Jonathan’s Anti-Graft War Selective — Hon Kaita

Hon Ahmed Kaita is one of the members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change from Katsina State. The lawmaker is also one of those embroiled in a lingering legal tussle over the seat with another group from a faction of the party. In this interview with Adesuwa Tsan, he speaks on burning national issues including the on-going national conference and anti-Corruption fight. 

The National Conference has commenced. All along there have been talks for or against it but the president was determined and the conference has started. 

I have always maintained the position that this conference is unnecessary, wasteful and to some extent illegal. And considering the finance crisis that the country is, spending N7 billion on a jamboree like a conference that at the end of the day whatever is decided will be subjected to the National Assembly and the National Assembly might or may not consider it, for me is unnecessary, time wasting and to a great extent, a misappropriation of priority.

We have more bugging issue; security challenge is more important than phantom conference. Aside the legitimacy of the conference,  thought that the conferees are not people of integrity, they are people who were just handpicked by the government without a democratic process to produce those people that are supposed to be the representatives of their constituents. Again, this has gone to highlight how desperate this government is in trying to highlight the, take away the attention of the main issues facing us in this country.

N7 billion is not small money by any standard, the total entire budget proposal that the federal government submitted for north east is just about N1 billion and if you compare this with N7 billion that we are wasting on an unwanted conference, this goes to show you how unserious this government is.

So my position on this conference is that it is unnecessary, time wasting and I tell you, I’m not representing 360 members of the House but I’m telling you without any fear of contradiction that we will throw it out and the end of the day so it is just like taking N7 billion and setting it on fire.

Historically, conferences like this have not made any significant change to Nigerians. Our problem has always been corruption and if we are able to address it, which this government is not willing to do, we would have made positive impact to the country. The fact that after they have done the conference they are going to bring it to the National Assembly goes to show you that they lack the legitimacy to do it and if that is the case why don’t you priorities your problems and needs and demand? For me, is till believe this is another waste of time…

But the government and some groups are saying that if not for anything, people should be given the opportunity to ventilate since they have issues that have been piled up inside…

I wouldn’t support anything for talking sake. That is not even the issue. The issue of the anger is spread across this country has nothing to do with the conference. An ordinary Hausa man living in Warri and an ordinary warri man living in Bayelsa has no problem with each another. I spent a significant part of my life, about 19 years in Port Harcourt and I never had any problem with any Port Harcourt man.

This goes to show you that our problem has nothing to do with differences based on ethnicity and to a great extent, religion. We are one people, we have one destiny and if only we are going to be sincere with ourselves and bluntly so, we know the issues are not issues to discussed on the table.

The issues are issues that are supposed to be acted upon and once we have that leadership who has the balls and guts to move against any corrupt person in Nigeria, believe me the country will be a better place that can accommodate all dissenting voices.

That is one. Two, we don’t have rule of law in Nigeria, we operate like Animal farm where animals are equal but some are more equal than others. This is another problem and no country can sustain its democracy under jungle justice. There has to be a meticulous way of meting punishment on culprits irrespective of how high or lowly placed.

So the issues of the conference, ventilating on our anger has nothing to do with ethnicity, religion or ethnicity. I know for a fact because I am a living witness because like I said, I spent 19 years of my life in Rivers State and I never had any problem with any Rivers man. In fairness to them,  was even seen as part of them because i was able to acclimatise, i was doing my business, i had all four of my children in Port Harcourt, it was only the fifth one i had in Abuja here. So you can see clearly that our problem has nothing to do with ethnicity rather, it is about the corrupt leadership we have had over a long period of time.

Talking about corruption that you have been hampering on, President Goodluck recently suspended the governor of the CBN over a report of the Nigeria Financial Council. Don’t you think that is a step to curb corruption?

I have a problem with the president’s action. Even though I am not a lawyer, I know it is illegal because the president does not have the power to remove or suspend any CBN governor. The framers of the constitution did frame it that way so that the president will not have that right of fiat to just remove him from office.

The only lacuna that exists that the president is tapping on is 11(b) of the interpretation Act will states that he who has power to engage has power to also disengage. I have talked to so many learned lawyers and judges whose opinion has tilted towards the at been illegal. I believe the time is wrong considering there is a concurrent ongoing investigation on kerosene subsidy and missing funds. And it even baffles me that the president suddenly realised that there is financial regulation council or whatever it is called.

Where was this financial regulatory body when Nigeria was been milked dry, raped front and back and centre by government officials? I have never even heard about them, this is the first time I am hearing about them . Suddenly the government has realised there is a body that can indict someone. What happened to Oduah in aviation? Where was the body when government officials were stealing money? (0)

Jonathan’s Anti-Graft War Selective — Hon Kaita