The former Secretary to the Kwara State Government and a gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Saka Abimbola Isau, SAN speaks with our JUDICIARY CORRESPONDENT, KAYODE ADEOTI on the issue of electoral bill, the recovered looted funds among others. Excerpts:
The failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Electoral Bill Act passed by the National Assembly has become an issue of concern especially among legal practitioners in the country, how do you see this?
Honestly, it seems to me that the president is playing politics with everything. The electoral billis not going to be useful to only him alone but to the whole citizens of the country even those yet unborn. That aspect of the law must be amended and it is important that it is achieved now. As events are unfolding, it has become glaring that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government is playing politics with it. The party is playing politics with everything even with those things that are not right. Those who are advising him politically and legally are not being sincere with him and Nigerians. What would have been the way out is for the National Assembly to veto it but that too is not possible because of the serious division in the country. All members of the NASS come from different constituencies and there has been division that is unprecedented in this country.
On the issue of recovered looted funds, many Nigerians are asking what the money has been expended on or…?
(Cuts in:) Honestly, I will want to ask where the recovered looted fund is too. This is a pertinent question Nigerians want to get answers to. We’ve only heard that government recovered certain amount from looters, where these monies are kept or used for remains a mystery.
Many people have come out to challenge the present government for fighting corruption with sentiment, what is your take on this?
The way this government is fighting corruption is questionable. The Federal Government is fighting only those who do not belong to the ruling party. If a politician is not an APC member, he will always be persecuted. While I subscribe to fight against corruption because it is inimical to development, but the way our government is going about it is wrong. The menace should be fought with no bias.
2019 general elections is fast approaching, what do you think our government should put in place legally to ensure smooth process of the exercise?
Apart from the Electoral Act that ought to have been assented to, the success of the poll will depend on security. The security agencies should perform duties expected of them constitutionally, if this is achieved, the poll will be rancour-free, violence free and we are going to achieve free and fair exercise.
