Mr Dele Momodu, the publisher of the Qvation magazine, was the presidential candidate of the National Commission Party (NCP) in the 2011 general elections. In this interview, Momodu speaks on the Buhari administration, the elections of the leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly and his relationship with the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the late politician, Chief MKO Abiola, among other issues.
Talking about sudden change, you were known to be a friend and admirer of the APC National Leader, Ashiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, but suddenly you started supporting the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, against his party?
There is nothing sudden in that. From day one, I supported Saraki for various reasons. I will say that, boldly, any where. And I stand by it. I supported him based on empirical facts of what I know. One of it…..
(Cuts in)But you are not a member of the party?
Yes, that is the beauty of it all.
So how come you are saying authoritatively that ‘’from what I know’’?
I interact with people. At my level, a 55-year-old man, I have friends everywhere. I have contacts. I say this with every sense of responsibility. I don’t know of anybody who worked harder than Saraki, Amaechi and the rest of them for Buhari. Yes, so many people worked for Buhari, but I am telling you that from my own stand point, from my interactions, these people mentioned almost worked themselves to death for Buhari. As a matter of fact, at a time, some people were saying it was better to have consensus candidate for the party so that there won’t be rancour after the primaries; but some people refused, saying they were not ready to step down for Buhari.
Saraki was one of the first people who declared total and unflinching support for Buhari. Amaechi adores Kwankwaso. I know that for a fact. Ameachi loves Kwankwaso to death. But because of Buhari, Amaechi refused to support Kwankwaso. I don’t know if Kwankwaso will forgive him for that. But, he was honest enough to tell Kwankwaso that ‘’I have given my word to Buhari, I cannot turn back’’. Same thing with Saraki. I know for a fact that Saraki worships Tinubu. Quote me. Maybe our Oga (Tinubu)does not know it. You know, sometimes, you don’t know those who love you if you have a lot of crowd around you. But I am saying it to you that Saraki, the Senate President, worships Tinubu.
Then or till now?
I am sure till today. Saraki was one of Tinubu disciples. In fact, when some people were saying Tinubu wanted to hijack the party by installing his men, Saraki and Amaechi were among those who said ‘no, we must give our leader whatever he wants; we must not humiliate our leader’, because they(new PDP) had the power at that time to install their own candidate and they would have won, because the new PDP that joined APC at that time was formidable enough. But, they insisted they must defer to Tinubu. It is what I know, not that they told me.
There are people who may go behind and tell the leaders lies, but I love Tinubu to the extent that I will never tell him a lie. I will tell him only what I know. So, among those who worked so hard day and night, gathered those who could support the campaign, Saraki was one of them. Amaeachi risked his entire life for that campaign. In an association of five or more political parties, I expected that immediately after victory, all of you would have come together to decide which of the parties in the association takes what. That was not the case.
My advice to those of us who are close to Asiwaju Tinubu is that people should prevail on him not to oppose Saraki because he is one of his men. If you have children and you show one that he is the preferred child above other ones, they will be angry. I think Saraki felt betrayed. If I were Ashiwaju, I would have done what the president did. I can almost bet my life that the President Buhari had a preferred candidate even though we didn’t know who the person was, but he said he would not interfere.
It will get to a stage in life where two of your children are fighting for something, you stand back and let them go to the field and whoever wins, you support him, not that you tie the arms of one against the other. You have not even told us why you are supporting one against the other. I have not read it anywhere. The only thing I have so far read was that Senator Lawan is a ranking member, beyond that, what else? Beyond that, nobody sold Lawan to us.
