Noise About My Alleged Suspension Is A Charade Meant To Embarrass Me due To My Rising Profile That Makes Governor Abubakar Feels Threatened- Senator Ali Wakili

Just recently, your party the APC conducted delegates’ congresses in the states, those congresses in some of the states like Bauchi your home state, Kano, Kaduna, Borno , Jigawa, Plateau has been marred with crisis and complaints, what does this portends for the APC your party, as 2019 approaches.

Imminent danger and catastrophe as a House divided among itself cannot stand the weather. As you should know, the strength of any broom depends on how tight the rope that binds it together is. While I cannot speak for other States that of Bauchi is borne out of selfish interest and arrogancy of power, by those of them that are the apparatus of the State Government. They are rehearsing how to shut down some perceived rivals in 2019, by trying to see how they can manipulate delegates. This is a shadow, they are doing to test the waters.

Having held the delegates’ congress in your state and seeing that the party’s Chairman in your state and the Governor may have sidelined you people, what is the fate of you and your colleagues in the National Assembly, what is next for you people?

Our fate is in the hands of God and not in the hands of any mortal with temporary powers. As an individual, I have taken up the matter with the National Headquarters of the Party which I am very satisfied with their actions so far taken, as they have invited me on the issue and several other issues for a negotiated way out. I will keep posted on keeping the date with them.

There has been news that you have been suspended by your party and as a result that was why you were not invited for the recent party delegates meeting in the state, could this be the reason, does the alleged suspension has the permission of the National leadership of your party?

Times without number, I have told you that my alleged suspension is a charade meant to embarrass me because of my local profile within the State and rising national profile as a result of my effective representation in the Senate. My regular and well-meaning contributions has been a surprise to so many of them, most especially the Governor who feels threatened since at every fora and occasion, people speak to him about this vibrant Senator of Bauchi South, Malam Ali Wakili, mni. The National Leadership of the Party has not been in the know how because those that organise the charade are only interested in embarrassing me and engaging me to distract my attention.

There has been reconciliation committee headed by former Anambra Governor, Senator Chris Ngige, what was your message to the Ngige’s Committee.

From the report in the media, Senator Dr. Chris Ngige has since submitted his report, if what the media reported is true, the Committee’s time, work and report has been an exercise in futility. Issues that are germane to the misunderstanding have been relegated to the background, issues of personalities brought to the front banner and recommendations that people go the Stadium together in Bauchi to address Party faithful; that has been very simplistic beclouding issues and sweeping them under the carpet. Together with some Patriots, as soon as the report is available to us, we shall study and respond as appropriate.

Do you have faith in the reconciliation committee, do you believe their visit will settle the crisis rocking the party in your state and will you and your colleagues abide by the committee’s decision.

Taken the calibre of personalities that made up the Chris Ngige’s Committee, we are expecting that realistic and radical recommendations would be espoused especially on illegalities of replacing bonafide elected Party Leaders at the State level and replacing them with political charlatans, whom are ready to do the bidding and glorification of the State Chief Executive. Remember the Deputy State Chairman Shuaibu Rahama, State Treasurer, Honourable Harsanu Guyaba; and Adamu Lar have been illegally replaced despite the National Headquarters’ objection and guidance that nobody has that powers except the National Convention. The alienation and non-inclusiveness of bonafide Party members from foundation level has not been addressed. However, we will await the details of the report as I have said earlier on; I and some Party members.

for over 10 years now, there has not been any local government election in the state and one of the promise of your party during the campaign for the Guber election in 2015 was to conduct a local council election in the state, why do you think there has not been election in the state since 2015 the party took over power, is the governor afraid of losing council election.

Issue of non-holding of Local Government Elections has been one of the contentious issues between us and the Governor. As a matter of policy, the APC as a Party through its Manifesto and Constitution abhors the non-conduct of Local Government elections. During the campaigns, at all stratus of the campaign, we promised that as soon as we win the elections, we will conduct local government elections. The argument canvassed by those of them that thinks they are doing good to the Governor of Bauchi State by arguing that paucity of funds has been the bane of the elections. Sadly this is very fallacious as the monthly allocations from the Federal coffers meant for each and every local government has not stopped. For your insinuation that the Governor may be paranoid, I may not be in a position to speculate but what I do know, the dissentions on the ground on the performance of the Governor might be a cause. The goofing by his newly appointed Adviser on Media and Publicity, my good friend Ali M. Ali attests to the fact that it would have been in their imagination that they would have held the local government elections.

Do you think, your state Bauchi is one of the states the party will lose the 2019 election if the crisis is not nipped in the bud.

Like I did always say, the APC is the Party to beat anytime in Bauchi despite the wranglings within. What is needed is some surgical operation and hygiene within the State Executive of the Party; as well as the Governor coming down from his Olympian heights and purge himself of the euphoria of constant awards that may not be merited.

You are the senate committee chairman on poverty eradication, what role has your committee played in alleviating poverty in the country.

Poverty is pervasive, it’s a state of deprivation, and it is lack of basic amenities like good housing, shelter, sanitation, and potable drinking water, access to affordable health services, clothing, food and education. As Legislators, the Constitution is supreme, Chapter two dealing with direct principles of State Policies has initiated that Government exist for the welfare and security of the people. Similarly, it has initiated the Social Economic Principles of State Policies that will take care of all those issues of pervasive poverty. What we do is only to strengthen the Constitution by giving a legal teeth and providing adequate funding. If you look at the 2016 and 2017 Appropriation Act, N500 Billion Naira has been set aside each year respectively to provide succour to our people through the NPower Teach, NPower Agro, NPower Tax and NPower Health; Conditional Cash Transfers; the School Feeding Programme; The General Enterprise Empowerment Programme (GEEP) – Market Moni; and the newly introduced Family Housing Fund that will give the ordinary citizen an affordable means of owning a house. Even though the Scheme is directly under the supervision of the Vice-President, we gave an effective oversight.

Last year, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, from Sokoto sponsored a Bill which seeks for an Act to Establish the National Poverty Eradication Commission, what will this commission do for Nigerians if established, what difference is the proposed commission with the National Poverty Eradication Programme( NAPEP).

Successive Government since independence beginning with the National Development Plans, Operation Feed the Nation, Green Revolution, Shagari Housing, War Against Indiscipline (WAI), DFRRI, MAMSER, FEAP, NAPEP, SURE-P etc have been rolled out to address the issue of poverty but their bane has been lack of a legal framework; as they are only an Executive creation. The National Poverty Eradication Commission sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Gobir that has been passed into Law is meant to address that gap. It is meant to strengthen old policies dealing with poverty alleviation and eradication, serve as co-ordinating hub, monitor policy setup and serve as a means of provision of advice on social investment protection policies as well as to be the catalyst on issues on poverty.