Hon. Rambi Ayala PDP, Chairman House Committee on Judiciary, represents Billiri East in Gombe House of Assembly. He tells Chima Azubuike, how the recently passed law is not in the best interest of Gombe people.
What do you have against the recently passed law, you were quoted as saying the bill is anti democratic and anti people? I have stated the position of my constituents in the strongest terms possible and I still stand by it. We run a democratic system of governance and a representative system as it’s central theme. The bill goes contrary to section seven of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Are there stumbling blocks you forsee in the implementation of this law?
Absolutely, I see a lot of huddles down the road, since the Bill as they say presupposes that it is voluntary for willing Local Government Councils to participate, should any or more decide not to participate what happens? Again, don’t foreclose the possibility of people who want to test the validity of the legislation in court.
How independent is Gombe State House of Assembly, why was the public hearing held on a day considered as half day and why was it hastily passed amidst discordant tunes?
Not only Gombe State House of Assembly, it is my view that State Houses of Assemblies as it is presently constituted leaves much to be desired in terms of their independence hence the concerted effort to grant it financial autonomy. Public hearing could be held on any set day, that is not a problem, but whether what was done could pass for a public hearing is a different thing all together. The Bill was passed because in the opinion of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftency Affairs it report was ready.
Campaigners of this law have said membership is not compulsory but voluntary, why are certain people not satisfied with that ?
When you have the local government as it is presently constituted, it is a given that he who picks the helmsmen for the Councils will dictate the tune, again I must add, this is not just peculiar to Gombe State, unless and until we get to the point when the Local government gets it own true autonomy, the idea of it being a willing entity in the operation of such law remains an academic exercise.
As a co-chairman of the Committee that worked on the bill and as a representative of Billiri East constituency, what is the next step? I have played my part by ventilating the position of my people in their complete rejection of the Bill, but as you know I am one out of 24, the next step is up to the people I represent whether or not they may wish to go into such contractual engagement that is said to be “Willfully” or want to test the validity or otherwise of the legislation in court.
Observers have said the agitation against the passing of the law is primarily about few elite of Southern Gombe, that People of Northern Gombe are in support how true is that? Is that an opinion poll which you generated as a journalist? That is completely baseless and untrue, President Muhammadu Buhari is not from Southern Gombe and he I can tell you for free that he will never be in support of a Bill that seeks to suffocate the Local Government, I have my colleague from Dukku, the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary who also strongly opposed the Bill and many other people across the State. In any case, if the intention of government is noble on this matter, time will tell and I wish the government well. I am sure that if Mr. President sees this report, he will be so sad to hear that after his efforts, this is what is we are having in Gombe State House of Assembly. I have interacted with my colleagues and a good number of them are not in support of the bill but they are afraid to take a stand.