Former Jigawa State governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Alhaji Sule Lamido, speaks with ADAMU AMADU on the proposed opposition coalition under G-100 against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election, the PDP, Nigeria’s democratic future and the poverty ravaging Nigerians.
AS a statesman and a major figure in Nigerian democracy, how did you view the reported plan by the G-100 coalition to come together, support one candidate and unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election?
Well, to be frank, I’m not aware of this group. If they are really a group of 100, tell me who they are so that I can comment. I do not know them. Who are they?
They are reportedly a group of opposition political parties, including the ADC, NDC and other opposition parties and their leaders.
When you say the group, not political party. Who are the people behind it?
They include presidential candidates, former vice-presidents, former governors and other political stakeholders. People like former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi and others are said to be part of it.
So, you are talking about people like Amaechi, Malami and others, isn’t it? What is my business with that? They are from the same political background. They are from the same group, their own family. It is a civil war. So why do I come into it? What should I comment? All of them have, at one time or another, been part of the APC or its political family. From 2014 to date, those who are claiming to be opposition are, in many ways, people from the same political family. So, in their own civil war, what is my business? I am PDP. I have been PDP since 1999 and I remain PDP till date.
From your experience in politics, do you think such a coalition can succeed in defeating the APC and President Tinubu in 2027?
What I am saying is, what is my business? In your own family, you are fighting. What concerns me about your family’s fight? You should know your family better than me. You should understand your own family better than me. All of them have been in different political parties. They moved from ANPP to PDP, ACN, CPC and eventually APC. I have been PDP all along. All these people who came together are from the same APC family that fought PDP, maligned PDP, abused PDP and destroyed PDP. They wanted to remove us from office, and they did. Now, from 2014 to date, they have been changing their political platforms and alliances. But they are still from the same family. Therefore, it is a family civil war. It is their problem and their business. Let them go and fight their own war.
How do you assess the political activities and preparations of your party, the PDP, ahead of the 2027 general election?
Look, it is a very simple thing. Political parties are formed with a purpose. Parties are formed based on certain principles and programmes, and they articulate their positions on issues. For any given election, you tell Nigerians what you are going to do on the economy, security, human development and other important areas. These are the issues political parties normally present to the public. They tell the people: this is what we are going to do if we win the election. For me, our purpose is to win the election. Simple. Therefore, like all political parties, our programme and the election are ultimately about Nigeria.
What, in your view, should Nigerians look out for as the 2027 general election approaches?
Nigerians should look at the political parties, their backgrounds and the political pedigree of the various actors. They should examine their records and determine who is sincere and who genuinely has the interest of Nigeria at heart.The issue is for Nigerians to see through these people and ask: who is talking? Who is saying what? Who is sincere? Who is honest? Who is there for Nigeria?Then they can make their own choice.
You have on several occasions expressed fear about the possibility of defeating President Tinubu in 2027. What exactly do you mean by that?
No. When you say fear, what do you mean by fear?
Fear in terms of his political capacity and ability to win the election?
It is about capacity and what he can do, and to what extent. You understand, this is somebody who has been a survivor in politics. Those who have worked with him at one time or another should know him better than me because they were with him. They belonged to the same political family. Therefore, they should understand his political capacity better than I do.
How do you forecast the 2027 general election?
My focus is that Nigerians should look at the political parties, look at their background and look at the political pedigree of the various actors. They should ask themselves: is there anybody among them who is sincere, who is genuine and who is committed to Nigeria? Then they should make their choice. The political environment is very murky and unconventional. It is difficult to make a realistic political analysis in terms of sincerity and honesty. Political analysts should be able to look at issues based on national interest, national stability, security and other considerations. But today, look at the main players and their characters. Let Nigerians look at them and determine how sincere and genuine they are.
Do you think national interest has been given enough attention by the political actors?
To me, Nigeria has been abandoned by all of them. I am not making any spiritual claim that I am more Nigerian than any other Nigerian. But look at the country today and compare it with what it was in 1999. People who emerged as governors, vice-presidents, presidents and ministers since 1999, across different political parties, have benefited from Nigeria. Now, having benefited from Nigeria, when the country is going through these difficulties, are they willing to pay back Nigeria what Nigeria gave them? That is the issue.
What do you think is the future of Nigeria’s democracy, given the current political and economic challenges?
Nigeria will be there. This is part of the whole evolution. All nations go through difficulties. Some are caused by the players, while some are natural, but nations go through a process.I hope people understand that beyond the next four years, five years, 10 years or 15 years, many of these people will no longer be there.They will leave, but Nigeria will remain. Therefore, do not despair and don’t give up. Nigeria will be there.But the evolution is very stressful. The living conditions in the country are now very stressful, with a lot of difficulties. But we shall overcome, I believe.
What is your advice to Nigerians at this critical period?
What kind of advice? You advise people when you think there is ignorance, lack of understanding, fear or something like that. But when the environment is very clear, you know that people are no longer ignorant. Nigerians are not ignorant. They know what they are doing politically. Nigerians are politically very conscious. Look at social media and the way people discuss politics. They know what is happening. There is no ignorance and there is no fear. They say anything and read anything.So, you advise where there is ignorance. But that is no longer the situation. Every Nigerian, whether from the North or South, Christian or Muslim, knows what we are going through. We are politically conscious and very aware. It is up to us to determine what is best for Nigeria. What have I done? What have you done? What have they done? What are we doing?
What do you think is the major factor responsible for the challenges facing Nigerians today, particularly poverty?
Poverty. But whether God caused poverty or whether poverty was human-induced, that is the question. Was it caused by God or was it caused by human beings?
Would you take it that it is both natural and human-induced?
No. It cannot be both. Because Nigeria is well endowed by God. We have resources underground. We have minerals. Our land is very fertile. We can grow almost anything through agriculture. We have people with very strong cultural backgrounds and traditions. We have highly educated people who are respected around the world. Therefore, when you say poverty is natural, you are not being fair to nature.
So, what is the missing link?
Look, you have been asking questions. You ask me what the problem is and what the solution is. I told you: look at whether the poverty is human-induced or natural. You said both. I said it cannot be both.
Jigawa State has clocked 35 years. Your administration lasted eight years and is often credited with significant human and infrastructural development. What is your assessment of the state’s journey and its future?
All of us, in the last 25 or 30 years, have made our contributions. We have all put in our maximum best. All the governments, whether military or civilian, whichever political party was in power, have contributed. The people, the emirs and everybody have contributed to making Jigawa great. It is a process of evolution.No one person can claim that during his time, he did everything. You do what you can and leave, then somebody else comes in. Whatever you see today is a collective achievement. It is through the collective efforts of the people that you got Jigawa as it is today. It is not the achievement of Sule Lamido or anybody else alone.