The erstwhile Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in the late Sani Abacha military regime, Senator Jeremiah Timbut Useni said, Nigeria is better strong and united today as a result of its experiences of internal leadership challenges in the last 55 years. Senator Useni who represents Plateau South Senatorial District in this exclusive interview with DAILY POST’s correspondent, Atek’ojo Samson Usman, in his office in Abuja also submitted that democracy has come to stay in Africa and Nigeria was in the forefront of championing it if its role in the recent restoration of civil rule in Burkina Faso was anything to go by. Excerpt:
Looking at your background from the Military and now as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, how will assess Nigeria at 55 years of independence?
So far it is not bad. In fact we discussed at length at the plenary of the Senate when there was a motion to that effect. We moved a motion congratulating Nigerians and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 55 years of independence anniversary. In the last 55 years, it was not smooth for the nation. We had crises and all manner of problems and don’t forget, we had Boko Haram which is being tackled conclusively now, but it used to be very bad before. The other time it was Niger Delta problems, but by and large there have been improvements and on the other hand, we are making progress democratically because it is not easy for an incumbent president to lose an election to opposition especially in Africa, but today it is on record that in Ghana and Nigeria the opposition party have unseated the sitting president without further qualms. I think we are making progress. Now the new government is facing the gauntlet of anti-corruption and Nigerians are highly expectant that this will pay off in forms of better living standard. It is a healthy development for Nigerians because in times past, the Western world was seeing Nigeria as a damn corrupt nation and a country that has no respect for human right such that they have nothing to do with us. If you go outside the country and you identify yourself as a Nigerian, they will be looking at you with disdain, but now I think the respect for Nigeria was being heightened as a result of change that has taken place.
The other side that Nigeria did well was in health sector where the nation was able to curtail Ebola dreaded disease. The rate at which Nigerians rallied against Ebola was quite commendable and if that tempo was to be maintained in all challenges confronting the nation, we would make serious progress.
Looking at your military background too, you people put in so much for a united Nigeria, but aren’t you fears as Nigeria was becoming fully democratized in 1999 that its security will be taken for granted? Not at all and it depends on government in power. Even in Military administration, Military overthrows another Military government. When Civilian government was bad, military takes over and when the Military government would not do what it is asked to do, another one will overthrow it. When civilian administration was finally restored in 1999, it was much better save for corruption issues which is lamentable, but that is not justified enough for military interregnum anymore and more so the campaign against Military take over of government in Africa was also helping matters because it means that such would not be tolerated anymore. The good example now is that of Burkina Faso where Military took over government and before you know Africa rose in condemnation and particularly ECOWAS was in forefront of making sure that civilian administration was restored. There are no fears anywhere in civilian administration and the issue of coup on grounds of civilian bad governance is no longer frequent unlike before, when it was happening almost every month. If Civilian have problems with governance and Military was to take over, it will kill Civilians and it is the same Civilians that forms the majority of military government, but what is in vogue now is that when Civilians have problems of governance, they have to solve it by themselves. The Head of State may be a Military man quite alright, but his Ministers including Secretary to the government of the Federation and Head of Civil Service of the Federation are all civilians. When Military Administrator of State which I was one before appoints his cabinet, they are all civilian Commissioners and, they are no military men there. So when people say Military, Military, it is just because the head is a Military man. If not, it is civilian dominated government. At a point I have retired as a Military General to become a civilian and today am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You see, I have been involved in about 3 coups, successful ones, but as I said, it was for reasons and don’t forget, Ibrahim Babangida took over from General Muhammadu Buhari and not that Buhari’s government was bad, but somehow, it was a personal disagreement between two of them. So when things started going bad in Babangida’s administration after spending eight years especially the annulment of June 12 general election that would have produced Chief Moshood Abiola, he has to step aside for Chief Ernest Shonekan who was sworn in as Head of State while Babangida’s reason for annulling June 12, 1994 was not even strong enough. Of course Shonekan has to be told to move away for late General Sani Abacha to come in.
So how will describe 16 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria? The two major crises have been that of Niger Delta and Boko Haram and late President Yar’adua did well in his time, before Goodluck Jonathan took over from him. It has been smooth in a way because anybody can talk on issues without being incarcerated even if such was against the government in power. When Chief Obasanjo was president in 1999, international community said Nigeria’s corruption menace was in the Presidency. When he was leaving at the end of his two tenure, he did all he could to tackle corruption, but he failed. So when you have corruption in the Presidency, it affects all Ministers, governors of States up to the local government level. Now President Buhari is battling with it. In Military administration there is nothing like security vote which is not accounted for. This security vote is what governors use anyhow without accounting for it and last year when I participated in National Conference, we took this issue there and after deliberation on it, it was recommended that there should be no security vote anymore. You see some governors working for 7 to 8 months and they will start looking for loans. Well, Buhari is good. He gave them bail out, left for me; I will not do that because it is obvious that Nigerian governors are reckless with public funds given to them. They derive joy in owing workers salaries, no water, poor health and lack of necessary infrastructure that makes their people happy, yet, it does not bother them. So in the last 55 years, it has been good and bad, but will survive it.
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