Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi is the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Mission Victory Name Initiative, aka PVC Naija, in addition to Convener, The Apostolic Roundtable (TAC). Dr. Akinyemi, a famend Christian activist with nice ardour for good governance, on this interview with EJIKEME OMENAZU speaks on the continuing nationwide protests in opposition to dangerous governance, amongst different points. Excerpt.
What’s your view on the August 1 to 10 deliberate nationwide protests in opposition to dangerous governance? Do you assume it’s needed?
The protests have been very necessary. Should you go to the market to purchase candy potatoes and the vendor packaged Irish potatoes for you and also you get house to discowl that what you paid for shouldn’t be what was wrapped for you. Although, each are potatoes, however they don’t seem to be the identical. Gained’t you return in protest to exchange what you got for what you ordered? Nigerians ordered Renewed Hope and this administration is delivering hopelessness. I needn’t speak concerning the failure of the All Professionalgressives Congress (APC) in a very powerful space of score democratic governance, which is the power to accommodate opposing views and handle protest. A bunch of truants flashing their report playing cards of failure of how they managed #EndSARS as a cause to dissuade the youth from excising their rights. So unhappy!
Why do you assume the Presidency at first tried to hyperlink the continuing nationvast protests to the door of Peter Obi and the Obidient Second?
It’s unlucky that the Aso Rock Villa is occupied by debased politicians. Minds that can’t rise past the politics of tribe and faith. Males who stay in excuses. Nice thoughts usually will rely the prices of winning in any contest and requested: is it price it? We’re presently being led by a person who had no higher option to describe himself after his fall on democracy day apart from, “As a correct Yoruba Boy!” What an insensitivity! Throwing this on the faces of individuals whose hearts are lengthying for a nationwide chief who will make them nation constructing! What number of Yoruba votes did he get? I hope the North has learnt their lesson. Does he know what that assertion will do to the psyche of the Hausa man, the Fulani girl, the Ijaw boy who voted for him? These individuals lack the capability to carry this nation collectively. It was nothing greater than tribal bigotry aiming for genocidal assault on a selected tribe. Present on clips the place Obi made any assertion to the impact. As for the Obidients, that identification shouldn’t be recognised by the regulation of Nigeria, or is it?
Contemplating the challenges being confronted by the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) throughout federal and state election, would you say the company has the capability of holding the native authorities elections?
The capability of Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) to carry a free, truthful and credible election at any stage is doubtful. The decision for re-jigging of our electoral regulation is a welcome growth, however the concern is greater than that of an enabling regulation. I wrote concerning the failure to count on from Mr. Segun Agbaje’s conduct of Lagos State election and he didn’t disappoint me. Has INEC been capable of produce Type EC8-A for Lagos State up until this moment? Past the regulation and the surroundings are the officers. Mandate buying and selling via electoral malpractices is the massivegest confrontation of our democracy. Electoral regulation reform should seize official offences. I’ll prescribe life imprisonment for electoral offenders.
What’s your tackle the courtroom victory by the impeached Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu was lately restored by the courtroom. How do you see his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Get together (PDP) after his courtroom victory?
A latest corruption index of the Nigeria public construction exhibits the Judiciary as probably the most corrupt in Nigeria. On that premise, nobody ought to rejoice at pronouncements coming from the sepulchre of justice. The autonomy of the native governments is extra of banditry of energy raiding the judiciary to 1’s benefit. If I’m the Governor, it’s good. After I become the President, it’s dangerous. How gullible Nigerians hope to construct hope on such a fluid basis, I don’t know. Politics has given us what the regulation doesn’t recognise in Edo, two Deputy Governors.
How do you assume Edo PDP will fare within the coming governorship election taking into consideration that they’re going into the election as a divided home with most of the former leaders having defected to the APC?
Inside division needs to be the least of their worries. Break up the PDP in Edo into three, APC can equal a share. Furthermore, elections are determined majorly by non-partisan voters. They’re those to nail the destiny of PDP. As for the defections, there may be starvation within the land and politicians will not be immune. These crossovers are motivated by the seek for meals.
Would you say that the governorship candidate of Labour Get together, Olumide Akpata, being a Bini, stands an opportunity to win the governorship election taking into consideration that the overall opinion appears to favour the Esans the place each the APC and PDP picked their candidates?
That is August, Akpata cannot be dominated out. Although a profitable construction takes time to construct, electoral victory is determined by the technique your construction is deployed to and the communication sustaining and advancing it. Nonetheless, he isn’t doing what can provide him the day come September 21, 2024.
Wanting on the approach the Rivers disaster has reached, how do you see the latest vote of confidence given to Governor Fubara by the Peoples Democratic Get together (PDP) Governors Discussion board?
Nothing is going on in River State order than politics. Disgrace on the PDP as a celebration! Most of those governors have been with Wike when the transaction to promote the Peoples Democratic Get together (PDP) for a morsel of the nation referred to as the FCT was on. Was their help for Wike based mostly on cash or rules? What their help for Fubara will translate to, solely time can inform. Even governors in Nigeria are hungry and might be fed.
Do you assume the Rivers disaster may very well be resolved by the courts or politically?
How will the courtroom resolve a disaster between Wike and Fubara? Would the courtroom disband Wike’s construction for Fubara? Or, is it going to question Fubara? When this battle is tiring, it’s going to settle itself. However, each of them should keep in mind the advertage that ‘When brothers battle with out warning, a stranger will inherit them’.
What function do you assume Rivers stakeholders might play to resolve the disaster between Governor Fubara and Nyesom Wike?
Stand on rules. Say no to potage being served from each side. Stand with the state and the individuals. They should arrange a political re-engineering of the state on the neighborhood level. In fact, Fubara shall be wanted for it to succeed. However, he should see the longer term and never himself, to have the ability to depart behind the legacy of an workplace that’s free from political entanglement to serve the individuals higher.
If bye-elections are held to fill the vacancies created by the defection of about 25 to 27 Peoples Democratic Get together (PDP) lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress (APC), how do you assume the end result will doubtless be?
Beneath the Unbiased National Electoral Fee (INEC) as constituted, it is going to be 100/100 the ideology that powers the disgrace of Native Government Space election is as we speak, the spirit of management on the Villa. The gods earlier than who all bowed earlier than he grew to become the Landlord of the Villa.
With the deepening disaster in Rivers State, one wonders how the native authorities elections shall be. How do you assume the council elections will go within the state?
The Native authorities election in River State received’t be anyfactor much less of a conflict. It will likely be fought fiercely. I can solely want the individuals nicely.
