BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

THERE is a brewing war between the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN,  dominated House of Assembly in Edo state and former leadership of the House led by Speaker Zakawanu Garuba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the order by the news Speaker of the House, Mr Uyi Igbe, that the former principle officers should return their official vehicles or face arrest.Former Majority leader of the House, Mr Frank Okiye,, described the directive as shocking since according to him, some ACN members who did not come back left with their official vehicles.During the immediate past Assembly, ACN lawmakers in February 2010, ousted the then PDP leadership led by Zakawanu Garuba. Consequently, the nine PDP lawmakers abstained from office till the end of their tenure in June 2011. However, Vanguard cornered the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Philip Shauibu last weekend to comment on some of these burning issues in the state. Excerpts:

What informed the recent decision of the House leadership to order former principal officers to return their official vehicles given that some ACN members who could not return are enjoying that privilege?

There is no ACN member that went with new or old vehicle. The erstwhile Speaker, Hon Bright Omokhodion is entitled to go with one of his vehicles, which he did and the former Deputy Speaker. The former Speaker, Hon.Friday Itulah, who is a PDP member left with two vehicles. He went with the Toyota Hilux and the land cruiser jeep that was allocated to him. It is a tradition that we met.

Basically that is the issue. And as for what they are saying about salaries, there is no body that is legitimately authorized to receive any particular salary or allowances that we have denied. But the truth is that if you abscond from work, do you expect to be paid salary? Those people who are complaining that their salaries have not been paid are those people who absconded from work.

And there is no way you will abscond from work, even me, that I will abscond from work and expect to be paid. The former Speaker, Zakawanu Garuba, after his suspension was lifted, he refused to return until the end of his tenure. He does not expect us to pay him salary when he absconded from work. Salaries are wages for workers, they are not monies that are allocated because you won an election. Salary is paid at the end of the month for the work you have put in that particular month. Salaries are earned.  Apart from those of us who have concluded their tenure that definitely it will take some process to apply for our severance allowances. Apart from that I don’t think anybody is being owned any allowances or salary. If you did not work, you cannot be paid.

The House recently passed a law which stipulates death penalty for kidnappers, what informed the passage of the law?

I think we were looking at the consequence and the penalty that is internationally accepted and making laws must be in conformity with standard practice. So, it was from that basis that the death sentence thing came in. But obviously, there are some new amendments that are already taking place in some Assemblies, but we are examining them. If it meets the minimum requirement of lawmaking, obviously we might soon have another amendment to that particular law, because kidnapping is a  criminal offence that should attract more than life imprisonment.

Your party, the ACN won majority of the seats in the just concluded general elections, what is the secret behind the success?

You can see that Edo state is a construction site which the people of Edo state have not seen for a very  long time. Obviously the Comrade Governor was instrumental to making all of us come back. If the government has not performed some of us would have not ride on that pride to glory because the people are more aware now that democracy is all about dividends and it is the government that provides dividends. In Edo state, obviously it is the bulldozers and the caterpillars and constructions that are going on all over the state that were antidotes to our easy victory.

Campaigns for the 2012 guber race in the state has commenced, do you think the ACN will be able to sustain this success in the forthcoming election?

Definitely, because the Comrade Governor is doing a great work in Edo state. People are tired of mismanagement, people are tired of a government that is not responsive to the yearnings of the people. Government that will only be sweet tongued when campaigns are on, immediately they win, they now show their true color.

We have seen a government that is living up to its promises and even above what they expect the government to do they are seeing it. Anybody coming to contest with the Comrade Governor will have to bring credentials to meet with his past and present performance. You can also see the situation of the opposition PDP in the state now. You can see the level of disorganization and how they have mismanaged the funds of the state in the past.

So nobody will want to go back to the old days of the PDP in Edo state. Their leader Chief Anenih is leaking his wound because he has been reduced to Okpeho leader from the position of a national leader. We are talking about leaders that are visionary, we are talking about leaders that all through they were in positions they have shown that leadership is all about the people.

The people are wiser today, 2012 governorship election will be between development and disaster. Comrade represents development while the PDP leadership under Chief Anenih represents disaster, because the problem of erosion we have today in Edo state was caused as a result of his insensitivity to the plight of the people of Edo state while he was a Minister. Look at the other one that was removed recently, Dr Chris Ogienwonyi. The Governor said he wanted to expand and beautify the Ugbowo road which is a Federal road, he said he was going to revoke a contract which he never awarded.