PDP full of expired politicians — Ikimi

In this interview with OLUSOLA FABIYI, Mr. Tom Ikimi, speaks on the preparation of the All Progressives Congress for the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State. He also responds to the tagging of members of the APC as expired politicians by President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Dr. Doyin Okupe

How would you react to the registration of the APC despite the anxiety created before its registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission?

I was overwhelmed with joy and satisfaction at this crucial outcome after several attempts to unify the opposition in Nigeria over the years. To me, the news brought a great feeling of personal accomplishment as I had for several years looked forward to a scenario where there will be two dominant political parties in Nigeria as it is the case in most civilised democracies. Remember it was like that in the country in 1990 to 1993 when I was privileged to play a pioneering role as the national chairman of the National Republican Convention, which was one of the parties then.

What is the lesson in that?

Yes, I recall the very healthy political contests that took place between the NRC and the Social Democratic Party in those days such that there were hardly any court cases at the end of elections. Although that period of our political history was short lived, most political observers are unanimous in their assessment that the period witnessed the best democratic political experience of party politics in the nation so far.

How would you describe the last 14 years of democratic rule in Nigeria?

Over the past 14 years, the nation has been subjected to a regime of impunity led by a virtual dictatorship that has made no apology in steering the country towards a one-party state. The nation has been inundated with embarrassing proclamations by the Peoples Democratic Party such as they will rule Nigeria for the next 100 years. Political power is no longer derived through a contest based on civilised dialogue, presentation of ideas and manifesto or through the outcome of the ballot box. It is now through a do-or-die assault waged by a cabal of garrison commanders who crudely and arrogantly brandish a force to capture territories that dare to disagree with them.

You seem to be angry.

Even more frightening is the recent case of an election involving critical leaders in the country. The election was free, fair and the process was transparent. There was a clear winner but the loser is being proclaimed the winner by a so-called powerful cabal. I have followed with extreme sadness the stunning accounts emerging from a southern state (Rivers State) where five members in a 32-member state House of Assembly purported to have removed their speaker against the will of 27 other members. This was most undemocratic and a reckless display of arrogant power in an atmosphere of lawlessness perpetrated in the presence of security agencies.

But don’t you agree that corruption has reduced in the country?

The past 14 years has witnessed an incredulous level of corruption which has negatively compromised the state of our country in the worst possible way imaginable. This has affected all sectors in the country. In spite of the huge resources claimed to have been employed, virtually all national infrastructure and the health sector have descended into a sorry state. Now, 30 per cent of our daily produce of crude oil is being officially stolen. The nation’s economy has been mortgaged to foreign financial institutions. This situation has brought the country to her knees.

With the registration of your party, what type of contest should we expect?

We look forward to interesting time ahead. We look forward to a healthy political engagement between two national political parties that present alternative choices to our people. Peaceful change of power is a wind that is blowing across the globe and all over Africa now.

You must be glad that INEC refused to bend towards those saying that your party must not be registered.

We must commend the commission for its welcome burst of courage to ignore the machinations of our opponents. We are happy that INEC did the right thing by meeting the overwhelming desire of Nigerians to register the APC. The task ahead before the commission is still enormous. They have to deliver free and fair general elections in 2015. We must move now away permanently from the aberration of 2007 elections.

The commission also said your party is free to contest the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State?

It is a great development for the APC that we can now contest the Anambra State governorship election. It is both a test case for the new party and a test case for INEC. The commission must show through the election that they are ready for the 2015 general elections. And APC, now popular and welcome, would be contesting the election with so much goodwill. We are looking forward to a free and fair election. If there is a free and fair contest in Anambra, I can give you a guarantee that the APC will win the election.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, described some of you in the APC as expired politicians. How do you react to this? He also said that the majority of your members were in the PDP before.

Water has indeed found its own level. He was my former publicity secretary in the SDP and I can tell you that I have an excellent relationship with him. I speak with him on the telephone regularly. I believe that he is doing the job he is being paid to do in the ranks of the PDP and the Presidency. I have used him before to do various good jobs and believe that the President is now finding him useful at this time to do some of those things, which are now negative. I don’t think Okupe was serious when he talked about expired politicians. This is because the headquarters of expired politicians is the PDP. The expired politicians start from the party’s national chairman. You know that the problems of the party come from the top. And I know that the problems that beset the PDP come right from the top. Most of us had been in various parties. I used to be in the All Nigeria Peoples Party and I also had a brief stay in the PDP. The things we are concerned about made us to leave the party.

PUNCH