WHY I HAVE STARTED MY CAMPAIGN NOW

Written by Barnabas Labaran

In this interview Alhaji Abubakar Mu’azu, a former Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe state and a key figure in Governor Danjuma Goje’s government before they parted ways in 2007 is now gunning for the governorship of the state come 2011. He spoke with our correspondent, MANASSEH LABARAN in Gombe on his ambition and other issues. Excerpts

2011 is still far from now; you seem to be in a hurry in declaring your governorship ambition..

Since I declared my intentions in Abuja some few weeks back, this is the first time I’m coming into Gombe. I was encouraged by the reception people gave me. I’m happy with the people and the people are happy with me. This is something many other aspirants cannot do probably because they are waiting for the time when some one will tell them to come out and declare. While some feel it’s early, I don’t think so. A journey of one million mile begins somewhere. While some may use a BMW to reach their destination in three hours, I am using a tractor. Slowly but insha Allah, we are going to reach. Once you are a politician, you are not always afraid of the disturbance or distraction of people. And probably people think if you start early you will spend more money. If you invest in politics definitely you will reap it one day. So what is happening is the good will of people around me. For example somebody donated one office to me free of charge

for two years and the value is about two million per annum. So you can see how the people are eager to see me. I didn’t invite anybody but you can see the crowd in my house, they feel they are for me since I declared intentions. Somebody also bought a car while another person bought a bus for me free. I’ve decided to park the cars until the time I open my campaign office, then I’ll unveil the cars.

Does it mean you are in Gombe for consultations in respect to your ambition?

Exactly, I’m in Gombe for consultations and I have gone far. I’ve gone to many places in Gombe state. Among all the aspirants, there is no single politician that is as popular as me. There is no single village in this state that I cannot name 100 people for you and more number knows me. I’m equal to the task.

How do you intend to surmount the challenges involved in the campaigns, both funding, risks involved in the campaigns and your personal security?

In life, this is not my first time; I’ve been a part and parcel of the campaign train of Goje in 2003 and 2007. In fact I was the arrowhead. So those that were in Gombe in 2003 and 2007 know my role and know how we tackled those challenges and we won the election. When we started, nobody took us serious; nobody even gave us the chance that we can win a councilor. In fact some were even telling us to our face that we were looking for a councillorship not governorship. But now, Goje has spent six years as a Governor, so I took that one, and I’m in for this once again. So I’m not afraid of any challenges. About security, the life of everybody is in the hands of God. When I told people that I’m coming to Gombe somebody called and told me that if I come to Gombe, there will be crises and that I shouldn’t come until when others start coming. But I said no, even if I’m going to be killed in Gombe, it’s better to die in Gombe than Abuja or anywhere in the world. So I’m not afraid of anybody or group. I know that security is in the hands of God. I’ve written a letter to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of SSS telling them of my intentions and soliciting their support and assistance in terms of security. I’ve copied the letters to the IG and DG SSS. I know the people I’m dealing with. You have to be proactive, that is why I’m writing all the security agencies and I thank God that the security situation in the state is very peaceful, I did my consultations which was peaceful and there was nowhere people insulted or abused me and I told my people to be peaceful. And this has been my policy. Those people you call Kalare, I don’t want them in my group, and so if they come here, they are on their own. If they come and commit any crime, they are on their own. And I’ve told them I will personally hand over to the security agents anybody that I find with dangerous weapons.

What about the funding of your campaign?

This Governorship is not all about money, which is the politics we want to avoid, once I spend a lot of money in campaigning, that is what breeds corruption. If it is all about money, we wouldn’t have won in 2003 cos we didn’t have the resources compared to that of the former Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu and his government. It wasn’t money, people needed change at that time, look at Bauchi, Isa Yuguda never had the kind of money Ahmed Muazu had. Look at Kano , Kwankwaso and Shekarau, how much did Shekarau had in his account? Take Wamako and Bafarawa in Sokoto state, there are so many instances that it is not all about money, it’s all about good will and the capacity. While there is the incumbency factor, if the people need change, they will definitely effect the changes I’m not afraid of any incumbency.

You have been a part of this government before now and there is nothing about it that you don’t know. Does it mean you have the blessings of the Governor to contest for the governorship?

I don’t have to go and beg the Governor that I want to come out; I’m a citizen and a man of my own. It was after I made up my mind that I even approached my father and told him my intension. He said go, and may God bless you. The issue of going to take blessings from anybody, no, no,no, but I’m not fighting Goje, more so he is not contesting the governorship now again, he would finished his two terms by 2011, so I expect Goje to support me because I supported him twice. So even if I’m contesting with his own son Ahmed, I expect him to support me because I supported him in 2003 and 2007 all through. But I don’t have to go to him and seek his blessings before I declare my intentions, but I’m ready to go and face him and tell him your excellency, I now want to contest for this governorship, so please I want peace from you and not rancour between us, I am not contesting against you. But now that no candidate has publicly come out, on what ground will he even fight me, even if he brings his own candidate or if anybody comes out, then people would have the choice to make. This is not a do-or-die affair and I’m not desperate, but definitely I’m going to contest the next governorship election, no retreat no surrender.

We would want to know the platform or party you would want to contest.

I’m going to contest under the platform of the PDP. I’m a bonafide member of the PDP. So the issue of the platform is a forgone issue, I’m not contemplating leaving PDP or going to another party and I strongly believe if it is the delegates who will elect a candidate, I’m not afraid of anybody in the PDP. More so the delegates election is a secret ballot and it’s definitely going to be secret and if you have clean conscience with God, I’m not afraid of anybody and I’m going to emerge as the candidate hands down.

Why do you want to contest?

I’m a citizen of Gombe state and there will be vacancy in 2011, somebody has to fill that vacancy and every body wants to contribute his own quota to the development of the state. I was part and parcel of that government before l left them and I’m not regretting being part of them because they have done well. So I want to do more and there are areas I want to improve on like alleviation of poverty, there is abject poverty in the state, our youths and women need to be empowered, our party supporters need to be empowered, the ordinary man needs to be empowered. We also have to boost the Agric sector because over 90 per cent of the citizens of the state are farmers. Once you improve the agric sector, you will reduce poverty by about 60 to 70 per cent because if they find very good land, provide all the agric equipment, fertilizer and all others, encourage agric workers and extension workers you will definitely reduce poverty by 60-70 per cent. Another area is education, you have to develop our people, you have to send them abroad for studies, you have to select some people in specific courses that they will do so that when they come back it will be beneficial to our people in Gombe state. So there are areas that need to be improved upon. This government had concentrated on building of roads, but I feel agric sector, poverty eradication and empowering the people is very very important. Human development is very important, because if you are in abject poverty, you cannot use the roads.

Is it true that you and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar now have a pact and that he is returning to PDP so that he will give you all the support so as to deal with Goje for betraying him?

You see the truth is that Atiku was definitely our mentor then. He did virtually everything to us. He supported us financially, morally and otherwise. So now that he has problem with Goje, I’m not saying Atiku will do everything for me but in politics you have to look for anybody that will support you irrespective of where he comes from. So I and Atiku have been in a very solid relationship not only Atiku many in Abuja and Gombe, big and small. Now that I come out, there are so many things I know which I never knew. Most of these people call me and encourage me.

How do you plan to get money for your campaign or do you have money in stock waiting for the time since funding is a basic ingredient in politics nowadays?

I don’t have money purposely for contesting governorship, and I’m not expecting anybody to bring money for me like Father Christmas. But in the course of this journey, many people have made contributions. Now as I am talking to you, somebody said I shouldn’t give him a single kobo for my campaign office. Another person gave me a car and a bus. It’s not something I had expected. Many people came to me and promised not to take a single kobo from them that anytime we are campaigning, they would volunteer to hire many buses as possible. Another thing that surprised me is that when some people came yesterday, I gave them money, which they refused. They said if I dare give them money again they will never come to my house. They told me they are ready to die for me. They will spend any amount of money for my sake. These are independent people with their various businesses, they are the type of people I want to move with. So I thank God because it’s not the issue of money.

You will surely need the support of the party to realise your ambition. What is your relationship with PDP in Gombe state?

I have a cordial relationship; I don’t have any problem with the PDP. I initially had problems with the Governor and him alone, Alhaji Mohammed Danjuma Goje, not with PDP and we have reconciled. So we have stopped abusing each other, but politically I’m not with him. We’ve stopped abusing each other in the media, so I’m on my own, but I will seek his support because it is natural.

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