 Welcome back. The national chairman of the all-progressives Congress, Senator Abdelayadamu, has stated that the ruling party has achieved more feats or more than any other political party in Nigeria in the last seven years. That's any other political party in Nigeria's history, including the People's Democratic Party. The ruling party has also reviewed its own primary election table, saying there is no truth in their session. It had zoned its presidential ticket to any part of the country, thereby dispelling fear that it has zoned the presidency to the northeast. Joining us to talk about this, I'm glad to say we have an APC chief team, Kingsley Wally. He's also convener of the Freedom House. Good evening to you, Mr. Kingsley Wally. Unity House Foundation, not Freedom House. Unity House Foundation. I didn't mean to cause any commotion since, yeah, apologies for that. You know, in Potakot, where we both are residents, that can cause a lot of trouble. But Unity House Foundation, sorry about that. We had hoped to have been joined by Diro Odeime, who is the former publicity secretary of the PDP. We told that he's busy at this point. But Mr. Kingsley Wally, what are your thoughts on this statement by your party chairman that the APC federal government has performed better than any other political party in the history of Nigeria? Well, to a larger extent, let me thank you first of all for giving me the benefit and opportunity of coming on your program one more time. Well, if there's anything that I've always said to people is that to admit that we are going through difficult times as a country, things are really, really tough for Nigerians. But it's always important to remind Nigerians to say and ask them when did this rain start beating us. That will help us to situate a lot of conversations properly. It's just not enough for you to say, oh, things are difficult. You need to find out. We're always dealing with symptoms and never the causes of our problems. So I think Nigerians are noticing the symptoms of several years of planlessness. I always tell people too, when I grew up in this country, when I was growing up rather, I always had a five years, 10 years, 20 years development plan. And all of those just by most, we were like operating with, you know, generally what people call cruise. We're just on the cruise in this country. For most part of the 16 years that the Democratic Party was in power. Again, there's a legitimate argument by some members of PDPDP who are saying that even at then, some members of the APC today were still part of that PDP administration that we cares today. And we probably say are responsible for our issues. But looking at it generally, I want to admit that in the political class that has kind of created the situation we are in today. So we cannot completely, completely as in a rate all the members of the APC from the problems of Nigeria, but to a large extent, the consistency of our crisis can be attributed to the 16 years of planlessness by the People's Democratic Party. And if you have been fair, if you have been fair to the government of Mohammed Buhari, you will accept the fact that he came in one who had a crisis. There was a recession to the extent that our only source of revenue was just there. I mean, maybe it was cheaper to sell or rather it was costing us more to produce than what we were selling. So and then somehow we've just been managing and getting things done one way or the other to the extent that today you can sincerely say that there's an attempt, a serious attempt at diversifying our economy. It's most politicians and analysts who come on the TV and they will say, oh, we need to diversify the economy. We need to be more productive. Our economy is too import dependent. And you ask what definite steps have been taken, even those who have been in government still come and tell of the same story of the need to diversify economy. And because Nigeria's problem cannot be solved in a day. President Mohammed Buhari started somewhere and he's been very consistent with that, that one way of getting out of where we are today is agriculture. And you cannot deny the fact that there's no movement in the agric sector. Our agro economy, it's improving. It's not where we want it to be, but there's progress from that end. So I'm saying that with consistency, you can see that system we grow. Unfortunately, those who want the economy to grow, who are talking about diversifying the economy, for example, who will scream when you want to protect local production. So for me, I think this government has been consistent to the extent that trying to fix the economy, because in the first place, it's important for you to identify what your problem is. Mr. Wally, you're saying that the situation, you're saying you did agree that all progressive congress in the last seven years has performed better than the PDP or any other political party's administration did. And you're saying that the issues are real. You're admitting that we have issues on ground. But it seems you're saying that it was caused by the PDP. I wouldn't say it was caused by the PDP. The PDP actually exacerbated the situation with free spending. They made Nigerians feel like, oh, okay, everything is cool. There was cheap funds, corruption money was all over the whole place. People could just walk into NNPC, get an allocation paper. You go to the wall, get a location paper, and you hit the road. And they thought it was overcooled. But generally, we refuse to accept the fact that we were a poor country. We were poor. Our economy was not where we were pretending to be. Because the lifestyle of Nigerians became something you had to, any sense person will ask yourself, ask himself rather, what is sustaining this? Is this sustainable? No, it wasn't. You went to the airport. The airport was full of private jets. The lifestyle of Nigerians just went nuts. And you asked, what was the basis for this? Just cheap funds, corruption money. And if anything, you cannot deny this administration of trying to create some level of physical discipline. So you're talking about physical discipline. What is APC doing differently in its time? Yeah. It's obvious for anybody to, any sincere person to say, one, for example, you look at the president, which is very instructive. You ask yourself, he's supposed to be the flag bearer of APC. He's supposed to be the flag bearer or the example of leadership. Not one single claim of financial indiscretion has been traced to the president of this country. That's the fourth stop. And you talk about corruption. Yes. Corruption has not been completely eliminated. We still have challenges. But somebody is showing example, leadership by example. People still make money from the system one way or the other. But the most important thing is not to free for all things. Okay. So you're saying there's corruption, but it's not as bad as it was under the PDP. It's not just as bad. It's nowhere near where it was before brother Wari came into office. The PDP has argued in the time pass that the corruption under the APC is worse than it was under PDP. What do you say to that? Anybody can say that. Anybody can make any claims. But you ask yourself, where did General Buwari get the money that they are using to put the infrastructures you are seeing in this country today? Is it corruption money? Did he manifest? Did his father leave anything for him? That's from where the inheritance that is building infrastructures in this country. Coffee on the second Niger Bridge. It's always been in the pipeline. It's going to be completed this year. The lake depots. It's always been in the pipeline. It's going to be completed this year. He's not even talking about roads. The Lagosibara expressway has gone through all kinds of faces, disputes and all of that. That will be completed this year. So I'm just trying to mention, I'm not even going into the railways. I mean, that's something that even a bland Nigerian knows. So what I'm saying in physical terms, in terms of things that you can see, right? You can really identify where government is working. If you come to the East, you just need to go ask people on ground. You know, the problem we have is that people come to TV, go to radio on the newspapers, say things that are not very viable, to the rather they did not bother to go and check. For example, if you are traveling between Potakot and Enugu, 80% of the stretch of that road, you can virtually go on a cruise. Are you saying the Potakot-Enugu road is near completion? Because last time I used that road some years ago, the cars I used was never the same. Precisely. What I'm saying is that you can make a call, put a call to anybody that stays on that axis and ask them what the state of that road is today. Yes, up till somewhere around Aba, the Potakot end, is not being fixed. As I speak with you, people are on site, working. Enugu and Niger, the same thing. And these are the roads that I have been on. So I cannot reasonably start making claims on things that I can see. I can make claims. What about the issue of 100 million Naira APC nomination form, which is being easily bought by several contestants as parents, somehow asking where are these people getting 100 million Naira form from to purchase these forms? Surely there must be corruption in the APC that the members of the party have made so much money to be able to afford 100 million Naira. What do you say to that? Kofi, you're still in Lagos, right? I do. You're still in Lagos, right? Yes, yes, absolutely, yes. How many G-guards must have this, that you see on Lucky Expressway in one day? And how much is that for one? How much is one G-guard? Okay, okay. So are you saying the members of the party... The point I'm making is that the leadership of these countries, such a serious business, that I believe that anybody who is sincere and wants to be present of Nigeria must show it down the proof of it. For example, people say the money is too much. Don't forget that in developed claims, such things are done through contributions, donations rather. People who have interest in you, people who believe that you can deliver, you can do stuff, we just say okay, fine, this man Kofi can do this job. Let us raise money for him. A hundred people raising one 1 million Naira, it's 1 million Naira. So if you're a presidential candidate, you don't have 100 friends who can give 1 million Naira. you have no business going to APS the APS headquarters when to begin form even for younger people the party was gracious enough to say okay 50 50 50 50 million error for any young person people less than 40 my god if we don't have 200 people who can give you one million error then you have no business running for the presidency of this country the truth is this is better probably not too not too smooth but the truth no matter is that if you want to be president of Nigeria you you must show seriousness. Just for a second, imagine that the figures were anywhere near maybe five million, 10 million era. You will have, for 100 billion era, how many political firms? Embarrassing numbers, that's the truth, you must accept it. Am I even thinking about the fact that of the amount? I'm saying, why should 20 people want to be president in a piece? All right, so let's move on. The economy is set to be in free fall. If you go through the business papers, you go through the economic reports and news, it's tales of wars. Tony Lumulu, most recently and famously, put out tweets that perfectly captured the saying that the rich also cry, lamenting the situation in the oil and gas sector, lamenting the situation as far as the Naira was concerned. And Nigeria is not even able to meet up to its obligations in terms of the OPEC quota. We look at the Naira. The Naira is in free fall. I need to do this. Yesterday I changed the $100 for 585 Naira, sir. What's happening to the economy is unprecedented. What do you say? So is this better than what the PDP did? No, I hate to say this. I don't want to sound personal, because if you're running a business, it's, your target is to make profit, right? Right? Our economy is so terrible, right? It's so horrible. People are hungry. Yes, I accept that. I agree with that. How much did you be a post as profit this year or last year? The economy is so bad. The economy is so bad. How much profits are the banks posting? Because I want to identify the speaker that I just made a reference to with the banking industry. If the economy is so horrible, that the rich are also crying. Do you bother to check the rock star lifestyle of bank executives? See, don't forget, I tell them by telling you that they are in this business to make profit. But those who make the same profit should not make insane statements about this country. Okay, okay. How are we taking this country, yes. All right. Finally, Mr. Wally, does the APC, looking at what the party has been doing in terms of its performance, do you have what it takes? Do you have candidates or the persons with the character and the experience to fix the issues that you've admitted exist? As far as the list of names, people who want to vie for the office of president from your party are concerned. Copy again. I didn't get the last one. Does the APC possess what it takes to solve the issues you've talked about? I mean, you've admitted that it's not all rosy. From those who've come out saying they want to be president on the platform of the APC, do we have people who are competent enough to fix Nigeria's issues? Let me put it this way. What, I'm going to return the question back to you. You are aware of the Asiwaju years in Lagos. You are aware of what Asiwaju Bola and Metinibu did in Lagos for eight years. You are aware, right? And the foundation he built for Lagos State. You are aware? Listening to you. No, no. I mean, you cannot have it, but you live in Lagos. It's very popular, man. You are very aware of the selling qualities and pedigree of the vice president of this country who is also running, right? Of course, you are very aware that in the last seven years, this government had made moves or progress in the area of real transportation, what you probably called the rail revolution. You are equally aware that not too long ago, Nigeria had, if you're chip into Nigeria, some parts of the post in this country, you did what they call wartime insurance in civil times. Nigeria has been gotten off that, what they call the blacklist. That's happened under this administration. All right, all right. You are equally aware that for several years, like I said earlier on, the Nigerian post authority. I'm afraid we have to go. No, I have to finish this, please. I have to finish this. Oh my, oh my. I'm afraid Mr. Wali, our producers, have just informed me that we are out of time as sincerely apologize so that we will bring you on again. Definitely we'll do that. And I want to thank those of you who've been watching for staying with us, plus politics returns more at the same time. Kingsley Wali is a chieftain of the APC and convener of the Unity House Foundation. I'm Kofi Bartels. Have a great night and see you tomorrow.