'COUP NO LONGER POSSIBLE IN NIGERIA'- Jeremiah Useni

The erstwhile Minister of the Federal Capital
Territory in the late Sani Abacha military regime,
Senator Jeremiah Timbut Useni said, Nigeria is
better strong and united today as a result of its
experiences of internal leadership challenges in
the last 55 years. Senator Useni who represents
Plateau South Senatorial District in this exclusive
interview with newsmen,
Atek’ojo Samson Usman, in his office in Abuja
also submitted that democracy has come to stay
in Africa and Nigeria was in the forefront of
championing it if its role in the recent restoration
of civil rule in Burkina Faso was anything to go by.
Excerpt:
Looking at your background from the Military and
now as a Senator of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, how will assess Nigeria at 55 years of
independence?
So far it is not bad. In fact we discussed at length
at the plenary of the Senate when there was a
motion to that effect. We moved a motion
congratulating Nigerians and the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria on 55 years of
independence anniversary. In the last 55 years, it
was not smooth for the nation. We had crises and
all manner of problems and don’t forget, we had
Boko Haram which is being tackled conclusively
now, but it used to be very bad before. The other
time it was Niger Delta problems, but by and large
there have been improvements and on the other
hand, we are making progress democratically
because it is not easy for an incumbent president
to lose an election to opposition especially in
Africa, but today it is on record that in Ghana and
Nigeria the opposition party have unseated the
sitting president without further qualms. I think
we are making progress. Now the new
government is facing the gauntlet of anti-
corruption and Nigerians are highly expectant that
this will pay off in forms of better living standard.
It is a healthy development for Nigerians because
in times past, the Western world was seeing
Nigeria as a damn corrupt nation and a country
that has no respect for human right such that
they have nothing to do with us. If you go outside
the country and you identify yourself as a
Nigerian, they will be looking at you with disdain,
but now I think the respect for Nigeria was being
heightened as a result of change that has taken
place.
The other side that Nigeria did well was in health
sector where the nation was able to curtail Ebola
dreaded disease. The rate at which Nigerians
rallied against Ebola was quite commendable and
if that tempo was to be maintained in all
challenges confronting the nation, we would make
serious progress.
Looking at your military background too, you
people put in so much for a united Nigeria, but
aren’t you fears as Nigeria was becoming fully
democratized in 1999 that its security will be
taken for granted?
Not at all and it depends on government in
power. Even in Military administration, Military
overthrows another Military government. When
Civilian government was bad, military takes over
and when the Military government would not do
what it is asked to do, another one will overthrow
it. When civilian administration was finally
restored in 1999, it was much better save for
corruption issues which is lamentable, but that is
not justified enough for military interregnum
anymore and more so the campaign against
Military take over of government in Africa was
also helping matters because it means that such
would not be tolerated anymore. The good
example now is that of Burkina Faso where
Military took over government and before you
know Africa rose in condemnation and particularly
ECOWAS was in forefront of making sure that
civilian administration was restored. There are no
fears anywhere in civilian administration and the
issue of coup on grounds of civilian bad
governance is no longer frequent unlike before,
when it was happening almost every month. If
Civilian have problems with governance and
Military was to take over, it will kill Civilians and it
is the same Civilians that forms the majority of
military government, but what is in vogue now is
that when Civilians have problems of governance,
they have to solve it by themselves. The Head of
State may be a Military man quite alright, but his
Ministers including Secretary to the government of
the Federation and Head of Civil Service of the
Federation are all civilians. When Military
Administrator of State which I was one before
appoints his cabinet, they are all civilian
Commissioners and, they are no military men
there. So when people say Military, Military, it is
just because the head is a Military man. If not, it
is civilian dominated government. At a point I
have retired as a Military General to become a
civilian and today am a Senator of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. You see, I have been involved
in about 3 coups, successful ones, but as I said, it
was for reasons and don’t forget, Ibrahim
Babangida took over from General Muhammadu
Buhari and not that Buhari’s government was
bad, but somehow, it was a personal
disagreement between two of them. So when
things started going bad in Babangida’s
administration after spending eight years
especially the annulment of June 12 general
election that would have produced Chief Moshood
Abiola, he has to step aside for Chief Ernest
Shonekan who was sworn in as Head of State
while Babangida’s reason for annulling June 12,
1994 was not even strong enough. Of course
Shonekan has to be told to move away for late
General Sani Abacha to come in.
So how will describe 16 years of uninterrupted
democracy in Nigeria?
The two major crises have been that of Niger
Delta and Boko Haram and late President Yar’adua
did well in his time, before Goodluck Jonathan
took over from him. It has been smooth in a way
because anybody can talk on issues without being
incarcerated even if such was against the
government in power. When Chief Obasanjo was
president in 1999, international community said
Nigeria’s corruption menace was in the
Presidency. When he was leaving at the end of his
two tenure, he did all he could to tackle
corruption, but he failed. So when you have
corruption in the Presidency, it affects all
Ministers, governors of States up to the local
government level. Now President Buhari is battling
with it. In Military administration there is nothing
like security vote which is not accounted for. This
security vote is what governors use anyhow
without accounting for it and last year when I
participated in National Conference, we took this
issue there and after deliberation on it, it was
recommended that there should be no security
vote anymore. You see some governors working
for 7 to 8 months and they will start looking for
loans. Well, Buhari is good. He gave them bail
out, left for me; I will not do that because it is
obvious that Nigerian governors are reckless with
public funds given to them. They derive joy in
owing workers salaries, no water, poor health and
lack of necessary infrastructure that makes their
people happy, yet, it does not bother them. So in
the last 55 years, it has been good and bad, but
will survive it.