Succession challenge may cause implosion in the polity ahead of 2023 – Hon. Adeniyi Michael Omogbehin Negwo.
– Steve Ovirih.
Hon. Michael Omogbehin is the immediate past member House of Representatives from Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency. In this exclusive chat with Steve Ovirih, Hon. Negwo as he is popularly called bared his mind on issues concerning the Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB), the vote against Electronic transmission of votes by NASS , who becomes APC Presidential Candidate in 2023 among other matters of interest in the polity.
Excerpts:
Thepolity : Sir, What’s your take on Petroleum Industrial Bill ( PIB)? Do you agree with the position of the National Assembly as shown in the newly passed PIB bill?
Hon. Omogbehin : No , I do not agree with the position of The National Assembly at all. Anyways, it’s still a contentious issue. I expect that Mr. President would exercise great refrain in signing that bill into law particular the 3% provision for oil communities and also the attempt to redefine the host community.
Thepolity : A lot of people have said the recent Senate is analogue and that is why they threw under the train the bid for the transmission of election results electronically from the polling units. You are not quite long a member of The National Assembly. Do you see our NASS as analogue and not digital oriented?
Hon. Omogbehin : ( Laughs out loud..) I don’t think that the voting pattern at The Red Chambers jettisoning transmission of electoral results electronically has anything to do with being analog or digital. It has to do in my opinion, with an absence of patriotism and a reflection of the Law makers putting party position above national interest. Unfortunately, it is a show of total detachment from the yearnings and aspirations of the people they represent. I think their decision stems from the speculated fear of possiblity of people intercepting online data or manipulation of results which in my understanding is easier done manually than it can be done online. Perhaps, they’re more at home with manual manipulation.
Thepolity : What is your sincere take on the plethora of security challenges bedeviling the nation at the moment?
Is the FG doing enough to curb internal aggression and external insurrection through the Northern borders?
Hon Omogbehin: The primary constitutional responsibility of any government is the general welfare, protection of life and property of citizens. I believe that Federal Government can do better than they’re presently doing. I think it was wrong initially for FG to have treated members of Boko Haram as our ‘erring brothers’ that deserve rehabilitation. This decision created a notion of weakness and absence of will on the part of FG to tackle the insurgency with all attention it deserves.
This lapse emboldened and gave room for the terrorists to regroup and entered into further alliance with other foreign terorist groups.
Now we have insurgency virtually from all fronts of Northern Nigeria. The latest attacks on the NAF fighters jet is enough to tell us that those rascals in North West and some parts of North Central are not bandits but terrorists. We must define and draw clear line of demarcation between bandits and terrorist activities.
Thepolity :What is your take on Democracy in Nigeria ? Do you think we are practicing this fine concept pragmatically here?
Hon. Omogbehin : We’re practicing democracy, yes, but not pragmatically. Sometimes, I ask myself if we’re really ready for Democracy. The attitude and poor understanding of Nigerians towards various democratic institutions and arms of government vis-a-vis our criminal indifrence and passiveness to our rights and obligation makes me think, we’re not ready. Perhaps, we’ve been so much enmeshed in our longtime military rules and partial romance with diachy culture during Babangida’s military regime that we now find it difficult to appreciate rights and freedom in democracy. All hope is not lost, I believe with time, we will get over this teething democratic problems provided we give rooms for our democratic institutions to thrive and also strengthen the beaurocratic system to work.
Thepolity : Do you think the Buhari presidency should have handled differently the matter of Sunday Igboho?
Hon. Omogbehin : See Steve, It’s important to put the story between Igboho and FG in right perspective. Had FG lived up to its expectations at quickly intervening in the activities of the criminal herdsmen in Igangan and its suburb villages and camps, there wouldn’t have been the need for a Sunday Igboho’s self help interventionist struggle for the emancipation of his people. Yes, I believe that the presidency was stampeded into taking action against Igboho, bracing from the enthusiasm of capturing Kanu, the security agencies, I believe in my opinion, thought that the onslaughts should be extended. I think it was a tactical error ; there’s a difference between Igboho and Kanu’s activities, historically and operationally. I’m afraid, if care is not taken , it will become messier with the turn of recent events.
Thepolity : And of course, what’s your take on the President Muhammadu Buhari’s dispensation so far?
Hon. Omogbehin : Well, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former military President and former Civilian President of Nigeria told us before the 2015 elections, the strength and weaknesses of President Buhari and so far he has not proven Obasanjo wrong. Don’t forget, Obasanjo was his boss in the military so he made his assessment of the President Buhari he knew way back based on what he has always known about him.
Thepolity: You are in APC; do you envisage succession challenge in the party ahead of 2023?
Hon Omogbehin: Sincerely, I don’t even know the political party I presently belong ( laughing wittily…) Seriously, I’ve been very impervious in recent times to party activities. Succession challenges? Yes, I envisage serious challenges in the polity capable of causing unimagineable implosion larger in scope than what you witnessed with PDP, if care is not taken . When it eventually happens, who would be the beneficiary , I don’t know because I can’t see PDP as a viable opposition or alternative the way they’re handling party affairs at the national level.
Thepolity: Thank you so much for your time Hon. Omogbehin and I wish you the very best in your next political move.
Hon. Omogbehin: Thepolity hmmm… Thank you so very much too for finding interviewing me worthy of your time. Keep on paying more attention to States and national issues as the Fourth Estate of the Realm. Don’t shy away from your responsibilities of calling government and its functionaries to question no matter whose ox is gored . Any government official elected, appointed or employed who wishes not to be questioned or called to order should resign and go home to his private business. By so doing you will win much confidence as the conscience of the masses. God bless you and your crew.
