Former governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko, in this
interview with KUNLE OLASANMI said the Senate will work cordially with
President Muhammadu Buhari for the benefit of Nigerians
How has it been with you as a former governor who governed
for two terms and now a senator?
It has been an interesting and wonderful experience. For
someone who has been at the local level of politics to now come to Abuja on a
national scale and to relate, share experience and wisdom with others from
across the country is very rewarding. At this age what we require is to come
together and take decision in the best interest of the country.
From what you have seen in the senate so far, we have eight
former governors, eight former ministers and some former House of
Representatives members, among others. These are the people who had served this
nation in different capacities. They know the art of governance and they know
what is good for the country and they know what to promote the growth and
progress of their country. I don’t think their motive is to come and create
controversies, which is not good for the country and the electorate. My coming
to the Senate has shown me that the entire National Assembly has resolved to
come together to work with the executive arm of government to ensure that we
deliver on our promises to Nigerians.
You are in essence saying the eighth Assembly will surpass
the achievements of the seventh assembly?
Yes of course! I say this because of the calibre of people
we now have there. They are the people who know the pains of governance, who
know the pains of Nigerians who know what it means to keep the country together
and who know what it means to make a pledge and redeem it for a change.
In the Senate, we have been speaking against insecurity. We
speak against corruption. We speak for good governance, diversification of the
economy, good foreign relations, health care delivery system, good
transpiration for Nigeria and so many other things. These are the basic things
that Nigerians need and are waiting patiently for the National Assembly to
deliver. So, we feel that we know we must come together, work as a team to see
how these promises can be made a reality. It is only when we come together as a
team, based on mutual respect that these goals can be achieved.
There is no time to waste arguing over unnecessary issues.
It is time to face the reality. It is time for us to note what the country
expects from governance and those things that we need to put in place to fulfill
the general expectations of Nigerians. The good thing is that we have the
government of President Muhammadu Buhari in place. We all have to join hands to
make his government to succeed. For President Buhari to succeed, we have to
give him the support he requires and ensure that we are not here to create
conflict, but to work in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
We have to sincerely appreciate the fact that even the
international community is welcoming and commending the new administration for
putting in place good initiatives. So, I repeat, there is not time for
unnecessary digression, there is no time for unnecessary bickering. What we
need to do is work hard to save this country, in particular the down trodden.
The National Assembly has always been viewed by majority of
Nigerians as a place for intrigue, what is your view about it as someone just
coming into the Senate?
When you have a group of people of diverse upbringing,
culture and interests, it is normal for them to try and develop a mode of
communicating and how to understand one another. It is not just easy for people
from different backgrounds to come together and then understand themselves
immediately. That is the reason for such intrigue you talk about. But to
overcome it, there must be mutual trust and respects. That is how it works and
that is how I see it. I am happy at the way things are and I have not seen
anyone behaving abnormally. Some correspondents came to me and asked me to
comment on what happened in the last Senate. I told them I could not do so
because I was not there and should not speak on what I don’t know.
How have you been able to manage the initial bickering among
yourselves that Nigerians are seeing the Senate in a new light with the
hitherto aggrieved members relating peacefully now?
The magic lies on honesty, transparency and fear of God.
Once you remove selfishness, it makes interactions easier. Once you act
transparently with maturity and respect respect, it makes the rest manageable.
When we came, there was this mistrust, misunderstanding and suspicion. They
were all normal in the gathering of that magnitude. I learnt a great deal when
some years back I met some members of National Assembly and even Ministers who
had never visited the North and I know many from the North who did not know
anything about the Southern part of the country. Once such met, they ended up
arguing on sentiments and emotion and the challenges of their communities. But
today, the kind of people we have there are those that know so much about this
country. Before coming to the Senate, they had met at different times and so
they understand each other. That is the reason it is not difficult for them to
work together as a team. And it is good that we are the ruling party and at the
same time we have a vibrant opposition to always keep the ruling party on its
toes. Now what I have realised is that even opposition in the National Assembly
are not prepared to oppose anything from the Federal Government. Theire desire
is to collectively make this country greater and better. I have not seen one
person who has expressed anti government sentiments because he is from APGA,
PDP or other parties. Once anything comes from the Federal Government,
everybody comes together to give it immediate attention. Take for example the
screening of the service chiefs. We went to the Committee of the whole House
and did the screening while we accorded everyone his due respect. We cleared
the Service Chiefs within some few minutes. This was based on the importance of
their assignments. We have insecurity in this country and we cannot play with
that Let me say that anything, being appointment and others that come from the
Presidency, we will not delay it and we will not play with it. If there are any
other issue that bothers our mind, we will adderess it by saying what we feel
about it. But so far so good, all the appointments made by the President and
the names sent to the Senate for screening were made purely on merit and they
are of national outlook and they
A kind of constructive engagement existed between the
executive arm of government and the legislature in which case they quarreled
when necessary and agreed in other cases. Will the current Senate sustain such
kind of engagement?
I don’t want us to use the word quarrel or fight. These are
strong languages to use. We don’t need that at this age. The issue is that
where it is necessary for use to raise eyebrow in some cases, we will not
hesitate to do so. We will always rise to the occasion in our bid to save this
country. We will do all we can in the interest of Nigeria.
What is your assessment of the administration of President
Buhari so far on the direction it is facing?
As far as I am concerned, President Buhari is on course and
is doing the right thing. He has a vision and mission for this country. He was
once there though as a Military Head of States. But I am sure that having tried
three times and going across the country during the campaigns, hearing, knowing
and getting familiar with the state of things, he is better equipped to
deliver.
I know him to be a person of 100 percent transparency. He is
committed and has passion to change the situation in Nigeria. He does not
condone corruption no matter where it comes from. He has the fear of God. I
don’t know of any past leaders having this passion for Nigeria like Buhari. So
I believe he is doing the right thing. He is the right person to be the
president of Nigeria at this point in time.
Credit: Leadership
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