Reps canvass dialogue with B’Haram, dismiss ‘go slow’ tag on Buhari

APPARENTLY rejecting the ‘go slow’ tag on President Muhammadu Buhari, two House of Representatives members yesterday urged his critics to be patient with the administration.

All Progressives Congress (APC) member representing Afijio/Atiba/East/Oyo West Federal Constituency of Oyo State in the House of Representatives, Prince Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi, while urging the Federal Government to embrace the dialogue offer of Boko Haram, however, faulted the “go slow” tag of governance, saying such critics of the president were not in touch with the reality left behind by the last administration in the country.

Adeyemi, a son of the Alafin of Oyo, said the sect was tired and urged the authorities to accept the offer without hesitation in the interest of peace “especially as the dialogue and negotiation is at their instance.”

Also, a Peoples Democratic Party member of the House, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, who bemoaned the slow-pace of governance by President Buhari, urging the president to “use his inner eyes” to pick his cabinet, added that Nigerians should be patient with the change policy of the current regime, as it is “no pain, no gain.”

Adeyemi, said the Federal Government should go ahead to negotiate with the Boko Haram insurgents using former President Obasanjo’s carrot and stick strategy to halt their menace.

“If the negotiation will ensure the return of the Chibok Girls, who were abducted from a government school in Chibok, Borno State over 400 days ago, then the Federal Government should go for it.”

He, however, cautioned that the government must be sure the faction of the sect being negotiated with is the genuine one, especially as it is coming from them.

His words, “the issue of Boko Haram is a security issue. If the negotiation is at the instance of Boko Haram, I think the policy we have to apply here is carrot and stick. I am happy the man at the helm of affairs of this nation knows more than us in terms of security. The moment you appoint or elect somebody as your president, you have put your destiny in his hands. The destiny of the country is in his hands,” he stated.

The federal lawmaker said critics should allow the president to lay proper foundation before setting up his cabinet, and not to blackmail him into appointing round pegs in square holes, which, he said would not augur well especially in the task of fighting corruption and reposition the country on the part of greatness.

Adeyemi also backed the call to reduce the number of ministers by the administration, adding that an over bloated cabinet will be a drain on the country’s already dwindling economy.

Nkem-Abonta said Nigerians would begin to assess the president at the end of his six months of honeymoon after assuming office as the commander in chief on May 29, 2015.

On whether the anti-corruption stance of Buhari is genuine, or a fight targeted at some perceived enemies, Nkem-Abonta said it would be determined in the course of time.

According to Nkem-Abonta, corruption was a very huge thing in Nigeria, and cannot be done away with in just a year, but that with effective enforcement mechanism in place, the war would be won.

While suggesting that the parliament should have an internal check system to ensure the good conduct of members, through its ethics and privileges committee, so as to ensure that members are clean enough to check others, he said Nigerians should be patient with the change policy of the current regime, as it is “no pain, no gain.”