Senate making steady progress on Electoral Act review —Senator Basiru

Senator Ajibola Basiru, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, speaks on the activities of Senate committees, agenda of the ninth National assembly and other national issues. BIOLA AZEEZ brings some excerpts of the interview:

Beyond the projected jobs by the Presidency through the Ministry of Labour to ease the economic burdens of COVID-19 on Nigerians, don’t you think that there should be extended palliatives from the Presidency for majority  of Nigerians because the hardship is generally biting harder?

Certainly, the economic challenges brought about by the COVID-19 and the drastic loss of revenue because of falling price of crude oil in international market has negatively affected our people economically. However, even before the present unfortunate incident, the federal government has since 2015 been concerned about poverty alleviation and social intervention for the welfare of the poor. The Federal Government has never withdrawn from its responsibility of seeing to the welfare of the people. There is the Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme of the FG, where money is given to the aged, the physically challenged and widows even before the outbreak of Covid-19, and it continues. Second, at the outset of total lockdown in March, the Federal Government sent trailers of food stuff particularly grains to States that are worse hit by the pandemic. This palliative continued till last month. Besides, the Government extended batches A and B of the N-Power scheme beyond its expiration to serve as palliatives to beneficiaries. Mind you, many civil servants, particularly those who are grade levels 10 and below and teachers who were excused from work or are still being excused, received full salaries, at a time many big companies were groaning under the weight of the effects of the killer virus. We are not saying the government has done it all. But we continue to explore opportunities to make life comfortable for Nigerians. Lest I forget, public office holders across the nation also extendeded hands to their people when the hardship was biting harder.

As the lockdown is being finally relaxed towards resumption of schools and other government agencies, is not necessary for an enactment by the National Assembly to enforce Nigerians to obey the safety protocols, in view of the rising positive cases of COVID-19 across the country?

The government is not taking things for granted as far as safety of the generality of Nigerians is concerned. As for schools, the process of re-opening has been gradual and cautious. The re-opening is to start with the graduating classes. The government is not talking about full opening yet. Second, safety protocols and precautions have been given to schools, public and private. Every school has to provide all the necessary facilities before the whistle could be blown. The responsibility of monitoring lies heavily on the ministries of education in each state. For instance in my state, Osun, there is a law already against flouting the safety protocols with unimaginable consequences. When we are successful with the graduating classes, we can now extend it to other classes.  But, let me tell you, the media has been a wonderful partner in this regard, but they still have to do more. It’s unfortunate that those who are supposed to know are misleading others, telling them the government is using the pandemic to make money from the World Bank. How can people be playing politics with their lives? Coronavirus is real. The pandemic is killing followers as it is also killing  leaders. The task of ensuring safety is collective and not that of the government alone. Public enlightenment is very key.

What’s the Senate doing to ensure free, fair and credible governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states?

To ensure free, fair and credible elections in Edo and Ondo or any other state lies first with the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).  The INEC and the parties involved have to play the games according to the rule. When the two sides agree with the provisions of the Electoral Laws, next is the security agents, and finally voters. The Senate is made up of members from different parties with different ideologies that disposition, but the same cannot be said of the Law. If any party feels cheated or aggrieved, the courts are there to arbitrate.

As a spokesman of the ninth National Assembly, will you say the current Assembly has been living up to expectations of Nigerians in terms of legislating of laws that can add values to the people of the country?

I will modestly say that the ninth Assembly has been doing its best in delivering on its constitutional mandates which are: making laws for good government and public welfare; oversight function to prevent corruption, waste and inefficiency and ensuring that only fit and proper persons are confirmed to hold public offices in respect of which confirmation of the Senate is prescribed by the Constitution and other laws. In the one-year period of the life of this Senate, it has prioritised legislative interventions by enacting new laws and/or modifying existing legislations for the attainment of good governance. One of such intervention was the amendment of Finance Act 2019. Perturbed by dwindling national revenues largely due to vulnerabilities in international price of crude oil, it took steps towards improving revenues from other avenues notably Value Added Tax (VAT). Accordingly, it passed an executive bill which proposed an increase in VAT from 5 per cent to 7.5 per cent in record time by invoking its powers under Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Rules. This was an extraordinary step to take.  Another laudable and progressive intervention was the extensive work done on the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract (Amendment) Act 2019 to repeal and replace Section 16 of the Act.  A statutory mandate to review the Act was never complied with for decades and the country lost valuable revenue. Thus, the amendment passed by this Senate achieved four major milestones as follows.

It revised upwardly the regime of royalty payable on crude produced in deep waters.  It deleted Section 16 of the Act which provided for the trigger for a review of the Act. It introduced Section 16 (A) which mandated the Minister of petroleum to cause the NNPC to a review the  Production Sharing Contracts every 8 years. It introduced Section 16(B) which provided for offences and penalties.

The cumulative effect of this amendment is that the sum of N320 billion has been unlocked according to several reputable industry experts and it goes without saying that the injection of such huge revenue into our economy will catalyse several positive outcomes. With a view to geting maximum return from the oil industry, the 9th Senate is committed to prompt consideration and passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill once same is received from the executive. Necessary training and sensitisation programmes have been organised and attended by Senators belonging to all the relevant committees of the Senate. Asides its intervention to address economic challenges, this Senate also led the way to find lasting solution to the perennial security crisis this country has been plagued with. It has extensively engaged leaders of our various security agencies on attacks by Boko Haram in the North East, kidnaping and banditry in the North-West and North-Central zones, clashes between herdsmen and farmers all across the country, proliferation of light and small arms and other forms of criminality. Its Ad-hoc-Committee on Nigeria Security Challenges made up of 19 Senators and headed by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi has offered 60 recommendations to be implemented in the immediate, short and long term. It is noteworthy that the decentralisation of the command and control structure of the Nigerian Police Force recommended by this Committee has now been adopted by the President as the official policy of the Federal Government. Other sectors like the power also received strong attention from this Senate over the last year. Its 20-man Ad-hoc Committee led by Senator Dr Gabriel Suswam has issued its report and implementation will find traction in the weeks ahead. The Senate is also working on other useful bills that will impact positively on all spheres of the Nigerian Society. The Senate has also set up the Constitution Review Committee under the Chairmanship of His Excellency the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and referred to the committee several constitutional amendment bills aimed at improving governance in the country. Similarly, this ninth Senate has consistently acted proactively when required in the last one year. For instance, when COVID-19 struck in Nigeria with our index case recorded on February 27, 2020, the Senate moved quickly to provide the necessary support for the government. It facilitated the prompt release of funds to address the needs of frontline health workers. It also announced a contribution of half of the salaries of all 109 Senators henceforth to the government as its financial support to battling the unprecedented health challenge.

On electoral reform, much work has been done to review the Electoral Act and the work of committees will be advanced to the next stage in the days and weeks ahead. This Senate has collaborated in extraordinary manner with the Executive Arm of government and this has significantly accounted for the calm in the polity over the last one year and tangible gains we see in several sectors. Overall, the ninth Senate will continue to provide the necessary legislative support to the Executive arm of government to drive socio-economic development and ensuring the delivery of democratic dividends to Nigerians. This support includes expeditious passage of the Appropriation Bill and other executive bill that will reposition the economic on the path of sustainable recovery, growth and development as well as confirming key appointments of the executive.

As a senator representing Osun Central senatorial district at the National Assembly, what have you been doing to bring the dividends of democracy to their doorsteps?

Just as I promised while campaigning, I believe that, so far, I have been able to give quality and active representation to Osun Central senatorial district in the Senate, notwithstanding being a first timer. It has been worthwhile being elected to serve the good people of Osun Central senatorial district in the Red Chamber; I will say without being immodest that the achievements recorded so far has been monumental. The first being my appointment as Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora, Non-Governmental Organisations and Civil Societies, this is not an ordinary calling, because being a new entrant into the Senate and being made the Chairman of a very strategic Committee speaks volume of the attributes ascribed to me and the role expected of me as a senator, such honour does not come easy to first time Senators. As Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora, my immediate concern then was how to enhance the capacity of the Diaspora Commission which his Committee has direct oversight function on. I immediately, with the members of my Committee embarked on the task of reviewing the Law that established the Commission, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (Establishment) Act No.15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2017 and for related matters in conjunction with the Legal Unit of the Commission.

In my quest to properly harness the benefits accruable from Nigerians in the diaspora, I also interfaced with several international bodies among which is the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisations (NIDO Europe). In a meeting, held at my instance, with NIDO, I particularly hammered on the on the efforts of the organisation on Diaspora registration and voting and I implored their representative to interface with INEC on how to fast track diaspora voting. This meeting has culminated in a series of Workshops that dealt majorly on the issue of diaspora voting for Nigerians and how best to overcome the challenges it portends. I also had a meeting with the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu and two National Commissioners of the Commission; Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu and Dr Adekunle Ogunmola. At the meeting, I specifically raised the issue of the possibility of diaspora voting where the INEC Chairman stated that with about 15 million Nigerians in diaspora, diaspora voting will surely be a very big game changer for Nigeria. He also highlighted the challenges and the legal constraints thereto. This were deliberated upon extensively and it was agreed that the Constitution has to be altered and other Laws amended in this regard with some sections of the Constitution specifically penciled for possible alteration while the INEC establishment Act is agreed to be looked into. Another critical area where I look into and which I passionately pursued before I was elevated to the Chairmanship of another Committee is the Housing Initiative in Nigeria, through the collaboration of the Committee on Diasporas and NIDCOM to access the Housing Initiative funds. In the area of legislative advocacy and intervention, I am glad to say that I have performed very well.

I have drafted some alterations to the Nigerian Constitution in key areas that affect our everyday life and existence as Nigerians. Some of the Bills that have been sponsored by me are: A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the establishment of State Police and to ensure effective community policing in Nigeria and for matters connected thereto; A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the establishment of Political Parties Registration and Regulation Commission and for related matters; and A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the regulation of the jurisdiction of the supreme court and the court of appeal, creation of State court of appeal and for related matters.

All these bills have passed the second reading at the Senate and have been referred to the Constitution Review Committee for further action. My uncommon passion for the growth of my constituency has also spurred me to   lay a petition titled “Petition on the abandonment of the Osogbo Steel Rolling Company and the Nigeria Machine Tools Limited and an appeal for a drastic and immediate action to be taken on their rehabilitation” before the Senate for consideration on behalf of Egbe Osogbo Oroki Parapo and the people of Osun Central Senatorial District. While laying the petition before the Senate, I gave a picturesque highlight of the petition which prays for an urgent consideration and intervention by the Senate for the reversal of the sordid fate that has befallen the Osogbo Steel Rolling Company and the Nigeria Machine Tools Ltd, both located in Osogbo, and the degeneration of the two hitherto foremost factories which are now in total states of neglect, disrepair and their inevitable obsolescence if the neglect continues in the hands of the new owners of the factories who came into their possession after the privatisation exercise carried out by the Federal Government through the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) several years ago.The Petition was later referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions by the President of the Senate and prominent people from the Osun Central senatorial district have been invited on two occasions by the Committee to shed more light on the petition. The Committee has also signified his willingness to pay working visits to Osun State to see the actual state of affairs of the two hitherto foremost factories. But for the Covid-19 pandemic, the Committee would have visited Osogbo for an on-site assessment of the Factories. At plenary, I have also been drowned in the various discourses as I am always contributing to issues analytically and pragmatically to issues. My address at plenary when the “Bill for an Act to repeal the Federal Road Maintenance Agency Act 2002 (as amended), the Federal Highways Act 1971 and the control of Advertisement Act 1986 and to establish the Federal Road Authority to provide for the Ownership, Regulation, Management and Development of the Federal Roads Network and for other matters connected there with, 2019 (SB.89) was being considered is a reference point for Legislative advocacy at its vintage best. My address was so profound and far-reaching as I dissected the Bill and brought out all the salient points that were not even envisaged by the sponsors of the Bill.  On the 28th day of April, 2020 the Senate President announced my appointment as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs after about one year in the saddle as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora, Non-Governmental Organisations and Civil Societies.

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