Alhaji Idi Farouk is a northern politician and former Director-General of National Orientation Agency (NOA). He was deputy director general of Obasanjo Campaign in 2003. He had been a Permanent Secretary, Commissioner and Chairman of a local government in Kaduna State.

In this interview, he speaks on President Bola Tinubu, 2027 election, insecurity and what should be done by about huge statutory allocations released so far to states and local governments.

As a Kaduna political chieftain, what do you think about the ADC coalition, as we look towards the 2027 presidential election?

If I was in the sitting government, I would be very concerned about any kind of coalition. Was it not a coalition that removed former President Goodluck Jonathan? And everything available to the present government was also available to Goodluck as president. He did not take all the powers away from the villa, so the present government must be concerned about the coalition and for whatever its worth because it is extremely strong. If I was in the government, I would look at it and begin to do all such things that will make that coalition fail in the area of good governance. At the end of the day, it is good governance that returns one to office if you have to return to office.

Many believe that the hardship and hunger in the country represent an indictment of the poor performance of Bola Tinubu. What is your take on this?

There are governments all over Nigeria. But Citizen Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a very good and kind person. This I know because I have seen it first hand on the kind of thing he does, it takes only a good person to do so. But as a President, I think he is missing it because as a leader, the people around you must be able to perform. It is their overall performance that impacts on your government. I do not think they are giving him the right advice. For instance, I do not know if Mr. President knows that the road from Abuja to Kaduna is like a death trap? I do not know what they tell him about those kinds of roads. I recall that even the road from Enugu to Port Harcourt used to be very bad, even though I do not know the present status now. These are the kind of things that the president must know how it has gone. Can the president be happy that he went to commission a 30km road that was not 30km? So, why would people advise him to go and do that? There are other arguments that the state governments are also to be blamed for this, and I agree with that. If the state government can supervise the local governments and hold on to their revenue, direct them on what to do, it is my opinion that, things will work out better. If I were the president and giving you too much money as the case is today, I must know what you are using it to do. I have to know because your overall success will impact on me positively. I feel that it is not enough to say they are giving the states enough money. The question is, are you supervising them accordingly? Are you also supervising your own employees? Those people you employed and pay as ministers, special advisers, are they advising you properly? For instance, nobody forced you to be president, you chose to be and people voted for you. You had a list of all that you promised to do. Have you done them? If someone raises a complaint, look at that complaint because it is a complaint. There is hunger in the land, what are your people doing to alleviate the hunger? Instead, they are elevating the hunger to another height. The president needs to call his people to order. The president is the minister of every ministry. All the ministers are advisers to the president. The minister of Agriculture is an adviser to the president on agriculture matters, likewise every other ministry. The president therefore should do more supervision where everyone should be on their toes. Of all that anyone can say about Nyesom Wike, he is one of the performing ministers and I am sure the president knows about this. He talks and walks the talk. He will say I am doing a road in Kubwa or Maitama, if you go there, you will see him supervising it and in no time, the road would be ready. That is the kind of thing the ministers of the president should be doing.

Government is tinkering with the idea of state police. Do you think state policing will tackle insecurity in the land?

I am 100 percent for state police. We are under-policed already. How many police personnel do we have? Assuming we have 350, remove the number of police personnel in the 36 government houses and the FCT. Each one has at least 40-50 police officers, every local government chairman has two or three police officers, every big man that is not even in government has policemen guarding him. So how many do we have guarding us? We need more policemen and the only way we can get more is to allow the states to employ their own police. While growing up in Kano, I knew about the Native Authority (NA) police that was even the local police who governed the places properly. I am for state police because it will give us better protection. So, if you have more men with the responsibility of guarding us, it will be better for the system.

The menace of kidnapping continues to get worse. What can you say about this?

I think it is an indictment on the police as it is now. If you recall, Americans came to free one of their citizens that was held captive. What did they use? Don’t you think we as a country need more technology? It can help a whole lot. A highly important company like NNPCL should have technology, so one would know where bunkering is going on. While sitting in Abuja, one can see the location. Without technology, no matter how many people that are on ground, it might not be enough. Technology would guide the operatives and direct them where to go, the house to visit, the location and find out all that. All of these are possible through technology.

Where do you think the government is missing it?

The more the government listens to critics the better it is for governance. It is not to challenge or go after the critics for having said what is real. If a critic says there is hunger, is there no hunger in the land? If a Nigerian parent whose child is held captive says there is insecurity, is the person not right with evidence? Please can government do more listening so it could perform better?

What are your thoughts regarding the 2027 election? Where do you think the northern weight will swing?

First, I am not a prophet to predict the election. Let us even pray to be alive in 2027 because tomorrow is not in our hands. Now, from the people who talk about the northerners, they keep reminding the president that he got about 63% of his votes from the north. Usually, in politicking and in democracy, from the strong zone where you are voted for, should be considered for heavy amenities and structures. It is not to the exclusion of others, but if you have about 20 items, you will also give to others. Basically, the complaint is that things have not been done to the North as it ought to be. I am also sure that there will be northerners who are benefitting from a scheme like NELFUND students’ loan programme. If you have done specific things, please blow your trumpet. If the government has performed, let the Bola Tinubu administration come out and say so because in 2027 good governance can return you to office. For the Tinubu-led administration, let them tell us more of what they are doing because it will help.

Are you in support of one-party state?

No. Multi-party system is the answer so everybody will have a choice. Even with one-party state, the same opposition that is going on will be among them. My advice to APC is that all these governors that are moving into APC do not mean you will win. Take a clue from what happened during Goodluck Jonathan’s time, he had over 20 governors on his side but still lost the election. The number of governors you have on your side might not decide when people are against you. It cannot help. Even the governors themselves, how are they faring in their states? Are they performing? There is also lack of good governance at the state. I am just looking at them moving to APC. Most of them who are going there think they will have a direct entry into second term. They will meet people who are originally APC people there who are not going anywhere. There will be people in APC who will oppose APC candidates. PDP was like that before. Now people are moving out of it.

What do you think could be done to move the nation forward?

At all levels there has to be good governance. The Federal Government has given more money to the states; we therefore should see more development in the states. The president should be invited to commission newly constructed projects in states. And the Federal government which holds the purse should also be able to do more work like Trunk ‘A’ roads. If all hands are on deck, we shall have a better place. My advice to Tinubu is to call the governors to order because their non-performance is impacting negatively on him. There has to be supervision where the federal government supervises states, then the states supervise the local governments.

But a country that is usually described as ‘corruption-ridden’ how can it work out?

It is the federal government that holds the key to supervision of all sectors. They have the key to EFCC, ICPC and other agencies that they fund to look into corrupt practices and officers. Those agencies should be up and doing. Agreed, a governor has immunity, what about the commissioners and contractors taking the money, do they also have immunity? So, government should carry out supervision through these offices.

Do you think the north will give Peter Obi a block winning vote in 2027 on account of his capability, age and character?

In politics, everyone testifies that Tinubu is good, that he did well in Lagos State. It was on that basis that people elected him. Usually, they say the best campaign wins. It is not only the north that will vote for any candidate, but Nigeria as a whole. If there was rigging, one cannot say Tinubu allowed himself to be rigged out in Lagos. Even in the East, both Tinubu and Atiku got votes. It was not 100% easterners that voted for Peter Obi. People have to be convinced because he is contesting against other people. He is a good material from his private life and what he has done. There are people for him and against him too even from his state. I have heard people from Anambra, Peter Obi’s state, who are against him and Kano indigenes who are strongly for him. It is a business of governance and campaign which he knows. What about Atiku, El-Rufai, Amaechi? Even Amaechi will contest against Peter if he emerges as the candidate and both are from the South East and South-south? Let us encourage him to continue in his campaign. I believe that Peter, like others, can make a good president. But that is until he becomes.

Do you think it will ever be the turn of the South East to rule this country?

Why not? Alex Ekwueme was nearly going to be one. It is not as if the Igbo are denied the responsibilities of going in for election. No. In the first primaries or convention of PDP in Jos, late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, one of the founding fathers of PDP, was set to win the election. I met him at Transcorp Hilton Hotel. When we finished our discussion then, I told him, “Sir, I am for APP, but if you emerge in that convention, I will be against you because I am APP.” He even stood up and said it is a deal. So how did he lose? It is on record that our finest politicians from the north were with him. His campaign Director-General was Alhaji Alli Baba (Danmadami Yola) who was a minister under Shehu Shagari. Mallam Alli Ciroma and all the NPN stalwarts were with Ekwueme. He lost because most governors elected from the southeast took their delegates and voted for former president Obasanjo and it was the eastern vote that denied Ekwueme the election. Also know it that Jim Nwobodo brought about the NPP/NPN and all that worked against Ekwueme. Southeastern delegates voted for Obasanjo. Maybe in the next election, it might be the turn of the south-east, who knows? But I must say, until we purge out whose turn it is in our system, we will continue making mistakes. In the last election, Labour Party presented an easterner who did well but he could have probably done more in the East if more people came out to vote. Some sleep on election days, while some say their votes will not count; thereby discounting themselves already. One has to campaign and go for it squarely. All the time people say it is the time of the south, when late president Buhari was the president, how did it affect the north positively? A political party is formed for the sole purpose of taking over power. Then the parties know the strengths and weaknesses. It is not about the turn of any tribe. Peter Obi was in the race and did very well and is still doing very well. Tinubu and Atiku were also in that race and it is said that Tinubu won and that is why he is the president. (Sunday Sun)