A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Brigadier General John Sura (rtd), speaks in this interview by ISAAC SHOBAYO on the internal crisis rocking the party; the hardship in the country, insecurity and other issues.
What is your view on the seemingly intractable crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?
It is my thinking that the party can re-invent itself. Now the case is before the National Working Committee (NEC). The BOT has also moved in to do some internal checking. The PDP might survive the crisis; it has the internal mechanism for resolving its problems. Some of us still believe that the problems will be resolved. By the next NEC meeting which is fixed for the end of February, we hope that the NEC will come out with a resolution that will resolve this problem. The string that is still holding the party is that NEC meeting which we are looking at. If they successfully do that one, we will know that we’re ahead. We’re heading towards a convention that is coming up in November that will eventually bring a new set of people. The issue of insubordination here and there also needs to be addressed.
There are rumours that some governors are planning to dump PDP and defect to All Progressives Congress (APC). What do you make of this?
There are people who still have grouses against the party. And even if the problem is resolved, some people may still not trust the new leadership or whoever that is going to be taking over the leadership of the party. And, of course, because the person that is being fingered as holding the party to ransom, if no disciplinary action is taken against him, then be assured that some persons will still feel that he may still remain as a mole against the party. And so they may not trust the party and may likely join the APC. But again, in a movement, in a social movement, people are not always static. Surely some people will remain with the party – with the problem or no problem, some people will still be dissatisfied because they may want to go to a greener pasture, assuming that APC is a greener pasture. And those who still believe in the principle and also believe in the PDP, and rests their hope in the PDP whether it is a sinking ship or whether it is going to still be a floating ship, will still remain. And likewise, in the APC too, I also want to believe that there are people that are also dissatisfied. They may also want to invent their own thinking somewhere. And so others too, maybe a lot of movement will be there. Give or take, I want to look at it that between now and June and July, we should be able to see the stabilisation of movements here and there, because we are looking at next year, April, to start thinking of our primaries. The convention certainly will take place and end maybe by this year. State congresses have already been done with; we have a few local governments and a few states that still have state congresses to organise. And so all these things we see are the things that trade the party. Then those who are interested in moving, by July we will start to see their action. People making consultations, throwing themselves up for positions and other things will also be seen.
The PDP and Labour Party are enmeshed in deep leadership crises and thus are unable to perform their opposition role effectively. What are the implications of this?
Well, as you have noted, it is a clear thing. If the PDP cannot start firmly to give a strong voice for the masses and for the opposition in the country, it means that gradually the issue of opposition has finally been eroded. And of course, like I said, it is common knowledge that the crisis in the PDP is making the party not to have one voice. A house that is divided against itself cannot stand. And so, the division in the house has made the PDP not have a strong voice to play its role as an opposition party. Even at the National Assembly the party has lost its voice just like the leaders of the party in the National Working Committee (NWC). However, all the three dominant political parties in the country are facing one challenge or another; most of their internal organs are dead. Even in APC as a party, they too are not getting their bearings, but in PDP and LP, their youth wings are dead; their NWCs are dead, and the National Executive Committees too are not forthcoming. The APC-led government policies are not well scrutinised by the opposition parties for good governance.
The rate of defection, especially from the PDP and Labour Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is high without any justifiable reason. Don’t you think the judiciary should rise up to the responsibility of ensuring that the right thing is done in this regard?
I think there is already a precedent set that once you want to defect from a political party that is not in any kind of crisis, you lose your seat. The judiciary and even the party where those people are defecting from should question and also call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to run re-election into those positions. And if the judiciary has already done its part, the problem then lies with the political parties. They are the people to demand the right thing and say yes, we are still intact as a political party. Yes, we do not have division in our ranks that requires these persons to leave. Therefore, you call on INEC to come and conduct the election. And if INEC is not doing the needful, I think the affected political party can approach the court instead of taking it as normal in our political setting.
As a result of the anti-democratic tendencies often exhibited by the political class in Nigeria, many are of the opinion that principles are in short supply in our body polity. Do you subscribe to this notion?
When you take a general sample, anything that is above fifty percent, then you know that that is the norm. If you look at it basically, anything that happens and goes into Nigerian politics, we do not have principles. We don’t have a conscience where we say yes this is what I stand for. If I’m going to leave you, I’ll say take your property and, afterwards I move to the other side. Just like a man trying to marry a woman, if the lady is already married to another person she cannot manage the whole time handling two men. So also, that is how a political party should look. We are just like wives to our political party. So if you want to marry another man, you leave that place and move to the other person. We don’t practice polyandry in Nigeria.
It’s unfortunate that we no longer take principles seriously in Nigerian politics. For example, until the government and INEC take the issues of defections seriously, nothing will change. If they eventually address it, it could serve as a deterrent, making people hesitant to defect anyhow. If you must defect, there should be a legal basis for doing so — such as a crisis within your political party. Otherwise, there should be no room for defection. The parties losing members to other political parties must wake up. If INEC refuses to take action, they should challenge the legality of such defections in the courts, as it is the political party that sponsors individuals, not the individuals themselves. Once that is done, we might see some sanity restored to the political system. Even if people keep defecting to the new political parties, it will only lead to more crises within those parties. Just wait and see; the APC will face competition from within, which will likely lead to more defections.
The administration claims it has put in place mechanisms to tackle inflation and hardship in the country, yet the hardship persists despite these policies. Do you agree with them on this?
Until the government returns to reality and realises that it should provide subsidies that benefit the wider population — not just a select few — nothing will change. The measures in place only help a small fraction of people, and they don’t really reach those who need them the most. Even wealthy individuals are affected because their relatives are among those suffering. If subsidies were distributed more evenly, it would improve the well-being of all. The government claims to be giving out financial assistance, but where is the database to identify those in need and those who receive it? These are just conduit measures designed for political purposes. My opinion is that the government needs to look at how it can more effectively subsidise vital areas like transportation, petroleum, and electricity. Furthermore, the new tariffs on telecommunications are another way the government is further impoverishing people. Daily, the cost of living is rising. The government needs to be people-orientated in its approach. If a policy is a burden on the people, it should be stopped. If it benefits them, then it should be pursued. That’s my view.
There are claims that with the refineries in Warri and Port Harcourt now operational, along with other developments, the price of petroleum will soon drop. What do you think about this?
These claims are mere semantics. Recently, there was an increase in the price of petroleum, and although there was a slight reduction, NNPC has raised the price again. In Lagos, the price that used to be 900 Naira has now been increased by about 30 Naira. In Abuja, the price went down to 950 Naira but has now gone back up to 990 Naira. So, prices fluctuate. It is said that the economy is now free, and that oil prices are no longer regulated. This means that whenever there is an increase in global oil prices, the same happens locally. I believe the government is not serious about addressing this issue, and unless we find a way to reduce the cost of these essentials, the prices of goods will continue to rise. This will exacerbate the high cost of living.
The government claims to be fighting insecurity, yet new insurgent groups are emerging such as the “Lukawara” group. What is your opinion on this?
The military is doing its best, but no matter how many soldiers are deployed, they cannot occupy the entire country. The people must also play their part by providing information to the military. The military must act quickly when it receives intelligence and ensure that the information is protected. Once insurgents begin to face serious consequences for their actions, they will be forced to retreat. However, the more we focus on isolated victories, the more we boost the morale of these insurgents. So, while we focus on using technology, the mindset of the military is also crucial. The military must be supported, praised when they succeed, and questioned when they fail. Once these elements are in place, we can begin to see progress.
There are reports that some governors still negotiate with bandits, with claims that this has happened in Zamfara, Katsina and in some other states in the past with no positive result. It is amazing that some governors still adopt this approach.
In my opinion, as someone who has lost loved ones due to insurgency, I do not believe we should negotiate with them. If the government has declared war on them, we must take decisive action. I believe that if the government is serious and takes strong measures, this will stop. If we continue to treat insurgents as just another part of society, they will continue to grow in power, especially given the widespread hunger in the country. The government must act decisively. We need to identify the sponsors of these groups and cut off their resources. Once their financial and logistical support is destroyed, they will not be able to continue their operations. There are many ways to tackle this issue without negotiating with insurgents. Political will and a strong approach from the government are essential to ending this crisis. There were rumours in the past that the previous administration had already identified the sponsors, but nothing came of it. I now believe that the current leadership is serious and that if they act decisively, others will follow suit. Only then can we begin to restore some sanity to the country.
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