•Government has failed the people in every sector

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

The National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Ajibola Basiru studied Law at the University of Lagos after which he proceeded to the Law School where he emerged the third best student.

He hails from Osogbo, Osun state capital. He was a two-time Commissioner in Osun State, first as Commissioner for Special Duties and Special Integration and later as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. He later represented Osun Central at the 9th Senate where he served as the Chairman, Senate Committee on NGO and the Diaspora and later, Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Communication. He was elected National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in August 2023.

As a citizen of Osun state, can you assess the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke since his assumption of office ?

First, there’s abysmal development in education, there are dilapidated structures and classrooms and an inadequate number of teaching staff. Also, teachers who were appointed through political considerations were laid off but they should have been replaced. In key subjects like mathematics, English, there are shortages of teaching staff. In the health sector this government is bent on siphoning funds. Prior to this administration, health centres commissioned by the previous administration of our parties were not developed or replaced. Looking at Tertiary health facilities, you see shortages there.

What you have is white elephant projects. What are the benefits of flyovers where there’s no traffic? There’s also abysmal development in security in the state. Youth engagement is also incredibly low and the acclaimed “Imole Corps” established by the government is not effective.

They claimed that in 100 days of office they dug boreholes but the boreholes are not functioning. Another area is in agriculture, there is no investment in that sector, there’s no coordinated approach to ensure that farmers’ yields are increased. Look at what Niger and other states are doing in the area of agriculture and you begin to wonder what Osun with arable land and fertile soil is doing in that regard. All they do is collect allocations and spend it on things that do not impact on the lives of the people of Osun state.

What in your opinion is the way out of the current local government logjam in Osun state?

The way out is for the government to follow the rule of law and allow reinstatement of the council chairmen as ordered by the Court of Appeal. It’s unfortunate that an arm of NULGE in the state has turned itself into a political party and claims that they’re staying out of work because of insecurity. Now, look at the logic, I said there’s insecurity in Osun, the entire local government is in comatose to the extent that the staff say that they’re not secured.

Is that not a justification that Governor Adeleke is unable to deliver on peace and security in the state? Now, we have about 4,000 local government staff who have been staying at home without going to work. The fact that the local government is not functioning is a genuine case to declare a state of emergency in Osun. So, there’s the need to put up extraordinary measures to address the problems of insecurity in Osun state. The logjam is a testament to the fact that the government has failed abysmally in securing the state.

What are the things you’re putting in place to ensure that your party comes back to government in Osun state?

As opposition, we spotlight the inadequacies of the present government and provide alternatives so that we can be seen as a credible alternative to take over from this administration in 2026. But lately the party is cohesive and party meetings are being held.

What is your take on the recent declaration of state of emergency in Rivers state by the president?

It’s the best thing that any patriotic and reasonable president should do. When you look at the development up till the declaration of the state of emergency, you will see that the president gave both parties opportunities to resolve the matter but it had got to a stage where even the Supreme Court declared that there was no government again in Rivers State because the governor was running without a state of assembly. The scheme of power under the 1999 constitution is three namely: Legislative powers, Executive powers and Judiciary powers.

When an arm of government is not allowing another arm of government to run, you can’t say there’s a government and the situation has got to a state where there was a threat to life and property of the people of the state. And the president swore to uphold security of life and property. By Section 14 of the 1999 constitution, It’s only people who try to make unpatriotic politics out of the situation that will oppose what president has done in this circumstance.

And even the gladiators are not opposed to what the president has done, but we have a situation where people are crying more than the bereaved. Second, it seems that with due respect even legal professionals do not understand the ramifications of emergency powers. Section 305 of the 1999 constitution talks of the extraordinary powers.

The constitution says Extraordinary measures. Extraordinary measures means something not in the contemplation of ordinary scheme of affairs. So, for someone to say you’re looking for ramifications and amplitude of emergency powers is within the framework of the constitution.

Extraordinary measures will entail that any such thing that will ensure that imminent danger and threat to security is addressed. And in this case, the main gladiators that are at the root of the danger to security in Rivers state and even to the whole country which is the executive and the legislative have not said anything to the contrary.

So, the president has acted within the framework of his powers, the National assembly has approved, every other thing becomes mute. We wait for what the court will pronounce on the matter.

So far, the court has not had the opportunity of pronouncing on the extent of emergency powers. The few cases that have been decided are issues on threshold of locus standi of those who have gone to court. As far as we are concerned, the key word is extraordinary measures which means measures not in contemplation of the constitution. So, to be looking for justifications and extent to which the president can act within the context of emergency is to say the least, a lack of understanding of the constitution.

There’s an argument that the president declared the state of emergency in Rivers state to save the governor because he was about to be impeached, what’s your reaction to this?

People talk as though they have the power of clairvoyance or star watchers to know the mind of the president. What we know is that as at the time the president declared the state of emergency, there was a threat to peace and security which was going to affect the production of oil which is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy. I don’t think Governor Fubara is a member of the president’s political party and those who are saying he cannot exercise the power, are they also in support of Fubara if they realize that the move was to favour him? Anytime people comment on national issues arising in Nigeria, the commentators make comments based on ulterior motives, devoid of dispassionate consideration of facts and circumstances and devoid of patriotic analysis of the situation to come to a rational conclusion.

As a former Spokesperson of the Senate, how do you see the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan?

It’s very much in order. The Senate has its own rules and procedures. Even if you have complaints on sitting arrangements, there’s a level of respect you should give to the institution. It’s not about the Senate president but the institution. I have left the senate but the dignity and integrity of the senate must be left intact.

Sitting arrangements do not matter, what matters is the business of the day that must be conducted. It’s the prerogative of the senate administration to determine which committee a senator should function.

Recently the president assented to the South West Development Commission bill. What do you think the South West will benefit from this?

It’s not only the South West Development Commission that was assented to, South South Development Commission Bill was also assented to on the same day and prior to this there was the NDDC and the North Central Development Commission. What I think the president is doing is to use the amplitude of federal power and resources to ensure that meaningful development is brought evenly to all parts of the country, so that certain germane

infrastructural projects that would catalyse development will be brought to the doorstep of every region of the country. And this would help in enhancing productivity and address the issue of employment of the youth as the president is very concerned about them.