By Remi Adefulu
Tunde Braimoh is the House committee chairman on Information, Strategy and Security in the Lagos State House of Assembly. In this interview, he speaks on a wide range of issues affecting the polity
How would you rate President Buhari in almost two years of his presidency?
President Buhari has lived up to the task, up to the job of cushioning the effects of this recession. Don’t forget that this recession did not happen overnight. It was caused by the misrule of the PDP. Without sounding personal, we have an economy that depends solely on oil. When the price was booming, booming to the extent that most of the time that we overshot our benchmark for budget estimates, the money was shared, stolen, misdirected and suddenly the oil price came down, so what can the President do in this circumstance? Honestly he came at a wrong time and unfortunately for him, things went awry.
Suppose it was Jonathan that won, only God know what would have happened. Whatever makes a rich man to cry, it would likely leave a poor man dead. Were it not that we have a President that is focused and determined like Buhari, there would have been no Nigerian economy today. Fortunately, the World Bank has said Nigeria will come out of recession this year. We are adjusting right now, because the government has adjusted to the new price regime. Even America was in recession, but today things are booming again. I am hopeful that by next year things will be better because we would have covered lost ground.
The APC promised Nigeria a lot; do you see them coming into fruition?
Last year, we had issues with budget estimates and the budget could not be passed on time, so we could not achieve much. By and large, most of the things we promised are been rolled out and by the grace of God we shall get there. We hope there will be a faster pace with the early passage of the budget this year. The promises made are been fulfilled, plans are been fulfilled.
There have been disagreements between the executive and the National Assembly over time, is this not worrisome?
You are right that we need to harmonize as a party. So many investors have even complained about the bureaucracy within the system. I appeal to the National Assembly especially the Senate to shun nepotism, to shun grandstanding and to be more patriotic. Those of us leading the people now really have to be careful. We have to feel the pulse of the people. People can wake up one day and wipe all of us out. It can get to that stage, but we pray not. You don’t expect people to endure more than this. We must focus on how we can jointly salvage Nigeria.
APC is now waxing stronger in PDP’s former strong holds, what does this portend?
The issue is that the people of Nigeria are broad minded. They can take informed decisions. They are with the APC and have confidence in the government of Buhari. It is just implicit confidence. You will see at the end of the day when things come to what it should be that the people will be happier and better because by the time we achieve what we have promised, the economy will be better and the people will be happy.
Don’t you think the scenario may lead to a one party state?
It cannot lead to one party state. At a point, PDP had 26 states before we stopped the trend. It is not a threat. The PDP definitely is not an option. The people have tried it and it has failed them irredeemably. With the prediction of the World Bank and with the way things are looking, APC will continue to wax stronger.
What is your position on the proposed mega party?
The party can come. I don’t know any party that can confront us. Forget the adjectival expressions. Which party can be more mega than APC now? Good luck to them, it doesn’t matter to us. There is a time for politicking; there is a time for governance. We are almost midway in to our term; we want to make our mark. The idea of a mega party is a figment of imagination of those behind it, when we get to the bridge, we shall cross it. What we are doing now is how to deliver on our promises.