We are wooing PDP govs to liberate Nigerians —Mohammed

The Interim National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Lai Mohammed, speaks with OLUSOLA FABIYI on what the party has gained so far in its effort to woo some aggrieved governors in the Peoples Democratic Party. He also reveals the party’s plan for the governors if they defect to the opposition party

Have your meetings with the aggrieved governors in the Peoples Democratic Party yielded any result so far?

We have been telling them that there is the need for them to join the progressive party to rescue the country from its present rulers. We have let them know that the country is retrogressing and that we all need to join hands to save the country. It is a known fact in the international community that Nigeria has a lots its pride. If a country loses its pride in the comity of nations, that will definitely affect its citizens negatively.

What type of rescue are you talking about?

We are asking people of like minds, people who still believe that there is hope for the country, people who also know that we need to act fast, to please join the moving train of the APC in order to rescue the nation. We are asking those who know that we should not continue to live with insecurity, unemployment, bad roads, bad infrastructure, bad governance and other ills currently bedevilling this nation, to join us in addressing these ills. Today, corruption has eaten deep into the fabrics of the governance. Moral decadence has eaten deep into the fabrics of the society. When you protest against corruption in the society, you will be harassed by the enforcement agents. These agents of the government would, however, protect those who are protesting in favour of corruption. We cannot continue to pretend as if all is well.

What do you think is the problem? How did we find ourselves in this sorry state you have painted, if your assumption is true?

It is the lack of leadership at the centre. That is the main problem confronting this country. This is because even when a governor is doing so well in his state and the centre is not co-ordinated, there is no direction and there is no purposeful leadership, what the governor is doing may, at the end of the day, amount to nothing.

Nigerians wonder why your party is wooing governors from the PDP, a party you have vilified on many occasions as not doing well. Is this not a contradiction?

You know that winning an election is about membership. You need people around you before you can win election in this country and anywhere in the world. So, that is one of the reasons why we are wooing these governors. Besides, not all those in the PDP are bad. Also, not all the PDP governors are not doing well. There are those who are really performing in their states. In our efforts at wooing them, we would also go for those who are doing well and are loved by their people.

What are the frustrations you have encountered during your meetings with these governors?

There has been no frustration whatsoever. Rather, we have received tremendous encouragement and support from the states we have visited so far. The people, majority of whom are supporters of the PDP, trooped out to receive the APC leaders, singing and rejoicing. It is an indication that they need help; they have been held in captivity for long and therefore they see our coming as an opportunity to liberate themselves from the claws of retrogression.

But the PDP said you are poaching its governors …

It is a sign of panic. The leadership of the ruling party is panicking. It is aware that the game is over. In any case, let me refresh your memory of what the PDP has done in the past. The same party that is crying that we are poaching its governors lured the Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda from the All Nigerian Peoples Party, on which platform he was elected. It was this same party that lured the Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji  from the Progressive Peoples Alliance, on which platform he was elected. This same crying party took away the then Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, from the PPA and welcomed him to its fold with drums and songs. The same thing happened in Zamfara State when the former governor defected from the ANPP to the PDP. That time, the PDP was not bothered about poaching. We will serve them the same pill that they have been serving others.

The party also said by your action and visits to these governors,  you have started campaigning when the Independent National Electoral Commission has not allowed that…

That is also a sign of desperation and lack of focus on the part of those complaining. What we have done, and which we are still doing, is to maximise the freedom given to us in the constitution. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria allows freedom of association and speech. That is what we have been doing. We are associating with those we want and we are not asking for votes yet. We are just appealing to those who are tired of hunger, bad administration at the centre, to please consider us and join us. Does that amount to campaign? The answer is no. See what we did in Rivers State, for example. Would you say that amounted to campaign? What we did there was to solidarise with the governor who has been terrorised by his own party. A man whose offence was that he contested for the position of the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and won. The President ought to be proud of him having come from the same zone with him and also being popular among his colleagues to win their confidence.  But what are we seeing?

What slots will the party give to these aggrieved governors in the APC if they eventually defect to it?

We will treat them and give them the same treatment being enjoyed by our governors. That is what I can tell you now.

That means the structure of the party would be handed over to them in their respective states?

I have not said that. But what I can tell you is that they will enjoy the same rights and privileges being enjoyed by the APC governors.

What are the preparations on ground for the party’s national convention?

We have not reached that level. What we are doing now is to embark on mobilisation drive and senstisation of Nigerians.

What will determine the choice of your presidential candidate: zoning or personality consideration?

The party’s constitution will determine that. Whatever provision we have in the party’s constitution on how our presidential candidate will emerge will be used.

What does the constitution say on this?

There must be a primary. Our presidential candidate will emerge through clean and transparent primary.