It’s an insult to call me a stooge — Ibrahim
By Tribune Online
It’s an insult to call me a stooge — Ibrahim
ABUBAKAR Ibrahim Idris is seeking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the November 16, 2019 governorship election in Kogi State. In this interview by YEKINI JIMOH, he speaks on his agenda for the state and perception of the present state administration.
You are a new entrant into politics. Why did you not consider starting your political career by contesting for a lower office?
Yes, I am starting with the governorship race. Over the years, I have seen my state go down in terms of human capital and infrastructure development. I mean here we are faced with a state where salaries are not regular. Some workers haven’t been paidfor fiveor 30 months, not to talk about the pensioners that have put in more than 35 years of their lives serving a state.The educational system is in a bad shape with arbitrary sack of teachers and lecturers in our institutions. The health and infrastructure are all going down the drift.Should one just sit back and say this is how it’s meant to be? No, I believe somebody has to come in and effect that change. If that is the case, I decided to offer myself in order to change the narrative and give the people a better life. When you throw your heart in the ring, you must go for a position where you can meet all these needs, and that’s why I am running for the governorship of this state.My foray into politics is not about me; it’s about the people of Kogi State. It’s not a hunch or reflex action. It’s a product of deep reflections that took place over a long period of time. I have been worried about the pathetic turn of events in the state and the need to halt the drift. I am not going to be an accidental governor.
Can you tell us in specific terms what you will do differently from the current administration?
The first thing is that the salary of workers shouldn’t be an issue. Salaries should be paid frequently as and when due. It shouldn’t be something someone will be waking up to think about, ‘will I or will I not be paid this month?’ If you have worked for it, you have earned it, so it has to be paid. Part of the things I will do differently is to ensure that workers get a good welfare package. I will also ensure that the educational sector gets a boost and a deserved attention. There is a saying that if you think education is expensive try ignorance. We don’t want to risk that. So, you have to get the educational and health sectors back on track. Of course, there are other sectors like job creation, youth and women empowerment, roads, agriculture and others that need immediate attention. They will all be worked on and brought back to life and improved on. My economic vision is built around agriculture and the vast solid mineral potentials of our state. The two are my areas of core competencies and I hope to bring that to bear. I have achievable plans which will be unwise to reel out now. Salary payment shouldn’t be a brainer. Under me. It will certainly not be.
They say politics is a dirty game. One wonders what other motives drew people like you into it?
Life is what you make of it, so also politics. If you want to make it dirty, you get what you want. It will be dirty. If you want to play by the rules, you can play by the rules. You know there are rules, so why shouldn’t one play by the rules?I really don’t believe that politics is a dirty game. You know politics is everywhere. You play politics even in your house and in your day-to-day living or interaction; it’s how you look at politics that determines if it is clean or dirty. Besides, if we keep saying it is dirty, who says you can’t clean it up? If you say because it is dirty you are going to stay off it then, when the dirty politicians get into office you don’t have a say. But if you can come in and change the narratives, I don’t see any reason you shouldn’t. There is no rule that says because everybody goes to one end you too have to follow.
Apart from the belief that politics is dirty in term of violence, a lot of money isalso involved. How prepared are you, especially because of the violence that usually characterise political contests in the country?
It hurts to say this. But you can never be prepared in terms of violence because protection belongs to God. One thing you do know for sure is that the people own the mandate and they have seen that we are not getting anywhere under the present administration. Our state is headed for a wrong direction and the people are fed up with the situation of things. So, if the people are determined and you say you are going to use violence, how many people will you kill or maim? So,on the issue of violence, I believe it will be curtailed by the law enforcement agencies and the people. Right now, I am certain our people are tired of the violence. Why don’t we give them jobs rather than guns? That is what we are bringing to the table.
Your father served as the governor of the state for two terms of four years each. The current widespread insinuations is that he is seeking a third term through your aspiration. Besides, there seems to be a great disorder in your family, as many of your brothers are in different political camps?
Let me start with the first question that my dad is trying to bring me through the back door. I have heard it many times that my dad is looking for a third term. Let me say categorically that it is not true. My dad is not looking for any third term. But I, Abubakar Ibrahim,am looking for a first term. Secondly our people are not that shallow minded not to distinguish between a father and a son or a daughter. We have different destinies. I conceived the aspiration of wanting to run for the election myself. I told my dad the way I told other stakeholders in the state. I am above 50 years. People are not being fair when they describe me as a stooge.That my dad has been governor before shouldn’t mean I can’t be governor. I am a Nigerian and citizen of Kogi. I have the required educational and other qualifications to vote and be voted for. My political activities are not only legal, they are also part of my fundamental human rights.
Now, if you talk about creating political dynasty, I am sure you have met families, where the grandfather is a lawyer, father a lawyer and son also a lawyer, so also in the army, as well as in politics.In the advanced countries we look at the Bush family the senior Bush was the 42nd president of the United States and his son, George Bush (Jnr) was the governor of Texas. George Bush the third was a senator. After he left as president, Bush (Jnr) became the 44th president of the US. Now in-between the 42nd and 44th was just one president, Bill Clinton and his brother became the governor of Texas. Nobody looked at that as a dynasty.
You look at the Gandhi, in India, the Kenyatta family in Kenya and coming to Nigeria, we have the Sarakis or the likes of Tinubu being a former governor and the wife being a senator. Until lately, the governor of Abia State had his son as speaker, nobody saw anything wrong in that. Even now in Kogi, we have a situation where two or three sons of former Governor Abubakar Audu are also contesting for the post of governor. We also have two brothers, including a former governor in the race. They are not accusing them of dynasty. Why is my own different? So, why is Ibro so spectacular? But let me tell you the truth about this. Nobody has ever found me wantingand nobody will. I have not been found wanting even with my fellow human beings. Now people say my greatest problem is being Ibro’s son. If that is my crime, I am proud of it. That is all about that on the dynasty issue.
Now back to my brother supporting another candidate. That is the beauty of politics. Nobody says you can’t have it. Anyway, it’s really about choice and interest. Have you not seen a family where the husband is in a different political parties than the wife? For example, SenatorAhmadu Ali was ourformer PDP national chairman and his wife was in a different party. She even contested for a seat in the Senate in a different party. That didn’t stop them from being husband and wife. No. Also the late AbubakarAudu and his former wife contested for the governorship office in the 2011 governorship election. It’s really about interest.
It’s an insult to call me a stooge — Ibrahim
Tribune Online