•Tunde Elebute
The Deputy Director, Crime Victims Foundation of Nigeria (CRIFON), Lagos State chapter, Dr Tunde Elebute, is an economist, human rights promoter, public affairs commentator and educationist. In this interview, he speaks on crucial current issues in the polity, reports Sunday Independent.
Excerpts:
The US Military has sent 200 foot soldiers and six jets to Nigeria as part of its intervention in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria. This is in addition to its war ship in the Gulf of Guinea. What are the implications of this to Nigeria?
Nigerians are just speaking. We do not know the mind of President Donald Trump. He has only one term. We do not know if he can do what the U.S did in Libya.
Again, the mid-term elections in the US are coming. We do not know if by his actions in Nigeria he is seeking the support of the Christians in the U.S for his party. We believe he wants to defend Christianity.
However, we do not see his actions as defiling Nigeria’s sovereignty. He is doing a good job for Nigerians so far, but he is also trying to garner support for his party in the coming election. The intervention is also beneficial to us and himself. He wants the Evangelicals in the U.S to continue to support his party. Our people have been exposed to death by the terrorists. Even where terrorists write letters to indicate that they are coming, our security agencies leave the people unprotected and at the mercy of the terrorists. I do not think Trump wants to rape our democracy.
Now, our corrupt politicians and those who have links with terrorists are more careful. I do not think the U.S is eyeing our oil wealth. However, American interest is paramount to the U.S, hence they want a Military base in Africa.
The question is: If Trump finishes his term, what happens? Will the next U.S President follow in his footsteps? If he finishes and the terrorist attacks are not resolved, the terrorists may wreak havoc in Nigeria.
There has been a lot of hullabaloo over provision of Real-Time e-Transmission of electoral results. What is your stand in all these?
I support real-time e-transmission of election results. Once it is otherwise, the authenticity cannot be guaranteed. The Joint Committee of the National Assembly should approve the e-transmission. We do not want manual transmission. Once this is approved by the two chambers of the National Assembly, the President should please give assent to the bill to make it law. Nigerians are tired of rigging. We need authentic results that are reliable. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the IREV can operate both online and offline. So, the lawmakers should not deceive us with excuses about the network. Even if the president has signed the bill into law, nothing stops them from reviewing it. The president can also return the Act to the National Assembly for quick amendment.
What other aspects of the Electoral Act do you think should be reviewed or amended?
I believe that something should be done to stop all these defections. There should be a law that anyone defecting to another party, be they the governors or lawmakers, they should lose their seats and return for a bye-election to be re-elected under the new party if he is popular. Their seats should be declared vacant when anyone frosses the carpet and lets them go back to their constituencies for re-election.
Looking at the crises in the Labour Party (LP) and the People Democratic Party (PDP), do you think the courts are not complicit in these crises?
It is very obvious that court rulings create more problems for the political parties than they solve. The courts should stop being complicit in the crises in political parties. The courts should stand out and remain firm in political crises, they should stand for the Rule of Law, both in times of crises in the political parties and in the country. Courts should not be seen as partisan. They should defend democracy and the rule of law.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the National Judicial Commission (NJC) should call judges to order to stop what is happening now. The courts are seen as the last hope of the common man. Whenever justice is bought, the judiciary is calling for anarchy.
As the All Progressives Congress (APC) continues to welcome defectors, don’t you foresee an implosion in the ruling party before or during the primaries as well as during and after the 2027 general elections?
The possibility of an implosion is there. Except the president uses his veto power, there may be trouble in the APC.
Ordinarily, we can foresee that the APC may face crisis right from the primaries to even during the election and after the elections. But, President Tinubu being a strategist, may know how to fix such people that may create a crisis in the party. President Tinubu is a crisis manager. As the Leader, they listen to him. But, the party should beware and expect that there will be crises. If they do not manage it well, it may affect the results of the elections. People in APC may vote for other parties during the elections. The party should be prepared for the crisis and know how to manage it. If not, APC members may carry our protest votes against the party.
See, those people who voted for the party’s victory in the 2023 elections, many who have not been rewarded, may work against the party in 2027 if they are displaced by the defectors, either as candidates or in terms of appointments or other rewards. In Lagos, this is what happened between the National Republic Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The NRC defeated the SDP in Lagos due to protest votes and Otedola became the governor.
How do you see the forced peace in Rivers State after the attempted impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara?
This peace came due to strategic manipulations of their leaders, including President Bola Tinubu. But, the peace is not yet complete. I see it as peacemaking is in progress. If Nyesom Wike and Fubara can genuinely come together and bury their differences. That is when real peace can return in Rivers.
I believe the President has a lot to do if he still wants to retain Rivers State. The president should find a way to manage Nyesom Wike if there should be a lasting peace in Rivers.
What is your take on the tacit support the International Monetary Fund (IMF) gives to the federal government’s reforms which have been affecting the people and the economy adversely?
We cannot blame the IMF. They are doing their job to remain in business so that they can continue to take their loans. But, there is the need for the President and his Economic Team to re-evaluate his policies. They can drop the policies that are failing or adjust those that are not doing well. I cannot remember any time the IMF has shown interest in what is happening to the masses of this country.
How do you see the new tax laws?
There are some aspects of the tax policies that are good. But, there are some aspects that are killing. There are some levels of income that are not taxable. That will make some people happy. But, there are some aspects that are biting people.
I advise the government to suspend the implementation of these tax policies. Why should they introduce such policies in an election year? It may work against the government or the ruling party. They should take it back to the drawing board and adjust it where they need adjustment. They should consult the Organised Labour and other interest groups like the MAN, NECA, the Chambers of Commerce, etc. They should fine-tune the laws and come out with something better.
With what happened in the 2023 elections where the ruling party lost Lagos during the presidential election to Labour Party, which also allegedly nearly humiliated the state governor during the governorship election, don’t you think the All Progressives Congress (APC) is losing grip of the state?
Yes, APC lost the presidential election although they were declared winners in the governorship election. Because of the hunger and suffering in the land due to government programmes, unemployment is high. So, people are angry.
Since policies, especially on subsidy removal, forex, which affect the cost of goods and services.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo reportedly asked Ndigbo to arm themselves to ward off imminent terrorist attacks in the South East, with the mass killings in different parts of the country, should other Nigerians ethnic nationalities and communities take this advice too?
Government should allow people to defend themselves. If the government fails to defend the people, the people should defend themselves. No law prevents people from self-defence. So, the Ohanaeze’s call is right. Based on what is happening across the country and the killings, people should defend themselves. There is no law against self-defence.
