In this interview with SUNDAY ABORISADE, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas Resources, Senator Bassey Akpan, says federal lawmakers will resist any attempt by President Muhammadu Buhari to control the National Assembly
In spite of the cash crunch, you have proposed to purchase brand new exotic vehicles. Some Nigerians wonder if you have the love of the common man at heart at all.
Read excerpts from the interview below:
I think there has been a lot of misinformation on this issue of project vehicles for federal lawmakers. The chairman of my local government has an official car, commissioners in states have official cars, my state governor, the President of Nigeria, ministers, heads of government agencies and parastatals have more than one official car attached to them. So, what is wrong with a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria having a single official vehicle? We are not asking for cars that we would park in our houses; we are saying ‘give us cars that we can use for our oversight functions’. These cars will belong to the Senate. At the end of my four-year tenure, I can afford to say ‘Senate, take back your car because it is not my own’. I think we are over flogging the issue and it is because people are misrepresenting the facts of this matter. For me, this is part of what I need to do my job well as a lawmaker. It is like saying that because we will need to spend lots of money to renovate offices, senators should not have offices. These are the paraphernalia of office that would make us function effectively and efficiently in order to deliver on the promises we made to Nigerians. For me and my colleagues, we have ignored all the insinuations on this and other issues as long as what we are doing will bring about the prosperity and unity of Nigeria and the growth of our economy. There is no way any nation can run an economy under a democratic dispensation without the proper oversight. We will not succumb to any attempt to subject the legislature under the tutelage of the executive and we cannot afford that as a nation. We must be able to recognise and respect the doctrine of separation of powers for the good of this country. As a matter of fact, we need more than one car because if I have to go to the Niger Delta for oversight functions from Abuja, I need to send an official car there ahead of my visit and I cannot be using my private car in Abuja because there is no provision for me to service it. These cars belong to the National Assembly and not for senators or House of Representatives members. The fleet of vehicles for the official use of the President belongs to the Villa. A full depreciation of cars is four years and you don’t expect me to go and take over cars that are rickety from former senators. We must ensure that I am comfortable enough so that I can deliver on my legislative responsibilities. You cannot wish me to perform miracles without empowering me to do same.
But President Buhari has said that you don’t need another official vehicle since you have been given transport allowances when you resumed last year.
That is why we are insisting that we must respect the doctrine of separation of powers in this country. It is difficult for the President to dictate to the National Assembly on how to run the parliament because what made this country democratic is the existence of the parliament. The judiciary and the executive existed during the military regimes but there was no legislature. We are the true representatives of the people. There is no way that I will come here on the banner of representing my people and then work against their interest. So I believe that the President was misinformed, because for instance, we are not spending anything close to N46bn on cars. I don’t know how much a Land Cruiser SUV costs and that is what we are buying. We need a four-wheel drive because of the terrain of Nigeria. If there were good roads, I would ask you to buy me a VW Beetle or Santana; I would not care. All I need is to be empowered to discharge my duties effectively. If we don’t discharge the duty of oversight effectively, then Nigeria is heading towards doom. I believe that it is not in the President’s interest to want to dictate to the National Assembly on how we should run our businesses. We are conscious of the sensibilities of this issue. We know what Nigerians are looking for because we reflect their true representation. I was with my people during the Christmas celebration and I know their feelings and I have properly briefed them on this issue. I have their mandate to do what I feel is right and that would bring about the prosperity of Nigeria.
PUNCH