Television Nigerian

Waziri Bulama, an architect and former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chairman of Polytechnics Governing Council Chairmen, speaks on governance, herders/farmers clashes, and restructuring in this interview with select journalists including Akinwale Adedayo. Excerpts:

Even as the former National Secretary of the APC, you have played an important role in the Buhari political story. Would you say he left this country better than he found it?

I can confidently state that President Muhammadu Buhari has left Nigeria a better place than he found it in 2015. The primary responsibility of government is to maintain stability and continuity, as well as to prevent chaos and the breakdown of law and order. That is any government’s primary responsibility. What President Buhari encountered in 2015, and why Nigerians rejected the PDP administration and voted for him, was widespread insecurity in the Niger Delta and the North-east. Many territories were under the control of the government at the time. Second, the Nigerian economy was literally paralyzed because the government was bankrupt. It wasn’t even paying salaries or making purchases. Both federal and state employees were not paid. Nigerians lost faith in that government and voted for President Muhammadu Buhari because he is known as a man of integrity and for his prudence and frugality in the management of national resources.

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He went to work, ensuring that peace and security were restored in the Niger Delta, where oil production and other economic activities had been restored. Through his efforts, Nigerian security forces were able to liberate and reclaim territories controlled by Boko Haram in the north-east, and as of today, all organized crime under Boko Haram and ISWAP has been neutralized, with thousands surrendering every day. People are returning to their farms and business transactions now that the peace has been restored.

Third, President Muhammadu Buhari has successfully pulled the Nigerian economy out of recession twice. He has been able to ensure that the government has enough funds to pay salaries at the national, state, and local levels. There is a reasonable level of economic stability. Other things he has been able to stabilize include the energy and fuel supply; petrol, gas, and other fuel oils were in short supply before he came to power. People were buying in gallons all over the country, and in our cities, long lines of four, five, six, or ten hours were common. Fuel is now widely available at reasonable prices throughout Nigeria, saving time and ensuring the smooth operation of business and transportation activities. As a result of these factors, Nigeria was almost in chaos and stagnation in 2014 and 2015. Today, he has been able to fund a reflationary budget for the past four or five years, as well as introduce many iconic policies such as the Economic Recovery and Growth Programmes and massive infrastructure investment across the country.

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The country is more peaceful, and the economy is more stable. People are going about their daily lives. Nigeria’s image has improved dramatically on a global scale. President Muhammadu Buhari is well-liked in West Africa and across the African continent. He is also widely respected around the world. He has risen to prominence in international decision-making circles. He influenced the emergence of OPEC’s leadership, Dr. Barkindo. He was able to influence the appointment of Dr. Adesina to the African Development Bank, Amina Mohammed to the United Nations’ Deputy Director General, and Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to the World Trade Organization’s Director General. He has been able to influence many others around the world, so Nigeria’s image as a global citizen has gotten a huge boost under President Muhammadu Buhari. Our relationships with all of the major global players, including Europe, America, Asia, and China, have skyrocketed. Under President Muhammadu Buhari, investments and collaboration with all of these international bodies and countries have grown. So, in all fairness, Nigeria is far better off today than President Muhammadu Buhari found it in 2015.

Even within the country, large investments are increasing. Private refineries are coming online, and local refineries are undergoing major renovations. Many local investors, including Dangote, Olam, BUA, Skipper, and other large corporations, are making large investments in the country as a show of confidence in the economy under President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership. He has brought back stability, order, and the rule of law. He has also been able to ensure that all of the country’s regulatory institutions are operational because he gives them free rein. Just two weeks ago, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics reported that the Second Quarter (Q2) growth recorded this year is five point one (5.1 percent), which was a significant achievement under President Muhammadu Buhari, and we expect this positive growth to continue and spread to other sectors of the economy.

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Do you think the APC has done well under President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership?

Yes, the indices used to determine whether a party has done well or poorly can be found in party unity. For the time being, the party is united. Every member admires and respects President Muhammadu Buhari as a leader. First and foremost, the fact that we have remained united in such a diverse country as Nigeria is a major accomplishment. Second, the fact that under our administration, we have been able to achieve all of the deliverables outlined in our party’s manifesto, which have a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians, is an accomplishment. Third, the fact that many Nigerians from other political parties, big players such as Governors, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, former Governors, and other top political figures are joining our party is a huge accomplishment. Fourth, in our recent effort at new membership registration, the number of our registered members has increased from around sixteen million to around forty million, indicating that the party, APC, is doing well under President Muhammadu Buhari. We are all in this together. We are growing and becoming more powerful.

What about the rumors that your upcoming National Convention will be the end of the party due to a conflict of interest among top politicians in the pool?

Of course, we are currently united; we are strong; and we are growing. Yes, there are clearly internal interests and contestations for people wishing to run for positions or for various posts within the party. However, we have seen no indication that these contestations or ambitions will lead to a crisis for this party. Let me tell you, the party’s members are all on the same page. We all respond to the name, APC. We all respect our party’s leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is a rallying figure in the party and has a lot of influence over the party and its decisions. As a result, we have no reason to fear that we will witness any serious crises in the future simply because of convention or divergent interests.

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Is it true that there was a zoning agreement in APC, whether written or informal, as was the norm in PDP?

If there had been a zoning agreement, it would have been known. One thing is clear: this is a party based on trust. A party in which leaders from across the country came together consciously to dissolve their respective parties in order to merge into one; the APC. The APC has emerged as a national, progressive political party with a broad base. All of these different parties and leaders decided to dissolve identity-based politics – parties based on region, religion, or ethnicity. This is a monumental and historic achievement in Nigerian political history. As a result, in the APC, we are all one. We don’t consider ourselves to be from this or that region. From either this or that religion. We are a progressive family that came together as equals to form this party to serve Nigeria, and our records show that we have worked to serve the entire country – all of its regions, religions, and zones. As a result, decisions in the APC are made as a family. The APC’s leaders are men of honor, known for their self-sacrifice. Going forward, every decision we make in the APC regarding how to zone positions will, of course, be based on our history of sacrifice for the nation in order to ensure that we treat one another in trust, as brothers, friends, and family in order to continue to implement the APC manifesto. For me, this is my response to the question of whether or not there was zoning, but we clearly have a history because without the formation of this party as a broad-based national platform, we would not have received votes from all parts of the country to reflect the desired constitutional spread to win the presidency. We would always remember the APC’s history and how national unity led to our victory in the center.

What was your personal contribution as a former National Secretary to all that the party and this administration have accomplished?

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My individual contributions are numerous. I was present at every turn and junction where important decisions were made in the last few years. I was the defunct CPC’s Director of Strategy, where we managed the Presidential Elections, and after the elections, I became a member of the defunct CPC’s National Executive Committee. We wrote a proposal (Way Forward for the CPC), a blueprint for the CPC to chart its political future, in which we proposed the formation of a broad-based national platform in collaboration with like-minded patriotic Nigerians from all parts of the country.

Mr. Uche Orji, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information, who recently spoke with Ugo Aliogo, disagrees with the notion that the Indigenous People of Biafra’s sit-at-home order was successful.

Ebonyi State will be 25 years old next month, thanks to the vision of the founding fathers; do you believe the creation of Ebonyi State has satisfied their yearnings and aspirations?

So far, I can say that the Governor, Mr. David Nweze Umahi, has brought a lot of development that will make Ebonyi truly the salt of the nation. When he arrived in 2015, we had no solid infrastructure, a scarcity of human capital, and our state had never been reckoned with in all of its ramifications. However, his emergence has resulted in significant development progress, particularly in infrastructure and human capital development.

In terms of infrastructure, Ebonyi currently has a road network in place, with each local government area and community having a road network that connects to other communities. Each local government has at least a 25-kilometer concrete-paved road, 20-kilometer street lights that are activated from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., and one critical infrastructure. For example, a local government owns Africa’s largest shopping mall (that shopping mall is a microcosm of the Dubai Mall). Senator Ben Murray Bruce, Chief Executive Officer of Silverbird Television, stated that the shopping mall is the largest in Africa, for which we are grateful.

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Another local government is storing Africa’s largest Ecumenical Centre, so the Governor decided to construct a suitable place of worship. It is a multi-functional structure that hosts international and local conferences, social events, and generates revenue. We have what is known as the face of Ebonyi State; it is a place where you will wonder if you are in Nigeria, Dubai, or one of the Western countries when you arrive; it is the light tunnel named after President Muhammadu Buhari (President Muhammadu Buhari light tunnel). It’s a four-way light tunnel that connects to the new government building.

The new government building is the most beautiful government building yet. For me, it’s the three-arm zone with the Governor’s office, Governor, and Presidential lodge. The Government House was started and finished in two years and is a sight to behold. The light tunnel connects to the international market via the trans-Saharan highway that connects Cross River State to Cameroon. Of course, once the bridge connecting Cross River State and Cameroon is completed, African countries will have greater access to the international market. You will be able to connect to the ongoing International Airport via this light tunnel. The international airport was approved during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, but I can assure you that it is nearing completion because the necessary equipment and machines have been procured, and the first plane will land in Ebonyi State in less than a year.

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The governor intends to make the airport one of Nigeria’s three competing international airports. When the airport is fully operational, it will generate employment opportunities; we anticipate 10,000 jobs, including businesses. The governor also intends to expand Ebonyi state’s revenue base by establishing all of these facilities. Of course, the state will see a lot of commercial activity, and investors will be drawn to these facilities.

The governor is considering trade that will allow our people to do business and travel from anywhere in the world directly into the state without having to stop at another airport. The governor is also addressing the issue of security to ensure that these facilities are accessible to both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. Apart from Abuja and Lagos, the metropolis is the next emerging capital city in Nigeria in terms of beauty, neatness, and infrastructure, including water fountains. The magnificent fountain can be found at major intersections throughout the city. We have 12 water fountains in the city, including the one known as Africa’s largest, which is located beneath the light tunnel. That water fountain is beautiful, and it is also a tourist attraction. As a result, all of these facilities have contributed to the founding fathers’ aspiration.

Let me state here that the state was formed by combining Abia and Enugu States. The governor now has three satellite towns that connect the two zones (old Abakalika and Afikpo). In terms of economic activity, each of the satellite towns is thriving. I believe that the most important thing that this administration has done is to instill a sense of self-worth in its citizens. Today, we no longer wear the cloth of inferiority complex that afflicted Ebonyi state in the past; instead, we can proudly proclaim that we are from Ebonyi state, which is the greatest legacy of our dear governor’s administration.

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How have you fared in terms of employment opportunities, given how society has fared on the issue of employment generation, and given the high crime rate in this country, which stems from a lack of employment opportunities, such as banditry and kidnapping? So, how did the government deal with these inclinations?

When the governor took office, he recognized that the engagement and employment of women and youths was an issue that needed to be addressed head on, and he decided to implement the second address scheme, which aims to empower our people. So the governor sees employment and empowerment as two pillars that will lead to self-sufficiency and self-reliance among our youth and women. He decided to devise a strategy to hire 5,000 youths and women between the ages of 18 and 35 into the civil service, of which 2,000 will be drawn from the local government system and 3,000 from the state civil service, and a committee has been formed to rationalize the shortlisting in order to ensure that the various Local Government Areas are eventually given this opportunity.

But, above all, the governor believes that providing white-collar jobs as an alternative to civil service is the ultimate goal. As a result, he enrolled in empowerment programs in agriculture, vocational trade, entrepreneurship, and other areas. As a result, our widows have today been empowered with N4 billion in N300,000 tranches under the widow empowerment scheme. This has also aided in raising the living standards of the families who have been cared for; some of these families are people who have never had the opportunity to spend N5,000 in bulk, so their means of subsistence have now been increased. The empowerment grants of N750 million naira given to 3,000 youths and women have also improved their living standards.

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Other empowerment programs include tricycle empowerment and diaspora, in which the state government selected hawkers from outside the state and trained and empowered them. Lagos received N130 million in grants. In Anambra, N400,000 tricycles were distributed to Ebonyi indigenes living in Anambra, including those living within the state. This has increased our people’s ability to fend for themselves without relying on the government. I can say that Ebonyi state is a construction site, and we are employing skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled laborers.

Construction workers are drawn from both indigenous and non-indigenous communities, which has reduced crime and social vices to a bare minimum. What the governor does is redistribute the facilities that have been built for our youth and women. For example, shops in shopping malls are being distributed to our youths and women so that they can be permanent owners of shops; of course, a Certificate of Ownership (C/O) can be issued to them, and no future government can revoke it. This applies to the international market as well as other government-created facilities.

What is the state government’s position on the current Value Added Tax (VAT) controversy, in which some states claim to contribute more than others?

We will not discuss this because it is pending before a court of competent jurisdiction. We are a law-abiding state, and whatever the final court’s decision is, we will follow it. We will also follow the laws of the state as well as the laws of the federation. We don’t need to talk about it until the issue is resolved.

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You mostly discussed the effects of job opportunities; how is the crime rate in your state?

Apart from EndSARS, which caused most of our women and youths to engage in violent protest, and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which some people took advantage of mayhem, I believe security in Ebonyi state is generally calm, and apart from the community disturbance that recently reared its ugly head, which has also been put under control, we have no issue of cr. If you look at the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) crime statistics, you will notice that we are not one of the hotspots for violent crime.

I know it’s because of the way and manner in which our youth and women are employed. As I previously stated, Ebonyi is a construction site; wherever you go, there is something going on, and we employ our youths and women in all of our construction projects, which keeps them empowered. This has made a significant difference in reducing the number of crimes and criminalities. However, the governor has essentially fortified the security architecture.