Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has warned that renewed killings in Plateau, Benue, Zamfara and Katsina states, and the harsh economy in the country may cost President Bola Tinubu a second term in office if he wishes to run again.

Though he described Tinubu as a “good man”, he expressed worries that his current economic team may not help him to deliver an acceptable economy to Nigerians especially those in the North thereby facing rejection like Jonathan.

He, however, noted that, the current politicians ganging against Tinubu may not succeed because they don’t have any ideology that may win Nigerians to their side.

The administration of President Bola Tinubu has been boasting that it is reducing the insecurity in the country as promised during his pre-election campaign. Are there forces against that boasting as the situation seems to be gradually escalating with renewed killings in Plateau, Benue, Zamfara and Katsina states?

The security situation has remained volatile for some time now. When you pacified an area, then it brewed in another area. This simply means our approach is still a fire brigade, not holistic. The issue of security should be taken bigger and more seriously than how we currently handle it. The life of every agitator should be touched directly. We should know them. This is important because every other thing, including an improved economy, depends on it. Also, we should not underestimate what has been said that there are foreign interests behind these agitations. A United States congressman recently alluded to that point of view when he said his country is spending money on the side of Boko Haram. We should never take that with levity. If you ask me, they have so many reasons to do that. We have seen Francophone countries in the Sahel driving away French forces because they are being suspected of fanning insecurity. The same people are our friends now. That is why they don’t equip us with the necessary equipment to fight. I saw 80 per cent of the leaders of these so-called bandits when I went into the forests sometime ago. I could not see the remaining 20 per cent because things changed. They were willing to sit and discuss. The Kaduna State government under Uba Sani has really tried in the Birnin Gwari axis. But there are still pockets of infiltration because Birni Gwari links three states – Katsina, Zamfara and Niger. So, if you deal with a few leaders, others will come in, especially when there is pushback on the other side. We should not forget that we are dealing with illiterates. They don’t have either Western or religious education. For example, religious education mode characters. It helps you feel concern for others. Religion is partly compounding bandits and Boko Haram.

We should know that the West is trying to destabilize us because they know when chips are down, they will come in to inherit our resources.

Sir, don’t you think Nigeria needs foreign mercenary to join us in addressing these overwhelming internal insecurity?

Since 9/11, the military Pentagon has changed. That has also launched what will snowball into a third world war. See what is going on in the Middle East and Syria. They want to destabilize us. They want us to remain underdeveloped. So how can we engage them to fight our battle for us? At one point, people were using private jets to get arms and ammunition. When the black man comes to the reality that the white man does not love him, then he can see how to help himself. One of the reasons they left the colonies then was malaria. Let us be frank with ourselves, how are blacks being treated in the United Kingdom and America? I mean blacks who were there as citizens, blacks who don’t have another language or ancestral home. Even in the Arab world, the black man is treated like a second-class citizen. But we are far richer than many of these Arabs. If you compare ourselves with Saudi Arabia, we are richer than them. We have oil, uranium, gold, good rainfall patterns, rivers and many more. So, if the Arabs will treat us somehow, I would not mind. It will be a different thing if the West will do that after milking us. No nationalism, no development. Africa must unite to be stronger. We can start with West Africa.

What is your position on the recent declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State by President Tinubu?

I just saw the news briefly in papers that there is a declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State and subsequent appointment of sole administrator. They have destroyed democracy in that state. There is no bloodbath in Rivers as we have in Zamfara. I think the Federal Government was ill-advised because it may boomerang in some areas in the sense that people will fear the government. We should not forget that governors make up the government. This was one of the mistakes of former President Goodluck Jonathan when he was declaring a state of emergency anyhow. The situation in Rivers does not warrant that.

Let us talk a little about politics. As it is, Nigerian politicians have started the political alignment and realignment ahead of 2027 with some cross-carpeting and are looking forward to forming a coalition against Tinubu. What is your take?

Honestly, it is funny how politicians in this part of the world behave. 2027 is still far away. They should face governance for now. None of them can do it better because everyone is a victim of another politician. The government should concentrate on the economy. The economy is the only weapon they can use against Tinubu. Otherwise, Tinubu is a good man. He is not like someone I don’t want to mention. If he can play his card very well by taking the economy more seriously than what we have now..

Can you provide additional details on what you mean?

Food inflation is high even though there is an effort to beat down food prices in the market. Poverty is increasing. Now, farmers may be at the receiving end. For example, after procuring inputs at exorbitant prices only for the price to crash. We cannot continue to import food without importing equipment and inputs like precision farm implements, herbicides, and all that, so as we import, we also produce. If the government can concentrate on that and insecurity, then we will be fine. But the governors have a key role to play in what you just said especially now that they have more money at their disposal…Yes, a governor is a small president in his state, and what he does is very important to the cumulative efforts of good governance. So, we cannot hold the president to ransom in terms of rural integration and development. That is why a president needs to be careful when dealing with governors. I think the president needs a formidable economic team and good political advisers rather than what we see now.

So what are Tinubu’s chances ahead of the 2027 round of elections?

Honestly, I don’t know. When political titans came together to form what is today known as APC against PDP under Jonathan in 2014, it worked because he had no chance. In fact, five governors from the PDP left him to join that new coalition then. The question now is, can the current opposing politicians form that kind of opposition against Tinubu? Can they? If Tinubu can do what people want, he will not have serious opposition against him if he wishes to seek re-election come 2027. Look at Kaduna for example. See how everyone is calm, unlike his predecessor, who was talking about development without a human face. The situation is calm, mild and happy despite the harsh economy.

You are always of the view that the two major contenders – Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar are friends. Are you still holding on to that view considering the recent moves by Atiku and Obi to form a political alliance to dislodge Tinubu in 2027?

They are all friends and no sensible Nigeria should kill himself for any of them. That is why there is no strong opposition against Tinubu. Let Nigerians just allow them to realign themselves. In 2015, I told Jonathan to just step down because people have rejected him, especially in the North. The Boko Haram, the bombings here and there and his inability to have the full grasp of the military to do the work for him. So, there was tension all over the country because everyone, irrespective of their social status, was affected one way or the other. Unfortunately, the eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari could not help us.

But Buhari has returned to his Kaduna home, and the place is now a Mecca of such as who and who in Nigeria politics keep thronging the house to consult him…

See, I don’t want to talk about him. What did he do with eight years of opportunity to govern Nigeria? Jonathan could not put his government into shape, which brought Buhari. The expectations then that things would be better under Buhari were not realistic. Today, Buhari has lost his political influence. It cannot be as it was in 2014. All those visiting are doing so just to make noise and nothing more. What value will he add now? What value? That is why there is a need for strong opposition to ideology. Opposition based on economy. Opposition base on a master blueprint on security.

Are these not what these guys have been promising Nigerians since 1999?

It is not just about promise. You can sense somebody’s interest in the ways and manners in which he addresses issues. Unlike the previous administration, Tinubu does not have a cabal though he needs serious security and economic advisers, not for political compensation. Let me mention that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, is good at what he does. But he Is overwhelmed. He needs to do a lot of work on the banditry side. By that I mean all bandits leaders must be involved, not just a few ones, and there must be a programme for them like what happened in the Niger Delta.

With killings in Plateau, Benue, Zamfara and Katsina states in recent times; in your view, what is happening in these states and what is the way forward?

Unfortunately, the government has not been able to curtail the situation. In Kaduna today, there are people from across the country living together and doing their business. Nobody is molesting or harassing anybody based on their ethnic nationality. I’m just coming from a Computer Based Test Centre where a Yoruba man is the one doing its networking. But in Plateau State, these cattle rearers know nothing other than rearing animals and grazing to feed them. So, if you have a law against them, there will be an issue. Why don’t you have a law to accommodate them? In Lagos, look at the population of Igbo in Lagos doing their businesses. So, why won’t you allow them to rear their cattle in your state without being indigene of the state? If you think you can stop them by killing them and poisoning their animals, you see, these are reprisal attacks. Already, this is taking religious and ethnic colouration. But it is not either of the two. Look at what is happening in Zamfara. Killing there is worse than what is happening in Plateau. The bush is enough to accommodate everybody. If you love suya, you should love Fulani because the suya comes from their cattle. Let us have a nation that can accommodate everyone. (Sunday Sun)