Alhaji Abdulahi Adamu Usman is a pillar in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), being one of the financiers of the party. He used to be a close associate and die-hard supporter of the presidential candidate of the party, General Mohammadu Buhari (retd). That was then. Today, with the outcome of the primary elections of the party some which ended in controversies, Usman popularly called Dan China said the former Head of State was not the Mr. Integrity that Nigerians had known.
After winning the Bauchi State governorship primary election of the CPC, and his victory given to the person who came third, Dan China concluded that Nigerians have all along been overrating Buhari because “a man of integrity will not substitute a winner with a loser.” He spoke with Daily Sun in Abuja. Excerpts: ...
CPC primaries in Bauchi State.
I don’t know what went wrong. What I was thinking was that the leadership of CPC is a guaranteed leadership of General Muhammadu Buhari, which makes me to feel that there should be no cheating in CPC but I have found myself as a victim.
Results of the primaries
The results? I have them, they are very clear and they were publicised all over. Up till today, nobody has told me anything about it and I just keep quiet. I was thinking that Buhari as a truthful person can do something about it. From the stories I am hearing and from what I have been reading on the pages of newspapers, the victory of the primaries has been given to the person in the third position instead of me. This is against democracy, it is against the law. How do we achieve a free and fair election in this country with this kind of development? INEC also forbids this. The people’s choice must prevail and not just for some cabal either in CPC or anywhere else to pick anybody. It is the same party (CPC) that does not want me even after I have been declared winner of the primaries. The reasons for this I do not know. I went through the screening committee in Bauchi before the primaries without any problem.
What do you want the party to do now?
The party should understand that the person who is aspiring for the presidential position that is, Buhari, is killing the party. What is happening is that the people who are serious in supporting the party and supporting activities that will move the party and nation forward are being witch hunted by Buhari, and he is the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT). He supposed not to have allowed this to happen. If some members of a cabal in the party are given him wrong advice, he should not yield to it. He is supposed to be a man of his words and not to be allowed by some people in the party to manipulate him. I have the papers which he (Buhari) signed approving the election results but later confusion came into the issue which as a leader he should be up to the task. I am disappointed in him and I am still in shock.
What are the steps you are taking to claim your right?
I am still looking at what Buhari will do since he is claiming that he is a straight forward person. As someone who has been tested and trusted before, if now he is changing that calls for concern. May be his age is telling on him or he has brought some people into CPC that are bent on destroying the party. I do not know what is happening. Definitely they will go on destroying his character and credibility. I have seen nowhere he can go to and campaign now, almost in all the states he has popularity has been destroyed by him. You cannot blame the people that committed all these you blame the leader. How can I be substituted by another person who was at the third position meanwhile I won the primaries? It is fraud and it is uncalled for. I will not allow it.
Implication for CPC
You can see what is happening in Kano, Bauchi, Kastina and Kebbi states. Those are the strong states the party should not toy with but the reverse is the case. These areas are the major roots that have been destroyed now. CPC is losing credibility and urgent steps must be taken.
Legal option
I did not join politics on my own. I was called to join politics by my classmates, friends, well wishers and the people of Bauchi State. I cannot determine what to do because they are attacking me left and right, up and down everyday. I do not what decision they may come up with.
Do you sense any conspiracy?
I doubt much because I am a very known person not only in my state but in Nigeria. If anybody is deceiving himself thinking that Abudulahi Adamu is of only Bauchi State he is deceiving himself. I am known in the South, West, Meddle Belt and in the North, nobody can contest that because I have made it. I am a qualified mining engineer. In fact, in West Africa I can say for now nobody has the qualities, the potentials that I have. We are only five in West Africa when I graduated. I only watch and laugh those thinking that I am not educated. I do not care about them. I am a managing director of about five successful companies. I have never taken loan from anybody personally. I have never taken credit from any bank in Nigeria.
I have never borrowed money internationally, I do not owe anybody now. I did not collect any money from anybody. I started these companies personally through hard work. So, how can you explain or say that such a successful person who deals with labourers, expatriates cannot rule Nigeria let alone a small state like Bauchi? What is wrong with our people? I have worked in the Igbo land without any problem, and I am very popular there. I have worked in South West without problems, many can attest to that. I have maintained relative peace with people over there with my popularity. I have worked with the ex-militants in the Niger Delta region without any problem and somebody is saying that I cannot manage a small state like Bauchi. Why don’t they think that I can even rule Nigeria with my potentials? This is a slap and an embarrassment to my person.
CPC’s fortunes and Buhari’s presidential ambition
The truth of it is whether he likes it or not there is a saying that a Good Friday would have been determined by Wednesday. When the Wednesday is not good how do you think that the Friday will be good? Buhari was in the presidential race in 2003 and 2007, all those periods he was going to the tribunal after each election, why was he going to court then? Is it not to challenge the authenticity of the election that there was fraud perpetrated by some people? Now he is in charge in CPC and he is allowing people to be duped in many states where primaries were held, why? My election was free and fair. The CPC gubernatorial primaries were conducted on January 12, 2011 in Bauchi State.
Out of the three contestants, I, Abdullahi Adamu Usman emerged winner with over 336, 924 votes. The person following me, Nuhu Gidado had 109, 987, while the third person, Yusuf Tuggar had 93, 980 votes. After announcing the result it was signed by all the necessary authorities that were involved to affirm that the results were authentic. Few days later when the names were submitted to INEC the person who came third was the one whose name was submitted to the commission thereby denying me as the authentic winner of the primary. I have the papers with me for confirmation. This is fraud. Nobody assisted me with any money when I decided to join politics. If anybody claims that he or she assisted me financially the person should please come out publicly and confront me. Somebody who failed in the primaries, how will he win in the major election? He is the third person not even the second. He was just smuggled in and this I will not allow to happen.
Imposition of candidates
What they are saying is wrong. They have betrayed their rules and regulations because they are not following the constitution of CPC. The primaries were monitored by INEC and the results clearly written out.
I started politics independently without a party. Later, I went to the CPC to ask if they can take me as a candidate and the party leadership told me to look for support. I was never told that they will hand pick candidates. INEC, State Security Service (SSS), Commissioner of Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence, (NSCDC) supervised this election and they have copies of the results. It was a hitch free and fair election. If the party leadership had informed me that they would pick candidates by themselves, I would have stood as independent candidate. Initially, when my posters were printed, it was without party logo. I would have stood as an independent candidate because INEC gave right to anybody who has the power to pay for independent ticket. If I had done that I would not be arguing with people now.
They have used me and dumped me. If I had known that it would turn out this way I have paid as independent candidate for the election. The party has cheated me. I have been creating job opportunities all over Nigeria. I do not discriminate when I want to help anybody.
Have you met Buhari one on one to find a solution to this problem?
I have met Buhari and the party. I have asked him. He did not give me a reasonable answer. What I want now is that I want to be independent if INEC will give me that opportunity. I want to pay that N100 million and run as an independent candidate. I will like to petition INEC and plead to disassociate myself from the cabal in the party. I am no more interested in any other party. Since Buhari has failed me, I have no more confidence in him and in any other person. Buhari was only person who ruled and I have confidence in. But he (Buhari) has betrayed that confidence and is unfortunate.
Have you been overrating Buhari?
I do not know what is wrong with Buhari, Is it old age? Or what? How can someone with a personality like him allow himself to be pushed around by some cabals in the party? People that have credibility in Nigeria and don’t think I would forget about being governor of Bauchi State. I have made a great mistake by not contesting with Buhari. If I knew this is what would happen, I would have challenged him as a presidential aspirant. I thought I should run for the governorship of Bauchi State to correct the failure of Governor Isa Yuguda.
