Non-implementation of confab report responsible for our challenges – Shaibu

A former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), governorship aspirant in Kogi State, Dr. Mohammed Shaibu, speaks on the country’s socio-economic issues in this interview with Kassim Omomia and Alex Emeje

How would you describe the state of Nigeria now?

Everybody is afraid because things are not moving as they should. Even the President and Presidency are not settled. Like the minister of defence said, if the nation is bleeding, everybody bleeds. We are stagnated in terms of socio-economic development. We are stagnated in terms of investment. But the hope is that Nigerians are very resilient people.

We will overcome this because we have overcome bigger challenges before now. I am confident that we will overcome them. The more your population, the more your problems and challenges. Population is like a market and so the bigger you are, the more you face challenges as a nation or individual. That is my view about what is happening.

Are there crises? Yes, there are. Are we getting out of it, of course, we are? We are going to come out bigger and better. But we need the support of everyone and not the leaders alone. There can never be leadership without the support of the followership.

I do not want to see President Muhammadu Buhari as a problem. But we all need to come together to find solution to the numerous challenges facing us as a nation.

In all, where do you think we missed the point, given the complaints about the lopsidedness in appointments as well as the herders/farmers, Boko Haram, Eastern Security Network, Amoteku, Oduduwa crises.?

I do not want us to look at these issues from the Buhari government but from the first coup of Major Nzeogu that scattered the unity and togetherness of this country.

The opportunity of bringing us together existed in that republic when Sardauna, Awolowo Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa, among others were there, yet we wasted the opportunities. But after that, were we able to wake up? Yes, we woke up. We went through the civil war. We came out. Many countries went through civil war but did not survive. But we did, and with all the resources available, did we use the resources to our ultimate benefit?

Eventually, Obasanjo came in, but I do not want to go to Shagari era. Shagari did not do badly because he took some profound steps. Look at his housing programme. There is no where you go to in this country today, and you will not see his housing initiative. Go to Kogi State and see his footprints in Ajaokuta Steel Company and in other states. After that, Obasanjo came in again and the same Nigerians sold the dummy called “Third Term” to Obansajo. From there, Obasanjo was no longer himself. He was no longer organised because things were no longer in agreement with his third term agenda and even his handover was not as he planned because the third term failed.

Was that where we began to miss the democracy dividends that has degenerated in the country?

It is because Obasanjo refused to be satisfied with the privilege of being a president. If you look at Obasanjo, he has all the quality of a leader, part of it is, energy. Obasanjo is energetic and experienced. I have had discussions with some persons that worked with Obasanjo. Any memo that came to him, he took time to look at it from A – Z before sending it out and that is how leadership is. But as soon as he lost the third term agenda, he was no longer himself.

Then my friend, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan came in. If you look at the history of this country, no one has that kind of educational qualification as president. He has a Ph.D. and then we thought he was going to pursue the Yar’Adua agenda, but he did not. Jonathan tried, no doubt. He set up a national conference, but he did not implement it. Some of the agitations and complaints going on would have been taken care of if he had. Even if he did not implement something, we are saying he should have done what he could do then– short term or long term. It may not be all the recommendations.

Was the problem that of Jonathan or the National Assembly at that time?

I am coming from the private sector. You do and pay attention to the immediate need or priority. Execute the ones that are implementable. If President Jonathan had implemented some, perhaps these clamours and agitations would have been minimized. As beautiful as the recommendations of that conference was, it has not been implemented. APC as a party did not send anybody there because they said they did not believe in the exercise.

But Buhari, if you ask me, needs to implement the report of that conference because the glory is for him. It will be said that it was during his time we had achieved this and that.

With the killings, kidnappings, and banditry everywhere, don’t you think community policing is the way to go instead of security outfits such as Amotekun, Ebubeagu?

The clamour has been there. All that is important is to send it to the National Assembly for parliamentary approval and it becomes a law. Everybody is now calling for restructuring and resource country. It is good for us and is in the interest of the country.

What about devolution of powers?

We are talking the same thing. We need autonomy for all of them. Look at the local governments nationwide. Today, which of them is performing? Not one, because governors take their money and use it the way they want. No infrastructural development. Governors pay them anything they want as salaries and that is all. No connection with the grassroots and the people are suffering. Therefore, devolution becomes very imperative.

What are your take on restructuring in terms of regional autonomy and creation of local security networks like Amotekun, among others?

They will all die as soon as these challenges are over and there is good governance. If there is stability and peace in the country, all these agitations and regional security would give way for peace and business will flourish once again in the country.

As one who has seen it all in the private sector, what do you think of the economy, considering the alleged printing of money and our mono-economy?

We have depended too much on a single economy. We need to open our economy. It will be better for us to sit down and diversify instead of relying on one source of income. Even if we focus on mining alone, it is good for us. I am also into mining but I cannot go there because of insecurity. Any time I ask my friends in the security circles, they will advise me do not go there because of insurgency. This is not good for economic development. No economy grows under insecurity, where people cannot go to farms, children cannot go to schools and read comfortably.

What’s your message to Nigerians and Kogi people?

My message for Nigerians is to keep hope alive. Nigeria will be stronger and it will be the desire of all of us. All the agitations and complains will be over. To Kogi people, whatever has a beginning, certainly, will have an end. Whatever they are going through now, they should take solace in the fact that it will one day come to a stop and better things will start happening.