Honourable Abdurrahman Abba Terab is representing Bama/Ngala/Kalabalge Federal Constituency of Bornu State. In this interview with LEADERSHIP SUNDAY’s RUTH CHOJI, the lawmaker states that the crises in Maiduguri have paralyzed social activities and that the North will be the loser should Nigeria break-up. He also advocates dialogue with the Boko Haram sect.
How has the Boko Maram activities effected the social and economic lives of your people?
Security challenge everywhere is a very disturbing one because ordinarily, you know the lives of people are affected. As I am talking to you, all the borders in my state have been closed down, market activities have reduced to the barest minimum. Equally security does not allow people to move freely and the curfew affects our people greatly.
It was reported that the state government donated a hundred million naira to the sect. There were mixed reactions towards that act; what is your take?
I cannot hold brief for the state government.
What are legislators from Bornu State doing, concerning the Boko Haram
I said earlier that, the issue affects security and has social dimensions. When you have something that is interwoven, it is very delicate. But as much as possible we have tried to make government understand the reality on ground.
What are the realities o ground?
The reality on ground is that people are poor and they are suffering. The gap between the poor and rich has been widening for years. So the people feel disenfranchised and what we are witnessing today is the result of long term suppression.
Is the poverty peculiar to just Bornu State?? Why are other states not throwing bombs?
Well, in any case its peculiarity is different. What is happening in Bornu State might be different from what is happening in other places. As far as we are concerned, the first thing we can point out is poverty. The second thing is the gap between government and the governed.
These are not peculiar to Bornu State; it is everywhere. We all know that the government of this country is aware of any disgruntlement and so it is a national issue. People use to call only Bornu State, but now it is everywhere, so they can’t just narrow it as a Bornu State problem. Part of the problems has been the way people think; it is not their problem, but another state’s problem.
Are you saying that the federal government is not treating it as a national issue?
The fact of the matter is that the federal government is taking its own action. But everybody knows that the security apparatus is in the hands of the federal government.
The state government does not have the police, immigration, customs and so on. So long as we understand that it is not about Bornu State but about Nigeria as a whole, then we will start to take a holistic look at the situation. They must also understand the sentiment that is shared within the governed so that it can be inculcated into governance.
When you say the security apparatus are in the hands of the federal government, are you subscribing for state police?
I am indifferent to that because I am not a security expert. I am yet to be enlightened about the merits and demerits of state police and the national police. If state police are created, is there still going to be a national police? Are we going to be subject to only the state police??
Then what apparatus are we going to have at the national level? So that at the federal unit, people will not be witch-hunted based on their relationship with the person in power. In everything we do, we have to think about the right of the oppress.
Do you think the federal government is tackling the Boko Haram situation in the right way?
They have deployed the military and so far, I can tell you that the situation is not good. The only answer is dialogue. I advocate that because there is no way on this earth that violence or war ever settled a situation especially when it is internal.
Even within a family, when there is a crisis, dialogue is the only means of solving the situation because violence only breeds more hatred and bitterness.
When you say Nigeria should remain as one, the Boko Haram was reported to have given southerners living in the north quit notice. They have repeatedly called for the Islamisation of the north and even Mr. President. So do you see Nigeria remaining as one?
Of course; if the elite will just sit down and take decision that will affect Nigerians and that is something I am not sure of that. But if ordinary Nigerians decision will be sought then I am telling you that, Nigeria will remain as one.
Some have been calling for a Sovereign National Conference. Are you a supporter of it?
I am a member of the National Assembly, duly elected by statutory laws by my people to come and represent them. Interesting enough none of my people have ever said they want somebody elected besides me to come and sit down and negotiate on their behalf.
They are comfortable with me at the National Assembly to take up their case to any level. If there is any Nigerian who does not have confidence in its elected members or elected representative as duly provided by the law, I think the law equally provide for redress in that aspect.
They can recall such legislator. I think that is an easier method to follow. Except if there is an issue of inferiority complex here where some people are looking for undue exposure. Most of the people spearheading the Sovereign National Conference were at one point in their lives part of the government of this country.
They sang praises of an arrangement that was not as formal as this; yet they sang praises then. Is today’s democracy not better than what it was then? Why are they now crying foul over a situation most of them helped to create? Let’s go down memory lane and see. Most of the problems Nigeria has today were created by most? of the people calling for a SNC now.
When you say some of them, it is common knowledge that, the north ruled this county for over thirty years. Are you saying that, they caused most of these problems?
I don’t think that is true. There was never a consensus that the north should rule this country for thirty years. The military ruled in connivance with all the military.
No single northerner on the street was asked if it was their turn to rule the country. People should stop using that word. As far as we are concerned, we have democracy in this country and in the democracy we have enjoyed so far, the southern part of this country enjoyed it most.
Why are the northern leaders silent over this issue of Boko Haram?
No, no it is about security and social issues. In any case, this is not the first time something like this is happening to a part of this country. When you are talking about security, you should talk about solutions on the table where it matters, not on the street.
What are the solutions?
As far as I am concerned, this thing should be discussed between government and members of the Boko Haram where they have access to them. That is what the president is saying and if there are people who know them, they should come out, let them dialogue.
We should also appreciate a lot of behind the scene effort, like when President Obasanjo went to Maiduguri. Nobody knew when it was arranged. So people must appreciate what is being done behind the scene. Interestingly enough, a lot of northern people achieve solutions without making too much noise.
Nobody is happy with the situation and in any case it is affecting the north more than any other section. The question we should be asking is, ‘who is the ultimate beneficiary when this thing finally reaches its peak?’ If this country splits, who is the ultimate beneficiary?? The north will not benefit if the country splits up. Right now it is the north that is being effected more than any part of the country.
Going back to your party, the ANPP, it performed dismally in the last gubernatorial elections held in some states. What happened?
In the case of Adamawa, you can consider it as a re-run elections. You also know that, dealing with people that are in power is very difficult. It was good enough in Sokoto because we were the first run-up. The party started crying about irregularities before the results were announced.
The most important thing is that the party is united at the national level and is reaching out to a lot of people; there is machinery in place to ensure reconciliation. But the fact of the matter is that, if this party were not strong, they couldn’t have stood the test of time.?
The CPC which broke out of ANPP has only one state while we still have three. Our main challenge is the government in power and you must understand that we are dealing with. Nigerians do not always accept loss to the winning side. They always want to be on the winning side. ANPP is the only party that has been resilient. Where are AD and other parties that started with the ANPP?
Do you see the ANPP ever clinching the seat of the presidency in the future?
Nigerians are not happy with what PDP is doing and how it has handled the nation since 1999. ANPP is the only party that has an agenda and manifesto for this country.