2015: We’re floating a big party - Kanti Bello

•Says, Jonathan’ll leave in 2015  
•Slams judiciary as corrupt

Senator Kanti Bello is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but he does not see anything good about the party. In fact, his dream is to work hard in unison with other Nigerians to kick out the party in 2015. In this interview, the outspoken Katsina-born politician also slammed the boss of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, over the planned introduction of the N5,000 note. He equally spoke his mind on a wide range of issues, including the insecurity in the country and President Goodluck Jonathan’s style. Excerpts:

Where do you align in the controversy over the planned introduction of N,5000 note by the Central Bank of Nigeria?

I stand with the Nigerian masses. The views of the masses are clear: N5,000 note should not be introduced. I think CBN is economical with the truth on this issue. I said this because the question that is being asked is, why do you want to introduce N5000 note?

Why are you dodging the debate that it will worsen inflation?

CBN is talking about cashless economy, which to me should not be because, from where I come from – that is my locality – there is no bank there. If you are saying that cashless system should be operated, how do these people, who are more than 300,000, live?  So, the same CBN that is talking about a cashless society is now singing a song of N5,000 note.

How do you place these two extremes?

Still on the matter, there is a controversy of using over N40 billion to print the notes. There is the speculation that the purpose of printing the Naira notes is because somebody wants to get the contract. Whether that is true or not has not been explained. Again to say it is going to be cheap because you will redesign all the currency notes, is nonsense. Look at the amount of money that would be expended on the whole thing. There is also the moral angle. You cannot tell me that Tafawa Balewa and Gen Murtala Mohammed, who are in lower currency notes which will now be converted to coins, will make anybody, who know what these personalities stand for, happy. They deserved to be dignified. You will consign these men to oblivion, then you bring some women who were activists and put them on the N5000 note. Because he wants to give impression that he is gender-sensitive, he is putting the women on the highest currency note. These national leaders are being reduced by nobody else but Sanusi Lamido. Again, there is the constitutional issue here. The man has given the impression that the Senate and the entire National Assembly do not matter in this project. The ministers and the Economic Team came out the other day to say go ahead the President has the final say. But that should not be. What they have done is a denigration of the Senate. If I were in the Senate, I would look at the whole thing, if it is true that the law says that when it comes to the issue of currency only the President should take a decision on it, that when he gives approval, the Governor of CBN can go on with the project, I would keep quiet and know that it means the Senate or the National Assembly as an institution has no role to play. And if they have no role to play, it means that the CBN can ram into the throat of the masses whatever it wants. And the only way to ensure that such does not happen will be to amend such law. The Senate has a duty in the interest of the masses of this country because they represent us. If you have a census today of people that want this new Naira note, you will discover that majority of people do not want it, only few elite that is interested in the N5000 note. And if truly we are running a democracy, if you believe that people’s voices matter this government has a duty to stop the plans. What nonsense should anybody be talking about, that since the President has okayed it, no person can stop it. Is democracy run that way? Is the National Assembly not representing the people? People have clearly said that they do not want N5000 note; the matter should, therefore, be closed. We are waiting for the National Assembly to resume and attend to the issue.

Looking at the CBN generally, would you say it has done enough to stimulate the economy and address key macroeconomic issues?

How do you stimulate economy when some people are stealing N2.6trillion and nothing is being said by those who should say something. N2.6trillion was stolen from national resources, this is outside several other monies that are being looted. Everyday, it is this man stole this and that and you ask yourself, what type of country is this where all these things take place and those in authority do little or nothing? If you are a PDP member and you read newspapers, you will be ashamed of yourself. That is why I am quitting that party very soon. It is unwise to remain in a party that is ruling the country, yet everyday it’s members are being fingered in one scandal or the other. When it is not stealing, it is Boko Haram attacking and killing people, yet a government that claims to have been elected by the people will appear helpless. Sensible Nigerians should come together to salvage this country. We just have to come together and salvage this country; there is no other alternative. I am a patriotic Nigerian; I want the unity of the country. All the nonsense that is taking place, especially the general insecurity, is threatening the unity of this country.

You are a top PDP member and you are openly indicting the party’s government of doing little to address insecurity and corruption, have you ever raised these concerns in the party’s meetings?

No, no, I am a PDP member but since I didn’t return to the Senate nobody invites me again to a meeting, even at local government level. They expect everybody to be sycophant; they expect one to lobby them but I can’t do that. I will always tell the truth about what is happening. I thank God that I am not a participant in this nonsense that is going on. I am just getting ready, very soon, we will come out with the right party which we will tell Nigerians to join to help salvage this country. The country is really down; it has never been this bad. Good people must stand up and salvage the nation.

Is it feasible when the nation is polarized along tribal lines?

That is the more reason good and sensible Nigerians must be mobilized to salvage this country. Yes, some people see Nigeria from the perspective of North, South and East, but there are people who see the country as one and the latter are the ones that must come together to salvage the country. I am not a religious bigot, I’m interested in what will keep the country one. There are a lot of people like me and we have been talking to ourselves. We are going to form a big party that will wrest power from PDP. It is a national duty which all of us must buy into. We are no longer going to go by sentiments, any patriotic Nigerian must join hand to stop PDP, it s a monster which we must get rid of. The party has destroyed a lot of things including our psyche and national pride. Corruption has become the order of the day; the economy has been destroyed by the party and it’s government. We have no security; we have nothing.

You categorized Boko Haram among the failings of PDP government, are you saying that there is what the government should have done to stop the insurgent group that it has not done?

Security is the responsibility of government everywhere in the world. Rather than focus on how to address insecurity in the country and the North in particular, government keeps coming with one thing or the other to divert the attention of the public from the real issue. Right now, it is the state police. Unfortunately, some people are accepting that states should own their own police. In this country, we used to have native police authorities but they were later merged with the national police. That was done because they were being used to intimidate and harass political opponents. Now we have more problems on our hands – corruption and useless judiciary. The judicial system in the country is so corrupt. I have an example to show. I entered into election, I went to a tribunal when the party said the people contested this election were not sponsored by it. The constitution of Nigeria is very clear that, to stand for an election, you need to be certified by your party, you need to have a minimum of secondary school education- whether you pass or not; that you need to be a member of a political party and must be sponsored by that party. I am a civil engineer. I’m not a lawyer but I understand the constitution. All of a sudden, the tribunal said yes, since CPC candidates are not sponsored  by their party, they are not fit for the election. The constitution said a party must sponsor a candidate for an election. But when it got to Amina of the Court of Apeal, she led a team and said no to what the tribunal said. She said this is a pre-election matter. And that pre-election matter went to Supreme Court and the apex court said yes, you cannot be a candidate, you cannot pursue an election unless you are sponsored by a political party. So, the people who won the election, since they are not being sponsored, the victory should go to another person. The court did not say it should be given to those who did not participate in the election. But when we came back from the court, Prof (Attahiru) Jega interpreted the judgment the way he wants and gave it to people who did not even contest the election at all. They are now the ones in the National Assembly.  Despite all that, the struggle continues because we must repair this country for our children and grandchildren.

Back to the issue of insecurity. Are you saying that the claim by some people, including individuals in strategic positions in government, that Boko Haram is political is wrong?

Look, let me tell you, there are three types of Boko Haram. This is my own view and reading of it. There is a Boko Haram which feels offended in the way it’s leader was killed. There is another set of Boko Haram that is sponsored by government. Government is supposed to curtail some of these things and it is not doing it. One reason one should believe that government has its own Boko Haram is that there was a bomb blast at Eagles Square during a national event. They tried to blame it on some northerners but fortunately, Henry Okah, who is somewhere in South Africa, claimed responsibility for the blast. He said that he was instructed to do it by Jonathan’s government.  Government has refused to bring the man to this country and try him so that people will know whether he is saying the truth or not. The third Boko Haram, to my mind, I’m not sure but I believe that some disgruntled elements are also involved in the insecurity we are having. I do not have my facts but I believe that is what is happening. They were not original Boko Haram but somehow, but because their siblings were murdered, they now felt that life is no longer worth living and decided to do some of these things. I was told, in Maiduguri today, every five houses you count, three occupants out of the five have fled the city. It is the same thing in Damaturu and Yobe. So, in that kind of situation, some people decided to engage in killings. There are criminal Boko Haram, for instance, in Kaduna somebody was said to have been caught trying to plant a bomb and the person, from investigation, happened to be a Christian. Boko Haram is supposed to be an Islamist sect but a Christian was caught planting a bomb. So, you see that criminals have been using the name of Boko Haram to engage in crimes.

Do you see the peace committee set up by northern governors bringing an end to the insurgency and insecurity in the region?

The whole thing is rubbish. It is rubbish. The governors are not sincere. I really, really sympathise with some people who are advocating state police. Look, if the governors take charge of state police, there will not be any semblance of free and fair election again in the country; there will be anarchy. Even right now that it is in the hands of Federal Government, look at what is happening. The truth is that for us as a country to address all these issues, all these problems, PDP government must be changed. Another arty must produce the next government, if truly we want to fix these problems that are holding the nation at her jugular.

You said Jega took laws into his hand by interpreting Supreme Court judgment of Katsina election disputes. Has that affected your rating of him? Do you still believe he can deliver a free and fair election in 2015?

I must tell you that I am disappointed in him. Jega should show that he is a reasonable person. He cheated me, but I don’t look at things like this personally. I believe he has no reason to take my mandate or the mandate of Katsina people and gave it to those he likes; those who never participated in the election. It is a wrong step.  He should have asked for the interpretation of the Supreme Court judgment. But he didn’t do that, he handed it to people who did not participate in the election. He did what he did out of arrogance. Jega has this problem of ‘I know it all’ and in the process, he has cheated some of us. Really, I am not desperate to remain in the Senate, I have been elected senator four times. I am very comfortable but I do all this in the interest of my people. The truth is that, I am keen to see justice prevail. The judiciary should look at all that transpired. I have written a petition to the Chief Justice, I have asked that Justice Amina’s action should be looked at. The former Chief Justice looked at the issue and queried Amina, whether she has responded to it I do not know. I am still awaiting response from the judicial council. I want justice in this case. On the issue of Jega, I think he has two problems which one of is arrogance.

Some northern leaders have been clamouring for a power shift to the region. Is that part of the change you are advocating?

Power returning or not returning to the North is not the issue. The issue is that a good Nigerian who has the capacity should rule the country. I don’t care where the next President comes from, but he must be capable and qualified for the office. We need somebody who knows what to do or what is expected of him. We need somebody who has the gut, who has the brilliance, who has foresight and who knows this country. Sincerely speaking, do we have these qualities in the man who is ruling us today? The answer is no. As I asked before, are we better off now than we were one-and-half years ago? The security is in bad shape, no power, economic situation is worsening and corruption is on the increase. Some people can steal N2.6 trillion, yet nothing is happening to them. In any other country, President Jonathan should have resigned.

What is the other problem?

The other problem he has is that sometimes he gets intimidated.

Intimidated by whom?

By the political party and some individuals in government. For instance, right now, look at the debate over accounting officer. He wants to be the accounting officer but there are some moles within the commission. The Attorney General has been intimidating him that there must be an accounting officer in INEC. Is Attorney General the only one who can interpret the law? He is interpreting the law in a way that will favour PDP. He is saying Jega is not the accounting officer, that it is one administrative secretary that will be appointed that will be the accounting officer. The accounting officer is not being cleared by the senate, nobody knows him but all the officials in INEC have been cleared by the senate. The Attorney General is taking somebody that nobody cleared to be the accounting officer. That is corruption. But Jega, instead of coming out to let Nigerians know what is happening, is listening to the Attorney General. We are talking of 2015 and these are secret ways PDP wants to use to manipulate the process by intimidating INEC officials.

CPC once described Jega as a pretender. Do you feel such description fits the INEC chairman?

To some extent I will agree with CPC on account of what he did to me. I have told the story. The man has done some terrible things to me. If CPC calls him a pretender, it has its reasons for saying so, and based on my experience, I will agree with them.

What is your view on the President’s recent lamentation that he has become the most criticized President?

The man is a total failure; nobody is crucifying him unjustly. I knew early enough that the man is not good enough to govern the country and that is why I did not support him during the election. I am in the PDP but I refused to support him. Like the question those involved in the American election are asking, are you better off now than one-and-half years ago in terms of security, income, stability, power supply? If you are not, it means he is a failure. Nobody is accusing him wrongly. He promised before that within so, so period of time we will get to 10000 mega watts, but today, we are still at 4000 mega watts. We have spent trillions of Naira to get to that 4000. Let me tell you, ordinarily every one billion dollars should generate 1000 mega watts. But the only thing the President has done is to kick out the man in charge of power. That is the only thing he has given us. Nobody is telling us the truth why he removed him.