Hon Usman Danjuma Shiddi is a member representing Ibi/Wukari federal constituency of Taraba State in the House of Representatives. In this interview, the lawmaker who is also the All Progressives (APac) candidate for Taraba South senatorial district speaks on insecurity and other sundry issues, including politics in Nigeria
A lot of Nigerians have been complaining that the APC government has failed in fighting insecurity and stabilizing the economy. Do you think the same Nigerians will still vote for APC ahead of other parties?
Well, concerning insecurity, I will say the APC inherited from the PDP and the government has been working so hard to address it. Even in the area of economy is working round the clock to stabilise the economy. But you must know that these problems cannot be fixed in a day. But the APC has the commitment, discipline and capacity to achieve this. And you must acknowledged that insecurity is a global problem. Just like COVID-19 came and affected all the economies of the world. So, we appeal to Nigerians to give the APC another chance.
Gen. T.Y. Danjuma is a factor in Nigerians politics and a major stakeholder in Taraba state. In fact, from 1999 to date every governor has his imprimatur. What’s your relationship with him?
I am 100 per cent with Gen. T.Y. Danjuma. He is our leader and an elder statesman and has done a lot for the state and for the country. I will support him anytime. I may disagree with him over some minor issues but I can never disrespect him. I respect him totally and I support him till tomorrow.
The presidential candidate of APC is a Muslim and his running mate is also a Muslim, while Taraba has a huge population of Christians. How can the APC deliver on this ticket?
We want to unite our people and we have told them not to assess all candidates based on their religious beliefs. We want them to assess candidates based on their character, performance and track records. Because if we want to continue assessing candidates based on their religion, tribe, ethnicity, we will not go far in his country. Barack Obama became the American president not because he was of the predominantly while stock. If American’s had assessed him based on his colour, Obama would not have become president. But the Americans assessed him based on his character. So, I’m appealing to Tarabans and Nigerians to apply at Tinubu and Shettima, first as Nigerians and then look at their track records and what they can do for Nigeria and not what their belief is. I don’t think any Nigerian has ever become president or governor by only Christians or Muslims voting for him or her.
Why did you raise the alarm that democracy is being threatened in Taraba state ahead of the 2023 poll?
The issue is that the governor is afraid. He has seen that he is going to lose the election. He has tried all other ways but he couldn’t succeed. Now he wants to use the brute method by harassment and intimidation of the opposition by instilling fear on our people thinking that he would have his ways. But we are ready for him. As we speak my director general of my campaign organisation has been incarcerated in prison. Two days ago two of the coordinators for Senator Bwacha who is our governorship candidate and my own coordinator and my own party chairman in my local government were taken to court and from their straight to prison. As I speak to you now they are in prison custody for the mere fact that they reported to the police of a plan by some PDP stalwarts to attack us. And the police didn’t arrest those people now investigated the matter but ended up inviting those that wrote the petition, took them to court and sent them straight to prison without even proper trial. They offered to grant them bail if they produce a permanent secretary who is a civil servant in the state as surety. You know that no permanent secretary would do that in a PDP controlled state. When attempt was made to reach out to the judge, the judge claimed that he had traveled to the village and won’t return till Monday. That means that they would keep them there. They have abused their fundamental human rights, freedom and liberty. That’s why we say democracy is under threat in Taraba State.
But the APC is divided, don’t you think this will affect the party?
No; that is our internal problem, and we are going to sort it out. We will settle our differences and come out stronger.
What are your chances to clinch the Taraba South senatorial seat in the 2023 poll?
I am very successful politician. I won election to come to the House of Representatives on the platform of the All progressive grand alliance (APGA). I am the first politician from the North to win election on that platform. I won based on the fact that I am a grassroots person. I defeated both the PDP and the APC to come to the House of Representatives. I am presently in the APC. I can fly any platform and win election if the law permits me. My people like and I am with them all the time and I deliver. The Governor at the state have failed our people and he has not delivered and that is why I have the confidence I am going to defeat him by the grace of God even if the election is going to hold tomorrow.
Taraba has always been a PDP state, how are you going to cope with that reality?
By the grace of God I want to change the narrative. Taraba had been a PDP state but now it would change. As I speak to you now out of the 6 House of Representatives members, 4 of them are in the APC right now. Out of the three Senatorial zone, two are in the APC. So, how will the PDP win the election? We are going to change the narrative now. The APC have more numbers in the National Assembly now from Taraba state. So I don’t see the magic the PDP can do to retain power because the Governor has destroyed the PDP in Taraba state.
