Alhaji Tanko Yakasai is the leader of the Northern
Elders Council (NEC), a group that splintered from the Northern Elders
Forum (NEF) due to political differences. In this interview he examines
some of the salient issues that characterized the campaign for the
recent general elections, warning the political class not to allow
religion to dictate the pattern of voting in future elections.
Excerpts:
What are your expectations from the incoming new administration of the president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.)?
My expectation is to see the government fulfilling its electoral promises. During their campaign, they promised three major programmes. One is to fight corruption; two, to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency and three, creating employment for the unemployed graduates. These are the three major programmes they promised, among other things. I expect them to fulfill these promises, though it cannot happen overnight. But they must have done their homework before promising the people.
This last general election was like never before with all the doom predictions made before the polls. From your own point of view, what is the significance of this election for national unity?
For me, the significance of this election is that the party in power did not work hard enough. They were over confident that they would win, but they did not come out in full strength to vote. If you compare the votes which Mr. President got in 2011 with what he got this time around, you will find out that his votes dropped significantly. In 2011, he got nearly 23 million votes. This time around, he got 12-point something million votes. While Buhari got 12 million in 2011, now he got 16 million votes. In other words, Buhari’s votes went up, while that of President went down. PDP took things for granted. They didn’t work hard.
Work hard in terms of delivery of dividends of democracy or campaign for votes?
Work hard in terms of campaign and mobilization of their supporters. You can explain how Buhari’s votes went up largely due to voting pattern in the Southwest. In 2011 election, Jonathan got a lot of votes from the Southwest, while Buhari didn’t get much. But this time around, Buhari got more votes in the region. So, you can explain why there is massive support for Buhari this time around. It came largely from Southwest and Northwest.
Even at that, do you think that the PDP would have stopped the wind of change that literally became a slogan in every part of the country in the run up to this election?
You cannot say everywhere around the country. The coalition of the opposition that eventually metamorphosed into the All Progressives Congress (APC) can be seen to be the major reason why there is support for Buhari in the Southwest. But support for PDP in Southeast and South-South is more or less the same. The support for APC in the North central may also be linked up to the way the governors imposed candidates. Governors imposed candidates at will regardless of public opinion. They didn’t take the sentiments of the electorate into account before imposing candidates. It shouldn’t be so. Leaders should allow the people to decide the candidates they want on their own.
In your assessment, do you think the PDP as a ruling party has performed creditably well enough to secure enough votes for the re-election of President Jonathan in this election?
I think they did. If you look at the power sector, they have increased power generation considerably. Also, in the transport sector, there were several road networks completed by the present administration. This is in addition to the rehabilitation of railway transportation. All these things are supposed to be appreciated by the public. But it is one thing for you to perform, it is entirely quite another for you to advertise your performance to the public. I think the work of selling their performance was not commensurate with their performance itself.
Looking at the voting pattern in this election, would you say that the issue of ethnic and religious factor that has always characterized Nigerian politics has been finally laid to rest?
While I may say that ethnic influence in politics been somehow reduced, this election has actually whipped up religious sentiment more than any other time in the past. I can tell you without any fear of contradiction that religion was massively used in the North during campaigns. Traditional rulers, clerics and members of academia in the North combined together to advise the people to vote only for a Muslim candidate. The same scenario also played out even in the Muslim dominated areas in the North central. In my own opinion, this election has not reduced the influence of religion in the voting pattern. I hope it will not be exacerbated in the future elections because it is not good for a people to use religion for any purpose. The percent of Muslims/Christians in this country is about 50- 50.
If you come to the North, the Muslims are the majority, but if you go to the South, the Christians are the majority. So, if this time Muslims voted on the basis of religion, next time other people will also use religion. So, it will become a vicious circle. That will not argue well for the country. I hope it will stop. Political scientists have described religion as opium of the people. When people look at issues from religious perspective, they don’t use logic. They use sentiment and they can even go to the extent of sacrificing lives.
To be more specific, what would you consider to be the major achievement of this outgoing administration?
A lot of road networks have been completed which is very important. So also resuscitation of railway system that has been in limbo for so many years is also a welcome development. There is also the opening of the waterways. The dredging of the River Niger is equally significant. With these three combined when completed, transportation will be cheaper, quicker and easier. One other achievement of the administration is elimination of corruption in the distribution of fertilizer. If we continue with that, gradually, agriculture will return to its prime position. Agriculture has the potential of engaging more people by way of providing employment.
Recommendation of the last National Conference was what many delegates used to canvass for re-election of President Jonathan. What do you expect the incoming administration to do with the document?
To be honest with you, I don’t think a lot of Nigerians voted on the basis of the confab. I was a delegate to the conference; the confab was a gathering of eminent Nigerians with no comparison whatsoever. I think it is the best gathering that has ever taken place in this country. People discussed issues regardless of where they came from. You find Northerners and Southerners arguing on issues without regard to sectional or ethnic differences. If the recommendation of the conference is implemented, it will enhance unity and progress of this country. If the incoming government looks into the recommendations, I doubt if it will throw it away.
Do you have any regret in your support for re-election of President Jonathan vis-à-vis the position of the Northern Elders Forum which you had a lot of differences with?
Not at all! Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) campaigned on the basis of regional sentiment; we campaigned on the basis of national unity. I have been campaigning for national unity for the past 55 years and I have been consistent on that. I believe that national unity is the panacea for development and progress of this country. So, we look at issues from different perspectives. They view issues from narrow sectional point of view; we look at issues from broad national point of view. We believe that sooner or later, Nigerians will come to realise that there is benefit in their unity. Whatever happens, you cannot take Kano to Kenya, you cannot take Anambra to Suddan. If you look at the way ordinary Nigerians interact with one another, you find out that we never had a situation where people fought one another in the market. They all interact peacefully with one another. If you heard Nigerians fighting one another, it is politics that has always caused misunderstanding. I believe Nigeria came into being out the intervention of the Almighty Allah. If you look at the way Nigeria is configured, you find out that we are complimenting one another; we are not at war with one another. So, if we are not at war with one another, the way to progress is for us to embrace one another and work together for the good of the country. If anybody is coming up to whip up ethnic sentiment, he is doing that against the interest of his people.
Many people believe that this present administration has not done well in its fight against corruption. Why do you think anti-corruption war is such a difficult task?
There has been corruption in Nigeria like there has been in any other country in the world. But from my experience, corruption became rampart from the time Olusegun Obasanjo became military Head of State. That was the time leading figures in the administration came out of the blues to become multimillionaires. And until tomorrow, nobody knows how they came about this massive wealth they accumulated for themselves. That made other people to copy them when they come to power. You remember Buhari and Babangida era and how both of them became multimillionaires. Before Obasanjo became president, I was told he owed money. But what happened by the time he left office? Will you say he was a poor man by the time he left? Certainly, he was not. Jonathan inherited power from more or less Obasanjo. Though he came along the late President Yar’Adua, we all know that Yar’Adua didn’t make much impact because his health was not in good shape. So, it is the continuation of Obasanjo era that characterized Jonathan administration. In fact, most of the officials in charge of various ministries and agencies are people Jonathan inherited from Obasanjo. So, corruption is not something anybody can eradicate overnight.
It is like you are pre-empting Buhari’s promise to end corruption. Not so?
Buhari is a different person from different political party. May be the situation may be different. I am not a fortune teller. I cannot say whether or not he will be able to fight corruption. But there are people around him who are so rich and who you cannot explain how they came about their riches. May expectation is to see how his government is going to deal with those people around him who are super riches and who many people don’t know the business they do to be so rich. Yet, they contributed to his campaign.
So, let us wait and see how he is going to handle them. That could be the signal as to whether or not he is going to fight corruption.
Excerpts:
What are your expectations from the incoming new administration of the president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.)?
My expectation is to see the government fulfilling its electoral promises. During their campaign, they promised three major programmes. One is to fight corruption; two, to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency and three, creating employment for the unemployed graduates. These are the three major programmes they promised, among other things. I expect them to fulfill these promises, though it cannot happen overnight. But they must have done their homework before promising the people.
This last general election was like never before with all the doom predictions made before the polls. From your own point of view, what is the significance of this election for national unity?
For me, the significance of this election is that the party in power did not work hard enough. They were over confident that they would win, but they did not come out in full strength to vote. If you compare the votes which Mr. President got in 2011 with what he got this time around, you will find out that his votes dropped significantly. In 2011, he got nearly 23 million votes. This time around, he got 12-point something million votes. While Buhari got 12 million in 2011, now he got 16 million votes. In other words, Buhari’s votes went up, while that of President went down. PDP took things for granted. They didn’t work hard.
Work hard in terms of delivery of dividends of democracy or campaign for votes?
Work hard in terms of campaign and mobilization of their supporters. You can explain how Buhari’s votes went up largely due to voting pattern in the Southwest. In 2011 election, Jonathan got a lot of votes from the Southwest, while Buhari didn’t get much. But this time around, Buhari got more votes in the region. So, you can explain why there is massive support for Buhari this time around. It came largely from Southwest and Northwest.
Even at that, do you think that the PDP would have stopped the wind of change that literally became a slogan in every part of the country in the run up to this election?
You cannot say everywhere around the country. The coalition of the opposition that eventually metamorphosed into the All Progressives Congress (APC) can be seen to be the major reason why there is support for Buhari in the Southwest. But support for PDP in Southeast and South-South is more or less the same. The support for APC in the North central may also be linked up to the way the governors imposed candidates. Governors imposed candidates at will regardless of public opinion. They didn’t take the sentiments of the electorate into account before imposing candidates. It shouldn’t be so. Leaders should allow the people to decide the candidates they want on their own.
In your assessment, do you think the PDP as a ruling party has performed creditably well enough to secure enough votes for the re-election of President Jonathan in this election?
I think they did. If you look at the power sector, they have increased power generation considerably. Also, in the transport sector, there were several road networks completed by the present administration. This is in addition to the rehabilitation of railway transportation. All these things are supposed to be appreciated by the public. But it is one thing for you to perform, it is entirely quite another for you to advertise your performance to the public. I think the work of selling their performance was not commensurate with their performance itself.
Looking at the voting pattern in this election, would you say that the issue of ethnic and religious factor that has always characterized Nigerian politics has been finally laid to rest?
While I may say that ethnic influence in politics been somehow reduced, this election has actually whipped up religious sentiment more than any other time in the past. I can tell you without any fear of contradiction that religion was massively used in the North during campaigns. Traditional rulers, clerics and members of academia in the North combined together to advise the people to vote only for a Muslim candidate. The same scenario also played out even in the Muslim dominated areas in the North central. In my own opinion, this election has not reduced the influence of religion in the voting pattern. I hope it will not be exacerbated in the future elections because it is not good for a people to use religion for any purpose. The percent of Muslims/Christians in this country is about 50- 50.
If you come to the North, the Muslims are the majority, but if you go to the South, the Christians are the majority. So, if this time Muslims voted on the basis of religion, next time other people will also use religion. So, it will become a vicious circle. That will not argue well for the country. I hope it will stop. Political scientists have described religion as opium of the people. When people look at issues from religious perspective, they don’t use logic. They use sentiment and they can even go to the extent of sacrificing lives.
To be more specific, what would you consider to be the major achievement of this outgoing administration?
A lot of road networks have been completed which is very important. So also resuscitation of railway system that has been in limbo for so many years is also a welcome development. There is also the opening of the waterways. The dredging of the River Niger is equally significant. With these three combined when completed, transportation will be cheaper, quicker and easier. One other achievement of the administration is elimination of corruption in the distribution of fertilizer. If we continue with that, gradually, agriculture will return to its prime position. Agriculture has the potential of engaging more people by way of providing employment.
Recommendation of the last National Conference was what many delegates used to canvass for re-election of President Jonathan. What do you expect the incoming administration to do with the document?
To be honest with you, I don’t think a lot of Nigerians voted on the basis of the confab. I was a delegate to the conference; the confab was a gathering of eminent Nigerians with no comparison whatsoever. I think it is the best gathering that has ever taken place in this country. People discussed issues regardless of where they came from. You find Northerners and Southerners arguing on issues without regard to sectional or ethnic differences. If the recommendation of the conference is implemented, it will enhance unity and progress of this country. If the incoming government looks into the recommendations, I doubt if it will throw it away.
Do you have any regret in your support for re-election of President Jonathan vis-à-vis the position of the Northern Elders Forum which you had a lot of differences with?
Not at all! Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) campaigned on the basis of regional sentiment; we campaigned on the basis of national unity. I have been campaigning for national unity for the past 55 years and I have been consistent on that. I believe that national unity is the panacea for development and progress of this country. So, we look at issues from different perspectives. They view issues from narrow sectional point of view; we look at issues from broad national point of view. We believe that sooner or later, Nigerians will come to realise that there is benefit in their unity. Whatever happens, you cannot take Kano to Kenya, you cannot take Anambra to Suddan. If you look at the way ordinary Nigerians interact with one another, you find out that we never had a situation where people fought one another in the market. They all interact peacefully with one another. If you heard Nigerians fighting one another, it is politics that has always caused misunderstanding. I believe Nigeria came into being out the intervention of the Almighty Allah. If you look at the way Nigeria is configured, you find out that we are complimenting one another; we are not at war with one another. So, if we are not at war with one another, the way to progress is for us to embrace one another and work together for the good of the country. If anybody is coming up to whip up ethnic sentiment, he is doing that against the interest of his people.
Many people believe that this present administration has not done well in its fight against corruption. Why do you think anti-corruption war is such a difficult task?
There has been corruption in Nigeria like there has been in any other country in the world. But from my experience, corruption became rampart from the time Olusegun Obasanjo became military Head of State. That was the time leading figures in the administration came out of the blues to become multimillionaires. And until tomorrow, nobody knows how they came about this massive wealth they accumulated for themselves. That made other people to copy them when they come to power. You remember Buhari and Babangida era and how both of them became multimillionaires. Before Obasanjo became president, I was told he owed money. But what happened by the time he left office? Will you say he was a poor man by the time he left? Certainly, he was not. Jonathan inherited power from more or less Obasanjo. Though he came along the late President Yar’Adua, we all know that Yar’Adua didn’t make much impact because his health was not in good shape. So, it is the continuation of Obasanjo era that characterized Jonathan administration. In fact, most of the officials in charge of various ministries and agencies are people Jonathan inherited from Obasanjo. So, corruption is not something anybody can eradicate overnight.
It is like you are pre-empting Buhari’s promise to end corruption. Not so?
Buhari is a different person from different political party. May be the situation may be different. I am not a fortune teller. I cannot say whether or not he will be able to fight corruption. But there are people around him who are so rich and who you cannot explain how they came about their riches. May expectation is to see how his government is going to deal with those people around him who are super riches and who many people don’t know the business they do to be so rich. Yet, they contributed to his campaign.
So, let us wait and see how he is going to handle them. That could be the signal as to whether or not he is going to fight corruption.
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