Atiku will beat Peter Obi, Tinubu, others in presidential race –Sen. Bucknor-Akerele

Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, former governor of Lagos State, is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this chat with ISAAC NGUMAH, she talks about the chances of the PDP in both Lagos State and national in 2023 and other contemporary issues. Excerpt:

Due to terror alert, parties are in a fix to stop campaigns. What is your take on this?

Terror alert, we have to take it seriously. I don’t see how we can stop campaigns. Campaigns have to go on if we are going to have elections next year. I believe that everybody should be on the alert because we don’t know when these people (terrorists) are going to strike.

What can you say on the religion, ethnicity of would-be president in 2023 not on the basis of programmes, performance and competence?

Whoever should be president should be on performance and competence. However, because of the situation we find ourselves in Nigeria today, the country is divided between North and South. The North is predominantly Muslims whereas the South is predominantly Christians and we have always had a balance, Christians and Muslims, and I believe that it is only right that we should continue with that balance for now.

How do you see the youths seeking for revolution through Labour Party?

Of course, we need a revolution. I don’t mean the Soviet type of revolution. We need things to change and I really congratulate those young people who are coming out and trying to effect that change. I congratulate them and I hope they will be able to effect that change.

At a seminar recently held in Arewa House in Kaduna by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was quoted as telling his audience that they should not vote for a Yoruba candidate and Igbo candidate. What can you say on this?

If he really said that, it is unfortunate that such uttering could come from somebody like Atiku Abubakar who has been Vice President of this country. I think he was misquoted.

There is a report that the present government in Lagos State has not done anything but completed Ambode’s projects. How do you see this?

I think that’s quite true. The projects that have been completed by the present government in Lagos State were initiated by Ambode administration.

What can you say on the achievements of the present government in Lagos State so far?

I don’t know the achievements of the present government in Lagos State other than it seems that we have been ruling by the agberos (motor park touts) because when you go anywhere, on every corner you see somebody wielding a stick and threatening people and I do not think that is what the people of Lagos need. They don’t need to be threatened. We even heard that people were threatened because they did not go to rally. Their shops were closed and they were fined N5,000. We now have a situation where transporters are on strike. So, I am really disappointed at what is happening in Lagos State.

What can you say on the flood now wreaking havoc in some states?

We have our own flood here in Lagos State and I think that the flood that has happened in all the States in Niger Delta, part of the Middle Belt has been largely due to lack of negligence by the Federal Government because it should have constructed dams and dredged rivers. Government knows that during a certain period of the year, we usually have very heavy rains not only in Nigeria but in Cameroon. For instance, in Cameroon, when its dam is full, it is going to release the water. We should have built our own dams to contain the water and also serve as sources of fresh water and source of irrigation for the farm land.

The Peter Obi’s Movement has raised the hope of Nigerians on transformation. How do you see it?

I think Obi’s movement has been preaching transformation and I give kudos to him for doing that. I hope that he will carry it through if he becomes president.

What can you say on the crisis rocking PDP Campaign Council?

It is unfortunate that some people think that they own the party and that some of us are not relevant in the scheme of things and I believe that it is the duty of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku as the flag bearer of the party to try and resolve the issues before damaging our chances.

How would you react to some PDP associates who said they will not participate in the ongoing campaign after the Campaign Council was announced?

I cannot say I blame them; they have their own reasons and very good reasons too.

 

What can you say on the reconciliation efforts so far?

I don’t see much reconciliation going on; they keep on talking about it but I don’t see any reconciliation going on. What I see is that people are making more inflammatory statements.

Governors Wike, Ortom, Makinde and Ikpeazu are asking for equity in the party, while Bode George is saying that they need a Southern person that will give them some sense of belongings. What can you say to this?

Bode George is also asking for equity and I think all of us in the South are asking for equity because you know we are not going to have a Northern People Democratic party, it is the Peoples Democratic party and, therefore, everybody is supposed to be carried along.

Some people are saying that PDP is fielding Hausa/Fulani interest. What is your reaction?

Of course, people are saying that because of what is on ground- when you have the chairman of the party from the North and the DG of the Campaign Council from the North.

What do you think people are supposed to think?

History will repeat itself if President Buhari hands over power to another Fulani man. What is your take?
I don’t know whether history will repeat itself if he hands over power to another Fulani man. I do not hope that Atiku Abubakar, if he becomes president will be such a disastrous president.

Some people are saying that Atiku Abubakar is an agent of Miyetti Allah. How do you see this?

I don’t know whether he is an agent of Miyetti Allah or not. I cannot comment on that but if Miyetti Allah members claim that he is their agent; one can take it to be so. Otherwise, I think one has to leave that statement.

What can you say about the Governors from Oyo, Benue, Rivers and Abia States that are not supporting the presidential flag bearer of PDP?

Who says that they are not all supporting PDP presidential flag bearer? I think what they are saying is that they are not happy with the fact that everything in the party seems to be going to the North and nothing is coming to the South.

Do you think that Atiku Abubakar will beat Peter Obi, Tinubu and the rest in the presidential race?

I am in PDP, so, I have no choice but to hope so.

What is the assurance that PDP will win the presidential race?

There is no assurance but we are hoping that PDP will win

What are the strategies that PDP is putting in place to win the election?
I can’t give you the party’s strategies.

Do you think that the crowd that Peter Obi and Tinubu are commanding will be a threat to PDP’s chances of winning the presidential race?

Having a crowd at a rally doesn’t necessarily claim that you are going to win. It all depends on whether the entire crowd has PVC and going to come out to vote on Election Day.

What can you say on the pending trial of Nnamdi Kanu?
I cannot comment on that because it is pending.

What can you say on insecurity in the country?

I think something has to be done because the security situation of the country is alarming; we are now having people kidnapped on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. So, it means nowhere is safe any longer in Nigeria.

The President has assured Nigerians that before the end of his tenure, he will end insecurity in the country. Do you think so?

I hope he can do that but right now; it seems that there is little hope of that especially with the security alert.

Don’t you think insecurity may hinder elections in the North West, South-East and some parts of South-West?

It may be difficult to conduct elections in these areas if the insecurity is not brought under control.

What do you think the Federal Government should do to bring solutions to the security problems in those areas?

I think we have to get to the bottom of what is really causing this insecurity and I think it is the job of the security agents to find out what is causing this insecurity and it is only when we know what is causing the insecurity that we can tackle it.

What can you say on the newly-signed Electoral Law?

I think it is very good because now, it will eliminate the elements of rigging but I don’t know whether rigging can still not be done. You are putting things on servers; that doesn’t mean that the servers cannot be tampered with.

What can you say on the economic pains that Nigerians are passing through?

It is appalling that Nigerians are going through what they are going through.

What can you say on the present government in power?
I think it is a disaster; the present government in power is a complete disaster.

What can you say on restructuring the country and state police?

State police I think is very necessary. As for restructuring, you know many of us in the South West have been calling for restructuring for a long time because we do believe that if the country is restructured we can move forward; we need to go back to the type of federal system of Independence.

What can you say on the crisis rocking Afenifere vis-a-vis Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s endorsement of Peter Obi and Pa Reuben Fasoranti’s endorsement of Tinubu?

First of all, I am a member of Afenifere and Chief Ayo Adebanjo is the leader of Afenifere and Pa Fasoranti has actually confirmed that. So, where is the crisis because of Pa Fasoranti’s endorsement of Tinubu? Pa Fasoranti is an elderly person in Yoruba land and practically all the candidates of various political parties will go to him for his blessings. If someone comes to you and say please, bless me, you will bless that person; that is our tradition in Yoruba land. So, I’m sure Tinubu is not going to be the only one that is blessed by him and that doesn’t mean because he blessed him, he has assuredly endorsed him.

Many Nigerians are not happy with the present government in power. Do you believe?

Of course, many Nigerians are not happy. There were various promises made and that is what made many Nigerians voted Buhari but having got into power, he has not fulfilled any of the election promises he made. So, how can we be happy? How can anybody be happy? President Buhari is somebody who cannot stick to his words.

What can you say on the state of the nation?

The state of the nation is perilous; we are in great danger right now. I think our prayer is that God will protect and guide us so that we can have peace in our land.

Is there any party structure to win Lagos State? 

I cannot give you the party structure to win Lagos State

Can you tell us the party campaign strategy to win Lagos State?
We cannot give you the campaign strategy.

What is the assurance that PDP will win in Lagos State in the upcoming election?

I think PDP will win because people are fed up with the APC in government; they have done nothing but brought misery and poverty to the people.

With the newly-signed electoral law, what are the chances of PDP wining Lagos State?

As I said earlier on, with the new electoral law, chances for rigging have been in fact eliminated but I say there is a but; because we are dealing with technology and that doesn’t mean to say even if you win, the servers could not be tampered with. This is because some people are desperate to become president in this country and know that there is no length which they will not go even to the extent of getting the servers to be tampered with so that they can get the results that they want. That is my only fear. It will be okay from the Ward level but the servers may be saying something different.

How do you see the crisis rocking PDP in Lagos State at the moment?
I am not really aware of any crisis rocking PDP in Lagos State.

What can you say about those who have newly defected to APC in the state?

Those who defected to APC in Lagos State were people who initially came from APC to PDP and they are going back to where they came from.

Will Jandor (the PDP governorship candidate) do more than the present government in Lagos State if elected as the next governor?

I hope he will.

Can you unveil some of his plans for Lagos State?

Go and ask him

 

For a better society

—————————————————————–

Kindly follow us across all our Social Media platforms to stay up-to-date with the latest news and happenings in Nigeria and Across the Globe.

Facebook – https://facebook.com/championnewsonline
Instagram – https://instagram.com/championnewsonline