National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Prof Ahmed Rufai Alkali, gives some insights into what led to the formation of the party, sales of nomination forms, and why the party will not be a dumping ground for failed politicians, among other sundry issues, in this interview with BEN OGBEMUDIA

Can you give some details on what your party is doing at the moment, have you started the sale of nomination forms?

Nomination forms are being sold for N20m for governorship and N30m for president. As we are aware, with all honesty, the NNPP is the fastest-growing political party in this country. Like every other thing in life, there is always a beginning and an end. Most political parties have reasons for their evolution and emergence, but most of them have left the legacies of the founding fathers of those parties. They have forgotten the past and circumstances that led to 1998 and 1999 when Nigerians were fighting for democratic rule. Others came with this idea that they want to change but when you want to change, you don’t change from the best to the worst many Nigerians were carried away by this and now, many Nigerians are disappointed because this is not what they bargained for. Yes, most of us were part of these political parties in one way or the other but even when we were there, it is a social contract between us and Nigerians because political parties are supposed to be a platform that will offer quality leadership for the citizens of the country, but so far, what we are seeing is a lot of disappointment, anger, bitterness, and sentiments and now NNPP emerged. NNPP has been a party underground for over 21 years. It was initiated by great politicians, an elder, and the leader of Anambra State, Chief Boniface.

So, what rekindled the party ahead of 2023?

Due to the troubles and tension that came upon Nigeria last year, there were agitations that the country should not be separated, and people were taking up arms and getting ready to fight. Some people tried to unsettle the country. The bond of relationships between Nigerians has become so low because of the fear of people you don’t know who you are talking to or dealing with. If the situation continues like this, we don’t know what will happen. These issues were corroborated by the former governor of Kano State who served twice as governor and also Minister of Defence with his knowledge of security in this country, we had meetings with others from all parts of Nigeria and we came up with a primary objective which we must get the democracy that we have struggled so hard for to rescue our country. Without resolving this objective, the country will be affected and by extension, entire West Africa and Africa as a whole. This was what led to the creation of the national movement. We must rescue our country before we talk about democracy and there must be democracy before we have elections and there must be elections before we have a good leader. We then, put our heads together and consulted with other political parties that are of like minds, so we would know what to do. Most of the political parties we spoke to did not share our ideas and values and visions for the country. Many of them shut down the vision for their interests, so, we had to move on and then we finally merged the TNN and the NNPP groups. On March 1, 2022, we took a step in the national movement and we set up committees- the national, state, and local government caretaker committees. Almost immediately we had the election for ward congresses, local government congresses, state congresses, zonal congresses, and national conventions which took place on March 30, which means this party did something that never happened in the history of this country. In the 30 days we recreated, it was different from a regular party that was a new movement. Now that INEC has 60 days so to say, between April to June 3 primaries, so, now we are in the middle of primaries, state congresses, and local government congresses, and selection of national delegates, now we are moving to primaries, so we are going all around the country that our party is waxing stronger and gaining ground by the day and we are happy. Some people took us for granted that we are going nowhere but the man God has blessed cannot be struck by anybody and nobody can stop the time. So, we are making progress and we want to assure you that the party will win in 2023.

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Some CSOs and groups have been calling for the zoning of the president to the South. Are you in any way feeling intimidated, where do you want your party to zone the president too?

That is the tragedy of Nigerian politics, when you are talking about leadership in this country, principled people, trustworthy, people who can run this country. It is this kind of localisation of politics that led to zoning or no zoning. In one state, people are arguing that they don’t want the federal character system. But when it comes to politics, there is always power to share. If you want power, there is always room to contest for any position but I think the issue of zoning is also being used. There is no political party that can contest for election and you take all the positions to one section of the country, it has to be shared. Secondly, even if the party wins, there is no way one can take over the leadership of the government because they will go and take it as their real estate. It is impossible because Nigeria is a federation, some people are saying the Federal Government is becoming too stronger, and even the state governments. We have senatorial zones; we have wards, and there is no other party that can win an election based on controlling or taking assets from one of the zones or constituencies. So, the issue about the President and Nigerians already know what they want. It is not a question of those representing any ethnic or religious interest. They want somebody that will liberate them. This issue of “my own” will still die there.

Will your party accommodate people who collected forms either in the APC or PDP but could not make it to their party?

But you know what the penalty is provided for in the electoral act for double nomination. The case in Imo state on double nomination where INEC threw out the matter. What we are talking about is, why you must wait until you lose in a political party before you come to another political party. If you want to come and assist them, of course, NNPP for example to win the election, that’s excellent but for you to wait until you lose your election and then come here, that means our party has become a dumping ground and I don’t think any political party will like that idea of being a dumping ground but no political party will throw away any individual, one voter is important to us. People who have contested for governorship, senate, president, or even House of Representatives, we cannot throw them away but when they come, they will also come with their assets and their members on the ground and they will surely win an election, everybody will find his level because like we just said, even if someone did not vote for you, it does not mean he will not take anything, that is not politics. But if there is nobody to give it to, assuming you want to give it to the South. In my view, positions should not only be given to zones based on equality and equity, but also the basis of competence.

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Why did you say that?

If you understand what is going on in this country, we are not even in 2003, 2007, or 2011, only a few people understand where we are. Today, we cannot go out even during the day and talk less of the night- that is where we are today. Some farmers cannot go to their farms and come back safely, likewise, people who can go to neither weekly market nor regular market with the assurance that they will go and come back safely, in the House of God p, there is a problem. Some fishermen cannot go to the rivers to fish and come back. Even flights, railways, and airways have become dangerous. It is high time we come together, the time for blame is over. We cannot sit down and continue abusing and criticizing, it is not sufficient. Instead of all that, we must organise, so, that is why we have come to this point where we have been able to hit the ground and running and I have been telling everybody that we are the cause because we need to do something urgently to salvage this country. What is the value of being a big country when we have an internal crisis or fighting over power? If we can gain the power to serve the people, it is good but you don’t seek power to show off and to accumulate resources. I think that is what Nigerians are looking for now.

What informed the formation of this party 21 years ago?

Every party always has its reasons for establishment. What is important about this party is that it is not an ordinary party, it is not an ethnic party or cultural party- it is a national party. When the NNPP was born, it was even stronger in the southern part of the country, and today, you will find out in every state.

How many people have purchased the presidential forms and how much did they pay?

What is important now is that people are purchasing forms day by day. For now, one person has obtained the presidential form and he is a former governor of Kano State, Musa Kwankwaso, for the price of N30m. Some political parties are charging N100m for expression of interest forms and then the nomination for N20m. Anybody that sees the condition of Nigeria today and still asks for a form for N100m looks at that person like a visitor from another planet. What is the mindset of taking N100m, it means every Nigerian, except a few, can say 99 per cent are not qualified for this position, so it is exclusive. Maybe N30m is also high, but it cannot be compared with somebody who is talking about N100m, maybe they used dollars to calculate, so this presidency is for sale that is the position of most Nigerians, anybody who does not have N100m should not even approach the secretariat of that political party or even pray to be the president, it should not be the case. Many good Nigerians can lead very well but who do not have that amount. It is in the interest of the party

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What is your assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari-led government?

You are aware of what is going on in this country and I don’t think what I am going to say will make any difference. What we know is that Buhari is not going to be on the ballot in 2023. So, what is the problem again, although we have summarised some of the issues that you know already? What answer do you want me to give? Are you happy with the education sector? Are you happy with the economic sector? The prices of goods in the market double every day. Why the prices of goods and services are skyrocketing because the cost of labour is fixed, so inflation means the value of the salaries is increasing, and the prices of wages are going down. Whatever you used to earn in the last two years cannot buy for you now or even half especially when other sectors in the economy are also affected. Kerosene, petrol, and gas are very high, so whoever is in government should solve all of these.

What gives you the confidence that your party will make headway in 2023?

When the PDP was born in 1989, what gave them the confidence that they were going to win the election in 1999? Nigerians are hungry and they need to be liberated from this kind of situation and that is why we are a nationalist, patriotic party that believes in social democracy. We are concerned about the employment market, health sector, and insecurity. We believe there must be a radical shift from where we are.