In this interview with JUBRIL BADA spoke about financial autonomy approved by President Buhari among other issues of interest.
Excerpts.
Can we meet you sir?
I am lfedayo Gbenga Akinsoyinu. A member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Ondo West Constituency II.
I’m the youngest ever serving member of State House of Assembly in the history of the state.. l have been in politics since 1989. Next year, l will be 30years in it. I was former Majority Leader of the House
In 1989, l was a councillor till around 1993 when the military struck. In 1999, l became a member of the House, except for 2003 and 2006, when l became Parliamentary Liaison Officer (PLO) to the late former Governor of this state, Dr. Olusegun Agagu at the State House of Assembly.
The financial autonomy given to the legislature and the judiciary, how will you assess this development?
It is long overdue. This is an essential components of the duties and functions of the legislators. It is part and parcel of the rule of law. There must be separation of power, though there is no water-tight seperation of powers anywhere in the World. But at least, the vote of the House of Assembly must be seperated from that of the executive arm of government so that each arm of government will have to run its own business using its vote.
Now, it is not just the Assembly alone that was granted autonomy, the judiciary was equally granted. I think it is a welcome development. It will enhance the development of the rule law and seperation of powers.?
Don’t you think that this development, granting of financial autonomy to the House of Assembly and the judiciary will create friction among the executive and the other two arms of government.
The senate has always enjoy financial autonomy. The House of Representatives has always enjoy financial autonomy except in extreme cases where the executive over stepped its boundary. The National Assembly has never threatened the executive except where it is glaring that the executive is overstepping its boundary. For example, see what is happening in Nigeria now. They are killing people everyday, the Inspector-General of Police was invited, he did not go and appear before the senate.
In a situation like this the president should not fold his hands and pretend as if nothing is happening. What I’m saying is that rather than concentrate absolute power unnecessarily in any arm of government, it should be balanced among the three arms of government so that each will operate within its realm of duty or schedule. I am sure financial autonomy can’t lead to impeachment. Then, don’t forget that even when there was no financial autonomy, the executive arm of government was riding rough-shed over the legislature.
Each time the House of Assembly want to buy cars, it will go and beg the executive. Everything , they have to beg. Then they are becoming like slaves.
Looking at the constitution, it is the legislature that makes law and executed by the executive. To that extent, I think it is a welcome development and think it will not have any negative effect.
This is a new experiment and innovation about to have initial problem, the problems with time everything will adjust.
The Not-Too-Young-To-Run bill was also among those signed by the President. What’s your take?
It is a welcome development. The way things are now, with my knowledge, the young ones are the best reservour of energy. What a 40-years-old man will do by exercising himself or running around with the duty in government, the 70 or 75-years-old persons cannot try it. I think we should encourage the young ones to vie for positions. I think it is a welcome development.
Are our youths really financially capable of vying for political posts?
For example, what is happening in Ekiti State now, Dr. Kayode Fayemi got elected maybe he is 53 or above now, he picked a 74-year-old man as his deputy. What l’m saying is that the young ones can contest. But behind them in the cabinet. They can have commissioners who are fairly advanced in age like 50s or 60s. So the energy of the young ones will balance the old ones. So, what the young ones lack by way of knowledge or experience, the old ones will prepare to compensate for it. What the old ones lack by way of physical energy, the young ones can be there too to bridge the gap.
What I’m saying in essence is that, the Not-Too-Young-To-Run bill has been passed into law, does not mean it is going to kill those at over 50 or 60 . It means that people, who are more than 40, 50, 60 or over will still contest. At the end of the day, those who emerged after elections will be a mixture of young, middle and old ages. Don’t forget that it is an experiment. We might not be there now, but by the time we are counting about ten years, we will blend properly.
Don’t forget that, what the law says is that, if you attain certain so so age like 25-30, you can become so so thing you aspirel . If you are above the age, it does not mean you cannot aspire.
Advice to Nigerian youths vis-a-vis their attitude to handwork, corruption, politics etc.
In 1989 when Gen. Ibrahim Babangida said youths about contesting should indicate. Interests he formed SDP and NRC saying that old should sit down. That was how I became councillor at the age of 29 . What I’m saying in essence, young ones should see it as a challenge and opportunity for them to come to the centre stage to manage the affairs of the country. They should not abuse the opportunity and not let the person who sponsored the bill and the president who signed it regret coming up with such law. The law came as a result of agitations from the young ones.
The issue of corruption is not peculiar to young ones alone, It is a kind of retrogression in our value system. It is not limited to the young and old ones alone. l will equally advise young ones to try as much as possible to shun corruption, sharp practices and uphold the core values and not cut corners and endure. Either you are young or old do not cut corners or engage in what will spoil family’s name. With the new law coming on board which is applauded by everybody, they should equally reciprocate by making sure they make best use of the law.
Renaming of Democracy Day to June 12, what is your view?
June12, either we like it or not, whether holiday is declared or not, it has remained a water shed in the political history of Nigeria because something fundamental happened on that day. Across all divides, million of Nigerians gave their votes regardless of religion, tribe, background and gave their mandate to MKO Abiola, but somebody along the line annulled the election. Beyond that, l don’t want to believe that they want to make it a political issue for 2019 to appease Yoruba people. Government should go beyond that.
The fundamental thing is restructuring, which we have been clamouring for. The VAT here we consumed fuel, patronize departmental stores, the tax generated from Southwest is more than what is generated up North. Come to the sharing, we do not receive more. It is not fair, the fundamental thing is to address the issue of restructuring. Let us go back to 1953 constitution, which talked about regionalism, that all regions compete among themselves. When we have regional government in those days, our welfare was improved because we did well in cocoa business. From the business, University of lfe, Cocoa House in Ibadan and all the rest were built.
In the East, rubber was a major income and able to build University of Nsukka among others. In the North, it was groundnut as a major means of generating income. It was called Groundnut pyramid, was used to build Ahmadu Bello University (ABU). Therefore, each region wanted to outshine one another. There was a competition among the regions to build hospitals, airports and have airlines as a result of this, there was a competition among them which brought about development among the regions then.
But, a situation whereby, states have to beg or wait for money from Abuja, such states become lazy. There are many states in the country now, that can never survive without the allocation from Abuja. If these states are allowed to stay on regional arrangement, whatever is available at each region can be turned to money for their developments, rather than depend on the Federal Government.
Restructuring is the main thing. It is beyond giving MKO Abiola award and declaring holiday for June 12. There is nothing special in the holiday declared. The best way to immortalise, Abiola is to emplace all those things he was fighting for which include justice, and transformation of Nigeria. What he could not achieve before his death, steps should be taken to achieve them.
Are you optimistic that the issue of restructuring will be materialised?
It depends on the president and power that be. If he wants to make it to happen, it will happen. He has started very well by even remembering late MKO Abiola. Since, Abiola’s death, no one remembered him. It is a good thing and right step in a right direction. As he has remembered Abiola by giving award, he must also declare Abiola and Kingibe as ex-president and ex-vice president respectively, and give their entitlements to their families. Abiola and SDP stood for restructuring and now people are clamouring for restructuring, he should implement it now.
What’s your view on to the payment of entitlement demanded by some Nigerians for the families of Abiola and Kingibe?
It might not be everything. It might be part of it as compensation to the families. The Abiola’s families have lost everything. They lost their bread winner, Abiola. They lost his wife, Alhaja Kudirat, Concord newspaper and his Airline business. l can’t imagine how they will recover from the businesses. Nigerians have forgotten the family. The family should be compensated.
Credit to HopeNewspaper