A former lawmaker within the Lagos State Home of Meeting, Hon. Jude Idimogu, has known as for persistence from Nigerians concerning the continuing reforms of the present administration, assuring that their optimistic impression will quickly be evident. On this interview with OLADIPUPO AWOJOBI, the skilled politician criticised requires a unicameral legislature and part-time lawmaking, arguing that such strikes would undermine democratic ideas. Excerpts:
Now we have had disaster within the economic system and the federal government stated that they’d put issues again to regular and they’re about to current the 2025 Funds proposal, what’s your cost to the federal government and Nigerians based mostly on the reforms of the federal government?
The difficulty is that reforms take time, we carry on saying this. Now we have made some progress as you may see that the Port Harcourt Refinery in Rivers State is working now, Dangote Refinery is working and he has even diminished the value of his personal gas by N20 and we imagine it should trickle right down to the discount in costs of products and companies. For the Port Harcourt Refinery that has simply opened, it’s an excellent factor for the administration of President Bola Tinubu. There had been failures prior to now as a result of, after they gave dates, they’d not meet up with the dates. However we carry on hoping for one of the best. Transferring ahead, we now have talked in regards to the reforms a number of occasions. The factor is that the federal government has been saving cash from gas subsidy removing. With this, the states and native governments now have more cash, particularly with native authorities autonomy. Our concern now could be that the native governments chairmen ought to make good use of the cash they’re getting. Nevertheless, the technique of appointing authorities chairmen by means of elections is what the federal government ought to take a look at. There ought to be an unbiased electoral physique for native authorities elections. It may not be the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), however the physique ought to be unbiased. Have a look at the native authorities elections that we now have had throughout the states, is it not like one get together system for the states, the place the get together in energy wins all of the chairmen and councilorship seats? Every state has its personal electoral fee that organises the elections. Whether it is what the federal government actually can do, it could be higher. It’s like all of the states have performed their native authorities elections now to have democratically elected native authorities chairmen and councillors. However how reliable is the method of their emergence. The federal government has to proceed to fine-tune this course of in order that they will have the arrogance of the lots. It will make it straightforward for opposition events to come back out to contest or else it could be the ruling events that may be contesting the native governments elections. It has additionally been stated that elections can be performed in solely the native governments, what occurs to the Native Council Improvement Areas (LCDAs)? We don’t know. A pronouncement needs to be made on this earlier than we perceive the route we’re going.
However the court docket has stated that the Federal Authorities ought to switch cash to the 774 native governments solely, so LCDAs aren’t recognised…
Sure, they base it on the 774 native governments, however the course of needs to be made higher. However I’d advise Nigerians to assist the federal government of the day as a result of if we don’t assist what we now have what can we do. As you lay your mattress so that you lie on it.
There’s the problem of excessive value of meals objects in Nigeria, individuals imagine that it’s because we now have left agriculture and moved to town, what’s your view on this?
That’s not the problem, it’s insecurity, even when insecurity abates, the worry of the unknown for individuals to go to the farm continues to be there. No person needs to lose his life as a result of she or he needs to enter agriculture, so the problem of insecurity continues to be there. The one factor is for the federal government to offer farmers confidence. One other facet is transportation as a result of the removing of gas subsidy raised the price of transportation as farm merchandise are transferred from the agricultural areas to the city areas. Gasoline impacts every thing in Nigeria together with value of transportation to work, transporting items and companies and others. Nevertheless, the federal government can encourage farmers by shopping for their objects for storage in order that they will promote to the individuals later. The Ministry of Agriculture has quite a bit to do in that facet. However for me, the very fact is that insecurity ought to be tackled. If farmers trust within the system, they’d return to farms, however how safe is the farmland. I’ve additionally stated that Nationwide Youth Service Corps (NYSC) ought to be used to encourage corps members to enter farming. As they’re leaving, one other batch is coming and a few of them would discover employment alternatives in agriculture as a way of livelihood. We have to encourage many corps members to enter farming other than some core professionals, who might be posted to work elsewhere. The federal government ought to present farmland for corps members within the three senatorial zones in every state of the federation and supply services for them, give them safety and water infrastructure. We must also encourage mechanised farming. If we try this, you will note that the issue of lack of sufficient meals will go away
There have been criticisms that energy is just too concentrated on the centre, will you counsel that the Federal Authorities ought to launch some powers to the state?
That has all the time been our place and President Bola Tinubu believes in devolution of energy. That’s the neatest thing to do, however he can’t do it alone, he has to undergo the Nationwide Meeting. It’s a course of, if all of the members of each the Senate and Home of Representatives imagine in it, then it should work. I imagine that devolution of energy is sweet, but it surely’s not one thing that may occur instantly.
There have been agitations that Nigeria ought to have just one legislative arm on the federal stage and that the job of the legislature ought to be on a part-time foundation, what’s your view on this?
Half time legislature wouldn’t be straightforward, other than sitting, they carry out oversight features and go for committee conferences. If they’re engaged on full time foundation and Nigerians imagine that they aren’t adequate, is it after they now do it on half time foundation that it will likely be higher? Now we have had unicameral legislature earlier than, after we had parliamentary system of presidency, what occurred then? I hold saying that it’s not the problem of the system that we’re operating, however it’s about us as a individuals. Presidential system of presidency might be costly based mostly on the variety of individuals concerned, but it surely’s not about the fee, however the output. We must always take a look at what we’re benefiting. If we are saying unicameral, would that resolve the issues of Nigeria. The opposite home that you simply wish to cancel, do you assume they’d assist this? Nevertheless, whether it is for the curiosity of the nation and the lots, there can be lots of discussions and the individuals would take a look at the one that’s higher. They are saying it’s a foul workman that quarrels together with his instruments. All people is complaining in regards to the 1999 Structure, however a rustic like the UK has an unwritten structure, and the individuals are not quarrelling. We which have one, why are we quarrelling? Man was not made for structure, it’s the structure that was made for man. You that made the structure can as properly change it. Allow us to look inward and know what our issues are. If a majority of us are patriotic, we is not going to have the form of issues we’re having.
What do you say about our electoral system as there have been allegations of vote shopping for, rigging and what have you ever throughout our elections with examples of what occurred in Edo and Ondo States governorship elections?
We don’t have good electoral system now. Irrespective of the tools and machines you present for the election, you continue to have the human parts that function them, so allow us to look inward. A few of these issues are both performed by means of the workers of INEC and the individuals, not simply the politicians. If politicians give bribes, what of those that accumulate them. One other factor is that when some individuals fail, the method is unhealthy, however after they win, the method is sweet. The person that simply completed in Edo State as Governor was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was a member of the APC within the first time period earlier than he crossed. Nevertheless, there’s must overhaul our electoral system. I’m completely happy that the Nationwide Meeting is speaking about diaspora voting in order that the individuals within the diaspora who contribute by means of cash switch dwelling ought to have a say in our electoral system. I imagine that earlier than 2027, the Nationwide Meeting would rejig our electoral system after wanting on the obstacles that we now have had. However like I stated, there is no such thing as a good system.
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