I‘ve No Regrets Opposing Fayose, Says Aluko
Senator Gbenga Aluko was the Senate Deputy Chief Whip between 1999 and 2003. In this interview with Olakiitan Victor, he speaks on the contending issues that attended the election of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and the National Assembly leaders
How do you perceive President Buhari’s visit to US? Let me clarify here that my involvement in President Muhammadu Buhari’s entourage was based on the fact that I am a Director in the Chevron, an American oil company. You can also see that the management of Exxon Mobil was on the entourage. So, when a President of Nigeria is embarking on such a visitation that is broad-based, I mean meant to discuss economy, politics etc, people from diverse sectors would have to be present. So, as a private citizen of this great nation, I viewed the visit as the best to have happened to Nigeria in recent past. I believe it would be in the best interest of our dear nation to cement ties with nations like US to really bring us out of our present situation. During the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, he tried to create a good rapport with the US. Even under Olusegun Obasanjo, the same thing happened. President Buhari’s visit was principally for two things—Boko Haram and issue of corruption. Those were the two major issues that were discussed. Mr. President was seeking the global help to fight these two problems that are confronting our nation and he is seeking help on how to end them. He did not only sought US’ help alone, he had visited Benin Republic, Chad and Cameroun on the need to work together to end Boko Haram attacks on these nations. So, the fact that the US had indicated interest in helping Nigeria was a success on its own.
In what ways do you think America can help Nigeria in stopping corruption since they are not fully involved in the day-to-day running of government? The US revelation that it has the records that over 150 billion dollars being money stolen from Nigeria are lodged in the country and President Barack Obama had promised to help in repatriating all these monies. You can imagine what will happen to the economy if such staggering amount is injected into the economy. You can imagine how far that will go in revamping the economy. Some of the States that cannot pay salaries would be able to do that and Nigerians will be happy. So, US being a world super power can deploy all the connections it has in helping Nigeria bring down corruption. President Buhari got information about the identities of those that stole billions of dollars oil money and the banks where they are lodged. The aggregate of all these gave pointer to the fact that the visit was a huge success and Nigeria will rejoice in the end.
Though you are now in the private sector, but that notwithstanding, as a former Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, what is your take on the leadership crisis in the Senate? It was very unfortunate that leadership tussle could polarize the upper chambers to this extent.
Though, the crisis would have been resolved internally, but for external forces. There are people who ordinarily ought not to interfere but they interfered and created more problems for Senator Bukola Saraki to handle. That the party had been interfering had been the issue since 1999, when I was in the Senate between 1999 and 2003, the same crisis reared its ugly head. The PDP then intervened but such interference or intervention must be in advisory capacity. The party will always have its say in whatever the legislature do, but it has to be aware that the internal affairs of the Senate is not a single party affair. Though the law permits that the dominant party, which is the APC must produce the leadership, but the other party, which is the PDP will like to play politics with it. That was why the APC ought to have been careful and extra- vigilant. With 49 PDP members in the Senate, the APC ought to realize that this is a good number that can be deployed to upset the choice of the party. Looking at the configuration of the Senate and House of Representatives coupled with their antecedents, Senator Saraki and Hon Femi Gbajabiamila were natural choices as Senate President and Speaker respectively. I believe the party could have settled for these two gentlemen and that could have reduced the crisis or settled the matter naturally.
In actual fact, Saraki is the natural Senate President and Gbajabiamila the Speaker, but this was scuttled because of interest of external forces. The two were being accused of being Yoruba politicians. It was wrong for people to have allowed the leadership in the federal legislature to assume ethnic colouration. Saraki is a politician from North Central and Gbajabiamila from the South-west, so why should people read meanings to their emergence?
But the party had been blaming Saraki over the emergence of Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President. How do you feel about that? In actual fact, Senator Ekweremadu became Deputy Senate President outof luck and there is nothing Saraki could do to help the situation. To me, I want to believe that Saraki is not fighting the leaders of the party because he himself is a leader. Can he fight himself as well? But Ekweremadu’s emergence made him to look as if he was a traitor, but our people must understand that the circumstance of that day made Ekweremadu to emerge. Having supported Saraki to emerge, it will be awkward and unreasonable for him to shut the door against the PDP and that was why he accepted his nomination. As things stand now, Saraki cannot do anything about the position of his Deputy, except the man resign on his own or is impeached by two-third of the members. It was an anomaly for Ekweremadu to emerge because the PDP did not give such opportunity to the opposition in its 16 years reign. What I think can end this matter is for Saraki to continue to bargain with the APC senators. He should not see them as enemies because the suit they filed against him is not in the best interest of the Senate. It was a great distraction to his government and he must do everything to pacify his colleagues, so that all these matters can be resolved internally rather than through the court.
You were once a staunch member of the PDP. Why did you left the party that controlled the Federal then and aligned with the opposition? I decided to leave the PDP because I was no longer comfortable with the level of impunity in the party. The PDP was so lucky to have held powers for 16 years. Nigerians tolerated them a lot but they became unreasonable. They became so power drunk and I could not continue under the atmosphere of impunity they were already enmeshed. I left the party quietly and joined the APC. At that time, Ekiti governorship was about to be held. The PDP that had earlier suggested consensus later somersaulted and said the candidates must go for primaries. Not that we were not popular in all the 177 wards in Ekiti, but we were working based on what the party leaders had said. We were preparing for consensus only for them to change overnight for reasons best known to them. With the options I had then, I would rather have had Kayode Fayemi as my Governor than Ayodele Fayose. And I didn’t regret supporting Fayemi for Ekiti governorship. Though he lost the election, but I still believe there was something honourable in what I did and I can stand by that decision anytime. In the first instance, the process that brought Fayose up as the PDP Governorship candidate was the most irresponsible ever. As a man of dignity and honour, I could not have supported such infractions.
What is the task that needed to be done for APC to win Ekiti in 2018? APC leaders, particularly President Buhari and our National leaders, Chief John Oyegun and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu have a lot to do. As we speak now, Ekiti APC has about four factions, even more. I cannot continue to mention names here. But as a leader, I see myself as an APC person and not a member of a faction. These leaders must try and harmonise all these factions before we can think of winning Ekiti. Unless we come together, it will be difficult to win Ekiti, though we have the human resources and the supports from the people. All our resources must be geared towards unifying the party. I have seen people declaring governorship ambitions even when the party is facing challenges. At this terrible time, I expect my people to subsume their ambitions and think of how the party can remain united before think of ambition. The earlier our leaders interfere in this matter the better for us. APC in Ekiti is very popular. In the last general elections, despite that the PDP government did not allow members to campaign, we still showed our strength. PDP won all elections through very narrow margins. This went a long way to show our strength, but this should not take away the fact that we need unity to survive and win the coming election.
Under this circumstance, what is your advice to the APC members? Just like I said earlier, my people must refrain from disunity. They must embrace peace and stand united because any house that stands against itself shall collapse. Though, some of us joined the party lately, but if the party wants to survive, our people must not see anybody as joiners. We should see ourselves as partners in progress.
I would rather have Kayode Fayemi as my governor than Ayodele Fayose. And I didn’t regret supporting Fayemi for Ekiti governorship. Though he lost the election, but I still believe there was something honourable in what I did and I can stand by that decision anytime. In the first instance, the process that brought Fayose up as the PDP governorship candidate was the most irresponsible ever. As a man of dignity and honour, I could not have supported such infractions