I don’t believe in salary cut for legislators - Rep Aliyu
The Speaker of the House of Representatives reportedly increased the number of committees in the House. What would you say informed this decision?
I think he is in a better position to answer this question but I believe he is trying to ensure effective oversight function of the House because the parastatals are many for few committees to handle. If we have to do effective work as legislators, it is not the number that matters but the efficiency. I believe he raised the number for efficiency and not to favour some people as it is being said in some quarters.
There are allegations that he raised the number to pacify some aggrieved members… (Cuts)
I don’t think we have any aggrieved members in the House any more. I think it was in the interest of the country and the parliament. Nigeria is a big country, the parastatals and agencies are many. Take education, for instance, we have federal ministry of education, polytechnics board, federal colleges of education board, TETFUND, universities commission and so on. A single committee can’t have an effective supervision or oversight of these parastatals. We don’t need to be negative all the time, we should be positive. I think the speaker should be commended for that.
How has the long period of the leadership tussle in the House affected your legislative duties as lawmakers?
We have been carrying out our constitutional responsibilities. The work of a parliamentarian does not mean he has to be at the chambers all the time, we have been very proactive. There is a constitutional provision on the number of days we are supposed to work. It is 181 days and we are still within that constitutional provision. I don’t blame people who have been saying things over our recent recess. They are doing so because they are concerned as citizens of this country but it is in conformity with the international acceptable standard. This is the particular period that parliamentarians all over the world are going on recess; we cannot be an exception. I can only assure Nigerians who voted for us that we are not going to disappoint them.
You pushed for Rep. Gbajabiamila speakership. What is your assessment of the
I am in disagreement with it. I don’t agree with anybody cutting my salary for two reasons: One, it is not constitutional. Two, look at my compound, it is always full with
people from different parts of my constituency. Every day I received a minimum of 100 people with their problems. They don’t care about how many motions or bills I presented leadership of Hon Dogara since he became speaker?
Whoever emerges as speaker, House leader or minority leader in the parliament is just first among equals .They are our colleagues, they are not our bosses. We don’t call them sirs. They can be changed tomorrow. Again, two weeks or one month is short to honestly assess the performance of anybody who is charged with the responsibility of leadership. Let me single out Gbajabiamila and the speaker. So far, Dogara has been conducting the affairs of the House well. Debates on the floor of the House between the majority and the minority leaders have been quite interesting and exciting. People should expect quality legislative performance from us. We have just concluded on the Legislative Draft Agenda which is the road map that will guide us in our legislative functions. We are not enemies and we are not fighting for selfish interests. We fight for Nigerians and some people may not understand why we were fighting. If Dogara had not toe the party line, that problem would have continued. But thank God the speaker has seen wisdom. He understands the need to toe the party line. It is a constitutional provision and the president has spoken. We campaigned on the platform of the party and we won as candidates of the party. Therefore, the party has domineering role to play.
How ready is the House to support Mr. President on the fight against corruption?
We are there to make laws for the good governance of this country. We are there to also appropriate funds to ensure smooth running of this government. We would ensure that the president is supported to bring this country back on course and achieve stability, law and order. We gave our lives, we went into a very serious campaign that involved a lot of hurdles and problems. We knew anything could happen to us, we could lose our lives. Some people lost their lives and we remember all these all the time.
What is your view on the call for a cut in lawmakers’ remunerations?
I am in disagreement with it. I don’t agree with anybody cutting my salary for two reasons: One, it is not constitutional. Two, look at my compound, it is always full with people from different parts of my constituency. Every day I received a minimum of 100 people with their problems. They don’t care about how many motions or bills I presented. All they care about is that when they come, I should take care of their problems. Whatever we received as lawmakers, we bring it back home to share. People should understand that the salaries they are giving us should be enough to maintain our status and take care of the people in our constituencies. It is not hidden, whoever is arguing in the contrary should find out from members of the National Assembly in their constituencies to understand the kind of pressure we are bearing. I believe this problem will be limited after Buhari’s first tenure because by then, our hospitals would have improved and our children will also be able to have good and affordable education. I will not accept a cut in my salary or allowances. I will rather ask for more.
How close are you with the people in your constituency?
I live with them. I answer their calls every day. I just set up an education committee which comprises twelve people from my constituency to give me a blueprint on how to address problems in the sector. We have very little government presence in my constituency. After the recess, I will sponsor a motion on the need to construct a federal road that will link Brinin Kudu/ Buji local governments and terminate in Jama’are, in Bauchi State because it will bring about economic development. I am also sponsoring a motion for the establishment of a technical college of education in my constituency. I hope that by the end of one year we will be able to look back and see how much we have done.
Are you Buhari’s governance?
Our loyalty to him is 100 percent. You can see that we are beginning to enjoy some sanity in this country, even though he has not appointed his ministers. The anxiety and fear in people have evaporated. Things have improved in all sectors of this country because of the confidence people have in Buhari .Now we enjoy regular electricity supply, even without a minister of power. The dollar is crashing and the security situation is improving. See how the issue of cattle rustling has reduced. All those who have stolen our money will go to jail as Buhari has said.
What about the call on the president to extend prove beyond the last administration?
It is our responsibility in the National Assembly to ask Jonathan what happened. We don’t have business with Obasanjo’s government. If Jonathan has any problem with Obasanjo’s administration, he should have probed him when he was in power. Buhari will probe Jonathan’s tenure because he took over from him. If anybody wants to know what happened during Obasanjo or late Yar’adua’s governments, he should have asked Jonathan before he left power, not Buhari.
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