The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday

  • Anambra polls, the Igbo and Nigeria

    Anambra polls, the Igbo and Nigeria

    IN the final analysis, the much dreaded ‘war of Armageddon’ that many people, perhaps rightly, thought last Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra state would be, turned out as an anticlimax of sorts. It was a peaceful affair for the most part. There is no doubt that the decision of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) to call off the one-week long sit at home directive throughout the South East that it had earlier ordered was critical to the relatively large turnout of voters even if those who chose to exercise their franchise were a measly approximately 253, 388 voters out of a total of about 2.5 million registered voters. Professor Chukuma Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 112,229 votes, Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had 53,807 votes , Mr  Andy Uba of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 43,285 votes to come third while Mr Ifeanyi Uba  of the Young Peoples Party recorded 21, 261 votes to come fourth. The electorates have spoken so clearly and unmistakably as regards their choice of Professor Chukuma Soludo to steer the ship of the state for the next four years after the formal expiration of the tenure of the incumbent, Mr Willie Obiano. It is thus inexplicable why some of the contestants, particularly Mr Uba of the APC, insist they were cheated and would seek recourse in the court of law.

    Of course, it is the right of any contestant who loses an election to seek legal redress if he feels cheated. But just as in the last governorship election in Edo State, at which Mr Godwin Obaseki was re-elected for his second term, the Anambra state governorship election was reasonably free and fair. The election was covered by major television networks in the country which beamed their searchlight on every aspect of the exercise and relayed the same to the public from the beginning to the end of the polls including the rescheduled elections in Ihiala Local Government Area which successfully took place on 9th November. The results of the polls from various polling units, once uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, were immediately available to the public through traditional and social media. There was little or no room for illegal maneuverings. Indeed, the results from several local governments were already with the members of the public long before the commencement of collation and announcement of results by INEC.

    Independent election observers, domestic and foreign, have also testified to the credibility of the process and the integrity of the results. Some analysts have interpreted Andy Uba’s stated readiness to challenge the results in court as an attempt to replicate in Anambra the Imo state scenario where, courtesy of the Supreme Court, a candidate who came fourth in the election, Senator Hope Uzodinma, is now the sitting governor of Imo State thanks to legal technicalities.  But then, the people of Anambra State have expended so much emotions and energy in this process to ensure the emergence of a candidate that is truly a product of the will of a majority of the electorate fairly and freely expressed. On live tv, I watched scores of people at various polling units, some of them old men and women of over 80 or 90 years, waiting for long hours in the sun to be accredited so they could vote. It is thus difficult to predict what would be the consequences if the candidate of their choice, Professor Soludo, has his election judicially overturned and another candidate foisted on them as governor.

    One thing that is sure is that such a development will further erode the credibility and integrity of the judiciary and also heighten the loss of trust and confidence in our political institutions by large numbers of the populace. If the candidate of the APC in going to court is convinced that APGA’s power of incumbency in Anambra was used to ensure Soludo’s victory, the truth is that as the candidate of the ruling party at the centre, he had a more potent and powerful federal incumbency at his disposal. After all, the electoral umpire and all the security agencies involved in ensuring that the polls were conducted without disrupting the law, order and peace of the state, are all under the control of the federal government. No matter how much the APC wanted its candidate to win, one of the strong points of President Muhammadu Buhari is his consistent refraining from interfering in the electoral process utilizing the immense resources and powers of his office to skew results in his party’s favor. Indeed, in his characteristic manner, the President has already congratulated Soludo on his victory and that is how it should be.

    Read Also: Soludo: Can he be the solution?

    Many observers had expressed the fear that if IPOB’s sit at home order had been in force and too many residents being too fearful to come out to vote, the polls could easily have been manipulated in favor of a candidate who would not necessarily be the preferred choice of the electorate. And the massive deployment of security men and women from diverse agencies to ensure law, order and peace during the election could have created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation making it difficult or impossible for aggrieved groups to protest any outcome not reflective of the genuine will of the electorate. Thankfully, one of the highlights of the election was the professional, decent and law abiding manner with which security agencies conducted themselves during the polls. The IG of Police, Mr Alkali Baba and other heads of the various security agencies involved in the Anambra election certainly deserve commendation for this sterling performance of their men on ground.

    When the Biometric Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) began to malfunction in a number of polling units, including that of Professor Soludo, where people willing to vote waited for hours without being accredited due to the malfunctioning machines, there was the apprehension in some quarters this was pre-planned to skew the election in favor of a particular candidate. Luckily, however, INEC got its act together and every willing voter was thus ultimately able to cast his or her vote. Surely, the INEC does not deserve to be crucified for this lapse. It was the first time the BVAS would be in use and it was thus part of a learning curve for the commission. It is thus of utmost importance that INEC and its technical team carefully study what went wrong with the system in Anambra with a view to learning the appropriate lessons and be well prepared for forthcoming elections in Ekiti and Osun states but even more importantly for the 2023 general elections.

    In raising questions as regards the credibility and integrity of the election, the spokesperson of the Senator Andy Uba Campaign Organization, Ambassador Jerry Ukigwe, contends that “it is inconceivable that our candidate, who polled over 200,000 votes in the APC primary election would be allocated slightly above 43,000 votes by INEC”. This is exactly why the transparency and integrity of intra-party contests are crucial to the success and viability of our electoral process as a whole. How did the APC in Anambra state arrive at the figure of 200,000 votes through which Andy Uba emerged as the party’s candidate in the intra-party contest? What percentage of these votes were real or fictional? It is during general elections like that of Anambra that the truism or falsity of the purported outcome of intra-party primaries are put to the test before the general electorate that transcends narrow party borders.

    On its part, the leadership of the APC continue to welcome into the party’s fold all manner of politicians irrespective of their ideological leaning or vacuousness and not minding the historical and political trajectory of those seeking membership of the party. Surely, it should have occurred to them that, given the antecedents of the Uba family in Anambra politics, it would be an uphill task for Andy Uba or his brother, Chris Uba, to win a governorship election in the state in a free and fair election. Perhaps the party will become more circumspect in its choice of who to admit into their fold and those they allow to contest elections on their platform taking into consideration such critical factors as ideological disposition, demonstrated moral integrity and character. This is in addition to the need to ensure that all those who fly the party’s flag in future elections are chosen through a process that genuinely reflects the acceptability to the general electorate.

    For Professor Soludo, the die is cast. He has now won the election to a position he had earnestly yearned for in the past without success. To whom much is given much is expected. Many of those who campaigned and voted for him, were no doubt motivated by his illustrious record as an academic, scholar, former Economic Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as former Central Bank of Nigeria governor. They expect this experience and expertise to translate into good governance of the highest standard, rapid infrastructure renewal, accelerated economic growth and enhanced prosperity for the vast majority of Anambra state residents. Surely, the distinguished professor has his task cut out for him.

    Given his antecedents, there are high hopes that Soludo can shine the light for his people to find the way to genuine development and progress.

  • What manner of AGA congress?

    What manner of AGA congress?

    LET’S tell ourselves the truth. The domestic game is comatose. Until we run the game in Nigeria as a business, it would remain prostrate. The organisers are inept. They are not prepared to quit the job. They blame everyone else but themselves as if the league is theirs to destroy. Sadly, the domestic game has an Annual General Assembly, whose members have been turned into rubber stamps to decisions that sweep under the carpet the rot in the game. Otherwise, what would the AGA members be telling themselves at the Congress when they meet in Lagos? Would they say to the congress that the large presence of government-owned clubs isn’t killing the league?

    Thirty-one years after the formation of professional football in Nigeria, nothing significant has happened. Rather, the ills of the past have become worse with the league plagued with all manner of theories in deciding which teams would win the season’s competitions outside of what happens on the pitch as in other climes? Would the Congress be happy that in the last five years the league hasn’t begun with pomp and ceremony reminiscent of what happens elsewhere? What would congress be celebrating if the league isn’t listed in the stock exchange, 31 years after?

    What would the AGA Congress members be telling others that the decision to name Davidson Owumi as the league Chief Executive Officer (CEO), one year ago, is still pending, with whispers suggesting that the decision was put in abeyance by someone who isn’t a club chairman as the rulebook stipulates and wasn’t even elected to represent the league? How can a lover of the game who isn’t a club chairman head the domestic league body? Would he know where the shoes pinches? Shouldn’t the AGA Congress correct this monumental flaw to set the game on the right footing? Does this flaw not explain the morbid state of the domestic game? Shouldn’t the congress members task the NFF and LMC on adherence to club licensing regulations?

    As the congress members converge on Lagos in December, there is the need for stocktaking to make the needed adjustments. A league without structures is unacceptable. Dear Congress members, it would require collective action from every stakeholder to turn things around for the better. This all-knowing disposition towards change by a few people won’t take us across the bridge of failure that the game has sunken into.

    There is the need to know how much the country’s football is worth. Therefore, the Congress members should compel the league organisers to draw up a plan that would capture inter-club and intra-club transfers highlighting the movement of our players within and outside the country. This would enhance accountability in the system and reduce if not eliminate corruption. It would also answer the poser of how much the country’s football is worth.

    The Congress members should also task the organisers to draw up a framework that would ensure that Nigeria’s soccer calendar aligns with the European leagues which begin from August and end in June/July. The import of this alignment is to woo the corporate players both here and in Europe to do sponsorship business with our clubs.

    The organisers should work out strategies where previous sponsors of sports and its events who have embraced the entertainment businesses return to take their rightful places. This can be achieved in collaboration with the government allowing the willing sponsors to know what they are entitled to if they leverage sports.

    This new arrangement with the corporate players both here and in Europe would help to build a strong, successful and sustainable football economy that can create jobs and increase the Country’s GDP.

    I want to agree with the sports minister’s comments at the National Assembly at the ministry’s budget defence where he said: “We all have to get involved and even get some legislation to back us up before we can begin to see changes. “The structure of our clubs needs to change if we want to see fans fill up the stands at our stadia to watch our domestic games. Most of our clubs are government-owned and professionalism is not a priority.

    Read Also: How Ondo APC conducted peaceful congresses

    “There are little or no facilities, the welfare package for players in most clubs is not encouraging, club licensing regulations are not enforced. All these things have kept our domestic football in the doldrums.

    “From 2022, we will ensure that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)who have oversight responsibilities over the League Management Company (LMC) is able to ensure stricter adherence to the club licensing regulations, even if we will end up having only six clubs meeting the standard, then have the games shown on television and on the NPFL.TV online platform so Nigerians can keep tabs with happenings around the clubs and games,” the Minister stated.

    It exists only in its name. Nothing to cheer for from the matches, except for the excruciating experience of the fans running through tear gas’ smoke to exit the stadium. Let’s not remind ourselves about the rickety ambulances in some centres which have to be pushed to start. Or is it the painful scenario where uninformed urchins take the laws into their hands by beating referees to a stupor? Would the club officials say they don’t know those beasts who pummel the officials with cudgels and all manner of objects with the host club’s managers standing aloof?

    What is there in a league where matches aren’t shown live leaving room for all kinds of aberrations to the game? Or is the video of watching visiting teams’ players jumping over the stadium’s walls to escape being lynched by angry home fans? What if one of these impromptu ‘high jumpers’ misjudge the height of the wall and slams his head on the concrete surroundings? Do those rampaging bastards care? What is paramount to them is to vent their spleen. Please don’t ask me where the match commissioners were during the fracas? Isn’t laughable that despite the diverse problems plaguing the league, whispers from certain quarters seem to suggest that the new season would begin on November 21.

    This has been the style. That way the problems are swept under the carpet pending when there would be sponsorships designed to fail on arrival. With time, the participating teams would raise the alarm of the non-payment of their entitlement amounting to N10 million per season hasn’t been paid since 2017.

    Soon, those who want the league to start at all costs would return to the cash-strapped LMC pleading that they should pay for the match officials’ indemnities, hotel accommodation, hospitality (body nobi wood), transportation, etc. This plea to pay referees opens the platform for desperate clubs to win all their home matches. Complaints from the visitors, when cheated, infuriates the home fans, who then take laws into their hands. Of course, the security architecture at match venues is porous largely because the clubs are reluctant to police the venue and would rather have their club’s roughneck take charge of the gates. In fact signs of likely riot at venues start from the gates, especially in the second round where beaten teams in the first round seek revenge no matter whose ox is gored.

    It explains the difficulty in prosecuting the culprits after such mayhems with organisers unperturbed about the weekly pummelling of referees across the country. Those mouthing the November 21 kickoff date should ensure that no team is indebted to any player, coach or official. This idea of players being owed holding defaulting clubs’ personnel in Gestapo manner smacks of kidnapping which shouldn’t be treated with kids gloves.

    The league should never begin without a credible television rights holder who would show matches at the terrestrial level not the bogey one where fans are compelled to watch the domestic league games on television after loading their phones with data. This is one of the reasons fans opt to watch European league matches by paying between N100 to N300 to watch more than three European matches at viewing centres.

    If the AGA Congress is serious, the league should not begin with these anomalies unresolved. Nigeria won’t cease to be a sovereign nation if the league doesn’t hold this season. Enough of the mess. Enough.

  • Expectations, performance, and the constitution

    Expectations, performance, and the constitution

    The constitution in any democratic dispensation shows the rules of engagement for elected officials and institutions  performing the various  duties of government in the execution of   governance . Constitutionalism   is the concept that  monitors how far  the  rules  of engagement  have been observed in the execution  of the various  duties  and responsibilities  of  government  by elected government officials  in all tiers of government . The  judiciary  interprets the laws inherent  in the constitution and mediates in disputes arising out  of the execution of the  constitution   by both  the state and its citizens  as  well as the institutions of  government  in the process of governance   . That     role  constitutes  what  is generally  referred to  as the rule  of law in   consonance with common  democratic parlance .  Governments  come, go or remain  in periodic elections ,  which  are  the litmus test of  performance in office and  the constitutional  way of rewarding   or  punishing  the use   and misuse of power   in governance  in clean elections , as opposed  to rigged ones . In  Nigeria  however rigged elections are  the mode rather  than the exception , although former US  president   Donald   Trump has dragged  the US into such fold with  his unending claim  that  the 2020 US presidential election he lost  ,was rigged .

    Constitutionalism , its  observance ,  the responsibilities  of  government in all  tiers of  government and the correct  blame  centres   for  performance or lack of it was the theme of a lecture at the prestigious Yoruba Tennis Club last  week . The lecturer was the former governor of Lagos state Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola , the current Minister of Works  and Housing . The  Chairman of the lecture was Dr Yomi  Finnih  ,the Secretary  of the Board of Trustees of the Club who stood in for Alhaji Femi Okunnu SAN  the Chairman of the club’s Board of Trustees .

    Ironically  the topic  of the lecture was ‘ What  can the President  do for me ‘ The  lecturer seized  the occasion  to highlight  misconceptions  on the roles and responsibilities  of government and shed light on the notion  that  the president is literally  responsible for every thing that government  does and is to be blamed for all incidents of the failure of government . He  quoted severally  from various articles of the constitution to show  the  appropriate instruments  of government  responsible  for various functions and duties of   government  in   governance  . In particular  he frowned at the misconception that the office of the Vice President is  without due  functions and quoted appropriate sections of the constitution to show that  the VP is not  a ‘spare  tyre’ as generally  misconceived .

    The  lecture was typically well  delivered  by a time tested  politician  but the expectation of the audience  on the topic  advertised , was certainly not met as the   published  topic was personal  in terms of      expectation   on what  the Nigerian president can do  for the individual Nigerian . Even  though the delivered  topic generated intense interest  , there was palpable frustration in the audience in the  way   the   lecturer literally  changed topic on delivery . Nothing showed that more than the observation of the Chairman of the occasion at the end that he had come with a wish list  to the  event on what he wanted the president  to  do  to  him . At  question time  issues of insecurity   and food security  were raised   and the lecturer attended to them brilliantly  but  there was no denying that the deviation from  the personal expectation   immersed in the advertised  topic of the of the day  ,  was an unexpected  surprise that caught many   if not most  people   definitely   off guard.

    At  question time  ,  at the start of which the   chaperon  stunned the audience with his rules of engagement  which     included  an admonition that government   officials  should not be insulted by potential   questioners  , which was quite adversarial  and threatening , especially to journalists   and the media at large,  I asked a question which  was ignored by the lecturer . I  asked if the potential for absolutism was not high in a political  system like Nigeria in which  one party controls both the executive and  the   legislature   and  quoted Shakespeare Julius Caesar where it was said that ‘ ambition should be made of  sterner stuff ‘   .  I  noted that  the lecturer is made of the sternest  stuff   and   I wanted  to know if his brilliant exposition on the constitution was not a prelude to   a major  participation in 2023  which  he mentioned  at the end of his lecture . The  lecturer simply  said that even the US  with  its presidential system or constitution is struggling to get concensus and the person of  the  US  President Joe  Biden is being attacked instead  of the issues at stake .

    Read Also: Akeredolu backs constitutional roles for traditional rulers

    I  however  feel  that many Nigerians feel  that  the government , especially the president  has the constitutional  power to protect them  and  keep  them safe from the pervading insecurity in the entire nation  for the simple reason that he was elected twice  for such expectation , which is certainly  not an extravagant  one . Nigerians expect  to  have electricity at  home and in their places of work . They  expect government to protect them against   marauders , Boko Haram , armed herdsmen -Fulani or aliens , rapists and those killing Nigerians and thus challenging the constitutional authority of the president  and the government of the day .

    Even in the US where consensus is   difficult  for now I  want  to use an example  I   read about  recently on a write  up  by the Mayor Elect of New York City Eric Adams a black  Democrat  and former police man .  Eric Adams  was  writing to  US law makers to bi partisanly    pass   a   trillion dollar     bill and that   has just   been   done  and the Biden Administration   is  happy  . Incidentally  the  new  Mayor elect  won against  all odds   because  the bill had been branded by Republicans as socialist ,  highly inflationary    and  is  a form  of power  grab to lure the electorate to keep  the Democrats in power for ever which  I don’t think is possible .

    The  new Mayor Elect noted  that America prospers when its cities are performing . This was a black  man  who won in a  city that  promotes the Black Lives Matter  slogan  as well as the Defund the Police movement and yet he won as a black democrat  and    ex – policeman  . He  cited the   social  and public benefits  inherent in the bill . They  include Child care provisions  to poor Americans to educate their children early in life . Next is what he called Resilience whereby Americans living in coastal  towns like New York  are given financial relief due to the ravages of floods , tornadoes and the impact of Climate Change . He  mentioned  Transportation  and    provisions   for  roads and  railways   that   enhance  interstate communications      making   commuting possible  to promote economic development . The  bill  he insists  make provisions  to protect Americans   against  the rising gun violence across America and funds for  housing to make houses available to Americans and  reduce  the menace of housing insecurity making   homelessness a rising  socio- economic  problem in the US .

    The  provisions  in that bill are  the sort of things  that the voters in  any  political system including Nigerians  ,  New  Yorkers and Americans  at large should  expect of their governments at all levels . For  now  the Biden Administration is being congratulated in getting  the bill passed because some Republicans  voted for the bill in  spite  of the fierce opposition of their party , which  is a rare  case of concensus   in   the present    fiercely  politically  divided America . In  a way it is similar to the bipartisan electronic voting bill  recently  passed  by the National Assembly and to be passed to the president .  Nigerians expect the president to sign it into law in the spirit of the lecture topic at YTC that said  ‘What  the President  do  for me’ . After  all   the buck stops on the president’s  table according to the Nigerian constitution . Once again- From the fury of this pandemic  , Good Lord Deliver Nigeria .

  • Anambra elections: Use of technology makes votes count

    Anambra elections: Use of technology makes votes count

    NIGERIA’S democracy since 1999 seems to have had so many challenges. It is not for nothing that many people continually refer to it as nascent. But that is a euphemistic way of giving politician a free pass. A democracy in any land is as good as the values the people try to imbue it with as a government of the people by the people and for the people.

    The Nigerian brand of democracy has not really been devoid of the teething problems given the human proclivity to abuse power of any sort, political, financial, physical and even spiritual. The electoral processes from the intra-party primaries, ward to general elections have seen many anomalies. Nigeria perhaps has one of the most litigious post-election cases in Africa if not the world.

    There has been voter apathy in almost all elections since 1999 because the people have observed many irregularities like violence and destruction of voting materials including the snatching of ballot boxes.  There have been records of deaths, arson and injuries during elections and these invariably have influenced the outcome of many elections.  Despite the mobilization and voter education by many institutions and civil society organizations, most voters often keep away from voting on election days because they ether fear that they might be victims of violence or that their votes might never count.

    Even though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had over the past 22 years tried to improve on the electoral processes through the introduction of technology, there are problems as the system often failed technologically or there were man-made problems aimed at disrupting the processes . Even the card reader system had had glitches when it mattered most and that had resulted in a resort to other unreliable methods subject to manipulations.

    If democracy is about the people being mandate givers, then it all means that the people must be allowed to speak though their votes freely and without any form of manipulations.  It is disturbing that when there is violence during elections, women, a huge part of the voting demographic are always the worse hit. In Nigeria, there have been records of deaths across genders, arson and other forms of violence before, during and after elections. This has in a great way tainted the democracy in the country.

    The Roundtable Conversation had a chat with Hon. Mary Enwongulu, a retired civil servant,  a former minority leader in the Nasarawa house of assembly  and a former Commissioner for Women Affairs in the  state who at one time was kidnapped in her state after she went to court to reclaim her mandate. She was again recently assaulted during the local election when she had her ballot paper snatched from her twice by some men at the polling booth.

    According to her, the system of elections that does not guarantee a level playing field for both genders must give room to a system that makes democracy more functional and viable. She feels that an improved electoral system would guarantee that the most popular candidates who the people love emerge. That to her is the beauty of democracy. As one who has been in politics for a long time, she feels that sometimes, the mundane considerations in Nigerian politics is given vent by those who can beat the electoral system that is largely not technology driven.

    Democracy being a people based government  must be improved technologically  so that Nigeria can join the global movement towards the reliability that technology guarantees. An improvement in electoral system would be of immense advantage to women and other male technocrats who can then be willing to enter the field and believe that the system would be free and fair.

    Hon. Enwongulu believes that the 35% affirmative action must go beyond giving women the leadership of their gender. Political parties and women themselves must work at some levels of parity while the electoral umpire can improve on the process. According to her, a good process will always have the best candidate wining in ways that the people would be happy that their votes are counted and would count. The people always know who they want during elections and the onus is on INEC to make sure they work for the people.

    The Anambra governorship election on November 6th surprisingly was inconclusive resulting in a supplementary election on Tuesday the 9th of November while the result was declared in the early hours of Wednesda the 10th.  Unusually delayed  as the election was, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was returned elected.

    Read Also: UPDATED: INEC issues Certificate of Return to Soludo as Anambra Governor-Elect

    It seemed the wait was well worth it because the election came with so many challenges including violence in the state in the last few months, and the attack on INEC office and the fear by  some adhoc staff who withdrew at the last minute scared for their safety. The election has been adjudged free and fair and there are reports that many of the candidates are satisfied and have equally conceded and congratulated the winner.

    The deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System  (BVAS) has been getting rave reviews across the country and beyond. The BVAS technology comprises the verification and authentication of the voters. This is an improvement on the card reader machine that was limited to only fingerprint identification. This BVAS technology includes facial recognition and authentication.

    “This system ensures that a person intending to vote shall be verified to be the same person on the Voter Register in accordance with Section 49 (2) of the Electoral act (As Amended) ”-INEC.  In these words lie the real value of INEC’s new technology. So this came as a breath of fresh air during the Anambra governorship election.  This at least ensured that only registered voters at each of the polling units were allowed to vote after being authenticated through fingerprint and facial recognition.

    Being accredited to vote was followed by the snapping of the polling unit level result sheets and uploading of same in real time to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. This made it virtually impossible for any type of manipulation during the elections just concluded.  There were glitches which even affected the governor-elect , Charles Soludo and some members of his community who of course waited patiently to vote late in the evening.

    INEC must be commended for carrying off this particular election successfully despite the fears nursed over months about the possibility of the election even holding at all. Given the pre-election volatility, INEC managed to score a pass mark for the transparency with which it handled the election.

    However, it was not all good news throughout all the polling units. There were still logistic problems like late arrival of materials and the non-availability of staff at the different polling units on time for the elections.  The technology seemed to have helped but the human angle was not perfectly handled. The tech glitches must be avoided in future elections. An Ihiala Local Government supplementary election was avoidable.

    The apparent voter apathy that was noticed is traceable to several factors beyond the control of INEC. However, the Roundtable believes that INEC ought to have done better voter education and mobilization given the history of elections in Nigeria. Most voters were not aware of the new technology that makes it almost impossible for elections to be rigged at polling units or for results to be altered. The electronic transmission of results was not well publicized to the public. Nigerians had experienced flawed elections and seem to have lost faith in the electoral system. Most believe that their votes will not count as had been the case in the past.

    The Roundtable Conversation spoke with some of the voters in Anambra and there was expression of joy by both the winners and the losers implying that no one felt cheated by any means. We believe that gradually, the people would begin to trust the system once again and the democratic processes would begin to attract more credible participants who had hitherto been scared of the type of electoral processes that often gave victory to the wrong candidates. The idea of calling political participation a dirty game stemmed from the flawed electoral processes that even affect  party primaries.

    If INEC can do more upgrades and voter enlightenment, Nigerian democracy would be the winner as the voice of the mandate givers would be heard in all nooks and crannies of the country. For INEC and the people, it is however not yet uhuru, there is still work to be done by everyone. INEC is merely an umpire, it needs the cooperation of other agencies and Nigerians in all sectors to succeed. Technology does not guarantee perfection. The human elements must do the ones they ought to do with a view to impacting positively on the system.

    The Roundtable Conversation believes that Nigeria is already late to the party in terms of conducting credible elections given its leadership position on the African continent. The new technology must continue to get an upgrade in ways that would guarantee every candidate a level playing field. This would encourage a more inclusive type of leadership evolution process where every capable candidate male or female, young or old can trust the transparency of the electoral process and be willing to participate fully. This is our only hope for real democracy and development.

     

    The dialogue continues…

  • Ayu and PDP’s future

    Ayu and PDP’s future

    UNDERSTANDABLY, many leading lights of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  are not only visibly relieved but exhibit a sense of triumphalism at the substantial success of the party’s last National Convention in Abuja. Following the party’s loss of power at the centre in 2015 after 16 years since 1999, the party’s image had been greatly tainted by perceived large scale corruption particularly under the Dr Goodluck Jonathan administration, the morale of its members ebbed significantly and the party sank into interminable crisis until the emergence of the prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) at its 2017 National Convention in Port Harcourt. Under the placid and rather uninspiring leadership of Secondus, however, the PDP was unable to take effective advantage of the wide gap between the soaring and seductive promises of change in 2015 by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its actual performance in six years. Furthermore, the opposition party continued to lose key members including sitting governors defecting to the ruling party.

    Apparently dissatisfied with his lack luster performance, and also because he was not obviously dancing to the tune of their dictates, those who influenced the emergence of Secondus as National Chairman, led by the tempestuous Rivers State governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, moved against the embattled outgoing Chairman. The ultimate result was the effective abridgment of the NWC’s tenure and the holding of the just concluded convention at which all but two of the nearly 30 positions at stake were filled through consensus arrangements. The party’s publicists project the perceived success of the consensus mode of picking most of the new party executives as indicative of a new found harmony within the PDP and its readiness to take on the APC in 2023 especially as the latter continues to grapple with crises emanating from its ward, local government and state congresses in several states.

    Is there any sound and justifiable basis for the optimism being expressed by many PDP leaders as regards the party’s capacity to dislodge the APC and return to power at the centre in 2023? It is difficult to answer the question in the affirmative. Should that even be their immediate and most pressing objective? I don’t think so. At the root of the organizational implosion that resulted in its loss of power in 2015 was an entrenched lack of internal democracy in the PDP and the virtual annexation of the party as no better than a parastatal under the control of the presidency starting with the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration and continuing under the Dr Goodluck Jonathan presidency. In both dispensations, the National Chairman and other members of the party’s executive were installed and removed at will at the pleasure of Aso Rock. The party was thus denuded of the necessary organizational vibrancy and vitality and was unable to function as a restraining and guiding influence on the government elected to power on its platform. The situation  was no different in the states where the governor was the supreme lord over the party in his domain. If this deficiency is not remedied, the PDP’s return to power will be of no enduring benefit either to the party or the nation.

    Ironically, the PDP had its roots in the G-34 group of leading politicians and statesmen who had later risen to challenge the General Sani Abacha dictatorship and demand a restoration of democratic governance. Its founding ethos and temper was thus essentially democratic.  Incidentally, the new PDP National Chairman, former Senate President, Professor Iyorchia Ayu, was a member of the Dr Alex Ekwueme-led G-34. The success of the retreating military hierarchy in hijacking the PDP using it as its vehicle to foist one of its own, General Olusegun Obasanjo on the country as President  in 1999 was key to diverting the party from its originating democratic trajectory. In his congratulatory message to him, a former governor of Plateau State, Mr Fidelis Tapgun, noted that the ascendancy of Ayu as National Chairman signified the return of the party to the ideals of its founding fathers, which were predicated on fairness, respect for party members and a commitment to the democratic principle in running its affairs.

    Tapgun lamented that “the democratic values which we all cherished  later degenerated and were replaced by godfatherism, imposition, high-handedness and all manner of undemocratic practices which is what obtains in the party today even presently”. He enthused that “with the emergence of the new National Chairman, who was one of the founding members of the PDP, I believe that he and his team will rescue the party and return Nigeria to its rightful place”. But does the emergence of the Ayu-led NWC necessarily signify a return to the PDP founding fathers’ ideals of intra-party democracy? I don’t think so. What has happened is that the hitherto dominant power bloc in the party led by its military wing has been replaced by a new hegemony of the PDP governors. But the governors are motivated not necessarily by a higher and more ennobling vision for the party or forging a coherent and elevating philosophy as well as ideology to guide it away from its catastrophic past into a new and more glorious future.

    Rather, the governors are impelled by a desire to seize total control of the party structures and positioning themselves to contest for elective office on its platform. Having successfully taken control of the national executive, they are reportedly now plotting to ensure that one of them emerges as the presidential candidate for the 2023 elections. However, despite the financial muscle the positions they occupy give them, it is doubtful if any of the names being touted among them has the stature, clout or network to make any meaningful impact in a presidential election particularly if the APC gets its act right. Besides, none of them in the governance of their states has demonstrated a level of accomplishment and performance that suggests they can offer impactful, transformational leadership as President of Nigeria.

    What is touted as a successful consensus formula at the convention through which Ayu and most of the other national officers emerged was, thus, nothing but a canonization of the will of the governors. Those who challenged the choice of the governors for the positions of Deputy National Chairman, North and South, respectively, were roundly trounced demonstrating the futility of any such effort. But then, this is where the emergence of Ayu as National Chairman may have been the most significant highlight of the convention. His pedigree as an accomplished and cerebral scholar is impeccable. As one of his former media aides, I can testify to his stubborn commitment to principles he believes in. As he rightly said in an Arise television interview before the convention, as Senate President in the aborted Third Republic, the highest elected public officer in that dispensation, he along with Senators Bola Tinubu and Jubril Martins Kuye among others, working with other party leaders, played key roles both in the victory of Chief MKO Abiola in the 1993 election as well as ensuring the failure of an embattled military President, Ibrahim Babangida, to get the National Assembly to legitimize the annulment of the election.

    Infuriated by his maneuverings in favor of the de-annulment of the election and affirmation of Abiola’s victory, anti-June 12 senators impeached Ayu from office despite a fierce but futile resistance put up by pro-June 12 senators led by Tinubu; a move that further worsened the already dented credibility of IBB’s transition programme. As Minister of Education in the first phase of the Abacha regime, in which he served along with other pro-June 12 progressives, Ayu refused to cede control of the ministry to his powerful Minister of State, the late Alhaji Wada Nas, despite the latter being well known as a close confidante of Abacha. Given his antecedents, it is unlikely that Ayu will submit himself with docility to be anybody’s foot mat or walking stick. If the new emperors of the party find it impossible to get him to submit to their whims and caprices, will they seek to give Ayu the Secondus treatment? That will surely spark a new round of debilitating intra-party crises.

    In his Arise television interview, Ayu had indicated that he would abide strictly by the provisions of the party constitution and democratic principles in running the affairs of the party along with his colleagues in the party leadership. On defections from the PDP to the ruling party, for instance, he was of the view that “Once we start promoting internal democracy in the party, those defections will stop. They can’t stop totally but they will be minimized and I believe that there are so many who left that will come back to PDP”. If Ayu succeeds in his stated mission of restoring internal democracy to the PDP, he would have helped in laying the foundation for repositioning and reclaiming the party as a great Nigerian institution both in its own best interest and that of Nigeria’s democratic development. However it goes, there are certainly interesting times ahead both for the PDP and its new Tiv helmsman from Gboko in Benue state.

  • These Eagles can’t sing Nigeria’s anthem

    These Eagles can’t sing Nigeria’s anthem

    GERNOT Rohr has turned the Super Eagles into a shopping centre. Every new list introduces several rookies under the guise of being Nigeria-born kids. Not many of these kids get to play for the country beyond wearing the Super Eagles jerseys and granting irrelevant interviews of how they have either met their parents’ dream or theirs. The few of them who get to play cameo roles in the Eagles aren’t good enough for the next assignment(s) or disappear like ice cream left under the scorching sun with nobody having the guts to ask the coach what informed his choices. How Rohr gets away with the frequent changes is alarming. What does it say to anyone that Rohr still has a 40-man provisional list for the Africa Nations Cup despite placing third in the last edition and playing at the Russia 2018 World Cup?

    It is apparent from Rohr’s list of players that there isn’t a system of vetting which means that there are no set rules for picking the players. In the past, we knew those who played for the Eagles from their weekly games for either Nigerian clubs or European clubs. No prize for guessing right that it is almost forbidden for Rohr and his employers to invite home-grown players into the Eagles. The flipside to this disturbing abnormality is the rationale behind having the league whose products are worthless. Is it not clear now why the domestic league hasn’t been able to attract corporate sponsorships?

    What would the league organisers be telling the corporate entities as the ROI when talents discovered are left high and dry by those who should be marketing the league? No wonder the executive governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike has opted to use the Real Madrid FC of Spain model in Port-Harcourt to show the way other football-crazy countries organise the game to attract several sponsors – not government funding which is the tag on almost 85 percent of our local teams.

    Governor Wike’s support for soccer is legendary such that Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt has players on its payroll who earn N1 million monthly. Wike also supports the state’s female soccer team, Rivers Angels. So, no one can accuse Wike of being Eurocentric, knowing him as a showstopper for excellence in the execution of projects which are dear to his hearts. Had Nigerian football administrators shown enough zeal to grow the domestic game, Wike would have provided the platform for them to excel. Without playing to the gallery or hypocritical, Wike abhors lazy people. He is a workaholic, who sees things for himself and doesn’t tolerate any form of mediocrity.

    I don’t support Real Madrid but I cherish what Wike is doing in Port-Harcourt because it would serve as the benchmark for those who would want to emulate what he is doing. The facilities that I have seen are world standard which is the basis for such projects. Equally instructive is the fact that kids can go to school while still playing the game. This way, the kids’ future is guaranteed. With time this Port Harcourt model would be copied and no European coach would insult our sensitivities by inviting between 24 to 30 foreign-based players for games against soccer minors in the African continent. Yet nobody in our football administration has learned from Wike’s mission to change the narrative or see anything wrong with this blatant waste of resources.

    Interestingly, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick told a team of players largely based in Nigeria shortly after a comprehensive 4-0 hammering by Mexico during a friendly in July this year that: “If you’re living in Nigeria, you’re going to a top club. Villarreal, Valencia, Lille, and all those proud footballing clubs and not to one mushroom club that you’re better off. I want to expose you, people, to the highest levels so when you’re going to a foreign club, and we won’t allow any agent to take you to countries like Cyprus, Belarus, etc., no, never we won’t allow it and I will make sure no transfer is issued on situations like that.”

    The quest to help Super Eagles players get better clubs didn’t start from that faithful day in July but it has happened in the past. Speaking during an event in Lagos on March 3, 2018, Pinnick said: “People are now talking about Oghenekaro Etebo’s exploits in Las Palmas in La Liga. I called him and told him to leave his former club where he was not a regular. Today, he is playing against Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and so on. Those are the players he will play against at the World Cup.”

    The new Super Eagles list has raised eyebrows in many quarters as ‘our dear’ Odion Ighalo returned to the team ahead of the in-form Taiwo Awoniyi. Rohr’s recent admittance that the Eagles are good enough for a semi-finals appearance at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations slated to hold in Cameroon, should tickle his employers to ask him to take a walk if he can’t aspire to win the trophy, given the abundance of talents in the country. The Eagles as it presently is, can’t be our best in Europe.

    Perhaps, if we had the culture of organising send forth ceremonial games for our retiring players, showing such carnivals at this time could prick Ighalo’s conscience to do a rethink. It isn’t the first time we are dragging players out of retirement but the effects of such ridiculous decisions have left the Super Eagles with bloodied nostrils, and the country paid dearly for it by failing woefully. Need I mention those players and what their return to the game caused our national team?

    The era where young boys in our leagues or schools such as Henry Nwosu, Tarila  Okoronwanta, the late Stephen Keshi, the late Thompson Usiyen, the late goalkeeper Wilfred Agbonivbare et al played for the Eagles in spite of being members of our cadet teams are to be termed the good old days. With the dearth of rookies at the grassroots arising from the lack of vision on the part of our league organisers, it won’t be long for the Golden Eaglets squad to be populated with Nigeria-born players who can’t even recite our national anthem. You need to watch how many Super Eagles players are unable to recite the country’s anthem before games are played. Will you blame them? No.

    The Azzurri of Italy was a delight to watch at the start of every match during Euro 2020. Not because of the high sense of fashion or gorgeous long hair of some of their players, their blue eyes, or the model personality of the manager Roberto Mancini. But the aggression at which they recite the national anthem – it’s with gusto and power. The Italian players line up before every match with their arms around each other and belt out the lyrics with passion and fire to sing the song. Opponents are already scared before the ball is kicked and it was no surprise that these Italian warriors won the European Championship.

    The catchy lines of the song also make it stand out from the rest. Italy’s national anthem is originally titled “Il Canto degli Italiani.” It means “The Song of the Italians”. However, it is also popularly known by its first line — ‘Fratelli d’Italia’, which translates to “Brothers of Italy.”

    Just before his national team debut in 2020, German-based defender, Kevin Akpoguma said during an Instagram chat with the Super Eagles official Twitter handle: “I will learn the national anthem. Firstly, I have to learn the new song I will sing for the players because every new player has to sing for the older players. But I will learn the national anthem for Friday.” Hopefully, he knows the lines now.

    Alex Iwobi was another one that openly confessed that he didn’t know the national anthem just before the 2018 World Cup. He said: “I know it but I don’t know it well. When they are recording, the camera comes on you I know what to say. For the Nigerian viewers, I do know it.” It’s three years after, hopefully, he is comfortably belting out the Nigerian anthem better than singing ‘God bless the Queen.’

    Let’s be serious here, singing the national anthem softly or aggressively doesn’t guarantee victories, but it shows that you understand the values of the colour you represent. Representing Nigeria means laying it all on the ground, even if it means leaving the stadium in a wheelchair. We want to see passion from our national team players. We want to see the type of tackle on opponents that would get fans cheering as loud as seeing a goal scored. Nigerians want players of the Super Eagles to be their warriors. To fight what is in front of them, not because it is his enemy but because he values what he protects behind him. So, if victory can come by singing fear into opponents – do it! Home games should be a fortress – not allow teams like the Central Africa Republic to steal a win without seeing blood mixed with sweat.

    In all, we can’t dissociate the recitation of the Nigerian national anthem from the anomalies that are being fuelled by Rohr’s inclusion of players from outside the country and who have little or no knowledge of the anthem nor urge to want to learn and master it.

  • Nation building, security and the elites

    Nation building, security and the elites

    Nigeria’s foremost statesman,  retired General Olusegun Obasanjo,  a two  time head of state gave  a lecture  on  October  29,  2021 at the premises of Nigeria’s premier social  club    the  Island Club   to mark the 78TH anniversary of the club  and Nigeria’s 61st Independence anniversary. The topic of the lecture was ‘Social Responsibility in Nation Building; the Role of the Island Club’. The former military and democratic leader of Nigeria was at his engaging, amiable and articulate best, showed great regard for his hosts and was   incredibly   believable when he quipped that any invitation from the Island Club to him is an order to show up. He gave the lecture in a form of bullet point presentation    and it was clear that a master of statecraft, who knows his onions on the topic of the day, was diligently at work and was in his element. Which   of course  was to be expected, except  for the  exceptional   humility  and candor on display  in this presentation  by a veteran of  the Nigerian  politics . A leader   who received  the surrender of secessionists  in a civil war  as  a  military   commander, when nation building collapsed   and  the security and territorial  integrity   of Nigeria  was tested in a civil war  as a result  of the failure of leadership and corruption of the Nigerian elites both politicians and civilians. And the lecturer  has been  one or the other,  at one time or the other and  is a unique  fusion   or amalgam  of   both and it was therefore  a  great  pleasure  hearing from  the horse’s  mouth on the topic of the lecture.

    The lecturer opined that nation building has no destination as what is made today can be undone tomorrow and is indeed   a perennial work in progress. He asked social and civil organisations like the Island Club to play a key role in nation building through advocacy, political participation and mobilization of Nigerians. He deplored the attitude of some of the elites who do not participate in politics because they say  politicians are thieves. He urged them to participate if only to stop the stealing. OBJ insisted that nations   are made and not born and no nation can be called that name unless it solves the problems of insecurity, political instability, injustice, inequity, and impunity. At   the end he advocated the establishment of state police to combat the pervasive insecurity in Nigeria and assure political stability.

    I asked him   a   question  at question time ,  handled by a former Chairman of the club  Chief Olu Falomo who  heckled    me  by asking me not to give another  lecture , even as the lecturer listened keenly tomy dilation towards my question .  My  question was how and when one can distinguish between theory and practice of nation building and the master statesman who has seen and experienced both, gave  a  good  answer that the theory has always been the same but the application has  always been the problem, an  answer   which  I found  quite  pragmatic, realistic and  mostly correct.  I told the lecturer that I would apply the acronym INFORM   which   he used in piloting his delivery in my column anytime I write on nation building. The acronym is made up with the words – Interrogate, Note, Focus, Organise Review, Mobilise. I  will  use this   acronym  today to look at the state of Nigerian  nation as at now as the lecturer has admitted that the problem is in the application of nation  building   and not in its theory which I believe is  embedded in the acronym -inform . I  will  try on a comparative  basis try  to see a match  in EU integration efforts which I see as  form of nation building of a mega nation  of Europe, as  opposed to the Nigerian nation which someone once described as a  mere geographic expression.

    Read Also: Osinbajo to political elites: Let’s tell our communities the truth

    The EU is  made up of 27  nation states struggling to integrate just  as Nigeria is trying to fuse its hundreds of ethnic  groups  into a nation of 36  states . Integration of components parts while not   a destination of integration of component parts into a whole, is also work in progress like the Nigeria leader calmly pointed out on nation building. Hence the acronym INFORM too should be applicable in solving EU nation building problems. Especially  on the issue of  sovereignty  and   the  superiority   or  not of the laws of member states and the authority of the EU Supreme Court which is being contested by Poland .The   rule of law   in Poland  is being contested by the EU Supreme Court while Poland insists it is a sovereign state and  not a colony of the EU and  it should not  be blackmailed on the rule of law as its law is superior  to that of   the EU in Poland.

    Going back to  the  issue   of nation building,  it  should be said   that  while  it is necessary  for social  clubs to be involved in political  participation, aggregation of interests and mobilization ,  the fact remains that politics is a game of  power,   money   and elitism and in Nigeria leaders or potential  leaders   without   money,  cannot   enter  the political   arena successfully. Poor leaders cannot interrogate the system, they cannot note or be noted, and they cannot focus on the product of any interrogation. It follows therefore that their potential for   organization and mobilization is virtually zero. Money  is the name  of the game of politics and its meal  ticket   in Nigeria  and those who don’t have it, cannot  participate successfully or mobilise  anyone even as elites in  their various  social  clubs .As  the lecturer admitted  insecurity , injustice   and inequity  cannot make nation building a success and those   are rife in Nigeria and there is not much the social clubs can do about it . It is not necessary to flog a dead  horse  here,  because  it is  like trying to close  the stable doors after the horses have bolted .  That indeed is the state of nation building in Nigeria and nobody knows that more than the   lecturer. He has said so   many times in the past and although he did not say it this time, Nigerians know that he knows.

    Anyway,  let me use this opportunity  to  congratulate, the Island  Club at 78 , Nigeria at 61 , the Chairman, Chief Kehinde Shitta, Vice Chairman and Owu High Chief Rotimi Martins, tireless Secretary Chief  Biodun Sowunmi and  the lecturer, who  indeed is the conscience of the Nigerian  nation  , on a good  outing .  From the fury of this pandemic Good Lord Deliver Nigeria.

     

  • PDP Convention: Governors, intriques and the fallacy of inclusive politics in Nigeria

    PDP Convention: Governors, intriques and the fallacy of inclusive politics in Nigeria

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the main opposition party in Nigeria recently organized its National Convention. The conventional political horse-trading was typically obvious. The governors who in the political landscape wield what some political analysts see as excessive power were not found wanting.  There was no delegation of duties to their deputies.  Ironically, other state events that require their presence often have them send their deputies or Secretary to the governments.

    As it were, everything was at stake. There was power-show, there were negotiations, influence-peddling, coercions and outright bullish attitudes. In politics they say there are no permanent enemies but permanent interests. The governors and the other leaders and members of the party pulled out all stops. The party leadership positions were zoned to different parts of the country. Individual zones came up with strategies for selection. While some had agreements for consensus candidates, others were open to contests.

    The disturbing news is that nothing seems to have changed for the women in the PDP. At the end of the convention, women were still confined to the office of ‘Women Leader’ and deputy. Professor Stella Attoe was a consensus candidate and was presented by the Cross River state PDP the post having been zoned to the South-South. Deputy Woman Leaders, Hajara Wanka was elected unopposed.

    So of the 21 seats filled at the convention, women got just two positions – that of Women Leader and the deputy positions.  The National Convention Organizing Committee was headed by governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa state.  It seemed like the leadership had pulled out all stops to get consensus candidates across regions. The North had chosen former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu as their consensus candidate for the Chairmanship position.

    Even though the women were disappointed at the tokenism they were handed, Hajia Inna Ciroma had contested for the deputy National Chairman (North). Reports had it that there was pressure on her by the men to step down but her fellow women who reportedly contributed money for her to purchase the required form insisted she must go ahead with the contest because democracy is not always about winning or losing . In every contest in a democracy, the beauty is the freedom to contest. She impressively got more than two hundred votes but lost to Umar Damagum.

    Another woman, Chibuogwu Benson- Oraelosi was to contest for the position of National Auditor but surprisingly stepped down last minute. Her action was a surprise to many. Many women felt she ought to have contested having come that far.  However, in a democracy, there is freedom of choice. She made her choice.

    The Roundtable Conversation spoke to some of the PDP women about the convention and its outcome as it concerns women and ur democracy. Some of them believe that because democracy is a game of numbers, the men still have the upper hand as they are more in number and with the levers of power firmly in their grips, the women seem to have very little chance at the moment.

    Sadly though, the PDP leadership seems to be foot-dragging about the 35% affirmative action. Ironically, there seems to be more female presence at the BOT level than the NWC level. Iyom Josephine Anenih, a foundation member of the party and a former Woman Leader and Minister of Women Affairs and a veteran gender rights advocate believes that even though the pace of inclusion is not as fast as the women wish, they have made great strides given the history of the party. To her women must continue to push and small wins will be big wins very soon.

    Iyom Anenih recalls that when PDP started off as a political party, there was no woman BOT member.  She actually started the advocacy for the inclusion of women. So the party started with one woman per zone and they all joined her as a founding member of the party bringing the number of women to seven. Subsequent amendments to the party constitution has seen an increase in the number of women and there is hope for progress but women must be steadfast and never waver no matter the pressure.

    The election of Prof. Stella Attoe as a Woman Leader seems like a moon coming full cycle. She had been an active party member for  decades. But given the age of the party, The Roundtable Conversation wonders why the tokenism for women persists in the political party.

    As always, the men came with ‘soothing’ words for the women in PDP at the convention. Governor Fintiri thanked his fellow governors and the leadership of the party, “…for the spirit of sportsmanship in the party and the governors for being handy at all times in matters of collective concern… I am particularly happy that the governors and the leadership of the party have met with the great women of PDP. We have collectively agreed on the best way to implement the provision of the 35% affirmative action as required by our constitution in the next convention. Besides the Women leader, the next constitutional amendment must clearly state the positions that would be reserved by way of statutory consensus to the women. This is to guarantee that the fight put forward by our women is not lost after all…”

    The governor sounded extremely triumphant and justifiably so. At the convention, men got 90.5% of the party positions and women got a paltry 9.5%! So the monopoly continues. If not to work for votes for men, we wonder if there would even be a Women Leader position?

    Read Also: Waziri hails PDP National Convention

    It is quite intriguing to the Roundtable Conversation that the PDP was not considering the intellectual and social contributions of women. The Leader of the Convention Organizing Committee, a governor of state in his speech  sees whatever constitutional amendment they intend to make just merely because the women in PDP have been fighting for it! This idea of what gender parity means to our male politicians must be thoroughly interrogated by Nigerians.

    It is sad that in the last 22 years, the party that came in to break the military interruptions of our democracy since independence is still not very willing to understand that leadership is a shared  responsibility and capacity and merit rather than gender must define our democracy. While we want to believe that we are practicing democracy, intra party democracy is a forerunner to all other democratic processes.

    The convention has come and gone and we have seen again, the power and influence of the governors even though we believe that with little or no ideological divides across all political parties big and small, this gender exclusion is surreptitiously achieved across party lines. Today it is a convention, tomorrow it would be party primaries. The records of what women suffered across parties at state and ward congresses are stil staring us in the face.

    The Roundtable conversation worries that the mentality of Nigerian male politicians as regards leadership and our democracy seem not to be giving any room for progress in the 21st century with women proving their worth in all fields; the academia, corporate bodies, financial sector, civil service, global institutions, entrepreneurship etc. The Nigerian political doors are still being shut on the face of women. Men still assume that allowing true democracy and level playing field is a favour to women and so they attach dates and percentages.

    Being the poverty capital of the world must show us something very profound about the role women are prevented from playing by men whose patriarchal inclinations seems not ready to wane any time soon. Sad thing however is that the same women being stylishly excluded from governance and leadership positions are home managers and the same men depend on them but are considered not good enough to provide leadership. Women are always the greater victims of poverty, insecurity and other social ills of bad governance.

    The men in PDP may have a wry sense of victory at the convention but the world has moved on from the entitlement mentality of Nigerian men. Some of the best economies in Europe and Asia are led by women. Their GDP and general stand in world economies do not come as surprises. Nigerian political parties must begin to adopt more progressive democratic values and allow the political space blossom with our best irrespective of gender.

    On the other hand, there are female politicians that are not working very hard for gender inclusion. Unfortunately, they keep empowering the men to the disadvantage of development. They must be reminded that they found spaces in the political fields because some other women either dead of still living created the ladder they climbed with their hardwork and sacrifices for their today.

    Time, said Euripides is a babbler that speaks even when not asked. Each individual’s actions and inactions are documented by history for posterity. As in all liberation struggles of all hues in global history, actions and inactions of individuals form their epitaph whether living or dead.  Democracy can only grow when all players in the political field through their actions show vision and passion for development. Individual ego trips and influence peddling has never lifted any player to the hall of fame.

    While the PDP procrastinates about their seemingly elusive Constitutional amendment, the Roundtable Conversation assumes that the APC and the plethora of other political parties would take the road less travelled. There might not be an immediate equity but changes can be made in areas not legally bound to upturn the system.

    The political parties must realize that developments in global technology and politics have changed the way economies operate. Leadership is key and not gender sensitive and everyone becomes a casualty of a male dominated system. Nigeria is a good case study.

     

    • The dialogue continues…
  • Issues in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors

    Issues in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors

    ALTHOUGH the central thrust of his characteristically seminal 1975 essay, ‘Africa and Cultural Dependency: The Case of the African University’ is that decisively breaking the intellectual, academic and pedagogical dependency of African universities, including the decolonization of the language as well as content of instruction, is a necessary condition for Africa’s transcendence of underdevelopment, some of the late Professor Ali Mazrui’s assertions on the African university seem to me inapplicable to the situation of universities in Nigeria. For example, he is of the view that “An institution can itself be dependent without necessarily spreading dependency over the wider society. But the university in Africa itself is not only sick; it is also a source of wider infection and societal contagion”. It would appear to me that the corruption of the university idea in Nigeria and much of the ills that plague these institutions in the country are a function of their vulnerability to the problems posed by the culturally and ethnically plural composition of the polity but also the lack of vision and amoral disposition of Nigeria’s political and leadership elite.

    Nothing reflects this negative influence of the larger society on Nigerian universities than the all consuming and often intemperate contestation for powerful positions in the university bureaucracy particularly the office of the Vice-Chancellor; a competition that is often difficult to distinguish from the cut throat contests for power characteristic of the larger polity.

    The challenges of selecting vice-chancellors for public universities were, most recently, illustrated by the contentious and protracted processes that resulted in the picking of the new Vice-Chancellors of the University of Ibadan (UI) and the Lagos State University (LASU) respectively. In the former, no less than 16 contestants were reportedly interested in succeeding the former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka, whose five-year tenure ended on Monday, November 30, 2020. For nearly a year the process was stalled. There were allegations that Professor Olayinka was manipulating his succession plan to favor the emergence of an ‘annointed’ candidate of his choice. The former Governing Council led by Nde Joshua Waklel Mutka was also not believed by many of the aspirants and other stakeholders to be disinterested arbiters in the process.

    So contentious and rancorous did the process become that no less than ten aspirants to the office declined to participate in a town hall meeting tagged ‘Community Forum’ with the theme ‘Next UI VC- Who is Next’ citing lack of confidence in the integrity of the nomination process, which they considered rigged. Beyond, stakeholders who had a participatory role in the selection process, a group of elders of Ibadan origin took a public stance that the next vice-chancellor of the institution must be an Ibadan indigene since no ‘son of the soil’ had ever occupied the office. This was of course a strange demand for an institution of Ibadan’s status with over 400 professors, most of them with outstanding experience and ability from different parts of the country. It did not occur to the Ibadan elders that the University of Ibadan as a global institution cannot be mistaken for a University of Ibadan indigenes. If the institution is to maintain and constantly improve on its international status, it must be seen to adhere to the best global standards in recruiting its staff, admitting its students and selecting its leadership at all levels particularly the vice-chancellor.

    Choosing not to be indifferent to the various petitions that flooded his Ministry on the perceived flawed nomination process, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, in November 2020, directed the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abdulrasheed Abubakar, to call for a fresh selection process while also announcing the withdrawal of the ministry’s representatives from the governing council of the university.

    Under the leadership of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, an alumnus of UI,  who was appointed Chairman of a newly constituted governing council following the expiration of the tenure of the previous council, a new substantive Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, was appointed for UI on October 14, 2021. With the emergence of the new VC all the tension and rancor has, to all intents and purposes, died down and UI is settling down to its normal routine of activities. Incidentally, the pattern of LASU’s vice-chancellorship appointment crisis was not fundamentally different from that of UI.   Just like UI, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Professor Olanrewaju Fagboun (SAN) and the former Chairman of the institution’s governing council, Professor Adebayo Ninalowo, were accused by stakeholders of not being disinterested parties and of manipulating the process to achieve a pre-determined outcome. As a result of petitions on the alleged flawed character of the selection process, the Visitor to the school, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, rejected the recommendations of the governing council on two occasions. Similarly, just like UI, a clamorous group of Lagos indigenes was vehemently agitating that a Lagos indigene should be appointed to the position while seemingly discounting the more critical criteria of academic and administrative experience and merit for an academic institution with global status aspirations.

    On the second occasion after rejecting the governing council’s decision, governor Sanwo-Olu set up a high-powered visitation panel to look into issues of appointments and other issues at the institution. The caliber of the panel’s members no doubt put the process of nominating a new vice-chancellor for LASU back on course. Its Chairman was the Pro-Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Professor Bamitale Omole while its other members were a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Joseph Ajienka; highly regarded political scientist and columnist, Professor  Ayo Olukotun; former Registrar of the University of Ibadan, Mr. Olujimi Olukoya; former Lagos State Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN) and a senior official in the office of the Special Adviser, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Funmilola Olajide as Secretary.

    The panel recommended the dissolution of the governing council, the reconstitution of a new one and the recommencement of the process of appointing a substantive vice-chancellor for the institution. Meanwhile, again just like UI, Professor Oyedamola Oke was elected by the Senate of LASU as Acting vice-chancellor during the transition process. At the conclusion of the fresh exercise, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello emerged as the new Vice-Chancellor through a far less contentious and more credible process. Incidentally, both Professors Kayode Adebowale and Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello are star scholars in their fields of expertise and have rich experience in different facets of university administration.

    Professor Adebowale obtained his B.Sc in Chemistry from UI in 1984, his M.Sc in Industrial Chemistry in 1986 and his PhD in 1991. He commenced his academic career at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in 1991 and was appointed as a Senior Lecturer at UI in 1999. He rose through the ranks and became a professor in 2006. He acquired post-doctoral experience in Germany and Italy. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK); African Academy of Science, (Kenya); and Alexander Von Humbolat (Germany). Before his appointment as Vice-Chancellor, he had served as Dean, Faculty of Science, UI (2009-2011); Director, Special Duties, Office of the Vice Chancellor (2015-2017); and two-term Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, from 2018 till his current appointment. He attended the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 39 at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in 2017.

    On her part, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, bagged a B.Sc in Physiology from UI in 1985 and obtained an M.Sc in Physiology from the University of Lagos in 1987. She attended a six-month research training at the University of Texas  Health Science Center at San Antonio in the US in 1994 and followed with a PhD in Physiology from the University of Lagos in 1998. She obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from LASU in 2018. She is a Fellow of the Physiological Society (UK); Fellow of the Physiological Society of Nigeria and the Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Mitigation. She rose through the ranks to become Associate Professor of   Physiology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba between 1988 and 2007. She assumed office as the first Professor of Physiology at the Lagos State University  College of Medicine (LASUCOM) in October, 2017 and first substantive Head of Department of Physiology, LASUCOM. She had hitherto served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (2008-2010); Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, (2011-2013); Acting Vuce-Chancellor (July – December, 2010, January-October, 2011). She was the Pioneer Director of the LASU Directorate of Advancement in 2016 and served on the LASU governing council from 2004 to 2008. In 2012, she attended course 34 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS ).

    Some pertinent lessons can be learnt from the protracted selection process for the vice-chancellorship of the two institutions. First, the incumbent vice-chancellor must adopt a disinterested stance and adhere strictly to stipulated rules and regulations in the appointment of his successor. Second, the moral integrity and caliber of the leadership and membership of the governing council of universities is critical to the credibility and general acceptability of the selection process. Third, the generality of the membership of Senate must resist materialistic inducement or emotional considerations in participating in the selection process and adhere to the highest standards to ensure the emergence of the best candidates in the interest of their institutions. Fourth, insular clannish and ethnic considerations must be resolutely resisted in the appointment of the leadership of universities if they are to be globally competitive. Fifth, visitors to universities must be impartial and credible arbiters when the selection process is engulfed by crisis.

  • Climate change, now and later

    Climate change, now and later

    I look  today  at the impact   and prospect  of  climate  change and the accepted global objective of replacing fossil fuel with clean energy  by 2050  and halving it by 2030.  I look back  at the oil  embargo  in the late sixties when Arab  oil producing  nations fought the western  nations and starved them of oil thereby prompting the urgent  search  by the US and  EU nations   for sources of energy,  independent of supplies from hostile  nations and enemies. I want to examine  Nigeria’s mono product oil  economy in that light  and compare  that with the lamentation of the EU this week, that the EU  nations  import  90%  of their gas needs and most  of that  is from Russia, their  well known and avowed enemy. What  I intend  to do is try and separate  the wood from the chaff in making  the case, any  case, for  climate change to see that it is genuinely clear and desirable  and not an  attempt at strategic survival of the advanced  nations of the world, mischievously based and pursued on the altar of science and global  warming.

    At first, let us look at the national interests of oil producing nations like Nigeria where oil is the main source of income and   nations like the US and Russia which   both have oil and huge reserves.  But the US for now is ready  to kill its oil  industry   in  favour of  clean  energy  and Russia which  has its European  enemies  by the balls  because  it  has oil and could freeze the EU  nations like the Arab embargo  did  earlier. This is because the EU nations   have failed woefully to realize that in terms of getting regular gas supplies from Russia they have not planned for the meaning of the old saying that those who live in glass houses just do not throw stones.

    Let us go back to Nigeria, the cost, and impact of climate change now and in the future. The clean energy drive is bad news for Nigeria. This is because oil is our main source of income and once that is eclipsed by 2050 Nigeria is done for. But this is not case of Arithmetic alone or oil sales and revenue. Recently  the US which is strangulating its oil industry  asked OPEC  to increase  oil  supply  because  of high energy  prices especially of gasoline soaring in the US. So  in a case of unintended  consequences the US oil  shortages may  inadvertently  raise  the price  of oil   and thus increase  Nigeria’s  oil  revenue.  The truth is that Nigeria and Nigerians must survive between now,   2030 and 2050 and Nigeria cannot afford to kill its oil industry like the US in the pursuit of clean energy. At least under the Buhari regime we have a leader who understands the oil industry having been oil minister in both the military and democratic political development of Nigeria. What  is important is that Nigeria  should   diversify  and  develop its solid  minerals  base and make  a huge effort in getting food security with  whatever it can raise between  now and  the time that fossil  fuels  will  be a thing of the past in terms  of energy . Nigeria is not alone in terms of such prospects. Nations like China , India and even some EU nations  are not ready to close their coal  mines as we  did along time ago,  not because of global warming  but    because we discovered oil,  which  has now become  a curse  because we squandered  its  huge  proceeds and our people now live in penury and fear for their  lives and property on a daily  basis.  For  now we must  take urgent steps to lift our people out of poverty for the simple reason  that  life has no duplicate and Nigerians  must  exist and survive  now, in the present, regardless  of  how the climate  gets warm   in the  future  or thereafter.

    Let   us   now look at the strategies or attitudes of the EU nations to the goals of achieving clean energy by 2050. It  is apparent they  have not put their house in order or they will  not be relying on their enemy  to give them gas  to warm themselves in their homes especially during winter.  They have always accused Russia of having no regard for human and gay rights. They are always using the threat of economic   sanctions to bully   a nation like Russia that have a controlled but stable democracy. Now they look up to Russia for gas for their vehicles and their homes and if these are not forthcoming there would be political and economic tension and hardships. Recently Russian President Vladmir Putin in reaction to accusation that Russia was hording gas simply said EU nations that needed gas have to ask for it first. That is a clear sign of things to come in terms of Russian gas supplies to Europe.  It  may seem unthinkable  now ,  but it may  not be long  before Russia  muscles the EU nations by stopping  gas supplies to those nations that criticize its human  rights and antigay rights  policies . Like climate change and the prospects of global warming, that too will be a sign of what reality is at present but also a potent sign of things to come.

    We round up with the US and the U turn on climate change from the Trump presidency to the Biden Administration. It is an amazing change indeed. One of the first state visit in the Trump era was to Saudi Arabia to sign huge oil contracts with the Saudis for US oil companies.  Now  under Biden oil contracts are  being cancelled in preparation for  clean  energy and American oil  companies face  the dire prospects of folding up while   domestic  gasoline prices are rising  and  there is huge   shortage  of oil  products. Surely Biden believes in looking   after the future notwithstanding the sufferings of those who elected him as president. Biden is presiding over the liquidation of the oil industry at home while his NATO military allies   are dependent on gas from Russia with which the US is competing with China to be the most powerful nation in the world.  Sooner than later, if only on climate change and the US  led scramble  for  clean  energy as quickly as possible,  regardless of the opportunity costs at  present  to a suffering world, the  US will  soon discover it has shot  itself in the leg  in  its quest  to lead the world  and its adversaries  have taken  over the leadership of the world even  before the 2050 clean energy  dateline it is pursuing. Once again From the fury of this pandemic Good Lord Deliver Nigeria.