Former Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on
Political Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, said those defecting from the Peoples
Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress lack focus, sincerity and
loyalty
Political Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, said those defecting from the Peoples
Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress lack focus, sincerity and
loyalty
What are
your thoughts on the mass exodus of members from the Peoples Democratic Party
to the All Progressives Congress?
your thoughts on the mass exodus of members from the Peoples Democratic Party
to the All Progressives Congress?
Those
people defecting from the PDP to the APC are not politicians but opportunists.
It is unbecoming for anybody, just after elections, to defect to any political
party. The political atmosphere in Nigeria is such that there is no ideology;
people should remain in their parties. In the PDP, there are people who have
defected to the APC and I wish them a safe trip. But we of the PDP stock who
are loyal and committed will stay back and rebuild our party to recapture power
in the nearest future.
people defecting from the PDP to the APC are not politicians but opportunists.
It is unbecoming for anybody, just after elections, to defect to any political
party. The political atmosphere in Nigeria is such that there is no ideology;
people should remain in their parties. In the PDP, there are people who have
defected to the APC and I wish them a safe trip. But we of the PDP stock who
are loyal and committed will stay back and rebuild our party to recapture power
in the nearest future.
What
effect has the mass defection had on your party?
effect has the mass defection had on your party?
For
those of us that believe in the party, I don’t think we are going to experience
any negative effect. It is an exodus without quality because those leaving have
no reason to do so. But since they have found flimsy excuses to leave, they
should go. However, you will soon find out that they will come back and when
they do, they will be screened and given conditions to be re-admitted into the
party.
those of us that believe in the party, I don’t think we are going to experience
any negative effect. It is an exodus without quality because those leaving have
no reason to do so. But since they have found flimsy excuses to leave, they
should go. However, you will soon find out that they will come back and when
they do, they will be screened and given conditions to be re-admitted into the
party.
Some
have projected that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the just-concluded
elections will cause Nigeria to devolve into a one-party state. Do you think
this is true?
have projected that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the just-concluded
elections will cause Nigeria to devolve into a one-party state. Do you think
this is true?
No, it
is not correct. I am telling you with all sense of responsibility that Nigeria
can never devolve into a one-party state. The PDP is going to be a vibrant
opposition party and our leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, will give us the
hope to be a vibrant opposition. We are going to rebuild this party under his
leadership and recapture power at the centre in 2019.
is not correct. I am telling you with all sense of responsibility that Nigeria
can never devolve into a one-party state. The PDP is going to be a vibrant
opposition party and our leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, will give us the
hope to be a vibrant opposition. We are going to rebuild this party under his
leadership and recapture power at the centre in 2019.
How is
your party planning to recapture power?
your party planning to recapture power?
We will
go back to the drawing board. We already know that those that have defected
from the PDP to the APC are politicians of fortune. They are opportunists. They
want to look for where they can be accommodated in government, instead of them
to stay back and rebuild their party to recapture power. It’s (about) service;
it is not what you get out of the system, but what you put into it. That is why
some people like us are staying back to rebuild the party around credible
people. We have to overhaul the party, analyse critically and then put the
round pegs in the round holes in order to move the party forward. We know that
more of the people remaining are going to leave the party. Even without telling
them to leave, they will leave. There are people that will be told to leave for
their misbehaviours and for the roles they played in the dismal outing of the
party. After that weeding out; the good ones will be left behind as good
seedlings for the new party to rejuvenate and recapture power in the nearest
future.
go back to the drawing board. We already know that those that have defected
from the PDP to the APC are politicians of fortune. They are opportunists. They
want to look for where they can be accommodated in government, instead of them
to stay back and rebuild their party to recapture power. It’s (about) service;
it is not what you get out of the system, but what you put into it. That is why
some people like us are staying back to rebuild the party around credible
people. We have to overhaul the party, analyse critically and then put the
round pegs in the round holes in order to move the party forward. We know that
more of the people remaining are going to leave the party. Even without telling
them to leave, they will leave. There are people that will be told to leave for
their misbehaviours and for the roles they played in the dismal outing of the
party. After that weeding out; the good ones will be left behind as good
seedlings for the new party to rejuvenate and recapture power in the nearest
future.
The
PDP, under its National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, recently claimed that the APC
had plans to destabilise it by planting moles in the party. Do you agree with
this notion?
PDP, under its National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, recently claimed that the APC
had plans to destabilise it by planting moles in the party. Do you agree with
this notion?
He
should tell us who the moles are, because there are a lot of people who believe
that he is the number one mole planted in the PDP to destroy it. If the belief
of the majority of the members of the PDP is anything to go by, you could say
that the party chairman was the number one culprit for the dismal outing of the
PDP. There is no party chairman of the PDP since 1998 that has led the party to
such a disastrous outing. As a result, the national chairman should consider
himself one of those that have to give way for the new party to come up. In
fact, he doesn’t need to be told to turn in his resignation.
should tell us who the moles are, because there are a lot of people who believe
that he is the number one mole planted in the PDP to destroy it. If the belief
of the majority of the members of the PDP is anything to go by, you could say
that the party chairman was the number one culprit for the dismal outing of the
PDP. There is no party chairman of the PDP since 1998 that has led the party to
such a disastrous outing. As a result, the national chairman should consider
himself one of those that have to give way for the new party to come up. In
fact, he doesn’t need to be told to turn in his resignation.
Are you
one of those who believe that he might have been a mole in the party?
one of those who believe that he might have been a mole in the party?
I would
say he did not have the party’s interest at heart from the time the party
started campaigns. His heart was not with Mr. President, because when the
President was inaugurating his campaign council, it was the national chairman
who came out publicly to say there were a lot of injustices in the party. And
the question was: Who caused these injustices?
say he did not have the party’s interest at heart from the time the party
started campaigns. His heart was not with Mr. President, because when the
President was inaugurating his campaign council, it was the national chairman
who came out publicly to say there were a lot of injustices in the party. And
the question was: Who caused these injustices?
He was
the national chairman; he had the authority to submit names to the Independent
National Electoral Commission for elections and he short-changed a lot of
people. Therefore, I will align with those calling for his resignation as a
result of this disastrous outing. Even in his home state, Bauchi, he could not
muster 25 per cent (of votes) for the party. Therefore, he doesn’t need to be
told that his time is up or that the PDP does not need him any longer if we
have to rebuild the party.
the national chairman; he had the authority to submit names to the Independent
National Electoral Commission for elections and he short-changed a lot of
people. Therefore, I will align with those calling for his resignation as a
result of this disastrous outing. Even in his home state, Bauchi, he could not
muster 25 per cent (of votes) for the party. Therefore, he doesn’t need to be
told that his time is up or that the PDP does not need him any longer if we
have to rebuild the party.
What do
you think was responsible for the defeat of your party’s governorship
candidate, Nuhu Ribadu, in Adamawa, your home state?
you think was responsible for the defeat of your party’s governorship
candidate, Nuhu Ribadu, in Adamawa, your home state?
Ribadu,
from day one, was not a known politician in Adamawa politics. He is part of the
impositions made by the national chairman that cost us a victory in Adamawa
State. It has been a PDP state right from 1999 and Ribadu was in the APC. The
national chairman just brought him from the opposition and gave him the ticket
the following day. How would you expect the people of Adamawa State to vote for
that kind of candidate? Those are some of the reasons why I am saying the
chairman needs to go and give way for the rebuilding of the party.
from day one, was not a known politician in Adamawa politics. He is part of the
impositions made by the national chairman that cost us a victory in Adamawa
State. It has been a PDP state right from 1999 and Ribadu was in the APC. The
national chairman just brought him from the opposition and gave him the ticket
the following day. How would you expect the people of Adamawa State to vote for
that kind of candidate? Those are some of the reasons why I am saying the
chairman needs to go and give way for the rebuilding of the party.
Do you
think politics of ideology is practised in Nigeria?
think politics of ideology is practised in Nigeria?
As far
as I am concerned, very few people practise politics of ideology in this
country. If you see what is happening in this country and analyse it
critically, you would come to the conclusion that there is no politics of
ideology. Those that have gone to the APC and those that came to the PDP
belonged to one political party or the other. If you study the evolution of
political parties in Nigeria since 1998, you will see that we had the Alliance
for Democracy, the All Peoples Party, the All Nigeria Peoples Party and the
PDP-those were the political parties that were registered. As we speak, it is
only the PDP that has maintained its name, colour and manifesto since 1998.
as I am concerned, very few people practise politics of ideology in this
country. If you see what is happening in this country and analyse it
critically, you would come to the conclusion that there is no politics of
ideology. Those that have gone to the APC and those that came to the PDP
belonged to one political party or the other. If you study the evolution of
political parties in Nigeria since 1998, you will see that we had the Alliance
for Democracy, the All Peoples Party, the All Nigeria Peoples Party and the
PDP-those were the political parties that were registered. As we speak, it is
only the PDP that has maintained its name, colour and manifesto since 1998.
All the
other political parties have merged, demerged and assumed several different
names or identities. The AD, for instance, became the Action Congress of
Nigeria. Then it was the ANPP, which became the Congress for Progressive Change
and now the APC, after a merger in 2013. People don’t really believe in
ideologies. There are a lot of strange bedfellows in each political party,
which is why we have problems.
other political parties have merged, demerged and assumed several different
names or identities. The AD, for instance, became the Action Congress of
Nigeria. Then it was the ANPP, which became the Congress for Progressive Change
and now the APC, after a merger in 2013. People don’t really believe in
ideologies. There are a lot of strange bedfellows in each political party,
which is why we have problems.
It is
only PDP that, one way or the other, has maintained its name, ideology and
manifesto. That is why I think very few people practise politics of ideology.
For instance, Bola Tinubu, (former Vice-President) Atiku Abubakar, Senator
Bukola Saraki, and (Rivers State Governor, Rotimi) Amaechi are all with Buhari
in the APC now. If you are talking about ideology or principles of politics,
you cannot say these people match. They are completely mismatched and it is
left to be seen how this romance will last. I am not a doomsayer, but I will
say this romance will not last long because the Buhari I know, from the days
when he was head of state up till when he was in the ANPP and later the CPC,
won’t match with the men he has around him, if he really wants to unleash
positive change.
only PDP that, one way or the other, has maintained its name, ideology and
manifesto. That is why I think very few people practise politics of ideology.
For instance, Bola Tinubu, (former Vice-President) Atiku Abubakar, Senator
Bukola Saraki, and (Rivers State Governor, Rotimi) Amaechi are all with Buhari
in the APC now. If you are talking about ideology or principles of politics,
you cannot say these people match. They are completely mismatched and it is
left to be seen how this romance will last. I am not a doomsayer, but I will
say this romance will not last long because the Buhari I know, from the days
when he was head of state up till when he was in the ANPP and later the CPC,
won’t match with the men he has around him, if he really wants to unleash
positive change.
Do you
have any regrets as President Goodluck Jonathan’s Senior Special Adviser on
Political Affairs?
have any regrets as President Goodluck Jonathan’s Senior Special Adviser on
Political Affairs?
I have
no regrets serving under President Jonathan. He is my hero, any time, any day.
In fact, he is the hero of Nigeria’s democracy and Africa’s democracy. As far
as I am concerned, given another opportunity, I would serve and continue to
serve under President Jonathan. He is a good man, a committed and loyal
Nigerian. He has put his life on the line to serve this country and he has
sacrificed a lot for this country. This country is indebted to him. People may
not know now, but in some years to come, they will say President Jonathan came
on the scene and put in his best for Nigeria.
no regrets serving under President Jonathan. He is my hero, any time, any day.
In fact, he is the hero of Nigeria’s democracy and Africa’s democracy. As far
as I am concerned, given another opportunity, I would serve and continue to
serve under President Jonathan. He is a good man, a committed and loyal
Nigerian. He has put his life on the line to serve this country and he has
sacrificed a lot for this country. This country is indebted to him. People may
not know now, but in some years to come, they will say President Jonathan came
on the scene and put in his best for Nigeria.
Do you
have any plans of contesting again for governorship in Adamawa?
have any plans of contesting again for governorship in Adamawa?
For the
time being, my concern is to build the party around credible people. My concern
is to rebuild the party around people who are sincere and committed to the
party; people who have the party at heart and have the larger picture of
organising a party to recapture power in the nearest future. It is not about me
contesting. It is about the party putting forward known candidates who are
credible and who have been there for quite some time; those who the people
want.
time being, my concern is to build the party around credible people. My concern
is to rebuild the party around people who are sincere and committed to the
party; people who have the party at heart and have the larger picture of
organising a party to recapture power in the nearest future. It is not about me
contesting. It is about the party putting forward known candidates who are
credible and who have been there for quite some time; those who the people
want.
What
conditions would push you to defect?
conditions would push you to defect?
I
cannot say that there are conditions that would make me to defect. If you have
followed my political trend, you would notice that I am a man who, in a feat of
anger, would not take a decision. I have served this country diligently and
sincerely. When I left office, I was approached repeatedly by the APC to join
them, but I refused to defect.
cannot say that there are conditions that would make me to defect. If you have
followed my political trend, you would notice that I am a man who, in a feat of
anger, would not take a decision. I have served this country diligently and
sincerely. When I left office, I was approached repeatedly by the APC to join
them, but I refused to defect.
I
contested for governorship (in Adamawa State) and I was short-changed during
the by-election, but I did not defect. I contested for the senatorial seat and
got the ticket but it was taken from me; I did not defect. Some of the things
that affect me personally will not make me to defect from the party.
contested for governorship (in Adamawa State) and I was short-changed during
the by-election, but I did not defect. I contested for the senatorial seat and
got the ticket but it was taken from me; I did not defect. Some of the things
that affect me personally will not make me to defect from the party.
