Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Institute of Human Virology, Associate Professor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Patrick Dakum, in this interview with Blessing Adimabua, speaks on a range of issues, including why he returned to APC, and other issues. Part:
Recently, Nigeria celebrated 65 years as an independent nation. At the age of sixty-five, what is your opinion of Nigeria?
For me, Nigeria at the age of 65 is moving past adolescence and adolescence and moving towards becoming a young adult. I am saying this in comparison to other countries. If you look at America two hundred and close years old and comparatively look at the development of Nigeria and the development of a place like America, let's go back to ask what America was like when it was an independent nation sixty-five years old and let's compare. I'm not saying we should be where we are, but we can move forward from where we are. However, instead of complaining about the past, we should look forward to the coming years of restoration and I think we are at the stage where we will lay the foundation for more sustainable development and greater human development. So, at the age of sixty-five in Nigeria, adolescence is over and let's begin the real match into adulthood.
Last May 29, Nigeria celebrated twenty-six years of uninterrupted democratic journey. What is your Opinion?
For me, it is a huge milestone in the sense that if we look back and say we will still be a democracy after twenty years, no one will agree with it because people will say let's try it, but for me, I think celebrating so many years of uninterrupted democracy just shows that we are maturing. Even in democracy Nigeria's difficult teenage years are beginning to end and now very few people will say, we hope the military will come back and they want more politicians to behave in line with the will of the people and if that is the case then the people demand accountability at all levels and once we start to see that as we are seeing now we are close to adulthood. So, for me it is a congratulation to Nigeria and Nigerians for many uninterrupted years of democracy and a determination to say that we have learned some things; Let's start implementing those things into the adulthood phase of our democracy.
A few days ago, you joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). Why?
I would not call this the disintegration of the All Progressives Congress (APC); I will call it a return to APC because remember I was in the All Progressives Congress and remember I was also a governorship aspirant in APC but as a result of some things that some of us felt could have been done better, we decided to move to a different place rather than being a clog in the wheel of the party and that way we are not a hindrance to anyone's desire to achieve some things within the party and we parted ways. Now, we have a reason to come back and for those reasons we decided to come back to APC where we used to be.
What were the reasons that made you come back to APC specifically?
Well, for me, there are two main reasons, the first reason is that I see economic changes happening. I see changes happening in the health sector, the educational sector and I saw it as a development expert, I saw that these are sustainable things that took other countries more time to do than us and so, if we are going in this direction, I believe there is now a foundation on which others can build, and credit is given to someone who laid the foundation in a different place and it worked within a period of time. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President of Nigeria laid a foundation in Lagos and if you look at it, the economic leap of Lagos State was more during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State and so, if there is someone who is a builder then I see him currently going in that direction and it is working and things are starting to get easier and once things start getting easier for me as a medical doctor, the healing is coming and so, when the total There will be treatment then we need to make more efforts and then the economic boom will start. So, number one is what is the President doing in terms of sustainable development; Number two for me, especially in Plateau State, the President has a national chairman who is a unifier and remember I stood against the National Chairman of APC during the last governorship primary in Plateau State and remember after the primary looking for reconciliation the one person who was following me to my house was Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilawatada and at that time I said no and let's give him space so that we don't hurt each other and so I Moved to the Labor Party and immediately thereafter we never stopped building relationships with each other and over time I saw in him someone who would unify and bring the stability to APC that we so need to move forward. So, for me, number two, reason is the fact that we have a national chairman who can bring us together and of course there are many stakeholders who have already demonstrated the fact that tomorrow is not today and today is a different day for APC in Plateau State. And the leader of the APC in Plateau State is the distinguished senator, His Excellency Simon Bako Lalong and since I started taking steps to come back, he has provided all support and other stakeholders have shown me other attributes to see that if I come back I will not be seen as a second class citizen. We have people like His Excellency, Joshua Chibi Dariye, Paulen Talen and others who are committed to a united party and so why not come to a place where there is a conducive environment to advocate for the development of your community.
So, are you saying in your perception that the APC government under the leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu has performed well in the last two years?
I will give the status of a government which has laid an excellent foundation for excellent development, as a government which is doing good work for the development of the country.
Nigerians have been facing security challenges in recent years and times. What do you think should be done to fight this menace of banditry, kidnapping and to a large extent lack of religious harmony?
You know, there are a lot of things that experts have talked about and discussed. Non-dynamic issues such as continuously working in community relations, ensuring that livestock are incorporated in modern ways; So that, there are no shepherds roaming everywhere to divert attention. But remember that one of the important things is the fact that once you do those non-kinetic measures you should also use kinetic measures for the offenders that are within the different targets. You have criminals among the herdsmen, and you have people who use religion to promote evil, but I must say that we must identify the criminals and treat them as criminals and so the dynamic aspect of the peace equation must be fully addressed. The second thing that must be done is that there must be judges. For example, I am coming from a village which has been invaded and occupied by people and if I do not return back to my village, there will always be a fight between my children and my great grandchildren until they get our village back. So, the question is who has claimed that space that other people belong to and let's come together and return things back to them. There are peaceful ways to talk about it; Therefore, there should be a place to seek justice for those who are not in their ancestral homes. So, don't think that there are no real residents of the plateau who want trouble.
If there is a crisis you cannot carry on with your social and economic life, but all that being said a good part or ninety percent of the plateau is peaceful because people can come to the plateau now. You can go to Jos and other cities; The road is full and the plateau is a destination of peace and tourism. In some places there are clashes and things happen that are inappropriate but we know that most of the places are places that you can leave and live your life
Interests in Plato's APC are divided over Governor Caleb Mutfuwang joining the party. What is your reaction?
I think the issue of joining APC or not joining the party lies in the corridors of the party officials. I have no opinion regarding whether the Governor will come or not. All I know is that I came to APC and I will advance the interest of the party and if party officials have reason to say no, they will outline it and so, I as an individual have no opinion related to that. My opinion is that everyone should pursue their political career in areas in which they feel comfortable and acceptable. If he is going to come, he will meet the leadership of APC and negotiate with them and if they agree, he will come but if they do not agree then I know it will be a futile effort. You can go and interview all the governors who attended; I believe there have been a lot of background conversations that we are not aware of. So, for me, I will contribute to development in my ward, APC and at the state level and in my local government and at the national level. I will contribute to the development of the party because I believe that through the party we can develop our people.
Is it true that APC lured you back to the party to contest for the governorship in 2027?
I don't know where the rumor is coming from but I have told you the reason why I and people from the same political camp in the Labor Party came back to APC. None of us had any agenda, other than the issue of Patrick Dakum becoming governor. No, that's not a reason to come back. Our reason is to come back and support the party and whoever the party decides will be the candidate and if they ask me to be the director general or a member of any committee of the campaign, I will do that. So, we are here because if we participate in any of the party activities and when the cake breaks, they will share it with us and give it to us to give to our community and I will go there to work for my community. I will go there and advocate for jobs and projects for my people and community and you know if I am not in APC and the party is in government both at the state and federal level; If I ask anything they will tell me that it is not our part, let us listen to ourselves first. But now, I am part of the party and if anything is needed for my village, I will go there and ask. Therefore, the rumor that I have returned to the party to contest for the governorship in 2027 is not true.
A few weeks ago, America had declared Nigeria a 'country of special concern'. What is your Opinion?
Well, my view is that I don't know the details of the implication, but I think if the implication is that there will be resources that will be used to provide more support to the government to fight terrorism, then that's good because people are being killed right, left and centre. There are massacres that target a large portion of Christians, and there are massacres that target a large portion of Muslims. So, the souls that are being killed are precious souls before God, whether that soul is Christian or Muslim, God cares for everyone; Therefore, he would not want anyone to be killed unjustly and hence, if the US government will come to help us, then they are welcome. So, let us accept it with open arms and work together, but above all, if there are resources both in kind and in cash that will be provided to the government to help solve the problem and will be monitored to see that it is used for that purpose, then I have no problem with that.
Lastly, what is your advice to Nigerians and the people of Plateau State as 2027 is fast approaching?
Whoever runs at any level in 2027, everything is in God's hands and as long as we work in peace with each other, God's will will be manifested at all levels and so, pay attention to whoever you are running with or against, remember that he is your brother and sister. And if we are going to do that peacefully, lovingly, with concern for each other, it will lead to an outcome that will advance democracy and bring better development.
