Alhaji Shuaib Mustapha Kano, was political adviser to former governor of Kano state, Ibrahim Shekarau. In this interview, Mustapha who is the national president of the Association for Promoting Democracy and Good Governance harps on why next Nigerian President must come from Igbo extraction come 2023.
Daily Trust: Sir, can you tell our readers a bit about your association. What are its mandate?
Mustapha: The association has been in existence for not less than 15 to 17 years and it has been going round the country trying to see that there is justice everywhere. Justice in the sense that there is equality and fairness in sharing everything belonging to the country, everything belonging to the people, be it power or other resources.
Daily Trust: At the moment, how do you assess the sharing of these indices of power that you are trying to promote?
Mustapha: Well, concerning power we have been calling on the government, we’ve been calling on politicians, we’ve been calling on those in power to be fair to people outside power i.e the Igbos or rather the south east people because these people have always been loyal to other parts of the country particularly the southwest and the northern part of the country but they have been denied the presidency. They have been marginalized. We have been calling on the APC government to look into it, to at least come to the aid of these people by giving them the leadership in 2023.
Daily Trust: Democracy is a game of numbers and aspiration. Can you recall any instance where an Igbo candidate was denied right to contest for presidency in Nigeria?
Yes, there are so many instances. For instance, under this APC government, they made an agreement that after Buhari they will take power to the southwest which is quite unfair, the agreement is that after Buhari they should please give power to the southeast because the southeasterners have people who can do it. They have people who are committed, who are patriotic who are completely detribalised who can manage Nigeria, who can take Nigeria out of the woods, who can take Nigeria to the promised land.
Daily Trust: Already suggestions have started coming in to jettison zoning of presidency to rather focus on competency. How do you see that?
Mustapha: I was interviewed on that issue on radio stations in Kano and I said I am of the opinion that this issue of zoning should completely be abrogated, be destroyed because it encourages corruption, it also encourages enmity among Nigerians. The issue of power should be left open. Everybody is free, everybody has the right to come out and contest for whatever position he or she feels he can deliver.
Daily Trust: You suggested presidency for Igbo extraction. What have you just said now?
Mustapha: What I am trying to tell Nigerians is that the Igbos are a very industrious people; very committed to the cause of this country called Nigeria, so I see no reason why they should be denied the presidency. There is no reason, unless we are trying to make the country a home of two or three people ie the Hausas and the Yorubas.
Daily Trust: Sir you are asking for presidency from Igbo extraction, or are you acting someone’s script?
Mustapha: Nobody is sponsoring me for this. But all I want is justice. That is what our association is for. We want justice, we want equity, we want fair sharing, we want Nigeria to continue as one indivisible entity. We don’t want the issue of division. We want justice, we want the Igbos to be given what we call sense of belonging, they are part of this country. They are one of the three legs Nigeria is standing on. You can’t rule out the Igbos, they are very important to Nigeria therefore they have to be given a right, they have to be tested for that matter.
Daily Trust: How confident are you that an Igbo president could bring justice and fairness into our national polity?
Mustapha: Of course we have very good people as I earlier said in Igbo land who can do it. Unless you want to be unjust there are very good people from Igbo land who can do it if given a chance.
Daily Trust: Presently, people like Nnamdi Kanu are agitating for afederal republic of Biafra. Are you convinced that if Igboman becomes president they will stop their agitation?
Mustapha: Of course yes. It is the issue of this marginalization that is pushing people like Nnamdi Kanu to be making those unnecessary agitations but if they are given the chance they will all keep quiet they will all feel at home, they will feel Nigeria is for them, they will be a party to everything that is important to Nigeria, that will promote Nigeria, that will take Nigeria to the next level not this level that they are saying in APC, I mean the real next level that will boost the image of Nigeria before the world.
Daily Trust: Can you tell us the Messiahs in Igbo land that can take Nigeria to the promised land?
Mustapha: We have them as I said but we are now, my association in particular is working assiduously trying to fish out those people from Igbo land. We will come out with the names in the next interview, God willing. We will come out with names of two to three people out of which I think Nigerians will take one to govern this country from Igbo land.
Daily Trust: We have Igbos in the federal executive council, and the National Assembly yet you are saying that they are been marginalized?
Mustapha: Being a minister does not mean you are a party to anything in the government. You can be a minister and be sidelined. The central issue is the presidency. Give them the presidency. Let us test them. let us see the good in them, let us see the bad in them, let us bring them closer, let us give them sense of belonging they are part of the country, they need it they should be given opportunity to try their best come 2023.
