Mrs. Mulikat Akande-Adeola
In this interview with Inner room,a former House of Representatives Majority Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola, talks about the National Assembly crisis and other issues
What has life been like after your temporary retirement from politics in the last one month?
I will say it is temporary retirement from the House of Representatives, not from politics. I am still in politics; but honestly, I am thanking God for giving me the grace to be out of office. I just felt the difference, compared to when I was in the office. I never knew I was under so much pressure until we lost the 2015 election, then a flood of relief ran through me. For my constituents, they don’t even want to believe that I am stepping aside. Nothing has changed in the way they communicate; in the
way they get in touch with me. Even the way they make requests has not stopped too (laughter). They keep telling me, you are still our Rep and our leader. But, generally, you know the attitude of Nigerians, when you are no longer in the office, a lot of things tend to slow down and I am very grateful for that.
way they get in touch with me. Even the way they make requests has not stopped too (laughter). They keep telling me, you are still our Rep and our leader. But, generally, you know the attitude of Nigerians, when you are no longer in the office, a lot of things tend to slow down and I am very grateful for that.
How do you react to the allegation that the crisis at the National Assembly was orchestrated by your party, the Peoples Democratic Party?
Clearly, the All Progressives Congress has not learnt from what happened back in 2011. There are lots of lessons to be learnt as a party from when I was to be the Speaker. The APC was so preoccupied with winning the election that they never sat down to reflect and plan very well. From my experience, the National Assembly as much as possible wants to be independent in choosing its leaders. And that was what happened in 2011, even though my party also pointed accusing fingers at the ACN at that time. The ACN members from the South-West were the ones who worked hand-in-hand with the PDP members to ensure that I did not emerge as the Speaker. But, as you can see, the same scenario has played out. I would have expected the APC to sit down, go through the events of
the past and work towards the future. I don’t think they had any strategy; they just felt that because they won they could just do anything, just like we felt in the PDP then. 2011 was the first time members contested for the position of the Speaker; it was usually left for the winning party to decide. Things have since changed from then. It is natural for them to blame what is happening on the PDP because we are in the opposition and most of the time, opposition parties don’t agree with the ruling party. In 2011, ACN did the same thing; I am happy now that the PDP back then did not do what the APC is doing now. They are busy complaining and trying to force their way around. That will not augur well at the end of the day. In my own case, I took it as one of those things and my party forgave Honourable Aminu Tambuwal and Hon. Emeka Ihedioha the very next day after they went to the party’s office to ask for forgiveness. I expected the APC to do the same thing so that we can move ahead in the interest of Nigeria.
the past and work towards the future. I don’t think they had any strategy; they just felt that because they won they could just do anything, just like we felt in the PDP then. 2011 was the first time members contested for the position of the Speaker; it was usually left for the winning party to decide. Things have since changed from then. It is natural for them to blame what is happening on the PDP because we are in the opposition and most of the time, opposition parties don’t agree with the ruling party. In 2011, ACN did the same thing; I am happy now that the PDP back then did not do what the APC is doing now. They are busy complaining and trying to force their way around. That will not augur well at the end of the day. In my own case, I took it as one of those things and my party forgave Honourable Aminu Tambuwal and Hon. Emeka Ihedioha the very next day after they went to the party’s office to ask for forgiveness. I expected the APC to do the same thing so that we can move ahead in the interest of Nigeria.
Are you saying that the APC is reaping the fruits of what it planted?
The National Assembly is an independent arm of government and I think that what they have done is not criminal in any way and it is not out of context, since it had happened before. Therefore, the APC
should just allow sleeping dogs to lie and forge ahead. As you know, the principal officers’ positions are usually zoned. APC is now trying to enforce that a zone that already has the deputy Speaker should also produce the majority leader of the House. I don’t think that is right and members will not agree to that as okay. If the members don’t agree, they just have to go by the zoning arrangement because which of the zones will be left out? The politics that goes on in there is such that everybody wants to see someone from their zone whom they can hold on to and say this is our own person. In my own case, it was easier for me to still become the leader because there was nobody from my zone who held a principal position. The PDP worked with the presiding officers to ensure that I emerged since there was nobody from my zone. It wasn’t a question of force or a must. I didn’t even know that if you contested for the Speaker position and you didn’t win, the next thing was to become the leader.
should just allow sleeping dogs to lie and forge ahead. As you know, the principal officers’ positions are usually zoned. APC is now trying to enforce that a zone that already has the deputy Speaker should also produce the majority leader of the House. I don’t think that is right and members will not agree to that as okay. If the members don’t agree, they just have to go by the zoning arrangement because which of the zones will be left out? The politics that goes on in there is such that everybody wants to see someone from their zone whom they can hold on to and say this is our own person. In my own case, it was easier for me to still become the leader because there was nobody from my zone who held a principal position. The PDP worked with the presiding officers to ensure that I emerged since there was nobody from my zone. It wasn’t a question of force or a must. I didn’t even know that if you contested for the Speaker position and you didn’t win, the next thing was to become the leader.
You once said that your colleagues betrayed you by failing to elect you as the Speaker of the 7th Assembly. Don’t you think what is happening now at the National Assembly is another betrayal? Are you happy over the turn of events now?
Of course, I am happy; my party is happy. What goes around comes around. When you throw stones, you don’t know who it will hit. As you see the events unfolded, that was how they happened to me. In this case, it is even so painful because the margin of victory (eight votes) was so small. I am sure up till that moment, APC was very certain that their preferred candidate would win. But God wanted Hon. Yakubu Dogara to be the Speaker and he became the Speaker. People kept asking me after I lost the election in my time that some people worked against you and you are not doing anything. I said if God wanted me to be the Speaker, he would have ensured that I was elected the Speaker.
As for betrayal, this is not like it. It was the majority of the PDP members that actually worked for the Speaker and the deputy Speaker. In my case, while I felt betrayed was that my zone, the South-West, betrayed me. For me, if 2011 event did not take place, may be this time round, I would have been supporting anybody from the South-West. Though, I might not have come out publicly to support the person because that person would not have come from my party. My zone is still my zone and I believe that whatever impacts on a person from the South-West is going to affect me. I really felt bad. Why must it be the South-West? We (South-West) have to sit down and really rethink our strategies. It is not always good when you stab your own person in the back. I felt betrayed then more by the South-West, not by my party per se. Although we were not in the same party, I felt more betrayed by them because we were from the same zone. And let me tell you that before I left the National Assembly, so many members of the APC regretted what happened. They later realised that they didn’t have their own person there. That was exactly what happened to them and there was nothing I
could do about it.
could do about it.
So, your party ensured that you became the majority leader after you failed to be elected as Speaker. Why is it that in the case of Femi Gbajabiamila, there is opposition to his becoming the leader?
There is a difference. The difference is the zoning. If Gbajabiamila had come from any other zone, why not? But, if within the APC they can agree to say one zone should be left out, and the people from that zone agree, fine. I am not an APC person and I am not supposed to tell them what they should do. So, whatever pleases their party is what they will do. But, the zoning is the problem here. Now, the South-West already has the deputy Speaker.
Does this fighting confirm the opinion of Nigerians that lawmakers actually represent their own personal interest and not the country in the real sense?
I agree with you on the thinking of so many Nigerians. But, this is also the fault of the electorate who sent us to the National Assembly. First and foremost, you must know the kind of person you are voting to represent you. It is very important. Even though I said I agree with their thinking, it does
not generally apply to all legislators. I know that there are legislators who are very passionate about this country and where they come from. They are doing their job well in the legislature. However, you can see the calibre of the people that are elected into the legislature, and you cannot rule out this do or die attitude in politics. If the electorate will sit back and consider the quality of the persons they send there, a lot will change. Why do you give tickets to the highest bidder? I blame the parties as well for contributing in bringing someone who is not supposed to be there when there are experienced legislators and those who have proven themselves there. You have people who are very reliable in the society but because they don’t have money, nobody wants to vote for them. I think the problem is right from the beginning; people have to know the duties of the legislator, which have nothing to do with going to build roads in the constituencies. The duties of the legislator have been misconstrued and the electorate expect so much. In turn, the legislators will want to get money from wherever it is possible so that they can satisfy the expectations of the people. Until the electorate begin to understand that these people are there to make laws, and ensure that the appropriation for the year is justifiably utilised to the benefit of the citizenry, then there is a problem. People don’t want to
know; all they care about is you are our legislator. The moment you arrive, they begin to bring all kinds of requests to you to solve that you wonder where you will get the money from. And so, members in the House too will by all means want to get lucrative committees; I want this, I want that. In the middle of all that, however, I can assure you that there are some members who believe so much in ensuring that they give good value for what they have been asked to come here and do. So, people should elect the right legislator with adequate qualifications to represent their interests. They should also be able to hold their legislators accountable.
not generally apply to all legislators. I know that there are legislators who are very passionate about this country and where they come from. They are doing their job well in the legislature. However, you can see the calibre of the people that are elected into the legislature, and you cannot rule out this do or die attitude in politics. If the electorate will sit back and consider the quality of the persons they send there, a lot will change. Why do you give tickets to the highest bidder? I blame the parties as well for contributing in bringing someone who is not supposed to be there when there are experienced legislators and those who have proven themselves there. You have people who are very reliable in the society but because they don’t have money, nobody wants to vote for them. I think the problem is right from the beginning; people have to know the duties of the legislator, which have nothing to do with going to build roads in the constituencies. The duties of the legislator have been misconstrued and the electorate expect so much. In turn, the legislators will want to get money from wherever it is possible so that they can satisfy the expectations of the people. Until the electorate begin to understand that these people are there to make laws, and ensure that the appropriation for the year is justifiably utilised to the benefit of the citizenry, then there is a problem. People don’t want to
know; all they care about is you are our legislator. The moment you arrive, they begin to bring all kinds of requests to you to solve that you wonder where you will get the money from. And so, members in the House too will by all means want to get lucrative committees; I want this, I want that. In the middle of all that, however, I can assure you that there are some members who believe so much in ensuring that they give good value for what they have been asked to come here and do. So, people should elect the right legislator with adequate qualifications to represent their interests. They should also be able to hold their legislators accountable.
Well, if people feel their legislators are not representing them well, don’t you agree with their view that the pay package is too high and should be slashed? Or would you argue that they need the jumbo pay to take care of the extra demands placed on them?
I don’t think I will support that the pay should be cut because the legislators did not fix their salaries and allowances themselves. The agency of government responsible for that is the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission. They must have had their reasons for fixing the pay
as it is. But, with the way the country is right now, oil revenue is falling; a lot of sacrifices are bound to be made. I don’t think it will be out of place by having the allowances of the legislators cut by a particular percentage that will apply to other people as well. We represent the people of this country; if untold hardship is being foisted on them because of the money that legislators are being paid, I don’t think it will be out of place to cut it down. The money that people shout about is actually the running cost, not salaries. So, we can say it is not out of place to cut the running costs so that the legislators themselves can cut whatever it is they are supposed to be running with the money.
as it is. But, with the way the country is right now, oil revenue is falling; a lot of sacrifices are bound to be made. I don’t think it will be out of place by having the allowances of the legislators cut by a particular percentage that will apply to other people as well. We represent the people of this country; if untold hardship is being foisted on them because of the money that legislators are being paid, I don’t think it will be out of place to cut it down. The money that people shout about is actually the running cost, not salaries. So, we can say it is not out of place to cut the running costs so that the legislators themselves can cut whatever it is they are supposed to be running with the money.
There is the thinking in some quarters that the PDP is not even prepared for its new role as an opposition party but at best all you seek is to frustrate the APC’s government. How true?
No! We cannot frustrate the APC government. Like when I stood for election (for Speaker), members were saying oh, we didn’t even know much about her. We felt it was Jonathan who was pushing her; which was another entirely wrong notion about me. Because I even started my campaign for Speakership before I met Jonathan. So, our party has the interest of this country at heart and it is not just about being in the opposition. An opposition party is to constructively criticise whatever it is that
the ruling government is doing. Are we the ones to nominate ministers? Several other things have not been done. Is it our duty as the opposition to do them? No! We are just focussing on the National Assembly leadership as if that is the only thing that is on the agenda of this government. It is better to let sleeping dogs lie at the National Assembly so that the government can move ahead. What Nigerians yearn for is progress; they don’t care who is the Speaker or the leader. These are the things within the National Assembly.
the ruling government is doing. Are we the ones to nominate ministers? Several other things have not been done. Is it our duty as the opposition to do them? No! We are just focussing on the National Assembly leadership as if that is the only thing that is on the agenda of this government. It is better to let sleeping dogs lie at the National Assembly so that the government can move ahead. What Nigerians yearn for is progress; they don’t care who is the Speaker or the leader. These are the things within the National Assembly.
PDP has been on the winning side for 16 years. The opposition tried to always frustrate us and we were telling them, this is not how to be in the opposition. In opposition, you should identify with the good things that the ruling party is doing and praise them. When they are going the other way, you also point it out to them. I am a Nigerian and I want the progress of this country. If I frustrate the government, definitely it will affect me and my children. So, everybody needs to contribute their own quota to ensure that the country moves ahead. We have been with the people for so long and we don’t want to engage in any act that will short-change the interest of Nigerians.
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