Chief John Odigie – Oyegun, National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in this interview with TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI and OLUWATONI THOMAS, speaks on the financial mismanagement allegations leveled against him by some party members. The former Governor of Edo state also explains why he desires a second term for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and other issues of national interest. Excerpts:

A former Minister of Information and chieftain of the party, Tony Momoh said though you are doing well in running the affairs of the party, the party is in dire need of funds because Governors are not funding the party. What do you think is responsible for this?

I am not quite clear what he meant by Governors donating or funding the party. What the governor or any major supporter does is to bring his friends together, solicit for funds and then move those funds to the party. A governor can donate from his own personal resources but this is the Buhari administration and we have just come out from a disastrous PDP administration where government became an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), a situation whereby government funds are diverted into politics. That will not and cannot happen under this administration and that is what is going on today.

So, the party therefore has to be innovative in raising its own funds. We have concluded all the arrangements, put the machineries in motion. We now get regular contributions in the executive arm of government, meaning government or political appointees. We get from the senate, we also get from the House of Reps and we have concluded online arrangements to get from the generality of membership all over the country. Every member will now have to pay the sum of N100 only per month as a member. And if at the end of one year there are members who do not pay at all, then they are automatically delisted. For any member of the party to be qualified to vote or be voted for, you must have valid membership credentials, which includes paid up membership. So, the party is set and running. It has taken time to fine-tune, particularly the membership drive nationwide and we have to take the general educational level in the rural areas into consideration and of course, since it is a low level of cash but cumulatively amounting into a lot of money, we have to design a system that is fool proof as possible. That is being rolled out in another month and then the party will be relatively better off but of course, this does not obviate the need for well-off members to also help the party when major events are coming up.

But the reports everywhere right now are that the party is in huge financial crisis; salaries are being owed and you are unable to meet other financial obligations. How true is this?

The reality is that yes, we have had difficulties on paying salaries once or twice. That is normal in the situation we are in. People are missing the point. The Buhari administration will not touch one kobo of government funds for political purposes. So, the party, like any other institution will have to raise funds. Occasionally, we don’t get all the funds that we require to meet all our commitments but things are improving on a daily basis and very soon, all these will be things of the past.

Recently, some members of your party threatened to petition the EFCC over alleged financial mismanagement. They said the party leadership cannot account for the billions of naira it made during the 2015 general elections through sale of nomination forms. They claimed that you shouldn’t be talking of inability to pay salaries two years after if the money was judiciously spent. What do you make of this?

That shows they are not real party men. The party had a mini- convention which costs a lot of money. The party contributed to the presidential election. The party also funded the presidential primaries in Lagos held at the Teslim Balogun stadium which cost a lot of money. The party organised the primaries that produced candidates for all our governorship and senatorial seats all over this nation. All of that cost money. Not only that, we have rendered audited accounts, both to the structures of the party, that is the NEC and also to INEC. So, there is no problem about how the party’s funds are being spent. Anybody who is in doubt can come and pick up a copy of our audited accounts.

Many Nigerians have criticised you for saying you will beg President Buhari to seek re-election in the 2019 general election. Given his state of health, don’t you think it is best to advise the president to rest so as to attend to his health?

This is a free country. I have my views and I have expressed them. Why do I say so? I said so because the main gift President Buhari is giving to this country is what he represents and that is his absolute integrity. What Nigerians should aspire to be, the kind of country that we want Nigeria to be. a country where a man’s yes is his yes. A country with leadership that treats with respect public resources, a nation that is disciplined; a nation that is not wallowing in indecent corruption that we have today that is making one ashamed, that is what Buhari represents. He is like a General leading a charge against the major ills of this country. The job is so enormous that one term cannot do it. The job is so enormous that two terms cannot do it. Even after President Buhari’s tenure, we still need people like him to continue in office. So, my prayer is that God gives him robust good health and once he enjoys that, of course as an individual, I will work that he comes back for another term. But those things are in the hands of God because we are not God and we cannot play God. I am only saying that because of the enormity of the task that we are facing. When we talk of change, a lot of people talk about physical change. The main one is the change in the mentality and ethics of Nigerians, especially the attitude of Nigerians to right and wrong. So, the task is enormous and we need continuity in principled leadership which President Buhari represents.

http://independent.ng/eight-years-not-enough-for-buhari-to-fix-nigeria-odigie-oyegun/

EVEN 30 YEARS NO GO BE ENOUGH FOR THE OLDIE TO REMEDY NIGERIA

this,we know that voted him......fee dee fee had 16years to mess up nigeria....in 2years,,,...realy??..

apc needs double of 16years to repair the rot....

when things are getting worst when will he start fixing it ? AD.

Even 72 years won't be enough for him to do it going by what he is doing at the moment.
He is damn too slow joor.

Ose, I don't want to talk to you anyhow.

How can someone that is struggling to digest food fix Nigeria? He's just not strong or hale enough to fix Nigeria.

Shuo.

divinehand2003:
Even 72 years won't be enough for him to do it going by what he is doing at the moment.
He is damn too slow joor.

what do you expect him to do in a pseudo democratic system??....

no chance....

everywere hiding money...none of you igbos is condeming jonathan...none...

but una want to condem a muslim that is trying to repair the rot...

lso

I think 32 yrs will be enough, he can start getting advice from Mugabe

What is he fixing?

He's fixing his children and inlaw

He's fixing people like Oyegun!

As far as Nigeria is concerned, he's not fixing anything