- Tinubu,
Fashola demand amendment of Electoral Act
- Tambuwal
only good thing in PDP –el-Rufai
- I
did not give money to be elected Speaker -Tambuwal
By Anote Ajeluorou and Gbenga Salau
Last week, friends and political associates gathered to
launch the book, Fearless: The Emergence of a Virile and Formidable
Opposition Leader – The Political Memoirs of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, written by former legislator, Dr. Wale Okediran.
They all gathered to honour a sterling legislator, who also turned 50. The
occasion enabled those who had gathered to voice their views on their
expectations of what a virile legislature should be in strengthening democracy,
especially when it comes from the camp of the opposition.
From the
various views by the political heavy-weights in attendance on Gbajabiamila’s
legislative output so far, there appears to be hope for Nigeria’s democracy.
Gbajabiamila’s performance, even from those on a different political divide in
the Federal House of Representatives, sees a beacon of hope in the man in spite
of seeming sordid stories of corruption from the same house.
The banquet
hall of City Hall, Lagos Island, Lagos, where the book launch took place, was
filled to capacity with political bigwigs who had come to identify with the
man, whose motion to summon President Goodluck Jonathan to the floor of the
House to explain efforts being made to curtail the Boko Haram menace, has
elicited widespread controversy. Chairman of the event and former Federal
Commissioner of Works, Alhaji Femi Ukunu, traced Femi’s courage to his
grandfather, whom he said was a missionary and co-founder of the Ansar Udeen
Islamic Society of Nigeria.
He stated, “I
see Femi as a beacon, as a ray of light. Femi rejected the national honour
offered to him because he said he was still serving, especially as a Minority
Leader in the House”. “We need young men and women like him as visionary
leaders, who are desirous of seeing what they can give to this country and not
what they can get.”
National
leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Gbajabiamila’s political
godfather, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, also praised both the House of Representatives
and Gbajabiamila. He asked the House to remain focused on its oversight
functions of sanitising Nigeria. On Gbajabiamila, he said, “It wasn’t easy to find a brilliant and articulate mind
that would represent the party well but we eventually found that in Femi. We
found qualities of leadership in him. In him we found our tomorrow today.
“When we
were trying to help his political aspiration, it was a bit difficult because
there were many young, qualified people but he has not let anyone down. This is
what we owe the nation; to develop consistent, loyal, dedicated and committed
minds serving Nigeria. Democracy is about making strategic alliances. Femi is a
shining example of what the young should emulate and if you are committed and
dedicated, this is what you will reap. This is the third running of Femi in the
House and some people question that. But what is the reward of commitment? We
need sharp minds like Femi’s to change Nigeria”.
Tinubu said
Gbajabiamila rejected the national honour offered him so as not to be
compromised in serving the nation.
Ogun State
Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun also commended Gbajabiamila’s legislative hard
work saying he epitomised all that was good in the National Assembly. He asked
him to keep up the good work and recommit himself to his work of making a
better Nigeria.
Former NDDC
chairman, Timi Alaibe also joined in celebrating Gbajabiamila as a successful
legislator, whose bipartisan approach to politicking has drawn widespread
commendation. He tasked other political leaders across Nigeria to also see it
as their duty to go beyond partisan politics as a matter of deliberate policy
so as to foster the unity of Nigeria.
Former FCT
Minister, Malam el-Rufai brought messages from Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)
leader, Gen. Mahammadu Buhari and the party in congratulating Gbajabiamila for
his work as a legislator of uncommon genius. Although el-Rufai said he and
Gbajabiamila didn’t get on well at first since Gbajabiamila perceived him as
Olusegun Obasanjo’s boy, but said when they got to know themselves ona close
range, they soon became friends. He assured, “Femi cares about Nigeria; he
cares a lot about doing the right thing. He is courageous to the point of being
reckless”. He however took a swipe at the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP)
saying that there is very little good left in the PDP.
The CPC
stalwart said the only good thing left in the ruling PDP was the Speaker, Aminu
Tambuwal, who was also present at the launching. This drew wide applause from
the distinguished audience. “As our country faces its most difficult social and
political challenges, all eyes are on the Speaker and Femi,” he intoned. “You
have a duty to save this country from the crisis it is in.”
Banking guru
and politician, Mr. Fola Adeola, State of Osun Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.)
Grace Titi Alaoye-Tomori also celebrated Gbajabiamila with warm words.
Lagos State
governor, Babatunde Fashola called Gbajabiamila a worthy representative his own
constituency. He represents Surulere Federal II Constituency from where Fashola
comes from. He described the book, Fearless: The Emergence of a Virile and
Formidable Opposition Leader – The Political Memoirs of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as a worthy literary piece that would “fill a huge
vacuum in our political history. Femi has some of the qualities inherent in
great leaders; he is filled with intellect, research and integrity. His peerage
honour has been great, signifying that he is a great man. Femi has followed the
great tradition of intellect and superiority of ideas that Obafemi Awolowo
cultivated and demonstrated in is lifetime”.
On his part,
Speaker Tambuwal said, “Gbajabiamila was a committed and tenacious legislator;
he holds his ground on the strength of his convictions. He has deep passion for
Nigeria. He has no sentiments about political party or origin”.
Tambuwal
used the occasion to clear the air on the issue of offering money to
Gbajabiamila to facilitate his election as Speaker. He said such claim as
contained in the book was false.
Angela Aneke
represented the chief launcher and banking guru, Mr. Tony Elumelu. She also
extolled the virtues of Gbajabiamila and asked him never to give up on his
lofty political ideals.
The author,
Okediran, said it was tasking writing the book, as the subject was sometimes
difficult to track down. But he praised his subject’s mother and women’s
political leader, Alhaja Latifa Gbajabiamila, for breathing life into the
entire book through her vibrant interviews. Okediran, who was former president,
Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), used the opportunity to task Nigerian
political leaders to write their own stories, saying, “Nigerian political
leaders owe Nigerians a debt of writing down something for future generations.
“This work
should serve as a challenge to other leaders to leave behind them a legacy for
coming generations”.
On his part,
Gbajabiamila said it felt good to be 50, saying there was a lot more to be done
in repositioning the country. He said, “I’ve learnt so much in politics – about
loyalty, treachery”. He maintained that opposition in a democratic setting like
Nigeria would be better served if all opposition parties teamed up to give the
ruling party a run for its money, as had been the case since his emergence as
Minority Leader of the House, when he brought everybody under one umbrella.
“It’s only
when the other parties come together as a single opposition that we can succeed
like the election of Tambuwal as Speaker,” he said. He stated that the book was
undiluted and uncensored as every original material in it had remained intact,
including what some had referred to as unpleasant.
HOWEVER, the 180 days for the hearing of an election
petition and 60 days for its appeal contained in the Electoral Act drew
criticisms from Tinubu, Fashola and Gbajabiamila, as they condemned it as
unconstitutional. Gbajabiamila described it as being similar to the legal
terms, Ouster Clause, that should have no place in a democratic set up. Fashola
and Tinubu task Gbajabiamila and his colleagues in the House to amend it
forthwith.
Chairman,
Human Rights Commssion, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, reviewed the book, with the
title, ‘Beyond POlitcs: Civic Memory in Times of Trouble’. He stated, “There are some things in every country that should be
beyond partisan politics. One is the health of its institutions in general,
including especially its police, judiciary, public service and Parliament.
Another is the existence and sustenance of an opposition to channel and provide
democratic alternatives. The third is a civic memory to inform the choices that
citizens must make in determining who earns their trust and mandate to govern.
The fourth is a supply line for the renewal of its leadership across
generations and over time. The fifth, relevant here only by induction and a
consequence of the existence of the other four, is national productivity and
the health of the private sector.
“Fearless… is a
remarkable story that melds all these into a strong narrative told at a time
when the country needs to hear it. In so doing, it holds out a tantalizingly
hopeful promise that a government of the people, for the people and by the
people may yet have a future in Nigeria. It must be clarified early on that
“Virile”… is an allusion to the effect of his work and ideas”.
Other
dignitaries present at the book launch included ACN chairman, Chief Bisi
Akande, Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Justice
Mustapha Akanbi, Chief Segun Awolowo, Dr. Adeleye Ipaye, who represented State
of Osun governor, Rauf Aregbesola, Oba M.O. Hamzat, Hon. Leo Ogo, Sen. Ganiyu
Solomon and a host of others.
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