Sponsoring a bill that provides for stiffer penalties against corrupt Nigerians, Sen. Abdulmumuni M. Hassan who represents Jigawa South/West senatorial district in the Senate says this is what is needed in the fight against corruption. He also breaks the ice on why Jigawa governror, Sule Lamido didn’t move to the APC along with the G5 governors. He spoke exclusively to RUTH CHOJI.
You sponsored two bills related to the EFCC recently. What is your drive?
Well, I sponsored two EFCC related bill and while one have gone through the first reading, the second is still pending with the 
Secondly, the bill aims at providing for an additional requirement for a person to be appointed as chairman of the commission. This is to the effect of providing for the fact that a lawyer of 10 years post call experience can also be eligible to be appointed as the chairman of the commission since the commission is more or less more concerned with investigation and then prosecution of alleged offenders of the law. And other similar amendments connected therewith.
The Second Bill is the Economic and Financial Crimes Court (Establishment) Bill 2013 and it aims at establishing a court of law that will be solely dedicated to settling disputes relating to economic & financial crimes in Nigeria. The court is supposed to be just like the National industrial court which is dealing with issues of industrial actions, trade dispute and employer-employee issues among others. Also, if you take the issue of corruption, it is widely believed to be our own major problem and so we think the government should do everything within its power to solve this menace or reduce it to its barest minimum.
Talking about corruption, some have advocated for the death penalty for corrupt public officials. Do you subscribe to this?
You see, I don’t think advocating or making provision for death penalty as part of our law is the solution to our problem, because implementation is the major challenge. If you look at our laws presently, there is provision for death penalty as punishment for some crimes, but the question is for how long have we implemented that in Nigeria? Also, the fact that death penalty is applicable in other countries like china does not mean it is going to work for us in Nigeria. And so that is why we suggest an amendment of the EFCC Act to make the punishment for Economic and Financial Crimes more stiff and stringent.
But is government doing enough in terms of fighting corruption?
Well, government believes they are doing their best while majority of the people don’t buy that at all.
The 2013 budget extended to the first quarter of this year. This year’s passage will be obviously belated as well as the House of Reps is yet to. What should Nigerians expect of this year’s budget?
The issue of implementation is the major problem we are facing as far as the budget is concerned and this is every year’s budget and not only the 2013 budget alone. So, government should actually do more as far as implementation is concerned so as to actualize the yearning and aspirations of Nigerians. As a people that live on hope, Nigerians should expect proper and better implementation of the 2014 budget
Lets discuss some bits of Jigawa State’s politics. Why didn’t Governor Sule Lamido defect to the APC, what actually transpired?
You know Lamido is a founding member of the PDP and one of the very few that are still surviving. And so most or about 99% of the people in PDP today met him in this party. It was the nine of them that met and started making efforts towards establishing the party they later became G18, G34 and later came up with a full blown party called the PDP. So I don’t think you should build a house, destroy it and then go to a friend’s house and beg for where to stay. These are His Excellency’s take on the issue of leaving the PDP for another party.
There is a Hausa proverb which says “Hannunka baya rubewa ka yanke ka yar” meaning that you should not amputate your hand because it is paining you, but rather you should look for medicine to heal it. And so His Excellency and his followers are just saying that there is a problem in the party and so we should solve it in order for us to remain that big united and prosperous family rather than allowing some of us to go away. But Alhamdulillah, we have started seeing changes and we hope it will continue, so that all will be well.
But do you think the problems in the PDP are surmountable and do you think Muazu can restore the glory of the party?
Well, I will answer you by first of all congratulating His Excellency Dr. Adamu Muazu over his recent appointment as the National Chairman of our great party and I wish him all the best in the difficult task of starring the affairs of our party. And to assure our commitment to his leadership, our mentor and leader, His Excellency, Dr. Sule lamido CON led us to the party secretariat immediately after he assumed responsibility in the National Secretariat and we congratulated him and assured him of our commitment to his leadership and the party in general. And so my advice to him is to remain steadfast, honest, and committed to ensuring internal democracy which will in turn deepens our nascent democracy. He should also do his best in ensuring that matters should be resolved amicably so that our membership will increase rather than decrease. And I wish him all the best.
The defections that were witnessed in the polity are directly connected to aspirations as 2015 inches close?
Well, I see Professor Jega as a person who is in charge together with INEC staff for organizing elections in Nigeria and his organization or arrangement can be the best we have ever seen, but that is not where the problem is, and this is because, Professor Jega cannot divide himself to be in every state, every local government and every ward of the federation. Also, you should note that elections are not largely rigged in the electoral offices but rather in the polling units. So, ensuring a free, fair and credible election has to do with all of us as a people and as Nigerians. If we will have a free, fair and credible elections, there will not be any violence but where people do not believe that the persons they elected are not declared winners may lead to some crisis which we do not hope for. I see and hope Nigeria beyond 2015 will still exist as one nation, one people, united and prosperous.
Corrupt Nigerians Deserve Stiffer Penalties – Senator Hassan
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