…Tells el-Rufai, others: ‘you don’t take knife, rip open your belly
…Says he’s not bothered being called wizard
…Says he’s not bothered being called wizard
New national chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, and former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, weekend, spoke of the need to pacify party members who lost out in the just concluded national convention, saying this was necessary for the party to win the 2023 general elections.
It would be recalled that positions in the party were filled by consensus at the convention, after several aspirants were asked to step down for chosen candidates, and this appears to have engendered divisions in the party.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, Adamu also asked Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State and others to be mindful of what they say about the security situation in the country as, according to him, their comments give the impression the Federal Government was doing nothing to resolve it.
On how he will pacify those who were aggrieved by the outcome of the recently concluded convention of the APC, Adamu said: “First and foremost, it should be known that Allah gives leadership and not man.
“Allah will not come down and give leadership, there must a cause, your fellow human will. Whoever believes in this would not be worried if he vied to be chairman, secretary,etc, but couldn’t be successful.
“But, a human being has his limitations. Some would think they’ve invested their money, their time in seeking these positions that were opened for contest. But we have a responsibility to our party. It’s our responsibility to meet these people as much as we can to pacify them.
“We know they are respectable, we know they are men of integrity and as the President had mentioned, anyone among them could be chairman. But there is no way seven, eight people could become chairman at the same time. So, we should do all we can to have a good understanding with these people.
On the assertion that going along with him would not be smooth because people considered him to be rigid and hard to align with, the former governor said: “No one should be worried simply because someone told him I’m difficult to relate with.
“Well, I don’t even understand who is that that won’t be easy to relate with. I know of a person that is principled, with a clear mission that is on the path of Allah. No matter what, such a person will stick to the path of truth, will ensure only the right thing is done and people would be happy about that.
“We know, human beings have their weaknesses. I have mine, but whoever knows me and he feels he has a way of confronting me is on his own
“But there is nothing to ponder about that I could be rigid, I have my opinion. But this is party affair, not my property. It’s for the people, so there is no way I can be dictatorial. If you come with something contrary, I will say no right away, but if you’re able to explain and convince me, that will be okay.
“But if you try to force things on us, without cogent reasons, something that will not be good for us….or because you’ve a personal relationship with me, you come with something different and you want me to accept because I’m the leader, I will not agree with that.’’
On old age
While replying critics who felt a 70-year-old politician may not withstand the rigours of party affairs, Adamu said: “You’ve reduced my age perhaps because you like me or you have aligned with them.
“Conventionally, I am 75 years old and going by the Islamic calendar, I am 77 plus. I’m proud of that and I thank Allah. My contemporaries, my primary and secondary school mates are no longer with us. Even university mates; some are no longer with us. So it’s a blessing from Allah and I thank Allah for that.”
He said people should understand that old age was like a living capital, noting that “being a party chairman shouldn’t be likened to going to a boxing ring or engaging in a marathon race.
“I was chosen to give the party leadership, the party has its ideology; this ideology is not got from the boxing arena but everything has its time. Where strength is required, we can ask the young ones to do that.”
On the security challenges
On the security challenges in Nigeria, which might affect the chances of the APC during elections, he said: “Human beings want peace and must strive to find peace. Although our soldiers and other security agents are doing their very best…but it has defied solution. Our parents told us that if a wound refuses to heal, it could be targeting life.
“Noise making will not lead us to surmounting this security problem. Everyone knows Buhari. But there is a difference between military and civilian life. Once he strikes, there would be shouts of human rights, democracy, these and that. But in the military, he can do things without your consent.”
Not bothered being called wizard
Asked why he never took offence when people called him a wizard, he said he was not eating humans, adding that such name calling only amused him and never got him angry.
The national chairman of APC, however, said they would work assiduously and round the clock to ensure victory for the ruling party come 2023.
“This job is not a child’s play or joke; it’s a great burden that’s bestowed on us. Our prayer to Allah, and from all our good friends and well wishers is to wish us success. First, we should find ways of uniting members of our party.
“We should be united like a broom tied with one rope. Once that is done, our next move should be to confront the forthcoming election. We are the government, nothing will earn us praise unless we win election.
“We should win, win again, this is the task ahead of us. By the will of Allah, we will do what we can to be successful.”
On el-Rufai
On remarks credited to a strong figure in the APC and governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufa’i that the ruling party had failed in providing security, and others, Adamu said he won’t join issues with the party stalwarts but cautioned that “one should not use a knife to rip open his stomach.“
He said: “I am a human being, I don’t know what was in their minds when they made their assertions, but I advise you to go and meet them.’’
Asked why on several occasions, some people called him “wizard“ but he always appeared undisturbed, he explained that if one was curious about what people were saying, the good thing was to meet the people and clarify.
“ This wizard, wizard, what does it means. Why are people ascribing such to an individual? If I have been insulting them, then I might have been a genuine wizard. Or a mad man( laughs). But I turned that into a joke.
‘’If a fight overpowers you, you turn it into a joke. That’s my attitude….and I don’t look at anybody with any bad intent. I look at everybody lovingly and with good intent. I’ve never called myself wizard. You know I don’t eat human. But one should be careful in politics,” he said.
