APC not on the right path- Fayemi

Former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, says the inability of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to convene the National Executive Committee (NEC) is a wrong pointer. In this interview on Channels TV’ Politics Today’ monitored by David Lawani, the former Minister of Solid Minerals Development in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet, said the ruling party should apologise to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan for removing him from power because the party has not fared better, adding that there a need to sit up

What prompted the writing of your book?

I write most of the time. This is not my first book, but I decided to. But I have decided to mark my birthday with various lectures and accounts I have given in the last two years. This is a compilation of essays, articles, and keynote addresses I have shown in the previous two years since I left office. It has allowed me to reflect on my time and consider the future’s potential. That is what informed me of what I have put out there today.

What would you say is of critical attention to the Nigerian public?

The title of the book is a chapter in the book. And that chapter focuses on the prospect of a new Nigeria. What should we do? Nation-building is a continuing process. However, some steps are necessary to reach where we would find ourselves as a nation. Nigeria is a relatively young country. If you go by its independence, if you go by my age, a little older. However, the trajectory that Nigeria has traveled has been more on well-being than optimism, and that is what informed that particular chapter, where I highlighted that journey and dispelled some of the things that have been responsible for our arrested development. Some will say Nigeria is the mistake of 1914; some others will tell you because we are of different ethnicities that, we are not likely to make headway. Yet, others argue that democracy is not on the way to progress and will say we need a benevolent dictator. There is a wide range of excuses for doing what is right. No nation is formed from bad, locked, stock and barrel. A barren nation, even the ones we refer to, and a mature democracy. Let us ignore what is going on there now. America still talks about the search for a perfect democracy. So, if no nation is perfect from its prominence, and every nation has to continue improving on that growth, what do we need to make the necessary progress? I highlighted several reasons why leadership is important, why planning should be central, and why there is a difference between running for office and running this office.

How do we fix leadership problems? The leadership recruitment process is a problem at a nexus that we need to find solutions to. Where do we start from?

You begin from the beginning. Yes, the leadership succession and recruitment programme may be a challenge, but the reality is that leaders are not necessarily born. Leaders can be made. Leaders can be mentored. And in our setting, we put a lot of weight on the leader, not on leadership. Leadership is teamwork. It is not a solo work. Leadership also must embody processes, procedures, and values. You can teach all of those. Not necessarily in a codified manner, but you can learn by some examples. You can structure that engagement, which is part of what Amanda discussed regarding leadership. Leadership in itself matters but is not adequate. If it does not synergise with policy frameworks, it can change the story of our society and country. That is precisely the point former South African President Thabo Mbeki made. When he said, look, it is not about vision because we have vision. Agenda 2063, Africa Action Plan, Sustainable Development Goal, we know what is right. We know what we want to do. Why are we not implementing them?

Why do people of good character not always run for office? Why?

Well, it is a combination. I came from an activist background. I have always been concerned about my environment, leading me to ask questions or challenge authorities. I asked for accountability and then got involved in student unionism, pro-democracy, and our campaign against military dictatorship. And before joining politics, I didn’t get into politics directly. I was invited. I was one of the few lucky persons who was invited into politics.

Who invited you into politics?

My mentor and my leader, ex-governor Niyi Adebayo, dragged me. Picking and fighting for me to join politics. I was afraid of it. The same thing you accused those you consider to be good in running away from public office, but you cannot change society if good people are not part of the driving force.

Do you regret going into politics?

Not at all.

Is there something you wish to do while in public office?

There are several things that I would have wished or loved to do. I always say to people that in the choice of my successor, I said to the people that I would like to support someone who combines my passion for rigor in academic and street credibility. I was not that much on the street, but was the 24 hours focused on getting results as Governor. My successor, Governor Oyebanji, you can see he can manage and balance those things out. He is doing well and committed to those issues that are germane to the development of our state. He still manages to connect with everywhere and various strata of our society, and you could argue that even though I didn’t succeed in everything I wanted to do when I was in office. I got that right. He is delivering on that task. But he probably wouldn’t have been able to do it if he didn’t have somebody holding his hands. And driving him through. Mentorship is critical to leadership development, and you cannot ignore it. People pejoratively refer to it as godfatherism.

Are you a godfather to Governor Oyebanji?

I am not a godfather. Only God is God, and he is the only father that we all have. In the real sense, there is nothing wrong with that. Ex-governor Adebayo mentored me.

Is President Bola Tinubu one of your mentors?

Oh yes, he is. President Tinubu and I have worked together for over three or more decades. We were in the trenches together. We fought from exile together. He supported my quest for leadership in Ekiti state. We have progressively remained in the same corner of the political party. So, clearly, yes. I have several mentors like him.

Why did it look at some point like you were not going to support Gov. Oyebanji for a second term?

You know that in politics, speculation is the name of the game.

You made a statement in the church that worried many people; why?

My statement was very clear: It is too early for people to start talking about succession and a second term. He still needed to do more work, and he could be stopped or distracted from delivering public good to the Ekiti people. Anyone who has an incline of my own thought process will know that there is no reason why I would not support him. But then, I have always insisted on the right thing to be done.

Were you on his side?

Of course, I was on his side. I also said that should not be confused with the party process, which allows every legitimate and ambitious person to run for office. It is not a statement to debar others from running for office.

You said something in chapter four of the book about moving from election machines to organic politics. Do you feel somehow that because that statement is quite different from the founding fathers of the APC, how do you respond to this?

That particular statement you quoted was a speech I delivered to party people. The South West Assembly of the APC convened sometime in October last year. I was also going to give a keynote address. I don’t know how the party arrived at that decision. But they felt I should come and give the keynote address. All our leaders from the southwest were there. Chief Bisi Akande, Oba Oluse, govs, Osoba, Niyi Adebayo, and all the political leaders were present. Almost a thousand of them were at that session. I was very candid with my views that these were not the way we envisioned the democracy that we have. We envision a democracy on the progressive path and ideas in response to the trickle-down economies that got us into the mess that PDP threw us into in this country. And we ought to be doing things differently. I also discussed that the party should remain a vehicle that drives the government rather than a tail wagging the dog. We have been in office for almost two years. We have won an election since March 1st, 2023. And our party’s National Executive has not met once. The constitution of our party is very clear. That organ of our party meets at least once every quarter. When Chief Bisi Akande was the chairman of this party, Chief John Oyegun was the chairman of this party; in fact, we met monthly under Chief Akande under CAN. A caucus and the NEC. When Chief Oyegun was there, we met at least every quarter. Why is it that we are not meeting? I don’t want to take the excuse that because the President is unavailable or busy. He can delegate.

Why is the party not meeting at the NEC level?

That is the inorganic nature of our party that I expressed at the keynote address. I also know the party has done the part of having an institute under our current chairman, Ganduje. And kudos to him for that. But what has that progressive institute done today? There should be a calendar of programmes as parties do. People will recall what usually happens at the Wilber Institute. Established by President Nkrumah. Many will soon remember what happened at the ANC School, run by my good friend David Makura. So, we have examples worldwide, and our party should be actively involved in what our government is doing so that it matches the manifestoes we espoused to the public.

Why is the party looking like an election-winning machine?

That is why I refer to it in the address: Anambra is next up for election. We will quickly gather some people together, put them on a committee, share a gubernatorial campaign committee, and then put them on the field.

Would you advise any Nigerian to get into politics?

Politics offers one of the best ways of transformational ideas in any space. Young and older adults can make a difference in their choices. In teaching, IT, innovation sector, engineering, and other areas. But one policy by a politician can destroy everything you have done. We see what is happening to the popular majority in America. You know what is going on in that country now. We need people nurtured and provided with the tools and acumen to operate on a larger scale. I am an activist, and I will remain one. At the barricade, we ran and campaigned against the military in exile. What I was able to do in Ekiti affected more lives. In one fell swoop, I signed up for the social security system for older adults. Ujuarugbo will be signing up for education for a multitude of children. I have met many of those in higher education and professional life. They are doing well for themselves and their families. But we all need to do well together to sustain society. Politics offers us the best opportunity to be of service to humanity.

Looking back, is there an apology to be made to the Nigerian people, knowing that you championed the ideal to remove former President Jonathan from power?

We must apologise to the Nigerian people. We have not succeeded in achieving everything we promised to Nigerians. That is not because we are incompetent. However, other structural impediments made things more difficult for us. But clearly, we have not done enough. Made life abundant for the Nigerian people. And I clearly will not waste time apologizing to the Nigerian people. We can do a lot more. An apology that makes you feel good or vibes, but that is not really what we need. We must put our acts together and consider ourselves leaders in that debate because if we don’t, our risk is higher than the returns we will get. And for me, I have been extraordinarily fortunate. I must admit. I have stood on the shoulders of giants. I was brought up by Anthony Enahoro, Adekunle Ajasin, and Wole Soyinka; they were the ones who lifted me. I was a young man when I started on this journey. And I have a duty, so my wife and I have decided to set up a foundation. I have a duty to the youth of Africa. I will find a way to enable them to become better actors than I have been.