A senator within the eighth Nationwide Meeting and spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar Marketing campaign Organisation, Dino Melaye, shares his ideas with FRIDAY OLOKOR on the disaster within the Peoples Democratic Social gathering and different points
It seems that the disaster within the Peoples Democratic Social gathering has been allowed to linger for too lengthy. What are your fears for the PDP forward of the 2023 common elections?
I need to begin by correcting the misperception that you just and lots of others have that there’s a disaster within the PDP. I need to say with out worry that there isn’t a disaster wherever. What we have now is disagreement, and disagreement is allowed in politics. Like I mentioned on Channels Tv, democracy is noisy and it’s regular for noise to be made, however the fact of the matter is that the PDP is one robust, dependable and indivisible political social gathering. Disagreements are regular; after each main election, it’s anticipated that there might be disagreement and what’s occurring is regular. However if you’re particularly speaking about Governor Wike, I need to guarantee you that we’re on prime of the state of affairs and reconciliation is ongoing. We’ve gone extraordinarily far on it. We now have made super progress. Wike really is a distinguished member of our social gathering. He’s a powerful pillar of our social gathering and I can guarantee you that he’ll work and assist the candidature of Atiku Abubakar and the PDP.
However lots of people really feel that his current romance with different political events, particularly the All Progressives Congress, has constituted a nightmare to the PDP. What’s your tackle this?
Why are you not considering of it this manner that Wike is on a democratic evangelism and he’s even attempting to woo these individuals to the benefit of the PDP? Why are you not it from that perspective?
However the political romance and pilgrimages seem not well timed towards the background of what’s actually occurring after the PDP presidential main. What’s your touch upon this?
I’ll quite say that it’s well timed as a result of he wants them to assist the PDP to win the election and that is the time to do it and you aren’t aware of the discussions that Wike had with the APC members he’s inviting. I nonetheless insist that Wike is working for the PDP and alluring these individuals to Rivers State can be a part of his efforts to win extra souls for the PDP, as a result of Wike didn’t go to Lagos State, Lagos State governor got here to Wike, and I believe you need to start to have a look at the problem from that angle.
Let’s return to the first elections; vote-buying, not solely within the PDP, even in different political events, is a severe problem. Don’t you suppose utilizing cash throughout main elections might result in electing the unsuitable individuals?
To start out with, I need to say that it is rather unsuitable to monetise our political course of, both on the main election or common election degree. However I need to inform you that on the finish of the day, cash didn’t obtain something, as a result of those that spent extra didn’t even make it. That’s to inform you that Nigerians at the moment are politically aware. Nigerians know precisely what is nice for them; they collected cash from many individuals and didn’t work for these individuals. So, cash didn’t dictate the ultimate results of the presidential main election of the PDP. I don’t know in regards to the APC, however for the PDP, cash was not a figuring out issue, as a result of those that spent outrageously didn’t win on the finish of the day. So, you can’t say cash influenced the ultimate results of the PDP presidential main election, as a result of individuals had been resolute and decided to vote who they needed to vote for.
Through the main, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State stepped down for Atiku Abubakar, a growth that made many to explain him as a traitor to his pal, Wike. What’s your view on this?
To start out with, I don’t suppose Tambuwal is an worker of Governor Wike. They’re associates. So, the problem of traitor or no traitor doesn’t come up. I don’t suppose there was an settlement between them. If there was any settlement, they might not be operating for a similar place. I additionally suppose what Tambuwal did was to take nationwide curiosity above private curiosity. It was his private curiosity to grow to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the instrumentality of the PDP. However he noticed any person, who he felt has extra expertise, extra capability and can give Nigerians extra dividends of democracy than himself and he selected to align himself with nationwide curiosity and dropped private curiosity.
Why did he not go for his pal as an alternative of going for his brother?
That isn’t right. If Tambuwal, you’ll know that he’s not tribalistic as a result of even when he was the Speaker (of the Home of Representatives), he had a more in-depth relationship with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu than the individuals from the North. So, he simply went for any person he felt would give Nigeria the wanted democratic wishes.
Elections are coming in 2023, what are your fears?
I’ve no fears in regards to the elections, as a result of we have now achieved the numbers and we all know Nigerians are extraordinarily uninterested in the APC. We all know that no person needs the continuation of kidnapping; no person is within the steady nose-diving of the worth of the naira. No person is within the killings. You can not even journey to your own home city once more. No person is within the worry of even sleeping and never waking up. No Nigerian is pleased with the extent of unemployment on this nation; no person is pleased with the extent of poverty, starvation and hunger on this nation. Actually, there isn’t a hope. If there’s hope, you’ll say possibly issues will get higher, however issues have gotten worse.
At this time, our GDP has gone down, the usual of dwelling is totally down. Seven million individuals have been added to the variety of individuals dwelling beneath the poverty line within the nation. For the primary time, we now have over 90 million Nigerians dwelling beneath the poverty line. That is outrageously calamitous. So, no Nigerian in his proper senses will start to speak of voting for the APC. For us, the APC has achieved the marketing campaign for the PDP as a result of no Nigerian who was flying financial system from Lagos to Abuja for N18,000 5 years in the past and now must pay N100,000 to fly to Lagos by the financial system class will vote for the APC once more. For us, there’s nothing to worry; we’re quite blissful.
After the PDP presidential main, has Atiku made any try to succeed in out to Wike?
I need to inform you that after the presidential main election, Atiku met Wike twice.
What was the result of the assembly?
It was cordial.
Cordial, even with what Wike is saying?
It was very cordial.
Wike’s loyalists have alleged ‘northernisation’ of the PDP. Atiku is claimed to be a democrat and it’s assumed that if he can not settle the disaster within the PDP, he will be unable to settle the disaster in Nigeria. What’s your tackle this?
To start out with, there’s nothing like ‘northernisation’ of the political social gathering. That’s fallacious and it’s ridiculous; it’s malicious and it’s unfounded. What do you imply by ‘northernisation’ of the PDP? How? Atiku shouldn’t be but President-elect to not communicate of being sworn in. You can not start to stay sooner or later by already seeing Atiku because the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, there’s nothing like ‘northernisation’ of the political social gathering. When (Olusegun) Obasanjo was the President on this nation and the nationwide chairman of our social gathering was (Okwesilieze) Nwodo, did we are saying that it was ‘southernisation’ of the political social gathering? When Nwodo was the nationwide chairman of the PDP and Obasanjo was President, did anyone say it was ‘southernisation’ of the political social gathering? No!
Folks mustn’t divide us when there isn’t a want for it. All this stuff are simply beer parlour discussions that shouldn’t be taken severely. It’s simply primordial sentiment to drive dwelling a egocentric curiosity. The PDP is one indivisible political social gathering. If Atiku turns into President, it is rather pure that the nationwide chairman will voluntarily go away the seat, however it’s not when Atiku shouldn’t be but the President. It is rather like in 2019, you’ll say that as a result of he’s the presidential candidate, Secondus ought to go away. On the finish of the day, we didn’t get the presidency. Do you set the cart earlier than the horse or the horse earlier than the cart? We must always not take mediocre individuals with defeatist tendencies severely.
Who’re these individuals?
You simply advised me that some individuals mentioned. So, the identical individuals who mentioned it are these I’m referring to.
The PDP has insisted on the restructuring of the nation as soon as it wins the presidential election and will get inaugurated. However there are fears, particularly from the northern a part of the nation that restructuring might imply a unique factor by splitting the nation. Are you able to douse such fears?
The social gathering is dedicated to restructuring; the candidate of the social gathering spoke about restructuring when it was laborious for any northerner to even speak about it. He (Atiku) even went forward to write down a e book on restructuring. So, there isn’t a worry of restructuring wherever. I advised you that Atiku is a logo of unity and Nigeria won’t get divided below his management, it’s going to quite get unified and that’s the reason we deal with him as a unifier.
Nigerians thought when Atiku selected Okowa as his operating mate, he would make a U-turn and decide Wike as a result of the PDP can be affected if the Rivers governor quits. But, Atiku caught to his weapons. Why is it so?
One, there isn’t a want for a change. Two, the problem of vice-presidency and deputy governorship is the prerogative of the candidate in session with the social gathering. Atiku determined to decide on who he needs to select as his vice-president and he has made that call and that call stands.
The police lately raised the alarm over violence, particularly as campaigns are about taking off. What do you concentrate on this?
Everybody is aware of that Atiku is a person of peace; everybody is aware of that the PDP is a celebration of peace; everybody is aware of that we’re not a violent social gathering; those that launched violence into the political environment of this nation. You already know those that are nonetheless insisting on violence. So, for us, I imply we have now maintained peace; we’ll proceed to take care of peace and Atiku, as a person of honour and peace, will proceed to toe that line. The query of whether or not there needs to be peace and request for peace needs to be channelled to those that are violent and never the PDP.
Not too long ago, you made an announcement that it will be tough to advertise the presidential candidate of the APC with out wanting silly. Some individuals see it as an unguarded assertion. Do you could have any regrets making such an announcement?
The reality of the matter is that I repeat once more, will probably be very tough to market, promote or marketing campaign for the APC and the candidate, Tinubu, with out wanting silly. How do you defend the large and colossal killings which might be happening? How do you defend the truth that the naira as we speak is fluctuating between 680 and 700 to the greenback? How do you defend a state of affairs the place a loaf of bread that was N120 is now bought for N800? How do you defend the truth that diesel, which I used to be shopping for at N180 per litre, is as we speak bought for N840 per litre? How do you defend that? How do you defend even the costs of products and commodities throughout the nation? How do you defend the truth that the nation is unsafe? No a part of this nation is secure as we speak, how do you defend that?
How do you defend the truth that Goodluck Jonathan budgeted N66bn for the entire safety structure of this nation in 2014 and Buhari budgeted N240bn for a similar safety structure of this nation and there’s no enchancment? The killings have elevated, kidnappings have elevated. Day-after-day, no aspect of our social cloth is on the rise however decline. The financial system is declining, infrastructure declining, job creation and employment declining, insecurity pervasive. So, how will you defend that with out wanting silly? You could undoubtedly look silly.
Wike has denied being behind the swimsuit towards the PDP, Atiku and Tambuwal. He additionally mentioned Atiku’s males had been behind the current court docket case. What do you concentrate on it?
The reality of the matter is that Atiku’s males are usually not behind that case. Of what benefit will that be to us after we have an interest within the peace and growth of the social gathering? Atiku’s males are usually not behind that case and Wike shouldn’t be behind it both. Wike shouldn’t be any person that hides behind a finger. If he’s behind it, he’ll come out and inform you that he’s behind it. So, since he has mentioned he isn’t behind it, it means he isn’t behind it and it should be a creation of the APC.
Why do you interact in singing to mock perceived political enemies?
It’s as a result of singing is a religious weapon and I exploit it lots.
How does Atiku intend to win the election within the South-West the place Tinubu holds sway?
My reply to that’s that the PDP simply received an election within the ancestral dwelling of Tinubu, Osun State.
You might have been essential of the Buhari regime and also you don’t see something good about him. Why is it so?
I wouldn’t have a private beef towards Buhari and I can not have a private beef towards Buhari, however I’m not blissful that Buhari scammed Nigerians.