By Daniel Kanu
Asu Beks, statesman, activist, fiery maritime journalist and publisher of Shipping World Magazine, in this encounter with Sunday Sun, speaks on the Bola Tinubu Presidency, the misunderstood congratulatory visit by Governor Diri of Bayelsa State, and prediction on the coming Bayelsa election on November 11, among other issues. Excerpt:
Let’s start with the Supreme Court judgment last Thursday affirming President Tinubu’s victory, what is your take on the verdict of the apex court?
Well, the election has been won and lost going by the judgment of the apex court, so the next thing is for Nigerians to rally behind the president because as an elder statesman, I don’t see or know what I will gain if I now begin to contest the judgment or work against the president because we already have so much challenges. I think the best thing now is for all hands to be on deck, whether you are APC, PDP, LP or APGA to begin to rally behind Mr. President. Now is time for work and no longer for politics. Those who won must be magnanimous in victory and bring in the opposition to work with them. It should be an all-inclusive government and not that of winner takes it all. Let it be a government of national unity. The best brains in Nigeria are not only in the APC, the best brains in Nigeria can be found in every party and in all parts of Nigeria. So, let all hands be on deck so that we can support this government in the daunting task of building a great country. We want this country to get out of where it is today and I have the feeling that President Bola Tinubu will not disappoint us.
So far looking at the direction of some of his policies and actions within the short period in office, what impression do you have?
Looking at the policies of the Tinubu administration, one has this impression of trial by error. I don’t see some of his policies as well-thought out. You know that when some of these politicians get into office the idea is that of grabbing first, and this is different from when you come with the mainstream policy. For instance, look at the issue of the subsidy removal. You just came, announced the removal of fuel subsidy and you did not come out immediately with policies and actions to mitigate the harsh effect. The palliatives were not there to cushion the effect. Nigerians are still asking: all those monies that were sunk or pumped into the turn-around maintenance of our refineries, where are the monies? Where are the contractors and officials that connived to rip us off our common wealth? Where are the subsidies? We are also told that there was nothing like subsidy and that it was a scam. Those Nigerians who scammed us, those officials in NNPC who were just signing papers without authenticating the actual consumption of the fuel, where are they? NIMASA is there, NPA is there and these are agencies that can tell us how many vessels came in, but nothing is being heard again about all those people involved, those people defrauding this country and they are still walking free. That to an extent shows that the president is not serious in fighting corruption, which he pledged to do. That is one area the president must make great commitment. I have not seen in any public fora where the president is committed to fighting corruption and I think he must wake up to the reality of the moment to do the needful beyond promise. He should not allow the same rogues who surrounded President Buhari, who made it very difficult for him to prove to Nigerians that he is Mr. Integrity; they are the ones that are still dictating the pace in this regime. Look at what happened during the week, they changed the leadership of the Shippers Council. We have one Barrister Emmanuel in-charge and in the past two years he has done so much to change the narrative in the Nigerian Shippers Council. Remember that the Shippers Council is the economic regulator for the ports, and for no reason Barrister Emmanuel has not finished his tenure and you are now bringing a neophyte to head the place. These are some of the issues the president must critically look into before taking certain decisions. He should not allow himself to be deceived by some aides who have their own interest and will want to use him, unknown to him, to advance their own interest. So, the president must look at issues critically before taking certain critical decisions. If you are talking about the Blue Economy you must arm yourself with individuals, experts that are competent in the sector rather that engaging those with little or no competence. You must surround yourself with people that know the industry so that they can help you achieve your vision in the area. Mr. President must commit to fighting corruption and he should prove to Nigerians that he has the capacity to fight corruption. This will even help him to destroy people’s doubt that he cannot fight corruption. So far I can say that I am disappointed in the area of corruption fight because he has not shown Nigerians that he has the political will to fight corruption. But having said that he still has time to redeem himself because it may also be too early to judge and make conclusions now. But now that he has also gotten legal authority by the Supreme Court verdict, the distraction is now reduced and all eyes are on him. There will be no excuses.
Let’s zero down to your state, Bayelsa, and your expectation and confidence that Governor Diri will win the polls in next month’s guber election?
Governor Diri winning the November poll is not contestable, but as sure as daylight. Look in my entire life, I have not seen the kind of grassroots campaign by any candidate or political party as I have seen in the campaign of Senator Douye Diri. He is not just going to the local government headquarters or going to the Senatorial headquarters, but every community in the state is feeling the impact of his campaign. Every part of the state is touched, and as he is campaigning, he is commissioning projects. The only disappointment the governor will have is that he is not going to have a strong opponent to compete with. Evidence of the good works of Senator Diri is scattered all over the state. Aside the massive infrastructure, the security on the ground is assuring. Nobody is on the ground now to give him, at least, a good fight. The greed of Timipriye Sylva has robbed the APC of a good candidate in the person of Lyon, who would have competed strongly with Diri. Diri has no competitor and given to what he has been able to do for the people, it will be an easy win for him. He is humility personified, he is loved by his people, he has done so much for the people and if you ask me, his victory is assured because the people will give him their votes en masse.
Tongues are already wagging that Diri visited president Tinubu in Aso Rock for solidarity on his Supreme Court victory when he is in opposition party…?
(Cuts in) It’s only those that are mischievous that will read unnecessary meanings to the visit. The man was in Abuja that day and coincidentally the victory was announced, what do you expect him to do? Do you expect him to be angry or to congratulate the person announced as the winner? You don’t only mourn with people, you also rejoice with those rejoicing when you have a good and cheerful heart. What Diri did was what any other governor at the Villa when the news broke would have done. That you are at different political parties does not make you enemies? We should know that these politicians are friends and because they are in different political parties will not bring hate. Diri was right in what he did. We should not also forget that when Senator Diri won his governorship election, Tinubu also congratulated him. So, it is equally, morally right to rejoice with President Tinubu at his moment of joy. Diri’s appointment at the Villa coincided with the victory of President Tinubu, so do you expect him to shun Mr. President and leave the Villa? What he did showed political maturity, politics without bitterness and that politics is over and now governance on how to build a strong and united country together.
