Why ACF doesn’t endorse presidential candidates like Afenifere –Anthony Sani

Former Secretary General of Arewa Consultative Forum (APC), Mr. Anthony Sani has explained why the body comprising leaders from the North does not endorse political candidates unlike its counterparts in the South like Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

In an interview with NOAH EBIJE in Kaduna, Sani stated: “ACF does not endorse candidates because the platform consists of northerners with different political stripes and political parties. Any endorsement of candidate by ACF is therefore a deviation from the main, which can affect the unity of the platform.”

While analysing the likely outcome of the 2023 election, Sani asserted that APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu might win the election since two of the other three major candidates were part of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party until recently. In his view, the presidential candidates of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have divided PDP’s votes.

He also noted that following the intra-party crisis in PDP,  Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has exposed the party to the extent that Nigerians are no longer sure of its capacity to rescue the country in 2023 if it produces the President.

What does the award of OON given to you recently by the Federal Government mean to you?

I am happy with the award because it makes me feel that people and the government are appreciative of what I have been doing, however small. I am also pleased that the award has lived up to the adage that there are no barriers to a determined spirit, considering that I am among Nigerians who live with physical disability. It has demonstrated the fact that education can limit the challenges posed by disability. My situation could serve as inspiration to those in similar circumstances.

We also learnt of recent that you were appointed among patrons of the Tinubu/Shettima presidential campaign. By accepting this appointment, does it mean that you don’t believe in the North retaining power?

I have made it clear severally that politics of identity is not the way to go. This is because it is an admission of failure of leadership to distribute access to national resources of appointment, employment, projects and major contracts fairly and equitably that has made communities to believe that such power of distribution of access to national resources must be turn by turn. I therefore see rotation of president as not more than the party’s winning game plan, and not more.

From all indications, it appears that Ohanaeze has endorsed Peter Obi for the 2023 presidential election. So also has Afenefire endorsed Bola Tinubu. As a NEC member of the Arewa Consultative Forum, what is ACF waiting for before endorsing any candidate?

ACF does not endorse candidates because the platform consists of northerners with different political stripes and political parties. Any endorsement of candidate by ACF is therefore a deviation from the main, which can affect the unity of the platform. What ACF normally does is to list qualities and content of characters as well as party manifesto which Northern voters should look for during voting.

Some political pundits are saying that there could be a collapse of political structures into one among the key presidential contenders before the election. How possible is this from your own thinking?

Democracy by its very nature is rabble-rousing. So whatever you see now in the political cockpit is democracy in action. That was why President Lincoln could say that every citizen has the right in his judgment that his choice is about the best for the country. But when the campaigns and elections are announced, it is only right for all the citizens to become one people until the next rounds of elections when they go back to the trenches. So there is nothing that will make the political structure to collapse. But the presidential candidates and the political parties are at liberty to come together and bolster their electoral values. Anything that does not collapse some of them can only make them stronger.

Of the key presidential candidates, two of them, Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso are Northerners. Don’t you think one of them might win the election and retain power in the North?

Your analysis reeks of poor political arithmetic. The southern governors and their socio-cultural platforms have resolved to vote only presidential candidates from the South. Which means the southern votes will be shared among candidates from the South – largely between Peter Obi of Labour Party and Bola Tinubu of APC. In the North, the 14 APC governors out of 19 northern governors brought about the emergence of Bola Tinubu in the primaries. They will ensure Tinubu prevails. Both Kwankwaso and Peter Obi have weakened PDP from where they came. Meanwhile, Governor Wike has revealed that the PDP cannot rescue itself from its self-inflicted injuries, thereby casting doubt on the party’s claim to rescue Nigeria. And given the fear that a President Peter Obi can play Gorbachev, who presided over the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that APC will prevail by meeting the constitutional requirements of majority votes and spread needed to produce the president.

What way do you think that redesigning of the naira notes will affect the 2023 electioneering campaigns?

While I share the wisdom of redesigning of the naira may make the cash in the hands of bandits and kidnappers as well as with corrupt politicians outside the banking system to be unserviceable and bring sanity to the banking system, doing so during campaigns can disrupt the campaigns by dividing their attention between the need to campaign and the important imperative of changing their money. Such disruption is not in the interest of the politics. I think the redesigning can wait until after the elections.

Insecurity is also another issue that may affect campaigns and elections of 2023. What is the way out in your opinion?

Insecurity did not start today but in 2009 when Boko Haram became violent. Yet there have been elections let alone the fact that the threats of insecurity have reduced very substantially recently.

What is your reaction to the terror alert in Abuja by the US government because some people are saying it is a fluke?

There is nothing exotic or quixotic about the America’s alerts on planned attacks by terrorists in Abuja. We all know terrorists are always planning to attack any part of the country, even when they have been driven underground, once they have the opportunity to do so. Nigeria is happy to share intelligence about insecurity with all countries, especially with America with its superior intelligence community, more so that terrorism transcends national boundaries.

What is disagreeable is the manner in which the alerts were given that caused undue panic among not only Nigerians but also among the embassy staff. For the mere fact that the terrorists have not attacked FCT does not mean the alerts were not informed. It may well be that the terrorists have decided to attack in some other time whenever the security apparatuses relax their watch.

Some Nigerians are expressing the fears that moneybags may determine the outcome or otherwise of the 2023 election. Do you also think in that direction?

Since the political parties have put very high prices on nomination forms, there has been the fear that plutocracy is being supplanted on our democracy. But given the increased awareness, I am pretty sanguine that Nigerians will make judicious use of their democratic right and ensure that votes count so that the ensuing leaders will be accountable.

What can you say of Governor Wike and the seemingly intractable PDP crisis?

Governor Wike has shown that PDP cannot rescue itself from self inflicted injuries. As a result, Nigerians doubt the party’s claims that it can rescue Nigeria.

Now that the Northern governors have affirmed that they want state police, are you still against state police?

I have said that a state police that lacks the adequate number, not well trained and equipped as well as sufficiently motivated cannot be the magic wand. Let the Nigerian police be sufficient in number, training and equipment as well as properly motivated to secure the nation. Apart from paucity of funds, state governors can abuse the state police in the manner they have used state electoral commissions and killed democracy at the level of local government. What is more, the state police can become part of the problems in those states that are diverse.

How will you rate the key presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections, looking at their strength and weaknesses?

I have said the votes in the South will be shared by presidential candidates in the South as a result of resolution by the 17 governors and their socio-cultural platforms that the president should come from the South in 2023.That is to say, largely between Bola Tinubu of APC and Peter Obi of Labour party. In the North, the 14 APC governors who ensured the emergence of Tinubu in the primaries will deliver him in the North. And when you add the fact that Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso defected from PDP, then you would know that PDP has lost some traction. I agree that Nigerian voters are mostly youth. This is because our life expectancy now hovers around 55 years. And if the youths decide to make judicious use of their democratic rights by ensuring that votes count so that the ensuing leaders can be accountable, they can shape our democracy and determine the direction of our democracy. And because the youth have no money, they are the ones who can prevent our democracy from becoming kleptocracy and plutocracy. But whether they have what it takes by way of conviction and determination to deliver Peter Obi in the presidential elections is doubtful. Doubtful because the Labour party which has fielded Peter Obi has not fielded candidates for elective posts such as for governorship, for the Senate, House of Reps and Houses of Assembly in so many states. This makes it difficult for the Labour Party to reach the nooks and crannies of the country with its campaigns, hence the challenges to Peter Obi’s aspirations.

Also there are palpable fear among some Nigerians that if Mr Peter Obi emerges as the victor, he may decide to play Gorbachev who presided over the collapse of the Soviet Union. All these issues will affect the prospect of Peter Obi to prevail in the coming presidential elections.

Yet one must admit that Peter Obi has managed to attract national attention needed for another day, since 2023 is never the final hour for Nigeria. Mr Bola Tinubu seems to be the man to beat because both him and his party, APC, do not have real challenges. Both Peter Obi of Labour Party and Kwankwaso of NNPP have defected from PDP, thereby reducing its traction. And when one considers that APC has 14 governors in the North and the injuries inflicted on PDP by Governor Wike and other four governors, then it is hard to avoid the conclusion that it is Bola Tinubu of APC who will prevail in the presidential elections next year and become the president.

The issue of kidnapping seems to have shifted to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, with travellers being kidnapped almost on daily basis. What is your advice to the authorities concerned with safety of lives and property?

We have said it over and over again that Nigeria can be likened to a big River being fed by tributaries. And anytime one or more of the tributaries is poisoned, the whole river becomes contaminated. Kidnapping and armed robbers never started in the North but when they reached there from the South. The whole North was engulfed like a wild fire. For kidnapping and armed robberies to concentrate on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, it should surprise no one. All that is required is for enough number of well-trained and equipped security personnel who are well motivated to dominate the expressway. Meanwhile spirited efforts should be made to diversify the economy in order to provide employment to our youths whose empowerment, opportunity and future have been stolen, and they feel cheated by the society.

The Federal Government said it has provided infrastructure in the country, but some are saying that good road infrastructure does not exist, especially in the southern part of the country. What do you have to say to this?

You are the only person I have heard saying that road infrastructure does not exist. You can as well say the second Niger Bridge, the Lagos Ibadan-Expressway and the Abuja Kano road do not exist.