Hon. Matthew Yare Danjuma is a Councillor representing Nyanya Ward. He is the Speaker of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). He is seeking for re-election under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this interview with Nigeria Project, he speaks on his open door policy, as well as the projects he has facilitated to the ward; saying victory is guaranteed because the electorates are with him.
By Chris Agada
Did you go into an agreement with someone to do only two- term?
Thank you very much for that question. To start with, we are not in the same political party. Assuming there was such agreement (which was not), event had taken over that because we are no longer in the same political party.
Having said that, to set the record straight, there was no time I had such agreement with anybody. In 2022, the purported APC candidate was canvasing for votes before the primaries. That was the time I was coming for the second time. I went to his house in the presence of his wife and told him that, “Please, can you permit me to go for second term?” He bluntly without thinking twice told me “no.”
I said, “There is no issue” and left his house. I didn’t say any other thing. But to my surprise, I started to hear later that I went to his house to threaten him. I wonder why I could go to his house to do that. There was nothing like threatening – he is my friend, a brother and we relate very well. As the contest continued, I was told he had pulled out of the race. He didn’t come to me to say, “What you came to my house for, how are we going about it?” He never did that. There was nowhere we went into such agreement. Maybe, he pulled out of the race because he lacked followership. Perhaps, he might have seen the handwriting on the wall or people whispered to his hears to withdraw from the race, because the stakeholders as well as the electorates were with me. I thought that was what happened. But instead of wisdom to beacon on him to come to me and said, “I have looked into what you came to my house the other day, and have stepped down for you …..” he didn’t do that.
So, there was nothing like agreement?
No, not one. There was nothing like even gentleman’s agreement. Like what I said earlier, the guy is not in my party. I don’t have any business with APC. I’m only waiting for who to slug it out with at the poll. I want to know if I’m facing Madrid or Barcelona.
The AMAC Chairman has been your boss, brother and political ally, over the years. He recently defected to the ruling party, APC; why didn’t you follow him?
You see, I have the belief that at this level of our political system, especially at local government level, collaborative democracy is key, and very important. If we keep fighting each other, we wouldn’t gain any meaningful thing when it comes to development. That is why I have given maximum support to his government. Just as you know, legislative is independent and the executive is also independent. The Executive Chairman of AMAC, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu is a good man, a brother and friend. We have the same political ideology, which was why he contested and we all gave him the necessary support and won. He won the mandate of twelve wards in AMAC, while I only had that of one ward which is Nyanya. I have only one ward and my ideology has not changed. If today or tomorrow my people (the electorates) come to me and say, “Leave PDP and go to this party,” I will ask them why? If they should be able to convince me on why I should leave my current political party, I may consider (but underline the word ‘may’ – I may agree or disagree). As at today, my ideology has not changed; and my people haven’t told me to leave, so there is no point leaving.
What you’re saying is that the electorates are strongly behind you?
Yes, of course. Let me give you an instance, 80 per cent of the PDP members in Nyanya Ward that have decamped to APC have relocated to town. It is just 20 or 10 per cent of then that are still living in Nyanya. I have been living with my people, they know me very well, and I also know them very well. Those that have now relocated to town, only come here on election days and go back after they might have finished voting. But, in my own case, is not like that. I live with them, relate with each other as brothers and sisters. You can’t live in Asokoro, Apo, Maitama, Wuse or other areas in town, and come to Nyanya ward only on election days or during campaigns, and tell me that you love the electorates more than myself. If you love them, you should live with them.
Your party, PDP has been in crisis, do you think your political future is guaranteed in such party?
Yes, we may had issues yesterday, but today, the future is very bright. The umbrella is still very strong as it used to be. One or two issues may arise, some people may be leaving the party; but the question is, the person that has been keeping the umbrella, is he still there? The answer is yes; then, the umbrella remains strong. As far as politics is concerned, is all about your followers – the electorates. If the people are behind you, you will continue to triumph at polls. As it regards to the future, I leave that for Jesus. When we get there, Jesus will lead me to cross the bridge.
What have you done as dividends of democracy for the residents of Nyanya ward?
With all humility, if the councilors we had since 1999 before I came on board, had done one quarter of what I have done, Nyanya Ward would have gone far in the area of development.
I have attracted many projects to my ward – Agwandadi Road, Nyanya Area C Road connecting Living Faith Church; Nyanya Village Road; Nyanya Federal Housing Road; Nyanya Area F, which is VIO Road and that of Hospital Road. Constructions/rehabilitations work have been carried out in those places, while work is ongoing in other areas. All these roads are now tiled, all in my courtesy. Apart from roads, we also have street lights. These are all projects that are there for verification. You can see them with your eyes. I went to the immediate past senator representing FCT, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda; I told him, “Sir, I had written letters to Federal Ministry of Works & Housing and FCDA; to come and do an intervention in Nyanya Ward. This project falls within their jurisdiction. It’s not within AMAC jurisdiction. Those projects you see us carrying out is an intervention. I also wrote letter to Julius Berger and Dantata to come to our aid as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, to come and do something. Those boreholes you’re seeing in Nyanya were not dug by AMAC, I got them through Federal Ministry of Water Resources. The second phase will soon begin. It’s usually phase by phase. If they did the first one and it’s working, they will now bring another one. I went to places to attract projects to my ward. As a Councilor, you may not have the resources to executive all these projects, but you can attract them through the council or other ministries. This I have been doing for the betterment of Nyanya residents.
As a speaker, you can see that we have viable legislative since our inception. We have 2024 amended AMAC bylaw which is in effect as we speak. The one we had before, had some issues and needed to be amended.
Apart from those projects, what other things have you done?
Apart from those projects I have mentioned, we have also done human capacity building. We have carried out several empowerment programmes. We have pictorial evidence. We have carried out empowerment programmes for students, girl-child, aged people and the vulnerable. We have one coming up next week. We did one recently in Gbagalape, immediately after our party primaries. We have carried out free medical care programmes for the people in partnership with NGOs. We have been doing all these over the years, it’s not the issue of because election is coming
I actually came into politics not for self-glory or aggrandizement. For me, politics is not for money making. I came into politics because I thought I could do better than what those guys were doing, in the area of uplifting of humanity. There was a time I came to a councilor’s (now former) house, he kept me waiting for two hours. I asked myself, “This man is a councilor and it took me two hours to see him, assuming he was a local government chairman, how would he behave?” I saw many such characters, and I told myself that I could make the difference, if I hold any leadership position. These are the major reasons I joined politics, not to make money. In this place, I have open door policy – you have access to me at all times. You don’t need to wait for hours before seeing me. I need the people just the way they also need me. Majority of my colleagues have relocated to town, but I’m still living with my people. By the special grace of God, I’m a Speaker, but still living with my people, but those guys who have not gotten to that level, have left for town.
2026 is around the corner, do you think is going to be an easy ride for you?
No right thinking politician will take any political contest as easy. You know politics is like a game. You don’t underrate your opponent. If you do, you have yourself to blame. All you need to do is strategy. Don’t leave anything for a chance. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t look at politics as “my thing” rather it’s “our thing.” You need to carry everybody along – the stakeholders. You don’t claim to know everything or put everything on your head. If you carry your people along, it becomes easy for you. No individual, no matter how powerful you are, goes into an election and wins without the people. If you’re with the people, it becomes easy ride for you. The people are with me. They said to me, “Matthew Danjuma Yare, you must come back.” So, I’m flying on the people’s wings. People raised more than 50 per cent of funds that I used to get the Forms, for me. They said, “This is our contribution, go and get the Form and vie for re-election.” The question now is, should I turn these people down? The answer is no. We are not underrating our opponents, it’s like a game of football, we know our strategy and by the special grace of God, when the campaign starts on 24th September, we will begin to roll them out.
So, victory is guaranteed?
By God’s grace, there is no cause for alarm. God is on our side, therefore, victory is guaranteed. We are coasting home to victory.
You’re so calm, humble and loved by your people, what is the secret?
Just like I have said, it’s not about me. It’s about the people. If people love you and behind you, it makes things easier for you in politics. This is because politics is a game of number. The grace I’m operating is a “follow come grace.” Someone said recently that, “Matthew Danjuma Yare a.k.a “Follow come grace” and I adopted the name. I have been relating with people on a daily basis. I have PhD in Mass Communications so that I will know how to relate with the people. I’m working on thesis of my Master’s Degree in Legislative Studies, by the special grace of God, I’m also a trained lawyer, waiting to call to the bar. All these is to enable me to relate with the people very well.
I’m not under pressure at all because the people love me, and I also love them. I used to tell those coming to see me not to spend their money to come to the office. You need to spend some thousands of naira to come to AMAC, which is my office. I asked them to come to the house if what they want has nothing to do with the office. That is why they are always here. I listened to them, if what they are looking for is within my power, I source it out. If it’s beyond me, we work out other options. I don’t promise people what I can’t afford or do. I’m not a type of that politician. I give them room to tell me their issues, listen to them, and share the burden, by working out available solution. If someone is sick and has no money for treatment, I pay be bill. I prefer paying hospital bills instead of buying casket. Someone is in the hospital, I visit him or her. I can’t pay school fees for my children, I come in. I do what I can afford, and if it beyond me, they themselves know, but one thing is that, I still remain with them to work out things.
I’m with the people. If the people don’t want me, they would tell me ab initio (from the beginning). Politics or election is like a game. I don’t have enemies, I don’t put myself into unnecessary pressure so that when I want to sleep, I can sleep well.
Some of my opponents have started boasting that if I win the next election, they will quit politics. But I want to tell that it’s not all about me. By God’s grace, we are going to win the election, not me. The people are with me and we are going to win the election under the PDP. But I advise them not to quit politics. They are my friends and brothers. If they lose, they shouldn’t quit, they should remain in politics and let’s continue the game. If you lose today, tomorrow is another day. They should not quit politics. But concerning the issue of winning, by God’s grace, we are going to win.
You’re a young man, what is your advice for the upcoming young politicians?
When I first won election, I didn’t have someone that guided me on certain issues. But because of my academic background, I could manage things appropriately. But those that joined us during my second term as speaker, I counselled them. I let them to know that politics is not a job. Whatever you do that it’s the people that decide your fate, you need to be very careful. You must be active in whatever you’re doing, and close to the people. By virtue of my academic background, maybe that should have blown off my head. But I keep telling people that education or academic qualification shouldn’t make you proud; it humbles you. I keep telling those people that come my way especially the upcoming young politician to be humble because power is transient – you’re in today, you’re out tomorrow; and then, why shouldn’t you remain humble?
Why should I be arrogant? What I used to do before I became the speaker, I still do it even till tomorrow – I still walk on the streets, take bike and even drive myself. Some people when they get to power, they changed their lifestyles. If they leave power and such privileges are no longer there, it becomes a challenge. For me, I don’t look at politics as a do-or-die affair. Yes, I’m a speaker, thank God for that, but some of my mates are former ministers or serving ministers. Any position you find yourself, glorify God and continue to be humble, by doing what you have been doing before getting to power; because one day, you will out of power. If you don’t relate with people well, when you leave power, they will also abandon you.
Politics is for service, not for self-enrichment, proud and aggrandizement. Be humble and continue to serve God and humanity. God hates pride but gives grace to the humble.
