Elder statesman and former Minister of Education, Prof Tunde Adeniran, speaks on the recent pardon granted former Governors of Plateau and Taraba States, Chief Joshua Dariye and Rev. Jolly Nyame, respectively, by the National Council of States and the sale of nomination forms for the forthcoming presidential election by the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, in this interview with AYO ESAN. Excerpts:
A few weeks ago, the National Council of States granted pardon to former Governors of Plateau and Taraba States, Joshua Dariye and Rev. Jolly Nyame, respectively. Both former governors were found guilty of corruption while in office and subsequently detained. What is your take on this development?
It is very disturbing. The prerogative of mercy can be granted by the President, but then how we have been using governmental power in this country has reinforced the poverty of our nation. I’m talking of mental poverty, material poverty, ideological poverty and developmental poverty. There are those who got convicted due to circumstances beyond their control, who are mostly poor people. There is no report of any record that such people have been granted pardon. This kind of development encourages corruption, abuse of privileges and power. It also discourages patriotism. If examined in a very fundamental way, the action is very repulsive. I believe that it was ill-advised and it will worsen our situation as a country that is being propelled by very corrupt tendencies.TrendingAnxiety As FG Takes Terrorism Financiers to Court
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) charges N40 million for presidential nomination forms, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) charges N100m. What do you think this portends for the electoral system?
It shows that we are still not serious about fiscal discipline in our private and public life. Whatever the motivation, such high costs have consequences for the nature of our politics, for the structuring of leadership and for leadership recruitment. It is, indeed, pathetic that such a criterion definitely serves to review and delist people, among who have the capacity to serve this country well. The message is clear: Only those with very deep pockets, no matter how they came about their wealth, will be able to vie for such office. It gives the impression that only those who have had access to the national treasury will be in a position to use that opportunity or that privilege to acquire power and continue to lord it over others. I strongly believe that it will be difficult for anybody to justify those high charges for forms. It could have been much lower and still serve the purpose. For those who argued that they need it for the operations or the running cost of parties, I believe that the parties could be run at a less expensive level than that which will require aspirants having to pay hundreds of millions of naira.
You are a founding father of the PDP, though you are no longer active in partisan politics. Are you happy with the way the party is being run at present?
Well, I don’t know the way it is being run now because I am no longer a member.
Although zoning is a tradition of the PDP, nowadays the party does not seem to be serious about it. How do you see that?
The PDP is founded on some philosophy and certain principles, which include fairness, justice, equity, the rule of law and of course, all that will bring out the best in each member in terms of patriotism and national development.
Apart from the letters of the constitution of the party, the spirit of the constitution is also expected to guide the running of its affairs. It is my expectation that the present leadership, particularly the national chairman, being a very solid scholar and an experienced politician and an ideologically oriented person, will do the needful to ensure that the fundamental principles and the philosophy which informed the founding of the PDP are re-established.
How do you see the agitation for a President from the South?
Yes, there have been agitations for a President from the South and I’m in support of it. But such a President must have good qualities. Indeed for psychological reasons, what Nigeria needs in 2023 is a President that must come from the South but not a Southern President. What this country should even do at this time, which is my own personal position, is that we should look at those who are aspiring and those who are not aspiring, do a headhunt of people who we believe will not only unite this country but will also provide dynamic leadership.
Taking someone from the South will have a psychological effect in terms of justice, and equity. But it goes beyond that. If you take someone from the South and he continues with what we are going through now, then that will be failure. It will be tragic for the nation. A president coming from the South is ideal, but such a President must be able to treat all Nigerians as his own citizens. He should be able to make us proud as Nigerians .He should be able to guarantee security of all Nigerians. We have developed violence to such a high level that it has become a culture. We have reached a stage where any charlatan or bigot can rise up one day and say they want to become President of Nigeria. It is a sad development. It has shown how low we’ve sunk as a nation. It is about time we had the right leadership.
A few weeks ago, a legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola, suggested that we need to review our constitution before any general election takes place. He also proposed an Interim National Government in 2023 instead of an elected government. What is your reaction to his proposition?
I have read about it and I believe that the elder statesman, who is a very knowledgeable personality, not only in terms of law, but also in term of human affairs and national development, meant very well for the country. He is worried that our present situation will not guarantee a free and fair election and that unless an enabling environment is created, it would be difficult to have an ideal transition from the present administration to the next. And he felt that, to have an ideal situation, we need to set aside the present dispensation.
I believe he is genuinely concerned about the direction that this country is going and he will want it to be put right. If the wrong curve is straightened out, this country will be back on course and there will be peace and development based on justice and the rule of law.
Ekiti State will be having its governorship election in June. As an elder statesman, what is your advice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the people of Ekiti State as they prepare for the election?
My advice is that Ekiti State, being an enlightened state, should be able to show the rest of the country how democracy should be practised. It should ensure that the governorship election is free and fair. INEC must put in place a mechanism, a policy framework, that will be implemented to guarantee a free and fair election, particularly ensuring that every vote counts and there is no vote buying, which will make a mockery of any election and democracy in general.
Both INEC and the people of Ekiti should also work hard and cooperate to ensure that there is no violence. Election or leadership ascension should not be by force. People should be allowed to freely choose their leaders. And an election period should in words and action be a celebration of democratic choice by the people.
Some people have expressed fear that insecurity may threaten or affect the 2023 general election. Do you think so?
There are two ways of looking at it. If we don’t tackle the problem frontally and overcome the challenges, it will linger and affect the election. But if proactive measures are taken, there will be no problem. Part of the agenda of the terrorists is to ensure that whatever political agenda the country has will amount to nothing because of the way they are going to divert attention from them and because of the way they plan to sabotage the Federal Government’s efforts. If the terrorists are allowed to have a free day, of course they will achieve their goal. But if the government decides to take proactive measures by ensuring that the plans of the terrorists do not materialise, then there will be a general election. What this mean is that every step must be taken to ensure that security is guaranteed, that total and effective security is put in place. Once this is done, nobody will entertain any fear about 2023.