APC Will Win All Elections In Kwara

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in this interview with journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, bared his mind on the chances of his new party – All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2015 polls, delay in the formal defection of PDP Senators to the APC and chances of their returning to the PDP if appeased, among other issues. Our correspondent, STEPHEN ONI was there. Excerpts:

How do you react to the allegation that the delay in defection of some PDP senators to the APC was borne out of the fear that their seats would be declared vacant?

First of all, I want you to rule out the belief that we haven’t declared for APC out of fear that our seats would be declared vacant. The letter to the Senate President is ready, but it’s just that we want it to be a joint thing. Few senators are going back to their constituencies this weekend just to inform and consult. You know every politics is local and it would be irresponsible for a senator to sit in Abuja and declare without carrying his people along. Senatorial issues are a bit more complicated than that of the House of Representatives in the sense that you are talking about a whole senatorial zone. In some cases, you have very powerful people within your constituencies. So, we have given some of the senators time to consult. It’s not a question of fear, just rule that out; it’s going to happen. I would have shown you the letter but it’s just that we are waiting for one or two things. So, it’s going to happen. It’s not as quick as that of House of Reps because the way we do things is quite different from their own way of doing things. I can authoritatively tell you that it’s going to happen very soon.

Why did two PDP members of the Kwara State House of Assembly, including Senator Simeon Ajibola, defy your directive to move to the APC?

If out of 22 members in the House, 20 decided to go somewhere and two refused, I think that’s less than 10 per cent. You all know the story of the member representing my constituency. At a time, a delegation was sent to me insisting that they did not want him to represent them and out of sentiment I pleaded with them. For Senator Ajibola, I think he has made his choice too but I think his decision was based on the fact he’s a third-time senator and he’s not coming back. But I think they are not fair to those coming behind. Some of these people represent the people and those decisions we made are not individual decisions. The decisions we made are decisions of the state. The governor of a state is going somewhere, senators, House of Representatives members and State Assembly members, that’s the decision of the people. But, by and large, in Kwara State today you know majority of the people are where we are. We all know that the so-called PDP people in Kwara don’t have the support of the people, though they have their own agenda, which they are pursuing. But I don’t think the agenda is in the interest of the people of Kwara. So, out of 22 members of the House, if you are talking of 5 or 6, it will be okay but the two you are talking about is grossly inconsequential.

There is the rumour making the round of plans to form a new APC by some aggrieved old APC members. What’s your take on this?

I think the party has made a very strong statement on that issue. Some of the names that were mentioned, like Marwa and Belgore, they have denied their involvement in such a move to destabilise the party. I think it’s just some irresponsible individuals that are coming up with a title that does not exist. These are people that are trying to create crisis where there is none. I think the issue of new APC is dead on arrival.

The new National Chairman of PDP is planning to embark on a reconciliatory tour to woo defectors back to the party. What is your reaction to this and the chances of your returning to PDP?

On the new chairman going around, well, it’s expected. I don’t know what his plans are but I think it has been overtaken by events because the time for that has come and gone. I think I have said this before, that we are forming a party. We are mobilising our people. We are moving ahead in the right direction. We have registration coming up in February. Do you know the deals that they have made before and I objected? It’s not the matter of better deal. The opportunity wasn there. It’s not about any deal. We have left and started a new life and you are asking whether I will go back if they offer me better deals. I told you my letter to defect is ready and you are still talking about me going back to PDP. In short, my answer to this is an emphatic NO.

Will the PDP chairman then be welcome in Kwara?

He’s my personal friend. We are not going to stop him from coming. The thing is not personal, I keep on saying it. If we want to survive in this game we cannot take decisions based on personal reasons. Let’s leave that and talk about how to strengthen our own party, APC.

How do you react to the impunity and crisis in Rivers State?

We know it’s wrong. I have been a governor before. I have been chairman of the Governors’ Forum before and there had been situations when we had to go and see the President because governors and the Commissioners of Police, CP, were not working together as expected. And the CPs had been changed in the interest of peace and stability of the affected states. Constitution is clear that the governor gives directive on the issue of police matter. It’s a simple thing. In the interest of the people, peace and stability, they need to change the CP in Rivers State. And if it does not work, then it will be clear that the governor is the problem. The IGP knows what to do. He was a CP here in Kwara. Amaechi and Wike’s fight is a small one. When former governor Lawal, of blessed memory, was the sitting governor, Kwara was hotter. The IGP was CP then and if not for the role he played, where he showed his capacity and ability, I won’t have been governor. So, I know he knows what to do. He has the capacity to do it. He had experienced it as a CP. You understand what I’m saying, that it was even tougher then than now. So, people like us are worried that if this man knows what to do, what is then happening? So, there must be other factors that we don’t know. And we must help him to remove those factors. You know I keep saying this issue is not personal but it’s in the interest of the country, to make it better.

What is your reaction to the boast by Jonathan’s loyalists to take over Kwara in 2015?

I wish them all the best. But we thank God that they are in the minority. So, their capacity to take-over the state I don’t see. They have their agenda. They believe they can go and sell this in Abuja so that things can happen. I don’t think this is in the interest of Kwarans. Like I have said, majority of Kwarans are where we are. This is because we have government that’s working. We worked hard for it. If they too can work hard to convince the people, they should go ahead; that’s why I said I wish them all the best.

What then are the chances of APC in 2015 in Kwara?

APC will win all elections in Kwara State, Insha Allah, for as long we have the political machinery. What should interest you is that everywhere our political machinery goes to we win elections, not that PDP has been winning elections right from 1999. In 1999, PDP did not win. We voted for PDP under the alliance of APP and PDP at that time.

In 2003, we were in PDP and PDP won. So now we are in APC and APC has already fired the first salvo. So I can assure you that the APC will win all the elections not only in Kwara but also at the national level because the party has the majority and all it takes.

First published in TheNEWS magazine