……. says President Buhari has been engaged in house cleaning
The lawmaker representing Lagos Central, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday has said the constitution of the Eighth Senate leadership is still a subject of litigation in the court while admonishing her constituents to shun bribery and corruption to move the nation forward.
She said this at her 15th Town Hall Meeting held at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
The theme of the programme is: ‘New chapter, hope renewed’.
While commenting on the activities of the Eighth Senate, Senator Tinubu said 17 motions had been debated and resolutions made; 15 Bills scaled first reading.
She, however, declined to comment further on the Eighth Senate, saying its constitution was subject of a litigation.
“We know how this present Senate was constituted. It is not really pleasing yet. We are the majority and I don’t see what an opposition is doing in the majority. There are proven laws, but we are waiting for the court to decide. At least, we are a country praying for respect for the rule of law. So, I am not going to go into whatever work the Senate is doing now. The court is not what I want to discuss.”
She said: “This is the time for us to rededicate ourselves to getting Nigeria to the promised land. It is time to differentiate the goat from the sheep and the wheat from the chaff.
“All hands have to be on deck to achieve that ‘new Nigeria’ we voted for. Let us all think of what we can contribute individually or collectively, rather than what we can get from our country.
“It is time to turn a new leaf; time to change from the old ways of doing things. Let us all shun bribery, corruption and respect the rule of law. Let us not be an accomplice in crime, as the Sultan of Sokoto admonished women recently to refrain from collecting ‘proceeds of corruption from their husbands.’ I believe we can all make the necessary sacrifices.”
She denied insinuations that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was slow, noting that in the last 100 days, the government had been engaged in house cleaning.
Senator Tinubu said: “When you move into a new house and it is filthy, do you start furnishing immediately? You have to sweep it.vThat is what is going on in Nigeria. Every sector has to be overhauled and has to be visited. Be it power, health, education; every sector.
“The most urgent now is security. If security is not fine, investors won’t be attracted. This is why the President is taking the issues of security and power seriously.vSecurity is taking its shape, power too is getting steady by the day. You can see that a lot has to be addressed in the area of corruption.
“Corruption is like cancer; if it is not addressed in Nigeria, it will kill this country. It has already started crippling our development. Before you know it, this country is flat on its face.
“He has started on a good note. We just have to give him support. Nobody can please everybody. This is the first time a President and his deputy are declaring their assets publicly. They have set a precedent and that is what will follow in future.
“So I think fighting corruption, making sure that power is steady and stable, securing our borders and the country are the things we need to achieve, then we can start breathing.”
The lawmaker, who turned 55 this month, noted that the Nigeria of her dream was yet to be achieved, expressing confidence in the ability of the present administration to deliver.
“With what we are experiencing in the Senate today, would you say our democracy has matured? I don’t know, but we are still in the peeping stage and we will get there. This is a new chapter and our hope has to be renewed, but all hands have to be on deck. We all have parts to play. I am playing my part and so it is left to you to do yours.
“If the head is corrupt, the whole body will be corrupt. We are looking at the leadership President Buhari has promised us, to see what it will give to Nigerians. We are hopeful. He is a man of integrity and even the outside world has acknowledged that. Nigerians have to have faith, we are supporting the vision he has and what he stands for.”