David Sentonji is a lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Chairman House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security. In this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, he speaks on the state of the nation, amended Electoral Act, the crisis in Lagos APC, among other issues. Excerpts:
What is your take on the approval given to INEC by the National Assembly for election results to be transmitted electronically?
Of course, it is good news for the National Assembly to have responded to the cries of Nigerians; they responded accordingly. Gone are the days when you rely on the manual computation of results.
It was causing problems, the whole world is going electronic, even ATMs. So, why are you still using the manual system here? Election rigging is synonymous with the manual process; adopting this is a very good way forward.
The manual system was risky, ballot boxes are snatched and dismantled, but with this one, as you are voting the figure and result have been transmitted.
But some people have expressed reservations that it can be hacked. Do you agree?
I want to disagree because the manual one is the worst, because of the problems it causes; I mean the violence as we have seen in recent years.
But with this one, results can be transmitted across Nigeria into a central location immediately after voting is concluded. So, it is not going to be easy for anybody to manipulate. I have studied the process and I think it is still the best form of voting in view of the modern trend that has to do with electronics.
Why would Nigeria continue with the obsolete method? The fear by some people is unfounded; the advantages are more than the disadvantages.
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Do you also support the amendment that allows party members to vote in primaries, rather than delegates?
On direct primaries, I would rather stand with the position of my party on this matter. But there are different options in line with the party’s constitution, but very soon we are going for a convention and it will be decided at the appropriate time.
But if you ask me as a party person, I would always prefer the delegate system, because the direct primaries encourage violence. So, the main election is still coming where everyone can vote.
But the delegate system entails some people delegated to stand in and do the primary for party members, that one is more normal and not as violent as the direct system.
But party members have complained that the process is often manipulated, candidates imposed by party leaders. Don’t you agree?
Unless the delegate system is going to adopt an electronic system of voting and transmission of results if you are going to use a manual system for the primaries all the challenges that are associated with manual voting would come into play.
There are challenges in the system, if you delegate party officials and give them powers to go and represent you it is still the best in this system. If you do direct primaries, the problem we have had conducting elections in the manual system would come into play, except you adopt electronic voting.
All the challenges would be eliminated; I still prefer the delegate system, which helps us to avoid all these problems in the system.
The recent Lagos APC state congress was factionalized; is this sign of crisis in the state chapter?
I am not aware of any parallel state congress in Lagos State. We had one congress, it was the one held at Onikan and it was well organized, well attended by INEC, the committee from Abuja and the chairman of the party emerged.
Cornelius Ojelabi is the chairman of APC in Lagos, that is the one I know because it is the congress that all delegates were there.
But we heard the Lagos4Lagos group, the Fouad Oki group, and the rest who complained about the process. Are you saying they don’t have a case?
I know only Ojelabi as APC chairman in Lagos, I am not aware of any other person. You know politics is a cross-fertilization of ideas, but if you don’t agree with the decision of the majority and you go from your own camp is not good.
Are you of the opinion that they are not marginalized?
They are going to fade away. It is not true, nobody is marginalized in the party in Lagos; we are a family there may be disagreement here and there, but we settle. There is only one APC in Lagos.
The leadership of the party is always doing that, this is democracy you cannot stop anybody from doing what they think is right. Somebody would listen and some people would insist on their views. You cannot stop them. But most members of APC in Lagos are under Ojelabi.
We have done our congresses and the leadership of the party has emerged, we have the ward, state, and LG excos and they are working for the party.
What is your take on agitation for the zoning of the presidency to the South in 2023?
What you have in the country today is not right, it is only right that the North give up power to the South for us to know that we are in the same country. I am sure you know what is going on in the country now, how people are feeling.
The fact is that the next president of Nigeria must come from the South.
But some have also said it should be based on competence. You don’t agree?
What do you mean by competence? Are you saying that the man ruling now is the most competent person? There are competent people all around the country; candidates emerge in political parties on several factors.
The best is relative; somebody is the best in terms of the certificate, experience, and exposure.
For example, during the time of UPN, Jakande was the best candidate during that time. It has nothing to do with qualification or academic background.
What is your take on Tinubu’s presidential bid?
The best thing that can happen to Nigeria is for us to have Tinubu as president of Nigeria in 2023. He is the best man now, who understands politics. Look at what he did for Lagos. He is still relevant. The prayer of most of us now is that Tinubu should emerge as the candidate of APC in 2023.
Do you think he would get the ticket?
Yes, the ticket is reserved for him, I am very sure he would get the ticket. He is the best person to save us seeing what is happening to Nigeria now. I am passionate and I want him to contest the election.
Other regions in the South are also clamoring for the presidency. Don’t you think they deserve it?
You see there are so many things that must be taken into consideration; our party is APC and APC is predominately in the South-West for that reason we think we have contributed immensely toward the progress of APC and who has done it? It is Bola Tinubu, and that is why we are calling on him to contest. It does not mean that other regions cannot rule, but we are saying that as long as you are a Nigerian and if the South must produce the next president, you should be given the ticket of our party to contest the election in 2023.
What has your office been since you assumed office?
Since I came in we have ensured that as the image maker that we have a good rapport with the press and the public, we have been trying and succeeding. By the grace of God, Lagos Assembly is the number one Assembly in Nigeria.
We have passed some popular bills recently; like the VAT bill, which is the right of the state, and the Amotekun bill and the governor has passed them because we are very responsive to the needs of the people.
Some people are of the opinion that the part-time legislature and parliamentary system are the best for Nigeria. What do you think?
If you want to be sincere with you I would prefer a parliamentary system of government, the presidential system is more expensive and over blotted. That is why some people are calling for a constitutional conference so that we can discuss the system and how we want to live together. Parliamentary is better, it is practiced in India and Great Britain; it is the best for our level of development.
What is the synergy between the legislature and executive in making sure that the bill signed into law is implemented?
We are doing that, an example is the Neighbourhood Safety Corps; it was initiated by the Speaker, even before the idea of Amotekun came. And we passed the Amotekun bill the Neighbourhood Safety Corps metamorphosed into taking that role.
They are on the ground assisting the police in terms of security in Lagos. And if you are talking about security it is everybody’s effort. We have a cordial relation with the executive. There is only one government in Lagos State and it is a make-up of the executive, judiciary, and legislature and we are all working in harmony for the progress of the state.
We and the judiciary provide the kind of check and balance to the executive, we are working together, and we have never been a rubber stamp to anybody.
