50 INSIDEPOLITICS SDP is our plan B at height of PDP crisis - Prof. Alkali
Prof. Ahmed Rufai Alkali, a former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former Special Adviser to exPresident Goodluck Jonathan on Political Affairs, recently joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP). In this interview,
Dera? aily Trust: Is there any relationship between the present SDP and the one of the military Well, as you rightly observed, there was an SDP in the 1990’s which was part of the transition that led to elections in 1993. At that time, the SDP was able to make a huge impact in getting many of its members elected into the National Assembly and subsequently, the SDP presidential candidate, Chief M.K.O. Abiola of blessed memory, won. I believe after that episode, the SDP like most other political parties rested. But about four, five years ago, Chief Olu Falae and other leaders of the SDP felt it was time to revive it because of its history; two, because of the brand; three, because of the successes it achieved at that very difficult time and the kind of ideological position of the party that it should not be lost to history. Therefore, Chief Falae who is right now the national chairman of the party worked very hard through all the legal processes and revived the party. Though it did not have much showing in 2015, in a number of states where its candidates stood for elections, they were able to make some impact.
Recently, some people expressed concern about the status of the PDP and APC and looking at some other political parties already on ground and those that were registered recently, it appeared that people were saying that the SDP that has a long history that made an impact on Nigerian psychology should be brought back. For us, long before the Supreme Court judgment on the PDP leadership tussle, there were many people who were thinking that it would be very difficult for the Supreme Court to pass judgment in favour of the PDP that was chaired by Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi and that in the event that the verdict does not favour the mainstream, people must prepare a fall-back position on the way out. Some of our leaders and elders engaged with most of the political parties at the background, conversing with them, discussing with them and negotiating with them, including but not limited to All Progressive Grand Alliance, Labour Party, Accord Party, Peoples Redemption Party and others. So, the feeling was that, yes, in the event that the Supreme Court gave the judgment to the faction that did not belong to the mainstream, then others will move to the SDP. But as God would have it, the judgment from the Supreme Court became historic and handed over the party back to the people. So, for that reason at that time, it was felt that there was no need to move to another party. But again, some of our leaders were saying let’s again see what happens if as we move to the convention, whether we had learnt our lessons and whether it is possible that those people who stood firm and fought hard to rescue the party, what role they will play after the court judgment and the convention. But I think we have seen what happened at the convention and it has become part of Nigeria’s history. I don’t want to belabor the point. I believe that from then on, we felt again we must revisit our Plan B and really go back to the drawing board and see how we can move forward. That’s why our leaders and elders reopened the conversation. In fact, it was not closed with the leadership of the SDP.
DT: What informed your decision to leave PDP?
Prof. Alkali: Let’s put it this way. First and foremost, most of us who are professionals in our various callings decided to join politics even at early stages in our careers. We did so because of our love for this country. We believe in Nigeria. We believe in the unity of Nigeria. We believe in the progress of Nigeria. We believe in the future of Nigeria and we believe no matter what we do outside, if we are not part of the process, we will not be able to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of our people. Therefore, first, our concern is our patriotic zeal to serve this country. And of course, we are also concerned about the future of our people because if you noticed, in the 1950s, in the 1960s, there were prominent Nigerians who stood up to fight against colonial masters and they stood up because they believed that there was the need to stand up at that time to liberate our people. Some of us in our university days, we used to criticize them that they were not progressive or radical enough. We even sometimes claimed that the independence given to us was given on a platter of gold. But we also know that many people made very huge sacrifices during that period of transition to independence. Long after independence, it’s just like if you go to school and get an education, what’s the purpose of that education? Of course, education can be end in itself but education can be a means to further ends. So, if you sit down and interpret the world, of course, that is good enough. But if you don’t make a contribution to change it, then you lose the moral right to challenge certain things that happen in future. So, we felt that we don’t know everything. What we know is just modest. But from our modest knowledge, we should also contribute to the evolution of modern Nigeria. Everybody is complaining that politics is dirty.
So, this is why you find out that some of us felt that we should be part of it while we are well and alive. Now, I don’t want to go back to what happened before the (PDP) elective convention. For me, I had already made a promise and I have fulfilled it. I said I am not going to run away. But I will walk away. I will not run away because I know that when a ship hits an iceberg, that is the most convenient time for many people to just run away.
DT: Will the SDP be willing to work with the coalition against the PDP and APC?
Prof. Alkali: During the inauguration of the interim executives of the SDP, our chairman, Olu Falae, did state that the party was in consultation with various groups and other political parties to extend its base. But of course, you know these are tactical issues and not issues that can just be discussed and elaborated on anyhow. What’s important is that no political party is static. Even if you are big, you want to become bigger. Certainly, if you think you are small, if you know what you are doing, you’re organized, you cannot call yourself small. What’s important is the goodwill of our people that matters most because it is the people that make the party. It’s not the party that makes the people. Therefore, with this process of consolidating SDP, I am surprised myself by the kind of goodwill, the kind of people that have been coming forward, people who are calling me and saying, ‘Alkali, if you are there, we are there.’ So, it encourages me because I was thinking when I move, I was going to move alone. But when I moved, people said let’s do it together. For the future of our state, you have to work hard to bring glory back to the state. So, in simple terms, at the national level, it’s expanding and at our level too, we are also moving. I believe in the near future, the true picture will come out. I know that SDP is not the only political party apart from the ruling or the main opposition. There are others but their approach, method and style are completely different.
DT: Even though the SDP is an old name, there is the suggestion that it may not be able to achieve enough mileage by 2019. What’s the objective of the SDP for 2019?
Prof. Alkali: I don’t know why you say the time is short. It’s not short. Why I say the time is not short is that it is the spirit, it is in the mind, the commitment, the dedication that you want to make a difference. And if you want to make a difference, you do it systematically. The approach is that it is going to be an open platform, it is going to be where everybody has a say. It’s an opportunity to follow due process. It is an opportunity where nobody imposes his views over othersa situation where everybody is important, the big, the small, the young and the old. One of the things that breed anger and frustration is alienation.
I believe that from then on, we felt again we must revisit our Plan B and really go back to the drawing board and see how we can move forward. That’s why our leaders and elders reopened the conversation. In fact, it was not closed with the leadership of the SDP