National Chairman, of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr Ajuji Ahmed has blamed the current economic situation in the country to the inability of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to weigh the precarious consequences of removing fuel subsidy and floating the Naira on Nigerians before adopting such economic policies.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with IGNATIUS OKOROCHA, Dr Ajuji Ahmed while bemaoning the frightening level hardship across the country since the assumption of office by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noted that the situation could have been avoided if the President had consulted widely before embarking on such policies.

He speaks on early politicking by political parties, formation of coalitions, defection syndrome, state of nation and other issues of national importance.

Excerpt:

Mr Chairman the nation has witnessed a number of politicians cross-carpeting from the opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while others are forming coalition on the platform of the African Democratic Party (ADC).
What is the stand of your party on this development?

Well, this is a pertinent question that has been asked again and again, but at the end of the day,we are very proud to run a party that is not crisis ridden, that is stable and that is Progressives. Other parties as you rightly pointed out,are all in crisis, including APC, I understand they are going to have their NEC meeting shortly but everybody has been predicting one thing or the other is going to happen in that NEC meeting and that is how unstable the APC its self is.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is no longer the party that we all know it to be. It is indeed in deep crisis of existence. Social Democratic Party (SDP), you can see how things are happening in there with suspensions and counter suspensions of their officials and Labour Party (LP) is a well known crisis that they have been going through. We here at NNPP, you know, we believe that for a committee of a country’s
politics to be stable, we need stable political parties and we hope that we will achieve the stability in the course of time .we will be stable ourselves, so that we advance in governance and in the development of the country, economically and otherwise.

We also wish to tell you something that you already knew, we have our own headach here which we have practically overcome with one group of people saying that they represented NNPP, we knew that we are the constitutionally recognized as the only NNPP that will field a candidate and so on and so forth.We therefore regard them as mere agitators but within the NNPP itself there is absolutely no crisis at all. We don’t have any division within our NWC. Our relationship with state government that we have is very stable and very cordial. Our relationship with our elected legislators at the state and federal levels are stable and cordial in virtually every aspect of our policies. So, we are very proud of the achievements that we have made in making the party very stable.
As far as politicking is concerned yes, you pointed out that we started early because what everybody is saying is that at one point that the ruling party should have concentrated on governance for at least three years before politicking begins, but here we are. I think they have started their politicking even within the first year with their body language from day one.
So, there is nothing we can say about that except to try to work in calm waters no matter how unstable the sailing is. We will contribute whatever we can to ensure the political stability of the country.
We have not started politicking unlike other parties and other coalition and so on but we know the bearing we are taking and at the end of the day, we believe that at the end of the day, we will know the correct thing to do.

We will like to know the position of your founder, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso in the party presently?

Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is the National leader of NNPP. He has been and he has always continued to be unless he tells us that he is resigning his leadership. He is our leader and we are very proud of him, the support that he garners for the party and the level of cooperation in terms of our duties and responsibilities. Even though we are not in conjunction with him but he gives us all the necessary support for every policy decision that we take.

What is the strength of your party in the National Assembly and state Assemblies and governance?

In term of national elections, the most primary responsibility of a party is its spread and spread will give it followership. We are proud to say that we have state branches in all the 36 states of the Federation and FCT. Within every state, we have offices in virtually every local government of the country. We are trying to rebuild the party towards 2027 and that is why we are not incline to make alot of noise. We want to make our work peacefully and progressively and the time our strength is needed then we will definitely show our strength.

Some of us are worried that you only have Kano as your major catchment area. Is there any effort being made by your party to spread your tentacles to other states of the Federation?

We only happened to have won Kano and we knew what we recorded in terms of the closeness in winning Jigawa,Taraba and Kaduna and a few other states that I can’t mention to you right now. But we are proud of Kano and the popular saying across the country is that when you get Kano it’s like equivalent of having about three states and it is true, because the number of local governments in Taraba and Adamawa and Gombe are less than the number of local governments in Kano. So, we are proud to be in Kano and I assure you that in the next election, we will reflect our national character and not just a provision one in Kano. We hope to win as many states as possible like anyother political party and we believe that we will do so based on the strength in terms of spread. So, we are very optimistic that we will make the difference in the next election.

One of your members in National Assembly recently defected to APC. Giving this development, how many of your members are right now in the National and state Assemblies?

We won two Senatorial seats from Kano State and it is one of them that decided to decamped to APC. Its a fair, free and open political ground and therefore, he has his reasons and preferences. We wish him the best of luck in APC. If he will ever get good luck in APC. We maintain the others but I think we lost about two also and retain the others in the House of Representatives. Still we maintain our close-nit members that we have in the National Assembly. For instance I had late night meeting which allows them. A meeting that started as if it will last for 30 minutes lasted through out the night. I believe that in the course of our discussion, the position of NNPP will be known in the on going constitutional amendment and so on and so forth. The position of NNPP is going to be unique and the nation will know that even the public hearing that is going on. We have consolidated our stand in terms of all the ,key policy issues that the constitution wants to Amend and we will make our position known and I believe that the rest of the country will be very proud of us in terms of the position that we are taking.

Do you have members in other state Assemblies?

Yes we have members in Bauchi and Taraba states and I tell you we won Bauchi and almost won Taraba but then the political system didn’t arefavour smaller parties. Just because the bigger parties are always in the position of trying either snatch the will of the people against smaller parties or swallow those members who have already been elected.

Prominent politicians are currently seeking for a common platform and people of like political idealogy build a strong force to face the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of 2027 by way of coalition. Are there members of your party that are thinking of joining the African Democratic Party (ADC)?

The coalition is ongoing and we are very much aware. They have reached out to us severely but the coalition is not just one option that we have. We definitely have the option of joining the coalition but if we are to join the coalition, we are going to join at the correct time .Am not saying that others have rushed in, well that is their choice if they have rushed in but we will take our time and access our strength and what we can bring to the coalition if we make up our minds to join. The other option that we have is like I told you since we have our branches in the 36 states of the country, we will access our strength and see if we can do it alone. If we can not go it alone then we will decide to have coalition with the coalition or coalition with anyother party to contest the 2027 election.

What is your assessment of the state of the nation?

You will hardly find a single Nigerian out over 200million Nigerians who is okay with the way the economy is being run. I think the government got it wrong from day one and I think they are doing their best to wriggle out of a very precarious situation but the way and manner those policies were taken is making it very difficult even for themselves to either retrace themselves or to move on with positive results with the measures they have taken . The reason is that if they had given some time tor consultation or reaching out for mobilisation it would have produce a different result.But they went in unilaterally from day one on the inauguration day to announce very radical policies that will affect not just the economy but also the wellbeing of practically every citizen. That is what becoming very difficult to manage even by themselves.
There are two main policies that are creating this problem and they are the pillars that are creating the problems. These are floating the Exchange rate. No country has done that.Infact United States couldn’t have done that in the manner that we have done it. If you have not safeguard your currency jealously, patriotically in other to be strong compared to other currencies a cross the world.

The other major pitfall is the sudden removal of fuel subsidy.That also to my mind has not been well thought through. If you remove subsidy I think one of the best ways to do it was to do it in the way that the government of Sani Abacha did. You define what the subsidy is and the redefine proceeds that you are getting from the subsidy and those proceeds should now be housed in a special fund that will no cushion the effect of the removal of the subsidy. That has not been done as an example. There are many other examples across the world economics that we should have borrowed but we haven’t done that and therefore it is like throwing the economy to the marines and sailors in the high sea so that it can go to wherever direction it can go. That is what we are seeing right now.

By Our Correspondent

Saddened by the death of former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and leader of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF),Chief Audu Ogbeh,Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has described his demise as shocking.

Speaker Abbas described the Otukpo, Benue State-born Chief Ogbeh as an elder statesman who spent most of his life in diligence service to Nigeria and the people.
In a condolence message issued on Sunday through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krithatthe Speaker noted that not many Nigerians were privileged to so serve the country like Chief Ogbeh.

While recalling how Ogbeh had been a public servant since the late 70s, the Speaker said the Kate elder statesman occupied various offices in the Executive and Legislative arms of the government at the state and federal levels in his lifetime.

In the Second Republic, Chief Ogbeh was the deputy speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly in 1979. He was also the Federal Minister of Communications (1982–1983) and later Minister of Steel Development until a coup ended the Republic in December 1983.

In the Third Republic, Chief Ogbeh was a member of the National Constitutional Conference Commission (1993) and the National Reconciliation Committee (1995).

In the Fourth Republic, Chief Ogbeh was a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party and was the national chairman of the PDP between 2001 and 2005.

Later on, Chief Ogbeh was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (2015–2019) by the late former president, Muhammadu Buhari.

He was also the chairman of the ACF between 2020 and 2023.

Speaker Abbas commiseratedcommiserated the Ogbeh family, the people, and the government of Benue State, while extending his condolences to Chief Ogbeh’s colleagues in the parliament and the Federal Executive Councils of the various administrations under which he served.

The Speaker prayed to God to grant Chief Ogbeh eternal rest.

By Our Correspondent

Disturbed by the plot by a splinter group from Northern elites plot to sabotage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term ambition to Aso Rock seat come 2027 election, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), from Osun, has urged political and traditional leaders in Southern Nigeria to protect President Bola Tinubu’s interest.

Speaking to newsmen in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyintiloye said Tinubu deserves to enjoy the support of the North for his second term bid, having supported its political cause.

He, however, expressed concern that a splinter group from the North often form itself into a clique whenever a Southerner is the President and use every available means including blackmail to destroy his government.

According to him, this has been recurring and the nation’s political history won’t forget the kind of intimidation Southern President often suffered in the hands of very few men from the North who always mount serious opposition to the reelection bid of such President.

“But in the case of President Bola Tinubu, he has done enough to get the support of the major power block in the North.

“Therefore, the time has come for the region to further put the tiny few behind the mischief being plotted against the President where they really belong.

“These individuals are self appointed leaders of the North, so the region’s recognised political leaders and royal fathers can’t continue to watch the trend and allow blackmail against Tinubu to gain traction,” Oyintiloye said.

He further called on political leaders and traditional rulers from Southern Nigeria not to make themselves available for some rejected politicians from the North who are plotting against Tinubu.

He said, “And this is the more reason the Southern leaders must rise and rally support for the President.

“This support is necessary to put an end to the consistent, negative political trajectory that second term bid, whenever a Southerner is the President, often follows.

“They should shield the President against unwarranted attacks from just a handful politicians from the North.”

He also appealed to the His Royal Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who is Chairman of the Council of Southern Traditional Rulers, and the co-chairmen, Obi of Obinugwu, Cletus Illomuanya, and King Jaja of Opobo, Dandeson Jaja, with the Secretary of the of the council, Benjamin Ikenchuku Keagborekuzi 1, Dein of Agbor, to champion the support for the President within the region and work with their colleagues from the North to ensure victory for Tinubu in 2027.

“I also want to advise ex President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Prof. Wole Soyinka, former President of the Nigeria Senate, Ken Nnamani, and other Southern elders, to rise to the occasion and stop repeat of negative history.

“They should defend Southern Nigeria from the few Northern power mongers,” he further said.