Rt. Hon. Matthew Danjuma Yare is a lawyer and Speaker of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC); representing Nyanya Ward. He is the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the forthcoming FCT Council Poll. In this interview with NIGERIA PROJECT, he speaks on how fear of defeat has pushed his competitors to tearing his posters and blackmail. But said, despite all of that, he is sure of victory because the electorates are with him.
There was a rumour that you picked one of your opponent’s supporters to police station recently; what is the issue?
I’m an honourable member. It’s not by winning an election as a legislator that makes you an honourable, but your lifestyle must portray you as an honourable person. I have lived a life of decent and humility. Those who are close to me can attest to that. I didn’t take anybody to the police. I was called that some boys were removing my posters; and some people were even threatening to beat them up. I rushed there immediately; I met the mastermind there, and I asked him, “Why are you removing my posters?” he said, “I was not the one removing them.” One of his brothers who was there with us countered him, he said, “You’re the one, why are you denying?” I warned him to stop it. But when he kept denying that he was not the one responsible for that, I said okay, since you are still denying, let me leave you to those guys that was threatening to handle you before my arrival. It was at that juncture that he said, “I’m very sorry, I wouldn’t touch them again;” and we left peacefully. I didn’t pick anybody to police station. Anytime you lodge complain in any police station, the records including the name of the complaint will be there. You can check the station to get the details; I didn’t arrest anybody.
What can you say was responsible for the tearing of your posters?
I can tell you categorically that all these things are the handiwork of my major competitor – the ruling party (APC). Unfortunately, those guys that are doing all these things were our guys that left PDP for the ruling party.
They have resorted to tearing of my campaign posters and blackmail, because they know quite sure that the electorates are not with them. They have come to the reality that they are going to face severe defeat at the poll. You know the irony of it, destroying my campaign posters and banners give me more popularity. There was a very beautify and big banner that we did, they destroyed it. People saw it and started to curse them. They are doing all these things because they know with free and fair election, they will lose.
Your opponent are saying that you are a betrayer that you want to continue to eat alone… (cuts in)
I don’t know what they meant by betrayer. They are busy dishing out lies to the public that I went into an accord to do only two-term; there was nothing like that. Even peradventure there was any, it wasn’t longer binding, because they had defected to another political party. And in the first place, there was nothing like that. They have resorted to all that sort of unfounded stories because they know the electorates have rejected them. Let me repeat again, in the contest of free and fair election, with God on our side, we’re winning. Those guys are not on ground. As I speak with you, those guys that we were all here before, had all gone to town. They left Nyanya and want to be dictating to the electorates from town. It’s very difficult to reach them – the electorates don’t know where they are living, and hardly pick calls. I have continued to give easy access to my people. I have remained with the electorates here and they have access to me at all times. My competitors are relying on rigging. They are boasting here and there that they are the party in power that they will rig election for them. But the truth of the matter is that they will fail because the will of the people must prevail. They are not close to the electorates – all they are after is rigging election for them; but I can tell you that with God, they will fail.
Your competitors according to you were your former members of your party – PDP; was it not a political suicidal for you not to follow them to the ruling party?
It was not a mistake at all. You don’t just move because others are moving. It would be more suicidal if I jumped and followed them. Politics is local and my people are behind me. So, it wasn’t a mistake at all – I have no regrets.
Talking of your party (PDP), with the crisis in the party; are you saying the party will recover?
Yes, of course. PDP will bounce back. It is just a matter of time. All these issues will soon be resolved.
There is ongoing rumour that you were given N20m to slow down or ‘technically’ withdraw from the race; is that true?
That is a lie from the pit of hell. Nobody gave me N20m to either go low on my campaign or to technically withdraw from the race. The man that they said he gave me the money, I have not been privileged to meet him face-to-face. Assuming such amount of money was given to me as they said, why the man that they said gave me the money didn’t come to me when I continue to campaign. The truth of the matter is that, my major competitors, who are in the ruling party are the ones fabricating those lies. All in the name to instigate my supporters and electorates against me; but they have failed. I will say it again that, nobody gave me any money to slow down my campaign or technically withdraw as they put it – it’s all lies.
Are you saying that you are sure of coasting home with victory?
More than 100 per cent sure. Go round Nyanya Ward and see what we’ve done for the people. Those guys have nothing on ground to show; they are only relying on power that be to rig the election for them, but they will fail woefully. By God’s grace, we are coasting home with victory. The FCT Council poll is a litmus test for the new INEC Chairman. He should make sure that the election is conducted in a very conducive atmosphere. The electorates should be allowed to pick the candidate of their choice. Let the will of the people prevail. The election should be free, credible and fair. My competitors, especially the ruling party can’t win election here except it’s rigged for them, because they are not on ground.
What is your advice to your supporters, electorates and competitors?
My supporters should keep doing the good job they have been doing – by continuing to be peaceful. And to the electorates, they should not be intimidated, they should come out en-mass to cast their votes for us. They should wait patiently after casting their votes and make sure that the results are announced at their poling unit, before leaving.
And to my competitors, they should know that election will come and go but governance will remain. Politics is not a do-or-die affair. They should allow the electorates to choose who they want. If they don’t win in this election, there is always another time.
And, once again, I urge INEC to conduct a very credible poll. Just as I earlier said, the FCT Council poll is a litmus test for the new INEC boss. He should prove his worth by conducting a credible poll.
No amount of lies, blackmail and tearing of my posters will prevent my competitors from defeat. If they tear or destroy all my campaign materials, will they cut the fingers of the electorates from voting? By the special grace of God, we have done so many things for the Nyanya ward, they are there for verification. And, thank God, the electorates are with us, we are wining them with wide margin by God’s grace.
Another of his campaign stand destroyed
