The ripples generated by the letter of
former President Olusegun Obasanjo
to President Goodluck Jonathan are
yet to settle, as the Senate has stated
that it will investigate the allegations
contained in the letter when it
resumes from the yuletide break.
Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba,
who said this when he spoke to
THISDAY yesterday, said though
Jonathan had responded to the
former president, the allegations
concerning security issues in
Obasanjo’s letter are weighty enough
to prompt the Senate’s investigation.
He debunked rumours that the
legislature was compromised,
insisting that the allegations made in
the letter were too weighty to be
glossed over hence the Senate would
probe those allegations within its
jurisdiction and leave those that had
to do with crime and fraud to the
relevant agencies.
Ndoma-Egba, who represents Cross
River Central Senatorial District in the
upper chamber of the National
Assembly, stated that it was not true
that the legislature was avoiding the
probe of the content of the letter,
noting that the allegations contained
therein were of national interest and
could not be overlooked.
He said on resumption from the
Christmas recess, the letter would be
considered as lawmakers are aware
that Nigerians are awaiting their
action on the Obasanjo bombshell
and advised Nigerians to be patient
as everything was being done to
ascertain the veracity or otherwise of
the allegations.
However, he made it clear that the
legislature was not interested in
persecuting anybody but to know
who is telling the truth, as even
Jonathan’s reply would also be
considered.
Time, he added, had passed when
prominent Nigerians made
allegations and they are swept under
the carpet.
On the proposed National Conference,
the Senate Leader said there was
nothing wrong if Nigerians decide to
meet to voice their opinion on issues
they are concerned about and finding
a solution to them, stressing that if
Nigerians through their delegates
agree to resolve differences in the
polity, the job of the National
Assembly would no longer be
tedious.
He said the National Conference
could not take the place of the
legislature because the latter is
constitutionally empowered to make
laws for the good governance of the
country, while the former would be
set up to allow Nigerians give their
opinions on knotty issues and proffer
solutions to them.
Reacting to calls for a unitary system
of government given that the
presidential system is expensive and
operates a bicameral legislature,
Ndoma-Egba said the federal system
which Nigeria operates is the best for
the country, considering that Nigeria
is diverse and heterogeneous.
A bicameral legislature is good for a
country that is diverse in nature.
Nigeria is made up of major and
minor tribes. This means the majority
tribes have a higher numerical
strength than the minorities. If this is
allowed to prevail, the minorities will
not be able to produce a legislator,
governor or president.
“Federalism and by extension the
bicameral legislature, which we
practise, guarantees the political
rights of the minorities as they are
free from oppression and domination
by the majority tribes. Those who say
the bicameral system is a waste of
resources are ill-informed.
“A country that is as diverse as
Nigeria needs representation that will
reflect its makeup for peace to
prevail,” he said.
Ndoma-Egba called for the
devolution of powers to states and
local government councils to truly
reflect the federal system of
government practised in the country,
adding that the centre has too much
power at its disposal, a development
that does not allow the federating
units have a say especially in the
management of the country’s
resources.
He said once power is devolved, true
federalism will begin to be practised
leading to healthy economic
competition under the principle of
comparative advantage which in the
main would see states and local
government areas looking inwards
rather than always waiting for
handouts from the centre.
On the alleged cold war between him
and Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross
River State, the Senate leader said he
had no issues with the governor as
rumoured and that he had always
participated in state functions
involving the governor whenever he is
in the state.
He pointed out that if all was not well
between them, he would not have
participated in the 2013 Calabar
Carnival where he walked and danced
on its 12 kilometre route.
He also said at no point did he
endorse anybody as governor of the
state for the 2015 election, let alone
introduce anyone to Aso Rock for
endorsement, adding that he and
Imoke were not at loggerheads over
the latter’s successor as had been
speculated in Calabar, the Cross River
State capital, recently.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/senate-to-investigate-obasanjo-s-letter-to-jonathan/167904/