10th April, 2013
Former Chairman, Isolo Local Council Development Area, Chief (Mrs. Modupe) Oseghale in an interview with Moyo Fabiyi speaks on women in politics in Nigeria, why the All Progressive Congress, APC, came together and other national issues. Excerpts:
Since you left office over a year ago, nothing has been heard of you. Have you retired from politics?
I was at the University of Lagos where I did my Master’s degree in Guidance and Counselling. That is my area of specialisation, my profession.
Cuts in… Why G and C and not politics or political science?
No, I don’t believe one has to read politics to be a good politician. In other words, reading political science does not make one successful as a politician. It’s action that matters. Me retire from politics? Politicians don’t retire. They are never tired. Politicians never retire except when they cannot participate actively again. But we remain in the background as godfathers to motivate younger ones.
Are you still in the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN?
I’m still in the ACN. Individual differences cannot make me leave a party. I joined it out of my free will. I was a foundation member of Alliance for Democracy, AD, which later became Action Congress, AC, and which later transformed to ACN. I followed the trend to All Progressives Congress, APC.
What are your plans for 2015?
Every politician has a plan for the future, not just 2015 or a particular year, when you are not eyeing or contesting a political office, you may be into grooming a political platform. As for me now, my major pre-occupation is to ensure that the All Progressives Congress becomes a reality and a strong political platform that can wrestle power from the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
Recently, PDP leaders have started to pre-empt APC.
PDP is afraid of APC. They know APC can wrestle power from them. That is why PDP leaders are jiltery. They are afraid APC can displace them. Instead of the PDP making so much noise about APC, they should try and work hard on the need of the masses. The people are suffering. The PDP is the cause of the problems the nation is facing night now. That is why APC has come out to rescue Nigeria. We are out to save the nation from PDP’s bad governance.
Do you think women in politics are given their right of place?
The PDP promised to reserve 35 per cent of political offices for women. How far they adhered to this is another thing. However, I don’t believe in it. My belief is that women should be given the same platform as men to vie for political offices. I will never agree that women should be offered political offices or appointments on a platter of gold. Instead, I think they should struggle for it. There should be a level playing ground. If a woman is denied the opportunity and this is possible, the issue of reservation or women’s quota can come in, especially if she is popular and acceptable to the people.
In any case, the ACN has been fair to women, especially in Lagos State, where a woman is the deputy governor, they have a female Senator, some females in the House of Assembly and five local government chairmen, among other political appointees who are women during my tenure as Isolo Council boss, we were only four women. That they have five females now is an improvement.
In 2015, women should improve on their participation in politics. Women are coming up but they needed to be encouraged. They should not be discriminated against because of their gender.
Women need to reach out; they must make sure they are well accepted in their communities.
Do you think in 2015, a woman can succeed Governor Babatunde Fashola in Lagos State?
In politics, anything can happen. It is possible for a woman to succeed Governor Fashola if she is able to prove herself and the party decides to field her. She can enjoy my support. Anyone who secures the party’s ticket will definitely enjoy my cooperation and full support. In as much as I am into active politics, whatever happens between now and 2015, I will be part of it.
But one cannot predict what will happen in 2014 not to talk of 2015. I am of the view that individual interest should not override the overall interest of the nation. No one ought to make politics the main issue but how to more the nation forward.
Recently, a state commissioner of police was assassinated by gunmen. As a former police officer, how will you view the state of security in Nigeria today?
Security in the country now is very shaky because if a commissioner of police could be murdered in cold blood, what’s the fate of the down-trodden masses as far as security is concerned? It means no one is safe. The challenge now is that President Goodluck Jonathan and the 36 state governors should put their houses in order.
Policemen and officers are also afraid. The courage to do their work the way they should is not there again. There is the need for the nation’s security agents to tighten security. It is not just a matter of policemen or others carrying guns. There is a lot to be done. The method of securing the nation generally should be overhauled. Crimes might be committed but the magnitude needs to be checked. The other day, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, was attacked.
You said the APC was meant to save Nigeria. But what happens where leaders in the APC cannot agree on sharing of political offices?
I like to appeal to Nigerians to embrace APC. The merger is long overdue. In the first republic, there was a merger between A G and NCNC. The progressive recently agreed on a mutual understanding to work together. If we fail to agree and forge ahead, there is no way we can achieve a Nigeria of our dream.
In advanced countries, they don’t have many political parties. In the United Kingdom for example, after the Labour Party, they have the conservatives and others. In advanced democracies, they don’t usually have more than four political parties, at most. It becomes most difficult for a political party to hold on tenaciously to power.
If they allow it to grow, I’m sure 80 per cent of Nigerians will benefit from the merger. The APC will ensure internal peace in the nation; we shall fight unemployment, every Nigerian should enjoy three square meals. Things will work the way we all want it with an APC government in place. People should be allowed to choose their leaders the way they want it. There should be no intimidation of the people or leaders. That is what the merger stands for.
And I believe seriously in the merger. I once again appeal to the people to accept APC and make the merger a huge success for the betterment of all Nigerians.
