I am very optimistic, I will win -Kwankwaso

Kano State governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, spoke briefly on his presidential ambition and APC’S determination to capture power at the centre in 2015. Kolade Adeyemi recorded the chat.

YOU said you will formerly declare your presidential ambition for 2015, 28th October, how is it going so far?

We couldn’t get the venue. We have applied to get Eagle Square because so many people will be happy to storm there to witness the event. But we are now struggling to get alternative. Thats where we are now with regards to venue. But if it is not granted, I will invite you to the Abuja streets to hold the occasion there. I don’t know the authorities’ reason to deny me the venue.

There is this rumour that you are planning to step down your presidential ambition for a particular candidate. Is this true?

I am not under pressure to step down for anybody. In fact, nobody came to ask me to step down for anybody, in as much as nobody has contacted me to step down, doing that will not be good for the party. You see, so many people are used to either small parties or medium size parties, where people sit down and chose somebody in a room.  APC is not a medium or small party where a candidate can be chosen in a room.  APC is a mega party. It is not ANPP, it is not APGA, it is not CPC, it is not ACN; it is a collection of all.

I always tell people to look at the example of PDP since 1999 to 2011; in each election, people went for primaries, not arranged elections. Real election, primary election, even when we had a sitting president in 2003 and 2011, there were primary electionthat is why the PDP won all along and others who are involved in stage-managing primary elections always lost elections. Now, the PDP has decided to conduct its primary election at the villa while APC holds its own in a field. This clearly shows that the APC will win the elections in 2015.

You seem not to be in support of consensus?

You see, there is that provision, but I always say that we have always been consistent. But you see many people who are soliciting for this consensus bear in mind that when people sit down and resolve the matter, the consensus would go to their favourite candidate; that is consensus to them. That is the main issue, but I believe we have to make this party very strong. All aspirants should go round the country to bring more people into the party, and that is exactly what I am doing. So many people joined the APC for me in the last few weeks and will continue to join, especially if I get the ticket. Most of the guys will cross over to APC when I declare or stay in the PDP but will work for me. This is because many of them are hooked there (PDP) for one reason or the other, but they are with us.

Are you comfortable with the party’s constitution amendment coming up before the presidential primaries?

The APC’s primary elections will be in line with the provision of the party’s constitution.

You keep saying some PDP governors are with you and will defect to APC, but each time you make this statement, they deny such claim?

The people that are denying the claim are the ones already with us. I am not too much worried about their comments. They go there but just floating in the air. The people of this country are with APC, so they stay there, thinking that they can rig election in 2015, but the masses will come out with their brooms and deal with them. They will vote and make sure they protect their votes. So, that is what we would do. They know that on the Election Day, they will go and prepare fake documents and say they have won the election. People across the country are wiser now and are very angry.

How optimistic are you that you will get support from other candidates within APC after winning the primary election?

I am very optimistic. For me, if I win the primary election, I will be very happy and I am sure the other contestants would support and work together with me. I am sure if any one of us wins the primaries, we would support him. What is important to us is to have a free and fair primary election. That is why we are telling the INEC and other stakeholders that they shouldn’t go and take dictation from the villa and write figures to declare them winners. That won’t be acceptable in 2015. They must do the right thing at the right time.

Is there any clue about your successor after expiration of your tenure?

It is premature to start speculation now. The primary election time table and the forms will soon be available. But of course we will look at the possibility of consensus; if that would not be achieved, then every APC member is free to go and grab the form to contest for the primary election at the venue of the election. So that is the policy, we don’t stop anybody. We are democratic. People are free to purchase forms and contest for elections here. I always tell the people that out of the 12 elections that I contested, I won 11 and lost 1, but I never won any under consensus. I always found a candidate to contest with, so I am personally very much used to that. So, if I think I am used to it, anybody in the party can think the same way. Any politician in the game of politics that doesn’t want to contest for election, either primary or secondary election, is like a wash man who doesn’t want to touch water. So, he should better go and get another business.

Are you comfortable with INEC’s creation of additional polling unit in Kano State?

Well, geographically, North is big. The explanation given by the INEC for the increment was to shorten distances for voters. I think that makes sense. But to me, what is more important is to mobilise people to go and vote irrespective of distance, by any means of transportation. But it would be a good thing if INEC decides to reduce the distance for voters whether in the North or South.

Recently, the Federal Government declared ceasefire with Boko Haram group, but few days after the truce, they lunched fresh attacks, do you have any suspicion over the issue?

I wasn’t part of the arrangement. You may know better than me. I just watched it on TV that there was a ceasefire but unfortunately the killings continued. I wondered who were the people involved in the agreement, how credible they were, I don’t know. But people are tired of losing lives and properties in this country. The government, whether through dialogue or force, must stop insurgency in the North-East and other parts of the country. The issue of insurgency, armed robbery, kidnappings and so on, must be stopped.

On the issue of venue for your presidential declaration, do you think your millions of supporters would take on the Abuja streets if you are not given the venue?

I know so many people will go to Abuja to witness my declaration. Even if you are a supporter, you can go and witness the event. Let’s wait and see. But certainly, we will get the venue. What we just want is for the government to do the right thing; the people will also do the right thing to the government.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

* indicates required

Intuit Mailchimp