNPP.
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