*Explains why Buhari ignores Fayose, Wike, Fani-Kayode, others

By Kemi Kasumu

Senator Babafemi Ojudu, no doubt, has his role in the politics of Nigeria particularly in Ekiti State, where he defeated Ayodele Fayose to become a notable member of the Seventh Senate in the National Assembly election of 2011.  A renowned journalist, one of the forefront fighters for restoration of democracy in Nigeria during the June 12 struggle, Babafemi Ojudu did not re-contest in the 2015 national assembly election but currently he is the Special Adviser on Political Matters to the President of the Federal Republic, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR).  In this deliberately shortened interview with some selected media organisations including The DEFENDER, Ojudu, who says he hates to criticise the legislature that is his own constituency, regrets that the current Senate does not handle the issues of EFCC’s Ibrahim Mustapha Magu and Customs’ Hameed Ali with carefulness and in manner that won’t tarnish the image of the legislative institution. He speaks more.  Excerpts:

“Our concern is to work assiduously to solve the problems confronting Nigerians and as you can see we are beginning to get results.  So let those who want to bark continue to bark until they lose their vocal chords.”

When you look at the manner in which the Senate, of which you were member before now, has behaved with the issue of Magu and Customs CG Hameed Ali, what comes to your mind and what would you have done better if you were still there?

I hate to criticize an institution in which I have served and where I still have many friends and colleagues. How I wish these issues have been handled more carefully and in a manner in which the image of the institution won’t be tarnished.

The reactions I have read both on social media and the traditional media to the conduct and
handling of these matters have been unsavory and not complimentary to the image of this noble institution.

You are Political Adviser to the President at a time Governors Fayose, Wike and Femi Fani-Kayode are playing what you must have heard some top politicians call bloody opposition to rubbish the APC young government and they complain that the President is being gentle with them even they are said to also be making inflammatory comments and using the press to whip sentiments. Is it you that did not provide the political way of handling them or the President does not take your advice? I mean, how would you respond to any Nigerian in the streets if you are asked this question?

We are in a democracy. The people, whether high or low, are entitled to their opinion about government and its activities. The people too, who are consuming these opinions and criticism, are enlightened and equipped enough with the antecedents of these individuals to know what much store to set by what they say.

I think it was Churchill who said you do not stop to throw stone at every dog that barks at you. If you do, you won’t get to your destination.

Our concern is to work assiduously to solve the problems confronting Nigerians and as you can see we are beginning to get results.

So let those who want to bark continue to bark until they lose their vocal chords.

It is said that Saraki has become so powerful that nobody in the current APC dispensation can check him. How true is that?

Saraki is the President of Nigerian Senate and he is a member and leader in my party, APC.  If I have anything to say about how he conducts himself either as President of the Senate or leader in our party, I will walk up to him and say so. That is what decency and decorum demands when you belong to same party and holds positions of responsibility in a government run by your party.

By May Buhari administration will be two years in office. At mid-term, would you say the government is on good standing considering performance? If yes, why then do people complain about being gentle
with corrupt people who are the most vocal and who manipulate the economy to make life difficult even before recession was declared?

I can confidently say that when it comes to fighting corruption this government has done its bit. It is left for the other arms of government, the judiciary and the legislature to do theirs.

In all ways President Buhari has demonstrated his readiness and preparedness coupled with determination to fight corruption.  In doing so the executive cannot do it alone. You need the legislature to come up with the enabling laws, the security apparatus to carry out its investigation and the judiciary to carry out the trial expeditiously.

If President Buhari begins to fight the war against corruption without carrying along these other arms of government we know what the noise will be. It is you people who will start shouting that he has come again, he is a dictator, he has jettisoned the rule of law.

The government has even gone further to whistle-blower initiative in providing information on the activities of looters. I think within the limits of what we have now the President has acquitted himself in the fight against corruption.

As political adviser to the President, why is President Buhari not taking charge as Leader of the party to save the party and government from collapse, I mean, how come Saraki, for instance APC Senator, would deliberately vacate his seat for PDP Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu whenever it was Ali and other major national issues on the table and the President can’t come straight and say “This is what I want!”?

I can assure you the President is taking charge. What you have seen is a man, who as he once said, has transformed from the command and control ethos of the military to a consensus builder. In the military
an order is instant and must be obeyed by all subordinates while in a democracy you have to employ persuasion and lobby.