Former military administrator of Delta State, Colonel John David Dungs (rtd), is a senatorial aspirant in Plateau State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He  speaks with Isaac Shobayo on the presidential aspirations of the former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babagida, and the former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, among other issues: Excerpts:

What is your view on the new electoral law?
The new electoral law will give a level playing field to everybody, especially those who have been discontented with either the party structures or whatever problems they have. In Plateau State, there is division or rather, what some people called the PDP 2. I think with the electoral law, all these would be addressed.

I think the National Assembly has done a good job. The national chairman of the PDP, even before now, said he wanted the power transferred to the people. The people should have the power to elect whoever they want and not a few people cornering positions for their selfish end.  Nevertheless, if the power is return to the people, that is power to elect, there will be peace and development in the country.

Based on the calibre of those who have shown interest to contest for elective positions in the country, especially at the national level, it appears as if we keep recycling those in leadership position, since most of them have either been in power at one time or the other and still want to contest again.

We have reach a time that I think the analogue politicians should give way to the digital politicians. This simply means the old politicians should give way to the younger ones who are active and well-learned in modern politics, as it is happening all over the world.

In America, Britain and other advanced countries of the world, the old people are giving way to the young ones to stir the affairs of their respective countries because they have the energy and experience to run the government. The old hands should play advisory role; the ex-presidents and former vice-presidents are expected to be in the council of state, playing advisory role to the younger generation expected to be in power.

If we really want to move this country forward, it is the younger generation that would take us there. Those God had given the opportunities to rule for two or ten years should revert to advisory roles and not to be competing with the younger ones for executive positions. That is my candid advice. My advice to the youth, therefore, is that irrespective of religion or tribe, they should come together to lead us take us to the promise land.

But there is this impression among the old politicians in the country that the young ones have failed the country and cannot not be trusted with power?
No, that is not true.  They have not failed. It is rather the older ones who are confusing the younger generation. They had their time; let them leave the younger generation to take over. There is nothing new they have to offer again. If you ask most of them to go on the internet or computer now, they will call their children to do it for them. So, their time has passed away. They should rather encourage the younger generation to learn from them.

General Ibrahim Babangida, recently stated that he would only be in power for one term and probably hand over to the South-East. Do you think the former Head of State can abide by his word?
To be candid with you, Babangida wanted to be a president for life. So, what is the guarantee that if you give him the opportunity now that he will not perpetuate himself  in power for life? Being in power is like food. Even when satisfied, another tasty meal with be appealing. I have been in government before; so, I can tell you why African leaders or Nigerian leaders want to perpetuate themselves in power. They could have done a lot of things wrong and they want more time to correct those things, especially when it has to do with finances. So, they think they need more time.

But if you give them another opportunity, they will continue to sink further into that corruption. That is the crux of the matter here, especially in the African continent and Nigeria in particular. Why can’t these leaders play advisory role? To be a good leader, you must be a good follower. It means they just want to grab this power because of the resources that is there.  Nigeria is supposed to be one of the most developed countries in Africa and the world by now, with the resources that God has bestowed on this nation.

But due to bad leadership in the past, we are where we are today. Out of the leaders we have had for the past fifty years of independence, you can count one or two who are upright. But the rest have not lived above expectations. They have been corrupt. So, they should leave the new breeds to run affairs of the country and more importantly, allow Nigerians to choose their new leaders.

President Jonathan falls within the new breed. He is in his early fifties. Anybody that is about  sixty-five should not attempt to lead this country. They should rather play advisory role. What have they left in Aso Rock that they want to go and collect within four years?  It is only God that can forgive them for the sins they have committed against the nation. They should be prayerful and let others govern.

Jonathan is doing well. Within this short period, he has stabilised this nation. What happened in Republic of Guinea  almost took place in this country, if the National Assembly had not stepped in at the right time. We would have had a military coup. Nigeria even did sent a representative to Guinea.

When the rep came back, he said what the military junta did in Guinea was right and that it was the best solution. To me it was a frightening statement. I did not like it.

We are in a democratic dispensation and we want democracy all over Africa. So, Nigeria was dangerously going towards that anarchy that would have pave the way for the military again. And if that had happened, this country would have disintegrated.  We thank God that He brought Goodluck at the right time. And since he came in, things have continue to stabilise.

Recently, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande said there is nothing like Middle-Belt, but one North.

He is my elder, but that statement was out of place. I think he was only merely professing politics, but I don’t think he really meant what he said. We have 19 Northern states. The Middle Belt has been used as willing tools, before and after independence, only to be dumped.

We cannot continue to remain like that until the far North invites us to seat together to determine who takes what. North-East gets virtually peanuts when they get to power; only North-West determines everything without the consent of the rest.

Colonel Dangiwa, during Yar’Adua’s tenure, had to voice out. He is from that zone, but he said it was wrong. Yahaya Kwande spoke this way probably because he belongs to a group there and he is among the analogue politicians that I have been talking about. The youths of today are expected to love one another, not minding their tribal or religious inclinations. They should speaking like brothers and sisters.

But the old ones would not want them to do that. They would rather want them to remain divisive for their selfish ends.

Do you support the postulation in certain quarters that President Jonathan should run as Vice-President to either IBB or Atiku in order to douse political tension in the country?
That will not be a good mix. Sincerely speaking, the former vice-president have had his time. I think he should now step aside and be in the advisory role to the younger ones.  What is wrong with Namadi Sambo continuing as vice-president to Jonathan?  They are doing excellently well.

The controversy over power returning to the North is yet to subside, despite the position of the PDP on zoning, don’t you think there is the need to balance power sharing in the country?
I don’t like this idea that of North and South. That is how they cheat other people, like the middle belt. They say one North. Yet nothing goes to the other parts. Let the best emerge, irrespective of where he comes from. If we are to move forward, let only the best be elected to positions of leadership. I don’t care where he comes from; I don’t care his religion, his tribe, provided he is going to lead us to the Promise Land.

We are in a different age now. Barak Obama, a son of one wretched man from East Africa, is now the president of the most influential country in the world. If the Americans play the type of politics being played in Nigeria, I don’t think they would have Barak Obama as the president.

Recently, there was a move by the Plateau State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Jonah Jang. Do you think the governor deserves this, considering his performance in the past three years?
People are not just being sincere, especially some of them in the state House of Assembly. The average Plateau citizen knows that Governor Jang  has done absolutely well.  The issue here is just the issue of sharing resources. Governor Jang said he will work for the people with the resources and we can see the evidence everywhere. This type of massive infrastructural development has never happen in the history of this state. But this people just want to share the resources for their personal use, against the people that voted them in.

Also, there is an outside influence, people who have been in governance before and feel they should be dictators for the governor. The governor is open; he has held many meetings, irrespective of party and he has even pleaded with them to forgive him, if he has offended any of them. He encouraged them to come and join hands with him and run this state in order to make it a land of peace and tourism. But they simply refused.

This category of people should not be tolerated in the state. The power lies with the people of the state to determine who really is interested in their welfare or those who are just desperate to fill their pockets with public funds.

What is the way out of the crisis within the PDP in Plateau State?
Status quo remains as far as am concerned. The court has made it clear that Professor Dakum Shown should remain as the state chairman of the party, though the caretaker committee appealed the judgement of the State High Court, but that appeal has not been heard, until the appeal has been heard and they say otherwise Shown remains the state chairman of the party and the structure in his control.