‘PDP just wasting time; Nigerians have already decided for APC’

Weeks after the general elections should have been conducted, PVCs are yet to reach many voters. Do you think the shift in the dates for elections is justified?In Nigeria, where people are inclined to rush-hour action, last minute response, I think that elections should have been held February 14. By that time, 67 to 70 […]

Weeks after the general elections should have been conducted, PVCs are yet to reach many voters. Do you think the shift in the dates for elections is justified?
In Nigeria, where people are inclined to rush-hour action, last minute response, I think that elections should have been held February 14. By that time, 67 to 70 percent collection had been achieved. It could even have been better than that. Did we find out if money was released in time for INEC to produce and distribute the PVCs? Because the decision to use PVCs this year was taken a long time ago. Despite that, much progress has been made in PVC distribution. I saw it in your paper the other day that in many states, PVC distribution has reached 80 percent. In any case, INEC has told Nigerians to collect their PVCs. It is not its duty to force people to collect. The political parties should sensitise the people to collect their PVCs. That said, in the last days to the election, especially now that the deadline has been extended, you will see those who haven’t collected rushing to collect.
But people did not rush to collect their PVCs before first deadline, March 8, ended
You cannot rule out anything. You have heard PDP canvassing that if PVCs could not be made available, let’s use TVCs. Former US president Franklin Roosevelt said nothing happens by accident in politics. ‘If it happens,’ he said, ‘It was planned that way.’ If we are still talking of PVCs by now, you can be sure that it was planned that way. There are people who are hell bent on making us to discard the use of the PVCs and card readers and such people can go to any length to sabotage PVC use.
Why do you think there’s desperation for TVC?
It is easier to manoeuvre with TVC. We know what happened in 2011 and the years before that. We want to move forward now and some people are trying to drag us back. For those saying everyone must have PVCs, it should be noted that across the world, voter turnout during any election has never been hundred percent. At best in many places, it is 80 percent. Why are we saying everybody must hold PVC before elections? It is not possible, unless you have ulterior motive, like PDP. I think they are seeing failure and becoming desperate.
-Would you say that the postponement of elections from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11 has affected your party’s readiness?
It has affected all the parties. There is the issue of finance. After the elaborate campaigns, you have to start almost all over again. It requires enormous resources. Of course, my party, APC, is not as buoyant as PDP. PDP has government money, our money, to spend. They have dispensed favours to many people, again with our resources, who dish out money in return to them. Remember how they sourced N21 billion, in a country where many people have no food to eat, some states workers have not been paid salaries for months yet, their governors donated hundreds of millions of naira. So, I insist that the postponement of election wasn’t done for security reasons but to give PDP added advantage. But it won’t be much of an advantage because a lot of people have long made up their minds to vote for APC and no trick will change that. I believe that if anything, more people will jump ship and come into APC.
What do you make of the talk of sacking INEC Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega and denials by President Goodluck Jonathan and his spokesmen?
It all started from the propaganda that Jega is an ally of APC, after they hailed him for conducting the 2011 elections at which the PDP was declared winner at presidential level. It is now that they want to tarnish Jega’s image. His insistence on use of PVCs and card readers is his crime. Nothing should happen to Jega’s position because elections are here. It’s not the time to bring a green horn to head INEC.
Still, on the election postponement, do you see successes recorded against Boko Haram since the postponement as being worth the while?
Insurgency was just an excuse and I am happy the nation accepted it without causing trouble because it was annoying. We saw what we are seeing long ago. Former governor Murtala Nyako wrote a letter on the lack of capacity of our soldiers to tackle the insurgents. We all know what happened to Nyako. Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima is one I would have voted Governor of the Year if I were in the position to do that, because of the mature way he has been handling the insurgency and the internally displaced persons, and how he has been handling the antics of the PDP against him. He said it long ago that Boko Haram fighters were better equipped and more motivated than our troops. You know how the PDP elements descended on him for such pronouncements, but time has vindicated him and time has vindicated Nyako. Even President Jonathan has been speaking of how the federal troops have been recording successes after they  were better equipped. Jonathan has also confessed that he underestimated the seriousness of the insurgency before now.
As a former military officer and an administrator, what do you consider to be the role of the military during election in a democratic setting?
The military should not be on electioneering duties. Election duty is not in their purview. Constitutionally, the police and other security agencies are the ones to shoulder election responsibilities. The military as we know it, should be on standby, so that if there is serious breakdown of law and order, the police will make formal request to the military to help. Then, the military will come in, do their bit and withdraw. The fear now is that the military might be used to harass or intimidate innocent people in favour of the ruling party. I had an experience in 2011 in my state. You can imagine me as a retired colonel and former military governor of two states, I went to cast my vote in my village and I was going round to see how things were. Believe me, I saw a local government chairman somewhere with five soldiers as escorts. Imagine a local government chairman with five military escorts. Soldiers ought to stay in their barracks, in case a civil unrest occurs and it becomes necessary for them to come in and bring the situation under control.
How is APC doing in your state?
APC is stable in Kebbi State. We have grassroots support. Like in the rest of the country, Kebbi people are tired of PDP. There is talk about PDP buying off PVCs from people. Like in some other parts of the country, they are doing this, I am told, from APC-strong places so that the people they buy the cards from cannot vote. But APC has intensified sensitisation campaign to make people stop selling their right, and the task of convincing people to keep their PVCs is eased by the pitiably low rates at which they are being bought. To resort to buying PVCs and disenfranchise people is a disservice to democracy and it is a shame. But people are increasingly listening to wise counsel and retaining their cards.