Founder of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and Chairman of the new Unity Party of Nigeria(UPN), Dr. town Fasehun, could be a fearless critic, WHO doesn\'t care regarding the results of no matter he says on any issue of public concern. Lately, his actions and comments have fetched him lots of criticisms and condemnations, particularly once the last general elections were quick approaching. during this interview, the person WHO can shortly be a part of the club of octogenarians spits hearth regarding the conduct of the last elections, particularly in urban center, voice communication the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) didn\'t get its conclusion while not manipulation and connivance with the umpire, freelance National Electoral Commission ( INEC ). He bares his mind on the plans of the UPN and different problems with national interest. Excerpts:
What does one ought to say on the end result of the last general elections?
First of all, let ME congratulate Nigerians on the prosperous and peaceful conduct of the elections. This, of course, could be a special moment within the lifetime of the state, as African nation has simply undertaken, for the primary time in its fifty five years history, AN inter-party, civilian-to – civilian, transition at the national level.
I congratulate each President Goodluck eating apple And General Muhammadu Buhari for displaying qualities of true sportsmen and statesmen through the conduct and also the aftermath of an epoch-making presidential election. I congratulate President eating apple for not solely running 2 electoral exercises back- to-back with astounding success. I congratulate him for putt national interest higher than self by now extending commonness to the new President-elect. i will be able to say African nation is that the beneficiary from President Jonathan’s politics of accommodation.
As the National Chairman of the new Unity Party of Federal Republic of Nigeria (UPN), what challenges would you say your party visage throughout the elections?
One challenge that cropped up at the polls had to try to to with the Permanent elector Card (PVC) Reading Machines. Our thinking has continuously been that the federal elections, particularly the presidential and therefore the spot elections were too necessary to be used for experimentation and as Guinea Pigs. even as well which means Nigerians warned before the polls, the cardboard readers didn\'t solely malfunction, they were compromised and motor-assisted within the massive scale rigging that characterized the elections. The initial thinking was that the freelance National Electoral Commission ( INEC) need to have adopted the good judgment approach of introducing and perfecting the innovation in less crucial elections. And these skepticism are exonerated.
There was undue politicization of the card-reader matter, and people in its support didn\'t take into account public interest. And this can be unhappy. That we tend to operate in numerous parties doesn\'t mean that we should always not see eye-to-eye on obtrusive matters of national interest. everybody knew that deploying card readers at now amounted to gambling with the extremely crucial elections. however the instant the party in power raised this objective observation, the opposition felt it obliged to oppose no matter reservations PDP expressed. Our chief concern has continuously been that INEC ought to deliver free, honest and credible elections. INEC unsuccessful during this regard. It looked the opposite approach spherical as underage voters lined up and abused the electoral franchise up North.
Can you entails an area or State wherever this stuff happened for reference purpose?
It is not news that the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) dead a technical and scientific rigging of all the elections in Lagos State, because it did in most states wherever INEC awarded it finish. The ruling party in Lagos used the 5 elections endured March twenty eight and Gregorian calendar month eleven, to demonstrate its lack of respect for democracy and democratic principles. This party is solely not fascinated by free, honest and credible elections.
APC subscribes to desperate politics, shows no tendency towards respecting the desires of the individuals as expressed through the box. within the build up to the elections, even throughout the method of the election, APC, perpetrated plenty of unlawfulness. APC thugs wreaked violence in many places before and when the elections. space boys and thugs, armed with canes and weapons, unleashed violence against voters on queue. This affront on the constitutionally bonded right of Nigerians to freedom of association is criminal. The police and alternative security agencies ought to forthwith arrest and produce these thugs to face the law.
INEC compromised with the APC from the polling booths, through the collation centres at the ward, authorities and state levels. In several places INEC representatives and materials arrived late at their duty posts. and that we have cases wherever INEC spontaneous and permanent staffers colluded with APC to falsify results. Severally, numeration was lawlessly delayed and postponed from the polling centers to council headquarters and police stations, to the exclusion of opposing parties agents.
The results were doctored to suit the best bidder. Card carrying APC members showed up as INEC workers. One INEC employee UN agency had been liable for withholding the PVC of non-indigenes, showed up to conduct the elections, and after all, she compromised with APC.
Do you have any proof to make a copy these allegations?
It was additional of observations than being AN allegation. plenty of individuals are speech it. In my very own space, Oshodi/Isolo, for example, APC thugs came and beat individuals remorselessly. At least, i do know of that. And with all we tend to detected from others, we all know that if they were ready to do what they did in my space, they may still do this in different places.
It was terribly funny once one newspaper reportable that Dr Fasehun was defeated in his own ward. there\'s no politician WHO will defeat Fasehun in Oshodi/Isolo. The candidate that I bestowed has been given Certificate of come back, though not on the platform of UPN.
What does one got to say on Buhari and his emergence because the president-elect?
Anyway, I even have congratulated him. we tend to believe that leopards don’t modification their spots. however Buhari ought to convert Nigerians that serpents do take away their skins and placed on new skin. The regalia and title of a General got to be overlooked. He must become a full democrat and govern the country sort of a democrat.
What will happen to your party currently that you just haven\'t been ready to succeed the goals of setting it up?
Is it aiming to be a part of the new ruling party or be con party?
Well, the events of the recent past within the political landscape of African country|African country|African nation} have shown in no clear terms that Nigeria politics is empty ideology and integrity. The ideologic lines have folded and disappeared. Politicians disorganized across party divides during a most unfortunate fashion. The parties quickly became a hobnobbing of strange bed fellows. Politicians embraced the party they accustomed clapper claw and abuse within the past. APC people joined PDP, and PDP jumped into APC. it had been a most autocracy and mercantile moment in Nigeria’ s political history.
It incontestable in no little method that our legislators lacked any ideologic anchor, that was why they found it convenient to bop to any or all winds of philosophy and beliefs. They were neither rightist nor leftist, neither Progressives nor conservatives, neither communists and socialists, neither Democrats nor laboriousness.
Ideologically speaking, our legislators represent nothing. they may represent something and fall for everything. No surprise stinginess and corruption ravage the country. It raises the question “what is that the motivation for volunteering for politics? Why do individuals supply themselves for service? What makes a person throw himself into stage of political and public service? In Federal Republic of Nigeria, it seems the most motivation is for monetary system instead of nationalists or ultra-nationalistic causes. Against such a background, we\'ve return to the conclusion that the country cannot still walk this evil road. Time has return for UPN to rise on top of the pack. we tend to should outline and proclaim for the party its ideological bent.
If nothing else, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, WHO supported UPN, educated his disciples respect for party ascendance, personal discipline and integrity. sadly, these virtues square measure nowadays missing from Nigeria’s political house. This informs why we discover it related nowadays to revive UPN to the fantastic methods originally set by its beginning fathers. The party established its foundation on the ideologic pillars of foresight, vision, selflessness, integrity, service and honesty.