In this interview with New Telegraph, Asari who is speaking for the first time since the exit of Jonathan administration, bares his mind on Buhari’s government so far.
Is there any government in Nigeria today? It is a government of deceits. They make promises all based on deceits. When they were campaigning to come to power, they promised that they will, on assumption of office commence free education from primary to secondary schools; they will be feeding primary school children with one meal per day.
The billboards were everywhere. They promised that they will pay Nigerians who has no employment a certain sum of money every month; they will bring the naira to par with the dollar. Today the naira is on a free fall. But they continue to deceive the people. A government that said they are fighting corruption, but they have Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State who squandered billions of naira.
How about other people? How can fighting corruption be selective? I am a Muslim. Our prophet said, ”No society will be good, there will be no justice in any society if laws are made for one set of people as against another. How can you say you want to start with Jonathan’s government when we have the Halliburton scandal that is known to everybody? We have so much money spent on power by the previous governments. We even have $2.8 billion missing since 1978;you are not going to try all that. You want to be vindictive.
They said they have made improvement on power without a minister of power. They were busy sabotaging Goodluck Jonathan when he was in office. Their people were busy sabotaging him. Where power will be, they would go and cut off the cables so there won’t be electricity; they would be in the office and switch off the power and do all sorts of things.
Power is improving where? Refineries are working when you don’t have a petroleum minister? When everything is in chaos! You cannot continue to deceive the people and think that deceit will continue. They promised to crush Boko Haram with a wave of hand. Yet Boko Haram is killing an average of 50 people per day since they came. They have been suppressing the news. Look at a known ISIS boss getting Nigerian visa.
They think these are things they can just wish away, and people won’t ask questions. It is very wrong when you accuse people of what you truly are, you appoint your niece as an INEC chairman, appointed your cousin as director of DSS and took your child as member of a national delegation to the US. But a people deserve the leader they have. We desired a government of lies and propaganda.
-Asari
THE FULL INTERVIEW:
What is the situation with your face off with the federal government on the oil pipeline contract?
Companies in which we are directors were awarded contracts by NNPC to protect PPMC and Nigerian Gas pipeline for three months. We executed the contracts. There were no complaints as far as I know, about the company in which I am a director. I think that also applies to other companies that were awarded the same contract. At the end of the contract, after the three months, the government have not paid our companies for job done till today. And we have a right to seek legal redress.
When was this contract awarded, what were the terms and what is the situation now?
It was awarded in March 2015 till June 2015. We completed the three months. After that, the contract was not renewed. The government was supposed to have paid so that we can go, under the terms of the contract.
Recently there was an attempt by Niger Delta youths to meet at Yenagoa, which was eventually foiled by security operatives. What was it meant to achieve?
I am not aware of any particular meeting by Niger Delta youths that was botched, because I know that Niger Delta leaders call for meetings almost on daily basis and review the prevalent situation now. What I heard was that a group called MEND wanted to host a meeting of excommanders, which took the federal government’s so called amnesty offer, and they were not paid since the inception of this government. So they decided to hold a meeting. Some other people under MEND came out to oppose the meeting. That is what I heard. I did not take amnesty, I am not a criminal, so nobody offered me amnesty. There is nothing like amnesty. I did not take it when the late Yar’Adua offered them the deal. So I am not part of it and do not know anything about it.
What is your assessment of the new government?
Is there any government in Nigeria today? It is a government of deceits. They make promises all based on deceits. When they were campaigning to come to power, they promised that they will, on assumption of office commence free education from primary to secondary schools; they will be feeding primary school children with one meal per day.
The billboards were everywhere. They promised that they will pay Nigerians who has no employment a certain sum of money every month; they will bring the naira to par with the dollar. Today the naira is on a free fall. But they continue to deceive the people. A government that said they are fighting corruption, but they have Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State who squandered billions of naira.
How about other people? How can fighting corruption be selective? I am a Muslim. Our prophet said, ”No society will be good, there will be no justice in any society if laws are made for one set of people as against another. How can you say you want to start with Jonathan’s government when we have the Halliburton scandal that is known to everybody? We have so much money spent on power by the previous governments. We even have $2.8 billion missing since 1978;you are not going to try all that. You want to be vindictive.
They said they have made improvement on power without a minister of power. They were busy sabotaging Goodluck Jonathan when he was in office. Their people were busy sabotaging him. Where power will be, they would go and cut off the cables so there won’t be electricity; they would be in the office and switch off the power and do all sorts of things.
Power is improving where? Refineries are working when you don’t have a petroleum minister? When everything is in chaos! You cannot continue to deceive the people and think that deceit will continue. They promised to crush Boko Haram with a wave of hand. Yet Boko Haram is killing an average of 50 people per day since they came. They have been suppressing the news. Look at a known ISIS boss getting Nigerian visa.
They think these are things they can just wish away, and people won’t ask questions. It is very wrong when you accuse people of what you truly are, you appoint your niece as an INEC chairman, appointed your cousin as director of DSS and took your child as member of a national delegation to the US. But a people deserve the leader they have. We desired a government of lies and propaganda.
If you are opposed to amnesty, how do you want the ex-militants to be compensated?
It is very easy. The people who own the land also own the resources under it and the people have a right to it. It won’t be Asari Dokubo’s decision. When the time comes the people will decide.
With Dr. Goodluck Jonathan out of power, we have been witnessing defection of Ijaws to All Progressives Congress. What do you make of this development?
Well there is freedom of association. People are free to move to anywhere they want. But it is very, very unfortunate, because whatever people say about Jonathan, he was very good to our people. He ran a government where the minister of finance was from the Niger Delta, minister of works from the South-South, so also that of petroleum; and so many others.
Let us see what Buhari has to offer, because he has to offer something better before we decide whether Buhari is better than Jonathan. So far he has not offered anything. For me, people are moving because of their stomach. Some of us are used to hunger, but our integrity matters, which is what we have chosen for ourselves.
How do you think unemployment in the Niger Delta can be tackled so the youth do not become a willing tool for politicians?
Youths of Niger Delta must embrace the dignity of labour. They must work to earn a decent living. I am the son of Melford Goodhead. I was born into a middle class family and my forebears were rich people. I am an Amachree; I am a Harry, and these were people who were described as prominently rich people in their time. So whatever suffering I go through today, I chose it by myself. Every young man must have a dream and follow it with integrity and sincerity of purpose. My siblings didn’t go through what I have subjected myself to.
I had the best of opportunities, yet I use my head and my hands. You can’t sit at home and expect that every month N65,000 will be paid to you in the name of amnesty. From the beginning I have been saying that this project will destroy our knack for earning a living.
That is not what an Ijaw man is known for. Let us narrow it to Ijaws because I am not an authority on other nationalities that make up the proud people of Niger Delta. The Ijaw man paddles his canoes miles into the river to throw hooks, nest and set trap for fishes.
He goes by night, whether rain or not. He calculates the tides on the river to know when fishes will be available. And he goes and gets the fishes, brings them on shore, goes to the forest and hew down trees with which he smokes them. He paddles to markets in Igbo land, Ibibio land and everywhere he could to make sales.
He also brews salts from the salty water and travels and deliver it in return for farm produce as most of his land is not good for farming. Yet there has never been an outbreak of kwashiorkor or malnutrition in Ijaw land. Our people are primarily fishermen; and in the river you have crocodiles, hippopotamus, sharks and big snakes.
The Ijaw man braves all these and survives in this harsh land where you also travel miles before you can get drinkable water. This is the hardship and pain in which the Ijaw man grew up and became strong and proud of himself. Not somebody somewhere in Katsina coming to hand over to him, N65,000 of his money that comes from the resources of his land. We have been saying this, it is wrong, let us work.
But there are no employment opportunities, just as rivers have been polluted with oil spills that have thrown the people out of their natural occupation?
It is our choice to have allowed ourselves to be used in that way. It is our choice to have allowed oil pollution to be ravaging and destroying our land. If we say we don’t want it, it will cease. So, it is not by moving over to APC and rewarding the people who stole the mandate of our brother as the elections were glaringly rigged.
When an educational disadvantaged state like Kano will turn up with millions of votes and no void; and all of a sudden the INEC chairman in that state died with his family and residence burnt? Yet, nobody is asking questions. What kind of conspiracy is that? There is work for Niger Delta youths, I work, and I don’t need government work. I am 51 years old. I do not depend on oil subsidy to survive. I don’t have oil block either, even when it is my right to have all these. So, without all these I survived, which goes to show that I have worked and I am still working.
What are your views about the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa?
I believe that Seriake Dickson has done well. I say this because all the characters, both those crossing or not, are known to me and are my friends. But we are talking about the dignity of the Ijaw man. The Ijaw man cannot reward treachery. Our brother Goodluck Jonathan was there and we knew what we had. If it doesn’t reach Dokubo today, it doesn’t mean that because Kingsley Kuku is there I should complain; that tomorrow when Dokubo is there, then Kingsley Kuku should be complaining. It is selfishness and greed. It is as simple as that.
Dickson has left an indelible mark that cannot be wished away. All these noise is about this new found laziness of our people that I have been talking about. It has led to the destruction of our cherished values. Our intrinsic value that makes us proud Ijaw people is hard work.
When this issue of N65,000 cropped up and people were accepting it, they questioned why would Dokubo oppose it? It is because we saw beyond today, and the damage the N65,000 has done is becoming manifest as things have fallen apart and the centre can no longer hold, which is what they set out to achieve. That was what some of us saw and screamed about the dangers inherent. We insisted that we should go on working as we have always done until we gain the desired freedom.
They shunned it, saying, ”Dokubo you have rich relations”. And I asked how many people my rich relation will give money to if I have. They claimed I don’t care because of my pedigree. I asked them I don’t care and I’m a mechanic? It is about our values. When people think only of themselves instead of the collective good of the people, then they have a problem. I don’t think we will have any problem in Bayelsa State elections. We are all Ijaw people. Whether you are in any party, you are an Ijaw man. But I think people should look beyond the euphoria of today.
General Muhammadu Buhari has made 47 appointments, and the only appointment given to an Ijaw man is amnesty coordinator. And an acting Customs comptroller-general that is duly earned as it is not a perpetual right of a certain section of the country to hold that office. Goodluck Jonathan, anywhere he is will be regretting now, because we advised him and he didn’t listen. He is in his 50s like I am. But when people get to power they think that the proceeds of victory belong to them alone.
Could you be specific with regard to the advice?
He was advised to remove Jega because Jega was tainted and he refused. Now impunity has been enthroned. Somebody will enthrone his niece as INEC chairman? How do you contest with such a person? We advised him, people demonstrated in Igbo land, Yoruba land and even Abuja.
He was warned that this man was not going to be fair to you with his card reader summersaults. Jega kept saying, ”we are ready” until the day of elections as even the president could not be accredited. Then midway into the exercise card readers were jettisoned. And the president could not stop the charade? Who was he afraid of? Now all of us are suffering it.
There are reports that suggest that wives and children of late Niger Delta militants have been abandoned to their fate. Why is that so?
I am not part of the amnesty deal, and that issue about the abandonment is a bloody lie. The revolt against the Nigerian state was an Ijaw project, and mainly executed by Ijaw people. And I know that the number of people paraded as those that took amnesty does not reflect the number of those who took part in that revolt, because a lot of people didn’t partake. The whole of Niger Delta people volunteered, but majority did not partake. There are so many active participants in the struggle for a better life for our people that did not go for the amnesty handouts.
They are still out there earning a living as boat makers, fishermen, bus drivers and much more. Security people know them, they never went for amnesty. Most of them hated the word amnesty, and were not ready to be associated with it. When the heat was on, majority of them, apart from Tompolo and a few others, did you hear of all these generals? They came from the blues in connivance with the military. They claimed to have dropped guns and all what not. Everybody knew that the battle was almost won.
And it was because of (former Bayelsa State governor Diepriye) Alamieyeseigha and I that it blew into the open. That was when we went on detention. When I came back, I can’t go and tell my people to stop fighting for what is their right. All I said was, ”Hello, Jonathan is there, let us support him”.
There was a disagreement as some people questioned what he was bringing on the table. That was same way some of us refused when the amnesty was brought. I didn’t accept it and I was chased out of this country by late President Yar’Adua. I went into exile for 11 months. I only returned a month before Yar’Adua’s death.
Who really is Asari Dokubo?
I was born to Justice Melford Dokubo Goodhead as Melford Dokubo Jr. I lived a normal life. I was raised by a Christian family. I was baptized in the Deeper Life Christian Ministry in 1981. I was a Baptist before then. I became a Muslim on September 17, 1988. I am married with 20 children and I live with 218 children in my house. I have schools. My business is education. I want to continue giving the best to the people around me. I have never been convicted for any crime in any part of the world for 51 years.
