On January 26, 2012 · In Law & Human Rights
12:12 am 0
By Abdulwahab Abdulah
Prince Adetunji Orisalade, a lawyer of over 25 years is the Deputy Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly. Orisalade, a former Chairman, Lagos State Valuation Court in Badagry division between 1995-2000 in this interview spoke on the state of the nation, arguing that President Goodluck Jonathan did not carry Nigerians along before the increase in the pump price of fuel.
He also condemned the spate of insecurity in the nation, especially the attacks by Boko Haram sect which has claimed several lives and property in recent times. He said President Jonathan does not need to brief the National Assembly before declaring State of emergency in any part of the country. Excerpts:
How would you respond to the argument that the deregulation program embarked upon by the Federal Government was so hasty and ill-timed, especially when majority opinions believe that it should be in phases?
First and foremost, I want to say that the Federal Government committed a great blunder on the way it had acted on the subsidy issue. It did not appreciated Nigerians at all. It is not in doubt that we are now in a democratic setting with an elected President in place.
One would have thought that higher sense would dictate a rule via massive consultations across board on such sensitive issue. Nigerians, in the face of several deprivations and sufferings have continued to follow and obey their Leaders, without much ado.
The arbitrary increase in fuel price and the strike action that followed had changed the Nigeria’s political and economic climate. How do you think the nation can survive its diverse challenges on fuel deregulation, kidnapping and terrorism?
Thank God the tension had eased out a bit with the suspension of street protests and eventual call-off of the strike. There would have been massive unrest all over the country and I
References: OECD/DAC, 2006 Survey on Monitoring the Paris Declaration: Overview of the Results. Paris: OECD, 2007. Shah, A. (Editor), Local Budgeting. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2007.