An aspirant for the position of national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from North Central, Saliu Mustapha, speaks in this interview with DAVID LAWANI on his chances in the February 26 national convention, among sundry issues
If the APC presidential ticket is not zoned to the south, will that create a crisis in the party?
There won’t be crisis because the party is doing all it can in the best possible means to synergies on how to win the general elections. The zoning itself is something the party will have to look at. For me, I think the committees are working and it is good to give them the benefits of the doubt and allow them to come out with their plans. Whatever they have done so we can look at it together then chat the way forward. So far so good, we are confident that they will do the right thing because all are stakeholders and hoping that APC should produce the next government to consolidate and deliver on the gains that have already been achieved by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Where would you want the ticket to be zoned to?
You cannot determine that until and after when they have finished the meeting of the National Executive Committee meeting of the party. That is fair balancing. When you have done that before looking at the equation as to how it will be balanced up. I don’t want us to be in hurry. All these are works in progress. The most important thing for APC as a party, for emphasis, is that we will look at the real possibility on how best we can strategize and arrange the party in such a way or look at how best we can strategize and balance things on how to win the general election. The most important thing is for us to win the general election to be able to consolidate like I said earlier and be able to manage the gains already recorded by the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari. If I tell you today, we are taking it here or there, and those places cannot fetch us the needed votes we need, that will be a selfish and self-centered opinion from a major leader and a stakeholder. For me, it is about sitting down having proper consultation, and knowing where our votes and strength lie. And see how we can make winning or victory possible for our party.
How will the crisis rocking the party be resolved before the national convention?
I am not sure if you have your records right that there is a crisis at the party. I don’t think there is anything like that. The reconciliation Committee ably led by Senator Adamu Abdullahi has recorded successes in this regard. So, I don’t think or know where you are now getting your findings from. Seven out of eight aspirants in Ekiti state governorship primary rejected the outcome of the exercise, what is your take on this? That is not faction. That is a present challenge for the party. Let us see how the party will be able to handle it and ensure that all of them are reconciled for the good of the party. It is normal to have disagreements, but it is not enough to resolve whatever the difference is. So, there is no faction anywhere. These are just issues now just happening. You cannot say what will happen in the end. Maybe they will call them to an amicable settlement.
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Which one will you prefer- consensus, direct or indirect primaries?
Well, I want to borrow from the wisdom of Mr President, in a democracy, you give people options, and where there are no options that is not a democratic arrangement. For me, let us learn from Mr President’s wisdom where he declined signing the electoral bill that they must make it optional. If party A has the resources, it doesn’t mean INEC as a body will be able to cover every party. Let’s assume today, that three parties are doing their primaries, and they are going for direct, can INEC come out and observe and properly monitor all these places? So, for me, it is about what suits the party at a particular time. That is why I said let us borrow from Mr. President’s wisdom.
What is your view on the refusal of Mr. President to lift the suspension of fuel subsidy?
I want to believe the best judgments are in the best interest of the country. Whatever they are doing now, they are doing it in the best interest and based on where we are, and the situation as of now. So, if they find it not expedient now, to lift or suspend, it is because of the ample information available to them.
