Honourable Moshood Adegoke Salvador, a former member of House of Representatives from Lagos State between 1999 and 2003, in this interview with journalists, explains why he joined the race for the position of the national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), assesses the relationship between Federal Government and the National Assembly. Kunle Oderemi, who was there, brings excerpts:How would you assess PDP in the last 12 years' I will say that PDP has delivered on the dividends of democracy for the fact that, against all odds, one can see light at the end of the tunnel. I think the Niger-Delta crisis is a very good example. Indeed, I give kudos to late President Umaru Yar'Adua for proposing amnesty for the militants. I had thought it would be a miracle for such to happen, because of the belligerence of those militants. But surprisingly, they surrendered all their arms and ammunition and started going to school for different forms of training, etc. Who will now say PDP is not getting things right' It is only a very bold party that can beat its chest and say it wants to query fuel subsidy. It is only a party that wants to sanitise things; a party that refuses to look at itself as being made up of saints that can take two of such bold steps that I have mentioned. PDP believes in facing challenges. That is why you can see the PDP government coming out with confidence to say that we want to put an end to fuel subsidy, not minding the danger it poses to its political fortunes. It is only PDP that could muster uncommon courage to appoint members of the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] and others not within its fold, to manage fuel subsidy resources. But the opposition believe that PDP has made Nigerians poorer. That is a wrong perception by the opposition parties. I cannot agree with that because all the economic indices on ground are pointing to positive and not negative tendencies. You need to talk the language of economics; they are positive and not negative. It is only a government like that of President Goodluck Jonathan that can take the bull by the horns and be talking of reforming the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] and the Police. He accepted that there are challenges. It is only a government that wants to grow; that wants development that always accept challenges. Don't you think fuel subsidy removal could affect PDP in subsequent elections' Are you saying the fuel subsidy removal is making life more difficult for Nigerians' The analysis shows that what the government will use the resources for is for the overall development of the Nigerian people, especially the masses, rather than allowing some big men to corner the money. How then would you react to the government plans to implement palliatives by less than 100 per cent' You cannot expect the Federal Government to implement fuel subsidy palliatives 100 per cent. What the government means by 100 per cent is the total amount needed to be paid per litre and that is not what we are paying. There is still a certain amount of subsidy. Therefore you can't get palliatives 100 per cent. Going by recent experiences, do you think the PDP caucus has properly managed its numerical strength in the National Assembly' What do you mean by the party's caucus in the National Assembly. There are very many caucuses in the National Assembly. The PDP government is working with all the caucuses. If it is not working with all the caucuses, we shall not have Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the chairman of the Petroleum Revenue Task Force (PRTF). If they are not working with caucuses, it will not put, Bianca, the widow of late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, in government. They are working together. What is the motivation behind your bid for the post of PDP national secretary' It is just a matter of reform. It is part of the reform agenda of President Jonathan. Aside this, the position is zoned to the South-West, where I hail from and I'm a bona fide citizen of Lagos State. Whoever emerges must be acceptable within and outside the zone. The state has been in shambles for long because of the fact that the state has been in perpetual opposition. ACN has taken advantage of the seeming lacuna for over six years. Lagos State PDP has no representative in government nor the party. Our leader in Lagos has been trying his best to make things work, but the needs of party members are far more than what one person can handle. The office of the national secretary is enough to oversee the problems of PDP in Lagos. I want to ensure that we use the office to further the party in the state, and with that, we will overwhelm ACN. That is part of what we can use to save Lagos from ACN. The most important state in the South-West, economically, is Lagos. If the South-West PDP can concentrate efforts on Lagos, I can assure them of reclaiming the lost glory of the zone. During the period of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, he was interested in the economy of Lagos to enhance the economy of the entire South-West. After capturing the zone, using Lagos resources, they (the ACN leaders) have started making inroads into South-East, South-South, even in Adamawa state, ACN came second in a recent governorship election; in Benue State, ACN came next to PDP. It's the same in a number of other states. That is to show you the huge economic resources of Lagos. The wisest decision PDP can make is to make me the party's next national secretary. I am very much at home with the game. I have been contesting elections since the days of the defunct Unity Paty of Nigeria [UPN], National republican Convention [NRC], United National Congress Party [UNCP], the Allinace for Democracy [AD] before I finally moved to PDP. In all these parties, I contested elections. In the last election, I scored well over 254,000 votes. The records are there. I have to say all these to let you know I'm a practical politician. Apart from having an M.Sc. in Political Science, I am the bridge between the old and the young. If most contestants for chairmanship are close to 70 and above, where is the room for the youths' Therefore, we should have somebody of my age as the national secretary. I am 56-years-old, member of Lagos Elder, a member of Basilica which is the elders' caucus club of the prestigious Eko Club. What else do you need to qualify you for leadership' I am using this medium to call on the South-West PDP to nominate me as a consensus candidate for the position. I was a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 ' 2003. I was in the House Services Committee; I took care of the interest of 360 members welfare. That gave me national recognition. Within 72 hours of my declaration for national secretary, my posters and handbills have gone throughout the country. I have appointed contacts nationwide. I have contacted the leadership and members of the National Assembly. I refuse to be an armchair politician; I'm a practical one. I therefore appeal to all delegates and exco across Nigeria to vote for me. I'm pledging to be the best scribe PDP has ever had. Many aspirants are contesting, what are your chances' I have been a very active member of the National Assembly, so I have my supporters, associates and friends all over the country. Even before I accepted to run, many people across the country had demonstrated their unflinching support; they are all out there. Don't also forget the kind of president we have. He wants the best men for the job always. PDP is enmeshed in a lot of crises. Why is it becoming increasingly difficult for the party to resolve them' I believe so much in dialogue. By the grace of God, when I become the national secretary, we shall further open the party up in a manner that would give members the opportunity of expressing themselves. By giving them such opportunity, the members would feel wanted and would have greater love for their party. When you love something, you hold it so dearly that you would not want any harm to befall it. With that kind of spirit, peace would reign in the party all over the country because it will engender the spirit of accommodation. This, we believe, will further confirm that we are committed to transformation in every sense of the word. And this is bound to win us more admirers because, as the largest party in Africa, we believe that there is room for everyone within the PDP family. Where do you hope to see PDP in the next 10 years' The party, as you know quite well, is a party of ideas. I believe that, given the quality of people who are members of the party, Nigeria has a great future. Without being immodest, when you compare us with other parties, we are better by far, despite our limitations. We are also lucky to have leaders and followers who are committed to achieving the best for this country. In fact, no other political party can boast of the array of leaders that PDP is blessed with, as well as in terms of other members. These are people who are passionate about the growth and development of this great country. It is with the same spirit that I am going to Abuja by the grace of God as the party's incoming national secretary. I believe that given my experience and exposure, the party we shall run will be the one that Nigerians will be proud of. I am therefore using this medium to appeal to all stakeholders in the PDP project to give me the necessary support to actualise this dream. I believe that together we shall get there.
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