Breaking: Ali Ndume – Democracy doesn’t exist in Nigeria

Senator Ali Ndume has stated that democracy doesn’t exist in Nigeria so far as he was involved. Talking on Channels TV Sunday Politics, he alleged that management positions within the Nationwide Meeting have been being purchased by kleptocrats and plutocrats.  Continue Reading…...CONTINUE READING>>>

Is the end result of the election precisely what you thought it will be?

Sure. However there have been truly some surprises.

Which of the outcomes shocked you?

Lagos, South East.

South East shocked you?

Sure.

You thought your celebration, the PDP would make an inroad?

Not likely. The efficiency of LP is definitely above my expectation.

You by no means thought Peter Obi might pull that string?

Sure. Even within the common election, throughout particularly, he had six million votes.

It signifies, he goes to speak about one thing that folks don’t actually speak about. And that’s to say… I believe the science are on the market that the center earnings group or social group and the youths are getting uninterested in the… do I even embody myself on the higher degree of 60s, 70s, 80s, who’ve been within the corridors of powers since they have been 30.

You will have been?

Sure. I’ve been within the Nationwide Meeting for 20 years however not as a result of I’m immediately concerned. The standard of labor within the Nationwide Meeting depends upon the quantity of people that have the expertise or rating. That’s the reason proper now within the US Senate, the oldest individual has been there for 43 years. Joe Biden was within the Senate for 32 years and the rating performs an important position there as a result of we’re legislators. However within the Government, you want individuals which can be youthful, which can be younger which have the power to execute.

Your candidate was declared winner though loads of reactions have trailed it. Some individuals are not completely happy, a few of your supporters are completely happy. What do you make of them?

Nigerians have spoken. You see, we try to hype up minutiae like faith, like tribe however an unusual Nigerian don’t purchase into that and that election outcomes have proven that too.

You suppose so?

Yeah.

I imply as a result of those that have analyzed that the identical faith technique of your celebration seems to have labored in your area for instance within the North east, is the explanation your celebration carried out and within the North West in that regard?

I can say to some extent however our celebration that’s tagged as Muslim Muslim or a Muslim celebration, gained some seats within the South East. We have now senators from South East, we’ve got senators from South South and we’ve got senators from North Central. There’s no area or geo-political zone that APC didn’t have a candidate.

Have we learnt any lesson in any respect if the cleavages of this nation has been widened by this soiled a part of politics?

No we’ve got not. Particularly the politicians are banking on this to the extent that to me now, democracy in Nigeria doesn’t exist as a result of I’ve stated a couple of times right here that the entire polity of democracy has been taken-ever-by-kleptocrats and plutocrats and now faith and tribal sentiments have been positioned in it; placing democracy itself, that’s authorities of the individuals, for the individuals and by the individuals have been put within the background and people kleptocrats and plutocrats

after which the tribal factor and faith; now you discover individuals as an alternative of going to the general public to marketing campaign, they go to church buildings, they go to Mallam to go and marketing campaign.

Folks can blame you and your folks for that?

Who’re my buddies?

They’re politicians

Yeah! Politicians are from the general public, we aren’t from the moon, politicians are such as you possibly as a result of you aren’t in politics since you didn’t have the possibility to be.

No not as a result of I don’t need to however as a result of I’m comfy doing what I’m doing?

I’m comfy being a politician too. I didn’t complain about your individual. Why must you inform me that my very own just isn’t good? Let’s not get off the observe.

The observe is what you and also you colleagues have executed throughout these elections; these you stated are dangerous parts. Have we learnt any classes?

No. We have now not. Individuals are emphasizing on this. Simply this morning, someone was telling me once I informed him I used to be coming to this programme, that is simply in Nigeria. You see, in the event you go to America, faith just isn’t taking part in or the place you come from. Hillary Clinton was at one time from one state after which she moved over to New York to change into a senator. In these days after we weren’t civilized, the primary mayor on this South East was an Hausa man, and at one time, a Kanuri man got here to Benue as a result of he couldn’t get ticket in Borno; he contested in Benue State and he was a member of Home of Reps.

The candidate out of your celebration, Bola Ahmed Tinubu can be sworn in as the subsequent president. Since a few of these sentiments have largely divided the Nigerian individuals, what is going to you counsel that he does instantly to repair these cleavages?

Instantly he takes over, the Bola Tinubu that I do know, married to a Christian, when he was in authorities, had Christians, Muslims, Igbo in his cupboard. Meaning he’ll be capable of carry Nigerians alongside. I believe he has already naturally began. He has a spouse that’s not solely a Christian however a Pastor. Would you say that now Tinubu is not going to be honest to Christians? They may have issues proper in his bed room. So the issue is solved. How are you going to say simply because Tinubu is a Muslim…it’s a private one thing. Okay, supposing Tinubu decides to be a Christian tomorrow? Everyone will shut up proper? My mom is a christian, she died as a Christian, my siblings are Christians.

Is it potential you can be a Christian?

Me? No no. I’m a Muslim. I don’t have drawback with Christians.

So the problem of your religion is private?

So it shouldn’t be any concern.

Completely. I imply in the actual sense of the phrase, ought to faith be a part of our politics?

So you understand what they do in America? Truly, they don’t speak about faith. If you’re speaking about faith, go to church, go to mosque. I went to highschool in America, within the college, you don’t see church, you don’t see mosque, no prayers. Each time right here, you begin with prayers, you shut with prayers.

Because it stands, your celebration holds the bulk in each chambers of the Nationwide Meeting, though totally different figures in comparison with 2019 and 2015…

I believe 57.

Sure. Within the senate for instance, out of the 109 seats, out of the 102 seats declared up to now pending the completion of election in some components of the nation, APC has 55, PDP 33, Labour Party 8, NNPP 2, SDP 2, APGA 1, YPP 1. Let’s swap to Home of Reps, out of the 326 seats up to now declared, 160 seats are for the APC, PDP has 105, Labour Celebration 34, NNPP 18, APGA, 4, SDP2, ADC 2, YPP 1. It’s the most vibrant Nationwide Meeting since Nigeria returned to the fourth republic in 1999.

However there are different contentions, these jostling for the totally different positions within the Senate and Home of Reps. Do you need to be the Senate President?

I attempted to be Senate President twice and that is what we have to focus on in regards to the management of the Nationwide Meeting. It isn’t about individuals simply throwing of their hat for it. That is the Nationwide Meeting that’s speculated to be an establishment to oversight the manager and due to this fact, management needs to be primarily based on sure standards. Particularly, within the emergence of management one of many standards usually is expertise and that’s what we name the rating. However in contemplating the political state of affairs of right this moment, you simply don’t put that because the well-known factor. Moreover, as these individuals got here out, they’ve the proper to try this, the celebration stated we should always maintain on, they need to be extra of consultations aside from pronouncements that I need to contest. And naturally, if I say I need to contest, and the celebration stated no that it’s not honest for the Senate President to come back from the North or the North East, then do you now say I need to contest in opposition to the want of the celebration? Which we did at one time and the aftermath was a bit clumsy and we don’t need to have a repetition of that.

So, we’re holding on until the celebration decides. If the celebration zones to the North as they did within the case of presidency, the place the governors and the celebration at one time stated it needs to be from the South, and that was what led to the emergence of our present president-elect. If the celebration says that the Senate President ought to come from a specific zone, we’ve got to take a look at it and see whether or not it’s honest.

Which area do you suppose it will be honest? The president-elect is from the south west, the Vice chairman is from the north east, in your expertise the place do you suppose that the Senate President and the Speaker ought to come from?

For me, the management of the Nationwide Meeting needs to be open within the first occasion.

Open?

Yeah

We should always not take into account the curiosity of different areas that aren’t captured?

Look, the Senate President just isn’t speculated to be a regional president, he’s the President of the Nigerian Senate. In the US and that’s the Democracy we try to repeat and that’s not what we are literally absolutely practising, the vp is constitutionally the Senate President, they’ve what they name Senate President Professional Tempore, that’s the one that presides on the every day foundation anytime the Senators are sitting. He’s usually essentially the most senior. Then, you could have the Senate chief that can also be primarily based on seniority. They don’t speak the place you come from.

Within the Congress, that’s the Home of Consultant, it’s the similar factor there; usually, seniority performs a task too however the management in there may be extra open that’s why I believe that they had their elections seven instances or extra earlier than they ultimately agree as a result of they didn’t fairly come to the numbers that’s lawfully agreed for the chief to seem.

So that you see in our personal case, we’ve got 109 senators and what did the Structure or the Senate standing order say as it’s now; the management emergence just isn’t clearly acknowledged that it have to be primarily based on area. Part 50 of the Structure says that the Senate President shall be elected amongst its members.

I imply it is a political consideration that we’re speaking about, you understand what occurred in 2015 and 2019…

Don’t overlook about what occurred in 2023. I stated it, individuals need to put it behind.

The present president-elect was not the parry’s candidate however you see…

That state of affairs might play out at on the nationwide meeting?

Yeah! And let me inform you, I used to be a part of the 2015 that you’re reemphasizing on, I don’t suppose we have been rebellious, we solely did what we thought was proper. Sadly someday after we acquired the management and in the event you can keep in mind, I used to be a senate chief and I used to be eliminated as a result of I went into disagreement with the Senate President then, Saraki as a result of I informed him that was not what we greed. We didn’t take over the Nationwide Meeting management to antagonise the Government or interact in combating unnecessarily however then I didn’t know that Saraki had his personal agenda.

We weren’t speculated to struggle the manager; we’re speculated to oversight them, we’re speculated to work interdependently, harmoniously with out compromising the Constitutional position of the

NationalAssembly or the Senate and that’s to say to oversight the manager. So whereas Saraki wished to take us into struggle with the manager, I disagreed with that.

Just like the case of Magu’s affirmation, we began that struggle so I don’t need individuals to be emphasizing that everyone…no the president in fact or anyone can have curiosity to steer us, no person ought to inform us who ought to lead us, there can be one thing new.

Senators within the tenth Nationwide Meeting won’t be precisely the identical factor?

Okay let me offer you an instance. There are 76 new senators, so supposing they put themselves collectively and say that is the one that will lead us earlier than the day of inauguration and so they agree, would you say they’ll’t produce the Senate president?

However the structure envisaged there needs to be inclusiveness and the steadiness of energy. The president elect is from the South West, the vp is from the North East, and each males are Muslims and there are additionally talks in your celebration that these consideration must even be given prominence and the unfold. Which area do you suppose is true to have the Senate president come from?

If you’re going by this map that you’re doing now, you could have the president from the South West, you could have the vp from the North, the place is the Chief Justice of the Federation coming from?

However these aren’t political sentiments?

Why not?

They don’t seem to be elected; these ones are the elected ones…

The vp was not elected however was appointed by the flag bearer.

However they have been on a joint ticket, these within the judiciary aren’t elected?

However they’re on the consideration. You’re speaking in regards to the structure and but you are attempting to drive away…

Possibly since you need to be Senate president, that’s the reason you’re pondering…

No, no, no. If I had wished to be the Senate president abinito with out this consideration, you understand me, I’d have gone out to say I need to be the Senate president. However the time just isn’t but there. I can do this. Why not? The structure didn’t cease me.

Now the instances are totally different…

You’re speaking about authorities and faith, Jonathan was the president, was he not a christian from the South south, the Senate president then, David Mark was a Christian. Ekweremadu from the south East was a Christian, and Ette from South West was a Christian. Was it an enormous deal? Is it now as a result of Kashim is a Muslim from the North East? And Tinubu occurs to come back from the South, so if you’re speaking about balancing South and North which is what we do, so you could have the CJN from the South; you could have the president from the South, the Senate president ought to come from the North or the speaker ought to come from the North in an effort to steadiness it, then you definately take one other place obtainable primarily based on comfort.

In order that’s why l’m saying permit Nigerians to make their alternative; they’ve executed that earlier than.

After they began, they went to church and shouted above their voice that Muslim Muslim just isn’t honest however Muslims and Christians, then they went for elections, Nigerians voted for Tinubu and now they’re doubting that he gained the election. I don’t need to speak in regards to the matter as a result of it’s within the courtroom.

I informed you I used to be shocked with the efficiency of Peter Obi, and I see it’s about age, power and all that, I see him as a type of I’ve delicate spot for. Tinubu just isn’t from the North, he gained within the North. He carried out in some states higher than Atiku. Atiku is from the North however he didn’t win.

There’s a big turnover, loads of the lawmakers aren’t returning. How would this impression on lawmaking?

Truthfully, that’s the drawback, it’s like beginning over again. After I checked the numbers this night, the returning senators are solely 26. And in regulation making, there’s no library so that you can check with, there’s no handover observe. Meaning we’re ranging from the scratch. Continue Reading…

So there’s want for expertise?

There’s a necessity for expertise. Why are you speaking to me? As a result of I’ve been there for the previous 20 years. Some individuals at the moment are saying, oh you could have been there for a very long time and that’s the reason it is advisable go. Is like Nigerian politics is being was one thing that’s flip by flip and that’s what I actually wished to debate. Is a really dangerous precedent; I see individuals coming to the Nationwide Meeting with nothing after which abruptly, as a result of they’ve spent years in Nationwide Meeting, they change into wealthy, one thing is fallacious.

You see civil servants residing in homes price billions, no person is asking questions. I’ve come to this programme a number of instances, there needs to be an Unexplained Wealth Act. In case you show wealth that’s not in tandem together with your earnings, try to be investigated and wealth confiscated and whether it is in depth, try to be prosecuted.

Now you see what is going on? The place within the management of this nation is turning into people who belong to kleptocrats and plutocrats. Democracy is now not there.

So they’re making an attempt to purchase these positions?

They’re shopping for it already; that’s what I’m saying. Didn’t you hear in regards to the accusation that they’re sharing cash?

And I used to be even pondering within the final election, if I had more cash, I’d have gained. I don’t have cash.

What would be the impression of the youthful or the newer lawmakers. What do you suppose the tenth Nationwide Meeting can be like? Bola Tinubu, a former Senator, Kashim Shettima, a sitting Senator, they perceive the politics of lawmaking.

And the celebration chairman was a senator, the celebration secretary is a senator, deputy nationwide chairman North was a senator.

So that you suppose your celebration ought to deal with the politics of the Nationwide Meeting in a different way?

Yeah! The truth is, it’s already taking place. That is going to be a rancour-free administration. You understand, even the pedigree of our president-elect and the vp and the chairman and all of us in there, given the truth that even the so-called new senators aren’t new, lots of them I take into consideration 20 are from the Home of Representatives transferring over in order that they have the expertise. We have now individuals coming from the homes of meeting, audio system; we’ve got those that have been Senators earlier than that aren’t new. Akpabio, Izunaso, and a few of these are coming again to the Senate, you understand, so it’s not going to be after which once I see additionally the composition, they don’t seem to be small individuals.

On a closing observe, what do you suppose is essential for Nigerians to be aware of Tinubu’s presidency and the tenth Nationwide Meeting? How expectant ought to Nigerians be?

Yeah! I believe Nigeria ought to put extra strain on us the Senators and demand for what we’re elected to be, we should always put Nigeria first and Nigerians curiosity first in even figuring out these so-called management that you’re speaking about as a result of as for Senate President, you’re only a presiding officer. It’s speculated to be one amongst equals and never first amongst equals. Continue Reading…