Nigerian newspapers today Published the interview below!
Read excerpts from the interview
On his moving from party to party: there's nothing wrong with it. Ours may be a fledgling democracy of barely 20 years since the top of the last military regime. What it means been the political parties are yet to mature and are browsing constant transformations and changes.
That is why even President Buhari has been ready to move from party to party, including ANPP, CPC and now APC. And for those that examine world history and political books like I do, they're going to know that Lincoln, Sir Churchill, et al. went through such a lot before achieving their dreams. I’m no different.
I know what I would like for my country. I’ve served Nigeria in several capacities, and that I am one among the foremost experienced leaders around today. there's no a part of Nigeria I’m not conversant in. I even have friends everywhere.
They know me, and that I know them. The advantage of being around for therefore long is that they need come to understand me surely principles and know that I even have an upscale knowledge of Nigeria and what it might fancy move us to the peak of greatness.
They can also trust me that I’m not coming to the govt to steal their money. God has blessed me with business acumen. How are you able to run a nation if you can't run your own business? I run my businesses to international standards.
Let any of these who want to compete with me show what they need to be managed successfully. I’ve lifted over 45,000 families out of joblessness and poverty through my microfinance company in my State, Adamawa, and that we have empowered mostly women.
The good news is these women are honest. Returns on our loans are about 98 percent. they need not disappeared with the loans given then. We decide to replicate this nationwide.
On the favored belief that his ex-boss Olusegun Obasanjo was corrupt: I even have the very best regard for my boss. He gave me eight years to serve Nigeria under him. We had our differences but we both tried our greatest. But on the difficulty of corruption, I even have challenged anyone, anywhere, who has any evidence of corruption against me to return forward.
I’m sure they might have combed everywhere trying to seek out anything incriminating against me, but they need not found it, or they're still searching. Dele, I’m throwing that challenge again, allow them to bring out whatever they need on me.
On why he hasn’t visited the U.S.A: On why he hasn’t visited the U.S. A: it's the only prerogative of America to work out whom they need in their country or not? I’m not deeding from America. I applied but wasn’t issued a visa. However, they didn't decline categorically either.
They’ve only said my application goes through the executive process. this is often not peculiar to me. For about 15 years, Buhari couldn't enter America on account of spiritual considerations.
The current Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered an equivalent fate for years. Today, he's being treated to red carpet treatment in America. I fly to different parts of the planet, including Europe, if America wanted me, it might be very easy for them to succeed in bent their allies.
On why he left APC: After Buhari won the election, he was not curious about the Party that made him President. Every activity stopped and not even the Party Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, could take any decision.
I called Chief Oyegun a couple of times to inform him our Party was dying slowly, but he told me he wouldn't do anything unless he got clearance from the President. At a stage, I gathered about 18 prominent members and commenced to satisfy within the hope that we will re-energize Party activities, but some people lied to the President that I wanted to use the forum to launch My Presidential campaign.
That forum became simply dead on arrival. No BOT, no NEC meetings, as stipulated in our Constitution. The Party became a one-man property. Everyone grumbles behind the President’s back, but they're too timid to boost a voice against the illegalities being perpetuated. I should be bold enough to understand what I would like and may do so at my age, so, I made a decision to go away.
