47interview
national levels, so the only reasonable thing was to leave. It was not even my own decision to leave the party, it was my followers who took the decision that we should leave the party and I was very fair to APC. When I was leaving, I asked all my supporters all over the country to remain in APC.
DT: Why did those who left with you choose PDP?
They didn’t have an option because there were only two parties - PDP and APC.
DT: A lot is happening in the PDP now but you have been rather quiet…
I decided to remain quiet because, to me, we are not sincere to the masses. PDP’s problem is that of selfish personal interests. Unfortunately, the PDP is having the same problem as APC; most Nigerian politicians are just political office seekers. They have been enjoying their life style in the PDP since 1999; looking for positions, having sundry political ambitions, but the problem now is that PDP has become the opposition party and yet most people in the party still have personal interests and ambitions, some are even looking for presidential ticket, so there is a lot of confusion. Unless we understand that we have a problem, as the opposition party, we won’t make any headway. Right now we shouldn’t be thinking of who is going to become the flag bearer. How can you start thinking of flag bearer when you don’t even have a house? You have to sit down and build a house and when the house is well built, then let the people decide. DT: So what’s the way forward?
The only thing is for us to sit down, no matter what, close our ranks and tell ourselves the truth instead of fighting. As far as I am concerned, I don’t see any problem with the PDP. There is nothing wrong with it; the problem is with those who want to become what they want to become.
My advice is that nobody gives power but God. However as leaders, let us not think of ourselves always, let us think of the masses, our children, our grandchildren, we have to put our personal interests aside and work as a team to save our country. Ours is finished, it’s over! Very soon we’d become expired drugs; when a drug is expired and you take it, it would become a problem to you. Unless we start grooming the younger ones, there will be no hope for the North and for the entire country.
DT: Aside politics, what else do you do?
Well, since 1979 I have been in business and also in politics, so it has never changed. Up till now, I am in business and I am in politics at the same time because I have to be self-dependent. I held the highest office in the state as a governor, I never worked as a civil servant, so people should not be wondering what I am doing now. DT: What do you think of 2019?
We have a sitting president who has not even completed two years in office and we are talking about 2019. Who knows who would get to 2019? Some time ago, I was always with ex-Governor Kure talking about the country, politics and all. Today, he is no more. People have been carried away with this world but this world is nothing; you can be here today and tomorrow you are gone.