Cross-carpeting politicians will switch again at the sight of more money – Fasehun

Frederick Fasehun, a former national chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and founder of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and presently a national leader of the Green Party (GP), in this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, says next year’s general election in the country would not be credible with the present composition of the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He also spoke on sundry issues in the polity. Excerpts:

What is your view on the wave of defections in the country? 

Well, Nigerian politicians have not been steady and concerted; right from the days of our fore-fathers there have been defections, change of platform and parties, what is happening now is not strange.

It is however, a sad story that is being told ones again, I hope this does not result to anarchy because if it does, anarchy would remain in our political system for a long time.

I am praying that the present government can resolve; can cure the disease of anarchy that is inherent in our political life.

Do you think these defections could lead to the demise of the APC?

I don’t think so. This will not lead to the demise of the APC. The APC ones boasted that they have the national authority, but their popularity is not something to write off like that. The popularity that helped them to power is still there, those who helped them to power are still there but I think the APC will struggle to retain power after the 2019 general election.

What is your view about the defection of the Senate President and his ordeal with the APC?

Saraki is not somebody you can toy with, he has history behind him and he has learnt various lessons from people around him and even in the current Senate you cannot write off Saraki in the game.

He has the know-how, can you remember how many times they have tried to deal with him and they could not? He remains firm, a lot of people were of the opinion that he would be removed anyhow, but you can see he is solid.

The opposition politicians claim they are being targeted by the current administration?

Democracy without a strong opposition is not a strong democracy; democracy should have a strong opposition.

This is what makes them strong political parties; the opposition parties will rise up in the power struggle;

That is what makes people like Saraki a power you cannot wave aside, he is a solid rock. He remains a force.

Whatever you may think, with the defections in the Senate, he has remained firm. Even the president you may think that with the wave of defections he would run away but he has remained strong.

Are you surprised that the APC is experiencing this signs of disintegration a few years after its formation?

I am surprised because when the party was being founded, we saw old politicians who we thought had learnt their lessons gather themselves to form the party, but look at what is happening to them. The party that should introduce true democracy is failing again.

 How do you react to the coalition of opposition parties’ alliance against the APC?

I don’t think much of them; all you need to do is to give out some millions of naira and people would change their views over-night.

The politicians in place have not spent enough money to sustain their positions; I think as the general election comes, people would think twice about the parties they jettison.  Let’s watch, I think as the general election approaches, they would change their views, Nigerian politicians are not to be trusted.

Nigerians politicians are not steady; it is the same politicians that have practised in our political scene for a long time that are still there. We have waited for the youth for a long time to take over power, but they have not. If things don’t change it may result to anarchy and anarchy is not good for any society.

But your party, the Green Party, is said to have joined the coalition?

It is not true, we are not part of their coalition, our party is new and we want to bring in change. We are interested in next year’s elections and we would have candidates who would contest the election. People have defected from a ruling party in 24 hours before an election, this is our characteristic, as it is, no party can say we are in power we can hit it soon.

What about funding, how are you copying?

We don’t have the funds being thrown around by typical politicians but we would compete with the rest.

No politician wants to come without attempting the presidency. We will compete for elections, we are not saying that Buhari should stand alone as the Presidential candidates next year, we would compete. Nobody wins an election without trying.

There are worries in some quarters that next year’s election may not hold?

I am one of those who think that if these pre-election issues do not break us or lead to total anarchy, Nigeria will survive. Buhari has the right as the sitting president, to postpone the elections. If these killings and defections in the country lead to anarchy, he has the right to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.

 Would that not lead to a major problem?

The problem from that action would only be temporary. It is only real anarchy that would result in loss of lives and property. And Buhari has to look at that option, with what is currently happening in the country.

Do the current killings across the country bother you?

The killings bother me, politicians are human beings and humans are afraid of insecurity that would lead to loss of lives and property, that is why some us have been thinking of setting up a university of security and management technology; no nation except Poland has it. It is important because of what we are going through as a nation.

 If we have this kind of institution in place in the country, people can go and learn and they would be authorities in their field. Some of these boys who go to schools, they come out after three months and they are given cutlasses to go and kill.

How do you react to the increasing incidences of vote-buying in recent elections?

That is part of anarchy building up, what we are doing currently does not comply with democratic practices in terms of democracy. We have lost several lives in this country while fighting for democracy.

Expectedly, many countries are warning us against the current killings and kidnappings and so far, Nigeria has not learnt from the past. Nobody is interested in praying that Nigeria should end up in crisis.

We won the fight against anarchy but now, we have fallen back again. But what we are hoping is that God is listening. There are churches all over the place and the scene is becoming more confusing, the parties need to sit up.

Can INEC as presently constituted conduct credible elections?

I don’t think the general election next year would be credible. INEC has not been able to conduct free and fair elections in the country over the years; except Buhari would change the leadership before the elections. They have been saying they are committed to conducting credible polls, personally, I think that is farfetched.

The youths and women are worried and the international community has said they are not comfortable coming to do business with us as things are presently.

If you are to advise the Presidential candidates, what are the issues they should give priority? 

True democracy, unflinching democracy, we have been fighting for it for years, we have not had it but it is good we have some level of it now; the present administration can do more.

But the problem has remained with us; the politicians are spoiling the system. Must you accept bribes? Look at the kind of money our politicians are carrying around, it is damaging the system.

The president has been talking about change, but it seems the more he talks, the more we are corrupt and the system goes from bad to worse.

What is your view on the anti-graft war of the present administration?

The administration has been fighting corruption but in Nigeria corruption is a systemic problem. It is bad and it seems it is getting worse and still. I want the President to do more; right now it seems the more he is talking about it, the worse it gets.

 Someone should be in charge. Personally, I think there should be more prosecution of people. We are not seeing enough. I believe this is where the administration should focus on in the anti-graft war.

You have been one of the advocates of restructuring. How desirable is it in view of our recent challenges?

We have been copying what we call the America and British democracy. Nigeria has not been able to develop its own democratic system; maybe we can do that through restructuring.

We went to that constitutional conference several years ago and billions of naira was spent and we did not get it right. Here we are, still talking about restructuring, several years after independence.

How long do we have to wait? When are we going to have a structure that gives us the kind of democracy we want? The lawmakers are not keen on this.