…Opposes Water Resources Bill
Razaq Bamidele
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Jide Jimoh, has explained why he prefers merit to zoning as criteria for selecting the next president for Nigeria, to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2023.
Hon. Jimoh, who is representing Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, in Abuja, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made his mind known on the issue, on Wednesday, at a press conference he addressed to showcase his stewardship in the National Assembly in the last one year.
According to him, “I stand on merit. But when that merit is being considered, other things would follow because we want better things to happen in this country.
“Look at what is happening in Lagos State since 1999 – Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, after eight years Fashola came on board, Ambode came on board, and then the incumbent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, a performer who is now working. Is that not on merit? he asked rhetorically.
Speaking further, the federal lawmaker added that,”If we are to talk about zoning, do you think that would work?
“If I say something should come from Zone A, they might not have somebody that is competent.
“Merit is the card, individual is another one, maturity is the next, wisdom follows and finally, integrity, that’s all,” he submitted.
He, therefore, used the occasion to showcase his scorecard at the National Assembly since its inauguration a year ago where he said, he has sponsored 10 bills.
“Some of the Bills are weight and measure Bill, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority Amendment, Passport Miscellaneous Act Amendment Bill, Employee’s Remuneration Bill and National Urban Development and Regional Commission Bill.”
Commenting on the contentious Water Resources Bill, he said he was against some clauses in the Bill, vowing to do everything humanly possible to frustrate its coming to see the light of the day.
Hon. Jimoh continued, “Well, I want to tell you this, in the 8th Assembly, I was a member of House Committee on Water Resources, I am happy, I was added again in this 9th Assembly.
“In the 8th Assembly, when that Bill came up, I stood up and opposed it vehemently, and said that the issue of water is domestic, has to go to the grassroots.
“But some people were saying we have Water Resources Ministry, at the Federal level. I said and so what?
“If we have water resources ministry at that level, that does not mean it should take the power of local government or that of the state government away from them even though, it is concurrent, let us tie it together and do necessary things.
“In the Water Resources Bill, there are so many numbers of clauses that are very good, but the clauses that people will oppose are the ones that will take the powers of local government and that of States, to the Federal Government, we don’t want that. We want power to be devolved to the locality and not at the Centre.
“If they bring it again, even for the fact that I am still a member of Waters Resources Committee, I will oppose it; I can assure you on that. We are still waiting, that is what we are looking for,” Hon. Jimoh declared.
He was of strong conviction that, power should be devolved to the grassroots and not to the centre, asserting that, usurpation of powers of other arms of government by the Centre is never in the spirit of true federalism that Nigeria claims to be practising.
On the Special Status for Lagos State, as former Nigeria’s Capital City, Hon. Jimoh assured that, “it is still on the front burner as the Bill to realise it is still on course in the National Assembly.”
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According to him, the issue is still being pushed by lawmakers from the state, disclosing that, “The bill, if passed into law, will ensure that Lagos is legally entitled to one per cent of the total revenue generated by the government.”
The Bill, he informed, was still being reviewed and “we have taken it up and it has gone through the first reading sponsored by Hon. Jimi Benson and others.”
On his scorecard, Hon. Jimoh said he had sponsored 10 bills, including Weight and Measure Bill, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority Amendment, Passport Miscellaneous Act Amendment Bill, Employee’s Remuneration Bill and National Urban Development and Regional Commission Bill.
The lawmaker informed that, he had been able to facilitate several projects as part of extra legislative programmes/activities, including the provision of a motorized borehole at Otumara, Apapa Road, Ebute Metta West, ongoing road construction at Nubi Close, Apapa Road, Ebute Metta, ongoing construction of classrooms at Iponri Primary School, Ebute Metta, ongoing construction of Health Centre at Makoko, Yaba, among others.
