No Big Deal in Jonathan Losing an Election – Chief Richard Akinjide

Chief Richard Akinjide, is one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A former Minister in the first and second Republics, he spoke on the party’s defeat in the last Presidential election.
Excerpts:
In January in an interview with the Daily Times, when you spoke about the then forthcoming elections, you predicted victory for your party and President Goodluck Jonathan saying he would beat General Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) hands down. The election has come and gone with Buhari defeating the president. What happened?
Yes, I made that prediction, you are right. You see, when you contest an election, you either win or you lose. And from my calculation at that time, there was no doubt in my mind that President Jonathan should win. But when election came, things were different. You must know that in all elections, whether Presidential or Parliamentary, whether in Britain or America, France or Germany, China, Russia, Japan or anywhere, you contest because you want to win. But in the process, somebody might lose. Now, we did that election and the President lost, and he accepted defeat in a very graceful manner. In a manner that has been praised locally and internationally.
I have no doubt that when we contest election again, the results will be in our favour.

What really went wrong in your calculations?
I wouldn’t say that. I have not seen details of the election for the North East, North West, or the South East or the Niger Delta or the South West. Until I see all these and analysed them carefully, I don’t want to make any prediction.

This is the first time an incumbent President is losing an election in Nigeria, would you say this is the dawn of a new era for Nigeria?
Well, you may be right, you may be wrong. But it is not unique that a sitting President or a sitting Prime Minister should lose an election. It has happened several times in America, it has happened several times in England, in France, in Japan. So, its normal. I don’t know why anybody should be surprised that the president lost. It has happened this time, it could happen to another President next time.

Some people have argued that the PDP was defeated as a result of indiscipline amongst its members and the culture of impunity prevalent in the party. Do you subscribe to this?
It is rubbish. I don’t accept all those nonsense that people say. I don’t want to make any judgment over the loss of the election.

Why some people say this is because some governors imposed candidates on the party while some aspirants went to join the opposition parties and teamed up with them. In some cases like Niger and Benue, the governors there lost out even in their own senatorial aspirations. How do you see this?
I don’t want to make a judgment. Until I see details of the election, then I would be able to comment and make judgment then. But be very careful in making any advance judgment which may be right, which may be wrong. At the moment, I’m not blaming any governor, and I’m not praising any governor. But I reserve my judgment until a later date.

As a leader of the party, do you think the PDP deserved to lose that Presidential election?
No, we shouldn’t have lost, we should have won. In all my calculations, the odds favoured PDP, but we lost. And why we lost, we would know later when we have all the details.

If you look at the result, the President-elect won convincingly in the North and part of the south west while the president won mainly in the south south, south east and part of the south west. Is the voting pattern not on ethnic basis?
It happened everywhere. I mean, if you do election in United Kingdom, some people may win in England and lose in Scotland, while some people will win in Wales and lose in England. It happens all over the world. You shouldn’t be surprised at all.

Do you think that the postponement of the election by six weeks had any effect on the defeat of PDP?
I’m not making any statement on that. I don’t know all the details of that, so, I can’t make comments on that.
Some people have praised the conduct of the election while some others alleged that Professor Attahiru Jega, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) worked with the opposition to enable them victory?
I don’t have the details. I cannot blame him, I cannot praise him until I receive all the details. On that, I reserve my judgment.

Since the election, a lot of people have been praising President Jonathan for conceding defeat even before the final announcement of result. It is generally believed that this moved the nation away from the precipice. Is this so?
What he did was graceful. It showed that he’s a gentleman. And many leaders would not do like that. They would go from election petition to election petition. What he did was more honourable. So, I praise the President for doing what he did.

The incoming government has started to say it will probe this and that. Do you think they are starting on a good note?
I will not make a judgment on that. When they get to power, leave them to do what they want to do. It is as easy as that. Then we can all make a judgment.

You were a member of the last National Conference that charted a new course for Nigeria. This was the main reason why the South West leaders backed President Jonathan. Would you want to counsel the new government on the report of the confab?
My advice to the incoming government is that they should implement the report. That report was done by very many good Nigerians. I moved the final vote of thanks at the conference and there is no section of Nigeria that was not represented. It is one of the best tings that President Jonathan would have done. I hope the incoming government would implement the report.

Which aspect do you think they should tackle immediately or in phases?
All aspects, all aspects, I don’t take anyone out. They should look at it objectively. The committee was set up to make recommendations and gave the report to the present president and I hope the incoming government would implement it.

Do you suggest that the outgoing president put this in his handover note to the President-elect?
I don’t want to read the handover note of the president. No, it is not proper for me to make the suggestion. He should make his handing over note in his own judgment, in his best judgment and let him do what he wants to do. Let him have his own judgment.

As an elder statesman who has been in leadership position since the early 60s, what do you think should be the agenda of the new government?

No, I’ve been in government since 1959 when I was in my 20s. I contested national election and I won. I contested twice and I won twice and on each occasion, I was a federal minister. The first one, I was Federal Minister of Education, and later Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.

With your vast experience in governance, what do you think should be the agenda of the new government?
No, I like to see their policy first before I make a comment.

Some of the things the President-elect said he would do was to probe this and fight corruption?
No, I’ve not been following him. I’ve not read that and I’m not going to make any pronouncement on what I don’t know.

Going to your state, Oyo, even the PDP lost woefully, coming fourth?
I’ve not received the full results of Oyo. There were too many candidates even in Ibadan alone. When I see details of the result then I can comment.
Your advice to Nigerians as a new government is coming in?
Yes, Nigerians should be faithful, loyal and not cause any crisis so that the development could be sustained.