Removal of fuel subsidy will be anti-people – Belgore

Kwara State governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the April elections, Mr. Dele Belgore (SAN), in an interview with journalists, bares his mind on politics in the state, fuel subsidy and sundry issues. SUCCESS NWOGU was there.

What is your view on the planned removal of petroleum subsidy by the Federal Government?

I am yet to get the full dynamics of that. But I know that it will cause unnecessary hardship. I believe that while the economics of it might be right, it will be an anti-people politics. You have got to think of the social consequences. First, some state governments have said that they cannot pay the minimum wage, and at the same time, they are imposing further burden on the workers. If you remove the fuel subsidy, the attendant consequence will not be palatable. There is always a multiplier effect: racketeering sets in, the transporters will increase price, food prices will also go up. Therefore, what it means is that you are taking more money now out of the workers’ pocket at a time in which you promised the worker more money but you have not given them. This will bring so many difficulties. The timing is not right, if the politics is right.

Currently, there is an agitation for the payment of N18,000 minimum wage. But the Governors’ Forum of Nigeria is saying that the payment depends on the review of the revenue sharing formula. What is your take on that?

We are talking about minimum wage anyway. It does not in any way reflect what the Nigerian people want. I am solidly behind the workers being paid that money. Fairpay for fair work and the Nigerian worker deserves a lot more than that.The problem is that we have centralised things so much. An issue of the minimum wage should not be a federal matter. We should let each state develop it. For instance, Lagos may probably be able to pay N50,000 a month, some other state may be able to pay something different. The timing and how they do it, should be determined by each state.

Who is the Federal Government governing and why should the Federal Government have the largest share of the revenue? All the people are in the states and they have state government. Even Abuja, is under the Federal Capital Territory. So who are the people that the Federal Government is governing? Why would the Federal Government say it wants to build schools in Kwara State, for instance, on land that does not belong to the Federal Government? So you want to build a school on my land? You do not know what my immediate needs are. You do not know how many children I have and you even do not know the number of schools that I already have. So these are the imbalances that have to be corrected and these are the things that make the issues of revenue allocation, minimum wage very contentious.

How will you assess the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan?

It is difficult to assess the current administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. For me, the administration is still young but if the choice of the names of ministerial nominees being bandied about is anything to go by, then I am not hopeful at all

Some people feel that the Electoral Law has changed and that the court cannot declare a petitioner winner, that what the court can do, at best, is to order a rerun. What is your view on this?

First of all, let, me correct the notion about the Electoral Law. The Electoral Law has not changed in that regard. The only difference now is that if you did not contest an election, like the Rotimi Amaechi case, the court cannot declare you the holder of that office. That is the only change. There is no change in the fact that a petitioner comes and says, ‘I have the highest votes, therefore, declare me winner.’ That has not changed. I have heard people say the law has changed now. The court can no longer declare somebody winner, what the court can do is to declare a rerun. That is not correct.

A situation where you are fighting an election outcome for three and half years, is totally undesirable. Therefore, any process that will make the process quicker, so that the will of the people can be determined is the ideal situation. But at the same time, you have got to know that the court can not compromise the fundamentals of fair hearing on the matter of giving the parties the opportunities to be able to present their case. Governorship petition, for instance, where you are covering an entire state requires more time for one to be able to put the necessary things together, compile the evidence. It is not the same as challenging a House of Assembly election. So while we do not want the process to drag for too long, at the same time, it should not be too short so that the parties can present their matters. I think that at the moment, the Electoral Act has taken some measures in the sense that the petition before the tribunal must be concluded within 180 days. That is good, then an appeal in 60 days. That shows that a three and half years situation is unlikely to happen.

Some South-West senators have argued that the constitution of Nigeria is actually unitary in nature and that it needs a review. What do you think about that?

To be honest, I have been out of the country so I am not aware of this resolution. But we need a constitution for the people. The constitution we have is a military constitution. When at the opening paragraph, it says we the people of Nigeria, it is not a fact because the military never consulted anyone. They just handed the constitution. It is not a people’s constitution. We need a constitution of the people.

How would you describe politics in Nigeria?

Politics in Nigeria is still developing and evolving. We have a lot to learn. But we have moved in leaps and bounds from the old days of wetie and the days whereby after a political gathering, you have to make sure that you dodge through a bush to escape because way down the road, they are waiting for you with matchete and clubs and some other dangerous weapons. We have moved on. But, we have not quite got to the point whereby it is seen as genuine discourse. At the moment, we are still looking at it as a party, and office affair. We need to move to the point where we see it in terms of ideology and engaging the people with ideas on how best to improve their lives. Politics in Nigeria is evolving and growing but there is a lot more.

What is the drive behind your desire to govern Kwara?

The drive behind it is the will of the people. I know that Kwara people have voted for change. They want a change. You can see it in the way they go about it and in their mood. I have a mandate which is greater than myself. That is what keeps me going and determined.

Kwarans are used to having it one way in politics. But some believe that your entry into politics has really changed the face of politics in the state as people can now hold divergent views. Some also say that your coming has destabilised the status quo. What is your opinion?

I will find it totally ridiculous for somebody in his right senses and mind to say that my coming is a way of disturbing the system. But yes, you could argue that it has disturbed the status quo; people that have only served the interest of themselves. My coming in that regard has disturbed that status quo. But what we have done is to give Kwarans a genuine choice. We have opened Kwara people’s mind to the fact that government is meant to serve the people and to make their lives better. Government is not looking up to one man in the hope that he may hand out some things to you. That I believe we have demonstrated to the people in Kwara State. Whatever government has is for the people.

Some people have condemned Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State for not constituting his cabinet seven months after his inauguration. What is your view on this?

Look at what he has been able to achieve since he took over. He has surpassed his predecessor who was there for about seven years. If you go to Oshogbo, there is a new feeling now that things are about to happen in the state. That is what people want. I remember a few years ago when Lagos has some good changes, people started feeling that Lagos is now really land of opportunities. There is the same feeling in Osun State. The governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola has made giant steps. The issue of running with commissioner, I am sure very soon, that will happen. I do not believe that the governor wants to continue running like this for the rest of his administration.

But does the constitution support staying so long before having commissioners?

The constitution did not give the time frame when a governor must appoint commissioners. The governor has not said he is not going to appoint commissioners.