Vice President Namadi Sambo has faulted the position of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on the recent decision of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to throw open its ticket for next year’s presidential election, noting that the position was informed by selfish interest.
Sambo, in a short interactive session with media executives at his Akinola Aguda residence in Abuja Sunday, said that rather than any claim to fighting for the interest of the North, the duo were only opposed to the arrangement because it has failed to hand the PDP ticket (and by implication, the 2011 presidency) on a platter. “They are opposing it because they are interested parties,” the VP said, pointing out that the two aspirants would have been taken more seriously if they were not going to be direct beneficiaries of a reverse in policy on the issue.
Responding to a question on the call for him to step down as VP in order to preserve the zoning arrangement that would ensure the presidency returned to the North in 2011, Sambo said: “If the people that are talking do not have personal interest, then it will be a different matter. But when you see people that have interest, and they are the same people talking, then it becomes a kind of a problem”.
The VP further restated: “This issue is a purely a matter of PDP and I can tell you to go and investigate and find out the true position of the North. For the majority of the North or the majority of Nigerians, their concern is who can save the present situation and let Nigerians live above poverty level. Their concern is about who can deliver so that our society will change to a society we can all be proud of and so that our socio- economic status will improve. I think that is the major concern of Nigerians.
We are today at 50, our concern is not whether North or South, our concern is who can deliver Nigeria for us?
On this count, he said Nigerians should rest assured that Jonathan is delivering and would deliver even more. “We are delivering Nigeria and I believe we are in the position to deliver the promise that Nigerians want” he said.
The VP was however, not categorical on if or when his principal, President Goodluck Jonathan, would declare his intention to run for the 2011 presidential election. He said it would be “very soon”, adding: “there is no specific date yet but it will be very soon”.
Pushed further, the VP said it would definitely be after the Ramadan. “You know the Ramadan period is a Holy month and you know it is not the best period to go into all those kinds of activities. You also know that Ima Niboro (Jonathan’s spokesman) has made a press statement on that. So, already there is a statement from the presidency.
Sambo also tackled a few other issues bordering on the contentious zoning issue and the performance of the Jonathan administration. Excepts:
You are a Northerner, your zone has taken a decision that the power must remain in the North come 2011, how comfortable are you with the decision?
Am I not part of the power? I think I am from the North and, as the Vice-President, I have confidence that whatever a President from the North will do, I am in the best position to do it for the North. And today we are 50 years old, the party has made it clear that the issue of its candidature will be in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and zoning is still an existing factor, it is part of the PDP constitution. We have gone up, we are just going to celebrate our 50th anniversary. And at the age of 50, we expect any state to have grown. This country (Nigeria ) has come a long way and therefore, the issues that have to do with our development, of effecting programmes of government that will rejuvenate the country and create a better standard of living for Nigerians are what we are looking for.
I remember in the 1960s, when we were still children, these issues that have to do with religion, zoning and what have you were part of the issues that do not really exist. So, I am from the North, I am part of the power and everything that is needed to do for the North is being done. Look at what has been happening of recent. The major programmes that are being implemented for this part of the country, that is the Northern part, these are evidence to show that we have a President that is patriotic, a President that does not have anything that is religious or sectional as part of his disposition or administration.
Is that why you prefer the back seat to the front seat?
That is why we have chauffeur- driven car. If you are chauffeur-driven, which will you prefer, will you sit in the front or at the back?
Your Excellency, how are you carrying the PDP Governors along, we learnt some of them are not backing the possibility of a Jonathan-Sambo ticket?
The Northern Governors, and in fact all the Governors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, are being carried along and we have good relationship, we are moving this country together. And the position of all the sections or the zones of this country has been made very clear. The governors of the South-South, the South-West, have made their statements, the governors from the Northern states have made their statement, members of the Nigerian Governors Forum have also made their statement. These statements are all in line with our position. So we are all together.
Sir, it was reported that there was a plan to stop you from contesting in the 2011 elections even though the government had come out to deny it, there were reports on Sunday that governors are still demanding Vice-Presidential slot, which is which?
The position of the Government is the right thing.
With some of the Governors indicating interest in the Vice-presidency, is it not an indication that your position is threatened?
You see when you talk of about threats in terms of political issues, you know there are even different parties that want to take over the government, there are different parties, we have the ANPP, CPC, all these. You know politics is a question of continuous challenges, it is like life and anybody can sit down and create their stories too. That is politics.
How comfortable are you with the situation in Kaduna where they said you are losing grip?
I have not heard of that really. And in practice, I have not seen anything like that. In fact, just before you came in I received a group of political friends from Kaduna and they said the government is doing everything in line with the programmes we have put in place together in Kaduna and all these politicians are from Kaduna . We are even always getting stronger and strengthening all issues with politics in Kaduna State . It is just the same thing like I said. It is the same story; people say a lot of things that may not be right.
One thing in politics, is that people make a lot of speculations and say a lot of things that may not be right. It is like one time, I was attending a conference here and Andrew Young was delivering his speech and part of the statement he made was that you have to feed the press with information, if you don’t feed them, they will create their food. If you have not been giving them information, the likelihood is that somebody will just sit down and start creating his own information because you have to write news. So, really as far as I know, Kaduna is still a strong PDP State and we are moving on as one family.
How busy are you your Excellency? Are you fully engaged? Or just another spare tyre, considering that deputies are always neglected?
Oh! Fully. You can even see the proof (pointing to a stack of files he had to treat before dinner with the president that evening). I am here with so many documents to address and I am fully, fully engaged. As you know, you must have seen that we are handling a lot of important national matters like power, the issue of infrastructure, and others. The analysis that we have made is that we must address all the issues that have been pending and those that will enhance the development of the country.
The first major issue is power, if we can give Nigerians power, 50 percent of our socio-economic problems will be solved and this as you know, we are addressing with all seriousness. The issue of access to finance, you must have noticed that just recently, I signed the N500billion intervention funds for industries and power sector, and we are doing everything to ensure that we make funds accessible to people so that the private sector will grow, so that there won’t be any problem. When we complete the projects we have on power, the other sectors that will evacuate the power will be active. There are other funds that will come very soon. We have the textile funds. Arrangements have gone very far too also to support the automobile sector and all other sectors. The SMEs and there are other measures to ensure that the issue of housing is addressed so that every Nigerian will be able to access the facilities and own a house in this country.
What do you make of INEC as it is now?
We are confident that the members of the present INEC set up are up to the task. They have made certain proposals to meet their targets. Since their requests (the men, resources )have been met, they are now implementing their plans. Of course, the issues are always that they must be given leverage in achieving certain objectives. As far as we are concerned, we are confident that INEC will meet their targets.
In the event that they have any problem, I am confident that the chairman will come out and tell Nigerians the true position and Nigerians will come out and agree. That is the true position as far as I am concerned. He (Jega) is working as scheduled and he will deliver according to the programmes
How will you and the President cope since PDP has retained its zoning formula?
We have agreed that zoning is part and parcel of PDP, it has not removed zoning. But PDP has said that as far as its candidate is concerned, it respects the Federal Constitution. And in all previous elections of the PDP, despite the fact that there is zoning, all Nigerians that were interested participated in such elections (presidential). Just look at the last election, there were fifteen (15) candidates from the South, and about twelve (12) or so from the North. Despite the fact that there was zoning in PDP, still the Constitution is still the prime factor that is considered in the candidature for PDP. Any interested candidate from any part of the country, as a Nigerian, has the right to contest if he wishes just like it has been proved in other PDP’s presidential election (primaries).
By STEVE NWOSU
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