Bako Benjamin is a House of Representatives aspirant for the Donga/Ussa/Takum Federal Constituency of Taraba State in 2019. In this interview with INNOCENT OKONKWO, he speaks on the state of the nation, his ambition and other issues. Excerpt:
Why do you want to represent your people at the National Assembly?
My intention is to give my people the quality representation that they deserve. For too long, things have been going wrong in my constituency. Our voice is missing at the national discourse. And having occupied the position of President of Jukun Development Association of Nigeria for almost 10 years, representing my people, I have what it takes to give my constituency the needed voice and quality representation in the House of Representatives.
Ordinarily, I would have been satisfied with that position of speaking for all my people in the nation. But, for too long, our representatives at the National Assembly have been very weak and I feel that we should do something about it because the legislature, in addition to lawmaking, is about advocacy for the interest of your people. I think our people are not well-represented.
With the challenges that we have now, we ought to see our own legislators vibrating, talking and raising their voices on behalf of our people. Unfortunately, the voice is missing in that regard.
It seems that I am the only one that is all over the places talking. Yet, I am not a legislator, but I have been the only one talking and seeking the welfare of our people everywhere. Our legislators are missing in action. I asked myself, if I should be advocating for the welfare of our people and they (legislators) will be collecting millions of naira of behalf of the people. Then absolutely, they have no use to be there. So, they should be changed.
This is why I am offering myself to serve my people as their representative at the lower legislative chamber and I believe that my people have the confidence in me for all that I have done for them over the years and they know that I will do better when I am given that opportunity to go and represent them as a legislator.
On which political platform do you intend to actualise your aspiration in 2019?
For now, we are not talking about any political party yet, because, we are currently mobilising and consulting. Alignment and realignment are still ongoing nationwide and at the appropriate time, I will make the platform known. But, it has to be the political party that suits the interest of my people, because, it is what my people want that I will do.
I will abide by the decision of my people. Certainly, I am not going to align with the oppressors of my people. But, I am going to align with the people and the party that will help the cause of my people and make them feel at home and secure. I will identify with the people that will have the agenda of protecting my people and ensure the spread of opportunities and wealth in my community.
There have been incessant killings in some parts of the country and your state, Taraba, is also affected. What should be the way out of this problem?
The way out is simply a strong government; a government that cares and not a government of nepotism. We need a government that considers the whole of Nigeria and provides a level playing ground for all citizens. I am talking about a government that should see the whole of Nigeria as its territory and not the type of government that discriminates against the citizens.
A situation whereby a certain group of people are being targeted and killed with the intention of wiping them out is regrettable. We hear reports about communities that are being occupied by the Fulani in this 21 century. The names of some of these occupied communities are being changed to Fulani names. One may not be wrong to say that what is going on is a Jihad. But, we are watching and I know also that God is not sleeping over it.
Do you consider the reshuffling of the Service Chiefs as part of the solution to the current security challenges in the country?
Well, reshuffling of the Service Chiefs has been long overdue. In a saner society, ordinarily, without the President moving to reshuffle them, some of them would have resigned. However, it is unfortunate that up till now, none of them has thrown in the towel.
As we speak, Amnesty International has just released a report indicating that over 1,800 individuals have been killed in the last six months. That is a serious indictment on the nation’s security apparatus. I wonder how long it will take for them to resign. Don’t they have any sense of shame? With all these killings, for God’s sake, they would have thrown in the towel. In other parts of the world, what is going on now across this nation would have triggered waves of resignation. But here, they are still staying put in their positions.
We expected the President to act fast. As the Commander-In-Chief, he should take a decisive action against what is going on. When things are getting out of hand like this, you don’t need to be talked to, propelled or forced to make changes.
So, it is surprising that the President is yet to move against the Service Chiefs. What it means is that at the long run, if he doesn’t change them, it will be that he is very satisfied with the services that they are rendering. That is why he is still retaining them. Otherwise, he would have thrown them away. So, retaining them is an indictment on the President.
It simply means that he is okay with them. For instance, if your servant is not doing well, you should sack him. But, if you continue to retain him, it means that you are satisfied with the service he is rendering. Nigerians are beginning to view the current situation in that direction; that Mr. President is satisfied with what the Service Chiefs are doing.
Your Kinsman, Gen Theophilus Danjuma, once said that the people should defend themselves against these attackers. Do you see this as a good recommendation?
What is wrong in what Danjuma has said? There is nothing wrong with what he said. He is only emphasising what is already in our constitution. Self-defence is allowed. What do people expect him to say? Maybe they were expecting him to say that people should surrender themselves to be killed. So, when the killers come to kill their victims, they should surrender themselves to be slaughtered. Is that what people want?
No. Self-defence is in the constitution. That is why people should defend themselves. Danjuma did not say that people should go and kill others. He said that when people come to kill you, defend yourself, defend your clan, community and your family. What is wrong with that? I think Danjuma should be commended for making the statement.
A few months after Danjuma made that statement what has been happening around the country now? There has been massacre in Adamawa, Kaduna and the latest killings happened in Jos, where many people were killed. So, Danjuma is vindicated by saying that if you don’t defend yourself, you will die one by one.
So, how would you assess the present administration under President Buhari?
My assessment is that his performance is very poor and if he doesn’t improve, he has no reason to seek re-election.
Do you nurse any fear about the conduct of next year’s general elections?
I have no fears whatsoever. But, it is the responsibility of President Buhari who has portrayed himself as a transparent, gentle and incorruptible individual, who inherited a political system that was transparent to improve on the electoral process he inherited. For the first time in this country’s electoral history, an incumbent President was defeated in a presidential election that ushered in the present administration.
Therefore, Nigerians, Africans and indeed the whole world are watching closely to see whether the President will improve on what he has inherited. Or, if he will reverse the nation back from the achievement that we have recorded in the electoral process, and then, people will begin to question his integrity. At his age, I believe that Buhari will want to leave a lasting legacy for Nigerians to look at him as a hero and not as a power hungry dictator.
Do you think that calls for the resignation of the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Yakubu Mahmood, are appropriate at this point in time?
I don’t know the reasons for such calls. But, what I am saying is that posterity will judge everybody. It is essential that the President should improve on what he has inherited. His integrity is at stake.
If people have whatever reason to doubt the INEC chairman, then the President should look at such demand. If their reason is genuine and concrete, I think he should be removed. But, if those allegations are frivolous, without concrete evidences to point to his culpability or incompetence or any sign of compromise, I don’t think such calls for his replacement is necessary at this point.
As we approach the general elections, what should be your counsel to the voters and the contestants?
My advice to the voters, first, is that they should shine their eyes very well. It is no longer time to follow politicians because of tribe or religion. They should not follow politicians because of stomach infrastructure. Voters should ensure that they choose people that can deliver; candidates that can solve their problems, because, the process of governance is where we often get it wrong. If you get it wrong because people offer you money and you vote in mediocre, you are going to get monkey results.
But, if you vote into power the people who can deliver, who can solve your problem, who will advocate for you and spread wealth in your communities, you will get good results.
The politicians too should conduct themselves well. They should not overheat the polity. Elections should not be seen as do-or-die. You must not win at all costs. The mindset of winning at all costs is what has been causing problems in Nigeria. Politicians should allow the free flow of the democratic process to run its course. If you lose, congratulate the winner, and the winner must also be magnanimous in victory to accommodate the losers, then peace will reign.
The post Buhari Should Act Fast To Stop Killings – Benjamin appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
Source: Daily Independent
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