‘A Young Person Will Never Rule Nigeria if we Don’t Harmonise with the Common Vision’ Udora Orizu

Holds a conversation with House of Representatives member, Hon. Shina Peller, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Oyo State on a wide range of issues, particularly why replacing service chiefs will bring change in the securi

Alot of people believe that the service chiefs are not doing enough in tackling the insecurity in northern Nigeria, the National Assembly has called for their resignation, but President Buhari has refused to heed to their resolution, what’s your view on this and the way forward?

Well it should be noted that the constitutional rights to hire and fire service chiefs lie with the Mr President, who’s also the Commanderin-Chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. However as federal legislators we are very concerned about the security of lives and property of Nigerians, whose mandate we represent in government and as the legislative arm of government, it’s our duty to bring to the notice of the executive the needs, yearnings and aspirations of our people as well as things that affect them negatively. Nigerians are very disturbed with the ugly situation of security in the country. Daily lives are being wasted especially in the Northern region of the country, the situation is worsening everyday and it calls for a serious concern, this was what necessitated the resolution reached by the National Assembly advising Mr President to replace the service chiefs. However it is visible that our military is ill-equipped to fight this war against insurgency in the country, efforts should also be doubled to ensure that the delivery of ammunition is hastened. I’m someone that believes so much in change, I will say when something is not working, then change is the most important strategy to approach. When you look at armed forces, where people get promoted and all, when you don’t change the service chiefs, this is going to send some sort of wrong information down the line of the hierarchy of the system where you have others already looking forward to promotions when service chiefs are changed. I believe a lot will be achieved if Mr President can effect that decision to change our security apparatus. Another change is to ensure we give adequate support to armed forces, also beyond sacking the service chiefs, community policing should be enforced and strengthened. Information sharing between vigilante and social outreaches should be encouraged as well.

On Niger Delta Development Commission Probe, what do you think President Muhammadu Buhari should do? Also at this point do you think it’s better to disband NDDC?

Disbanding NDDC isn’t the best option, as it will hinder the purpose for which the Commission was established, which is to aid development across the Niger Delta region. Mr President has done the needful by allowing for NDDC probe on the mismanagement of funds. That investigation should be done thoroughly and no stone should be left unturned in ensuring that anyone found culpable is exposed, and prosecuted accordingly. I don’t believe the problem of headache is solved by cutting the head off. I don’t support the idea of disbanding the NDDC, what’s required is to fish out the culprits and make them face the music and it will serve as a good deterrent to the rest of the people in the system.

As Secretary of the Ondo state APC Reconciliation Committee what’s the update? and chances of the party in the state?

I can tell you point blank that Ondo is an APC state and I can tell you that APC will win Ondo. Even before APC took over the governorship of state, it had already recorded 58% in previous elections and as a matter of fact we the reconciliation committee have done a very good job. What’s happening in Ondo

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state is normal to any party that is in power. When a party is in power there’s possibilities for it to face so many challenges and that’s why we made His Excellency Bola Tinubu set up the reconciliation committee and I can tell you that since we started we’ve been able to mend fences and bridge broken trust and proffer recommendations that will help our party to win the elections in October 2020. We met with all relevant stakeholders both the aggrieved ones and those that are ready to work with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and I can tell you that all hands are on deck to ensure a landslide victory at the polls. I’m also confident that the National Campaign Council for Ondo State under the leadership and chairmanship of Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu we will build on our gains to do a super fantastic job.

At every election, the two major parties APC and PDP always blame each other of instigating violence, how can this end?

I can tell you right now these are our main point of focus especially, before I left Lagos I still had a meeting with the Chairman of campaign council, that’s Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu who really placed a lot of emphasis on how to lead a a violence free campaign that will result in a violence free election and I believe this can set a proper trajectory for us in moving forward, especially looking at 2023 election where you believe that there’s going to be a lot of struggle within and between the two major parties when you don’t have an incumbent President. So we are working so hard to show to people that elections can be peaceful and we can win elections in landslide maintaining peace and no violence.

There seems to a blatant disregard for the legislative arm of government, some Ministries, Departments and Agencies shun summons and even when they appear they tend to walkout on lawmakers, what should be done about this?

This is a country that has a constitution, and in a country where there are rules and we have the right laws in place, it’s expected that people should follow the right processes. It’s not just about the legislative arm of government, you can see that the present disorder in the country becoming unbearable even in the judicial system and executive. I just think it’s high time for the right processes to be taken in order to make institutions function. I believe so much for institutions to function and before we set an institution if the right steps are taken and we follow the processes there will not be reasons for us to believe that some people are acting above the law. I’m planning to sponsor a bill on the establishment of a leadership school in the six geopolitical zones in the country, where I believe that anybody that wants to run for a political office should have passed through this school and be taught the duties and roles of the three arms of government. And if people pass through that leadership school, all these problems we face like court cases they use to throw people out of office will be less because. The proper accreditation would have been done at the school.

With the current agitation and unease in the country, the need for national cohesion and understanding has become imperative, to eliminate and defeat the many negatives, So how can the National Orientation Agency (NOA) be put to the best use.

The National Orientation Agency can further be strengthened with proper funding. Sometime ago I visited the agency myself because I noticed that the agency has been performing so poorly. And I sat down with the director of the Agency, and he was able to identify the problems that they are facing and I believe that once the government prepares the NOA in way for them to be able to discard its duty, this will be achieved through a proper improved budgetary allocation. Also after I went to the agency, I decided to come up with a motion and also to sponsor a Bill, and immediately the house resumes we will be able to see that. Similarly if you look at the provision of NOA Act as regards funding there are no specific provision for funding apart from the funds that come directly from the Federal Government, an amendment to that Act will go a long way in strengthening the NOA, I have worked on the amendment of the Act and we will pursue it at resumption of plenary. We also have a role to play as individuals about our attitudes towards Nigeria as a country. Whether it’s an ‘I don’t care attitude’ or patriotic one, we need to make all Nigerians to know that the country is a system made up of different components and that each of the component affects the direct system as a whole, so if you want the best for Nigeria then your actions and attitudes must be positive. If at least 80% of the components of that system could be sincerely positive driven towards the country in their daily activities, then we are bound to have a favorable overall outcome.

As the voice of the common man, what’s your drive? And what have achieved in the past one year of the 9th House?

I’m always driven by the desire to touch lives positively and effect a societal change, it has always been my drive even before I ventured into politics in fact that was actually what drove me into politics. As the voice of the common man, I want to continuously build a platform through which the oppressed can be liberated. I’m always focused on any motion or bills that affects the life of the common man.

Regarding my legislative activities in the last one year, I have successfully lent my voice especially on issues that’s affecting my people. The most important one is the dilapidated roads of Iseyin/Oyo and Okeho/ Iganna road and the need to rehabilitate those roads, so hopefully this is expected to attract results in the 2021 budgetary implementation. Similarly I moved the motion on the need to curb the child rape and sexual offenses against women, this has subsequently led the federal government to launch the first ever, National Sex Offenders Register in the country. I sponsored a Bill seeking amendment to the Universal Basic Education Act 2004, that has passed through first reading and I’m sure by the time we come back that should be able to be gazetted for second reading.