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Senator Sulaiman Mohammed Nazif
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Interview
Chairman, Communications and Contact Sub-committee of the
Congress for Progressive Change in the opposition merger, Senator Sulaiman
Mohammed Nazif, in this interview, opens up on some of the issues in the
merger. He speaks with Onyebuchi Ezigbo. Excerpts:
Previous attempts at merger or alliance in Nigeria had
turned out unsuccessful. What assurances are there that this won’t go the same
road?
The beauty of this merger is that the leaders of the
Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN),
in persons of retired General Muhammadu Buhari and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
respectively and the other political parties' leaders in APC are truly
respected progressive elders of this country.
I can cite many instances of how Geneneral Buhari helped a
lot of Nigerians to actualise their dreams. On the other hand, Tinubu provided
a platform under the ACN which also provided opportunities for thousands of
Nigerians to also actualise their potentials and dreams by becoming leaders in
various capacities in this country. When you bring these two men together, you
will know that this merger is a reality. Therefore, we are calling on all
Nigerians to believe in this merger and join the APC project.
Is it true that APC is lobbying some of the PDP governors to
join the merger?
Nigerians, today, desire this merger more than ever. The
timing is superb and right. And a lot of governors, National Assembly members
and Nigerians from all walks of life are waiting for the finalisation of the
merger talks which are ongoing. The CPC will be holding its convention on May
11, this year and on that day, the true Talakawas of Nigeria and the true
grassroots members will know that this merger is a reality.
Are you not worried about the division in APGA?
We have a committee on merger that is responsible for
addressing such question. All political parties involved have merger committee
and these are the leaders that have been charged with the responsibility of
talking on issues or the nitty-gritty of the merger itself. But as far as we
are concerned, APGA is not coming as a political party, but as a group because
a faction of the party is not in support of the merger.
At this point, I will like to commend Governor Rochas
Okorocha for being counted among those that want to make Nigeria a better place.
I can tell you that as soon as this merger talk succeeds, all the other
parties, movements and groups throughout Nigeria will join. Even the South-east
will join Okorocha in the APC.
What in your opinion will be the right yardstick for picking
the APC flag-bearer? Will General Buhari
emerge?
First, Nigeria requires a leader with experience; a leader
that has been tested. We cannot accommodate inexperience or afford another
experiment. We need a leader that can command the respect of the nation; a leader
that will provide opportunities for the younger generation to thrive. Nigeria
requires a leader that will make things work; who can work with the best to
achieve the required result. Buhari is a leader that can bridge the gap between
the masses and the leadership.
When times have changed, the prerequisite required of a
leader must fit these specifications and General Buhari fits this more than
anyone. He is an exemplary leader and a role model for Nigerians and I strongly
believe that by his antecedents, he would imbibe the culture of separation of
power; he would not interfere with the National Assembly and thereby, the
National Assembly would achieve its best with General Buhari as our president.
With Gen Buhari, every institution will work. He will not
interfere with the judiciary, and with him, governors will remain in their
states and work, not as we now have where they are always in Abuja. I strongly
believe that the nation's resources will be safe in the hands of General
Buhari. His interest is Nigeria. He has the desire for a progressive Nigeria
that will take its proper place within the comity of nations. He is passionate
about anything that will make Nigeria work and above all, he is a law abiding
citizen who respects the rule of law.
Is there no alternative to Buhari?
Buhari is the person this nation needs. He won elections thrice but he was denied. So
the issue of 'why Buhari?' does not arise. Every period in history desires a
leader or leaders of its match and in times like now, Buhari is the best thing
that should happened to this nation. He is the solution we need for the
challenges we have. He is the only Nigerian alive that has scored more than 12
million votes with just goodwill.
Buhari's influence has grown to the extent that just joining
your poster with him can guarantee you victory at the polls. He is a
progressive leader who will allow things work. His interest, as everyone knows,
is the progress of the common man and the nation. All he has ever wanted is for
Nigeria to be a better place and for the leaders to give opportunities for
Nigerians to actualise their dreams.
What do you make of the idea by governors making the Senate
their next stop after office?
For the governors, they need a bus station to rest before
their final 'bus stop.' If the governor of a state who was in office for eight
years, comes into the National Assembly today without legislative experience,
that makes him a junior senator. The legislature is about a career and
commitment to the nation; the National Assembly is about rules and procedures
and about being first among equals.
The Senate is not a resting place or a safe haven.
Therefore, for those who think they can just come directly into the Senate from
the executive, knowing full well that the extreme powers of the executive in
Nigeria is not applicable in the Senate, they mostly find themselves at the end
of the day in the wrong place except after acquiring the required experience
after a while. I strongly feel that the first bus stop after eight years as governor
in office should be embassies as ambassadors.
This is where their executive experiences can come to bear,
especially where you find some of the political appointee ambassadors who
cannot even recite the national anthem and you know our governors are used to
travelling. So, the ambassadorial appointments will suite them better having
exhausted eight years of intensive work.
Ambassadorial appointments will be best for them to
re-organised themselves better and be ready for reality when they are back to
Nigeria and will allow things to flow without displacing senators who have
acquired experience over time and have taken the legislature as their career
only to be displaced by a governor who is inexperienced.
The CPC inaugurated a committee on Contact and Mobilisation,
of which you are a member; what is the function of the committee?
The Committee on Contact and Mobilisation was inaugurated
and I was made the chairman of communications and contact sub-committee. Part
of our responsibility is to go down to all the six geo-political zones of the
country and discuss with party elders and members, tell them the need and the
desire of our party to be part of this merger. Already, our leader, General
Buhari is at the forefront of this merger talks.
In fact, APC today will stand as a multifunctional party,
which on one hand, stands as a deterrent to the ruling PDP and on the other
hand, a solution that will address the socio-political and economic problems
that presently bedevil our dear country. The desire of the merger cannot be
over-emphasised because the masses of this country are familiar with the antics
of the ruling party, and the only solution to rigging and bring development to
the people is to have APC on board.
We recently went to Lagos under the leadership of our great
party leader Gen Buhari, who led the delegation to witness the convention of
the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and we saw for ourselves how the people of
the South-west and indeed, Nigerians across the 36 states of the federation
were strongly enthusiastic that this merger is the only solution and the only
avenue for Nigerians to realise their desired expectations.
Does the function of your committee also extend to dealing
with other merging parties?
The function of our committee is to relate very closely with
the CPC teaming members as well as those that are sympathetic towards the
course and the objectives of the CPC. We are to reach out to the general
public, community leaders, traditional rulers, as well as various groups and
organisations including students and women to ensure that at the end of the
day, our teaming supporters get into the merger with strength and character and
to reach out to aggrieved party leaders and supporters so that the full
strength of the CPC in the merger will come to bear.
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