Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and board member, Nigerian Communications Commission, says Igbo people can still achieve their dreams without a state of Biafra being spearheaded by some of the natives.
In this interview, Ararume believes there is no justification for any group in Nigeria to seek to break away as the Buhari administration is working hard to meet the aspirations of all Nigerians. Excerpts:
Don’t you think that the perceived marginalisation of the Igbo of the South-East geo-political zone by the Federal Government may have fuelled the renewed agitation by some of the people for Biafra?
All things considered, what I know is that Nigeria is a sovereign country and each representative and his delegate in the South-East took vow of office and pledge of faithfulness to the Constitution and sway of our country. Nigeria is one country; the state governors took promise of office to shield this country; the president additionally took pledge of office to safeguard and secure this country.
Furthermore, as subjects, we are Nigerians. We have the privilege to dissent on issues yet we can't require the disintegration of Nigeria. In the event that there are issues, we should resolve them agreeably. For this nation to stay one, our over a wide span of time pioneers made immense penances; lives and property worth trillions of Naira were lost.
Accordingly, anyone considering separating Nigeria is not being reasonable for this country. We are one and we will stay one. I can state that regardless of the present difficulties, we will overcome and stay one. On the off chance that you go to Gabon today, there are numerous Nigerians who were delivered to that nation amid the common war and they can't return home decades after that war.
My point is that regardless of our grievances, we can resolve them through exchange and without falling back on another common war. In the event that any zone, be it South-South, South-East, South-West and North-West, feels it is not getting what it merits, there are better approaches to determine the issue.
It is more than a long time since the APC-drove Federal Government came to control. What is your appraisal of the legislature?
Two years down the line, I would state the administration has done well, taking a gander at where we are originating from and the difficulties the present government acquired. I will order our accomplishment in various zones. On the off chance that you take a gander at the territory of security, the administration has done well—on the off chance that you consider that at the point we came in, it was practically difficult to live in Abuja. It was unsafe to try and go to holy places and mosques to love in the FCT and many parts of the North.
We lost parts of our domains in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa to Boko Haram. For instance, to get to Sambisa backwoods was practically unthinkable. What's more, when the Buhari government came to control, he propelled a frontal assault against Boko Haram. Armed force boss migrated toward the North-East for compelling coordination of the war against Boko Haram. Today, we can see the consequence of the endeavors: the fear based oppressors have practically been wrecked in those territories and Boko Haram has been pursued out of Sambisa.
Obviously, the individuals who had questioned whether Chibok young ladies were grabbed or not, have no motivation to question again as more than 120 of them have been without set because of government's endeavors and they are presently being restored. It is a tremendous achievement and this has re-set up expectation and trust in the universal group which had nearly questioned whether it is conceivable to flush the criminal components out of the North-East.
The issue of hijacking in a few sections of the South-South and the South-East is additionally being tended to. Yes, there are still a few episodes all over however not in the troubling way they were when APC went ahead board. For the most part, government has done well in managing instability.
Would you say the legislature has likewise done well in the battle against defilement?
Before Buhari went ahead board, it was not recently that there was tremendous defilement but rather the exemption part of it was incomprehensible. Government authorities were getting things done as though no one was in-control. Contracts were held for individuals in the Presidency.
Yet, you don't hear those things any more. On the off chance that you are qualified in fact and your offer is fruitful, you land the position. No one discloses to you any more that a few occupations are saved for intense individuals in government; there is no unique intrigue any more in the honor of agreements. This means the individuals who take part in real business would now be able to secure government employments.
Also, the individuals who are false, the individuals who think they can simply accompany their folder cases, get into workplaces and get contracts, have no place in this administration. Investigate additionally at the simplicity of working together in Nigeria today. Before now, getting reports for business took months however now the procedure has been disentangled. For instance, in the event that you pay your duty, you can get charge freedom inside seven days.
It because hard to work together before was defilement. There is presently straightforwardness in the arrival of assets to state and nearby governments; nothing is withheld. In the event that there is withholding of neighborhood government's store, we should consider the state governments dependable.
Additionally, before now, many activities were not appropriately financed but rather today, the president is financing ventures the nation over. No zone or state is forgotten as activities are by and large appropriately supported.
The APC government has additionally done well in the zone of instruction and in different zones where guarantees were made. The administration is likewise managing the enormous difficulties it acquired. Keep in mind that when this legislature came, we had vacillations in oil costs at the global market.
We additionally had genuine difficulties in the Niger Delta: the issue of taking of unrefined petroleum, the issue of vandalisation of oil pipelines, among others, which slammed our oil generation and influenced our profit. However, now, government is moving toward the issues persistently; every one of the partners are being locked in. We now have relative peace in the Niger Delta.
There was a period our oil generation went down to under 1million barrels for each day. The oil cost likewise smashed and that was twofold risk. Today, the cost of oil is floating amongst $45 and $50 per barrel, however because of government's approach in settling the issue—discourse, arrangement for the Presidential Amnesty in connecting with aggressors – generation of oil has gone up to around 2 million barrels for every day.
Also, when the oil cost goes up, we will have enough reserve to handle a portion of the present difficulties. The issue of numerous records by government organizations has been refreshed with the presentation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA). There is currently train in the administration of government reserves. Because of presentation of BVN in our managing an account exchanges, money related wrongdoing rate has dropped radically. Achievement in government does not mean the working of streets alone; there must be rational soundness in our framework and that is the thing that we are getting a charge out of under the Buhari government.
Yet, doubtlessly disregarding these accomplishments you specified, the South-East geo-political zone, where you originated from, demands it lacks a decent amount of Buhari's support—as far as arrangements and tasks. What is your take?
There are tumults even in a family; individuals who eat from a similar pot still disturb. There are honest to goodness ways we can put our perspectives crosswise over to government. Above all else, you have your agents in the Senate, House of Representatives and the state congregations. You can likewise channel your grievances to government through your delegates.
We can similarly channel our tumults to the National Council of State that is led by the president and involves previous Heads of State, previous presidents, Senate President, Speaker, representative, among others.
Viciousness has never accomplished anything. There are better approaches to connect with government. We ought to abstain from pulverizing ourselves or our property and national framework. Take a gander at a few sections of the Niger Delta where oil offices were wrecked, which brought about serious oil spillage; it will cost gigantic assets and numerous years to clean.
There is no doubt that there are a few uneven characters, which, regardless, were not made by the Buhari government. They are just combined carelessness of numerous years.
Yet, the reality of the situation is that we have additionally had individuals from the South-East who have involved touchy positions before: We have had Secretary to the Federal Government, we have had Senate President for quite a long time; we have had Coordinating Minister; Deputy Senate President and distinctive priests from this zone. I am stating that the circumstance we are grumbling about has been there finished the years.
I am from the South-East; we have an administration that tunes in and we should channel our tumults appropriately. The present government is assembling East West Road; the legislature is building the seaside rail line from the South-South to Lagos and it will likewise get toward the South-East. Regardless of how advocated you are in your fomentations, there are better approaches to determine the issues.
The present government is tuning in to the tumults of our kin and we should practice tolerance and accomplish a greater amount of discourse. I trust we should get result. We should do our best to protect our young people.
It is safe to say that you are stating there is no ponder endeavor by the Buhari government to scam the general population of the South-East in the dissemination of national assets?
There is positively no such endeavor and Buhari, as a man of equity and reasonable play, can't do that. I can state completely that there is no ponder endeavor by this legislature to preclude the South-East from claiming what legitimately has a place with the zone.
Regardless, each state in our zone has its own particular government that creates interior income, gets allotment from the Federation Account each month; gets subsidize for the neighborhood government gatherings. What's more, for those states that are oil delivering like Imo, Delta, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, they get 13 percent inference subsidize. We ought to likewise consider our state governments responsible on how they spend these assets. On the off chance that you put one next to the other the obligations, the allotments and estimation of activities in these states, the outcome you will get will be unsatisfactory to their kin. This means some have not by any stretch of the imagination met the general population's desires.
The country is slowly heading into another decision year. I read a few reports that you have been under genuine weight from various gatherings in Imo State to challenge the governorship race. Is it accurate to say that you are thinking about the demand?
The tale of Imo State is something we can't complete in a rush — on the off chance that we begin recounting the story. The good thing is that we are one Nigeria
