Former Kano State governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has described as shameful, the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari and security operatives to work with the National Assembly in order to curb the recurring insecurity across the country.
The former Minister of Education in the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration also rated the president below average in the fight against insecurity and called on the presidency and security operatives to stop dancing to the gallery by resorting to political propaganda.
He said this while speaking with newsmen in Kano, adding that the presidency should be blamed for the persistent and unnecessary power tussle between the presidency and the National Assembly, noting that nothing could be hidden to Nigerians as far as the war on insecurity was concerned.
“I don’t see any reason why the president cannot engage the leadership of the National Assembly and make effort to work together. It is a shame that they have the majority in the two chambers. It is a shame on the All Progressives Congress (APC) government. It is shame to be running in this obvious crisis.
“I don’t see anything wrong with Mr President discussing with the leadership of the National Assembly, dialogue with them and have a level of understanding. The more the discussion, the more the understanding. The Separation of Power in the constitution does not mean you should not work together or mean that one is interfering into the other’s job.”
“Even within the areas that are exclusive to the executive or the legislative, they are all working towards the same goal: to give Nigerians good governance. I think the destination is the same, which is good governance and the two must work together.
“The president has the total majority members in the two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. If they know how to tackle their differences, I think they are not supposed to have all these unfavourable relations.
“Throughout my eight years as the governor of Kano State, I never had any disagreement with the state House of Assembly. It is not that I am perfect, but I resolved to carried the lawmakers along on all actions I do take then. We interacted after their sessions. There was nothing I sent to the state legislature without discussing with them, either with the leadership or with all the 40 members of the House,” he said.
The former Kano State governor commended the efforts so far aimed at tackling the Boko Haram insurgency but added, “But up till today in the news, some villages in Gwoza were taken over by Boko Haram insurgents. So, instead of dancing to the gallery, they (the presidency and the military) should go on to do the right thing.
“You remember the Chief of Army Staff celebrated in the Villa and brought Boko Haram flag to the President. He claimed that they have defeated Boko Haram and they were celebrating, beating the drum and celebrating.
“But we are back to square one! Even the military and the other security agencies, unfortunately, seem to be also dancing to the gallery of political propaganda.
“It is not worth celebrating. They are supposed to keep on fighting. Yes, you are doing your best and you have the support of the president. But that does not mean that you should tell the nation stories that are not true. Especially crisis like the Boko Haram insurgency is an open thing; it is not a secret. When it happens, people would know,” he said.
