In this exclusive and extensive interview, Dr. Folus Ejele, a member of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council(PCC) and National Coordinator, Nigeria Professionals for Atiku/Okowa 2023, speaks on a number of issues concerning his party, its Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and lots more.
Excerpts:
On Atiku’s insistence to privatise some national assets
I don’t know why people are just making issues out of nothing. I think it is because of their knowledge with respect to business and economic issues. Even when Satan became not useful to God, He had to throw him out.
If you look at it. NNPC for example and all these refineries. The question is this: are we making profit from them? Now, we are not making profit and there is no money in the country presently because we’re already running on deficit. The budgets are all prepared on deficits.
There is what they call turnaround maintenance of these refineries that they do every year. They use it to siphon money and people are happy about it. In the last seven years they have been doing turnaround maintenance. Money is not coming in and as a businessman, Atiku, the incoming President of Nigeria by the special grace of God, as a successful businessman, who is pragmatic and knows his onions, the best thing for this country to do is to sell it(NNPC).
Like he said, we will make up to about N15 billion from the sales and this can be put into other sectors of the economy and we begin to have good results because he is on a rescue mission. I think that is the best for the country. If you ask any successful businessman that would be their response.
If you go to the business circle, business community, they will tell you that is the best. If you have about ten businesses and six of them are not doing well do you just inject money into them? The answer is no. So that(privatisation) is the best thing for this country. Now, people are already going ahead.
The world is digitalised. The world is moving to the next level. Look at Aramco. That’s the biggest oil company in the world. It was privatised. Then what are we now talking about? The Saudi Arabia oil company was privatised and the money from there was useful in the Greenhouse Technology. So, why are we still talking about 1940?
The great countries you’re talking about all over the world, the countries allow the businessmen to manage the companies. While they allow the government to control the policies guiding the management of these companies. I think this is the new way to go.
Atiku asked somebody “if you don’t want us to sell it, what do you want? Do you want us to continue to put money in the turnaround maintenance that’s not working?” I think that(privatisation) is the best thing for the country.
He is not a man that’s timid; that will not say the truth when it is time to say it. He is a very strong willed person. He tells you the way it is. “This is what is going to work.” If they had not privatised the GSM so many years ago you won’t be doing this(recording the interview with a telephone handset). You’re recording this interview you will go online(internet) to process it. We now do GSM calls, video calls etc.
We’re enjoying all these things now because GSM was privatised. It(privatisation) is the best for the country and I think it remains the best except people are making mountains out of nothing. These people are scared of Atiku but Atiku is coming to Aso Rock.
You call Atiku the unifier but he has not been able to reconcile with some PDP governors. So how would he manage the affairs of the entire country if he becomes President?
With due respect to the almighty God. Do we say that God is not God because he has not been able to unify the devil to himself? In every family there is always the black sheep. It does not stop you from being his father. The truth of the matter regarding Wike is that we have given all and our Principal (Atiku) has had seven different meetings with him in and outside the country.
We’re waiting for him. He is one of us. The tongue and the teeth quarrel. This is a disagreement we will agree. We disagree to agree before election. Of course, you know that in politics a lot of the major events happen few weeks to the election. The last time I heard the Benue State Governor say “we are still members of the PDP”. They have not left PDP and the reality is very soon we will resolve all issues.
At the end of the day I can assure you 100 percent that we will have a house that’s strong and united. That’s what matters. Ultimately, they’re coming back because processes are already going on to make sure that we have the one house that we use to have. There is nothing bad if husband and wife quarrel. What is bad is if they’re not able to settle. The unifier is still working on it and by the special grace of God and from all the information that I am privy to I think this matter would be resolved before the end of January.
The Edo State issue
I may not be able to tell you everything on the line but I am sure that you are aware that everybody is working for Atiku. The problem in Edo is between the Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and some people. If you’re aware, of recent there is what they call Atiku/Okowa Coalition. Notable members of the party are in this coalition. By the special grace of God I am a Deputy Director in that coalition.
We are all onboard to work for the success of Atiku. Personal differences is the cause of all what is going on between the Governor and some others in the party. To me, everybody has a right to get angry. It is their right to be dissatisfied with the way and manner some people operate. What we are after is for PDP to clinch back power.
To the best of my knowledge everybody wants Atiku. Even the Wike that you’re talking about does not have any problem with Atiku. The only problem he has is with Iyorchia Ayu(National Chairman of PDP) based on what he(Ayu) said. As far as I am concerned Atiku is a man of peace. He does not say anything negative about others.
Of all what Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said about him Atiku has not come out one day to insult or say anything that is diminishing about him. Atiku is a man that cuts across all religions, tribes etc in this country. So, the issue is not about Atiku. In Edo State if they’re to open up to you every PDP member wants to work for Atiku but the platform is the issue. That’s why Atiku/Okowa Coalition was inaugurated last week and everybody is onboard.
The mission of the Nigeria professionals for Atiku
We just came back from Abuja where we met with Atiku Abubakar. Our slogan is Nigeria professionals for Atiku five million votes assured. It is very simple. We’re present in all states of the Federation. We are present in all the local government areas. We are present in all the wards and units. We’re present in 30 countries of the world including in Europe, UK, Wales, America and Canada.
We are a conglomeration of professionals from different fields – Medical Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers etc so far you’re specialised in a particular field. We have some members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as our members. In Nigeria, we have 176, 846 units. All we are targetting is thirty members per unit all over the Federation. We have just submitted the list of eleven members per unit in Nigeria two days ago to the Directorate of Support Groups in Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation to prove that we are really on ground.
Even with ten members per unit it will be one million, seven hundred and sixty eight thousand, four hundred and sixty votes. Only a few states can give Atiku that. We are a moving force. That’s why Atiku respects us and does not play with anything that has to do with Nigeria Professionals. We are big and are working hard.
Message to the voters
Hope is on the way. No Nigerian should be depressed any more. The only last stage of Nigeria to get it well is leadership. Our problem all these days has been leadership. For example, the white people brought religion to us – Christianity, Islam etc. As at today, we have turned it round, Nigerianise/Africanise it. Nigeria is now a Mecca of a sort for religious activities all over the world.
People come to Nigeria for spiritual blessings now. Of course, there are testimonies to that. In the 70s, 80s and 90s the kind of music you hear are from foreign artistes. These days we have taken music away from them. Now our music is number one in the world.
At Qatar 2022 world cup three Nigerian musicians played. One during the opening ceremony and another at the half way stage. The third one played at the closing ceremony. Infact, Argentina that won the cup, back home the music they were playing to celebrate was that of a Nigerian musician. During the Commonwealth Games it was Kizz Daniel (a Nigerian musician) music that was played when a Nigerian girl won gold medal.
If you watch Nollywood you will see that we have taken over the movie world. Nollywood is number two in the world. If you remember, in the olden days we used to watch Chinese films, Indian films, American films etc. Now it is no longer so. The only area that we have not gotten it right is in leadership. Once we get it right this time around then Nigeria will become heaven on earth.
The best person, the most prepared person, who is Presidential in his approach is Atiku Abubakar and he is becoming President of Nigeria come 2023. He is the only one that has wide spread support. There is no state that he gets to and he will not be known. For example, if you get to some states in the core north and ask of (Peter) Obi they will ask you if you are talking of Mikel Obi(the former football player). They don’t know him.
Yes, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is known but the greatest problem with him is that we have experimented twice with sick Presidents. We cannot try it any more. Nigerians have made up their minds. It is not even about the depressive performance of the APC but the person of Asiwaju Tinubu is not fit health-wise to be the next President of Nigeria.
Atiku is the next President by the special grace of God. Let me give you a catch. We are already preparing for the swearing in ceremony. It is as clear as daylight. He is the best person for this job. Atiku has companies in close to 28 countries in the world. If Obi comports himself well he may be nominated to be part of Atiku’s led government as he has promised to set up a unity government.
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