KWANKWASO: Where I Will Differ From Buhari

By Adeleye Kunle

Abuja-based Levinus Nwabughiogu

Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is a well-known figure in Nigerian politics. Former civil servant, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, governor of Kano State, minister of defense, and senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he’s done it all. He had previously run for President of Nigeria. All of this took place on the platforms of various political parties. Now, he is running for president again in the 2023 general election on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, or NNPP. In this exclusive ten-minute interview, Kwankwaso examined the country’s current socioeconomic and political situations, claiming that there is no palatable story to tell. To save Nigeria, he has a lot of work ahead of him.

What would you do differently if you won the election than President Muhammadu Buhari is doing now?

First and foremost, I’d like to state that we have our own history, which is the history of performance. Performance in all of the areas that are currently becoming serious issues in this country. When it comes to security, which is critical right now because most people are having difficulty getting from point A to point B, not only in the north but also in the south, it’s a major issue. We have people going to villages to destroy them, picking up people in their homes, on the road, and so on. That brings back memories of my time as a minister to the military.

I believe that with the right political will from the country’s leadership, with the supply of arms, ammunition, and other equipment, as well as good provisions for the welfare of our armed forces and, of course, our other security agencies, the military has the capacity we require to finish everything that is happening today.

Concerning the Economy

We all know that, after security, there is the issue of economy, and the government has a lot of options in this area. However, it is primarily the responsibility of the government to monitor what is happening in all sectors to ensure that waste is minimized. Today, we’ve seen what’s going on at the state and even national levels.

So, I believe the most important thing is to address the issue of waste. We are all aware of what is going on in terms of Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and MDAs. It’s as if everyone is running their own country, and money is being pumped, especially since the majority of the money is now borrowed. And it’s especially unfortunate that no one appears to be supervising to ensure that whatever is sent to those locations is used effectively for the people of this country.

Does borrowing to pay salaries bother you as well?

Obviously, borrowing money and spending it on recurrent expenditure is a sad story. That explains a lot about how poorly the economy is managed. Aside from the economy, there is the issue of infrastructure, particularly electricity, roads, and rail lines, which allow people and goods to be transported from one location to another.

Concerning Education

Then there’s the issue of education. Today, no one in this country is discussing the issue of education. The most unfortunate thing is that the ASUU is currently on strike. This brings back memories of my eight years in Kano. Even when ASUU was on strike, their Kano members did not strike because we were doing the right thing.

So they will come to us and tell us that they will not be joining the strike. As a result, it is clear that if the governments – both state and federal – do the right thing, all other areas, including ASUU itself, will follow suit.

Concerning Agriculture

We were also told that a bag of fertilizer now costs more than N30,000. I’m not sure if people have that kind of money to spend. N30,000 is the minimum wage. As a result, your salary can only buy a bag of fertilizer, which is completely unrealistic. So, I believe there is still much work to be done. That is why we are banding together now to persuade Nigerians to vote for us because we have the capacity, the experience, we have done it before, and I am confident that if given the chance this time, we can do even better.

When it comes to the economy, one cankerworm that eats deep into the system and drains it is corruption. And some people believe they are sacred cows that must not be touched. How would you combat corruption, which appears to be widespread?

Yea. You see, from our own experience in Kano, there will be no problem if you have a good government, a strong government, and one that keeps an eye on what is going on in the ministries, departments, and agencies. People will pay attention. The civil service is a critical area in the fight against corruption. You will discover that if you go as a governor or President, and they know you are serious about fighting corruption, you will find that everyone is on board with the anti-corruption program.

If they suspect you are corrupt and willing to condone corruption, they will teach you how to do it. And, based on our experience in Kano, we can confidently state that these people are extremely adaptable. They are the same people who help corrupt people. If they are certain that that is not your area, they will stay away and support you in your endeavors. They encouraged us to succeed. This is not your domain. They encouraged us to succeed.

So it’s very unfortunate that we’ve ended up in this terrible mess, where corruption is now the norm in ministries, departments, and agencies. And it has now spread almost everywhere, with ordinary people thinking of ways to defraud each other. These, I believe, are the areas that must be addressed.

Would there be sacred cows in your government if you became President?

No, no. That is what I am saying. You would have heard about them in Kano if we had. We began with ourselves, and I am happy and proud that it has helped me to be at peace now. You can’t be corrupt while fighting corruption. It’s not going to work.

They can even come up to you quietly and tell you what you’re up to. As a result, you should stop talking. However, if you play it straight from your own side, you have the moral right and courage to fight corruption wherever it exists, whether close to you or far away.

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