2023: Vote Buying Is A Big Challenge We Must End — Abdulsalami

*Urges Younger Generation To Be More Politically Inclined
*Laments That 1999 Constitutional Drafters Not Given Enough Credit

The former Military Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee for the 2023 general elections, Gen. Abubakar Abdusalami has urged Nigerians to join hands to tackle the problem of vote buying which he said is a challenge plaguing the Nigerian State.

He said this in an interview he granted to Journalists, who came to felicitate with him as the country clocked 62 years of independence. Gen. Abdusalami wished Nigerians happy independence, stating that the country had grown from strength to strength and despite the mistakes that have been made, Politicians were trying to set the Country on the right track; also, younger generations are now politically inclined. And this, according to the General showed that the Country had indeed come a long way in National building.

Speaking on what threatened the strive already made, the General stated thus: ” one of the setbacks we are having is that some electorate are still selling their votes and politicians are also encouraging the selling and buying of votes. I think this is a negative part of what we are experiencing in our efforts. Indeed as Nigerians, all of us have to ensure that we put our hands on the deck so that this phenomenon can be brought to an end.”

Answering as to what should have been done correctly from independence, he stated that the best question is “what should be done?”, emphasizing that the Country needs to be doing more on the political front, and the younger generation should be more interested in politics, especially politics of substance unlike past politicians who he said were chasing shadows in practice.

Remarking on the limitations of the younger generations in politics, Abdusalami highlighted the money factor. His words read thus: “We have come to realize that politics, especially in the developing countries and indeed the world over, is becoming a matter of resources. But, unfortunately, the younger generations have not got as much resources as the older generations that would have made them to be in politics, because this is one of the challenges the younger generations are facing. But, hopefully, with the advent of social media and technology, I think a lot can be done in all that we do to disabuse the minds of the people who are entrenching and depending on their pockets in order to play poor politics. I think the politics of current time should be of ideas. So, gradually it is a big challenge, but like you people say, the struggle continues and I hope, one day, we will overcome this phenomenon.”

Remarking on the complaints surrounding the 1999 Constitution which he handed over while leaving office in 1999, the General lamented that the Constitutional drafters not given enough credit. He stated that no Constitution can be 100%, and that the 1999 Constitution has served for the past 22 years. ”

”Well, no matter who writes the constitution, it is how it is being practised that matters. ‘

”There is no constitution that is 100 per cent correct. And it is unfortunate that people who participated to draw the 1999 constitution are not being appreciated for what they did. If you look at the 1979 Constitution and 1999 Constitution, there isn’t too much difference.

”When we were trying to draw the 1999 constitution the juries led by the late Justice Niki Toby, went round the country to sample the opinions on the way forward for the constitution and, thankfully, we were able to give a constitution that has been in operation for the past 22 years. And happily, the National Assembly and indeed Nigerians have found the need to fine-tune some of the parts of the constitution and it is still going on at the National Assembly. So, no matter the constitution you write, it is the way you implement it.

”Happily, since 1999, though there have been quite some challenges, it is the 1999 constitution that is in operation up till today and that is what our National Assembly are working on to clear some of the grey areas that they find in the constitution”, He said.

Furthermore, he urged Nigerians that as the 2023 elections draw near, there shouldn’t be campaign of calumny; there shouldn’t be abusive words and as much as possible, there should be campaign of tolerance. He emphasized that each politician is trying to sell his manifesto or that of his party, so we cannot all belong to one party.

According to him it is important that Nigerians should get together and try to ensure that they have a country. Advising Nigerians on what their mindset should be for the election, the General continued thus: “I hope the electorate will all bear in mind that it is their franchise and  to ensure that they vote people of caliber and of their choice. But nobody should go and sell his vote. Unfortunately, I was listening to one radio programme this morning, where somebody was saying that he is ready to sell his vote because he is poor and it is like there is no money in the country. Fortunately, somebody countered him and said, ‘look, you said you are going to sell your votes, how long is the money you are going to get last you? How long would it take you to spend the money? Don’t sell your franchise!’  So, I am happy that people are realizing and also are fighting and educating people not to sell their votes.”

He went on to state that the answer to the cry of marginalization is proper management. He stated that where there is unfair treatment, amendment should be made. He urged that Nigerians, most especially politicians think of the Country and not sectional interests.

On ASUU strike, and other strikes going on in some States, the General had this to say: “Well, like I said, in every society, you can find some problems here and there and the only way out is to sit down. And I said, again, look at the problem and try as much as possible to find out how you will resolve it. Of course, at any point in time, you find people protesting one way or the other; it is left with the authorities to look at it and try to see how it can be resolved. It is, however, unfortunate that our children have been at home because of the problems between ASUU and government. I thought that by now, the points made by both sides, the government can look into them. And I think that before now, it should have been sorted out. Hopefully, we are learning and all these issues will become a matter of history. I think about 10 years ago, in the whole of West Africa, we had problems. We had moved round the countries in the sub- Region and we found out that there were problems in the education sector and I don’t know if any one of you will know that during that period, most of our educational systems went down. They were grounded because they had misunderstanding. Some countries have been able to find a solution and I am also very sure that Nigeria will find a solution to all this crisis.”

On how insurgency can be curbed before 2023, the General stated thus; “Well, security is everybody’s business. Unfortunately, among the citizenry, there are people who are aiding and abetting the criminals in the polity. Unfortunately, these are monsters, unpatriotic Nigerians who have become informants to the people perpetrating the insecurity in this country. I pray and I hope that these people will retrace their steps and desist from the unwholesome practice. Now, when we are talking of insecurity, we know that our security outfits are overstretched. So we need to recruit more security personnel, equip them and, as much as possible, try to give them information that will help them to overcome the challenges we are having in the country.  So, my advice is that people, as much as possible, should try to assist the security agencies with information that will assist our security personnel in securing our country.”