Hon. Bede Eke, member of the House of Representatives representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency, in a chat with Udora Orizu spoke on salient issues, including why the lawmakers are probing arms procurement in the last 10 years and how to tackle insecurity
What prompted the probe of the arms purchase?
The probe was as a result of the resolution of the House. Like the Chief of Army Staff said, even a blind man knows that we have security challenges. It’s a concern for every Nigerian, both the high and mighty. The House of Representatives in its wisdom set up that adhoc committee that will move into details at what has happened in the last 10 years and come up with some recommendations to see if it could help the security challenges. The Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila inaugurated the committee. Most of the agencies concerned, all came, including CBN. What we are facing in this country is a war and the army plays a very vital role and the CBN too, because all the releases are done by CBN. So, we said let’s interact with them to know what has happened in the past and what will be the solution. Let’s also get how much of tax payers money that has gone into the security. We tried it the first time but nobody appeared. Of course, you saw the mood of the Committee. There was a motion I moved for the summon. Now, the army, the Chief of Army Staff has come but we’ve not seen the CBN Governor. So, we are waiting.
Are the last sitting, the present army chief said, i’nvite my predessors and talk to them.’ Was that an indictment, so to speak, of the former service chiefs or would you say they used the monies released to them judiciously?
That’s what we are trying to find out. We cannot judge at this time. We have not seen much of the document needed. So we can’t judge whether those funds were used judiciously or not. When he appeared, he talked about inviting specific people, that he was just appointed. For us, we know he was just appointed but you’re occupying the position of Chief of Army staff. Wecan’t jump you and begin to invite your predecessors. What we expected him to do as the man heading that institution is for him to give us all necessary needed documents. In the course of studying those documents, we now know the specific people to invite. That was why i challenged him and you cannot do our job. You telling us that we know the people to invite, what document suggests for us the people to invite? You would have given us what you have. Government is a continum. Even if it happened 20 years ago and it has to do with the Nigerian Army, go to your archives and get it for us. We know you never participated but your name could come up, one way or the other, you can’t tell me that everything that has to do with it is just only the former chief of staff. We have asked you to provide the documents and allow us to do our job. But he misunderstood us. We also told him, Oga, you went beyond bounds because you appeared before us and members expected you to come up with an apology but he gave us an explanation. But we can’t take that. Even if you have come to us and said well, I apologize for not coming and these are the reasons why I have not shown up, it doesn’t take anything. It doesn’t make you a lesser person, doesn’t make us a bigger person. We are all working for Nigerians. He’s important and we are also important. We appropriated those funds. If we are not concerned, we cannot What we are facing in this country is a war and the army plays a very vital role and the CBN
In your last sitting with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, concerns were raised over how he responded to questions, some believe he was somehow rude to the lawmakers. What do you have to say about this?
The Chief of Army Staff probably misunderstood us. But by the time we properly educated him, he calmed down. He now said ok, I now understand, give me more time. Nobody is disturbing him, it’s not a disturbance, we are calling you to come and explain how arms were purchased
So, is the House inviting the former service chiefs to answer some questions?
The present Chief of Army Staff promised to get us those documents. By the time we look at those documents, whoever that’s mentioned in the lady 10 years under the period in review, then we know.
That means the probe is going beyond the present? some former Army Chiefs will be invited?
Of course, it is in the last 10 years. Let’s know how much has gone in. Well, if in the last 10 years, they are part of the hierarchy of the army, you have to come. Just come and tell us what you know. Is there anything there? We talk about transparency and accountability, this is taxpayers money. You were asked to go and purchase arms. So, come and tell us how you purchased and the things you purchased. These things are to secure Nigerians and their properties. So, why are the terrorists having more sophisticated weapons? Is it that they are richer than the country? We want to know. Tell us. By the time we look at your documents, interact with you, and probably realize we made a mistake in appointment of the former service chiefs, we can recommend to the Executive and say as chief of army staff you must have this experience and so on. All we are looking at is how to curb these problems we have. It’s everywhere. We call it Boko Haram, IPOB, banditry and whatever name. It is everywhere. Nobody is safe.
You’re Igbo and there’s so much going on in the South-east currently, attacks everywhere mostly against police stations. Is that a concern to you?
Of course, and that’s why we are looking into this matter. It’s spreading. All over Nigeria, there are kidnappings, Boko Haram, banditry, abducting and killing students. It’s a problem. It’s a concern to me as a Nigerian and I plead that this committee will do its work thoroughly so that we can see how to come out of this situation. It burns in me. These are Nigerians that are being killed, defenceless, innocent citizens that are bing killed.
The Speaker Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila made an announcement at the plenary on 20th April that all the adhoc committees should turn in their reports on 30th April. Will it affect the probe?
They gave us eight weeks. If we are within the time, we will submit, if we are not, we can ask for extension because the scope is very wide. We are talking to about over over 40 agencies. We will visit some governors too.
Agencies such as…?
We have EFCC, DSS, Ministry of Defence, Interior, Prisons, Customs and so on.
Have you met with their heads?
We have been inviting them. EFCC came recently and asked for extension of time. That’s what most of them have been asking for.
It does appear there is reluctance on their part to come?
That’s was before the incident that happened between us. I think they have started responding. The Navy came, we interacted and they said give us time. By the time we have talking us, we can go into full blown plenary where in the open, they talk to us and we ask questions.
As a lawmaker, what solutions can you proffer to this menace of insecurity?
We have to support our officers. There are many motions lined up. I am thinking of having an agency that will take of care on our fallen heroes. In my mind, I said, If you give amnesty to repented Boko Haram, you give amnesty to the militants, what of the people that are killed trying to defend us? What happened to their families? These people were killed by militants and the Boko Haram. Now, they come up to say they have repented and then, you rehabilitate them, so, what happens to the families of these military personnel that died? You forget them? Now, as a child of that officer, you see the people that killed your Dad given money and you are suffering, it could make them go into that. So, I said can’t we have an agency? That could also motivate them even if anything happens to them. The government can take it up. Sometimes, you hear that army officers are complaining of having a lesser weapon. So, is the problem the money? Trillion has gone into purchase of arms. What is the problem? Equip them so that they can face the battle.
On the attacks on police formations here and there, you hear stories of arms being carted away, meaning that ammunitions are in circulation and in the wrong hands. Does that not constitute a great danger to the nation?
Of course, although nobody has come to tell of us of arms being carted away. I can’t remember any press release by the police or army to say they came in ana carted away arms especially in what has been going on in the south east, but from the grapevine, we hear they move into the police stations and cart away arms, burn the place down and release the prisoners. We have not heard official statement with regards to that but it’s a concern to all of us because this definitely has gone into the hands of heartless people. So, nobody is safe in this country.
Let’s get your perspective on 2023 Presidential election. Regions and Geo-political zones are jostling for it. What do you tell the Igbos? Ohanaeze is insisting on that. Are you in support of Igbo Presidency?
For me, I will be happy if they consider us, looking at what has been going on for sometime in the country. Let our people taste it. Try us and see. But it goes beyond that. We want a President that will carry every Nigerian along. We want a President that will see himself as a Nigerian and not a sectional President. A Messiah can come from anywhere but I will be happier if they give it to South east. Whether anyone likes it or not, we are being marginalized. If they consider us and say ok, let’s support the south east, I will be happy. But if that person sees himself as an Igbo president, it’s also a problem. So, we need somebody who will say I am a Nigerian leader. If he’s of Igbo extraction, fine. If he’s not, we will go to the north and get the Messiah. That’s what we need.
If your party, PDP, fields a candidate from the north, will you support it?
I can’t do anti party. If my party fields a candidate from the north, I go by my party. The platform that brought here is the same political party. So, I go by their rules but I pray that God will give us a good leader.
In 2023, would you want APC to return or PDP to take over?
Nigerians are anxiously waiting for People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to return. When you marry two wives, you know which is better. PDP is better even though we are all politicians. Most of them in APC were in PDP but they were better off when they were in PDP. Look at the economy of the country, are you happy with it? Nobody is happy. Are you happy with the security situation? It’s getting worse. It wasn’t like this before. If para-adventure, there is a change of government and there is a probe, it going to be alarming. We are Nigerians. People talk to us, we represent the people, it’s difficult and there are certain things we can’t even explain to our people. Look at rice. Prices are skyrocketing. Look at the dollar. What’s happening? Look at subsidy. You don’t even know whether there is petroleum subsidy or not.
Are you in support of the calls for secession?
No, I’m not. I’m a Nigerian and I believe in Nigeria. We just want a good leader who will not be partisan. Somebody who will not play politics with Nigerians and it’s only God that give us that.
APC is making in-roads in the South East, capturing states, more defections into the party, Anambra election is coming up and APC is trying all they can to win. Don’t you think it will affect the chances of PDP?
Defections for politicians is a normal thing. It takes a very principled politician to remain wherever he is in spite of his conditions, maltreatment. For many Nigerians, it is any government in power. They go for it. Tomorrow, if PDP comes back, they will all go back. They will always tell you the uniting factor is President Muhammadu Buhari. Now that he’s doing his last term, what happens to the party? I pity those defecting to APC. They will run back. What you will hear is I have return to my house. I am not perturbed by the number of defections. South-east is PDP.
