Daily Independent (Lagos)
Lekan Fadeyi
4 July 2009
Lagos — Nigerians have condemned senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over their demand for automatic ticket to the Senate in 2011, saying they have not done anything to merit such indulgence.
The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has frowned at David Mark's statement that PDP members in the Senate be given automatic tickets for 2011.
The group's National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said the demand is nothing other than an admission of non-performance and, as such, failure on the part of the PDP senators. It is nothing other than a request that the looting spree currently being enjoyed by those senators be allowed to continue in the next dispensation.
According to him: "On a serious note, since they have tasted what it takes to loot without any relevant questions being asked, especially, with respect to probity and accountability; and, since they have realised the benefits of reaping where they have not sown, all they have through Senator Mark demanded is that the era of collecting all kinds of allowances, ranging from the mundane to the absurd, should not end with, or in 2011.
"Our Senators want more money, certainly without doing anything in and for their constituencies. Majority of them are not even known in their constituencies, or to their constituents. Remember that it was not their constituents that voted for them in the first place."
He described their request as nothing other than power without responsibility. After all, a representative of the people, who has truly represented his people and has succeeded in putting his people, not himself, first, will not have to nurse any fear in seeking his people's votes when and where the need arises.
"On another note, Nigerians need not be surprised if the PDP leadership eventually grants such silly request. The brutal truth is that we live in a rub-my-country-and-I-rub-your country. This is true and it is indeed sad!"
On the reported diversion of N27.5 billion education and health funds to roads, he said: "This also is a confirmation of the fact that the Umaru Yar'Adua-led government actually lacks focus."
Renowned lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba in his reaction to the demand said it would be a bad omen for Nigeria's democracy if anybody is given automatic ticket without being sent back to give account of his or her first four years to the electorate, who would now assess them and determine whether such a person is qualified for a renewal.
He said accepting such request would jeopardise our democracy. It is for four years and whoever wants to stay put should go back to canvass for support of the people and give account of stewardship.
On the slashing of N27.5 billion from education and health allocation for road construction, Agbakoba said: "I may not be able to say how right or wrong they are here, but I know that our infrastructure are bad. I stay in Apapa (Lagos) and you can imagine the kind of roads we have there. I'm also convinced that education and health are very important."
Human right activist and social commentator, Professor Lai Olurode demanded to know what they have done for the people who voted them into power in the first place to demand that they be consolidate in the Senate.
According to him, what should bother them now is how they will get the nation out of the mess that they have put it.
"It is unpatriotic for this crop of people that we have in Senate to be talking of 2011 and automatic ticket when they have failed the people whom they claim to represent. It shows that something is wrong somewhere. If they have performed excellently, they don't have to arm twist anybody for automatic ticket."
On the tinkering with education and health allocation for road construction, he said it shows the thoughtlessness of the Seven-point Agenda. The agenda is supposed to run simultaneously. It is like saying you have seven children and say others should stay at home while one goes to school.
The Yar'Adua administration has failed and the Senate's slashing of education and health allocation for road construction in the urban area is for them to have roads to drive their jeeps while children of the masses stay at home.
To lead counsel to General Mohammed Buhari, Mike Ahamba (SAN), their demand is illegal.
"I don't know what the PDP wants to turn Nigeria to. They should go back and work hard to earn their ticket on merit rather than demand to be patted on the back for doing nothing."
On the issue of allocation, he said "they don't have a right to rewrite the budget. The best that they could do was to advise if any of the sector is getting much more than it should have and if you ask me, education and health in this country has never had enough."
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