Nigerian political office has been commercialised by agents and enemies of the state – Shuwa

Muhammad Usman Shuwa is retired security personnel and former bodyguard to former president Olusegun Obasanjo. He served as security adviser to the former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako. He contested for the governorship seat during the last general election on the platform of the Africa Democratic Congress (APC). In this interview with a select group of journalists, he spoke on the economic challenge facing Nigerians, bad leadership under the APC government since 2015 and Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s leadership style in Adamawa State. INIOBONG IWOK brings the excerpts:

Can you give us your assessment of the Nigerian brand of democracy in the last twenty-five years?

Well, you know that basically in as far as the Nigerian democratic journey is concerned there are areas of success and also there are shortcomings. We have freedom of speech and freedom of association because you can choose or make your choice of belonging to any political party of your choice to exercise your fundamental right to vote and to be voted for. So, I think now we have reached the stage and level of being at par with other countries where their democracy is functioning and our international relationship with other countries has improved. And the relationship between the people and the government has also improved a little compared to during the military regime. But be that as it may, there are lots of shortcomings because you have to belong to the two major political parties, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) before winning an election in the country. Rigging has become the order of the day and the rule of law in the country now is in a shambles; poverty and insecurity have taken over everything about our national lives. I can tell you without mincing words that it was not like this during the military era. The division between the north and south has deepened. There is problem everywhere. The Fulani herdsmen, banditry, Boko Haram insurgents and the Niger Delta restive nature were not like this before. Let me tell you, there are lots of shortcomings going on in our country today especially the insecurity situation everywhere in the country is not safe at all. It is so bad and very unfortunate for our dear country because the pervasive insecurity was not like this during the military regime. The uncertainty between the Northerners and the Southerners is not pleasant and the high level of religious intolerance, insecurity and poverty in the land are so massive that majority of the people in this country today hardly afford one square meal. People are living under uncertainty without knowing what tomorrow will offer them and farmers cannot access their farms and the little farms that are accessible cannot sustain twenty percent of the country’s population today. In fact, Nigerians are living from acute poverty to destitution because of the unfortunate bad economic situation in the land. The polity has been hijacked by those in power and those who have tested power and have access to the treasury of the country so that they will not allow people with integrity who have what it takes to lead to come into the system. They have amassed so much resources and have made the cost of forms unaffordable. People like me and you who have little resources have no chance. You can see that those in PDP are the same group of people in APC; so, the politics today is occupied by those who have access to our treasury. In fact, we are not yet there because the process of getting into power has been basterdised with money because they buy off the INEC, the security agencies and in fact, they buy off everything. Look at what happened in the recent elections where they were giving out Maggi cubes, N500 and things like that. And once the election is rigged, people’s confidence is lost in that system. And I doubt very seriously whether this government will come up with policies that can better the lives of the masses.

But what do you think is the peculiar problem or challenge facing the country now?

Well, you know, one, the electoral process has been hijacked, the Judiciary has been hijacked as well; so, once you are in the camp of the ruling party you will have your way no matter the crime you have committed against the state and the system. You can see that business are dying on daily basis and people are finding it difficult to eat because to eat now in Nigeria has become a luxury. So, definitely, if this situation continues, something will happen because people must look for something to eat at least. And the electoral process has been stolen from the people because before someone can get into office is another very difficult. You have to get money to buy off the delegates, party officials and agents by hook or crook and instead of political office being for service, it has been commercialised by agents and enemies of the state. Our leaders have taken political office now as a business and can spend any amount of money to get there so that they can deep their hands into the treasury of the state and at the end of the day, lives of the masses are jeopardised. I think this is my observation.

How do you think that the challenges facing the country can be tackled head on?

One, it is for us to come together irrespective of our religion, tribe and region and I have started one movement that I called Adamawa First. The concept and meaning of Adamawa First is Adamawa before me, my family, my religion, my tribe and my region. Adamawa should be first. So, I am calling on every citizen of the state to come and join this forum so that we can achieve Adamawa of our dream and I believe that the new Adamawa is going to be possible. And it can also be applied at the national politics too and let everyone come onboard, the Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Christian, Muslim and even those that are idol worshippers, let everyone come on board to redeem the system for the good of the country at large. Look at what is happening to our youths hardly they get employed; after graduation no employment and the few jobs that are available those in power will give it to their children and cronies. Every year we will have close to two million graduates and out of these two million graduates we hardly employ one hundred thousand and that should not continue. I can tell you no society will live in peace without these three cardinal principles of life, one quality, accessible and affordable education.

Two is skill and technical training and three is youths and women empowerment programme and without these three things no society will live in peace. It is high time for everybody to come on-board and forget about this PDP and APC syndrome because they are the same people. Let us form another movement or join other political parties that have the interest of the masses at heart and so, the issue of joining these two political parties is what led us into this total mess. And so, the best thing for us to do now is to mobilise, keep our differences aside and forge ahead with the intention to achieve something for the good of the country. And again, we should keep these sentiments of a Northern and Southern aside and go for competence and integrity, and if it is an Igbo man that can move the country forward by tackling the economic and security woos facing the country let us vote for him right away without wasting time. Let us make sure we solve our common problem, and what is our common problem and our common problem is economic and security challenges troubling our country. As it is today show me the market that belongs only to the Christians and the one that belongs only to the Muslims or show me that market that belongs only to the Northerners or the southerner in this country? And again, the market that belongs to the Igbos, Hausa or the Yorubas in this country? Just show me. As at today that we are in this total mess we are suffering together and the same Okada that will take me to the Mosque is the same Okada that will take you to the Church. And when we go to the market we will ask where the price of the product is cheap and not tribe or religion. The same thing if you are travelling you will only ask for a qualified driver not minding religion or tribe, also the same thing if you are travelling by air; all you want is a qualified pilot, you will not ask for his tribe or religion but only airline or transport company that offers quality and good services to their customers no religion or tribe. And if you are going to the hospital, you will only ask for a good hospital or doctor not tribe or religion. So, my dear country men and women we should imbibe the spirit of togetherness to move this beloved country forward. So, the yardstick should be let us go for the best, someone who is qualified and someone who knows Nigeria’s problems and knows how to fix it and if we move towards this line, we will get there.