Musa: It will Be a Disservice to APC, If its National Chairman is Handpicked

 The Chairman of Senate Services Committee, who is also representing Niger East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Sani Musa, is an aspirant for the position of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the party’s convention slated for March 26.  The senator, in this interview with Deji Elumoye and  Sunday Aborisade, explains why he wants to lead the party, his chances and programmes if elected. He also gives a hint on how the party could achieve a rancour-free convention among other issues. Excerpts:

Why do you want to be the national chairman of the ruling APC?

I have had cause to answer this question so many times. I want to be the national chairman of the APC so as to give the party a new voice and a new direction in the way and manner its activities are being run. APC came as a result of the amalgamation of other parties and groups with different ideologies. When they came together we believe that we could absolutely work together and make the party to be a political party that would institutionalise our democratic tenets which includes making sure that internal democracy, and rule of law are upheld. It is also to make sure that our manifesto has an ideology and a platform where youths would be groomed, a platform where research and strategy would be adopted in terms of creating policies for government. 

Currently the governors and president of the country are the leaders of the party because they are the sponsors. Will the arrangement continue when you become the national chairman of the APC?

No! The current arrangement will not continue if I emerge as the Chairman. I will make the party to become an institution whereby it is would be run by its rules, and constitution; it would be operational based on certain processes. The processes are actually defined in the constitution. The issue of whether somebody would have a domineering presence in the party would not happen because every organ of the party would have its right place to operate. Once that is done, it is good. Sometimes, political parties find it difficult to operate independently because of the funding issue. When moneybags are allowed to fund the party, they will dictate the tune.  This is because he that pays the piper calls the tune. What I am saying is that every APC member must be a financial subscriber to the party. It is there in the constitution. Once you become a financial subscriber, you are expected to pay a token as a fee. It could be N100, N1,000 or even  N10,000 depending on what the constitution prescribes. It is compulsory that every member must pay. 

Do you think the March 26 date fixed for the national convention of the APC is feasible based on the arrangements put in place so far?

There is nothing that is impossible in politics. March 26 is a date with history and I am very sure it is feasible. The leadership of the party operating under the aegis of CECPC has risen to the occasion and they would do everything possible to conduct a successful convention.

Who is actually in charge of the party now?  Is it the CECPC or the newly inaugurated Governor Musa Bello-led National Convention Committee?

The CECPC is in charge. Governor Bello is a member of the CECPC. When the Chairman of the CECPC, Governor Mai Mala Buni was travelling on medical grounds, he transmitted and delegated powers to somebody to act in his absence. There is nothing wrong in that.

There is already a court order stopping the convention from being held on March 26. Do you still think that the exercise will still be conducted?

Politics is always like that. There would always be some people who would be aggrieved because of one reason or the other and they would go to court and obtain injunctions. The leaders of the party would also go to court  to vacate the orders. It will be vacated any moment from now. Nothing will stop the convention. They will appeal to the judiciary for an accelerated hearing.

There are rumours that President Muhammadu Buhari has anointed Senator Adamu Abdullahi as his choice for the position of the national chairman of APC that you are also contesting. Are you sure that there will be a level- playing ground at the end of the day?

I am not afraid at all because APC is a democratic party. Mr. President has debunked the rumour by saying it clearly that he has not anointed anybody. It will be a kind of disservice to the party to assume that somebody is handpicked as its chairman. There are three ways that we can elect leaders in our party. We can do it by direct, indirect or by a consensus arrangement. If we think any of the systems would make the party stronger, we would go with it. I can categorically tell you that nobody has been endorsed or anointed among the aspirants.

Which of the political blocs within the APC do you belong to? Are you the candidate of the progressives governors, Bola Tinubu or that of the appointees of Mr. President?

I belong to APC. I belong to APC. I strongly believe that Asiwaju is in APC, the same way the governors and the political appointees are also in the party. Sani Musa is also in APC.

Are you sure that the level of reconciliation achieved so far by the party following the crisis that rocked it as a result of the congresses could guarantee a successful convention?

I am not aware of any crisis in the APC now. The reconciliatory committee set up to resolve the crisis at the state levels after the congresses had submitted its report. I think a lot of people are waiting to see what the report looks like. If the report is made public, we would be able to know how all the problems had been resolved. I cannot say now categorically that the crisis at some states chapters of the party had been resolved. 

So far, the other aspirants are serving senators from the North-central geopolitical zone. How cordial is your relationship with them?

We have cordial relationship. I respect those that are older than me and I also reciprocate the same gesture of respect to those that I am ahead of in terms of age. I respect those that are my seniors. I will seize this opportunity to call on those that have been in this system to give those that are new, a trial, so that we will come up with fresh ideas. At 57 years old, I should be able to steer the ship of APC and put it on the pedestal of success and of winning elections.

Part of the reasons given by those claiming the president has anointed a candidate is that the man has the ability to shun any form of control from any section of the party. What assurance do we have that you would not be controlled by some people if you become the party chairman?

The issue of anybody controlling me does not even arise. When you are talking of leadership, there is no issue of control because whatever I am going to do as the national chairman of APC, will be based on guidelines, laid-down rules and those things that are allowed constitutionally to be done. I cannot do anything contrary to that. In politics, there is room for give and take. There are certain conventions and treaties that are not in the constitution but if they would give us an advantage, we would go by it. 

You promised in your manifesto that women and youths would play a pivotal role in your administration as national chairman of APC whereas bills meant to empower women constitutionally in that regard were thrown out by your colleagues. How are you going to achieve that now?

As an individual, what I believe in is that if you want a legislation, you need quite a lot of homework. There must be quite a lot of lobbying. It is allowed. You need to convince the people to agree with you about what you are bringing up. I may develop interest in a law of another country and want to replicate it here in Nigeria. However, in doing so, it has to be in tandem with our own domestic environment. It must tally with our culture, religion and system acceptable in my environment. Once it tallies, it will be accepted. Every responsible man has a wife at home and have daughters. It is not about being bias. It is just that bills must be properly articulated before they are presented to the National Assembly to be in tandem with our environmental setup.

Are there hopes that the bills would still be considered? 

Hopes are not lost. We would assist the women to see how we can help them to bring back the bills. Constitution amendment is a continuous exercise and if doesn’t fly now, it will definitely fly another time. 

What are your specific agenda for women and youths?

I am fully aware of the challenges facing women and youths in Nigeria today, and the series of hurdles they have to cross in order to be heard and be given the opportunity to tap their potential.

Our agenda for women and youths as a party will be within the confines of the party’s formulated policies that will be proposed to the executive arm of government. 

As the head of the party leadership or the National Working Committee (NWC), it is imperative on us to think outside the box and compliment government’s existing effort in the emancipation of women and youths in our society. 

Political parties are essential institutions of democracy and as such, I will be adaptive and committed to building capacity amongst our women and youths folks and we shall make it a policy of the party. 

Human capital development will be giving the most needed priority based on a model similar to the one implemented by the Best Practices Institute (BPI).

Under my leadership, APC will work to deliver training to volunteers, party leaders and staff, women and youth organisations, candidates and campaign staff, constituency caucus members, community stakeholders and leaders, and in so doing, our operational foundations will become more solid.