What’s
your take on the state of the Nation?
The state of the nation is promising I will say. In the different spheres of national life, security for instance, there is a lot of hope because we know where we were and where we are now.Things are a lot better than they used to be security wise. We have a lot to thank God for. Then anti corruption, there has been a giant stride in that direction, we believe the government has done well and is still doing a lot more. The sticky area is the economy, the economy is down but then it does not mean it's going to be down forever. America has gone through recession forty seven (47) different times in her history and they came out of it. Japan has been in recession for fifteen years now, Japanese have not died. Nigeria economy may be down but it will come up, the government is working towards boosting the economy. There is cause for hope in Nigeria, no cause for despondency at all because things will get better.
How important is the National Assembly support to the implementation of the policies and programs of the president?
You can't underestimate the support of the National Assembly in the forward movement of a country neither can you also underestimate the collaboration between the Executive and the National Assembly. The two have to work together particularly when you have a party that has produced the executive which is also a majority in the National Assembly. There should be no cause for alarm, there should be no friction, and there should be no cat and mouse game. So I guess it is a relationship that is being worked on, it will get better.
Is the president regretting not showing interest in the selection of National Assembly leadership?
The president is a democrat and when you are a democrat you don't regret democratic things that he did. It was democratic of him to have left the National Assembly to elect its own leadership so there should not be any regrets.
Will the president forward the PIB and Constitution Amendment bills to the National Assembly?
No, but there is a PIB that is being worked on already and the latest I read was that early this year they will pass it into law.
Itis said that the president fails to lobby the National Assembly for any of the things he sends to them; could this be the reason why some of those requests are being turned down?
It depends on what your interpretation of lobby is. If lobby means giving them money or giving anybody money, the president will not do it: that is, if that is your interpretation of the word “lobby”. But if lobby means calling them and reasoning with them, yes the president will do that;he does that. The senate president,BukolaSaraki is often here (the state house); it is part of the process to talk to one another. But if lobby means bribery, this president won't do it.
The state of the nation is promising I will say. In the different spheres of national life, security for instance, there is a lot of hope because we know where we were and where we are now.Things are a lot better than they used to be security wise. We have a lot to thank God for. Then anti corruption, there has been a giant stride in that direction, we believe the government has done well and is still doing a lot more. The sticky area is the economy, the economy is down but then it does not mean it's going to be down forever. America has gone through recession forty seven (47) different times in her history and they came out of it. Japan has been in recession for fifteen years now, Japanese have not died. Nigeria economy may be down but it will come up, the government is working towards boosting the economy. There is cause for hope in Nigeria, no cause for despondency at all because things will get better.
How important is the National Assembly support to the implementation of the policies and programs of the president?
You can't underestimate the support of the National Assembly in the forward movement of a country neither can you also underestimate the collaboration between the Executive and the National Assembly. The two have to work together particularly when you have a party that has produced the executive which is also a majority in the National Assembly. There should be no cause for alarm, there should be no friction, and there should be no cat and mouse game. So I guess it is a relationship that is being worked on, it will get better.
Is the president regretting not showing interest in the selection of National Assembly leadership?
The president is a democrat and when you are a democrat you don't regret democratic things that he did. It was democratic of him to have left the National Assembly to elect its own leadership so there should not be any regrets.
Will the president forward the PIB and Constitution Amendment bills to the National Assembly?
No, but there is a PIB that is being worked on already and the latest I read was that early this year they will pass it into law.
Itis said that the president fails to lobby the National Assembly for any of the things he sends to them; could this be the reason why some of those requests are being turned down?
It depends on what your interpretation of lobby is. If lobby means giving them money or giving anybody money, the president will not do it: that is, if that is your interpretation of the word “lobby”. But if lobby means calling them and reasoning with them, yes the president will do that;he does that. The senate president,BukolaSaraki is often here (the state house); it is part of the process to talk to one another. But if lobby means bribery, this president won't do it.
Assessment
of cabinet members: How does the president view the complaints against some of
his ministers and kitchen cabinet members by the National Assembly?
Well, it is the president who appointed them so he is the one who can best assess them. All thosesaying different things didn't appoint this people; the president did.And because he is the one appointed them and also gave them the matching orders, he knows what he has asked them to do and so he knows how to assess them. People at best may give opinions, recommendations but the president has the final say because he appointed them.
The Executive-Legislature relationship is now getting better, what do you think is responsible for this?
It could be because they talk more with one another. Communication is part of relationship boosters so when there is effective communication it boosts relationship.
How soon will the president assent to bills already passed by the National Assembly?
No, you need to sight examples of the bills you are referring to before I can answer the question.
Interviewer: For instance the bill on the Establishment of the Federal University of Petroleum, Efferun, Delta state and about 13 other bills already passed by the National Assembly.
Interviewee: And you think it is still hanging in the president's office?
Interviewer: As of the last time I checked it has not been accented to by the president sir.
Interviewee: I'm not aware of that but I think you should check with the ministers that are in charge of the sector where that bill originated from, they will be able to tell you whether it is still hanging or it's been assented to.
The Budget: How realistic are the assumptions: exchange rate of N305/ $1, 2.2 million barrel crude production per day, etc.
The people that came up with the budget proposals are reasonable and respectable people; you wouldn't think they will just sit down and be fooling around and coming up with things that are unrealistic. 2.2 million barrels of oil daily is something that is doable for Nigeria except the unforeseen happens as it did in 2016 budget when insurgency affected our oil output. All things being equal the proposals are very realistic.
There are growing concerns that the economic team of the president is not working up to expectation, how far can the federal government go in fixing the economy?
That can only be an opinion which may not necessarily be right. We have people who are managing the economy and who constitute the economic the team. They are some of the best brains that we have and they are sound professionals. What our economy is going through is a cycle which most countries in the world have gone through. I said earlier that America has gone through recession forty seven times, they came out of it; Nigeria will come out of it too. It's not a question of economic team. We have a team that is sound and capable, and after this cycle we will exit recession and return to prosperous days again as a country.
There is high rise of inflation in the country presently, what specific measures is the federal government adopting?
There is no button you will press somewhere and it automatically affects inflation level; no, it will respond to many other variables. It is as those variables come into place that it will now affect the rate of inflation. For instance, you need to be able to export certain things to get forex.What does Nigeria export apart from fuel? Nothing. And fuel is down in the international market so naturally there will be scarcity of forex and if there is scarcity of forex, it will affect many other things. So prices of goods and services will go up. But if we begin to export now as the economy is being retooled, when we begin to export from solid minerals to agric and other sectors then we will get more money and the inflation rate will come down. So it is not just to press a button that will bring down inflation, it will respond to a number of variables and we believe that those variables will come in strongly in 2017.
Well, it is the president who appointed them so he is the one who can best assess them. All thosesaying different things didn't appoint this people; the president did.And because he is the one appointed them and also gave them the matching orders, he knows what he has asked them to do and so he knows how to assess them. People at best may give opinions, recommendations but the president has the final say because he appointed them.
The Executive-Legislature relationship is now getting better, what do you think is responsible for this?
It could be because they talk more with one another. Communication is part of relationship boosters so when there is effective communication it boosts relationship.
How soon will the president assent to bills already passed by the National Assembly?
No, you need to sight examples of the bills you are referring to before I can answer the question.
Interviewer: For instance the bill on the Establishment of the Federal University of Petroleum, Efferun, Delta state and about 13 other bills already passed by the National Assembly.
Interviewee: And you think it is still hanging in the president's office?
Interviewer: As of the last time I checked it has not been accented to by the president sir.
Interviewee: I'm not aware of that but I think you should check with the ministers that are in charge of the sector where that bill originated from, they will be able to tell you whether it is still hanging or it's been assented to.
The Budget: How realistic are the assumptions: exchange rate of N305/ $1, 2.2 million barrel crude production per day, etc.
The people that came up with the budget proposals are reasonable and respectable people; you wouldn't think they will just sit down and be fooling around and coming up with things that are unrealistic. 2.2 million barrels of oil daily is something that is doable for Nigeria except the unforeseen happens as it did in 2016 budget when insurgency affected our oil output. All things being equal the proposals are very realistic.
There are growing concerns that the economic team of the president is not working up to expectation, how far can the federal government go in fixing the economy?
That can only be an opinion which may not necessarily be right. We have people who are managing the economy and who constitute the economic the team. They are some of the best brains that we have and they are sound professionals. What our economy is going through is a cycle which most countries in the world have gone through. I said earlier that America has gone through recession forty seven times, they came out of it; Nigeria will come out of it too. It's not a question of economic team. We have a team that is sound and capable, and after this cycle we will exit recession and return to prosperous days again as a country.
There is high rise of inflation in the country presently, what specific measures is the federal government adopting?
There is no button you will press somewhere and it automatically affects inflation level; no, it will respond to many other variables. It is as those variables come into place that it will now affect the rate of inflation. For instance, you need to be able to export certain things to get forex.What does Nigeria export apart from fuel? Nothing. And fuel is down in the international market so naturally there will be scarcity of forex and if there is scarcity of forex, it will affect many other things. So prices of goods and services will go up. But if we begin to export now as the economy is being retooled, when we begin to export from solid minerals to agric and other sectors then we will get more money and the inflation rate will come down. So it is not just to press a button that will bring down inflation, it will respond to a number of variables and we believe that those variables will come in strongly in 2017.
Sir,
speaking for a president produced by a collection of different forces, what has
been the experience in the past 20 months?
Well, it's been very good.One thing about president Buhari is that he doesn't expect you to spine any thing for him.Whatever he has said he stands by it, which makes my job easier. I don't have to begin to spine and cover and all that, no. Whatever you hear us say as spokes men of the president you can take it to the bank.Believe that it is the truth because we will not lie to Nigerians. One thing I discovered is that Nigerians have been lied to for so long a time that they have grown used to it. They find it strange that this government is not lying to them but whatever we say is the truth.
As leader of the party, is the president really in charge of the affairs of APC?
I don't speak for the party; I speak for the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The spokesman of APC will be in better position to respond to that.
Security: The re-emergence of Boko-Haram threatens Federal Government's bid to wipe out insurgency. What is happening sir?
Book haram is virtually over, what is happening now is a mopping up process; the real strength of the insurgency has gone down. But don't forget that the mopping up time is as crucial and vital as the actual shooting process because you see that Boko haram has resulted to bombing soft target using suicide bombers and all that.It’s still a very important phase;it's a mopping up phase.
Well, it's been very good.One thing about president Buhari is that he doesn't expect you to spine any thing for him.Whatever he has said he stands by it, which makes my job easier. I don't have to begin to spine and cover and all that, no. Whatever you hear us say as spokes men of the president you can take it to the bank.Believe that it is the truth because we will not lie to Nigerians. One thing I discovered is that Nigerians have been lied to for so long a time that they have grown used to it. They find it strange that this government is not lying to them but whatever we say is the truth.
As leader of the party, is the president really in charge of the affairs of APC?
I don't speak for the party; I speak for the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The spokesman of APC will be in better position to respond to that.
Security: The re-emergence of Boko-Haram threatens Federal Government's bid to wipe out insurgency. What is happening sir?
Book haram is virtually over, what is happening now is a mopping up process; the real strength of the insurgency has gone down. But don't forget that the mopping up time is as crucial and vital as the actual shooting process because you see that Boko haram has resulted to bombing soft target using suicide bombers and all that.It’s still a very important phase;it's a mopping up phase.
Anti-Graft
War: There are growing concerns that the anti-graft war is selective, why is it
difficult to balance this?
Unless you give me a justification; if you don't justify that then you are just rehearsing what members of the PDP are saying. They are saying thatit’s selective; the senior military officers who are on trial, are they PDP? The judges who are on trial, are they PDP? So you can't say it's a selective trial. Anybody that has questions to answer must answer; that is the stance of this government.
The corruption allegation on some cabinet members, how disturbed is the president about this?
Am glad you used the word allegation; allegation is not the same thing as indictment. Allegation is in the realm of allegation and the onus is on those who are part of the allegation to also justify or prove it. As long as they have just stated it without evidence, nobody should lose sleep over it.
Detention ofNnamdiKanu, El-Zazaki, etc, is adding to the rising tension in the country, could those issues have been handled in other ways?
You know the DSS is the one that speaks on these issues so find out from the DSS and they will give you the justification.
What key things has the president done for the grass root men?
That gives the impression that there are different countries; a country for the grassroots and a country for the urban.No!There is only one country. Whatever wedo, we do for Nigerians; whether in the urban area or the rural area because every good policy and project is for Nigerians. For instance when railways are built, is it not a way to evacuate agricultural produce to the city? When roads are built, is it not to facilitate movement of human beings and goods? So there is no different country for grassroots or another one for the urban.
You are the Special Adviser to the president on media and publicity and it is a very tasking job, how do you have time to unwind or relax with family and friends?
Don't forget where I was coming from. I came in from the media. I had spent twenty nine years in the media before I came to this job and I had risen through the ranks of a reporter to an editor in-chief.So all my life, the greater part of my life has been in the media and you know how demanding the media is.So it prepares you for anything you want to do. The media has prepared me for this assignment that am doing now because in the media you run long hours and at short notice you have to respond to calls. All of that prepares one for this kind of assignment.
Unless you give me a justification; if you don't justify that then you are just rehearsing what members of the PDP are saying. They are saying thatit’s selective; the senior military officers who are on trial, are they PDP? The judges who are on trial, are they PDP? So you can't say it's a selective trial. Anybody that has questions to answer must answer; that is the stance of this government.
The corruption allegation on some cabinet members, how disturbed is the president about this?
Am glad you used the word allegation; allegation is not the same thing as indictment. Allegation is in the realm of allegation and the onus is on those who are part of the allegation to also justify or prove it. As long as they have just stated it without evidence, nobody should lose sleep over it.
Detention ofNnamdiKanu, El-Zazaki, etc, is adding to the rising tension in the country, could those issues have been handled in other ways?
You know the DSS is the one that speaks on these issues so find out from the DSS and they will give you the justification.
What key things has the president done for the grass root men?
That gives the impression that there are different countries; a country for the grassroots and a country for the urban.No!There is only one country. Whatever wedo, we do for Nigerians; whether in the urban area or the rural area because every good policy and project is for Nigerians. For instance when railways are built, is it not a way to evacuate agricultural produce to the city? When roads are built, is it not to facilitate movement of human beings and goods? So there is no different country for grassroots or another one for the urban.
You are the Special Adviser to the president on media and publicity and it is a very tasking job, how do you have time to unwind or relax with family and friends?
Don't forget where I was coming from. I came in from the media. I had spent twenty nine years in the media before I came to this job and I had risen through the ranks of a reporter to an editor in-chief.So all my life, the greater part of my life has been in the media and you know how demanding the media is.So it prepares you for anything you want to do. The media has prepared me for this assignment that am doing now because in the media you run long hours and at short notice you have to respond to calls. All of that prepares one for this kind of assignment.
END.
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