Popular US-based Nigerian social critic, Ikhide Ikheloa is a known voice in the call for a better Nigeria has come out to bare his mind on the forthcoming general election, stating that if he is forced to make a decision, he would readily pick incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over general Muhammdu Buhari of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking in an interview with Stanley Azuakola of The Scoop, Ikheloa termed the APC as the PDP with another name, saying there was not much to differentiate between both parties.
The highly opinionated activist, popular for his spirited commentary on Facebook and Twitter, and his blog, touched on several issues including corruption, the forthcoming election among others.
Read excerpts of the interview below:
1. I take it that you won’t be voting in next month’s elections, but if you were in Nigeria and voting was compulsory, who would you go for among the contenders?
The greatest fraud perpetrated by public intellectuals is that there are only two choices in Nigeria’s presidential elections, the PDP and the APC. Sadly millions of Nigerians seem to have bought into the lie and now in their heads, they feel that they are faced with choosing between two criminal enterprises, the PDP and the APC. The last time I checked, there are at least a dozen political parties vying for Aso Rock.
To answer your question, if I had to choose it would be neither the APC nor the PDP, I would waste my vote on any one of the other contestants. Now, if someone puts a gun to my head and forces me to choose between the APC and the PDP, I would choose the PDP and go throw up afterwards. The day will not come when I would vote for the APC. I have self-respect.
2. Why?
The APC is the PDP with a different acronym; it is just as corrupt and immoral as the PDP, if not more. The myth that electing the APC into power would signal positive change for Nigerians is just that – a myth. And her leaders have added lying and Photoshop tricks to their bag of odious tricks. How they have handled the issue of General Muhammadu Buhari’s whereabouts in London and his health status speaks volumes for their character and lack of integrity. They have shown that they have no respect for Nigerians. They take us for granted. Anyone that dares question them gets abused and mauled.
What is really sad is that the PDP under President Goodluck Jonathan, thanks to Olusegun Obasanjo’s narcissistic machinations has been a plague on Nigeria; that party really needs to go. However, the notion that the alternative is the APC, the party of odious characters like Bola Ahmed Tinubu is outrageous beyond the telling of it.
We are stuck between the APC and the PDP, between an incompetent and corrupt party – and an incompetent and corrupt party. I refuse to choose between the devil and Satan. Listen, it doesn’t matter, which party wins, we are going to be miserable, so why bother?
Which leads me to my main point: We need a conversation on what to do about this farce, this democracy without accountability. It is expensive and unsustainable at every level. And it is clearly broken. Imagine the fiasco if INEC had conducted elections on February 14, they were clearly unprepared. The process is clearly compromised, the army is dictating things because that thieving outfit prefers their buffoon in Aso Rock. Things are not going to end well; we are hurtling towards a bad place and our talking heads are bleating “Change!” Change, bawo?
3. There is a school of thought which argues that even if the APC just like the PDP is not a party of saints, defeating an incumbent will send a loud message and force the party that wins to act right, knowing that the same fate can befall it in 4 years time?
I am almost persuaded by that argument except that it is a clever afterthought by the voltrons of the APC to stem the relentless onslaught of alleged fence-sitters. The distinction between the APC and the PDP is a distinction without a difference. Forgive us for refusing to choose between the devil and Satan.
4. As a respected intellectual, lots of young people take your viewpoints very seriously and watch out for your endorsements. Why do you dislike the APC so much?
We do not have an opposition; we have ravenous boll weevils itching to take over from ferocious termites My contempt for the APC is not personal. The party does represent all that is bad about Nigeria’s failed leadership. Her leaders are corrupt, they lie repeatedly and are disrespectful of Nigerians and it does not help that several of them are swindlers and convicted felons in countries that respect the rule of law.
I say to young people, Nigerians whose present and future have been looted and stolen by our generation of looters and unprincipled intellectuals, instead of bleating, “Sai Buhari” at those who raped your dreams, you should be chanting, “Say what???” and chasing the APC and PDP down the streets with pitchforks! You don’t owe them anything. They owe you. Man up and stop being grateful to your traducers! I say, stop listening to compromised public intellectuals who are in the payroll of your traducers. Many of them are paid to lull you to zombie-dom with their bull crap. Wake up. And think. For yourself.
What is happening to APC the hapless “opposition” is that just like the evil people inhabiting Aso Rock, they lack credibility. No one believes them, because they are criminals and thugs. And liars, like their friends in the PDP. We have every right to hold them accountable and I personally hold the APC to higher standards than the PDP – because they are the opposition and they claim that they are what they are not – change agents against corruption.
5. Supporters of APC candidate, Buhari, point to his alleged incorruptibility as the chief reason for their support. What do you make of that argument, considering some of the characters who currently surround him?
Those who say Buhari is not corrupt are either ignorant of history or are simply being, like the APC, economical with the truth. If Buhari is not corrupt, it is because he allowed acolytes to do the dirty job. Buhari is actually worse than corrupt; he is a brute, a painful reminder of a past no right thinking Nigerian wants to remember, one who is intellectually incurious and dishonest and a lazy leader who is averse to real work. In the past three decades he has nothing to show for all the time he has been away from office. This is the same man that claimed loudly that Abacha is not a corrupt man. If he abhors corruption he certainly has a strange way of showing it. His entire campaign is being bankrolled by loot from Tinubu, Atiku and Rotimi Amaechi.
6. Still on corruption, let’s look at the incumbent. His opponents have pointed out to what they describe as his indifference and likely active involvement in corrupt practices as reasons for their aversion to his candidacy. Do you believe that Pres. Jonathan has waged a good war against corruption in his time as president?
Let me clear about this: President Goodluck Jonathan is unfit to be president of any nation. He is most likely corrupt in addition to being a bumbling and clueless leader. In addition he has shown a terrifying indifference to moral and ethical standards in his relationship and open courting of known criminals. He is an embarrassment as a leader. There is no defending him when it comes to corruption. His regime is almost as corrupt as that of Obasanjo, the man responsible for our appalling condition.
We need a change, from the PDP, absolutely. But then, Nigerians deserve better than the present pretend-opposition. In particular, millions of beautiful Nigerian youths deserve a joyful present and future. These youths who believe in the APC deserve to be treated with respect. They have stood by the APC through thick and thin. In return, they are being fed lies as if they are the clueless horses of Animal Farm. They are being taken to the cleaners and the knackers. Just to be clear: I identify with the ideals and aspirations of millions of young Nigerians who dream of exactly the life afforded the children of the rulers of my generation who are here abroad with us in real schools and enjoying real institutions of health, safety and security. They want change, meaningful change and they are not going to get it come March regardless of the outcome. Two thieves will simply conclude their battle – for now. Our young ones will be heartbroken – again.
7. You’re a doting father who continuously expresses love for your kids even on social media. What did you make of the abduction of the Chibok girls and Nigeria’s response to that tragic incident?
Well, I took it personally. In my community, I attended a vigil organized by young people and I was moved by how they had become a global symbol for the vulnerability of the young generation. I was on BBC with Dr. Reuben Abati along with many other activists asking the administration hard questions. The government’s response is a scandal in itself. In a real county, the entire cabinet would have resigned.
8. No matter who wins in the coming month, would you accept an offer to return to Nigeria and occupy an appointed role in government?
Nope. Why are you asking me anyway, shebi you people said I am already in the payroll of the PDP? Rude children!
9. Are you hopeful about a violence-free outcome after the general elections?
Nope. I am afraid. Very afraid. I think that Nigeria is hurtling towards a very bad place, to the chants of ‘Sai Buhari!” Democracy without accountability has created demons out of our rulers. They are not going to give up without a fight. The military has also injected itself inappropriately into the elections. It is a recipe for a very violent disaster. Yes, we are suffering from a combination of rank incompetence, rank corruption and inchoate institutions. We must stop the bullcrap and do the hard work of building strong institutions. How do you build strong institutions? By agitating and demanding it – and supporting those who do. It has become part of our culture to take the easy route out. Since the early 90′s many of us have been in the trenches demanding progress and action. Imagine if our latter day change agents had joined the chorus, imagine that. But each time we try to hold someone or an institution accountable our people look the other way. Nigeria is what happens when people are not invested in making real change happen.
We have arrived at a very uncomfortable and dangerous place because for 16 years – after the prodemocracy struggle, the opposition simply moved to occupy the seats of the enemy and proceed to be the enemy – despite spirited calls from many of us for structural change. I am not happy doing and saying these things about the APC and her leaders, many of these people are my compatriots and personal friends. The data is there. Please go check out the records at the National Assembly, since 1999, the opposition party has colluded with the main party in unanimous opposition to the wishes and aspirations of the people. And our intellectual elite have been complicit in this farce.
10. Thank you Pa. Ikhide for your time
Thanks.
