In this interview, Professsor Tunde Adeniran, a former Minister of Education and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, promises to transform the party and consolidate its cardinal goal if elected the national secretary at next month’s convention.

Y ou are aspiring to become the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). What qualifies you for the position?
PDP is passing through a tough time, but crisis is natural in man’s existence. However, for our party to get further transformed, three things are urgently needed: one, if I am given the opportunity to serve, I will ensure that there is the introduction of a capacity-building programme, which will involve leadership recruitment in the different zones with clear insight and visionary approaches.

Two, if I become the National Secretary of our party, there is going to be a broad-based political participation at every level. People of trust and integrity who have wealth of experience will be tapped from, with a view to consolidating the cardinal goal of our party.

And three, I want to say that PDP, being the largest party in Africa, requires focus. There were, indeed, certain ideals and values which necessitated its establishment by the founding fathers. Therefore, If I am put in the saddle, I will go back to the basics and effect what the party actually proclaims. The programmes of the party will be given full implementation. All over the world, when crisis erupts, there is always the need to look for the reason and find ways of arresting it. All these, I will do.

As a former don, what  do you think should be the way out of the impasse between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the government?
The two parties should see themselves as partners who want the best for the education sector. There should be mutual confidence and appreciation of the perspectives that each state has brought to the negotiating table. Their views and stand might appear conflicting, but if carefully studied, they are only essential differences in emphasis and priorities. There should be no problem reconciling the positions of these lecturers and the government if there is trust and mutual understanding. Once we realise that the issues involved are not personal but actual and systemic, there will be a resolution. What is needed is trust. Once distrust sets in, the negotiating table suffers. The government and ASUU should sheathe their swords and settle their differences amicably for national progress and educational growth.

What is your view on the state of the nation?
These are trying times that elicit fear, especially considering the present state of security. The situation requires everybody to be more security conscious. This should be seen as a challenge and should top our priority list. The government should overhaul the system. The case of ‘enemy within’ would never have arisen if there were trust. There should be training and retraining of security personnel. We should not politicise security, but join hands together and be more security conscious to enjoy a lasting peace. Political differences should not be settled through violence. Politicians should be concerned with national unity and security. We must realise that violence is an instrument of terror which only inflicts pain on all classes. Why must we kill ourselves? Can’t we sit down and iron out our differences, instead of using guns and bombs? Development is retarded if violence takes the place of peace. No nation thrives on violence.

The government has chosen to remove the subsidy on petrol. What is your feeling about this?
I am happy for one thing: the issue is now better understood by Nigerians in spite of the crisis that followed its removal. This issue has been on for years and I am sure that Nigerians have now realised that we cannot continue to fund a sector where only a few individauls benefit.  Transparency, accountability and discipline have now taken over and the oil sector will be cleaned up completely. What Nigerians need is just education. The government has woken up from its slumber and reorganisation has begun. The economy will bounce back in a few months and Nigerians will smile. After the dark clouds, there will emerge a silver lining, radiating hope for the future. After the storm, there will be calm. What was formerly hidden has been exposed. The government now has a greater opportunity to attend to the needs of the common man. One fact has been established: the oil sector stinks and the rotten elements will be flushed out.

How should the problem of corruption be tackled as it is now a cankerworm in the country?
Our approach to the problem should be holistic. It has eaten deep into our fabric. It has become institutionalised one way or another and we should not handle it lightly. Corruption has many facets and the worst of them is political corruption, which people often overlook. It pollutes the economy and destroys every sector. It makes nonsense of our national life. Our electoral system must be further revamped to checkmate this menace.

Other forms of corruption are promoted by political corruption. This is dangerous because the political class sows the seed of corruption most of the time. There is corruption in the civil service. Politicians would find it difficult to steal public money if civil servants do not assist them. There is religions corruption. There is academic corruption. Corruption remains corruption, whatever name we give it.

The ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission) and EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) are doing well. Politicians need to be properly educated regarding this menace. No nation grows if corruption is predominant. No nation develops where corruption is the order  of the day. The problem is systemic, but we need to count on integrity and politicians must always remember this. I condemn corruption in its entirety and appeal to the political class to have a rethink so that the country can move forward.