Reasons behind the meeting

WE called the meeting in here (Mandate Office) of our party, stakeholders and candidates, to basically review and give a briefing to our party supporters and a lot of followers, following the postponement of elections, largely to first of all, let them know that we must stay calm and resolute as our Presidential candidate and the party has said.

For us in Kwara State, in as much as we are disappointed with the postponement; in as much as we don’t agree with the reasons given, we have moved to that point now, to inform our teeming supporters of where we are. We believe that six weeks like is tomorrow. We should not lose hope, but we should be more determined that our wish and our choice will emerge at the end of the day. What Nigerians want is change. What Nigerians’ wish is to exercise is that right to vote.

As we said, we are still within the constitution, with the lay down law by the constitution, and that they should carry the message to all our supporters in the wards and local government that this is the position of the party. We will prepare, we have told our campaign office to start preparing for our timetable of campaign to take us from now to elections. There is a couple of local governments we were able to visit. We will finish and continue all our meetings and engage our stakeholders. So, that is the very purpose of the meeting, and we will also continue to educate all our followers

Your views on elections’ postponement

The issues that are more important again, and I say, is for us to start looking forward. What has been done, and I said we don’t agree with the principles behind it and the excuses given, but that has happened. What my own concern, which I then expressed, is that we should plunge ourselves into any crisis, particularly any constitutional crisis. Because I’m sure, a lot of you would know that the issue of May 29 is sacrosanct. There is nothing that can happen with that.

The issue is what happens in going forward after that, and that is why I believe the sooner National Assembly meets, so that we can begin to look at those constitutional issues. And also I think that we don’t want to be pessimistic. I think today, the National Security Adviser made a statement, insisting that there would be no further postponement beyond March and April, and I think the entire country and all of us should hold government responsible and accountable to that commitment. I think the president himself needs to give that commitment to Nigerians, because at least, he is still the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces. So on anything to do with security issues, he must give that commitment.

But, I don’t think we should be caught unprepared in the unlikely event that that might not happen. We must look ahead; the country needs stability now not from the security point of view; even from the economic point of view, we need stability. People need to see a clear path way; people need to be sure that if this happens, it is all within the democratic processes. That is why it is important that those of us in the National Assembly should start looking ahead and playing that role that ensures stability in our democracy.

On the alleged plot to send the INEC chairman on terminal leave.

I don’t want to talk on something that is speculative. Let’s wait. I just see how that helps anybody. We are talking about stability now; we are talking about credibility. He (Jega) told us very clearly that he was arm-twisted. Left to him, he was ready to do the elections. And the reasons he is not doing the elections are largely due to the letters from the security agencies. If anybody is going to be forced to resign, it should not be in the direction of Jega. But let’s not speculate because all that speculation creates is uncertainty and tension. I think what we need to do now, is to preach for calmness. Let everybody, who is responsible in all their processes, make it very clear what people are concerned about is that maybe, there is an hidden agenda, and I think, it is up to the government to begin to reassure Nigerians. And if you say you want peace, the way to have peace is to create an environment that is stable. If an environment is not stable, and people are worried that there is rumour here and there, then that is where the danger is.

But if the government plays its role in this kind of rumours, putting them at bay and making things very clear, I don’t think we would have any problem, insha Allah, between now and the election in 28 of March.

The issue of insecurity in the last few years and the assurance to halt it in the next six weeks

That is the real question. That is why I said that we must be responsible as leaders. And some of us who are in the National Assembly should be looking ahead because this is a very pertinent question. If you could not provide security in six years, why would you be able to in six weeks. Well, the NSA has come to say that we should not worry, there will be no postponement. That’s why I said beyond the NSA, the Commander In Chief too should give that kind of assurances to Nigerians. Even in the event of that, that is why I said that the National Assembly should look at the Constitution and the provisions that will ensure a smooth transition in a democratic process that will ensure election. We have to take them (Federal Government) for their words for now but we also have back up positions that will ensure stability of our democracy. The last thing we want now is a constitutional crisis or anything that will truncate our democracy, and I think all of us, whatever party we belong to, whether we are politicians or non-politicians, must have a common position that we all must defend our democracy, and we must ensure that stability.

The rising political thuggery and hooliganism in Kwara politics

It is just the level of desperation by a lot of this new entrants into the political terrain who do not go by history. As you see, it is not something that is alien to us in this kind of activity. This last time we saw this kind of thing was many years ago, and since then we have seen this kind of thing in the elections we hold here. And I think that, as my view, which is the trend now globally, is that political leaders would be held responsible for any of these activities. And they should all remember that there is the International Criminal Court that arrests anybody that instigates this kind of violence. We have known by antecedents, as far as we are concerned. We know here in Kwara we have the majority. We are preparing for elections, we have nothing to gain. They are just trying to incite us, trying to make us do things, but I have told our supporters to remain calm. It is not by destroying billboards that wins you elections. It is the people and most of them know. Over the last few months or so, you have seen the trend. On a daily basis, people are defecting from the PDP. I don’t think you have reported any APC person defecting to the PDP. So it is clear, they know where the trend is. The Commissioner of Police must hold them accountable. We have many reported cases. People must be arrested and made accountable for their offences. Unless they do that, as you said, such incidents will not reduce, it will increase. Let me tell you, our people in Kwara State are resolute. Such things cannot intimidate any of us. At the end of the day, we are committed that we will go and exercise our voting power. They are wasting their time if they believe in that kind of action. What is important is that those behind such ugly trend must be held accountable.

How APC hopes to cope with funding on account of polls shift?

I’m sure you have been going around reporting; this election or this campaign is different. Look at our (APC) primaries, it was not the issue of funding. The candidate won despite the issue of not being that that had the largest pocket. This election too, Nigerians have just made up their mind, that they want change and that they are tired. Anybody that cannot read that now and is still hoping that funding... and I think that would also translate in all the other elections. Tell any Nigerian. The message out there is that we want change. We are tired of how Nigeria is being governed. If anybody is deluding himself that the six weeks (elections’ postponement) means some people would spend more money, well good luck to them. Let them have a result and we would see what will happen.

Alleged clamp down on opposition leaders

We have heard about that; we are prepared for it. We have been in this thing for months or years. In this battle, we heard that they want to clamp down on leaders, they want to intimidate leaders. I heard the other day that trucks were going around the whole place. All of this is intimidation, but we failed to understand that it has even gone beyond us the leaders. This is a movement. People are determined; people ready and committed that this change happened. These are the sacrifices we would all have to make at this moment of time. But, I would like to warn everybody that they should not take the calmness and patience of Nigerians for granted. They should not push the country to the breaking point. Because there is something that is clear that Nigerians want: change and Nigerians want to exercise their right and vote, and anything that would prevent that, then those people who do that must take the responsibility of the fallout of whatever happens.