Fouad Oki, Lagos Central vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former director-general for the Akinwunmi Ambode 2015 election campaign organisation, in this exclusive interview with INIEBONG IWOK, talks about the state of the party in the state, the coming state congress, among other issues. Excerpts:
How do you react to the message by the National Leader of your party, Bola Tinubu, that officers of the party who have served more than two tenures should not seek re-election in the coming state congress?
Yes, I am aware of the information; but much so because APC is a new party and whatever credential any party official has now cannot be counted forward in the coming state congress.
I was not at the stakeholders’ meeting that was held with Tinubu, but I believe whatever he said was just advisory; there is nowhere in the constitution of our party that says nobody should seek not seek re-election. Good, it is normal that everybody would always want a smooth transition from one administration to the other, it is in doing that, that Asiwaju tried to speak to party members so that the election would hold in a peaceful manner.
There is a danger in what he said; it is rather unfortunate; everybody should enjoy a level playing field except we want to apply double standard for the party.
In a couple of months, several other members of the party in the parliament, both in the state and federal, would want to seek re-election into the parliament, are we going to say they should not seek re-election? And mind you the constitution gives them the power to seek re-election.
We have agreed that lawmakers are like wine; the longer they stay, they better they are. So if we are saying that those that have served more than two terms should not seek re-election I don’t know what we are saying. Are we going to apply double standard and give them the ticket but deny the party officers from seeking second term? Put yourself in the shoes of those people.
Are you saying some officers are aggrieved by Tinubu’s directive?
I have not seen anyone aggrieved; the statement by the national leader is mostly in an advisory position, and it would not be fair to call him that name; he is a democrat and I am sure his credentials would speak for him.
He would not deliberately stop people from contesting for second term in the party.
But a coalition in Lagos central wants the chairmanship position zoned to the constituency?
Yes, I read the statement; it is my position that all people of good will, all individuals should seriously take more curious look at the agitation; it is unfair for the party to marginalise Lagos central; Lagos central is the cradle of politics in Nigeria, it is the first colony of Lagos, whatever reason one administrative division, that is Lagos east, should not be holding position for so long; mind you Asiwaju is also playing politics from Lagos East, but he is from Lagos west. At the party forum where he is the head, Hamzat his deputy is also from same east.
That statement and what the people are saying is the voice from the zone, it is the voice of the people; may be if Ajomale was not stopped from seeking re-election, this issue would not have arisen.
So the people that wrote that statement are normal and on course; the zone must produce the next chairman for the party.
Mind you, no zone has the experience more than our zone, if you are in doubt let them bring their credentials and we bring ours; I have experience at all levels in politics and it is there.
Because I hear some people in Ikeja saying that if Asiwaju is saying no one should contest, that some people in Ikeja should be given waiver, an exemption. I don’t think that is possible. Show me one party officer in their zone who has more experience than I do, or Alhaji Mato, or Kayode Olawepo, Alhaji Bature let them bring their first eleven and we bring ours and we would see who wins.
Are you contesting for the chairmanship of Lagos APC?
The race is open; I have been talking to my people to contest; I have not given it a thought to contest for the chairmanship. In this constituency we do our thing differently; we give opportunity to have their view; we constitute Assembly in the centre and we ask the people to indicate interest on the subject and it is subjected to the popular view of the people; then we can choose who would bring back the trophy. I am eminently qualified; we have a system and it is not about few individuals sitting down to decide; we call stakeholders’ meeting and we hold assembly and members are asked to indicate interest and from there we can say these are the people that would represent us. They would test their popularity in the Assembly of the constituency.
How do you react to the recently reviewed land use charge by the administration of Ambode?
You said earlier that in your recent interview with Ajomale, he said the party would take a position on it soon. Mind you, I am an officer of the party, Ajomale is my principal; and if he has answered the question; that is my opinion.
Has the issue of your alleged suspension by the Lagos APC been resolved?
I think the issue has been taken care of by the party; the leadership said I was not suspended, but he knows I don’t speak if I don’t have facts. If they come forward; I would show them the paper and those they told to go and suspend me, but it is important that that chapter is closed, so the nonsense should stop.
Asiwaju stopped the process, I did not go to him and inform him, and he did not bother to ask or hear from me, but he saw it in the papers and asked them to stop the process. I was determined to make myself available to the committee that was set up to speak with me. The objective of the Broom United Group that I set up and which was the genesis of the suspension initially is to complement what Tinubu is doing nationally. Unfortunately, the people that clamoured for my suspension did not know I was working with the national leader on the reconciliation effort he is embarking upon in the party. They lacked the information that I am part of the 3-man committee working with Tinubu to carry out his assignment and we are given advance information.
How do you react to the disagreement in your constituency about Femi Gbajabiamila going for the fifth term?
Every child that you have wants to live up to hundred years; you must allow that child to grow. But on this issue, don’t look at the gladiator, look at the challenges. It is normal. It is an issue that is common; we are coming and getting stronger, you must also understand in this progressive politics, I mean this kind of politics would always serve the masses, and in society we have the bourgeoisies and the masses, both would always clash because of interest. A lot of us do understand the development of democracy.
You have to understand that there would always be a struggle between the have and have nots; they would always be at loggerheads. It is a family issue; some people feel ‘my voice has not been heard’. I have not taken a position or come out to say anything and deal with the issue.
The party leadership in the state is weak but when we now sort the chaff from the grain we now try to ask relevant question, what is this person bringing to table it?
I have not come out to take a position on the issues, sometimes you must know about Lagos; we are first cousins, and we are second cousins
The Fashola family, the Gbajabiamila, the Fouad we have married each other; we would resolve the issues at the appropriate time and we come out stronger, we don’t not think this issue would divide us.
Buhari is seeking re-election and Tinubu has given him support has the president done enough?
I am an apostle of Buharism and also a student of Government and Comparative Policy Analyses. In government, you cannot have enough, he is doing and acting in the right direction and the average Nigerian is happy with his government.
Nigerians have one mentality; if you are elected into public position your family would tell you don’t come back empty-handed; we need to go back to the basis; the value system in the country has broken down, it is a very big problem that we need to deal with, we should stop expecting free things from government, I am on the same page with Tinubu.
Has the President done enough to curb the current Killings across the country?
The killings are unfortunate; my condolence to the victims’ families. But it was in the news recently when the Governor of Benue State said that some of the killings were not done by the Fulani herdsmen it means we have a huge security challenge in our hands that we must deal with.
