A United Kingdom-based former Special Adviser on Christian-Muslim dialogue to former Governor Sani Yerima of Zamfara State, Yunana Shibkau, says in this interview with ThisNigeria that the fears expressed by northern Christians over the same ticket by the Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) party in February’s presidential election are completely misplaced.

What are your takes on insurgency and the origin of terrorism within the PDP and APC viz a viz the South?

That is a good question. Let me start by stating that I am an advocate of one Nigeria and that I am from the North, precisely the Sokoto corridor. On insurgency and terrorism, they are predominantly a northern thing. They are political instruments used by some Northern Muslim political elites and their collaborators, to intimidate Christians and minorities. They use it to subjugate their political opponent. It’s as old as the North. It’s been in the North before the emergence of PDP and APC. And there’s a conscious effort to sustain it, as they target and kill even Muslims that are opposed to their tactics. Look, insurgency and terrorism are tools, oiled by illiteracy and religious fanaticism. They ensure that the masses don’t go to school, and the few schools are understaffed and poorly funded. Part of their angst with GEJ is the introduction of Almajiri schools. Can you imagine that WAEC fees were not paid by a state? Can you imagine that an Emir was deposed for advocating for this change?

Which Emir would you be referring to Lamido Sanusi?

You are a journalist. Do your investigations. Ok, look at the South and middle belt, where education is taken seriously, there is communal harmony, and no insurgency or terrorism until now. As far as I am concerned, it’s been taken to the South by them. To make the whole country pliable to their political and economic interests. The attacks in the Southwest are to instil fear amongst the people. Imagine the Southeast killing themselves and you don’t smell a rat? These are their handiwork with some Southern collaborators. During the NADECO era, was the state not involved in terrorism? Remember what late General Abacha said? He said any insurgency that lasts has the government’s hand in it. They are setting the stage to make the country ungovernable for the incoming Southern president. Luckily for Nigeria, BAT is capable of fixing all these problems in four years.

The unity of Nigeria and the imperatives of rotation of power has become a major issue, what is your position on this?

As I said, I believe in the unity of Nigeria. Since northern Nigerian political elites are roundly implicated in the insecurity in the country, both in the North and in the South, I think that the South should be given the chance to effect a change. Not just because it is fair to rotate power, but also because Southern elites have shown more capacity to manage and maintain peace amongst diverse people and religions. Christians, Muslims, and animists live peacefully in the South. Laws are enforced without bias. Nigeria is in dire need of the replication of the rule of law presently enjoyed in the South in the whole country. Not the type that the Governor of Bauchi, Bala Muhammad, justified the carrying of AK47 for self-defence. Nigeria needs peace to develop, and for the good of our coexistence, we need a Southerner as President for the next 8 years and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is better equipped to lead Nigeria now.

Should APC and Buhari’s eight years in power justify the need for PDP also to canvas power shift to the South?

If you recall what happened in 2015 when the entire Northern political elites conspired across the party line and their Southern counterparts led by Amaechi and Tinubu saw reason and collaborated with them, I will say yes. This time around, the PDP is justified to canvas for a power shift to the South. The Southern Governors were justified in their demand for a presidential power shift to the South. The North has had its share and it should rotate to the South. However, it’s unfortunate that Atiku and some Northern political elites manipulated the PDP into producing him as the PDP candidate. This is wrong and overbearing. It should have been an all-southern candidate’s affair. The North should have reciprocated the gesture of the South in 2015. And Tinubu who led that charge stands tall amongst the other contenders. He has fought for the realization of this democracy and has contributed more than any other politician in Nigeria to deepening it. Power wouldn’t have gone to the North without his support. He mobilized many of us who don’t believe in Buhari to support the APC. He fought for justice and should benefit from it.

PDP argues that the power shift is between the North and the South and GEJ’s tenure is considered a Southern tenure and so the North should take the plunge, what’s your take?

No one should play God, it was a natural course that threw Jonathan up and it was rectified by the truncation of his bid for a second term. PDP should enjoy the same fate, Nigerians shall truncate their political ambition to avert injustice. It’s the turn of the South.

Are you aware that there is no time that anyone is barred from contesting irrespective of ethnicity?

Yes, but Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and multicultural country and conscious efforts are being made to manage its diversity. Constitutionally everyone is allowed to contest, but is it fair that people from the same tribe should be thrown up continually? Even if power is to come back to the North, should it be a Fulani man? Let’s show equity. There should be a limit to which corruption should be allowed to go. Let’s give others a sense of belonging, after all, the federal character is enshrined in our constitution.

2022 elections and menace of campaign of calumny

APC is floating a Muslim/Muslim ticket and the Christians are apprehensive. Babachir Lawal and Dogara have led this fight. Is it justified and are their fears unfounded?

You see, I am a Christian from Zamfara and I have led the Christian/Muslim Dialogue, there is nothing wrong with a Christian/Christian or Muslim/Muslim ticket. All we want is someone who can fix Nigeria. Dogara and Babachir are talking rubbish. They are selfishly championing their ambition. They positioned themselves to reap hugely when they sowed sparingly. What was their contribution to the emergence of APC and Tinubu? They got elevated as Christians and did what for Christians? What are their antecedents as Christians? Have they ever defended a Christian course? When the church was persecuted, where were they? I can understand the position of CAN, their consistency, and genuine concerns, which should be addressed. However, this is the time for us Christians to showcase the oneness we preach, we have to show leadership and prove that we are more civilized by extending the hand of brotherhood. Christians should not jettison a worthy candidate because of a Muslim/Muslim ticket. We should vote based on merit always. At the 1993 SDP convention in Jos, I voted for Abiola because he was the best. Tinubu is the best candidate now and should be given all the support he needs to emerge president. We need him to turn this country for good. “Yes, Tinubu is the best candidate now and should be supported. He’s not just articulate, organised, and resourceful, he is tolerant, accommodating, and humane. He has extended a hand of brotherhood to many, he is a unifier and breathes democracy. I implore all lovers of progress to vote for Tinubu.

What do you think of the Peter Obi appeal?

Beyond social media what’s the potency? Isn’t he more of a sectional figure? Thank you so much for this question. Peter Obi is a very credible person, he did well as a governor in Anambra state. However, what is his pedigree compared to the other contenders? Has he built bridges across Benue and Niger? Nigerian presidency is not for sprinters. You need contacts across the country, Borno, Lagos, Plateau, Kano, Sokoto, Kwara, etc. Zik built bridges, and Ekweme built bridges, but he has not built bridges. In a national election, you need a candidate who has built bridges. From the SDP, the AD, AC, ACN, and APC, Tinubu has been building bridges. He has men and women all over the country. If you want the presidency to go to the South, then it must be him. Peter Obi is doing well but he doesn’t understand the rudiments of the Nigerian political system. Let him continue to expand his contacts and build bridges. In the future, he can do something. The fact is that in 2023, we need a trusted war horse, and that is Tinubu. He fought for Democracy and his political credentials and pedigree are not in question, they are formidable. He is a bundle of political energy and leadership that Nigeria is in dire need of. We that are into politics know his antecedents for over 30 years.