Afrigather A former Senior Particular Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, tells LEKE BAIYEWU his place on the problems within the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State
There are studies that the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State has expelled you, what did you do?
I’ve not been expelled. No one can expel me. I’m the one particular person that may expel some other particular person. For any particular person to be expelled, there have to be an allegation in opposition to them, the allegation have to be positioned earlier than them, and so they have to be requested for a proof, however there was no such factor. The chairman and all the manager members of the ward, my native authorities and the state (chapter of the APC) have come out to say there was no such choice and any such announcement is null and void. So, there isn’t any expulsion or suspension.
Does it imply you weren’t accused of something?
In fact, what’s the allegation? The allegation, based on the pretend information, was that I went to court docket. First, I went to court docket to defend myself and my mandate because the governorship candidate of the APC in Akwa Ibom State. I used to be not the person who sued on whose identify needs to be despatched (because the candidate). I went to defend the swimsuit and it was struck out in my favour on the Federal Excessive Court docket for need of jurisdiction. Their small-mindedness and concept of releasing that pretend doc on the twenty fifth (of January) was to take the letter to court docket on the twenty sixth to point out the court docket that this defendant isn’t any extra a member of the celebration and that the court docket shouldn’t hearken to me however ought to give a judgment in opposition to me of their favour. That was the essence of that letter. Additionally, they felt I might not proceed to the Supreme Court docket. I’ve already filed my enchantment on the Supreme Court docket. So, there’s nothing I’ve achieved that warranted such an allegation and pretend information. The most effective that may be achieved about it’s not to dignify that false, pretend information with a response however since it’s coming from you and I’ve a whole lot of respect for The PUNCH and so that you can hear either side, I made a decision to reply to you.
You had been within the Peoples Democratic Occasion earlier than becoming a member of the APC, how do you are feeling about what is occurring to you within the governing celebration now?
Nothing has occurred to me within the APC. It’s the folks whom I introduced in to offer a shelter from their political fugitive standing that their former celebration – the PDP – gave them that need to battle me, maybe, the best way a few of them fought me within the PDP. However I’m having very nice peace, lodging and satisfaction with the APC. I don’t have an issue.
Along with your function and expertise as a presidential aide on Niger Delta affairs, how do you are feeling concerning the formation of the board of the Niger Delta Improvement Fee and the personalities of the members?
I might not need to discuss an unbiased organisation which has a full board of its personal, with a administration construction. They’ve simply began. We should always give them time to settle.
You had been within the Senate and later within the Presidency. Having gained expertise from the legislature and the manager, how do you are feeling concerning the criticism that the present ninth Nationwide Meeting is a rubber stamp and appendage of the manager?
It isn’t. The general public believes that the Nationwide Meeting – the legislature – needs to be like NADECO (Nationwide Democratic Coalition, a pro-democracy group that fought in opposition to navy rule in Nigeria) to the manager; or just like the opposition celebration to the manager. It isn’t so. Moreover, below (former Senate President, Bukola) Saraki’s management of the Nationwide Meeting, there have been fights due to the best way they (Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as Speaker of the Home of Representatives) emerged in opposition to the need of sure establishments within the celebration. I managed the crises; I managed the problems and we had been capable of convey it below management, and so they labored collectively. Now, the current government and the management of the Nationwide Meeting emerged consensually and so they have an understanding to work like one authorities to offer the nation management. That’s not being a rubber stamp. The legislature is to not battle day-after-day. I’m certain you may have seen that there are lots of issues that the manager brings that the legislature disagrees with; and there are some payments that had been (handed by the Nationwide Meeting and) despatched to the President (Main Basic Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)) for assent however they don’t seem to be assented to. So, it’s not a rubber stamp. It’s simply that there will not be many contentious points and people points are addressed on the caucus stage of the celebration on the Nationwide Meeting. You do not forget that below the previous (Meeting), the Nationwide Meeting was in the end led by the PDP Senate and Home management, whereas the manager was APC. And the deputy Senate president (Ike Ekweremadu) was below the PDP when Saraki was an APC Senate president till Saraki defected and joined the PDP. So, it grew to become a full PDP-controlled legislature in opposition to an APC-controlled federal government. I’m certain you possibly can see the state of affairs taking place in the US now, the place (Joe) Biden as President is now being overseen by the legislature – the Congress that’s populated with the vast majority of the Republican Occasion. I’m certain you may have seen the warmth that they’re having. So, it’s a regular state of affairs. When it was managed by the Democratic Occasion, Biden didn’t appear to have an issue. He didn’t want to barter too many issues earlier than they had been achieved. So, it doesn’t imply they (Nationwide Meeting) are a rubber stamp; they don’t seem to be.
