Immediate past Governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology. He is representing Kwara Central in the Senate. He fielded questions from journalists after walking the streets of Ilorin in what looked like a popularity contest, following the well-publicised Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally, in which prominent politicians decamped from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP. Saraki, who the national secretariat of APC pronounced leader in Kwara, instead of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, as obtained in other states where there were defectors to the APC, felt there was the need to make a strong political point by embarking on a street walk.

Although, he said he did not regard the PDP rally as a challenge, it was obvious that he took the step to assure political associates in APC that he was still in charge as leader of the party in the state. He wondered why President Goodluck Jonathan said repeatedly at the rally that he would give the people of Kwara freedom. He asked repeatedly: ‘Freedom from what?’ He argued that the people of Kwara are not slaves, as they are already enjoying freedom from poverty. Saraki spoke on other topical issues. BISI ADEDAYO captured it for Sunday Newswatch. Excerpts: • Says Jonathan missed the point at PDP rally

What informed your street-walk and how did it happen?

I believe many people want to show their loyalty and support and I think it was a reaction to the PDP Presidential rally held in Ilorin recently. It is a reaction to the insinuation that was being made after the rally. People wanted to show their support for us. The last time I saw something like this happening to me was in 2010 before my re-election.

Even then, it was when we got to Sawmill and Baboko areas of Ilorin West that we saw this kind of crowd. So, we decided to come down at Geri-Alimi Roundabout. I think people wanted to show that they are with us and to distinguish between the two (major) parties in the state.

So, you saw this as a challenge?

Not really, but a message to the people of Kwara and our party members. The most remarkable part of it is the way shop owners closed their shops. It is a clear message that the people of the state support and still loved us despite insinuations and breaking down of our billboards. I thank the people again because I was to come here on Friday as usual, but we decided to come on Saturday and all of you can see what happened.

President Jonathan was in Ilorin and promised the people what his government will do if voted into power in the state. What is your reaction to this?

Well, I think you were all at the PDP rally. I think the message from the rally was freedom. I asked myself, freedom from what? Which freedom? Is it freedom from government that believed in action and not in promises? Look at the number of jobs that have been created for the youths. What KWABES has done is far better than what is done by the Federal Government. If you look at the empowerment of associations as you rightly pointed out, the governor has been doing good things for the people and he will do more next Monday.

Look at the General Hospitals’ rehabilitation going on among many other things. You would have thought that the Presidency and the Federal Government were coming here for something different. I remember that we spent up to N46billion on Baruteen Road when I was a governor. It is not a state road but federal road.

We decided to do it because it affected our people. Kaiama Road construction that the state government is embarking on now is a federal road. Up till now, it is has been a case of promises galore by the Federal Government.  So, it is we, the people of Kwara that have freed ourselves from them. That is why you have seen this kind of change.

I keep on telling Nigerians and the people of Kwara State that this struggle is not personal. If it is about an individual satisfaction, I will still remain in the ruling party. But I can’t go on watching while this kind of thing continues. We campaigned for that party and did so many things and we can’t say that we benefited anything from our efforts. So, I will not allow this to continue because of my personal satisfaction. If my people are not benefiting, why should I remain in the party?

The last time we benefited from the Federal Government was when late Umaru Yar’Adua was the President, with Independent Power Project (Ganmo) to show for it. I expected to hear from the rally what Kwarans will benefit from the Federal Government. The theme of their rally was freedom, and few people, who cannot deliver politically and those who believe this is their opportunity were there.

You know I told people about three years ago in 2011, ‘you will not see anybody now, but let us wait till six or nine months and one year to the election and they will come here.’ Where were they in 2011? Did you see anybody? Where were they in 2012? Now 2013, a year to the election, seven months to primaries, posters are coming out.

What has any one of these people done for the people of this State? I leave it for Kwarans to judge who is always there for them. We have always been there for them without thinking about election. We don’t wait until election time before we are there for them.

I predicted earlier that when we are approaching election period, from Lagos and Abuja, they will come and tell you about freedom. But I ask: Freedom from what? If they have been doing this for a long time, it will be a different thing and not now that they need votes. So, I think Kwarans are more mature and more enlightened. They have seen the light and they are not going back. They just want them now for the purpose of 2015 elections and when elections are gone, you won’t see them again. So, it is clear to us, that they do not love the people of Kwara.

Your sister, Senator Gbemisola Saraki didn’t defect to APC with you, she pitched her tent with the PDP. What are you doing to ensure she is not used against Saraki’s dynasty?

Like I said many times, I believe that the game is still on and this kind of thing is expected and they are bound to happen. First of all, I only have one sibling is in politics. This is not the first time that we are having different political views with my other sibling in politics. It is not abnormal.

We all have our own different political aspirations and wishes. But at the same time, with the issues on the ground, we might have different views and that is the beauty of democracy. At the end of the day, things will work out smoothly. That is my belief.

How do you think the challenges of Boko Haram insurgency can be resolved?

I believe stakeholders need to collaborate with the Federal Government to solve the problem. This issue is about collaboration by stakeholders and the political leadership. The issue of collaboration is the responsibility of all of us as stakeholders. I believe that whatever we can do to help the government, we should do it.  Let us give them the necessary support as traditional rulers or in any other capacity. As for leadership, it rests on the Federal Government through the Presidency. This is what I mean by collaboration.

How do you react to the sack of the former Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi?

You all know him. He was a shining star at that time under me as a Commissioner. So, we believed then that he will do well as a Minister. He did well as a Minister and I agreed he was the best Sports Minister that had achieved a lot for this country. Unfortunately, the President has decided that he doesn’t want a performing Minister in his cabinet. To some of us, Bolaji has shown his character and the kind of potential in him. We are proud of him and his achievements. He has a brighter future ahead of him.

We understand that the PDP leadership is trying to woo you back to the party. How far is it true?

It appears that you have more information than I on this. As I said to people, the current chairman of the PDP is somebody I know very well. We were colleagues at a time and we have a good relationship and have great respect for each other. That is as far as it is and it has nothing to do with the issues on ground presently.  I am now in the APC and he is in the PDP. Politics does not mean that we cannot continue to have great respect for each other. May be that is what has been overstretched to make people conclude that there are negotiations or discussions. But there is nothing like that.

Have you formally declared for the APC in view of the controversy surrounding the letter forwarded to the Senate to that effect?

I have registered (as APC member) and I have a card. What else does one need to be a member of a party?  The issue of letter to the senate is simply a tradition of the senate. It is about the tradition of what happens on the floor and it has nothing to do with my membership of the party. It is not the senate that will certify my membership of the APC. From the day the party started to register members, I went there as an individual and signed my name and submitted my two passport photographs and I got my membership card, what else is left? Please don’t read too much or have a lot of concern that may be there is something happening.

When we started, a lot of people said it was not possible for us to leave the PDP and that it was nothing but just talks. We had more doubting Thomases then than even now. Presently, the talk is that we can’t stay in APC and that we will go back to PDP. Definitely, as politicians, some would say come back now; don’t do this. But we are not fighting anybody. There are issues that we have taken decisions on and we need to forge ahead.

I will be more than surprised if anyone decides to go back because this is not something that started like a knee-jerk reaction. This thing has been on since August or even before that, because there were issues that were happening in the party and we have been engaging ourselves, saying that these things must change.

But what do you have to say about some of your members in the House of Representatives who returned to the PDP few weeks after your declaration?

With all due respect, some of them are speaking as individuals. For instance, when I take a decision, it is not just Bukola Saraki that is taking a decision because I consult widely and that is because I am representing a lot of people. My kind of decisions can be far reaching. I can’t just wake up because the chairman of the party has come to see me, and so I won’t just tell you I have declared for this or that party.

There must be series of consultations with my supporters. I cannot just go to them and simply announce to them. It is not possible. There must be serious fundamental principled issues that must emerge and I haven’t seen them and I doubt if they will emerge in the next few months.

Recently, President Goodluck Jonathan said at a rally in Ilorin that there is no godfather in politics. Yet, you are the godfather of Kwara politics.

Let me explain something: Some of you, due to your profession, see what is happening politically and you know that there is a change going on. So, even in politics now, there is nothing like the godfather. Today, whoever wants to continue to be relevant must be able to marry the wishes of the people vis-à-vis what you think should be the direction of the people. It is no more a case of servant-leader, where if the leader says we should go this way, it becomes sacrosanct.

No! One might do that, but it won’t last. I don’t like your use of the word, godfather; because honestly, it doesn’t happen like that. The level of participation in politics now is so high. That is why you will see shockers in 2015. Look at the registration exercise that we just did, it tells you that the ordinary people really want change. You can’t just sit down as a leader and say this is the way we must go. Many people are going in different directions with their leaders.

You see, if not because of what happened in Kwara, with respect to the local government election, we might have to work hard to convince the people to move. In Kwara, it was not the PDP as a party that was winning elections. We only win elections through the hard work that we did. We are doing the work, and all we wanted was for the party to recognise that. But instead, the party left the majority and decided to work with the minority.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum is divided. As a former chairman of the Forum, what is the way forward?

I am happy you asked this question because some of us feel very sad and, again, it is back to what I said. We do not try to preserve institutions. We are so much concerned about what favours us today. I know the efforts I made to make sure that this problem did not happen. Up to two days before the election, I tried to reach out to the highest quarters to try and prevent an election because whatever is the result of that election, nobody would win. What do I mean by that? If Amaechi wins the election; it will look as if he has defeated the Presidency because it (the Presidency) was deeply involved.

The best thing was to avoid having an election because once you don’t accept the result of that election, it will create problem. How long is two years? Amaechi, at that time, had even accepted just one year as a way out. It was clear that he won. If those you sent to go and do a work are defeated, let them bear the cross of their defeat.

They should not create an illegality. How do they even know that Amaechi would have finished his tenure? I know that even before the problem started, Amaechi was not having the total confidence of his members. It is this problem that made him popular. Unfortunately, I cannot see any way out until after 2015.