Don’t Seek Re-election in 2019…. Onuesoke Counsels Buhari

CHIEF SUNNY ONUESOKE

Chief Sunny Onuesoke needs no introduction in the political calculations of Delta state as he is described as forthright and outspoken personality whose vision is a better society for the people.

 

Onuesoke, a former gubernatorial aspirant, philanthropist and environmentalist, says the President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressive Congress has destroyed all that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP toiled to build in its 16 years in government.

In this chat with Emmanuel Onotevure, the PDP stalwart has asked the President not listen to those asking him to re-contest in 2019 but take a bow, now that there is still time.

Excerpts:

The Buhari administration is three years in office and many concerned citizens have been expressing their feelings as to the performance of the government.

As a key stakeholder, what is your assessment of the administration and how will you describe the journey so far?

It is called three years of massive misrule. The three years is an error in history of Nigeria. It will take Nigerians half a century to wipe it away from our minds and memories.

It is a mental torture on Nigerians including APC as a party. It was the worst thing Nigerians did, to call for a change. Where do we stand today if you want to compare the wasted years of PMB in the historical journey of Nigeria as a nation.

Buhari took Nigerians back to the developmental stages and steps we took in 1976. As for me I regret the wasted years as a dent to my biological counts.

As a political analyst and observer, what in your view has the President done that can be described as different from PDP government since he assumed office in 2015? 

Yes! The President has indeed done things differently like increasing the fuel pump price, terminating close to 12,342 manufacturing and small scale factories all over the country, killing the health and education and the aviation sector; from #145 to #489 per dollar, scaring away prospective investors with his unguarded utterances etc. He is completely different from PDP  

The PDP was a fast growing party with solid all embracing ideals and suddenly APC came and crashed all the efforts and development PDP took pains to build, for 16 good years.

According to the President, he said his focus will be on three key areas; Security, Economy and War Against Corruption. How has he fared on these areas?

What the president was saying to Nigerians was that he came into leadership with a three points agenda in mind which is; to create insecurity, increase inflation and, thirdly he came to leadership with the promise to institute corruption like what is going on now at ASO rock and environs.

How do you grow an economy with insecurity, corruption and massive killings all over the place? There is no normal foreign investor that will stake his efforts, money and time in such a horrible situation as we are now in today, in Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari, during his inauguration, said; “I am for everybody and not for anybody”. In your own opinion, has he lived up to that promise?

Certainly, he has lived up to that promise. From his one sided appointment, you will know what I mean. For trying to construct railway routes to Niger and Chad Republics, that shows is for everybody but nobody. Appointing Fulanis alone into strategic institutions shows is for everybody but nobody. We are currently leaving a dangerous era of our history.

After his Swearing-in, many were taken aback when he failed to constitute his cabinet and for six months. This is three years down the line and we still have the same persons in the same positions without as much as a cabinet reshuffle. What do you think is responsible for this?

The President has the right to reshuffle and not to reshuffle his cabinet. Supposedly, if the team is doing well, that means there is no need to reshuffle.

Like I will always say, Buhari is just out to rule with what I call the policy of vindictiveness and pay back over the years of what he perceives as what was done against him way back then in the 80s etc. He was not prepared to rule and he never knew Jonathan was not ready to spill any blood of Nigerians because he wants to continue to be Head of State or President.

Because he was not prepared to rule, he never prepared the list of his proposed ministers which was why it took him such a long time to constitute his cabinet.

The relationship between the Executive under the President and the Legislature is said not to be cordial. How will you assess his relationship with the National Assembly?

For me, I will say it is 100% zero friendship relationship. This is the worst kind of relationship so far, that the country has experience between the Executive and Legislature since 1960. This is an Executive that doesn’t respect the federal legislature. What are you talking about; A legislature that cannot enforce their laws and orders? Abeg, my brother let’s forget matter Jare!! Change the topic.

We have no legislature in Nigeria especially at the federal level. Our problem in Nigeria is purely about us not telling the truth. What is a legislature that can’t implement her decisions etc? 

Having made his intention for re-election known, do you see the President winning in 2019 if he becomes the flag bearer of APC?

That question is strange. APC is already fragmented into ashes and various split groups.

Like I said earlier, APC is totally dead. Those that installed them have almost left the APC. There is no need discussing their about them. It is better for Nigerians to start thinking about how to manage their failure come May 29, 2019.

The game is over and the so-called kitchen cabinet is aware of it. APC is playing with time just to complete the mess they started in 2015

   

We recall that some prominent Nigerians have asked Mr. President not to seek re-election. Should he heed this counsel?

Honestly, that choice remains within him, if he wants to disgrace himself out of power or not. Nigerians have made up their minds not to vote APC again. As for myself, I would advise Buhari as a father to the nation, to allow peace reign. If he knew what is good for a decent man like him to do, it is to quit when the ovation is loudest.

However, from indications and body language, Buhari will heed the call of Nigerians and he will not contest.

As a political analyst and key player in the electoral contest, what do you think, is the difference between the APC and PDP?

Certainly, there are huge differences; big and large differences, my friend. It is like comparing black to white. How could you compare orange to apple? The PDP is a refined political institution compare to ad-hoc setting like APC. We have the best of hands politically in PDP compared to APC.

PDP is made up of refined presidential materials like GEJ, late Yar’adua, Atiku and many others too numerous to mention because of time and space.

Please there is no legitimate index for now to compare great PDP to such a low breed political gathering called APC.

What are your expectations for the 2019 presidential election?

My expectations and that of many others are already settled by the hand writing on the wall. From every indication, the APC has accepted defeat and failure.

All Buhari and his clueless government should immediately do now, is to apologize before the end of the second quarter of 2018.

How could Buhari tell Nigerians that he wants to contest for a second term? It is totally unacceptable to his APC party and Nigerians in general.