Why PDP should field in a female presidential candidate -By Harrison Nwachukwu

– THE GREAT WOMMAN IN THE PLACE OF ATIKU AND TINUBU IS AMBASSADOR FUNMILAYO ADESANYA-DAVIES

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Voice Worldwide said its mission is to make the party return to power in the 2023 general elections. This was communicated to all its stakeholders and members on Wednesday at its end-of-the-year party in Abuja. Victor Lamai, the Global Leader, PDP Voice Worldwide, said that it was time for Nigerians to brace up and make their dreams of having PDP back in power a reality. According to Lamai, the group is working to ensure that PDP is well-positioned to grab power come 2023. PDP will deliver the needed dividends of democracy entrenched in the party’s constitution as laid down by its founding fathers. There are two major parties in Nigeria, the PDP and the rolling party APC. To this end, we interview Ambassador Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, the only Female Presidential aspirant of PDP for the 2023 election.

1) Many believe Nigerian women should earn their positions in politics and not beg for them. What is you reaction to this?

It is notable that women’s political participation is a fundamental prerequisite for gender equality and genuine democracy. However, the Nigerian environment does not provide such enablement and neither the women nor the youths could earn their rightful positions in politics; rather we are being made to beg for our rights. First, women are not as financially buoyant as men. This economic constraint makes it difficult for them to earn their position. Secondly, the political environment and conditions are often unfriendly and hostile to women, as it is always believed they are created to be home makers. Traditional roles and division of labour are still clearly gendered. Social norms make it more difficult for women to leave their traditionally domestic roles for more public roles outside of the home. So when some women try to get involved in politics, they are despised and as such, they are at the defensive. Even, their co-women would despise them and refuse to support and vote for them, they’ll rather vote for the men for these reasons. So women are always seen to be begging for their position in Nigeria. Even president Buhari sadly said, they “belong to the other room”.

2) Don’t you think the bar should be lowered to the advantage of women in politics?

The bar has been lowered already in Nigeria financially for the women folks, and that is quite commendable. For instance, Nigeria is fully in support of women aspirants, our tickets are that of Nigeria, as the nomination form is free for women at all levels. Thus, I say thank you to the nation – Nigeria for the encouragement and to all political parties which agreed that the ladies could pick our forms politically at all levels for free, we are grateful; while we pay only the token for expression of interest. And as such, my presidential form is free. Nigeria is confident that the current challenges in the country can only be tackled by the women, and that is one of the foremost reasons for their decision. We need the electorate to equally key in and support the female candidates as well. The educational bar of WASC/SSCE at all levels is even too low. However, they can still create free zones, where only women can contest.

3) Nigeria is facing many challenges, including economic and security challenges. But you think the country’s situation is redeemable. Why?

Yes, there are lots of challenges confronting the nation especially as regards insecurity via criminal activities of the bandits, terrorists, kidnappers and other unscrupulous elements in the country. They invade our communities, markets, churches and schools and kill, maim, destroy and kidnap our people without much resistance by the current government. We live in fear daily.

However, with God all things are possible, I believe Nigeria could get over this, if we are ready to restructure the country. We need to revisit the 2014 national conference and re-define the current structure of the country. As for me I already have a road-map for Nigeria, with an agenda. It’s what I always refer to as,” The PMA Advanced Restructuring Agenda,” and I have it published online already. This to me is an holistic approach to economic and security challenges.

4) The allocation to education in the 2022 budget is less than eight per cent, even when the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), promised an increase in allocation to the sector. What is your take on this?

The educational sector has always been under-funded in Nigeria. The major problem of the educational sector in the country is that of funding. Education is not funded adequately. Take, for instance, in 2020, Nigeria’s educational budget was far from the 26 per cent of the national budget recommended by the United Nations. Same in 2021, as well as the allocation to education in the 2022 budget which is less than eight per cent, as you have just rightly sited. If I am given the opportunity to become the president of the country, the funding of our educational system will definitely be prioritized and would take another dimension, since I am an academic. Take for instance, teachers are the most paid workers in Singapore.

A major consequence of inadequate funding of the educational sector is the lack of infrastructure and many of our institutions and schools now have old and dilapidated buildings. Many tertiary institutions do not have well equipped laboratories and libraries. And those with libraries are filled with outdated books, periodicals and journals.

5) As an educationist, do you think ASUU recent threat to embark on another strike is justifiable?

Most Nigerians have never cared to hear from the side of ASUU, but I am of the opinion, we all should try to. As an insider, I know that ASUU’s complaint is usually about sustainability of the university system, the ASUU strike would be justifiable to save public universities in Nigeria, because the federal government is always reneging on their promises to ASUU while they can afford to fund public universities adequately. But they are prioritising other matters over and above education. It is unfair! They need to be reminded that education is a determinant factor for change and development of any country; therefore, it is of utmost importance that the government gives ASUU full attention, and stop defaulting but comply with the negotiations and agreements.

6) What are your chances of winning the PDP presidential ticket considering the calibre of people you would be contesting with in the party for the primaries?

The contest would be quite challenging, I know, but I believe that the chance for a woman aspirant to win is higher now in PDP unlike in the days of Dr. Sarah Jibril who has broken the ground for the women in the presidential election. The contest would really be with the likes of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; from the North. Then, from the South are former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim and Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, etc., so it is indeed quite competitive.

Again, gender inclusion has now become imperative globally and as such in Nigeria, successful election and governance would be based on this, as the next phase of political leadership takes shape. This we can glaringly observe in the case of Kamala Harris in the last US election. Moreover, if it could happen that a woman became the president in Liberia, it can also happen, even better in Nigeria, and it will, I believe! “I have a dream that one day, a woman will become the president of Nigeria, and the dream is now!”

7) The amount of money paid to purchase forms for positions appear to be outrageous and this gives the impression that such positions are for the highest bidder. How would you react to this?

The nomination form for the presidential for instance, is N40 million in APC and about N30 million in PDP, so it’s for highest bidder among the men. However, it is not so for the women. Nigeria has made the forms free for women, my ticket, for instance is that of Nigeria, as the nomination form is free for women at all levels. We only the N1M for the expression of interest form. Rather, the major funding that is needed for the women now is for the campaigns and sourcing for that alone could be quite difficult, because the electorates hardly believe in us. But once again, I assure you that with God, all things are possible.

8) What do you think is the solution to the increasing level of insecurity in Nigeria?

The major cause of growing insecurity in Nigeria is the inability of the current administration to fulfil their set agenda for improving the quality of lives of Nigerians especially the youths. So is the recent decline in the country’s economy which is another major cause, amongst several others. This growing insecurity challenge leaves all citizens in perpetual fear every day. The major solution to this level of insecurity would be for the government to exercise the will-power to totally crush the menace.

Our open borders and visa on arrival policies are not helping matters. And as such, there is high influx of arms into the country. The country has borders that are porous and poorly guarded. Insurgents from other countries thus infiltrate into our country without much constraint. This situation is especially dangerous in the North East and other parts of the North and South. The Federal Government cannot provide enough troops to secure the borders. This is bad and unacceptable. The first duty of any government is to secure the lives of the people and this they must do.

Last year the house of Representatives requested that Nigerians should submit memoranda to the house on how to practically curb this growing insecurity and this I did in a full memorandum. Once the government is ready to exercise their will power to crush the menace, I believe insecurity would be history. The bandits for instance should be given an ultimatum and deadlines to submit themselves and their arms, and the terrorists should be wiped out. No treatment with kids’ gloves again, that should be over by now as the bandits are declared as terrorists, there should be re-enactment and enforcement of capital punishment again – Yes, “the legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime.”

Porous coastal borders is the main cause of terrorism in the country. The Federal Government should increase the number of troops that guard borders, as result is the game. They should also train people to protect their regions from insurgents rather than constraining them. Security is the job of everyone of us.

9) Is power shift necessary in today’s Nigeria or would you say that it is wrong if a northerner succeeds a President from the North?

What is most important today in Nigeria is the capability and capacity to rule and deliver dividends of democracy. Power shift and zoning is currently in the front line of debate but this is only heating the polity. For instance, on the “PDP Presidential Ticket Matters Arising and Female Candidacy”, it has been explained that they should give a woman a chance for once, the men have ruled since independence from the 1960, it’s time to support the 40% affirmative action for women’s governance. When power is given to the women, the nation will unfailingly move forward.

Take for instance, the integrity displayed in governance by the likes of late Dora Nkem Akunyili OFR (14 July, 1954 – 2014) who was the Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of Nigeria; the former Co-odinator of Nigeria economy and now the current Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and even I myself, a lecturer of 35 years in the University. We have been and are more than capable and ready.

However, the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is yet to finally zone its candidate for the 2023 presidential election. Its candidacy may come from the north or south zone as the reality will be clearer after the national convention of the party which is expected to hold in October. This is because a lot of other party leaders are of the opinion that for the interest of equity and justice, the South-East should produce the presidential candidate of the party, being the only major ethnic zone yet to occupy Aso Rock since the present dispensation. But the Middle Belt also claim they are yet to govern since independence.

Another school of thought also thinks that the North East should be allowed to produce the candidate. This is because no other zone in the North can boast of more membership of the PDP than the zone. It also has an added advantage of being a zone three out of six state governors. But the last and current president of Nigeria is from the North. PDP has however said that for the party to have any chances of retrieving power soonest, it will not be restricting the candidacy to any zone and that it is throwing open the contest to all zones of the federation; which is very good and a welcome development.

But not withstanding the contestation and debates, a good number of aspirants have already shown more than cursory interest towards the exalted office. Among them are, I, the only woman, the POLAC Country president Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, as well as, the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; the North. And from the South are former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim and Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. The emerging candidates in APC are Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; and the issue of Christian/Muslim ticket and South/North is most prevalent however.

10) Some antagonists of restructuring are saying it can cause division among Nigerians. How would you react to this?

Antagonists believe that the restructure advocates essentially anchor their arguments on certain misgivings and perceptions, style of governance and perceive intolerable imbalance in the federal structure, as currently constituted. They also speak about imbalance in appointments and imbalance in the distribution of resources; while they equally perceive the system of governance in practice as Unitary, contrary to their yearnings for true federalism.

But this is not true, restructuring has several advantages that would overwhelm it’s disadvantages. It would rather result in actualisation than division. Incredibly, restructuring and federalism have become the most misrepresented words even by those who should understand and work for their actualisation in the interest of peace and progress of Nigeria.

If the 36 federating units are not allowed to exploit all the natural endowments in their states and develop state policies based on priorities and then pay their workers according to what they can afford, development even at the centre will be a mirage. At the moment, poverty in the federating units which keep asking for bailouts from the centre before they can pay even basic bills is disgraceful, shameful, and unacceptable. True federalism is what Nigeria needs as a matter of urgency.

This was the competition which used to exist when Nigeria was a really federal entity, Lagos and Kaduna states are now setting some instructive examples, just as the Western Region did in those days. We need to and must restructure Nigeria now.

11) The President appears not to be interested in restructuring. What are the advantages in restructuring the country?

The president needs to wake up, because that was one of the cardinal campaign promises of the APC in 2019 election and the electorates are awaiting it’s fulfilment. The restructuring debate can never end in the Nigeria’s political discourse especially now following secessionists agitations in the southeast and southwest and biting recession after COVID-19. There is no doubt that it will form the basis of sustained growth, wealth and prosperity. Restructuring stems from the concept of true federalism. True federalism is a system that operates based on the shared responsibility of individual units while having a central core that binds everyone together. What Nigeria currently operates is the direct opposite, but we need true federalism.

We could recall the idea of this was considered in January 1967 before the war broke out in July of that year and the idea was for every region to run their affairs, create wealth by harnessing and managing their resources while making some commitments to the federal and central government. Economically, these units must be distinct and independent while other areas can be negotiated like the Military which is always the purview of the central government with the President as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces for any Federal Republic. This is the major way to tackle insecurity with state policing. So we need to revisit the 2014 National Convab.

Nigeria today does not run a truly federal government and this has been proven with the federal police, power issues and the compulsion to connect to the national grid, education, agriculture, mineral resources which the states cannot mine and other areas as contained in the Exclusive Legislative List. Power, resource control, education, mineral resources, police autonomy, re-adjustment of boundaries, state creation, federal character etc., are all within the purview of restructuring.

12) The current National Assembly is viewed by some Nigerians as a rubber stamp of the executive. What is your view on this?

In a sense yes, but in another sense no. I have observed them handle some bills very objectively, remember the opposition party is also in the house. I think they are trying their best, but they can do better. Let’s take for instance, the current bill on Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2022. It is notable that, President Muhammadu Buhari has withheld his assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2022, according to news reports, in a letter to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, the president said that prevailing situation in the country would not allow him to sign the bill. I commend the president for that, because the bill is like a new baby and its placenta. The issue of direct primaries in the Bill needs to be expunged for the reasons the president rightly gave before passing it into law.

With the reasons, the President has returned the bill to the National Assembly, asking the lawmakers to look at the clause that has to do with direct primaries by political parties, work on it and return the document for assent because it will compound insecurity in the country. They are as such both working hand in hand, and disagreeing to agree, which is the beauty of democratic governance. Again, when the president proposed the visa-on-arrival policy, they fully dissented and disagreed but the president assented to that bill.

13) What is your take on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2022?

We need to be guided as regards that matter that, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. President actually defined democracy as, “the “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”. In other words, it means that the supreme power is vested in the hands of the people, which they can exercise directly or through elected or appointed officials under a free electoral system. Pre-selection and all state-wide nominations are part and parcel of the process whether for primary or general elections. I even recommend that our general elections should be through indirect representative democracy also, to save us from all forms of costs and stress!!!

Again, let us be reminded that, “Democracy can be classified into two specific categories – Direct and Representative. In a direct democracy, citizens can directly participate in making a public decision without the intermediary of elected officials. Whereas, in a representative democracy, citizens cannot directly participate in public decision making. Most of the nations today follow representative democracy, where citizens elect officials to formulate laws, administer programs and make political decisions, as in the USA.” Our general elections could as well be by pre-selection of delegates and representative in this period of recession in our nation. selecting between two (2) candidates need not cost us N305bn as NANS rightly protests. This I propose as another amendment to this bill as a matter of serious consideration and urgency.

This method could also be used in our voting system as we approach our electoral reforms, rather than budget to spend above N305billion for ordinary elections. We could employ representative democracy which will not cost more than 1-2billion Naira only! Representatives could involve past presidents and vice-presidents, with ex-presidential candidates, sitting vice-chancellors, and other selected highly responsible senior citizens and Nobel prize winners, etc., as the case may be as delegates in an electoral college; through electronic voting by the use of their National Identity Number (NIN) or ATM, publicly in a National broadcast. This is how Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other national groups choose their leadership within their blocs. It definitely will save us from under-aged and non-Nigerian voters from Northern Nigeria.