Hon. Victor Oluwasegun Akande has represented Ojo Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House ofAssembly from 2015 to 2023. In this interview he speaks on the proposal for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct localcouncil elections, why restructuring isparamount, among other issues. JOY ANIGBOGU brings the excerpts:
In most states wherelocal government elections are conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission, all the seats are being won by the ruling party in those states. Don’t you think if we continue like this the localgovernments would still be subservient to the state governments?
If the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts localgovernment elections, then you are taking the works of the state governments to the Federal Government. Yes, there is a bill in the pipeline to say that the INEC would conductelections into localgovernments, but this will further reduce the power of the state.
Are you saying INEC shouldn’t conductelections into localgovernments?
Yes, that is my view, but once a matter has been signed into law, my view is of no consequence. The elections into localgovernments should be the prerogative of the states and not that of the Federal Government. But our political immaturity led us to this. Have you ever seen where that happens in civilised countries, where the Federal Government would conduct electionsinto local governments?
Restructuring isanother issue here; people have clamoured for state and even localgovernment police…
The best option for Nigeria is restructuring in all facets. Look at the problem we have as a people, let us come into a roundtable and discuss.
…But we have discussed, we even had one in 2014
…We have notdiscussed, we only left the substance and dabbled into minor areas. Let every facet of the country be represented and let us do the real talk.
Are we to organise another constitutional conference?
Whether it is a constitutional conference or a referendum, let us talk ‘the talk’. It shouldn’t be cheap. You should allow people to represent themselves, don’t pick for them. Let the localgovernments choose people for the conference; let us have people from the constituencies and senatorial zones. They don’t have to be members of the states’ House of Assembly or the National Assembly. Let the people pick those that can speak on their behalf then we’ll have true representations.
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Over the years, the National Assembly has been in the limelight though they have intervened on many issues such as labour issues, and others, how would you rate the performance of the National Assembly so far?
You cannot give what you don’t have. It’s what we have as a people that we will have in the National Assembly and we are now getting the results. But, every time we ask people to represent us, it is a process and it is always getting better. The National Assembly has reformed many laws and reenacted them into better laws just like it was done in Lagos State some years back. That reformation is now impacting our lives. Look at the speed with which they worked with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on minimum wage unlike when it used to take time. In the past, such things would take time, but now they give the executive the necessary support and the synergy is there for them to make an impact on the masses.
What do you think are their challenges?
The challenges are the people. Even when they’re doing their best, we don’t see anything good in whatever they do. It is when you praise someone that he can do more. When they do anything that is notacceptable, we should point their attention to it rather than criticise them. We always want to take them to the cleaners and call them thieves. They don’t do that in other climes, some of them might not be doing well, but they’re not all bad.
But some people talk about their huge salaries and allowances
…People should calm down about their allowances. If they go there and they don’t impact their people, they would be rejected at the polls. Do you think they would remember me if I don’t provide support for my people? Some of the constituents would come to you with requests. How do I help them if I don’t have money? All these things boil down to the responsibilities that come with requests from people. You see hundreds of people going to them for requests. If you come to me and you are notfrom my area, I would direct you to your representative. The responsibilities on them are even more than those on the Governors that are for the states generally.
What kind of people do you think should be elected into the National Assembly?
Academic qualification isnot always the basic consideration. You have to look at people with mission and vision; the two are not the same. What are you going there to do? You have to look at what others did not do right before you go in. Vision and the mission are what you want to go and do there. It’s what you have envisioned before you are sent on a mission.
How do we know those who have these qualities, because they could deceive the people just like when a man is trying to woo a woman?
Yes, when a man wants to woo a lady, the lady should look at his antecedents. All these still boil down to the leaders, who know the best people to send. But because of some prevailing and underlining circumstances, they just put some people there. Let us stop using a position to favour somebody or else you would get it wrong. The person might not have anything to offer. If you are convinced that someone can do it then let him go.
What do you think the government can do to mitigate the economic hardship in the country?
The government is doing its best, fuel is going up and coming down. Are the prices of goods and services coming down? When you talk ofsecurity, police cannot be everywhere. When you talk of food, let everybody go back to the farm so that we can have enough food in the country.
