Hate speeches, reckless utterances threats to credible poll –Senator Obadara

As campaign towards the 2023 general election reaching feverish crescendo, and the attacks on facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) become rampart, a grassroots politician and Senator between 2011-2014, Olugbenga Onaolapo Obadara, has admitted that the alarm being raised by the electoral umpire over threat of violence in next year’s elections is justified.

 

Therefore, Obadara, who represented the Ogun State Central Senatorial District at the upper legislative chamber, suggested sanctions against candidates found flouting the peaceful campaign orders. He expressed worries that if they are not prevented from uttering inciting statements on the podium, 2023 election may be in jeopardy from the onset.

 

Razaq Bamidele brings excerpts from the brief media interactive session:

What is your reaction to the alarm raised by the INEC over the threat of violence to the conduct of a credible poll in 2023?

It is very worrisome. Any discerning mind will know that this is not the best of time in Nigeria. Election will come and go and Nigeria will survive. Why do we have to destroy ourselves or tear ourselves apart because of election? What are we doing all this for? As you can see, Abdulsalami Abubakar/Mathew Kukah Peace Committee has been ringing the alarm bell, lamenting the way politicians are talking, uttering destructive statements and beating the drum of war. This is unnecessary; after all, elections will come and go and Nigeria will remain. I think everybody should take caution.

How do you see the rampant attacks on INEC facilities as regards expected free, fair and credible poll next year?

My fear still remains. From the look of things, we are going to over-stretch the security forces. Instead of keeping watchful eyes on the situation in the country, maintaining peace and security, they will be deployed to all these places where there may be likelihood of violence. And we know already that we have short supply of security forces. It is a very disappointing situation that we have to use all our security men to police INEC offices all over the country.

Government should, therefore, come down heavily on all politicians with reckless statements. If they impose fine on them in millions or disqualify them, I think that will serve as a lesson and deterrence to them.

Do you see the candidates engaging in issue-based campaign like how to tackle insecurity, handle the economy and carry out restructuring of polity to guarantee good governance for the welfare of the citizenry?

It is a pity that the kind of politics we play in this country does not encourage them to focus on issues of ideology.

However, what I know and believe is that when Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) comes into office, by God’s grace, he will do the needful. I know that he wants power for the states. As a legislator, I know that there are lots of things on the Exclusive List. Many of them have to come under the Concurrent List. If we do that, our states will be better for it. For me, that is the beginning of restructuring. And I am sure all these will be addressed when Asiwaju comes to power by God’s grace.

With the election almost at the door steps, and from what we have been witnessing from the four front runners among the presidential candidates, do you foresee a competitive exercise next year?

For now, that is not what anybody can determine. As things are now, you cannot overlook anybody. You have to give all the candidates their due recognition. You cannot wish away Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso because they have their own supporters. The rest is up to APC and PDP to put in their best into their campaigns. And that is why we are working tirelessly to ensure the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC.

Still on restructuring, do you think the National Assembly has the willpower to effect the necessary amendment to achieve the objective of shifting power to the states, taking cognisance of the resistance of the states’ Houses of Assembly to the adoption of the 44 proposed amendments?

Definitely, we need 24 states to concur with the changes in the constitution. And today, we have not got that figure. We cannot throw away the baby with the bathwater. They need to look at the ones that are good and remove the bad ones so that we can get the nation going. But the problem we are having is the interference by the state governors. Because many of our state lawmakers do not have minds of their own, they have to go and take instruction from their governors. And when they take instructions, they end up doing the governor’s bidding. That is one of the problems we have, going by my legislative experience.

On another head count slated for 2023 as the general election, are comfortable with the coincidence?

It is neither here nor there. If we are able to get it right, it will be better for us as a people. Between the last census and now, millions of children have been born. Bringing those children into the enumeration will not be a bad idea. But looking at it in terms of political suitability is entirely a different issue. If the government can fund it, fine. No doubt, the election is going to stretch the purse of the Federal Government. But if the government thinks it can do it, so be it.

Again, just like the census, the proposed redesigning of our currency is also coming in the same year of election. Do you have something to say on this also?

Whatever reason the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has for its decision to redesign the naira, nobody has told us. It is just a conjecture that they are doing it to checkmate the trend of people, keeping money at home. And, until the CBN tells the nation why they are doing it, all this remains a matter of conjecture.

On security challenges, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that was hitherto secure is now bandits and kidnappers arena in the South-west. What do you think is the way out of this latest problem?

As we are all aware, insecurity is everywhere in the country. It is unfortunate this is happening in the South-west. Before now, Ibadan-Lagos Expressway used to be a death trap. But now, it has become a banditry-trap. We need more security along that corridor. There must be constant checking with the presence of security operatives. I believe if we have enough security to monitor the corridor, all this will become a thing of the past.

Don’t you think strengthening of Amotekun, the local security network, is the answer to that?

The problem is that not every state in the South-west has enough strength on ground. But if we are able to ensure the cooperation of Amotekun in the six states of the South-west, it will be a very fantastic thing and a lot will happen. The challenge again is that they don’t have ammunition. Without ammunition, how can they effectively fight these bandits with sophisticated weapons? It is necessary to equip them with enough ammunition. It is not over until it is over. I believe we will get there. I am very optimistic about that.

Don’t you feel the issue of State Police should be reconsidered on this matter?

Well, no criminal comes to any house with prior information. All these bandits have their intelligence reports before they strike at any point. When we were growing up, we virtually knew the police officers in our neighbourhood, they too knew almost everybody. That time, they called them constabulary. What stops us from reinvigorating the same system? If we have community watch, all this will be a thing of the past.