How consensus worked in Yobe APC congress – Buni

The APC in Yobe State recently elected ward, local government and state officials through consensus. In this interview, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, the new state chairman of the party said the consensual procedure in the election has produced popular and acceptable officials. Excerpts:

The entire party executive council in Yobe State emerged through consensus, will this not generate complaints of marginalization from party members who may prefer election to consensus?
If you look at the calibre of people who were elected into the executive council of the party, they are politicians in their own rights with lots of experience, influence and respect in their respective constituencies and the state at large. Before going into consensus, we were carefully selected for nomination by all the stakeholders which included the three Senators, five members of the House of Representatives, 24 members of the state assembly, opinion leaders, elders and supporters of the party.

Let me also assure you that these are politicians who can stand elections at various levels and win. This explains why, when their names were presented for various offices, there were no challengers and they eventually emerged as consensus candidates. The collective participation of all stakeholders did not give room for fielding of jokers and unpopular candidates. In this situation, imposition of unpopular candidates on the party was just impossible.
It may also interest you to note that the political interests of all groups across the state were adequately addressed and taken care of, to give everyone a true sense of belonging. That is why there are no complains of marginalization from any quarter in the state and the appeal committee sent from the national headquarters of the party had little to do because there were no complaints.
What will be the immediate priority of the executive council?
Well, APC in Yobe is glad to have the state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam whose leadership style provided the party with excellent foundation. We are happy to inherit a united family with a common sense of commitment and goals.
However, the new executive council shall consolidate and improve on building a more united and strong party, with loyalty and commitment to promote the ideals of democracy, good governance and service delivery. We will provide the required support to government to propel delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.
Although the party enjoys unparallel support in the state, the exco shall concentrate on delivering the state 100 per cent to APC in the forthcoming general election at both state and presidential elections to prove that Yobe State is a home base of APC.
What value will the new party leadership add to good governance in the state since PDP is blaming it for in security?
It is absurd, regrettable and sad that PDP is injecting politics into the security challenges faced by these states. This accusation was politically motivated, petty and misleading. Nigeria operates a system where the security apparatus is controlled by the PDP national government and not the APC states, so, if we are to apportion blames, that accusation squarely falls on the PDP led national government and not, the APC state governors who have no control over the security agencies. The government and people of Yobe State have fully cooperated with the security agencies in the state. The people volunteered information while government supports the security operatives and this promoted understanding and collectivity in the efforts at restoring peace and security in the state.
In its commitment to fighting the insecurity, Yobe State government expended over N7 billion and provided 300 patrol vehicles in support of logistics to the federal security operatives in the state while we received N150 million only as assistance from the federal government. Sadly, Nigeria also recorded unfortunate bombings at Eagle square, the police headquarters, United Nations building, Thisday Newspapers and recently, Nyanya motor park all in Abuja. I wish to ask PDP,  in this case, who do we attribute the poor leadership as being responsible for the attacks?
As victims of insurgency, we appreciate the bitter pains of insurgency attacks. We condole with the families of those killed and sympathize with the injured in such attacks. We also share the pain with other Nigerians of seeing Mr President and the PDP leadership celebrating and dancing at a political rally in Kano less than 24 hours after the Abuja attack and the abduction of over 100 school girls in Chibok, Borno State. It is a total abomination that this celebration came when Nigerians were still in shock and trauma; the PDP was dancing, just as when the dead were yet to be buried and the whereabouts of the school girls still unknown. This is a tragedy in the life of the country and God willing, APC will show them the way out of Aso Villa in 2015.
Chief Edwin Clark and Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State were advocating for total state of emergency in the three states. What is your reaction to this?
It is important to note that the governors of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states were elected by over 10 million voters. Therefore, they are there by the mandate of these electorates. It is also unfortunate that Clark and Akpabio are beneficiaries of Nigeria’s constitution which they are now bent on circumventing. The act of politicizing security and the state of emergency must be condemned by all democrats and peace loving Nigerians. This call is unconstitutional and contravenes democracy. It is tantamount to coup and deliberate attempt to overheat the polity.
Clark and Akpabio need to be informed that even in worse scenarios like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Somalia, the democratic structures are still intact. Afghanistan just conducted its election, Iraq is conducting its own this week, Syria would conduct its own in June. Somalia and Mali have their structures on ground. As democrats we should help build the system rather than destroying it.
Yobe state is rated as one of the most educationally backward states. Are there deliberate efforts made by the APC government to change the situation?
Thank you very much. Let me state here that the education sector under the Ibrahim Gaidam led administration had received priority attention in the state’s annual budget. Public schools have been renovated and provided with quality instructional materials. The state government also entered into partnership with the Turkish colleges and University which we proudly have one in the state. It is only in Yobe State where you record mass exodus of pupils from private schools to public primary schools following the employment and posting of over 4, 000 university and N. C. E graduates to public schools.
When President Goodluck Jonathan visited the state last year and commissioned a library at the state university which was named after him, he acknowledged and commended the state government for taking the challenge in education despite lean resources and the security challenges facing the state. He described what he saw at the university as “an excellent investment” that will contribute to educational development of the state and the country. The new university has met all requirements and now has 29 courses duly accredited by the NUC.
This compliment from Mr President corroborated the position of Professor Abdullahi Mahdi, a seasoned university administrator, who described the Yobe State University as the fastest growing university in Northern Nigeria. Yobe State under the Ibrahim Gaidam led administration, recorded huge, monumental and unprecedented infrastructural development. This administration also instituted prudence and discipline in governance. The state witnessed massive transformation in health, education, roads, housing, agriculture, water supply and employment opportunities among others. The government renovated over 900 classrooms destroyed by the insurgents to ensure that there was no gap created by these destructions. Can such achievements be associated with poor leadership?