Adamu Adamu, Dogara, M.A. Abubakar, others can restore APC’s glory in Bauchi state. -Architect Sadiq A. Iliyasu

By M.I. Abubakar.

Politics, viewed by some scholars as activities associated with governing a country, an area or a group, can be used to affect people’s lives in positive or negative ways.

APC, the ruling political party at the level of federation and some states, has assumed a central position in the Nigeria’s political clout since the inception of the Buhari led administration in 2015.

As the ruling party, all eyes are now on APC so that any single move or activity attached to the party is seen and interpreted in different ways, depending on what perspective is given to it and by who.

Recently, the party dissolved its organs, structures and other party-persons. This has generated a lot of reactions from the party members, non-APC members and other people who follow the political happenings of the country.

In an exclusive interview with Baushe Daily Times, Architect Sadiq Ahmed Iliyasu talked about the dissolution, the party’s internal crises and more.

In the political space of Bauchi state, the name of Architect Sadiq Ahmed Iliyasu is not new for the double advantages of being born into the family of renowned political icon and also being active in politics and students’ unionism in his former days at the university as students’ union leader.

As a candidate who contested in 2019 under the umbrella of APC to represent Chiroma constituency from Misau in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Ahmed developed his political ambition right from school where he participated in campus politics.
“As an architect by profession, I am practising it and can even say architecture is my life, because I have strong passion for it.
“However, aside from my practice as an architect, my desire to serve people where I have the wherewithal has also propelled me into joining politics. It all started when I was in the university school where I held the positions of President Architecture Students’ Association ATBU chapter, Senator Environmental Technology Students Association at the Students’ Representative Assembly of the Students’ Union Government of ATBU. That was my starting point that later saw my joining the mainstream politics.”

On the recent dissolution of APC organs, Iliyasu described it as the right move and wise decision because it is very dangerous to keep waiting for fresh leadership to steer the party’s affairs after the elapse of this tenure and tactfully help in regaining and maintaining the party’s standard.

He, however, described the assertion that APC would be history after Buhari’s tenure as a misleading information to discourage the good APC family, giving an instance that the APC became a party after the merger of other opposition political parties.
Ahmed then reiterated that Buhari is not APC rather a then CPC member who played an integral role in the merger crusade that midwifed the coming of APC and would surely keep supporting the party even after he left office.

When asked on whether it is true that some top politicians in the state including Governor Bala Mohammed are making a move to join APC, Architect Ahmed said, “if it is so then our party will become superior and mother party in the state. Although we are in the opposition side, those wishing to join our party are highly welcome, but I will appeal to our fathers in the party to carefully know who to trust and who not to, and if it is true that Governor Bala Mohammed is among the intending defectors then it is very wise of him because I didn’t see him winning in the forthcoming election in any party other than APC, since the good people of Bauchi state are still with our party, and this is evidenced in the recently conducted Dass bye election.
“And you see, there are claims that undemocratic ideologies and manifestations within the party are what held the party’s progress and even led to our loss in some states including Bauchi, I can say it is true because Adams Oshiomhole’s ideologies are so harsh and autocratic and his kind of calibre affected the party so negatively. So, the dissolution is a starting effort, I assure you, in reshaping the party’s future and when we have fresh leadership and ideologies, we and the party will undoubtedly reclaim our lost glory,” he reaffirmed.

Coming down to the state level, Architect Sadiq Ahmed Iliyasu appreciated and called some dignitaries such as the former speaker House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu and the former Governor of Bauchi state, M.A. Abubakar as the pillars behind the success of the party who are also walking round the clock to restore the glory of APC, especially here at the state level.

Responding to the question of whether he has interest in running for any elective office, Architect Sadiq Ahmed Iliyasu explained that only time shall tell, stating that his decision would be dictated by people’s interest.