---Gives conditions to sign Electoral Act Amendment Bill
---Rejects state police again
---Says he’s ‘absolutely aware’ of people’s pains
By Our Correspondent
President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that he is not interested in who becomes the presidential candidate of his ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as he is open to the emergence of anyone.
President Buhari stated this in an interview aired on Channels television on Wednesday night.
Asked whether he has interest in the candidate of the party that may succeed him, he said: “No. Let him come, whoever it is.
“The only important thing (is) I made sure that on record, nobody should ask me to come and give any evidence in any court. Otherwise, whoever it is, he will be in trouble. Because all the important things are on record. I made sure about that. Important issues are all on record.
Also asked whether he has any favourite in the APC, he said: “No. I wouldn’t because he may be eliminated if I mention it. I better keep it secret.”
Fielding question on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the President said he withheld his assent to the bill because it did not provide options for political parties to choose their candidates.
He said, “Personally, I don’t support direct primaries because I want people to be given a choice. You can’t give them one option and think that you are being democratic. Let them have the three options.”
He named the options as direct, indirect and consensus.
When asked whether he will sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill if the National Assembly returns it with the areas he does not like amended, he said he would.
According to him, “I don’t think I told them what I don’t like. All I said (is) there should be options. We must not insist that it has to be direct. It should be consensus and indirect.”
Asked whether if the National Assembly does that he would sign, President Buhari answered: “Yes, I will. All I will like is that there should be options.
“You can’t dictate to people and you say you’re doing democracy. Allow them other options so that they can make a choice. A constituency can come together and say ok, we pick Mr. A.”
The president for the umpteenth time rejected the notion of state police as the solution to the nation’s worsening security situation, expressing fears that it may be abused by state governors.
He referenced the relationship between states and their local governments, which he suggested, may not be at a good level.
Recall that there have been clamour by many Nigerians that the police should be decentralized and some state governors have set up regional security outfits.
Responding to a question on the issue, President Buhari retorted: “State police is not an option. Find out the relationship between local government and the governors. Are the third tier of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally? Are they getting it? Let the people in local government tell you the truth, the fight between local governments and the Governor.”
The president advocated a bigger role for traditional rulers in bringing peace to communities as according to him, the royal fathers know who is who in their localities.
Buhari dwelt on reports of farmers/herders clashes in the country and wondered why there should be such occurrences among people that he observed used to coexist peacefully.
He explained: “For example, there were two Governors that came to see me about such problems…Oyo state and one other state…because the herders were in their forests but the animals were going into the neighbouring farms, and eating the crops; I said, as far as I know, the farmers and herders have been co-existing in Nigeria for generations.
“Let them go and ask the local leadership what has gone wrong, why the break in communication between the local leadership and the herders.”
Speaking on the traditional rulers, he added: “The role of traditional rulers must not be undermined, because in their areas they know who is who, even by families, not to even talk of individuals.
“So, we have to revert to that system for us to have effective security in the localities.”
President Buhari had previously expressed his reservations about the idea of state police.
Asked about his view an interview in May 2018 about governors demand for state police, he said: “I want the Nigerian Constitution to be consulted first and see what it says. If it says they should be allowed, then they should be allowed but don’t forget, how many times did we have to release money to states in the name of bailouts to enable them pay salaries?
“How many states are able to pay their workers in time? And you add the police to them? People should look at this matter very well.”
Speaking further on why he was not convinced about the idea, President Buhari added: “No, I am not convinced. We should have solved the current insecurity in the North-east and South-south by now. Can the states be able to shoulder the burden of the police?
“You cannot just give someone guns and ammunition, train him and refuse to pay him, you know what will eventually happen.”
On the poor economic conditions of Nigerians, he said he was aware of the pains they are going through.
“I’m absolutely aware of it. But as I said, look at the vastness of Nigeria, only 2.4 percent of the arable land is being used. We realized it rather too late. But we have to go back to the land.”
Speaking on infrastructure development, including the power sector and the administration's borrowing from the China, he said: TCN (Transmission Company of Nigeria) is 100% Government. But we inherited what you call DISCOS, they almost buried the country based on geopolitical zones. What was the basis? The people that own the DISCOS, who are they? They are not electrical engineers, they don't have money? Is just a political favour.
"We thought that was unnecessary. I told you now we have something. I'm sure you know, what it used to be between Lagos and Ibadan alone not to talk about the rest of the country. But we've got the Chinese to have the rail, to do the roads. How can we turn that down?
"So the Chinese are welcome. Anybody that is prepared to come and help with our infrastructure, I have told you the roads, the rail and power will be welcome.”
He advised young people against depending on the government for jobs as he challenges them to also look in the direction of agriculture.
Asked what legacy he will be leaving behind he said: “My legacy is that I have tried for us to conduct ourselves with integrity. We have stopped stealing, misappropriation.”
Further asked whether he has fears for the country's oneness and unity, he said, "No I don't. I don't because to be frank with you from 15th January 1966, I have been in all the troubles in this country including being in detention for more than three years. I think Nigerians, they make noise so that they can get a better deal but they know that we are better together than to separate."
No comments:
Post a Comment