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.

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