Anybody that does not want restructuring is an enemy of Nigeria -Adebanjo

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, elder statesman, Afenifere leader and former leader of the National Coalition for Democracy (NADECO), the group that was at the forefront of the struggle for the actualisation of the June 12, 1993 election, is not convinced that the government has done enough for the memory of the winner of that election, Chief MKO Abiola. In this interview he insists that the only way to do justice to the memory of June 12 is by restructuring Nigeria. PATRICK OKOHUE report

**********After so many years of agitation the Buhari administration declared June 12 the nation’s democracy day and a public holiday; what does the day mean to you?

It is a day Nigerians speak with one voice.  Asking for a Nigeria where there is egalitarian society and a society where the people’s votes count. A Nigeria where there is no discrimination between Igbo and Yoruba. A Nigeria where education is free for all and not for a section of the country and class, June 12 stands for this, where the majority has a voice and a say.

Considering what June 12 stands for, what will you say are the progress Nigeria has made so far?

Have we made any progress at all? The man there is doing his personal interest; he came into power to revenge, anything June 12 stands for are being reverted. He has proven to us that he is a fake person, in 2007 Afenifere supported him because he was going to restructure the country; in 2011 Tunde Bakare also supported him because he also promised to restructure the country. Under this dispensation, he told Tinubu he would restructure the country and Tinubu stupidly agreed to him, when he got there El-Rufai stupidly brought the idea down. What has he done about it? How do you know a gentle man?

The day he was sworn into office he said he was a democrat, he had only done his wishes and he did so with impunity. In the past six months you have seen the pressure from former leaders, military, civilians and organisations telling him to restructure the country back to federalism as he came back to say no, he just kept mute and pretended he never heard anything. Is that a leader?

Look at the budget, the amount you are paying is more than income, is that a budget? How long would you continue with that? Abiola stood for one Nigeria, not for Muslim, Christian or an ethnic group, but one Nigeria.  But Buhari does not recognise this, if he does he should not put all the appointments in his village, he should know this is nepotism, ethnicity.

**********The 1993 election was historic, Abiola won in several states in the North; can we have that kind of election again?

No, not even under this administration, those who voted for Buhari are regretting; yesterday a plumber came to meet me and said Baba forgive me for voting Buhari, I did not know things would be like this. I told him to pray to God so he can get rid of Buhari it is clear we don’t have a leader.

**********But he honoured Abiola and declared June 12 a public holiday which the previous administrations did not do?

I don’t believe in that, it is just to deceive Nigerians, we should not be carried away, has he done what June 12 stood for?  It was to deceive the South West to vote for him. The way things are can the common man feed, put food on their table? That is what Abiola stood for.

Under his administration the government is negotiating with bandits and armed robbers even in his own village and state.

**********After 21 years of democracy, how far have we gone?

What is there, I think we can celebrate being alive to see this day. The government that is ruling us is not for the common man but for themselves. Here is somebody that said he wants to wipe out corruption; Timipre Silva was found guilty under Jonathan’s government the Court freed him; he did not appeal, he sent for him and gave him all his properties back and to crown it up he gave him appointment in his cabinet with the lawyer who prosecuted him. Can you imagine that? With all the education would you respect that kind of man? But it is happening here.

**********The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would start using electronic voting in 2021, does that signal a ray of hope?

Don’t bother yourself with that because is it not the same people? When the parties are demanding millions before some contest in their party, how can any candidate win the election and not be corrupt? That is to show the mockery of Buhari; he said he did not have money to buy form in 2015, he said that to show how poor he was, hoping that he would change the system, but what is happening? Is that not corruption? If you let me in I would pay back.

**********What is your group demanding from Buhari?

Our demand is clear, that the country must be restructured now, anything less the government is just wasting time. Restructure the country back to federalism, let every region be autonomous then we can be in peace any other thing cannot work.

He does not listen to people I know, you go to Court he is already in Court, you go to the people he is already talking to, we should pray to God to help us.

I have been talking about these issues since 1962, the Igbo’s are crying, the Ijaws are crying, people are carrying sticks, the Fulani herdsmen carrying guns in South West have not been arrested? This is the issue, and you are talking.

***********There is clamour for power shift in 2023 to the South can that help in resolving these issues?

Well, my view is that restructuring is the most important thing for Nigeria for now, any other thing we call it may fail. Restructuring would make everybody equal and we would not give up on this demand.

For now it is the younger people that would suffer, if you restructure what do I have to benefit, I am already 92 years old, we are talking for the youths, no 2023 without restructuring that is my stand. Anybody that does not want restructuring is an enemy of the country.

*********But Buhari and APC said PDP ruled for 16 years but failed to that. Why should it be them?

Well, he is in power now, are we going to bring Babangida or Jonathan back to power to do it, it is the man who is there, if he believes that is what the country wants he should not give excuses. Should they say that? It is the man that is there, don’t give excuses we hold him responsible because they promised us that in 2015.