2015: Jonathan can’t win North –Junaid Mohammed

Second Republic federal law­maker and a Kano State dele­gate to the just-concluded Na­tional Conference, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, has declared that there was nothing on ground to show that President Goodluck Jonathan and his party, the PDP, could win the North, in next year’s presidential contest.

This is just as he declared that should the President and his party decide to rig the election, there would be violence of greater magnitude than what was wit­nessed after the 2011 presidential contest, in some parts of the North.
He made the declarations in a chat with Sunday Sun, last Thursday, from his Kano base.
Even though he restated that Sheikh Abubakar Gumi’s warning to Jonathan was not new, since he (Mohammed) and other Nigerians had given similar warn­ings in the past, the Russian-trained medi­cal doctor, however, believed that the cleric, was too “loud mouthed” to have dabbled into political issues, an area the Kano-born politician believed, he (Gumi) was not sufficiently schooled.
Hitting hard on Gumi, for daring to write an open letter to General Buhari (retd), not to run, the former federal law­maker said: “I don’t know what his basis was for that, because here is a man, who was outstanding in his military career, un­like Gumi, who joined the army and de­serted. If not in Nigeria, the likes of Gumi, should have been tied to the stake and shot dead, for deserting the army. I think he should keep his mouth shut. It was ir­responsible of him to have done that.
“Let me also warn that some of these big mouth clerics, like Gumi, should be wary of going into the field of politicians. I say so because sometimes, they tend to speak on behalf of the enemies of Nige­ria, who are outside the country. We do know some of them have links with the Wahabis in Kuwait and the Saudi Arabia government. And we know the sinister motives of the Saudi in financing some Islamic groups in the country. There is also the tendency for the Christian com­munity in Nigeria to read meanings into some of their utterances. Therefore, they must learn how to shut up their big mouths. Who is Gumi, apart from be­ing the son of his late father? Everybody is the son of his father after all? What is his pedigree? He is not a politician, he does not know politics, and therefore, he should keep his big mouth shut. Except if they are working for external forces, who are enemies of Nigeria. Otherwise, he has no business in politics, because he does not know it.”
He also described Tambu­wal’s defection as a clear signal that the North was not with Jonathan and the PDP. He also spoke on other issues of na­tional interest.
Excerpts:
What do you make of the warning to Jona­than by Sheikh Gumi not to run for the Pres­idency next year?
I think it is important to learn how to identify and isolate the messenger from the message. Gumi is merely repeating what Nigerians, who are interested in the unity of this country, have been warning against. It is what everybody knows. There­fore, it is incumbent upon us to separate the message from the messenger.
The crux of his letter to Jon­athan is not new. Recall that I said it last year, in my interview with you. With the way the man (Jonathan) is going, if he insists on running, he would just throw the country into avoidable mayhem.
Mark my words, it is not because there is anything to fear about Jonathan run­ning, but because there is everything to fear about his act of willful irresponsibil­ity. He cannot win a free and fair election. And to that extent, he is likely to impose himself on the country. And once that happens, then, you cannot wish away the specter of violence.
Why in your own view do you think there will be violence in the country, if Jonathan runs?
A man that has not performed well in office, but who is insisting he must con­tinue in office, simply because he feels he can circumvent whatever law that may pose obstacle to his running, is calling for nothing else but mayhem and violence. I repeat, if the PDP and Jonathan impose themselves on Nigerians, there will be bloodshed. I have said it before last year, and I am repeating it.
But the same Gumi has also advised Buhari not to run. What do you make of that?
I don’t know what his basis was for that, because here is a man, who was outstand­ing in his military career, unlike Gumi, who joined the army and deserted. If not in Nigeria, the likes of Gumi, should have been tied to the stake and shot dead, for deserting the army. I think he should keep his mouth shut. It was irresponsible of him to have done that.
Let me also warn that some of these big mouth clerics, like Gumi, should be wary of going into the field of politicians. I say so because sometimes, they tend to speak on behalf of the enemies of Nigeria, who are outside the country. We do know some of them have links with the Wahabis in Kuwait and the Saudi Arabia government. And we know the sinister motives of the Saudi in financing some Islamic groups in the country. There is also the tendency for the Christian community in Nigeria to read meanings into some of their utter­ances. Therefore, they must learn how to shut up their big mouths. Who is Gumi, apart from being the son of his late fa­ther? Everybody is the son of his father after all? What is his pedigree? He is not a politician, he does not know politics, and therefore, he should keep his big mouth shut. Except if they are working for ex­ternal forces, who are enemies of Nigeria. Otherwise, he has no business in politics, because he does not know it.
If we take to Gumi’s advice, who should then run?
Well, I think, that question should be reserved for Gumi. He should tell us who and why. The question should be for him really.
Well, he suggested Akpabio and another governor. What is your take on that?
There you go again! I am aware some of them have been giving gifts to people in the North, including clerics. I am sure Gumi, is one of those benefitting from such largesse. Otherwise, what will be his basis for such a suggestion? It is not the business of Gumi to do that.
In that case, why are you in­sisting that Jonathan should not run?
Mind you, it is not about me, but about Nigerians. I am not the only Nigerian, say­ing he should not run, in the interest of Ni­geria. From the South-South, South-East, South-West and the North, the message is loud and clear.
In the case of Jonathan, he and his party have a pact with Nigeria, on the issue of power sharing. But that pact has been vio­lated. Apart from that there are other legal encumbrances, surrounding his candida­ture. Once he declares, people will go to court and raise the issues. And where they manipulate the Judiciary again to get what they want and force their way, then the specter of violence is very much around.
This violence you are talking about, who will precipitate it?
In our interview last year, you know I said it. It could be spontaneous. And it could also be by those who feel aggrieved and shortchanged, and see the Judiciary as corrupt and one incapable of delivering justice and fairness.
Recall what happened in Kaduna in 2011, it was spontaneous. And I see one, worse than that in 2015, should Jonathan and his party impose themselves on Nige­rians and Nigeria.
But TankoYakassai, thinks otherwise about Jonathan’s candidacy….
(Cuts in) I have nothing, other than contempt for Tanko Yakassai. He is an op­portunist and mercenary per excellence. All he brings to whatever party he belongs to, is crisis. In the 60’s when I was in court with my uncle, Yakassai burnt down the headquarters of the NEPU he belonged to. He has nothing to offer. He can’t win anywhere in Kano. He can’t even speak for Kano, because he is not a Kano man.
Are you sure of your facts?
Let him challenge me. He is a Chamba from north Cameroon. He is not even a Jukun, Kano is populated by Hausa and Fulani. He is neither Hausa, nor Fulani. So how can he claim to come from Kano? At any rate, he is of no political value, anywhere in the North, not even in Kano, where he is claiming. So any one relying on him is just wasting his time. He is a per­petual mercenary.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tambuwal, was formally welcomed to the opposition party, the APC, last Wednesday. What does it por­tend for the country’s politics?
Well, it merely confirms the trend we all know.
And what is that trend?
That the North is not with Jonathan, he can’t win election in Kano, Sokoto, Kadu­na or anywhere in the North for that mat­ter. He can’t win the election. So the best thing is to avoid him and his party. The PDP can’t win the North. And if they rig, there will be violence.
So what is your advice to Nigerians, as the country ap­proaches another round of general election?
They must tell the PDP and Jonathan in no uncertain terms the consequences that will befall Nigeria, if he (Jonathan) insists on running.
And if he (Jonathan) fails to heed the call, what happens?
Anything can happen. And when the time comes, let’s see the role characters like Tanko, would play. But there must be a price to pay for plunging the country into avoidable bloodshed.