Kwara Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad in this interview with HEAD POLITICS, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM talks about his mission and vision for Kwara state if elected governor among other political developments in the polity. Excerpts:
It took quite a while for you to really come out to contest for the governorship race in Kwara, were you hitherto under any doubt of your ability?
For every political position, it is very important for one to plan, otherwise success would be difficult. In Nigeria we have had people that occupied some of the highest positions without any planning but that has a telling effect on their performance. I would rather not aspire for a position if I knew I would not perform and save my name and that of my family. When you see me aspiring for this position, I have done all my homework and you would notice that I am one of the last few persons that came out. To have an ambition is one thing and for people to share your aspiration is another, but both have to be balanced and until I was sure that I was loved by my people despite my ambition, that was when I came out.
Why should Kwarans entrust Dr Ali Ahmad with their votes out of the many aspirants contending for the seat?
Thank you very much for this question. Just like the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki wants to grow Nigeria, I believe strongly that I can contribute my quota to the growth and development of Kwara State. I have been around for quite a while, I know the state before, during and post Bukola Saraki era. I have seen the trajectory and I believe I am well equipped for the job. I know what the issues are in Kwara. I have worked as a personal staff of former Governor Bukola Saraki for many years and I used to be the clearing house in government house then as regards the entire needs and requests of all ministries even before I became the chief of staff. It continued after my appointment as the chief of staff and then the Attorney-General. Then I had this interregnum in the National Assembly which exposed me to national politics and I came back as the Speaker of Kwara Assembly. That complimented the knowledge base that one needs to form. With all these, I believe I stand the best chance and even some of those in the other parties who are also contesting have said that if eventually I emerge the candidate; they are ready to work for me despite our differences.
The dynamics of our politics have not been particularly palatable, especially with the narrative that has trailed some of the campaigns, what is your take on this?
We want to look at the failings of governance in Kwara state. And by that, I mean I can change the dynamics of the way we play our politics from that of hatred and bring-him-down. We could be in different political parties, but we should be talking and eating together, our children should be able to relate despite our political differences because we are all Kwarans and the same community. However, we have taken politics too far. I want to try and eliminate that for us to begin to play politics without bitterness across board. I want to create a matured political environment that is blind to party affiliation, tribe or ethnicity and culture of political bitterness and rivalry.
What are the ingredients that will define your administration if elected?
It is very simple and I think this is part of the reasons why sometimes there is friction between the government and the governed. For me, I would do what the people want and not what I want, this would be the fulcrum of my government. Governance is not about drafting fantastic documents and I have many well connected friends across the globe that can produce that. But in practical terms, I will bring government back to the people and we have antecedents for this. As Chief of Staff, member of National Assembly and Speaker, that is what I have done. For a person to pass ten bills in a day at the National Assembly where we have about 360 lawmakers is not a mean feat and demonstrate our power to lobby. Here at home, the state assembly has been there for years but we are putting up a new and bigger 500 capacity edifice, why? It was because we have opened up everything we do. Because of our engagement with the people, all our meeting rooms now became too small to the extent that we now open up our chambers for public hearings. Ordinarily, this shouldn’t be the case because the chamber supposed to be a hallowed place. This is because we have stoked the interest of people in the way they are governed.
But some critics have questioned the effectiveness of the Assembly under your leadership alleging that some of the resolutions rejected didn’t make any difference at the end of the day like that of Harmony Holdings for instance?
For God’s sake, Nigeria is a country governed by the constitution and we as a House, our powers are limited. If we say Harmony Holdings should be disbanded in the light of the recent development and the executive didn’t do it, we have done our bit because that is the yearnings of the people. For me, it is going to be about the people if I get the ticket.
Experience is key for anybody that aspires to govern a state, do you think you have garnered enough in this regard?
By Gods grace, we have traversed the three arms of government, which is the executive, judiciary and the legislature. We have seen governors who don’t know anything about legislative process and it will be difficult for them. Most times, the executive believe they can just dish out orders but the legislator is a grassroots man who communicates with his people all the time. A government with that background to listen to the people before actions are taken will greatly impact positively on them. All these experiences will prepare me as I function and that is what I have been using even in my present position. Having spent six months as the Attorney-General of the state and pursued cases up to the Supreme Court, secured conviction for armed robbers which were reported, we know where the problem of the judiciary lies. Don’t forget we passed the revolutionary bill at the National Assembly. The judiciary in Kwara state is appalling and I cannot sit if I am elected to see it the way it is because that is my constituency just like the executive and legislature. I have been lucky to pass through these three very important phases and it would help in providing the desired leadership.
In line with the directive of the National Leader of the party and Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, that the most popular candidate automatically becomes his choice, do you think you have done enough to scale the popularity test in Kwara state?
I am presently surprised by the reception of our people. I am prepared for whatever primaries that would be adopted by the leadership of the party. The Senate President has indicated that he doesn’t have a candidate except the popular one. What that means is the popular one among our party faithful and if the party faithful would have a say in this, then we are on the right track.
In what sense, because you seem to be a bit quiet campaigns wise?
What we are doing now is surgical operation and that is why you won’t see us making noise on radio or television because those are not the critical people. We are touching the base across the sixteen local governments, the delegates, those who control the delegates and those who have impact on the delegates and those things that attract the delegates. This doesn’t necessarily mean money, because I don’t have it. In line with the PDP constitution, I know the delegates and I am appealing to them. I can tell you that I have met quite a sizeable number of them including the speakers and councillors of Kwara South who are the lowest strata and they have pledged loyalty. Kwara South now is on a lockdown for Ali Ahmad. Nobody can penetrate Ilorin South and East delegates which are my local governments. Similarly, we have penetrated Ilorin West and Asa. In Kwara North, I have met with the speakers and councillors and understandably they said if by chance, it didn’t come to Kwara North, they will go with me and these are facts. In Kwara Central, the traditional rulers are solidly behind us and over 90 percent of the Ulamas are also for us. A top influential Christian cleric just left here before you came, I will not mention his name. So this is what we are working on and a lot of activities are going on but it is when we get the ticket by Allah’s grace that we can now start the campaign full blast. This is what we are going to be doing in the next two weeks or thereabout.
Knowing the people for what they are, don’t you think taking government to them always might jeopardise the quest to fill the infrastructural gap in state?
We are not saying that we’ll leave everything to the people because sometimes they might want government money to be shared and you have to make them see what they don’t ordinarily see because of the vantage position you occupy. But we must take decisions mostly based on the people’s input and our knowledge because they own the government. We must not assume we know it all every time and all our projects, including roads must be tied to our economic development, that is it. At the end of the day, when we are through, it is going to be a win-win situation for everybody. They will be happy about what we are doing and we on our part will be happy to provide service on their behalf.
Tell us what would happen in your first 100 days if elected?
I would fill all the pot holes in Ilorin instead of starting other big projects because that is what people want. In advance countries, the public works department don’t retire, they work at night. Ilorin is our poster city and it has to be clean and pothole free first. Then we can start to look at other infrastructure.
But what about if you don’t get the ticket, what then happens?
Absolutely nothing! In fact I have told some of my co-contestants that my vehicles, property or anything they feel they want to use for their campaigns that I have are available for them. You can verify this. We are brothers and that is what we are preaching. Politics should not be a do or die affair. If I am not chosen, we will support whoever emerges and it will not affect my relationship with other aspirants. I would not allow my co-contestants from the PDP or even APC that I defeat by the grace of God to just disappear from the state and come back after four years. I would demand for programmes they initially had for the state, let’s do it together and after three and half years, they can now go and come back to challenge me. If I eventually get this ticket, then it is no longer politics, rather governance because the state belongs to all of us. We should collectively think of how to move Kwara forward. We would not allow whoever that is in that deception business to come and deceive us again. If you are for Kwara and you believe you have something to offer, then come and let’s work because, I don’t know it all and don’t have all the answers. Part of what we are going to do is to work with the academic community, I would not have time to initiate studies because we already have fantastic ones lying aground. In four years, we should know where the state should be.
Your message to the people?
To my constituency, which is Ilorin East and South, I look forward to doing it together during the primaries, same for Kwara South and hopefully the north all things being equal. My government is going to be people oriented in sha Allah, this I can assure Kwarans. Let us all play our part in the progress and development of the state by obtaining our PVCs and vote massively for the PDP at the state and federal levels.
