Public Office Is Not A Traditional Stool, Halima Alfa Charges Politicians

Barrister (Dr) Halima Alfa is a leading Aspirant for the Eastern Senatorial Seat of Kogi State. A renowned and experienced politician who has carved a niche for herself in both state and national assignments, the able and trusted woman mobilizer speaks with selected newsmen in Lokoja, Kogi state seat of power. SECURITY MONITOR’s Ola Simon was there where the erudite multi-talented professional bears her mind on issues affecting Eastern Senatorial seat. She particularly described as “tragedy of errors the system that produced the current occupier of the seat”. The foremost woman politician in Kogi state however gives her assessment of the Buhari led administration and the call to support politics that is gender balanced.

Meeting you for the very first time, how would you describe who you are?

Well, I have repeated my background each time I granted interview to newsmen, particularly when they interviewed me about my life’s history as well as my journey into political scene in the country. At various times, I have mentioned that I was born into a humble background in Idah to the family of Alhaji Kadir Obaka and Hajiah Awawu Kadir in the late fifties, nineteen fifty nine precisely. In fact I was young when imarried but I had never rested on my oars. I have been pursuing knowledge passionately believing that education is the bedrock of the society and the only thing that can save us from the shackles and cleavages of nature.

I worked with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and at a point, I resigned and went back to school. I was a nurse and I rose to the level of Assistant Chief Nursing Officer in (NNPC). I worked for a span of just ten years and went back to school to study law and to the glory of God today, I am a Barrister of law. I have also attained my doctorate degree in law from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. In the course of history, I have been in and out of both state and national politics. In the state, I was made the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry during the era of our renowned and veteran politician of blessed memory, Prince Abubarka Audu. When I left his administration, opportunity came at the national level and I became the National Financial Secretary of the All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP). That was when I had a string with the current President, Rtd. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. I was one of his very close allies. We went round the whole country during that time. I was the only woman that went round the whole country with him. Though we had women around, majority of them were going sectional, I mean sector by sector. I accompanied him to every nooks and crannies and there was a day we were coming from Calabar in the night around one a.m and there was turbulence in the air. I was a bit scared and apprehensive. President Buhari started cracking jokes to make me relax. I would never forget the memory until the end of my life. He said I was ‘the she who is he among us’ meaning, a woman with the doggedness of a man. He promised to make me the Minister of aviation if he emerged as the president. I know it was because of what we are passing through. Today, it is history I will continue to cherish. Of course president Buhari emerged due to prevailing challenges Nigeria was facing as at then. Critical among those factors includes the tension created by PDP which renege its promise of producing a president from the North.

Second was the enormous challenges posed by insurgency resulting to the senseless killings in the North. As at then, key players in Nigeria political settings and majority of the people irrespective of party affiliations thought it wise to support an experienced Northerner with military background to address the situation. Top politicians from across the country defected to APC during the period and both President Buhari and Prince Audu of blessed memory emerged victorious in Kogi State. However, the joy of the victory was marred in Kogi by the demise of Prince Abubarka Audu. Governor Yahaya Bello however was imposed upon us. As a mother, I welcomed him because I believe in communal efforts towards achieving the best .I even convinced most of Audu’s political family to support him and they complied with the best of my knowledge. However, he was not forth coming in so many areas of our agreements and because of that, some of us have to turn back having sensed that the administration is heading for a rock due to the negligence of elders with sounds minds to offer the best in terms of advice. Am currently in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), am vying for the third or the fourth time, the other one was clear, in the year 2014, December 2014 to be precise, I was robbed off my victory despite having the highest vote. Attai Aidoko who is now the so called Senator, I don’t want to refer to him as a distinguished fellow because he is not distinguished in any meaning of the word ‘distinction’. You don’t apply distinction to anybody. He has never won any election in his life. He always go trough the back doors, highjacking ballot boxes, using guns and bringing thugs into the system. Certainly now, we are up and doing as we approach another political era. Am again in the race under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), like I did the other time and because I was a victim of impunity and imposition of candidate without due process, I left the PDP and joined APC. However my political leader, in PDP Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, called us to embrace the party. When we returned to the party, we never gave conditions; we just joined as Party faithfuls and loyalist. I mean with sincerity to build a formidable opposition that is marketable to the public to unseat the APC led administration that is fast becoming unpopular due to its anti peoples policy, entrenchment of poverty, intimidation, double standard anti corruption crusade and gross human right violations. The party started building towards the convention; there was this rowdiness of who becomes our National Chairman. We have a host of interest especially from the South West, but Chief Uche Secondus emerged as our Chairman. After his inauguration Chief Secondus embarked on series of actions that were pleasing to the party men. He called a meeting and apologized to Nigerians on behalf of the party, over the negligence of internal democracy in the last elections. He said the party is a renewed and rebranded PDP. We are very happy with the development. If we can’t change where we are coming from, we can most certainly change our direction. PDP is indeed the largest opposition party we have currently in Nigeria. We can’t underestimate the numbers of political office holders it has produced since the inception of democracy in Nigeria. That is why the party has once more become a bride that is attracting key players in Nigeria political setting.

You are on the National T.V sometimes ago in company of some politicians to raise issues pertaining to your party. What necessitated that?

When I appeared on the television last time, I was with a group of the National Assembly aspirants to register our grievances against the rumor that the Party will offer automatic tickets to some Aspirants particularly serving senators who defected to PDP and those who are currently serving. Though it was rumored, logicality demanded that we should verify issues at the apex of the Party particularly when some politicians have started discouraging those who whish to contest for Senatorial seat to bury their ambition claiming that the Party had resolved to give automatic tickets to serving senators. Well, the National Chairman has affirmed that there will be strict compliance to the electoral laws and the Party’s Constitution. He maintained that the rule of law will not be sidelined which means people will still go through the necessary process to emerged.

Looking at the Kogi East Senatorial District, information reaching us indicates that the current serving senator from the area wants to re-contest. (Cuts in)

There is an issue I vehemently want to communicate here, particularly in Kogi East Senatorial District. For God sake if an individual is given opportunity to serve in the House of Representatives for eight years and in senate for another eight years, is that not enough. Sixteen solid years, that is enough to achieve a long term plan. If politics gives equal opportunities to all and somebody clench a position for such a lengthy period, when will others get the opportunity? Is it a traditional stool? You don’t have to die in office, let other people emerge. With that, there will be basis to juxtapose between those who performed credibly well and those who messed up the system. Currently in the East now, Attai Aidoko has been scheming to manipulate his way back to the senate the third time. Such a person needs no manipulation if he has delivered and earned the trust of the people. All he needs are the electorates, the masses he claimed to represent. Why is he always afraid? Why does he always like to go through the back door? The reasons are not far-fetched. He has never provided any dividends of democracy to the people. The level of social vices is very high; previously our youths are never known to be harm robbers or kidnappers. Situations forced them to embrace things that are alien to us. When I was young, we can leave our doors opened without being scared of thieves, we are hospitable people with passion to shield and protect visitors. Sadly however, we are fast lossing those intrinsic values that distinguished us as Igalas. If Attai Aidoko has been performing like other Senators, we would have applauded him for a job well done. Our youths will never embrace social vices but he always encourages it. The youths are waiting for him because they have understood the game. I am an ideal woman, married to an Ankpa man. I want to tell you that the spirit of Inikpi is in me. I want to implore Igala people to try a woman this time. I am sure by the grace of God, all the vices and tension introduced into politics in Igala land will be erased. We will collectively focus on how to build the Igala nation of our dream.

Looking at your chances and the level of consultations so far, how would you rate Peoples’ opinion about you?

As for the people, I will say I have been overwhelmingly received and I am proud to say that they have confidence in my ability to lobby for their interest. Right from 2015, I was voted for overwhelmingly, the youths, the women, men, everybody wants me but the few elites jeopardised my chance. The elites have seen the situation and would not allow the East to remain stagnant. With collective efforts, my chances are very bright.

No doubt, PDP is currently in the opposition, can you ‘beat your chest’ that the Party will ensure internal democracy in its primaries?

What the Party will do is what Chief Secondus has told the world. PDP is now a rebranded party. If there is no imposition, there is internal democracy, if the rules of laws are observed, there is internal democracy, if party Constitution is followed, there is internal democracy and the Party will wax stronger and stronger. What we want actually now is strict compliance to the principles of democracy. It must reflect in all the party’s elections so that the people will elect who they want to represent them at the various cadres.

If given the mandate to represent the constituency, what specific areas will you concentrate on?

Like I always say, I bleed from my heart each time I looked into various opportunities that have eluded us. What I will do differently is many because critical areas for the establishment of future progress have been neglected. First and foremost, we have three federal axes, the three axes during my time; will constantly witness a town hall meeting. It will be happening in Idah, Anyigba, the headquarter of Bassa as well as Ankpa, the headquarter of that flank. People will begin to experience a form of participatory governance. They will begin to identify their own problems and brainstorm on the best way to address them. In the National Assembly, I will associate myself with one hundred and eight Senators and that means one hundred and nine contacts around Nigeria. With good relationship with the President, members of the National Assembly and Ministers, much can be achieved by the grace of God.

Looking at the elections in Nigeria, particularly few ones that have been conducted so far, would you say the violence and Commercialization of the process won’t affect the chances of the PDP?

You can see that the last visit of both British Prime Minister, Theresa May and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, emphasized on the need for a credible election. Similarly, some international observers have identified the flash point like Kano, Kaduna, Ekiti and even Kogi as areas that are prone to election violence. As far as am concerned and with the integrity ascribed to Buhari, I believe he will summon stakeholders particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and security agencies to order. Look at what happened to the former boss of the Department of State Services, Mohammed Daura, the brigandage displayed by the overzealous security men who invaded the National Assembly caused us a national embarrassment. International observers condemned Ekiti election due to the monetisation of the process as well as the unnecessary tension created by security agencies. Such development spells doom for Nigeria democracy. INEC should stand firm in defence of its mandate by shifting the ballot boxes few yards away from the electorates. Buhari should protect his integrity by ensuring a credible election and avoid the desperacy of the cabals that are interested in dragging his name into the mud. He should earn the respect given to Mandela and leaders who are not beclouded by influence of power. Even President Jonathan was applauded for his peaceful disposition towards the outcome of the previous election. With all these observations and imputes, Nigeria will grow democratically.

Women and the previous thirty- five percent affirmation given to them in political offices, how effectively have they utilized it, perfectly or low?

We can’t say women are performing low in politics. We constitute a chunk of the total vote cast during elections but women rarely contest for elective positions. This is partly due to the society we found ourselves, the religion we practice, the level of education and the perception of the majority that believe that women are meant for domestic purposes. Nevertheless, some of us are just emerging based on merit. When we get there, we will make sure that women get better chances in politics. Sometimes ago, Senator Biodun Olujimi from Ekiti South, tried her best through her recommendations for constitutional provision to enable women have appreciable representation at both upper and lower house. Because she is a lone voice, her suggestions were not given the attention they deserved. Such noble idea involves lobbying and the more women we have right there, the better. In some countries like Rwanda, Britain, Germany and so on, women have equal chance to emerge victoriously in elections. In fact in Rwanda, it is fifty- fifty approach. In Nigeria, we have women who have distinguished themselves in their careers. Look at Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, a renowned financial guru. There are many more to celebrate. God willing, when we get there we will work towards achieving better chances for women.