Fake news, violence, ballot-snatching, hate speech, divisive rhetoric, and more negative aspects of politics were mainstays as the campaigns leading to the 2019 polls unfolded. Now the presidential polls have come and gone, and the aftertaste of all the drama that characterised it, still lingers for Nigerians. Daily Trust Saturday spoke to some seasoned veteran politicians to share with us how politicking was done in days past.
Malam Yahya Abdulkarim was elected governor of Sokoto State between January 1992 and November 1993, as well as Chief Electoral Officer Northwest back in 1978. He told Daily Trust that back then, there was no tech in use, and all that was depended upon, was the honesty of people. “Then, results were not announced at the polling station, like it’s done today,” he said.
Malam Abdulkarim also said when he conducted elections in 1978, majority of candidates elected into the House of Assembly were illiterates. “Also, we were leaving military to civil rule, and most of the people who were working at that time did not want to leave their jobs to contest because they were not sure what was going to be their future,” he said.
Senator Kabiru Gaya, a former governor of Kano State, from 1992 to 1993, recalled to Daily Trust Saturday how the political landscape was in his day. “I was virtually on my own. I went to all the then constituencies in Kano and Jigawa states. An no-one went about with thugs then, either. Also, no-one could abuse the government, because they were military administrators,” he said.
Gaya also said even though there was rivalry, it wasn’t as pronounced or as vicious as it is today. “With the Social Democratic Party (SDP) then as our rivals with whom we never saw eye-to-eye, and between us there would be some fights here and there, but there weren’t any killings, or people carrying weapons like guns,” he said.
Daily Trust Saturday spoke to Barrister Ali Sa’ad Birnin Kudu, who became the first civilian governor of Jigawa State at the age of 32, then the youngest of his time, from 1992 to 1993. He said during those days of the PRP, the NPN, through the SDP, and NRC, nobody spoke about money. “In fact, when NPN people came, sharing money, we looked at them as unreligious, and anyone who takes from them loses respect,” he said.
But these days, Birnin Kudu said, politics is not for ideals, or quality people, “But basically, for what you will put on the table before people attend your political rally or meeting.”
His Royal Highness, Alhaji Awwal Ibrahim, the Emir of Suleja, was the governor of Niger State between October 1979 to December 1983 during the Second Republic. He told Daily Trust Saturday that for Nigeria to move forward, politicians themselves have to learn to be disciplined. “Also, political parties need to encourage the people, of commitment toward development and welfare, rather than leaving them at the mercy of those who have nothing to offer apart from influencing the minds of people, especially the youth, with money,” he added.
No vote-buying in politics of the past – Abdulkarim
Malam Yahya Abdulkarim was governor of Sokoto State between January 1992 and November 1993. He spoke on political campaigns during their days, and more. Excerpts:
Rakiya A. Muhammad, Sokoto
Daily Trust: In 1978, you were Chief Electoral Officer for Northwest comprising Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara. What’s the difference in the conduct of elections then and now?
Then, majority of even the members that were elected in the House of Assembly were illiterates, because the level of education was low. Also, we were leaving military to civil rule, and most of the people who were working at that time did not want to leave their jobs to contest because they were not sure of their future. Very few people left their jobs and contested, because of unsureness. And that’s what happened, after four years, there was military rule again.
DT: Was vote-buying rampant then?
No-one had money to buy votes. when I conducted election, most of the people who were elected were not rich. But now, I have seen people giving money, N5,000 and handsets, etc. But ironically, people collected N5,000 and voted for the party they want. That’s another thing, that is why losers are crying.
DT: How were campaigns organised during your time?
It was entirely different, at that time. No weapons, no bandits, no hooligans, or area boys. Throughout campaigns, there were no attacks. We went smoothly, and came back smoothly. Unlike what is happening now, people carrying machetes, knives, and going for campaigns. Are you not scaring the electorate?
During our time, we talked to people, and they came forward. And if a politician goes to a local government area, he knows the leaders who shape opinion there, and if he talks to them and they agree to follow him, he knows he has that local government.
DT: How can Nigeria’s democratic process be improved upon, to make politicians less desperate?
I’m a former governor, but you cannot compare me with ex-governors of 2003 and thereafter. Those people had a lot of resources, while we didn’t have much. When I was governor, I was getting N50 million monthly, so you can see the difference. Now a governor is getting billions monthly. So compare a sitting governor going back for election, and a former governor doing same, and guess who will win.
The problem here is, we don’t have proper checks and balances. Have you ever seen a House of Assembly that warns or stops a governor from doing anything?
We are trained administrators. In those days, we were trained that even if you’re a permanent secretary and you see a governor taking a wrong decision, you can write a memo to advise. But today, if the governor does not give instructions, nothing would be done. Also, if the governor leaves his station, nothing will be done until he returns. That’s what is happening all over Nigeria.
Conscience played big part in politics of the past – Sen. Gaya
Senator Kabiru Gaya was Executive Governor, Kano State, from 1992 to 1993, and also ran for governorship via the National Democratic Party in the 2003 gubernatorial election in the state. We spoke to him on political styles of yesteryears, and asked if the reality is different today. Excerpts:
Yusha’u A. Ibrahim, Kano
DT: As a former governor who came on board through political processes, how were campaigns organized during your time?
I see a lot of differences between political campaigns of now, and then. There are way too many variances. I can say, as a very young man, I was virtually on my own. I went to all the then constituencies in Kano and Jigawa states, and no-one went about with thugs. You go around and explain to people what you can do, or can do better. You couldn’t abuse the government then, because they were military administrators.
At that time, we also knew nothing about guns. People used knives to wound each other in clashes, instead. At that time, the poverty level was low, and people had work to do, farms to tend to, and so they didn’t care whether an aspirant or a candidate gives them money or not. Their concern was what the leader stood for. They only look at the qualities of the candidates and see who can do better than the military at that time.
I can remember very well, when I campaigned for governorship under the NRC, there were many SDP aspirants who voted for me. Therefore, the political violence was less and people were politically-motivated based on their understanding. They never think of collecting money from aspirants or candidates to vote for them. So there were actually clean, free and fair elections. It couldn’t be 100 per cent without rigging, mind you, but at least it was minimized to 20 per cent or less.
DT: How expensive were campaigns then?
It was not really expensive, because even the grant was N60m for Kano State, highest was N69m for the state government, and about N60m for the local governments, so all together it was about N120m. This is an amount that a governor can spend at a go, in one day, and at that time the poverty level was very low. Now it is high, and you cannot even compare with the expenses, and that is why at the Senate, when we were reviewing the Electoral Act, we decreased the amount of spending by a candidate, and that will mean anybody who overspends in his campaign, proves he invested into a political project and he will have to recover it eventually if he is elected. And if you have to do that, it means you have to take people’s money.
Unfortunately, that is what is happening today, and young people are more concerned about what they will be getting daily, and that is why they become drug addicts, thinking only about the joy of that moment, without a thought for tomorrow. So, we politicians have to change.
DT: Thuggery is a Nigerian political mainstay. How do you think the menace can be curbed?
When we elect honest leaders. But as long as we continue to elect those who spend money to be elected, we cannot stop thuggery. Because there is a difference between two groups of politicians, the professional politicians who believe in nothing but politics. Because there are professionals in politics. People like me, architects, engineers, and so on. We will not have much pressure because when we fail we can go back to practice our profession, but non-professional politicians will adopt a do-or-die approach. I’m sure we can take more concrete action against thuggery in this [Buhari] administration. If people are punished for bringing thugs into political arenas, it will reduce.
Quality of politicians dropped with decline of morals – Birnin Kudu
Barrister Ali Sa’ad Birnin Kudu was the first civilian governor of Jigawa State, at the age of 32, then the youngest, from 1992 to 1993. With a 40-year political career, he spoke to Daily Trust Saturday on politics of days gone. Excerpts:
Aliyu M. Hamagam, Dutse
Daily Trust: Money bags are smack in the middle of today’s politics in Nigeria. How was it like in your day?
During the days of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and the National Republican Convention (NRC), nobody spoke about money. I remember, when we were active youth in politics in our localities, if NPN people came sharing money, we looked at them as unreligious. And for anybody that takes from them, that person loses respect.
In those days, I can remember, there were people who haven’t even shown interest in politics but were pushed in by their people, because of their antecedents or contributions to the society. These are the kinds of people that are pushed to vie for elective positions. This is what happened in the first, second – and to some extent – third republics.
DT: Thuggery and violence are synonymous with present-day politics. What was the experience like in the past?
The major cause is the breakdown of morals in the society. Unfortunately, politicians these days are not interested in raising the standard of morals, especially in youth. Until we begin to address the issue of drug use among the youth, lack of respect for proper education, I will say things will not really change.
DT: What was put into play to make your way into Jigawa’s government house possible?
How I become a governor some 30 years ago is interesting because some people were having this belief that the former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, was the one who anointed me to be the candidate for SDP at that time. But that is not true. The truth is the former governor of old Kano State, Abubakar Rimi, was the person who singlehandedly decided without even consulting any one, that I possessed the qualities needed to run for the office of the governor, after Sule Lamido was disqualified.
DT: What was the position of Rimi in the party to have anointed you under SDP?
He was like the leader of the party in the old Kano State. Lamido, and others of his position, are [Rimi’s] ‘boys’. If you can remember, Rimi was governor while Lamido was a Member in the House of Reps.
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