Jonathan should purge himself of corruption — Tofa - PUNCH

September 29, 2013 by Goddy Ofulue

Bashir Tofa

Former presidential flagbearer of the defunct National Republican Convention, Bashir Tofa, in this online interview with GODDY OFULUE, talks on personal and national issues, including his involvement in politics

Since the premature collapse of the Third Republic, not much has been heard from you in terms of politics. To what extent have you been involved in politics and governance since then?   

First, I was a founding member of the All People’s Party, and I’ve played very active role in its development. I was also a member of its National Executive Committee, Board of Trustees; and was the Chairman, Elders Committee in Kano; Chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee, Chairman of the Mergers and Alliances Committee and a member of its National Caucus Committee. I resigned from all these positions after the 2011 elections to allow some people rise up.

You may also check the records or ask around, I was the person who, after the 2007 elections, initiated this merger talks with the Action Congress of Nigeria, including Mr. Dan’s(Nwanyanwu) Labour Party, Chekwas Okorie’s All Progressives Grand Alliance, Senator Akinfenwa’s Alliance for Democracy and others. All of them are wonderful people. I also resigned this position just before the current initiative; again to allow others to go up. I am not the sort of person who likes to hold on to a position as though there is no one else. I am still an ardent supporter of the APC, and I give advice whenever asked, or on the pages of newspapers, or when personally discussing the way forward for the All Progressives Congressives with some of its state and national leaders. But, as governance is concerned, I am not involved with any government at state or at the national position; either as a member of them or a contractor for them. I only offer advice and prayers whenever called upon to do so.

Your measured participation in politics seems to justify the claim by observers that you were not really interested in politics but was only used by the Babangida regime to make Nigerians believe he (Babangida) was committed to handing over to civilians.

You are totally ignorant about my political history. I started politics as a Nigerian student in the UK in the 70s. When I returned home from my studies, I was appointed a councillor of the Dawakin-Tofa local governmnent, from where I contested and won the election into the 1977-79 Constituent Assembly. I was, as young as I was then, a founding member of the National Party of Nigeria, and was its first State Secretary in Kano. In 1980, I contested and won the post of the National Financial Secretary. After the 1983 coup d’état, when political activities resumed, I started a political organisation that was named The Liberals. Later, it merged with the New Movement and became, The Liberal New Movement, which later again merged with some others and became The Liberal Convention, which formed more than 70 per cent of the National Republican Convention, under which platform I later became the presidential candidate.

Of course, Gen. IBB was a close personal friend and a brother to me. He still is. Alhaji Moshood Abiola (may his soul continue to rest in perfect peace) was a wonderful friend. I do not know how he became the candidate of the Social Democratic Party; but I was completely entrenched in the LC and NRC system. With or without IBB, my political future was on track. I did not need any one outside it to push it for me.

I can assure you that I had enough support of my own; but every little bit helps. I am sure IBB had helped in his own way, just as so many had helped.

Do you have any regrets for not being active player in today’s politics.

This does not arise. I have been reasonably active. I even attempted to contest the presidential primaries in 2007, but withdrew for General Buhari. In 2010, I lost because I refused to give the delegates a kobo of my hard-earned money. I contested to demonstrate that the All Nigeria Peoples Party and the delegates were not serious about winning or making a serious mark in the 2011 election, but were only after the aspirants money. You know what happened, I was proved right.

But  what really was your intention or mission as the flag bearer of the National Republican Convention?

My intention was, and still is, to prove that Nigeria can work and can be great, with all its peoples living in peace with one another, being one another’s keepers; in prosperity and self satisfaction. Nigeria needs an able and sincere leader with a vision and a courage to see the vision through. Had circumstances allowed me the opportunity at that time, Nigeria would certainly not be what is now. We will be in the ranks of the Tigers, may be even higher.

With your experience in the June 12 election, would you support the call for a two-party system?

You should remember that the two parties that contested the June 12 election, that is, the NRC and the SDP, were imposed. Four parties qualified, including our Liberal Convention, but all were denied, and we were forced to move into the two invented by the IBB Military Council. Personally, I believe two parties only will not be sufficient to accommodate the various views of the Nigerian people. Even in the US, there are small parties.One day, circumstances will favour them. The same thing in the UK and most countries. I would therefore suggest that it suits Nigeria better if we have up to five parties of various philosophies and strengths.

Many believe Abiola won that election; would you agree with them?

The answer to this question by me or anyone else will just be guess work. It is like saying any one of us has lost the election. Those who choose to be doing that may go on doing it for their own agenda. My position is we need to move on and face the future, after learning our lessons. Nigeria of the future is what we need to build through honest leadership with a vision, elected properly through a very transparent election. That will be the day when the electorate will also begin to trust their politicians.

Some have said they knew the June 12 election would be annulled before IBB did it. Did you also think it was going to be annulled or did you actually think the military was ready to hand over to civilians?

You should direct this question to those who said they knew; or even to IBB himself. As for me, I neither knew of, nor partook in anything sinister.

You were recently reported as saying you don’t like talking about the June 12 election because you don’t like talking about fiction. Many believe June 12 has remained a significant part of Nigeria’s political history and is still relevant to current situations in our democracy. How true is this?

People can believe what they like. That is their business. I have heard lies and selfish statements thrown all over the place. It is the trade of some people and you cannot stop them. Those of us who want to invest in the future should close their ears and go on to do that.

Recently, you expressed worry over the political crises in Rivers and other states and you warned President Jonathan. Would you agree that politics has become dirtier, compared with that of the Third Republic?

I was, and I am still worried about what is happening in Rivers and other states. Many of the political leaders we have now are very myopic, sycophantic and corrupt. President Jonathan is a good man, but he is being advised by bad people around him. He needs to be brave, and surround himself with strong, honest and intelligent people, who have made a positive mark in the affairs of our country. That will be better for him and, of course, for this country. The problem with some leaders is that they do not want these kind of quality advisers around them, because they believe that control is the essence of leadership. But that is not true. A good leader is one that inspires confidence in the people he leaders, and listens to good advice and makes his decisions based on them and his conscience. He protects his stature and image, even his security by his integrity and sense of fairness to all the people. A leader, who is feared but not loved; or who is followed because he is stupid and easy to manipulate, or because he turns his head away from corruption and impunity; or who is afraid to direct or take responsibility, is not the leader we want in this country.

Nigerians will now have to search for the leader they need, not the junk thrown at them by the political parties. I know that only political parties should field candidates, but good people who love this country and wish it to move forward, should get together and look for who they should support and suggest them to the political parties. Or, may be, we should amend the constitution to allow independent candidates, who these good people would organise around and help him win the elections in the best interest of all and in the sincere service to this country. I do not know whether it is too late for this to happen in respect of the 2015 elections. But, we hope and pray that Nigeria is forever.

As a prominent politician from the North, what is your opinion regarding the North’s quest for the presidency in 2015? Do you think the North can get a consensus candidate that can defeat President Goodluck Jonathan, in case he runs for a second term?

Although I am a northerner and I truly believe that a united North can be a positive force for this country, I also advocate that what Nigeria needs is not a sectional, regional or zonal president. Nigeria needs a true Nigerian President who will serve in the interest of all Nigerians. These northern and southern presidencies have dragged this country backward in terms of our national unity and progress. It has reduced the image of the presidency as one of a section or region or zone. The more we keep talking and advocating this sectional presidency, the more we polarise this country and move ourselves toward a tragic end. I am sure many thinking people will agree that ordinary Nigerian people care more about their daily lives and relationships with their fellow Nigerians, in the markets, in the work places , in the churches and mosques etc. It is the elite, who are in absolute minority, that are causing all the problems. And, when you dig a little deeper, most of them do it for what they personally stand to gain.

Of the northerners showing interest in the presidency, such as Muhammadu Buhari, Atiku Abubakar, Governor Babangida Aliyu, Governor Sule Lamido etc, do you think any of them has what it takes to lead the country better than President Jonathan has done so far?        

It will be unrealistic to make that judgment. Each of them, and others not mentioned, have their qualities and their faults. The delegates at their parties convention will have to sort them out first. And the electorate will then do their job. But, as I have said earlier, we need some good people to get together and define for us the qualities we should look for when searching for true    leaders;  go out and search for these leaders, sort them out and come up with a suggestion for the Nigerian people. The project could be called, ‘In search of leadership’. The people you have mentioned have all been tested in their states and in the previous occupation of high offices. Only one is from a different political party. The others will have to compete among themselves at their convention.

You talked about a trend of impunity emanating from the Presidency, which is manifesting in Rivers State. Can you expatiate on that, especially the danger it poses to democracy in the country?

I have discussed this issue several times. One thing may lead to another, and we must do whatever we can to ensure that what has been happening in Rivers and the NGF is carefully managed and not allowed to happen again. I also call on Mr. President to be above these little matters. He is the President, and he should be able to bring people to his side with good leadership.

Can you assess President Jonathan’s performance, especially in terms of the security challenges in the North?

Let me say, straightaway, I cannot think of a leader of people who would wish or encourage insecurity in any part of his territory. Mistakes may have been made, not by the President, but by the people he assigned the job to. In this case, it  is expected of him to continuously review the situation and appraise current strategies. In doing this, he must call for the expertise of many people and institutions, even from some friendly countries to help. Poverty, unemployment, frustration and ills like that may be the root of the insecurity we suffer. The North is not the only place in this country where these ills are prevalent, even though it is where it caught fire first. So, we must be careful. Again, if Boko Haram is the problem of only the North, other areas have their problems too. But, I dare say that the bottom line is poverty, unemployment and frustration. We must examine our country well and do whatever it takes to correct these matters and bring hope to those who are losing out, who constitute the vast majority. The mother of all evil in our country is corruption without limit and the impunity we see every day.  The best campaign the President should start with, and which can endear him to even some of those who despise him, is to purge himself first, and mount a serious campaign against corruption. He must also save himself and escape from that cocoon of sectionalism which some people have pushed him into. He must come out in the two years that is left and demonstrate that he is a President for all Nigerians. He must dismiss all his current cabinet members and appoint new ones with record of integrity and selfless service to this country. He must tell his wife to control herself and be the lady she should be, not the trouble maker she is viewed to be now.

To what extent has the Boko Haram menace affected your home state, Kano State, which is a commercial hub and what else do you think the Federal Government can do to end the violence?

We should be concerned if any part of our country is in trouble. The problems we have now is that many people see themselves as just members or citizens or indigenes of a state. Whatever affects Kano or Borno or Enugu or Oyo or Rivers, must be seen to affect us all. If we continue to see ourselves as different from the whole, then we will never be able to effectively be fair to one another. And, that is the mistake a President must never make.

Our experiences have shown that what is happening in some states of the North, like the Boko Haram matter, is affecting almost all the parts of country. Similarly, what is happening in the Niger Delta. Some will recall how the troubles in Western Nigeria almost toppled this country some forty years ago. We have seen how a coup d’état degenerated into a civil war. All these because they were presumed to be hatched by some ethnic nationalities, and not by Nigerians.

As a businessman, how has Nigeria’s business environment fared under President Jonathan?

My huge furniture factory with more than 50 pieces of equipment, that use to employ many Nigerians and some expatriates had to close a couple of years ago. We could not get contracts from government, because I do not even know how to negotiate an inflated contract. I warned my children not to indulge in corruption when looking for contract. Again, we could not compete with the road side furniture makers because it is that kind of quality most Nigerians can afford. Then there is also the problem of electricity, and we could not bear the expense of buying all that diesel everyday and servicing the generators. It was too much of a problem. So, I closed it down. Many factories in Kano and around the country cannot cope with the competition with imported goods. World Trade Organisation has rendered many of our factories redundant, and we need to seriously look into this menace. The Chinese, the Indians and others will take over our markets in the next few years if we are not careful. We certainly need to save ourselves; or else we will find to our utter dismay that our own factories and shops have given way to those of foreigners – all in the name open markets.