Why Jonathan is against Sylva – Waku

Posted by admin Bayelsa, Latest Politics, State News Monday, November 21st, 2011

Vice President of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Senator Joseph Waku, has alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan is persecuting the Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, because the latter did not support Jonathan’s presidential ambition.

Waku, a former Senator, who represented Benue North/West Senatorial District from 1999 to 2003 in the Senate, said the situation playing out in Bayelsa State was dangerous and called on all true democrats to rescue the nation’s democracy from the hands of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
He also advised Sylva to quit the PDP and contest the gubernatorial election on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), saying “if he picks the ACN ticket, he will be returned as governor.”

Waku spoke on the politics playing out in Bayelsa and many other issues.
You have been following the on-going political crisis in Bayelsa state and some people have alleged that the president is behind the crisis, to ensure that the incumbent governor, Timipre Sylva, is denied a return ticket.

How do you see the political situation in Bayelsa state?
What was Sylva’s fault? He said that shortchanging some segments of this country will not augur well, that it was not the turn of the South, it was still the turn of the North to continue. The PDP, with its usual double-standing, is a party that will soon disappear in this country because it is creating enmity by its name and between its members on a daily basis. The same PDP said that Goodluck was an incumbent, so let us allow him to participate and run for the presidency. The same PDP denied Sylva its ticket.

That is, Jonathan’s policy of transformation has become a policy of discrimination, a policy of incompetence, policy of distraction rather than transformation. What if there are massive crises in Bayelsa, his home state today, what will he do? As a president, he opened up to show absolute dictatorship in a democracy. It is unfortunate, it is sad.

So, Jonathan is persecuting Sylva because he said the truth?
That is exactly what Sylva is paying a price for and God will vindicate him one day.

So, you think the North should rally round Sylva?
It is not a question of the North. It is a question of democrats. Whoever is a democrat should support Sylva. I don’t know why he is wasting his time in the PDP. He should have gone to pick another political party by now and damn the consequences. That is democracy.

What does the situation portend for our democracy?
It is getting worst and worst. I had an interview earlier on, addressing the issue of electorate, how patient they are. If the electorate are not patient, it is Goodluck that is creating crisis. It is security. If a president can do that in his own home town, what guarantee does the ordinary man have? May the Almighty God touch his heart.

In the emerging scenario, what do you think is best for Sylva?
Sylva has no choice than to quit the PDP and pick another political party and he will become a governor because everyday, he is increasing in sympathy and popularity among Nigerians. He should not allow this opportunity to slip by. And he will win the election. All of us will move there.

You mean Sylva will defeat Jonathan’s candidate in Bayelsa?
President Jonathan has no ground. That is why he is doing this thing. Why didn’t he allow this man to go for the primary election?

How do you see the deployment of soldiers to Bayelsa?
It is an abuse of power. That is to show the international community how primitive our democracy is.

Some have said that with this autocratic way of doing things, the PDP may soon fizzle out. Do you also share this despondency?
But I told you here that many Nigerians will dissociate themselves from the PDP in the future. Even if you mention that they were members of the PDP, they will take you to court, that why are you associating me with that secret cult. In future. And it will soon be here. And it is a shame. That is why people like us who are freedom fighters, who believe in democracy, can no longer stay there. Not that we cannot stay there to do the biddings of those power mongers but we do not want that. We are democrats, we go to where we will find democracy in action.

If you were to advise Sylva, what political party do you think is best for him to realize his ambition?
He should pick the ACN. If he picks the ACN, he will become a governor. We will move there Military? We can checkmate them. They are not there to shoot. And in fact, the military moving there to some extent, are to his (Sylva’s) advantage because the military wouldn’t want to take part because the military’s professionalism will be destroyed.

So, it is good for Sylva ?
It is good for him.

And good for democracy?
It is not good for democracy. It is good for security. It is not good for democracy. The good people of Bayelsa state should team up with Sylva in solidarity to ensure that democracy remains, otherwise, their son is killing democracy and if it begins from his home town, it will expand and anarchy will take place and there will be no hope.

No hope for this our young democracy?
What do you mean by young democracy? We are not a young democracy. There is hope for democracy when you get a proper democrat to lead the nation. In that case, we will have a good democracy.
There is this perception that the president is not performing. Do you share that view ?
Listen, you know me that I have never been for Jonathan. You know me. So, dragging me back and front is needless.
I talked about Jonathan when Umaru Yar’Adua was sick. When I formed my opinion about him was when Umaru Yar’Adua was sick. And he got the power. Even to sympathize with his sick boss, he did not. He sacked all the people that Umaru Yar’Adua put in place.

What is the way forward in this prevailing circumstance?
The way forward is for Nigerians to sit down, articulate their positions and elect a leader that is competent.

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