House Supports Negotiations With Boko Haram - Adeyemi

A member of the House of Representatives, Akeem
Adeyemi, on Wednesday urged President
Muhammadu Buhari to negotiate with Boko Haram
for the release of the abducted Chibok girls.
Mr. Buhari, during an interview with the CNN on
July 21, expressed willingness to negotiate with
Boko Haram for the release of the girls.
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Adeyemi,
who represents Afijio/Atiba/Oyo East/Oyo West
Federal Constituency, stressed the importance of
saving the lives of the school girls abducted by
Boko Haram more than a year ago.
The legislator however advocates that federal
government should only negotiate the freedom of
the girls.
“However, if it is about the Chibok girls, I support
negotiating with Boko Haram. Life is precious.
Anything that will bring the girls back is in order.
“Outside that, we should not negotiate with them.
By the way who are we negotiating with? They
have no agenda; nothing! They say they are anti
book, yet they kill uneducated farmers. They say
they are muslims, yet they kill Rasheeds and
Ibrahims innocently selling goods at markets in the
North East.
“Meanwhile, with Buhari who has deep background
in military and security, I believe we will soon end
them (Boko Haram). We also have to block
corruption in the military,” the lawmaker said.
Mr. Adeyemi also urged the Federal Government to
attend to the issue of abandoned projects scattered
across the country, instead of initiating new ones.
He said one of the projects deserving attention is
Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin expressway, which was
commissioned in 2000.
“It affects my constituency. And it’s the road that
links the South with the North; so you know it’s
important to the national unity and economy. I
urge the Federal Government to complete project,”
he said.
On the report that legislators have begun lobbying
for “juicy” committees, he clarified that, “what used
to be juicy under former president Goodluck
Jonathan may not be juicy under Buhari” as they
(legislators) would not collect inducements from
government’s ministries and departments.
On the seeming delay by Mr. Buhari in the
constitution of Federal Executive Council, the
lawmaker backed the president, saying institutional
reform and laying proper foundation before
appointing ministers are essential.
“Nigerians, especially politicians are funny.
Because you want to become minister or want
your people to be appointed ministers, you start
sponsoring people to be making noise in order to
compel or force the President to appoint ministers.
“With 16 years of PDP without interruption, you
can’t appoint ministers without proper foundation
unless you want continuity of misrule or putting
round peg in square hole. It’s not done.
“He (Buhari) said he would name his cabinet in
September. Let’s wait for him. Mind you, he is
working on the Joda committee report which even
recommended pruning of ministries and number of
ministers to the constitutionally allowed minimum
so as to stop wastage,” he said.

[Premium Times]