Samson Osagie is the Minority Whip in the House of Representatives. In this interview with GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE in Benin, he describes the call by former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the resignation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tambuwal from his position as the ranting of an ant.

Osagie

He also speaks on Islamic banking, saying that by attaching a religious name to the concept, it has  been made a tool for undermining the unity and peace of the country. He also comments on the unbecoming attitude of Nigerian leaders to expose the country once they are guests to the American Ambassador.
HOW do you react to the recent call by former president Olusegun Obasanjo for the removal of Tambuwal as speaker of the House of Representatives?

Well, I have had course to react to Obasanjo’s position on the issue of the position of the House of Representatives. I believe that he may have been misquoted, but if indeed he said so, it is a statement unbecoming of a leader of this country, because whether you like it or not, Obasanjo is a foremost leader in this country.

And I do not expect that he should be making statements that have no democratic content. Yes he was a military leader, he became a democratic leader. I do not expect that even as president having won election in 1999 without the support of the south-west that if he was being called to spend two years midway into his tenure…because they are statement unbecoming of a political leader of his status.

Over 250 members of the House of Representatives elected Tambuwal. It was an over whelming election. So, how do you expect that he abandon his mandate, if he is going to enjoy the support of those who elected him? So I regard Obasanjo’s statements and consistent provocative statements that to the effect that Tambuwal should leave as the rant of an ant. And I don’t think anybody will listen to him in that regard. He is not to be taken serious.

I don’t know if you’ve read the Wiki leaks disclosures of recent. How do you look at Nigerian leaders on serious issues of the country?

Well, don’t forget that we are a developing economy, a country with so much corruption, which itself, is a product of self-contentedness and selfishness. And when you have a country of that nature rather than national interest ,the individual runs personal interest and in the cost of implication it has for the image and the international perception of the country.

The recent security threats in the country has brought to the fore once again whether this government can actually provide security for Nigerians.

Well, I believe that one of the greatest threats to democracy and to human life in this country today is insecurity. I must confess to you that I am deeply worried. Never in the history of our country has security assumed this dimension that it presently occupies.

Security operatives

I don’t know if the security agents have failed as organizations. And it becomes worrisome for the common man on what to do. I believe that government needs to employ all that is desirable, to fund security operations in this country, to invest in security and intelligence gathering.

We need to purge the security agencies beginning with the police and rid these agencies of corruption. So that money appropriated for security purposes can be well utilized for the purpose, because I have been part and parcel of the legislature and I know that the government is interested in ensuring that there is security.

But even after making appropriations, does government release monies as at and when due for the security agencies to actually do what they are suppose to do? And even when they release the fund in certain instances, are these funds well utilized by the top hierarchy of the security forces? A monumental corruption that has characterized security agencies like every other sector is well known to you and me in this country.

So if we have money going to private pockets that are suppose to be used to confront security challenges how to can we ever have a secured environment. Over and above that there is no amount of security measure you can put in place, which can rid the nation or security lapses.

Unless and of course we have economic policies that can impact positively on the lives of over a 150 million Nigerians and from statistics less than 20 million Nigerians are engaged both the public and private sectors; over 50 million Nigerians are employable and are willing and able to work yet there is no job. We keep training out graduates from our universities, churning them into the unemployment market. What do you think that a frustrated unemployed population would resort to in a country that is so blessed and a few are brandishing wealth like no man’s business?

They must be forced by frustration to go into crime and criminal related activities. So a certain point for me, critical sectors of our economy like manufacturing, agriculture ought to occupy a central place, so that we can have these sectors running to be able to generate employment.

To be able to remove a large chunk of our people from the streets, to be able to ensure that people have gainful employment so that the can feed themselves and afford housing. In a society where these things are lacking for the individual person, there is a limit to the patient that can be exercised by individuals, without cause to violence and criminal relate activities. So good economy policies are a panacea to alleviating criminal and security related threats in our country.

What did the CBN governor say on Islamic banking to theReps as there have been a lot of mix- ups on the position of the House that day?

Well, first and foremost, the House never made any formal endorsement on Islamic banking. That is, there was no formal endorsement by the House that the CBN Governor should continue with his policy to introduce Islamic banking. As far is I am concerned, the position of the House was to receive him so that he could brief the House and thereafter we take position. Yes, a few of us disagreed with the method that was used because he ought to have been questioned.

Maybe it is that lack of questioning on the part of the legislature that is regarded as tacit endorsement of what he has come to tell us. But the House Media and Public Committee has since come out to say that the House did not take a position on it, because for the House to take a position on it, it has to pass a resolution to that effect or alternatively make a law to that effect. But we didn’t do any of these; we mainly heard him and he was allowed to go. So we did not take decision to the issue of Islamic banking.

Coming back home, by July next year the governorship election will be held, and in already Edo South, the issue “Ovbe sese-e-se” is rearing up its head that a Benin must be the governor come 2012. As a Benin man and a very detribalised Nigerian, how do you see the issue of “vbe sese ese” in the polity of Edo State?

As far as I’m concerned, I’m a true Benin man and also a believer in the Edo State project. Edo State is a political unit in the federation called Nigeria and I believe that everybody, no matter where they are in the “nooks and crannies” of Edo State has a right to aspire to the highest office in Edo State not to talk of Nigeria. I like to say that performances should be the major consideration on who leads us as a state.

Those who should come forward; we should not introduce tribal sentiment in electing our leaders. Oshiomhole is not a Benin man but there is an agreement, there is a consensus that he has performed. What are we looking for? Are we looking for a Benin man that will not perform, to the detriment of a non-Benin man that will perform?

In any case, it is evident that Oshiomhole does not discriminate in his administration in Edo State. So, for me it is a political gimmick being employed by some political parties in order to get political advantage.

But for me, I believe that those are sentiments that should not be applied in the choice of who becomes our leader in this state. I do not believe in it and I believe that our Edo people should look at those that can generally ensure that the basic things of life that we need in this state are done.

And I believe that Oshiomhole is head and shoulder above, whoever wants to come out and run against him. But it’s a contest, you cannot say people should not contest. But that sentiment cannot sell, it cannot hold any water at the end of the day. A Benin man can be governor, if the people say he will, but it should not be the soul of concentration.