Every Nigerian in distress except those stealing money – Utomi

Did I say anything like they commenced a merger? People are creating their narratives. I said we are trying to build a real political party. In the process of the building, I have had the opportunity to talk with each of these candidates and the process of building a party is ongoing and not a merger. One thing that I know is wrong is that I have seen the merger before that brought about the APC and look at where it has brought Nigeria.

The problem is that Nigerian politics has been left in the domain of interest of individuals who are politicians, and they couple together a convenient arrangement that will make them win elections and they forget what political parties are supposed to reel out and how political parties build ideas that solve society’s problems. So, my idea is that we will begin from the get-go to build the party and then talk with everybody; all Nigerians, including these leaders if they feel that they fit into the ideology, the values, and the operational national strategy for development that this our platform will offer, they can join and become part of it. As I said, I have had conversations with these particular people, and they are open to the idea.

Won’t this new party have the same structure as other existing political parties?

It is completely different. These other parties are not political parties. They are private business enterprises by few people, though they incorporate certain elements and use them as a tool of politics for securing power and eventual state capture.

But there have been situations where a new party is created, and people defect to the new party. Are you expecting such to happen with your new party?

This is why we are trying to define what the party is about and what it stands for, so that those who are coming are doing so because they subscribe to those things not because they are bringing a structure to come and look for transactions. Nigeria is left prostrate by such transactions. What we need are leaders. People who believe in Nigeria, in the idea of this particular political party and social movement, and this will be the particular basis for engagement.

Are you not concerned that the proposed political party may be hijacked by powerful political gladiators from other political parties? 

I am not concerned at all because we can learn from what has happened in the past so that we don’t get to that point.

Are you confident that this new political party will unseat the APC in 2027?

I don’t care whether the APC is on the seat or out of the seat. That is not the purpose of my involvement. Who is governing Nigeria? Nigeria is currently run as a ship. So, let’s get Nigeria governed whether it is by APC, UTC, or whatever. Let’s get Nigeria governed; that’s what matters.

With the current situation, especially since other political parties have debunked the merger claims, do you think any merger is possible with other political parties ahead of 2027?

I am not in a position to predict what is possible with other political parties. Anything is possible.

While reacting to a report, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, boasted that no party, including any coalition, would be able to unseat the APC in 2027. What do you make of that?

Can we have a serious discussion? Did APC win in 2023? Please, let’s have a conversation.

If APC didn’t win and we have the APC government currently, are you not concerned that we may have the same situation in 2027?

Nigerian journalists are too obsessed with elections rather than governing. What we are trying to build is a platform to affect how Nigerians are governed, not a platform to win elections. If that platform is appropriate, the effect will be felt from next week, not Election Day. We want to provide a clear way of how to govern Nigeria effectively. And what that person said is something I have heard every day. You don’t expect me to take those kinds of comments seriously. Modernity and democracy come together at a point of rational public conversation, and that is not a significant thing.

So, it has to be ignored as part of the individual propaganda of Nigerian politics. We need serious people to discuss serious issues as they affect the lives of Nigerians who are living in the worst times. Most times, the question I get to ask is are you better off today than you were four years ago? Every generation expects a generation that will allow it to have a better life. Nigeria’s emerging GEN-Z is having a worse life than their grandfathers had. They have a moral obligation to ask their grandfathers questions about why they ruined their future.

You said it doesn’t matter the party that governs Nigeria, how would you describe the current situation in the country as led by the APC government?

What I know is that most people I run into are in distress. I have to struggle to buy fuel and shout at the driver when the fuel is empty from the tank. I say, ‘Come, my friend, when did we enter the filling station last? Why is the tank empty?’ Everybody is facing this situation except those who are stealing money.