Hon Abubakar Lawal Garba representing Yola North/South/Girei
Federal Constituency who is a lawyer by profession, a banker by training and an
Estate Developer who has used his positions in the past to assist his Community
back home in Adamawa State.
In an interview with National Assembly Correspondent,
Atek’ojo Samson Usman, he was very clear on his passion in the next four years
on what he would pursue even as a first timer in the House of Representatives
in order to influence constituency projects to his people.
Excerpts:
Can you please introduce yourself?
My name is Hon. Abubakar Lawal Garba. I represent Yola North/South/Girei Federal
Constituency of Adamawa State in the National Assembly.
Assembly leadership crisis has created different impressions
in the minds of different people. What
do you think it portends to survival of our democracy?
First and foremost, I would like to apologise to Nigerians
over that crisis particularly to my federal constituency. When it happened, there were public reactions
the world over that the 8th Assembly had started with a mess. But if you look at any democracy, people
disagree to agree and I hope that is the basis of that crisis. It was purely leadership crisis where some
members are saying it should be this way, while others prefer the other
way. Even in the same family, you will
see crises and that is what we call individual differences, but I just hope
that at the end of the day, we will all work for the corporate interest of the
country. If you look at the merger of
the parties that became All Progressives Congress (APC) today, some have
ideologies and some do not have ideologies at all and in coming together now,
that is what is happening; but the way I’m looking at things, we are going to work
for Nigeria rather than our individual interests. I believe some of us have realized that and
by the time the Assembly reopens next week, things would revert to normalcy.
Are you saying that the crisis is part of tenets of
democracy?
Of course, it is part
of tenets of democracy. I’m sure you
will agree with me that it happened in other countries of the world. In Indian parliament for instance, they
practice parliamentary system of government and the Prime Minister is the party
leader, but they still fight. In
advanced democracies like United States of America, you still see them fighting
from time to time. In our own case here
and in my personal sense of judgment, it is too early for this type of things
to happen.
So what appeal do you have for your colleagues?
My appeal to may colleagues is to set aside personal
interests in pursuit of national interests.
I belong to the All Progressives Congress and this is the party that
Nigerians came out massively to vote for.
To be honest, the peoples Democratic Party that was in power had
Military, Police, Money, but because they could not deliver in the last sixteen
years, they were voted out. So if we
were voted into power without money by Nigerians, their magnanimity should not
be taken for a ride. We have to come out
and in the overall interest of Nigerians, otherwise, by the time they will push
us out, it will be worse than the PDP’s tragedy. This is really a lesson that keep reminding
me in whatever I am doing that despite the fact that poverty was staring my
people on the face, they could ignore PDP’s money and voted for us. What I’m to
do to sustain the confidence reposed in me is what I am grappling with daily
here. We must effect that change
Nigerians voted for and I do not think there is an alternative to it and we can
do it if we all cooperate with the system for the best interest of Nigerians.
So how would you appeal to Nigerians in this regard?
My appeal to Nigerians particularly media men is that you
should be very critical, but objective in your reportage and also I want to
plead with journalists to investigate issues before reporting it for purposes
of accuracy. As a lawyer, and a banker,
I don’t report what I’m not sure of.
Please, we should not overheat the polity by inaccurate reportage.
What are the legislative agenda for your people back home,
especially that insecurity in the North East still persists?
Well, I cannot personally call it my own legislative agenda,
Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the 8th Assembly came out with legislative
agenda which I think is like legislative rules for us all and if it is executed
to the latter, my federal constituency will benefit immensely from that. It
talks of tackling unemployment, education, health, infrastructural development
and those contemporary issues that Nigerians yearns for. Where I come from as you are all aware has insecurity
problems and I will incorporate the possibility of seeing that there is peace
and if we can have peace, I think we will do well for the people. I have told my constituents that it is not
only when we have money that we will start executing projects, but they should
prioritize so that when we eventually have the resources, we go into action
immediately.
Recently, the federal government gave out a bailout of N804
billion to those states that were unable to pay their staff salaries, is that
in tandem with the APC’s style of leadership despite that the process did not
follow National Assembly approval?
This is not the issue of APC’s style of governance. In any responsible society where you have a
child with problems, you will not sit, folding your hands, but making sure that
you assist. In any responsible
government, staff salary is a first line charge and so if for any reason you
cannot pay me salary, how do you expect me to be working. Like the governor of Edo State, Adams
Oshiomole was saying that some people look at salary as expenditure; agreed
that it is an expenditure, but to the beneficiaries, it is an income. Though some people may criticize the
government that tomorrow some state government may be reckless; it is true they
may be reckless, but I believe President Muhammadu Buhari did this for a
purpose that if they become reckless again, he will show them that it is not
going to be business as usual. What
President Muhammadu Buhari did now is the right step in the right direction
because how can you keep somebody without paying his salary for close to 11
months. It breeds corruption because as head of family, if I go home daily
without money for my family, I will be thinking otherwise.
Credit: Daily Post
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