A former Senior Special Assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, has alleged that the governor of Akwa-Ibom, Pastor Umo Eno is planning to build a 20-storey mansion in Lagos and also accused the governor of lacking in planning and investment oriented. The Senator spoke on a telephone interview with our editor, Mark Orgu, yesterday on the proposed August 1, nationwide protest, as the Ex-Lawmaker used the medium to talk on other issues of interest. Amarachi Onyemma reports
Excerpts
Is protest the way to go against government?
The right to protest is written and accorded by the 1999 constitution, but it has to be a peaceful protest for the purpose of drawing attention of the government to the issue that you don’t like, and the right to protest is guaranteed so long you have other means of making your grievances known. But this government has been so available, so open to discussions, and in fact, made itself available to be questioned on the issues arising from the proposed protest.
Invitation to the royal fathers in the presidential villa
The traditional rulers, Minsters and the advisers have been advised and tasked to return home and address their people. So, it is good that Mr. President invited the traditional rulers and they are on the same page with him. The president should be commended on this.
So, if the youths decide to go ahead with the protest, What is your advise
I will urge that, let everybody embrace dialogue.
Are you comfortable with the way the economy is being run?
The economy is being run in a manner that is consistent with what the government came to meet on ground. You remember that we were paying subsidy from loan and it was time to stop, and the Nigerian government was owing so such, and again, we have to draw a distinction between the government at the federal, government at the state and government at the local level, so that we know what we are doing.
The last interview you granted us, you said, Nigerians should protest against state governors, not federal, are you still holding on to that view?
Yes, because the governors have been pointing their four fingers on the Federal government while claiming, that the cause of the economic hardship comes from the federal government, whereas, they collect huge federal allocation every month and some of them use it in a very useless and unproductive ventures. Take for instance, Akwa Ibom state, the governor has been collecting huge allocation and now he wants to go and build a twenty story building in Lagos: What value will a building in Lagos add to the economy of Akwa-Ibom?. If you want to save money, why don’t you buy shares of UBA, Access Bank, Union bank and let it continue to yield interest- High yielding shares. Why do you want to go and build a house in Lagos thereby adding to the economy of another state. So, it is a different level of planlessness to use a state fund to build a house in Lagos.
Now, The South south has been designated poor in the area of development. We have the oil, whereas, the refinery is built in the south west, Lagos, and so, our people will now have to go and be looking for work there. I tell you, there will be no value added by the Dangote refinery to the south south. .
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