2023: Allow Buhari to concentrate – Longgap

Komsol Alphonsus Longgap is a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He is also the member representing Mikang, Shendam & Quaan-Pan Federal constituency of Plateau state the House of Representatives. In this interview, he spoke on the 2023 campaigns, the crisis in his party and the calls for the removal of the national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

As member of the NEC of the APC, how would you react to the call by some governors for the removal of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole?

I have been a party man for long and if not for his (Oshiomhole) transparency I would not have been here as a lawmaker. He does not like injustice, he allowed due process during our primaries and that is why I emerged. Some people were trying to hijack the process but he stood his ground. I was a top leader when I was in PDP and now in APC, but I can tell you that I have never seen a party chairman who assisted all the aspirants of the party during the elections. He did it in the 2019 general elections. He organized funds and went round the states to support all APC candidates. I have never seen that before. So I don’t know why few persons are calling for his removal. The man is a very straight forward person and he wants the best for the APC. So we believe in him so much and as a member of the NEC and House of Reps member, I can tell you he enjoys the support of majority of the NEC members and the APC caucus in the national assembly.

There is the talk of some governors eyeing the 2023 presidential slot. Are you aware of this?

We are aware that those fighting him are governors who are eyeing 2023 presidency. But they can face their ambitions without destroying the party. And what they are doing is to distract Mr. President which is not good for us. Today we are enjoying cordial relationship between the national assembly and the legislature. You saw that the President just assented to the 2020 budget. I can tell you that this was made possible because of the effort Oshiomhole made to enthrone true APC leadership in the national assembly. The President just signed the budget into law and by January, Nigerians will start to enjoy the benefit unlike when we had a NASS leadership that was at war with the presidency.

President Buhari has said it categorically that everybody should go back to their units and wards and make the party popular. And that is the agenda Comrade Oshiomhole is pursuing and that will tell you that those fighting Oshiomhole are enemies of President Buhari. They don’t mean well for the part and we will resist them. Oshiomhole has reformed the party and has handed it over to the masses and not individuals and he must be allowed to continue with his good work. Anybody who does not appreciate what the man is trying to do is not a true member of this party. Some people are not happy because he has refused to be compromised so they can use him as a willing tool. I understand that most of those calling for Oshiomhole’a removal are doing so due to their 2023 ambition. And I believe in 2023, you will see wonders. Some of those calling for the removal of Oshiomhole, you will see how they will be disgraced. These people don’t have the grassroot support, take the powers that they have today away, nobody will vote for them. They are only using the powers they have today to make noise. You can see how we won the election in Bayelsa and Kogi, it is always difficult for any party to defeat the PDP in Bayelsa but under his reign it was made possible. Yet you are talking about removing him. As far as I am concerned what the governors planned to do was a failed coup. We are behind him and we will be with him till the end of his tenure.

Some people believe that the governor of Edo state is one of those leading the rebellion against Oshiomhole, what is your take on that?

Let me tell you, you cannot bite the fingers that fed you. Whether you like it not, everybody in Nigeria knew that without Oshiomhole Obaseki would not have emerged as candidate of the party not to talk of winning the election. And even today, without Oshiomhole APC cannot win election in Edo state. Forget what the governor is doing there because he controls the resources. I read where the governor and his deputy said Oshiomhole taught them all they are doing. But Oshiomhole replied them saying he never taught them to lose elections, he never taught them disrespect people. You could see that those fighting the man could not even win in their various units and wards. So as far as I am concerned, the war the governor is waging against Oshiomhole is unnecessary because if he has performed, the people will vote for him but if he has not performed, nobody will support him. I don’t think fighting Oshiomhole will solve his problem. Like we have seen there are other powerful party leaders and aspirants there and they are not push over.

If for instance he gets the party’s ticket, is it not people like Oshiomhole and other leaders that will campaign for him? He should stop venting his anger on Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole is just an individual and if he performs it will difficult for anybody to stop him. But if he continues to dissipate his energy in fighting Oshiomhole, when he knows Oshiomhole is not running for governorship, he will pay the price. Oshiomhole we know cannot destroy the house he built, he has invested so much into APC in that state and we know he will do everything possible to retain the state. But honestly if I were the governor I will go and make peace with Oshiomhole. He should even learn from the experiences of Okorocha and Amosun. When they needed ticket for their people Oshiomhole said it is not automatic. They fought for it and lost and nothing happened because the party is supreme. These men were equally close to Mr. President but our President does not interfere in party decisions because he believes Oshiomhole has the capacity to handle the problems. So if Obaseki thinks abusing Oshiomhole everyday will give him second term ticket, he is wasting his time. It is better he dialogue with the party leaders.

Are you not worried that the governors perceived ambition for 2023 presidency may again plunge the party into crisis?

My advice is that the governors should allow President Buhari to concentrate and give dividends of democracy to Nigerians. That was why they voted for us. We must deliver democracy dividends to Nigerians. They should not distract the President. What they are doing is not to unmake Oshiomhoe but distracting the President and the party. Let me also use this opportunity to call on the NWC to come up with a proposal to amend the party’s constitution in a way that it will give powers to the grassroots. I believe the constitution should be amended so that we conduct direct primaries so that every member of our party will participate in electing our candidates. I believe that if we adhere strictly to our constitution, this party will stay beyond 2023 and I am glad that Oshiomhole has what it takes to move the party forward.

The President has just assented to the 2020 budget, what should Nigerians expect from the APC administration next year?

From January next year, Nigerians should expect good governance, dividends of democracy and development in terms of infrastructures. We thank God Mr. President is not relenting in his war against corruption. I know that it will be intensified which is good for Nigerians.