One of the most outspoken PDP Senators, Owner of Silverbird Television and the man that goes with a slogan “I am just making Common Sense”, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, was cornered by Scroll Report Nigeria correspondent, Edoamaowo Udeme while on a condolence visit to the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on the death of his mother. Senator Bruce who is certain that PDP will bounce back come 2019 spared only a few minutes to chat. Excerpts;
Are you recontesting in 2019?
Yes, I am and PDP will be at the center
Are you confident that PDP will win 2019 Presidential elections?
Yes, PDP will win. We are producing the next President.
Can you explain where APC has failed?
It has failed in the economy and jobs, the economy lost 11 million jobs in two years, it is shrinking, they don’t have the talent to manage the economy and if you don’t manage the economy there is nothing else you can do. They are ruling the nation based on fear and fear is not a domestic policy. Domestic policy is creating jobs, industries, developing the country, having water, light, infrastructural facilities. APC’s domestic policy is fear, terrorizing, threatening and arresting people. That is an agenda for dictators. You cannot grow an economy in the modern world based on fear. This is not Nazi Germany, this is not 1939, this is not 1885, this is not Napoleon Bonaparte. This is democracy so if the policy is counterproductive to economic growth, as long as the pursuit is policies, the economy will shake.
Can you compare the PDP and APC in terms of economy?
Yes, we were growing at 6-7% but now after a recession in the first quarter of the period, now we are growing at 1.3 to 1.5%, If we are this low, then, it means we are stagnant.
If you were to advice President Buhari on how to grow economy, what will you tell him?
I will first of all fire the people he is surrounded with because he is surrounded by people who are not ready for this modern world
Who should he fire?
I am not naming names but he needs to put up a brilliant economic team because the team he has is not ready for the modern world, and I mean across all sectors because if he has the right team, it will work. but right now, he doesn’t have good team around him. He may have good intentions but good intentions do not make a good leader. You may be a good person and have good intentions but if you don’t have a good team around you, you are a failure. Ronald Reagan a one-time President of the United States was always racing horses and playing golf but he ran corporate America, America had one of the fastest growing economies of the world. Buhari May not be too active but he has to have brilliant people around him, if corporate Nigeria ran this economy, things wouldn’t have been like this.
Some governors have been accused of siphoning money through white elephants’ projects and Bayelsa is not left out…?
(Cuts in) First of all I do not respond to speculations, if they say a governor stole money let them be specific, but I can assure you that Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson, has not stolen money. Bayelsa is one of the best run states of this country. Governor Dickson is an amazing guy to achieve so much with so little. He is one of the governors that all Nigerians should congratulate for what he has done, with the price of oil so low in the last two years, he has taken education from the last position that we were to the 7th position, He has also focused on infrastructure and healthcare. When he leaves office, he will be remembered for Education, healthcare, infrastructure, roads and more importantly he will be remembered for good governance
Why did it take so long for the Senate to pass the budget?
When was it given to us? They gave it to us late, when we invited the Ministries Departments and Agencies to come to review their achievement, they didn’t come, they caused the problem. My committee was ready and quick to do it but they slowed us down
So, who do we blame it on now?
The executives, because the Ministries took their time coming to us thereby delaying the process.
Final word?
PDP will be in leadership position in nine months, mark my word.
I appreciate your time Sir.
Thank you.
