INTERVIEW: "Buhari Is Doing A Good Job and Should be Allowed To Maintain The Focus",.....Haruna Yunusa Sae'ed

Honourable Haruna Yunusa Sae'ed is best described as a forthright personality whose foray into politics saw him running for the exalted position of Executive Governor of Kaduna state but, the powers that be, who were, reportedly, not very comfortable with his transparent nature, denied him his mandate.

With an impeccable background as the longest serving Accountant General of the state, this soft spoken gentle personality became NEITI's Executive Secretary; a position he served the nation meritoriously, before joining the political train.

Haruna Sae'ed spoke with NAIJ NEWS ALERT's Executive Editor, Emmanuel Onotevure on issues of national concern.


Excerpts:

Sir, your party, the APC is reportedly fractioned and this, according to observers would place the party on wrong footing.

Will the "elders sit and allow the party suffer because of their individual and personal differences?

 The fractionalisation of APC in Kaduna state will surely place the party on a wrong footing. So the observers, as you said, are right about that. However, not all the differences are on personal and individualistic bases. Some are genuinely from the heart and with the sentiments of the people guiding actions of the drivers. In such situations doing otherwise will be selfish, unprincipled and foolish.

Sir, the alignment and re-alignment of forces amongst political groups, especially within the APC in Kaduna, recently witnessed the endorsements of Governor Nasir el-Rufai and President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of 2019.

Many, especially outspoken members of the APC have criticized the endorsement. A member of your group reportedly described it as  "endorsement of toxic waste".

What is your reaction to all of this?

There is nothing like alignment and re-alignment of forces amongst political groups within APC in Kaduna. What has happenned was that two officials, out of over twenty from wards, were invited to a meeting in Kaduna with an agenda to create a political disharmony in the state, which they have succeeded. Nobody needs to tell you that that is not the process, procedure, time, composition, mode or party need, not to talk of the need of the state.

So nobody should fault those that see faults in the experiment. It is also wrong to bring hatred for Mr president in this, which the Senator (Shehu) or anybody never said or alluded. The motive of the meeting was clear and guided. Including the president was in furtherance of the motive.

Still on the issue of endorsements ahead of 2019, sir. There are reports that the North is scouting for a replacement for Muhammadu Buhari but, various groups have come out seeking for his re-election.

Do you think it is a healthy development considering his health challenges?

The issue of 2019 is neither near or far. Nor is it due or overdue. What is obvious is that there is a procedure for tackling that. The president's health, as we see it, is not a limiting factor to his re-election. What is foremost before the president now, however, is correcting the ills of the past, creating a secure state for investment, promoting non-oil sector growth, stabilising challenges posed by agitators, members of Boko Haram, kidnappers, communal clashes, ritualists, cultists , infrastructure decay, joblessness, strke actions,
and so on.

Since he is doing a good job, he should be allowed to maintain the focus, therefore. What we do know is that the intention of some of the singers is not pure. I can tell you this much being his State Coordinator for 2015 election and Chairman of State Coordinator's Forum. Nobody should think he will take a front seat in case the president decides not to seek a second term.

Stakeholders in the political calculations in Kaduna state APC have alluded to a deep crack in the party.

As a very key and prominent member in the party, how deep is this crack and what plans are in place to rectify this perceived crack?

 If you like to call it a crack, then it is a crack. In truth, however, there  are misgivings and dissatisfactions as to the way and manner the party is being run in the state and its leadership. Many, or most of the key positions, have remained vacant since the begining of the current governance circle. It thus, lacks the capacity to guide, direct its mandate, not to talk of guiding or putting the government on the path the party has on its manifesto. Instead it only takes instructions from the Government House. 

This has led to the fragmentation of persons along expectations from the party and to some extent, the government. 

People have made different levels of contribution towards the growth and success recorded by the party and failed to get the smallest recognition from the party and the government. 

National delegates were recently decided in the government and the party stamped it. Now the party is endorsing the governor and probably members of Assemblies in their good books with no regards to rules, not to talk of procedures. So this is the crack, and you can expect more.

The APC Akida has reportedly lost one of its key strategist, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi following the settlement of his differences with the state governor whom many of you have, at various fora, accused of sidelining party elders, stakeholders and running the party like his personal estate.

How do you react to all of this?

   I am not in a position to say whether Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi has settled his differences with the governor or not. But I can doubt that since all the issues that have come to light are not addressed. 

What I am sure about, however, is that the Akida group has not lost Hunkuyi as he has never been part of it. May be he is with the Restoration group or on his own, like I am.

The Presidents' speech at UNGA came under severe criticisms.

What is your own view as it relates to his support for other nations facing humanitarian crisis such Rohyinga in Maynmar and the Palestinian debate for recognition?

Understand that, back here in Nigeria, we have the IPOB/BIAFRA agitation.

The President's speech at UNGA was fine and bold, in his usual characteristic.

Just because you have issues in your house should not stop you from advising on how to make amend elsewhere. The situations in Palestine and Rohyinga have crossed every limit. Although, different actions are required in each case, actions are nonetheless required, and urgently, too.

The International Community has really failed on these. His call on North Korea was also timely. It should not be the US vs North Korea affair alone. We are in a single world. Besides, it is about humanity. The effects of the World Wars, other wars and ethnic cleansing around the word, are very much still with us.

His handling of IPOB/Biafra has not been and will never be derailed by his comments or speech. We, however, expect more positive actions by all of us in areas of restraints, education, and support for the affected in order to de-escalate the tension in the country.

 Prominent persons and leaders, especially in the east have remained disturbingly quiet while the fire was being ignited, possibly for fear of the boys.

Islamic Financial Banking; SUKKUK.

Do you agree that as a secular state, the FG should not be involved in encouraging such? Let us hear your views, please.

A state or nation has a responsility of promoting the economic wellness, protecting investments, encouraging economic interplay of her citizens. Having licensed Islamic Banking, the government, through the regulator must see that institutions involved in it do not run foul in implementation. This will ensure that all that choose to participate in it are protected, Muslim and non-Muslim. 

Looking at it differently, one can say that it can help in understanding the tenets of Islam by non-muslim, thereby reducing mistrust and introducing some accommodation, both of which will help in creating a more secure nation.

Sir, do you think the proscription of IPOB as a group will provide the needed peace? 

The proscription of IPOB must first be seen to be right or wrong before one can say whether it will provide the needed peace in the country.

It was necessary to do just that because the group did not only threaten the fragile peace in the country, but had killed it. We were heading for a war. The creation of secret force, militia, weapons build-up, maltreatment of people of non-Igbo background and complete disdain of the Federation will not spare the nation.

 The choice was, therefore, moving forward to catastrophe or pulling backward to safety. We chose the later.

Now, will this provide the needed peace? The answer is yes and probably no. Yes, in the sense that with the control of its activities, there will be no reprisals from other regions and there will be no war. No, in the sense that if it is not well managed, engagement with members of the group can make the South East unstable for a long time, like the North East.

The spate of kidnapping, the bad state of roads in the state has called for a collaborative effort from all.

How can these be addressed especially the issue of kidnapping?

The spate of kidnapping and the bad state of our roads are both two sides of the same coin. They both affect the state of our wellbeing, the economic and investment climate, the fear of death on our highways, and more; each of which can require lengthy elaboration.

Addressing them, however, may vary. While kidnapping majorly requires the state actors (Military, Police, Judiciary), poverty alleviation schemes, etc and supported by  people providing information; the state of bad roads can be enhanced with collaboration between the public and the private sectors.

Public private partnerships can greatly overcome our failings in this area.  Keeping the roads healthy and safely, however, calls for users abiding by right weight carriage, good vehicles, non-encroachment into the roads as support for their maintenance .



What is your position as regards the refusal of the state government to conduct local government elections? Recall, it was part of the campaign promises by your party in the build up to elections in 2015.


 Local government is a tier of government that is critical in grassroots mobilisation, economic empowerment and social & cultural engagement. It is therefore, pertinent, not only as civic duty of the people, electoral responsibility of government , discharge of campaign promises by the elected, and so on, to have and feel a sense of belonging in the government that oversees their affairs.

It is therefore, a right of the people to have local government elections fairly conducted as and when due, and not doing so is not only rescinding on campaign promises, but unjustly holding on the rights of the people.