By Emman Ovuakporie

Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf, an economist, is the Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on ICT.  He represents Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency,  Kogi State.  In this chat, he speaks on the rebased GDP among other national issues.  Excerpts:

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, just rebased Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.  What does this portend for Nigeria?
In the first place, it is a welcome development, but with the state of our infrastructure we may not get to the promised land. We need to put regular supply of electricity at optimal level, revive the rail sector and try to reduce the present road transportation by one third.

If this can be achieved, then we can rapidly climb the ladder of development in this part of the world. Again, remember that these statistics  are basically on goods and services consumed in the last 20 years. But, generally, it is a welcome development that our economy is the largest in Africa.

You represent a federal constituency where lawmakers elected into the House of Representatives do not have the privilege of having a second term and this has been on since 1999. What is the reason?
Kabba/Bunu/ Ijumu Federal Constituency has three districts of Kabba people of the old Kabba Province, having the privilege of being the headquarters of the constituency, Bunus, our brothers and the Ijumus. We have two local governments, so, in order to foster harmonious relationship, bridge the gap and reduce the fear of domination, there was an unwritten agreement that this position should rotate between the three districts which was started in 1999.

In Kogi, the Igalas seem to be the dominating power at the state level.  Do you think there is need to revisit this idea of power rotation in the Constitution?
In the 7th Assembly constitutional review, especially in the House of Representatives, the idea of rotating power among senatorial power came up. The beauty of democracy is that all have their say but the majority will have their way.

So it is important that you lobby and canvass your way in such a manner that the dominant group will not feel threatened that when power leaves their hands and come to you, you will not use that power to retaliate and they will regret ever giving you power. Trust must be there as nobody gives out what he has without trust. We must continue to build bridges across. It is on the table right now and I am sure we will get there.

You are a member of the National Unity Group in the House and there has been the controversy between the APC and PDP about who controls the majority. Also, with the court ruling on the defected members causing confusion in the House, we learnt that the PDP has given your group a directive to ensure that the 37 defected members are eased out of their seats.  But, along the line, at an executive session, you were prevailed upon to step down your position. Can we hear from you what actually transpired?
There has never been a time that the APC had the number to become the majority in the House. It was a deliberate attempt to mislead the public by certain elements in the APC. We are lawmakers and expect everyone of us to be in the forefront of those who want to rule by the rules. If you have majority, call the clerk of the House on the floor and call for change in the leadership of the House. You cannot take what you can’t have. On the ruling, I want to state clearly that it did not state that the 37 members should vacate their seats.

It says they cannot participate in anything that has to do with change in leadership. However, there was a ruling on Monday. The Constitution in Section 68 clearly states how you defect, so anything that you do that contravenes the law is a nullity before the law.

They went to court on December 17, 2013 asking for an injunction to restrain the Senate President and the Speaker from declaring their seats vacant knowing that if they make that move, the Constitution empowers the presiding officer to declare the seats of whoever moves from his party vacant because, in Nigeria you don’t contest any party sponsorship, that is why Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State became governor without standing for election.