‘I’m stepping into late Audu’s shoes’

Princess Hadiza Ibrahim, a governorship aspirant in Kogi State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says she is ready for the August 29 primary. She also speaks with Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI on the party’s preparations for the November 16 poll.

How ready are you for the Kogi APC governorship primary?

I’ve collected my nomination form; I have gotten my 21 local government coordinators; I have my three zonal coordinators and the women and the men are ready for me.

There has been a controversy over the mode of primary; whether it is going to be direct primary or indirect primary. Which one do you prefer?

I am comfortable with both mode of primary. Whichever way it is done, I am very confident that I would emerge victorious.

Why are you so confident that you will clinch the ticket?

Apart from the governor and me, most of the aspirants that collected the nomination form are new comers. I don’t think many of them are foundation members of the APC in Kogi. Anybody can take his N22 million and go and buy the form, but are they original members of the APC? There is a form you have to fill, indicating how long you have been in the party. Beyond the fact that they can cough out N22 million to go and buy the form, there are due process to be followed in deciding who will be the party’s flag bearer. It’s not just because you can afford to buy the form and say you want to be the governor. Such due process includes the fact that you must have been a member of the party for a certain period of time. You don’t just jump up to go and buy the nomination form. Otherwise, it means anybody can go and buy the form. If not, PDP members can buy the form and say they want to run on APC platform. I ran against the late Abubakar Audu, the governor, the late Ocholi and Yakubu Mohammed in 2015. Aside from the governor, all the others are not running this time around. I left a lady has just picked a nomination form this afternoon. I welcome her to the race, because she is a lady, but the truth is that I am six feet tall; she is not as tall as myself, so  will beat her in the race. I have long legs; anybody that has long legs usually performs well in a race.

What is firing this passion?

A trained journalist has the mind to lead; no fear or favour. That blood of a go-getter flows in me.

Are you confident that the primary will be free and fair?

I believe it would be free and fair, because Baba Buhari has assured us. The fact that I am a woman would not count against me. That Mama Taraba did not make it in Taraba does not mean that I will not make it in Kogi State. After the primary and the November 16 governorship election, I think I’m going to create history.

Electioneering in Nigeria is so expensive. How are you coping?

I have been a business woman for long. I have been in the business of selling cars and I have been in property business. I own a property in Karimu Kotun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. I have owned it as far back as 1988. I’m a neighbour to Alhaji Aliko Dangote and I’m a neigbour to Mike Adenuga. If, today, I want to sell my property, I would sell it for over N1 billion. But I’m not going to sell my property. I am going to fight, because I am capable. I’ve been helping my people and this is the time to rally them to support me. I will make it. I supported Baba Buhari’s aspiration, so this is the time for him to support me too. He sent Alhaji Lai Mohammed to me, to seek support for some publications and I obliged him.

If you are given a chance, what specifically are you going to do to assuage the feelings of the people of Kogi?

First and foremost, I will not owe salaries. The state’s infrastructure is in terrible shape; I will upgrade infrastructure. I will also focus on education and agriculture. I have my seven-point agenda.  Even if the state owes, as a successful businesswoman, there is a way to manage the state’s resources, so that no sector of the economy will suffer. One must succeed in one’s business before aspiring to govern a state. I have been selling cars since 1988 and I have not failed in that business. I have been in real estate and have also succeeded in that field.  Unlike many businessmen, I do not owe any bank. So, I am going there with a clean slate to help my people.

What are the factors that will make APC win or lose on November 16?

APC will win, because majority carries the vote.  When former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode failed to clinch the APC ticket in Lagos in the last general elections, he supported Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. That is what I expect Yahaya Bello to do. If he fails to get the ticket, he has to support me for the party to win. APC has two of the three senators from the state and most of the other lawmakers were elected on APC platform, so it is the party to beat in Kogi. If the late Audu had lived to complete his second term, he will support me. If Ocholi had been alive, he will support me. But, unfortunately they are no more.

Are the other aspirants willing to step down for you?

We have been talking; many of them are willing to step down for me. They say they believe in me. As said earlier, many of the people that picked the form were not part of us; they are all newcomers in the party.

How formidable is your structure across the 21 local governments?

Many of those who worked for the late Abubakar Audu are working for me today. I am stepping into the shoes of the late Audu.

But we understand that one of his sons are contesting for the governorship ticket?

The two sons are fighting over the ticket. But they are more or less my sons. The governorship is a serious business; it is not a child’s play. I don’t think any of them will get it; but their time will come.

We understand that the attitude of Governor Yahaya Bello since he came to power has alienated people against the APC. How true is this?

Since he came to power, he did not carry a lot of people along. He may not even remember me; some of us supported him four years ago. Though Dino Melaye is no longer in our party, but he was right when he said the governor is fighting all those who supported to come to power. I agree totally with him, even though he is now in the opposition. As a woman, if I had taken Yahya Bello to court, I would have won. He did not win any election; you can’t stand on the mandate of a dead man.  He was imposed on us.