wales:

Former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one-time Speaker, Kaduna State House of Asseembly during Balarabe Musa’s administration, Alhaji Mamman Abubakar Dan-Musa, has accused former military president, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) of destroying Nigeria’s politics. He spoke to Daily Sun in Kaduna.
Excerpts:

Zoning and rotation of power
“The zoning issue in the PDP is not a gentleman’s agreement, as some people want us to believe. The agreement is entrenched in the PDP’s constitution under Section7 (2C), unless, amended at the party’s national convention, the PDP members are duty-bound to follow that provision. The whole issue of zoning has got something to do with equity, justice and fairness.
na true talk

“The provision is also in Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. All those who are saying zoning is not a constitutional issue, they are wrong, it is entrenched in the constitution. Under that Section 14, the federal, states and local governments are enjoined to ensure equity, fairness and justice on how they share things among their own people. It is only a Nigerian funny way of doing things. Some people are so dishonourable.

They are so dishonorable that are denying the existence of a decision, they were part. I am surprised as to how they are into this nuisance. But whatever they are doing is a PDP affair and I am not a member of the PDP. But I have a right to comment.”

Can the aggrieved members challenge the issue in court?
“Oh, certainly! They can, because it is a constitutional provision in the PDP. It is illegal to ignore it unless there is a pronouncement by a competent court of law or there is a national convention where that provision is amended.”
Northern Governors’ Forum on zoning

“To be fair to most of the northern governors, 10 of them stated that the stakeholders in their states voted for the retention of the zoning, so which means majority of the northern people voted for the retention of zoning. So that is the stand of the northern people that zoning should be retained. But as to the right of Jonathan to contest, of course, yes, as a Nigerian, he is free to contest, but then, there are certain obstacles on his way because the constitution of his party has a provision for zoning.

What’s CPC’s stand on zoning?
“As far as we are concerned, zoning does not exist. But practically, the provision of Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution is quite clear so whether you say it or not, we have to be fair and just to the people, Nigerians, that is just it.”

Will PDP zoning controversy strengthen CPC’s chances of winning 2011 election?
We are really not bothered by the zoning issue. The issue is, change has come to Nigeria. Whether there is zoning or no zoning, it is not the CPC’s problem. We know what happened in 2007 cannot be repeated in 2011. The sleeping masses are being mobilized. This time around in 2011, we are not going to go to court even if there’s rigging. We will take to the streets.

If you see the way people turn up en masse whenever our leader, Muhammadu Buhari, makes an outing, you will know that it is an indication that people want change and there is responsible leadership. As far as the CPC is concerned, it is not our problem. We have nothing to do with it at the party level. It does not give us any opportunity because time has come for change in Nigeria.”

What made you abandon PDP for CPC?
“I am not Iro Abubakar Dan Musa, I am Mamman Abubakar Dan Musa. Iro Abubakar Dan Musa, a very prominent member of the PDP, is my senior brother and is still a member of the PDP. But I am the one who used to be the Speaker of the defunct Kaduna State House of Assembly in the Second Republic.
“I had a short stint in the PDP, from 2001 to 2005. When Obasanjo started to behave abnormally, doing whatever he likes in the PDP, removing Audu Ogbeh without any reason, it was then I said it was high time for me to quit. Since General Buhari, the man I respect is in the ANPP I went to the ANPP not because I believe in the party, but because I feel Buhari is a leader.”

People see Buhari as a former military leader, who is undemocratic.

Do you think he has transformed into being a democrat from the time he left office as Head of State?
“Somebody, who is not very close to the General would think that he is undemocratic. I can assure you it is not so. Even this morning, there was a very crucial issue and I went to him and told him this is an important issue and these are my views, these are the ways how things should be done. He is always ready to listen to people. I assure you he always goes by the majority view. He is not a dictator. He is a real democrat. You need to be very close to him. You know if he is a dictator I cannot be close to him because right from my childhood, I always speak my mind. I don’t believe I should be told what to do.

“I always believe that we should discuss and at the end of the day allow the superior ideas, superior arguments carry the day. Those people who are accusing Buhari don’t know the General. He is a real democrat and he is somebody whose word is his honour. Whatever you agree on, he will not go back.”

Your assessment of politics since 1979
“Certainly, it is the military under Babangida which destroyed politics. Because Babangida wanted to remain in power perpetually, he engaged in bogey transitional programmes just to deceive Nigerians. At the end of the day, he just unilaterally, without any public debate, imposed two parties on the system. He manipulated them, because he did not want to leave, but was only forced to leave.

The newbreed which he brought, brought about incompetent and irresponsible people in leadership, and that was what distorted the Nigerian politics that we used to know. The so-called new breed, have no political base and they don’t care about the masses, so this is the problem.

Also, the subsequent military regime of Abacha, wanted to perpetuate himself except that he died. The transition of Abdulsalami Abubakar was meant to install another military man in the person of Obasanjo, so that’s all. Our misfortune was partly because there are always people who always believe that they have to be part and parcel of any government. They can do whatever it takes to be near the government. This is what is killing the whole system.”

Nigeria at 50
“There are certain positive things that we can celebrate. But if there had been responsible leadership over the years, the development would far exceed the one we have today.”

Relationship with Alhaji Balarabe Musa
“Very cordial, even on two occasions when he was giving his daughter in marriage, and also when his son was getting married, he invited me. We have very cordial relationship (this is one of his aides, Alhaji Mannir, pointing to the person seating next to him). In politics, there is no permanent friend or permanent enemy. It is only personal interest that is what is important.

Now we are all in the progressive camp. I have no problem with Alhaji Balarabe Musa. What I did was not on personal basis. I had a duty to perform and I did it and I have no regret whatsoever.
You know very well that it cannot happen now, because when money is the consideration, nothing positive can come out. I doubt much if it can happen at all today. When we carried out ours against Balarabe Musa, money was not the consideration at all.”

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/aug/05/national-08-05-2010-007.htm