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Tunde Bakare, serving overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly and convener of the Save Nigeria Group, speaks with Dike Onwuamaeze, principal staff writer, on the recent protest against the removal of fuel subsidy. Excerpts:

Newswatch: You said that the Save Nigeria Group will host a rally on Saturday, January 21, in Gani Fawehenmi Park in Ojota, Lagos State. Have you taken into account the consequences of the people clashing with the soldiers who are still occupying the park to prevent any protest from holding there?

Bakare: We expect the army to be out of Ojota Park by January 21. It is a freedom park created for the free expression of the mood of the Nigeria’s citizens. But if they occupy the place we are wise and peaceful enough not to go and clash with them, we will relocate and tell our people where the new location will be if they do not grant us permission to use that place on January 21.

Newswatch: How did you see the setting up of the Christopher Kolade Committee to oversee the investment of the proceeds that will accrue from the removal of oil subsidy?

Bakare: That is double wastage again. Why do you need a Kolade committee to look into the investment of the proceeds that will come from what you have not collected? Before Kolade will see it, you have already allocated N400 billion plus to federal government and N400 billion plus to the state governments, N200 billion plus to the local governments. You have also made allocations to the Federal Capital Territory and the rest to environmental pollution. You have already spent the money before you earn it. Why are the ministers responsible for budgetary allocation and execution of the policies of the government not doing their job? To create another body to do it is to show that you cannot trust your own ministries. So, fire them instead of creating a committee and let Kolade becomes a minister in your cabinet.

Newswatch: The federal government has declared its intention to investigate the beneficiaries of the fuel subsidy. How do you view this direction the government wants to pursue?

Bakare: It is a simple maxim of the law that you cannot be a judge and a jury in your own matter. The EFCC leadership is appointed by the President. And we have read over and over again how previous governments have used the EFCC to witch-hunt citizens of this country. He who pays the piper dictates the tune. What Nigeria needs at this time, and what the government should do, is not for Dieziani inviting EFCC to examine our own private acts. No! What Nigerians needs today is an independent commission of enquiry to conduct a public hearing? So, look around the whole country and choose men of integrity that are respected, both retired and servicing judges who are noted for their integrity, to constitute an independent commission of inquiry for a public hearing. The EFCC cannot solve our problem. Let the commission make its recommendations and based on that the President can now tell the attorney general or the EFCC to take those indicted to court. You do not need to be a judge in your own affair if justice is to be done.

Newswatch: One of the arguments of the proponents of the removal of fuel subsidy is that it will enable the government cope with the growing national debt?

Bakare: May be those who are advancing that are benefiting from the mess that is going on in Nigeria. Let us quickly do a reminder to this people that in the past four years of 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 the total amount spent on subsidy was N1.6 trillion, an average of N400 billion per year. How did it jump from N1.6 trillion for four years to N1.6 trillion for one year? In a year that the federal government budgeted N240 billion and now spent over N1.3 trillion unappropriated. That’s illegality. Where did the money go? Let us find out that first. Number two, let us find the excesses even in the proposed 2012 budgeted and cut them off. Let us back track and see how our legislatures have become “Legislooters” by voting money, which is an executive act, and re-adjusting the budget to accommodate their constituency allowances. Are they voted to the Senate and House of Representatives to become legislators or contractors? Are they not from the same constituencies that state governments and local governments are supposed to develop? Take away those excesses, like Justice Kayode Eso said, and you find out that the excess of the executives and legislative arm of the government of this bloated government is more than what they are crying about the subsidy. Why should Nigerians be punished for their excesses? That is the real question. Now let me tell you this: We are not against deregulation, but they should not tell a lie to Nigerian citizens that they are deregulating. There is no enabling legislation. The Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, has not been passed. What laws are they executing, that is one; two, is deregulating the same thing as fuel hike? All they have done is to increase the fuel price by over 100 percent. And now they have reduced that because the people protested. If we did not protest it would be continued. And they have now begun cosmetic changes here and there to tell Nigerians that it is now improving. And I challenge journalists and those of you in the news media to do this investigation thoroughly. We did our own calculation in what we called “Subsidy made simple” to show how they fritter away the resources of this nation. The same things he wants to spend the proceeds from subsidy removal on are the same things the PDP government has budgeted for in the past 12 years. What was the outcome of those budgetary allocations? In one year, over N800 billion was voted for road construction and other things when Anenih was the minister of works. But instead of building roads, they diverted that money to the third-term agenda of Obasanjo. All those men who squandered our wealth must be brought to book. Then we shall move forward. And that is when they have done their own home work and have adjusted the excesses in their government and curbed their profligacy and are no longer spending N300 million on cutleries.