As Nigeria prepares for another government, questions have been left in the lips of many Nigerians as to the current situations that have bedeviled the nation. In this interview, the former Spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Comrade Jonathan Vatsa, said President Muhammadu Buhari did not come into governance with any clear manifesto and should ask God for forgiveness. Excerpts:

Firstly let me say congratulations to your party, the APC for producing the President-elect and Governor elect at federal and state levels. What is your general view on the elections?

You see, President Buhari is the only President who enjoyed the unity of this country when he was sick. Muslims and Christians prayed for him. I tell you this, there is no President aside the late President Umaru Yar’Adua that has enjoyed national prayer where both faiths fasted, prayed and sought the help of God to heal Buhari. God spared his life and gave him another opportunity to live. If there is anybody that should be very fair to Nigerians it’s President Buhari. He owed Nigerians reciprocated treatment irrespective of religions and tribes. But what did we, especially the poor masses, get in return, more kidnappings, killings, attacks on schools, places of worship and poverty. Unfortunately, Buhari got well and nepotism became the order of the day. In fact, he now realized that he has brothers, sisters, cousins in Niger Republic. What about Nigerians who believed that he will bring the desired change they need and voted for him irrespective of religion and tribe? It is very a sad and unfortunate situation he has brought on us all. I remember how we campaigned for him in 2014, 2015 and 2019. I think Nigerians deserve better from Buhari.

If you are saying Mr President did not work in accordance with plans and manifesto, what should Nigerians expect from the President elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu?

You see, this time around the situation is different. The President-elect has a manifesto, he has been prepared for the job. Unlike 2014, 2015 Buhari did not present any manifesto to Nigerians except his acceptance speech where he said “I belong to everybody, and I belong to nobody”. When he emerged, he also abandoned the Party’s manifesto. If Buhari had a manifesto, we would have seen and known that he was going to make rail lines from Kano State to Niger Republic and there is no place in the Party’s manifesto that rail lines be constructed to Niger Republic. What a waste! What is the economic value of the rail lines from Kano State to Niger Republic? But this time around, Nigerians can hold the President-elect responsible because he has a manifesto and he is definitely going to work with it.

The rail lines connects Nigeria with Niger Republic, don’t you think it is to further foster bilateral relationship between the two nations?

President Buhari’s recent comments during the Ramadan that, if he is disturbed, he will relocate to Niger Republic to meet with his relatives only show that the construction of the rail line was for selfish gains. If he truly thought of rail lines, that would have helped in decongesting Abuja the Federal Capital Territory, it should be constructing rail lines from Abuja to Minna, another from Abuja to Markudi and Abuja to Lokoja. Another strategic rail line from Akwanga to Jos which can link the North East. Doing these rail lines would have decongested the FCT, linked up many towns and cities and of course create more jobs. So, tell me, what is the economic value of linking the rail from Kano State to Niger Republic?

At the moment there is serious lobbying and canvassing for those to emerge as leaders of the 10th National Assembly, what is your take especially as you have a Senator from Niger State as one of the contenders?

The position of the Senate President is a very sensitive one and my friend, the Distinguished Senator Sani Musa is very qualified especially as a two-term Senator who has garnered a lot of experience. I believe he can perform credibly well. The only issue now is the zoning of the positions. If the President is from the South West, Vice President from the North East, it will only be fair if the Senate President goes to either the south East or the South South. But if you are talking of credibility and track record then it has to be Senator Sani Musa. Another factor is, if it is going to be on region and religious grounds, then a Christian has to be and of course that should be one from either South East or South South. Ideally, if the President and Vice President are Muslims, then the Senate President should be a Christian. These are germane issues we cannot run away from. However, if they give us the Deputy Senate President we will accept as a consolation.

What about the House of Representatives?

It is definitely going to be the same thing. Zoning will come to play and I am very sure the leadership of the Party will come out with a very acceptable template that everyone will agree to so that we can move Nigeria forward.

What would be your advice to Mr President following his appeal to Nigerians to forgive him if he hurt them?

H m – m m m , Pre s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari should seek for forgiveness from God and not from Nigerians. There is no way the millions of traumatized Nigerians especially those who have lost their loved ones can forgive Buhari. For the President to come out publicly and ask for forgiveness from Nigerians, means that the blood of innocent Nigerians, including women and children that have been killed and are still being killed across the country by killer herdsmen, is already haunting him.

Sir, are you saying you cannot forgive him?

Do not get me wrong, I can forgive him but what about those whose relatives are still held in captivity? Apart from the President’s negative policies that have sent millions of Nigerians into the unemployment market, some to early graves and others to permanent poverty, the eight years of his administration remain the worst in the history of Nigeria.

What if his appeal for forgiveness is genuine…

Listen to me, if the President is really seeking for forgiveness from Nigerians, he should refund all the money collected by bandits from innocent Nigerians and compensate them especially the doctor that died in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack. It is easy to say forgive me but whether Nigerians can forgive you is another matter and I think that will not happen because Nigerians are in pain. Let me tell you my premonition, I foresee him being the first President in Nigeria to be taken to International Criminal Court, and he should be ready in case it happens.

So, how would you describe the eight years of President Buhari?

Very simple, the worst nightmare of the nation. The administration of Buhari brought a lot of agonies. Let me tell you this, in 2015, N i g e r i a n s queued behind him not because of religion or tribe but bec a u s e of their b e l i e f in him, that as a former military l e a d – er who f o u g h t to keep Nigeria one, therwould be equity, justice, fairness and opportunities for everybody because that is what Nigerians needed and that is what is lacking. But what we see today is nepotism in high places, so much failed promises. I want to believe that President Buhari came to power with the intention, not to better the lives of millions of the common man who stood and voted for him in 2015, but with a different agenda. Buhari met a very sophisticated Nigeria and it was difficult for him to implement his agenda.

I wonder the categories of Nigerians that he is seeking forgiveness from. Is it the thousands of innocent Nigerians that his government could not protect and had been killed by bandits or those that have been thrown out of job because of his anti-masses policies? Or is it the women whose husbands had been killed by bandits? Or men that their wives were raped and in some cases killed? Or children that have been turned into orphans because his government failed to discharge its primary responsibility of protecting innocent Nigerians? Or is it parents of female students and married women that had been abducted by bandits, raped and impregnated, given birth and sent back to their parents because his government failed to protect them?

You seem very angry with your submission, are you asking Nigerians not to forgive him?

Not at all, I want to believe that, I am speaking the minds of the voiceless; I can visualise those who have regretted voting for him. See, when Buhari stays at the Aso Villa (Presidential Villa) and enjoys the protection of security as the Nigerian president and gave out his daughters’ hands in marriage both in Abuja and in Kano at luxury weddings, while the daughters of the poor and innocent Nigerians were being raped by bandits in the jungle, some of them came back with unwanted pregnancies and babies, some of them did not have the luxury of giving their daughter’s hands in marriage even if it was in a low-key ceremony. How can such pained Nigerians especially those who live in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in various parts of the country forgive him? Years to come, Nigerians will continue to remember the pains, agony and sorrow that his administration inflicted on them

But he is your party man and…

Please, this is not about party, a majority of the people who voted Buhari are not APC members. We struggled to bring this government to power in 2015 but we never knew that things will turn out to be like this, where Nigerians cannot travel freely and even sleep with their two eyes closed. When he was a Military officer, he fought the Civil War to keep Nigeria one, when he became civilian President he divided Nigeria along ethnic and religious lines, he was only concerned with his brothers and nephews in Niger Republic and even took a rail line to them. Before he leaves, rather than seeking for forgiveness from Nigerians, he should equally give us a rail line from Minna to Abuja, Abuja to Lokoja, and Abuja to Makurdi, Port-Harcourt and Jos to Maiduguri. (Saturday Telegraph)

Update news