Campaign director of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Joejim Alaboso, has said that the ongoing actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will correct the failures of the past administration of Muhammadu Buhari. In an online interview with Emerald News Editor, he also examined the political development in Nigeria since 1999 and conclude our political parties are the architect of Nigeria’s woes.
Excerpts:
Since 1999 till date, what significant difference has Nigeria made from your own point of view?
It might interest you to know that I am a product of the pro-democracy movement in the early 90s back then in England as part of my own contribution to the struggle. Then, I founded TV West Africa, which was used as a platform to highlight what was going on in Nigeria.
I was running a half-hour program on BET International in England, at the time, we interviewed members of NADECO and other opposition groups and members of late General Abacha’s government.
At that time, the current President Senator Bola Tinubu, John Filani, Governor John Oyegun, late Odumegu Ojukwu, the civil right lawyer late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the then Nigeria High Commissioner to UK, late Alhaji Alhaji and late Alabo Graham Douglas and others to highlight what was going on in our beloved country.
On September 24, 1998, the then head of state Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, told the UN General Assembly that “Our goal is to return our country to a democratically elected civilian government on 29 May 1999”.
Nobody took him seriously until the election and handover ceremony on May 29, 1999. Since then, my expectation about the future was very rosy until the election of 2015, when President Goodluck Jonathan made history, when he called President Buhari to concede the election.
Since then it has been a nightmare that we all experienced. Now that the keenly contested election is over, I sincerely hope that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will make good on his promise to unite Nigeria and get us out of the quagmire we are in right now.
Do you think we have made any progress or we are rigmaroling a circle?
Of course, we made significant progress since 1999 when President Olusegun Obasanjo took over until 2015 when President Goodluck Jonathan lost the election to President Muhammadu Buhari. He came into power by deceiving Nigerians with his CHANGE mantra but we are all living witness to the bankrupted nation he left behind.
Our political leaders are telling us to keep hope alive despite the years of hardship. What do you think about this continuous assurance?
Well, if there is a lesson the political elites have lent in past elections, is that it is no longer going to be business as usual. Peter Obi has awakened the political consciousness of the average Nigerian and particularly the youth and the political elite are acutely aware of this fact. Nigerians, going forward, will hold them accountable.
Where do you think Nigeria is making a mistake? Is it in leadership selection? Or the political will of the leaders to tackle challenges that will translate to a better Nigeria?
The mistake to a large extent stems from the political parties. If they allow internal democracy to thrive and do not give room for parochial sentiment, they will be able to pick credible candidates which will in return be beneficial to Nigeria.
What do you have to say about the actions of Tinubu within the two weeks he has been in power? Do you see him as the messiah or we should wait?
President Tinubu, thus far, has shown Nigerians that he will not shy away from making tough decisions to correct the failure of his predecessor and that is a good sign.
As for being the messiah, I honestly think that is far too early because he has yet to pick his cabinet. The only good thing going for him is the fact that he is known for his ability to choose the right people to fill his cabinet and I honestly hope he will have more young people in his cabinet and not follow the path of his predecessor who filled his cabinet with inexperienced people who lack the capacity to fill their portfolio.
What’s your view on the arrest of former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele and the allegations being leveled against him?
The arrest of the CBN governor is a master stroke by President Tinubu. He is the only one who knows where all the dead bodies are buried. It is only a question of time, Nigerians will soon know the depth of corruption in the last administration.
