Mallam Shehu Bankole Hameed is the chairman and coordinator of Team Prosper, an organisation comprising core professionals mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s reelection. In this interaction with KUNLE ODEREMI, speaks on issues surrounding Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary, ongoing campaign for the general election, fuel subsidy removal, face-off between Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, and APC governors, among others. Excerpts:
At the threshold of its 66th Independence Day, Nigeria is still battling challenges in many fronts? What do you consider as the encumbrances in the quest by the country to attain nationhood?
It has not been rosy at all. On the economic space, what has been the bane of our past economic managers – military or civilian – has largely been poor understanding of what makes for growth, the utilisation of resources, gross inefficiency in the workforce and the proclivity to mismanagement, including the absence of accountability. Poor judicial process even when we seek to hold the very few ‘unlucky’ ones accountable. On the political side, our experience is intriguing, especially when you study the emergence of three major regions in the First Republic, and how they failed to address the political unity and stability of the country. The incursion of the military into the political space, in the guise of ‘correcting the malaise of corruption’ of the civilian politicians, and the attendant fallouts have continued to affect the quality of political space and [participation in Nigeria.
The quest by the Biafrans for autonomy might have been easily dealt with, but for the covetousness of the seceding polity. When any group of people demand from others what isn’t legally, culturally theirs, there’s bound to be mutual distrust for a long time. As it stands, things haven’t changed, only getting worse for unity. At the recent Abuja discourse, the Igbos made claims to a land that clearly its owners rejected. Which way forward after that, if not distrust and suspicion? This sort of insistence, distrust and unreliability of the geopolitical zones go a long way to affect every policy designed for success. Much energy is dedicated to countering sectional demands, prejudices and stereotypes.
Despite the picture you have painted about Nigeria, the era of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo raised a bright and promising hope and future of a prosperous Nigeria. He was able to lay the foundation for greater heights soon. How come the lofty dreams of the new vista and dawn of the Awo era soon fizzled out?
Chief Awolowo is revered particularly in the South-West (which, in the beginning, was ‘Western’ Nigeria before Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe ensured the breakaway of the now Edo/Delta as Midwest region. The Western region included most of what we now know largely as Lagos State. The federal Capital was mostly Lagos Island, Ikoyi and Victoria Island. The economic and social sustainability of Awolowo’s policies and programmes were anchored on the unfettered access to Education – free Education. I see a pattern with PBAT here with his focus on education anchored by the Minister of Education, Chief (Dr) Tunji Moruf Alausa, CON.
Succeeding generations of our rulers neglected the education sector and the acquisition of skills, which greatly diminished our country’s economic space and limited our capacity for growth. I see a ray of light in the approach of this Education minister and his team; TVET, NELFUND, and the recognition of ASUU as partners in progress. Maybe if this administration’s response is sustained, then Awolowo and his dreams of a decent and developed, well-educated populace may be met soon.
A lot of Nigerians believe the country should have made a more positive effect on the average Nigerian following the return to civil rule in 1999 after a long interregnum of military dictatorship. Indices of mass poverty, severe economic hardship, rural neglect, and other core issues subsist? Why do you think this trend has continued, despite Nigeria’s enormous human and natural endowments?
Let me disagree with your general accusation that the country hasn’t really progressed in almost three decades. I think we have had some noticeable progress in infrastructural development – roads, education sector (number of schools, scholarship and rankings) , financial services industry, and indeed stability in civilian governance, which we like to call democracy. I acknowledge that there are lots of gaps in what ought to be as against what is obtained. This progress must also be measured region by region. The Northern Region, which I belong to, has been battered largely by poor leadership, religious strife, cattle rustling, terrorism and a huge number of out-of-school children. The destruction of the manufacturing base by the Abuja contract-seeking elite, extremely poor access to working capital, insane foreign exchange policy and more. Despite all these shortcomings and stark realities, , there’s real opportunity for growth, if the various divisive rhetoric and politics are curtailed. The constant struggle to find balance among the different interests is a great challenge. Until most of our people decide to forge ahead ignoring the annoying divisive tendencies of a minority group, we may find our path to success strung with pullbacks.
Your party had promised to restore smiles to the faces of the citizens after what many of its leaders termed the era of locusts and misrule of PDP for 16 years? Why has APC reneged on the promise since 2015 when it formed the government at the centre?
This is a good one. First, the major failure of the initial outing with ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, was the stubborn romance with the twin issues of petroleum subsidy and FX subsidy. By skirting around these problematic giveaways, the administration had very little left for development. Another impediment was the way his aides and cronies disregarded his authority; they set up a parallel Aso rock office of the President – if I may call it that. Consequently, the nation suffered from lack of feedback from appointees and the mismanagement of authority and access to the President. However, many of these issues are now being addressed by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. Although gaps still exist in feedback and abuse of access to power, there’s renewed hope.
How do you see ongoing campaigns by the presidential candidates and their political parties as some observers claim are devoid of most of the core issues that have direct impact on the majority of the citizens and the future of Nigeria?
I don’t see any of the parties, including the party in power, truly reflecting what the campaign issues ought to be. The real issues affecting the citizens are poor purchasing power, loss of trust in those governing the country, insecurity, and general distrust of politicians. Notice how the main opposition isn’t different from what was obtained in the last general election. A former ally of (Asiwaju) President Bola Tinubu Asiwaju and a man who has made the pulpit and his tribe is a case study. The former obviously shares many similarities in delivery with his former ally. They both want the subsidy gone, until he now finds convenience in rebuttal with no clear roadmap to success of returning subsidy. Seeking power but not sure if you can truly offer a lasting solution to the gaps that have now clearly exist by the removal of fuel subsidy and that of FX. We need to know how they will tackle the nonchalance of the other subnational levels. The local governments have more financial independence and larger allocations than before, yet little to show for it. The governors now only satisfy themselves by paying wages and salaries on time. Why aren’t we concluded with elections at the gubernatorial and local governments levels?
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs to speak to these glaring gaps. He is most likely to win the 2027 election. And to imagine that former Vice President Atiku may win might not be far-fetched, but if he wins, what are his ideas about the performance of the subnationals in his administration? He is not talking about that issue. No one is talking about the levels of poverty occasioned by the fall of naira and the consequent increase in every price of items imaginable. The most important issue is the price of food items.
What is your disposition to the raging brickbat between APC governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the latter’s formation of a rainbow coalition to rally support for Mr President.
The scenario that the President faces in the coming presidential election is bringing back some memories that preceded the 2023 election. Recall that in that election, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari was seen as anti-Asiwaju due to the several moves to create real and artificial hardships: the scarcity of fuel, the ill-advised currency change, the deep-seated hatred by many in the past government of the man, and problem of religion, where majority of the Christians sided with a ‘chosen’ anointed candidate, the issue of Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who showed no qualms in disrespecting the silent but observable understanding of power shift from the North to the South; health challenges whether real or imagined. So, many negatives were lined up against the person of Candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a ray of hope was offered by the group of PDP-(G5) governors, led by His Excellency Nyesom Wike, and the rest is history.
Now, Minister Nyesom Wike has been honest with his intention from the moment he loudly declared that he is a PDP member, who supports the presidency of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Period! Whatever he is doing at this time isn’t different from whatever he did in the past. I will even argue that he single handedly may be responsible for a huge number of positive votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT)more than the entire APC governors. Many of the APC governors aren’t bothered about the reelection of PBAT. This is because they aren’t sure of their own chances. There are a few northern governors, who have openly campaigned for ADC presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; how do you explain that? I support the Honourable Minister Wike and his moves. I hope Allah will guide the PBAT in wisdom to make the best decision.
Why is it difficult for the APC to move against those governors that you claim are working for the opposition candidate?
These governors are known to have performed very poorly, despite all the overly generous revenue from FAAC, so their diabolical move away from the candidacy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is in response to the cry of their people about hardships occasioned by the subsidy removal in petroleum products and in FX, throwing the President under the bus, to save their own chances. APC governors are responding by blaming Minister Wike, rather than facing their poor performance. The party appears held hostage by the governors.