"The problem in APC is very glaring"says Alhaji Usman Abubaka

 

Alhaji Usman Abubakar, popularly known as ‘Young Alhaji,’ has contested several elections in Benue State since 1999. He explains why he recently dumped the APC and shed light on consultations for him to join another party. Excerpts:

What informed your decision to quit the APC?
The problem in APC is very glaring; it is greed and inordinate ambition. Senator George Akume who is our leader in Benue state has never been an opposition politician, he belongs to mainstream politics of PDP during his tenure as governor and even during his first tenure as a senator. It was when he was rejected in PDP, that he came to join us in the defunct ACN, because of his former position as the governor of the state; we gave him the honour and respect to become our leader. However, in the real sense, he was never qualified to lead opposition struggle in the state. When he joined us, he started the PDP style of imposing candidates and ensured that only his own views prevail.

That marked the beginning of the crisis and it continued unabated till the merger period. When the parties merged and assumed the new name of APC, he again wanted to have control of the party; he hijacked the whole structure during the party’s membership registration and repeated the same thing during the ward and state congresses. He also hijacked the process of the harmonization committee, that was when, Ambassador Gbasha, other members like Engr. Garuba and I tried to call him to order but he wouldn’t listen. In fact, APC in Benue State is a non-existing party. What we have in the state here is Akume’s private company and the damage which has been done is irreversible. After the state congress, we made up our minds to leave the party. As I speak to you now, we are like new bride open to negotiation with any party including PDP.
 Why do think the damage is irreversible?
I think so because Akume seems to be impervious to change or reasoning. The only thing left for us as progressives is to abandon Akume with his private company.
  How do you react to insinuations that your group has concluded arrangement to join Labour Party?
A lot of parties have been approaching us but we are viewing their proposals to see any of the party that would make good offer or present itself in a more democratic way, then we will join such a party.
 Akume has waved the olive branch, saying he is open to talks with aggrieved APC members while Suswam has said  PDP is set to welcome into its fold opposition supporters. Which of these options would you consider?
Akume has been left to wallow in his ignorance in APC but as for PDP, yes.  If the PDP presents itself genuinely, yes, we will. And of course, why not? We are ready to work with PDP.
 But your antecedents showed that you have always thrived in opposition. Why would you now see PDP as an option?
What is opposition? I’m a realist. So long as PDP or any other party shows undemocratic behavior, of course, I will oppose it. If PDP as at today, especially in Benue chooses to play politics by the rules, I’m ready to identify myself with them. My idea of the rule of the game is that the peoples’ voice must be heard.
 How do you feel about losing cases bordering on the 2011 gubernatorial election and what is your plan towards contesting the 2015 election?
I’m not deterred by what happened in court because I’m a democrat. I’m a fighter and I will continue to fight for true democracy. 2015 is still a long way and anything can happen.  I’m going to contest but the position that I will vie for is classified for now.  Maybe, I will contest for governorship or senate position. However, I will certainly contest.
 If the senate president decides to re-contest in 2015, do you see yourself as capable of wrestling power from him?
The senate president has a right to contest. He is free to do so as many times as he wishes. And if I choose to contest against him, I also have the right to do so. If he defeats me, of course, he will have his way and if I defeat him, I will have my way or I will abandon the senate seat for others while I go for governorship position. I’m not worried about the resources I have spent over the years on elections. I wasn’t born with money in my hand and when I die, I will definitely not be buried with money. As for the governorship election, what kind of chance are we talking about? I prefer to be liked by the people, voted for by the people, and then, let the system snatch it from me. I prefer it that way. My motivation has always been that life itself is a struggle, so long as one is alive, he or she has to struggle in-order to assert or register one’s own position in the society. So, I will never be tired of contesting elections.