My agenda for Nigeria - Bafarawa

By Gill Nsa-Abasi

Gill Nsa-Abasi writes on the recent presidential campaign of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) held in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

The South South presidential rally of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) was held in Cross River State recently. The party’s presidential candidate and governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, stood in the serene open field of the Cultural Centre Complex, Calabar, to address party loyalists. It was well attended with party faithful from the six states of the zone.

The rally, which was schedule for noon, kicked off about two hours behind schedule yet, the teeming crowd in the venue waited patiently for their presidential standard bearer, Attahiru Bafarawa, who, on arrival, pleaded with the people of the zone not to put their “eggs in one basket” in the next election. He was apparently referring to the fact that in 1999 and in 2003, the people of the South South voted for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which is still in control of the six states in the zone; Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers states.

Dressed in white “Babariga” with a white cap to match, the DPP presidential candidate took his turn to speak after a number of other people had spoken, with many of them appealing to the people of the oil-rich zone of the country to give DPP a chance. Among those who spoke included, Sergeant Awuse, DPP governorship flag bearer in River State, Great Ogboru, the DPP governorship candidate in Delta State, the party’s youth leader, who introduced himself as a militant convinced by the prospects of the DPP and the Director-General of the Bafarawa Initiative for Nigeria, the campaign organisation of Bafarawa, Dr. Kabir Suleiman Chafe, as well as the national chairman of the party, Gen. Jerry Useni (rtd).

“I am here to tell you to join me for a change; a change for the better. From 1999 till date, the South South put their eggs in one basket, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). For the last eight years, you are the best judges. Whether the party has performed or not, you know the answer. This party, the DPP, was launched in May 2006, it was not formed for confrontation or to fight or criticise leaders; it was formed for change,” Bafarawa said. Speaking with boldness and confidence, Bafarawa stressed that he is not fronting for anybody neither has he a godfather.

His words, “I am not fronting for somebody; rather, I am fronting for the masses. I know I can do it and I’m sure I can do it better; better than all those who are now looking for this position. I think I’m better qualified when compared to other candidates; as a military man, customs officer or a lecturer. For me, I took politics to be my profession, I know I can do it and I can do it better than those looking for it now.”

He dwelled on his track records saying, “When we formed the party, I told Nigerians that we are not forming the party because I have ambition to run as a president of this country; not at all. But my intention is to build the party for a change, help democracy to grow and also unite this country where people can move from Calabar to Sokoto or Maiduguri and feel free. Somebody from Borno or Bauchi will come to Calabar, Akwa Ibom, Delta or Port Harcourt and feel at home. That is the essence of this party. I happened to be the governor of Sokoto State where paying salaries of workers was a problem; roads, water, education and every other thing were problems. But I thank God that today these things have become history.”

“We promised free education at all levels and for the last eight years, my government made education free from the primary to the university level in my state. We pay salaries whether there is federal allocation or not because we have surplus; both the local governments and the state government have surplus. Putting all this together, we have about N13 billion in reserves for the rainy day. Besides having that money, one of the biggest banks in the country is the United Bank for Africa (UBA). The Sokoto State government has two per cent share in the bank. I may not be know very well in the South South, but I see myself as a God-sent to solve the Niger Delta.

All the news that the Niger Delta has problems notwithstanding, I feel the Niger Delta does not have problems, what we have is a national problem. And being a national problem, it’s not only DPP, with Bafara-wa’s leadership that can solve to problem. I accepted to run for the presidency of this country because I have experience I know I can do it and I do not associate myself with failure.

“I accept to serve this country because I want to leave a legacy after my office and my life. Nigeria is not a poor country, it’s a rich country. Today, I can tell you that in Sokoto State we are among the states that receive the least from the Federation Account and we have been able to reserve up to N13 billion. I wonder what will happen in this country if you make me your president. I will make education free from primary to secondary level, at least for a start. Education is the right of everybody and I promise you, if you vote me into power, I will provide free education.”

He told the crowd that “I want you to go home and tell your neighbours, brothers and sisters that the messiah has come to serve this country. My words are my bond. I am a politician to the core, but not the type that says one thing and mean another. My yes is yes and my no is no. “You can ask anybody from Sokoto State. For those of you who know me, please go and tell others. I don’t have a godfather nor enough money to campaign, but I’m begging for your support. When people look for elective offices, the first question people ask is has he got money?

“Whether that money is from corruption or the person is an armed robber, they don’t want to know, what they want to know is has he got money? I don’t have money, but I have goodwill. I believe with you, we are going to make it. This is the beginning and I have confidence that we are going to make it. I beg of you to vote for our party. I know you are familiar with the letters, DPP, as I said earlier, has D and two Ps in both DPP and PDP, kindly join me in DPP”

“All I am saying is if the South South leaves PDP and join DPP, they will miss nothing but change. Anything PDP has DPP has it. PDP has one D and DPP has one D. PDP has two Ps and DPP has two Ps. So, you don’t miss anything. All you have to do is join DPP to make things better. I have been in politics for a long time. I started as a local government councilor in 1976 and over the years rose to the position of a governor; I took politics as my profession.”

Can Bafarawa’s message make any impact in the South South? How far can the DPP go in the South South even when its presidential running mate is not from the zone? Sergeant Awuse, a strong man of Rivers State politics answered, “very far, what you have seen in Calabar is just the beginning. The party will launch its campaign flag off soon in Rivers State and I invite all to come, witness and know that the ruling party has since ran out of favour with the people.”

In Cross River State, where the zonal rally was held, the party made a last minute substitution of its candidate for the governorship seat, bringing in Dr. Eyo Etim Nyong in place of Major Apang Obi Odu (rtd) for tactical reasons despite zoning sentiments. Some analysts believe that though Dr. Nyong is coming at a time deemed late, he has the political prowess and financial muscle to possibly match the ruling PDP’s candidate in the state.

With the confirmation of Dr. Nyong as the flag bearer in Cross River State, the party is suddenly showing more presence in the state with a more befitting state secretariat and some co-ordinating offices. It may just turn out that DPP will become a leading opposition party that the ruling PDP needs to be cautious of in the state as well as in other states in the South South.