PDP too confused to offer credible opposition — Mai Mala

Do you feel intimidated with the outburst of the PDP stakeholders that Nigeria is worst off compared to the time you took over from them in 2015?
That is very funny. It is more of a fairy tale than to be taken seriously for a second thought.  If you are a politician, and especially a founding member of a party like the PDP, and you see the kind of travails the party is passing through, it is a clear signal of an end of the party.
It is obvious that the PDP crisis may go well beyond 2019 because it is very sick and its handlers are still enveloped in the euphoria of impunity and doing things without regard to due process. It is a party without the slightest respect for rule of law and therefore can no longer be an alternative to anything. Many founding members of the PDP have already dumped it, while the few still there have confessed that it will not move any further because the players have not learnt any lesson from the past.
Secondly, if you cast your mind back to our experience as a nation in the last 16 years under the PDP administration, it would be reckless for anyone to assume that Nigerians have forgotten too soon, the abuse and maladministration they passed through. Therefore, PDP will not constitute any threat to the APC. Its leaders should stop contemplating that leadership of this country would be entrusted in their hands anymore.
APC is a political party that provides its members with equal opportunity through strong internal democracy to actualize their political ambitions to serve the nation.
The question is not just about giving opportunity for people to be elected. Fifteen months gone after the coming of the APC, Nigerians are still complaining of economic hardships and they are saying this is not the change you promised?
The APC administration, as you know, came with beautiful plans and determination to reposition the country; to fast-track the economy for the betterment of Nigerians. Sadly, the plan was disrupted by the discovery of large-scale and unprecedented damage done on the economy by the previous regime. Secondly, the unending decline in the price of crude oil at the international market was another major setback. Then, of course, the activities of militants in the Niger Delta region have grossly sabotaged oil production and revenue generation.

Of course they know all these and that is why they voted for you. Don’t you think it would be better if you stop lamenting and face the reality?
Sadly, Nigerians are currently paying for the recklessness, debacle and damages meted on the economy in the past years. When the APC administration came on board, the scale of looting uncovered indicated that the country was heading towards imminent and total collapse. The situation would have been a complete recession; the country would have faced a meltdown that is worse than what we are experiencing today.
Many Nigerians, who doubted the scope of damage caused by the monumental looting on the economy, were convinced by the unfolding events at the EFCC which recovered and is still recovering the looted funds. As an immediate measure to salvage the country from total collapse, President Buhari meticulously blocked the leakages and re-introduced transparency and accountability in governance. Therefore, with all sense of humility, the last 15 months recorded the resurrection of a collapsed socio-economic life of the nation. As we go halfway into the cropping season, the cheering news emerging from the agricultural sector of the economy is quite gratifying. 
Already, rice farmers in Niger, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Zamfara, Taraba, Kano and a host of other states, are celebrating bumper harvests. It is amazing the scope at which Nigerians massively went into maize, millet, cassava, yam and other cash crop cultivation. That is good news.

Do you think agriculture alone can sustain the economy considering the fact that the value chain is faulty?
This administration has the agenda to diversify the economy to other sectors because President Buhari places high premium to also develop the solid minerals and other non-oil sectors. This is already yielding positive results. Over N500 billion was generated for the federal allocation in June and 70% of this came from the non-oil sector; 30% was generated from the oil sector. It is also pleasing that this is so far the highest figure shared among the three tiers of government this year.

How do you think the rampage in the Niger Delta could be contained?
The fate of Niger Delta under President Muhammadu Buhari is very bright and more promising than under any other government in this country. If there is anything to avenge, it should be to ask the key players of those organs under the past administrations who mismanaged the resources to account for what they looted.