Mustapha Audu: APC will lose Kogi if Yahaya Bello gets the ticket

My name is Prince Mustapha Mona Audu. I am the sixth child of late Prince Abubakar Audu and the fifth son. I studied Computer Science (Software Engineering) at the University of Glasgow. I graduated in 2005. I have been working as an entrepreneur since my return to Nigeria in 2006. I’m into real estates, agriculture, mining, sports and so on.

A lot of people believe that you’re only trying to ride on the popularity of your late father to become the governor. Is this true?

The greatest ever politician and leader in Kogi state is my father, Late Prince Abubakar Audu. He distinguished himself amongst his peers since his time as the governor. No one has reached his height or achieved his feat in Kogi state.

On the other hand, I have tried to distinguish myself in my chosen field. I have learnt a lot from him being under his tutelage, politically, for about fifteen years. And so, there is no way I can divorce the two. I am an Audu and he was a great leader but, I am my own man.

He has built a great foundation for me and not to take advantage of what he has done is a negative. If he was the greatest leader in Kogi state, then it means his son would have elements of his greatness. However, we are working tirelessly to achieve our goal knowing that it would not be an easy ride.

You are in the same party with the governor who is seeking a second term in office. How sure are you about clinching the party’s ticket?

The APC cannot afford to lose Kogi state. If the APC fields Governor Yahaya Bello either accidentally, by miracle or whatever means, the APC would lose Kogi state. The only way the APC can win in Kogi state is if I am the party’s flag bearer. Kogi state has an unfulfilled destiny and social contract between the APC and the people which is also unfulfilled. When I become the flag bearer and then the governor, these promises would be fulfilled.

How are sure about clinching the ticket of your party?

I am sure the APC wants victory and the party knows that the right way to victory is through us. I am sure because I am back by God and every well-meaning Kogite.

Everyone who knows what is good for Kogi state is aware that the current government is in charge of the highest rate of suicide the state has ever faced. The state government is in charge of non-payment of salaries of about 40-41 months. Kogi state is a complete disaster at the moment.

The fate of youths in Kogi state is also at stake. If we don’t get it right with the youths in Kogi state, no Nigerian can ever aspire for leadership position in this country because they will use Kogi state as the reference point for failure. That is why we are coming in to rescue the fate of Nigerian youths. A lot rests on our shoulders in Kogi state and the APC is aware.

You seem not to be on the same page with your governor. Why ispar so?

The APC does not stand for bad leadership. We do not stand for poor healthcare, infrastructure decay, non-payment of salaries and a whole lot of other negative things. We are here because of the need to provide great leadership, rescue our people and take them to the promise land. Where we are right now is far from it.

The state government says a lot has been achieved in the past three and half years of Bello’s leadership and he deserves a second term. Why do you want him out?

I am coming in because I was chosen by God. My people in Kogi state are undergoing the worst times of their lives. You must have heard the terrible stories of suicides and deaths in Kogi state due to non-payment of salaries. One of the pensioners in Ankpa told me that they have not been paid since the current governor came to office. One of his mates came to check at the pension office if he made the list. He died before he got back to the village. Another pensioner said he knows he is at the verge of death but he would take Yahaya Bello to God. This is the torture pensioners go through in Kogi state.

But, the Kogi state government says it is up to date with the payment of salaries and pensions. They are newspaper publications of the income and expenditure of the state under Governor Yahaya Bello.

[Laughs] Old folktales. Those are fallacies. It is like saying the cloud is red when in reality, it is a mere painting by an artist. It is not true. The views of those on the streets of Kogi state are different from what the governor and his aides claim. Go to the civil service, so many workers have been retrenched simply because the government does not want to pay them. Where is the infrastructure? Where are the schools? Where are the hospitals? They are non existent.

Prince Mona Mustapha Audu in an interview with Pulse senior news reporter, Goodness Adaoyiche. [Pulse] Prince Mona Mustapha Audu [Teddy Okwute] Pulse Nigeria

Some traditional rulers were at the Presidential Villa to endorse the current governor for a second term in office. Are you in any way threatened by the event of that day?

Of course not. It only shows the height of poverty in Kogi state. The traditional rulers are extremely hungry and for a slight inducement on N2.5 million they have forgotten that they are representatives of the people. They collected the money and made a terrible presentation to Mr President.

It is unfortunate that someone who claims that he is Mr President’s first son is being reintroduced by traditional rulers to Mr President. No one knows what they are doing in the Villa. They should be attending to matters in their constituency and the people are undergoing the worst times of their lives.

Again, the governor knows that his time is up and his days in office are limited. The good news is, we will take him in. We will take him in, forgive his sins as long as he is a good party man and take his days as governor as a learning curve because he made a lot of mistakes.

The governor seems to enjoy some level of support from the President. Why do think this is so? Do you also enjoy this support from the President and your party hierarchy both at the state and national levels?

President Buhari told the governor and traditional rulers during their visit that they should go back and convince their constituents to vote for the governor. Mr President told that that their solution and answer does not lie in his hands but that of the people. Mr President has said that he is not interested in anyone who wants to bring state issues to him, especially governors; that they should go back home and face the people. I can tell you that Yahaya Bello enjoys no support from Mr President.

God is making me up. I have spoken to Mr President on this matter. Yahaya Bello is of no consequence.

All politics, the say, is local. How close are you to your people, who are the real voters, back home?

I dare say that I am the only aspirant campaigning from door-to-door in Kogi state. I have tremendous experience in politics – Kogi politics especially. This would be my fifth Kogi state governorship election. I was in the crucible with my late dad in 2007 and 2008. In 2011, I propagated ACN door-to-door in nine local governments. In 2015, I propagated APC door-to-door in sixteen local governments. Since 2015, I have had a lot of philanthropic, charity, health, education drive where we have paid the school fees of thousands of indigenes in Kogi state especially in my local government. We have gone from village to village, door-to-door over the years; that has been my specialty. I can give you specific problems which we noticed and intend to solve when elected into office.

In Ibaji, for instance, where we have crude oil, there is an unfortunate situation there; it is next to the River Niger. There are lots of tsetse flies so there is river blindness which has become generationally transferable disease. Parents who were affected now transfer this problem to their children. A lot of gene mutation and if this is not tackled, it is a national disaster waiting to happen.

There is a communal clash between the Ebira and Bassange. They have been killing themselves for over a year now. The state government has made no effort to resolve this issue. We have been talking with them with aim of resolving same.

We are the closest to our people. We know the pulse of our people. We know the issues and we have plans to tackle every one of them.

If you get the APC ticket and get elected as governor of Kogi state, what will you do differently?

Our three main goals are human capital development, youth and women empowerment. This would help accelerate growth in all other sectors of the economy of Kogi state. We would create the enabling environment for business to thrive. This would create jobs, make our people more productive and improve their spending capacity.

We’ll establish real enterprises and real industries that would spur exponential growth in the youths. Sports and entertainment are industries that the youths can truly flourish. We would be focusing in that and many others.

We intend to be the first government to institute a 50 per cent affirmative action for women. This means that half of our cabinet, the entrepreneurs, boards would be led by women. We believe that the women of Kogi state are truly powerful and we need to recognise the essential roles they play in our families. We would be investing and encouraging the women of Kogi state for greatness.

Kogi lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye, is also contesting for the governorship position on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A few other big names have also declared their intentions to become the next governor of Kogi state. Does this bother you?

Senator Dino Melaye is a member of the PDP. The PDP has limited foothold in Kogi state. The only way the PDP can rise in Kogi state is by accidentally clinching the governorship seat. The APC knows that this is a disaster waiting to happen. My party, the APC, wants victory. That is why I am confident of becoming the flag bearer of my party. So, Melaye or any other parties and their candidates are not enough reasons for worry.