Kogi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Musa Wada spoke with reporters in Lagos on his ambition and issues that will shape the November 16 poll. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there
What are your chances in the November 16 poll?
The abysmal performance of Governor Yayaha Bello is enough reason for me to confidently tell you that I will win the November 16 election. Let me use the word ‘confident’ because I don’t like human beings saying they are confident as only God can display confidence. But, all things being equal, my chances are far brighter than that of the incumbent given his poor performance in the governance of Kogi State. If you go to the state and sample opinion of the people, everyone is fed up. Payment of salaries, which is the right of every worker, has become an illusion. If someone cannot pay salaries, which is the right of every worker, how will he address infrastructure decay in the health, education sectors or maintenance of roads in the state?
If a sitting governor cannot campaign based on his first term achievements, what else will he tell the people in order to convince them to elect him for a second term? So, as far as I am concerned, I have every reason to feel that I have a bright chance of making it to Lugard House. I normally tell people that if you perform well as a governor, you have campaigned for yourself, but the current governor of Kogi State has nothing on ground to show for his almost four years in government. There is nothing Yahaya Bello will tell the people to warrant his re-election in a state, where hunger has become the order of the day. To every citizen of Kogi State, there is no governance; what they are used to are hunger, thuggery and guns booming from morning to night in all parts of the state as if we are in a banana republic.
The scenario in Kogi reminds one of the Ugadan experience under Idi Amin. If you say that Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world, then Kogi State is the poverty capital of Nigeria because everything bad in human existence is prevalent in the state. So, under a free, fair credible election, I will emerge winner of the Kogi State governorship election within three hours of commencement of voting.
What is the guarantee that there will be a free, fair and credible election?
I will tell you that Kogi has not been this bad because the immediate past governor of the state, Capt. Idris Wada, eradicated almost completely, thuggery in Kogi politics. That was why the governorship election of 2015 was conducted under a peaceful atmosphere. But, Yahaya Bello, knowing fully well that he is not democratic, has realised that the only way he can return to power is by arming the army of unemployed youths in the state, who, unfortunately, are victims of his policies and maladministration.
But, I have always said that my election is not worth anybody’s soul and I still stand by that statement. I am alien to guns, and we shouldn’t be preparing for an election as if we are preparing for war. I have never seen such a scenario in civilized climes. But, that is what you get, when you have uncivilized people in power; people who believe that everything must be taken by force. So, the onus is on the Federal Government and the relevant security agencies, which have right under the constitution, to arrest anyone bearing arms. And I have continued to wonder why no arrest has been made by the police in the state, when they know where these guns boom from because election is coming.
Yahaya Bello may have all instruments of coercion, state power and others, but citizens of Kogi State are vigilant this time around given what the party in power did in previous elections. They are ready to defend their votes, to ensure that all voting materials arrive at the polling centres at the same time. We know their tactics; late arrival of voting materials at some centres, making card readers to work in some centres and not working in others, trying to destabilize voters in opposition’s stronghold and protecting the stronghold of the party in power. We know all these tactics, but we are advising and appealing that for the sake of the people of Kogi State, INEC and the relevant security agencies should ensure a level playing field.
How far have you gone with the reconciliation in your party given the fallout of the primary?
Out of the 13 aspirants who contested the primary with me, 12 have already endorsed me; only one person went to court. But, the reconciliation committee set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party and headed by Senator Bukola Saraki, has met with me and all critical stakeholders of Kogi PDP and has agreed to reach out to the aggrieved aspirant, who went to court to challenge the outcome of the primary election, so that we don’t give any room to the ruling party
What the APC is looking for is for Wada not to be on the ballot because they are scared. If anyone from the PDP is in court; that gives them the room they are looking for even though they have their own cases. Ours’ is just bothering on the primary, which everybody adjudged as very transparent. Even when gunmen came to disrupt the process, that did not affect the procedure as we continued the next day, when a winner emerged.
You were not known as a major player in Kogi politics until your emergence as PDP’s candidate for the governor…
That was what even caused panic in the camp of the ruling party in the state. However, the truth is that even though I was in the public service, I have been popular with people at home. I have always interacted with people at home because I am a home person. Don’t forget that my elder brother, Capt. Idris Wada, is the immediate past governor of Kogi State, and of course, the structure I set up, worked for his success in the election that brought him to power.
Because I was in public service, I couldn’t come out as a politician, but I have been interacting with critical stakeholders in the state. Of course, there are bigger gladiators in the PDP; people like Senator Dino Melaye, former Governor Wada, ex-Governor Ibrahim idris son and others, who have been in politics for some time, but ahead of the PDP primary, I retired voluntarily from the public service in line with constitutional and party guidelines.
I traversed the 21 local government areas in Kogi State, selling myself to the people and preaching the gospel of good governance. To God be the glory, I emerged the candidate of the PDP even when I was seen by many as an underdog. So, I won’t say that I emerged from the blues because I worked hard for the ticket.
What is your vision for Kogi State?
My vision is clear because my manifesto emphasizes more on human capital development. State of emergency would be declared in all sectors in Kogi because nothing is working in the state. None of the hospitals in the state has a functional generator, they make use of candles at night and you can verify this. The educational sector is not working; lecturers in the state owned university have left. So, what will I do for the people? I will restore their confidence in government by ensuring that there are adequate facilities in our hospitals and schools as well as ensure that there is a change in the narrative about governance in Kogi State as people will feel the pulse of governance.
How deep is your pocket given the role money has played in recent elections?
One’s wealth is not about one’s bank account or how much in one’s pocket, but about capacity to mobilize people to generate resources. I don’t have money, but I have the sympathy of the people. I am not going to buy votes because I have what it takes to transform Kogi State if elected as governor.