BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Member representing Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Bamidele Salam, has flayed President Muhammadu Buhari over his alleged failure to secure the lives of the citizens.
The federal lawmaker said the National Assembly should not be blamed for the security challenges in the country, noting that the President Buhari-led administration had reneged on its campaign manifestos and oath taken.
Salam, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Osogbo, noted that the president had reneged on his promise to restructure the nation, saying that contrary to the assumption of the people, the National Assembly was worried about the rising insecurity across the country.
He dismissed the claims in some quarters that the lawmakers were only grandstanding.
Salam said that the House of Representatives had met with security chiefs on the growing insecurity in the country. He expressed confidence that if the outcome of the current effort was implemented, the nation would be peaceful once again.
He said, “We are building a synergy with the Executive arm of government but Nigerians should hold the President in particular accountable to his oath of office. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Whatever we do as lawmakers, it’s the executive that implements.
“The best we can do is to raise motions and pass bills. When it gets to the executive, without the accent, it would be an exercise in futility. And, that is why we are holding the President accountable to his promise that the outcome of the security summit that the House of Representatives organised will be duly considered and worked upon.”
On the President”s comments on the call for restructuring of the country, Salam said it was unfortunate that Buhari, who promised Nigerians that he would restructure upon being elected, now reversed and attacked those clamouring for it.
“The most unfortunate thing we have at hand is that we have a political class that lacks honour. We have a political class that lacks integrity. How can a president whose party campaigned on the basis of restructuring and on the basis of entrenching true Federalism come to say that those who are calling for restructuring are ignorant?”
