In this interview with ADELEKE ADESANYA, House of Representatives member, Hon Oghene Egoh, warns that incessant killings going on in the country by herdsmen, may lead to war, if handled with kid gloves. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker, representing Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency, Lagos State, also condemns the unilateral withdrawal of funds from the excess crude accounts by the Federal Government, on the grounds that it is fighting insurgency. Excerpts:
The House of Representatives has summoned President Muhammadu Buhari over the various killings by herdsmen in the country. What is to be expected?
We have been calling on the service chiefs on this issue and they have not been responding, and the killings continue, to the extent that this time, people worshipping in a church were killed, along with two priests; this is the worst. These people who were slain in the church were not farmers; so we cannot say it is farmers and herders’ fight; so it seems that the killing is taking a different dimension.
Look at the killings in Zamfara; look at the killings in Taraba. We are talking about the North-East, where we have Boko Haram; it is dangerous if killings are happening everywhere. If things like that persist, foreign investors will not even come here; even, visitors will be afraid to come to the country. The cases are too widespread and people will be afraid to come into the country. I am sure the President will be worried, and if I were the President myself, I would be worried, because if it continues, those affected will be forced to get ammunition for themselves and it will be difficult to control..
Even if you are using it (excess crude oil’s) for security, you can only use your share out of the money. So, the claim that they are using it for security is not an excuse. If you want to fight insecurity in the country, use the money that belongs to you
So how is the House of Representatives reacting to the security situation in the country generally?
Don’t forget that so many times, we have had to move motions on this issue. We have called the Inspector General of Police to the House; we sent messages, we called on the President each time there was this issue of killing, because it is getting to a very frustrating situation. We are doing all that is within our capacity in calling on the government to ensure that lives and properties are secured.
If you look at the constitution, it says government is expected to protect lives, provide security for the people; that is the Number One duty of government. If the government cannot do that, it means such a government has failed. But don’t forget that we are a legislative body; we make laws, we do appropriation and we perform oversight functions. But securing people is not really part of our duties; it is the executive arm of government that provides security for the people. If the executive arm of government is not doing this, then they are failing in their duty and we have consistently called on the executive arm of government to look at what we have, get the security apparatus to protect the lives of Nigerians, and as we can see, they don’t seem to be doing this. We are doing our best and we hope the President will look inwardly, to fix all these issues.
The President recently withdrew $496bn from the excess crude oil account to buy jets, which it said were meant to fight Boko Haram. Meanwhile, this move has been faulted, that it was illegal since the National Assembly did not approve the withdrawal. What is your view on this?
We know that it is the duty of the National Assembly to appropriate. If this money is withdrawn without appropriation by the National Assembly, then it is illegal. And that is why you see that members of the National Assembly are very angry and it is not that the National Assembly people are interested in the whole approval; the duty to approve is given to the National Assembly by the Nigerian people, and if the National Assembly does not keep to their duty, then we have failed the people.
Appropriation belongs to the National Assembly. The President cannot say ‘we are begging you (National Assembly members) for approval’, no, that is not in the interest of Nigerians. So why can’t they find a way to send the information to the National Assembly for us to debate? For us at the National Assembly, that money they withdrew is totally illegal, because it does not belong to the Federal Government alone. The Federal Government has 52 per cent; the Senate has its own share, local governments have their own share, the local governments have their own share. So, for the Federal Government to withdraw out of the money without the approval of the National Assembly, that is fraudulent.
But they said they were using the money to solve insecurity problems in the country.
Solving security problems in the country belongs to the Federal Government. Of course, they have the police and others. That is the duty of the Federal Government. They should do their job with the money that belongs to them. You cannot say because you are doing your job, so you should take someone else’s money to do it. It doesn’t work that way. It is like a state that is doing its job and trying to use local government’s money, which is wrong. Even if you are using it for security, you can only use your share out of the money. So, the claim that they are using it for security is not an excuse. If you want to fight insecurity in the country, use the money that belongs to you.
President Buhari recently, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London, implied that many Nigerian youths were lazy. Do you think the statement is good enough from the President?
I am surprised the President made such a statement. Let me tell you; when we came out from school, there were jobs available for us. Even in the university, companies would come to recruit you. In the late 70s and early 80s, I was getting job offers, so the one I liked I would apply for it. They would invite you for interview, and once you passed, they would employ you. So we were working.
But today, there are no more job opportunities for the youths and the reason is because the Army took over from the civilians and bastardised the country. At the initial stage in our nationhood, there were jobs, but the military took over and collapsed the system. And when the civilian government took over from the military, there were no jobs. So how will you say someone is lazy when they don’t have jobs to do?
I don’t know the basis of the President saying that the Nigerian youths are lazy, and even those who are running the country, what have they done to provide job? When you say that your youth are lazy, do you think foreign investors will like to come and invest in your country? And even if they come, they will say their youths are too lazy, we can’t give them jobs or they will plan to bring all their workers from their country. At the end of the day, there will be no jobs for the youth. So I am surprised that the President made such a statement. He needs to explain to
Nigerians.
