The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Probe Kogi flood relief fund

    When last year flood ravaged some states in the country, many Nigerians lost their lives and properties worth billion of naira, things are no longer the same for this unfortunate Nigerians.

    The federal government and some notable individuals donated fund for the relief of those affected by this incident, hence to bring succour and mitigate whatever they might have lost during the flood.

    Recently the Taraba State government had to sack some top government officials due to their unwholesome acts as regard the fund for the victims of this flood in their state.

    The Taraba State House Assembly did right by constituting such committee to unravel what happen to the fund made available to the victims of the flood in their state which led to discovery of such mismanagement of the fund.

    I would like to call on Kogi State House of Assembly to constitute such probe to know exactly who benefitted from the relief fund for flood victims in the state.

    The state happens to be one the worst affected states that was ravaged by the flood and the federal government categorised the state as A in the position of those to receive high amount of fund.

    It’s well known fact that many people whose houses were damaged were given some token to compensate for the damage to their household. Many sons of the states donated millions of naira and relief materials including an industrialist Dr Aliko Dangote whose donation was the highest in the country.

    Although the state government said is planning to build houses for the flood victims, whose houses were damaged, what is required is for the house of assembly to investigate the distribution of the relief fund, who gets what and who benefits from such distribution, including the relief materials that find its way to open market.

    Kogi House of Assembly would be living up to its responsibility to its electorate if it could set up such committee to bring to public knowledge. It’s an irony seen some states who did not suffer much like Kogi State been shown through various media been distributed with this relief materials.

    We hope this probe would go a long way to have firsthand knowledge of what happened to relief fund for the flood and bring to book all those who mismanaged any fund meant for the benefit of those who suffered untold hardship during the last flood.

    Bala Nayashi,

    Lokoja, Kogi State

  • Sule Lamido: The issues and the realities

    Aso Rock seems to have again opened up another controversy because of struggle for who to occupy the seat come 2015. Politics, they say, is indeed, unpredictable. That is why those who analyse it would warn that, nobody should come to any conclusion until the last word has been spoken or action has been taken on any political development. Alhaji Sule Lamido, the Jigawa State Governor, is one of the unique, indisputable, experience and expert politicians in the present day Nigeria.

    To be candid, I may not be erroneous if I say Lamido is the most successful of all governors that held sway in Jigawa State since the creation of the state in 1991. Lamido possesses all the experience, qualities, exposure, maturity and credibility to hold any political office in the land.

    In various interviews granted by Lamido, he did not at all for once deviate from his word (stand) on Jonathan’s candidacy. In Daily Trust of Thursday, December 23, 2010 page 4. Lamido was quoted as saying “Yes, we resolved as a party to uphold our victory of 2007 by further supporting the Goodluck ticket in 2011. he is our own and we can’t disown him, if anyone feels he has a candidate, let it be, but we in PDP, our own is Goodluck “. It was published in Sunday Tribune of 30 January, 2011 with caption on the front page “Nigeria should break up… over Jonathan” In page 5 Lamido was branded by northerners as anti-north and the one who doesn’t like Muslim and Islam, that he has gone astray all because of Jonathan.

    Another issue that was allied to Lamido was the allegation that, he wanted to leave the party. This accusation of Lamido leaving PDP is something anyone can ignore, this is because, he is one of the founding fathers of the party also for, his contributions and stand on the party, one can disapprove the insinuation . In an interview he granted with People Daily of Saturday 27-Sunday 28, November 2010 page 15, Lamido stated it clearly. He was asked about G3 counterweight to both the Chiroma’s group and the Jonathan team? “I do not know what you refer to as a G3, it is your coinage. Ours is a union of friends, brothers and people who believe in PDP……….. Therefore, we are very much concerned for the wellbeing of our party.”

    On the issues of love for the unity of Nigeria, he also stated in many occasions, one of such is the interview during Barewa old Boys (BOB) which was published in Sunday Trust of February 20, 2008 page 59. “As a foreign minister, I have dined, but not wined, with the high and mighty all over the world. There is nothing I have not seen, so I can say I am now a fully mature person. I will keep on working for Nigeria to become efficient and great. This is the kind of culture we imbibed at Barewa College, and I am not going to depart from it.”

    At this juncture, I appeal to everyone to give Lamido a breathing space. Please let him be. Sule Lamido has made a lot of sacrifices for this country, Nigeria. His contributions have re-united and re-awakened Nigeria. I must conclude with Nelson Mandela words: “There is nothing which makes people more appreciative of a government than that it should be able to deliver services.” He also said, “ The important thing is to give happiness to people.” In his speech at Dublin Castle, Republic of Ireland, the U.S President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963), once said: “Democracy is a difficult kind of government. It requires the highest qualities of self-discipline, restraint, a willingness to make commitments and sacrifices for the general interest, and it also requires knowledge.” May God guide our leaders right and bless Jigawa and Nigeria as a whole.

    Adam Muhd Usman

    Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa State

    amu3333@yahoo.com

  • Omisore’s farcical election petition

    SIR: The Yoruba people have a saying that when an elephant dies, knives of varied hues and shapes are bound to show up, ready to slice off a huge chunk of flesh from the beefy creature. In Osun, the proverbial elephant is falling and we are beginning to witness the emergence of different types of knives. The metaphoric elephant I speak of is the 2014 gubernatorial election and the knives showing up are the aspirants from the different political parties.

    One of the politicians who have indicated interest in occupying the Oke-Fia Government House is Senator Iyiola Omisore of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). But what I find very displeasing about this Ile-Ife politician is his infernal capacity to reel out outright disinformation. The ever-present possibility of his bilious untruths being revealed doesn’t even daunt him. In recent interviews he granted to some newspapers, he maintained very gravely that he didn’t lose the National Assembly election conducted in 2011. Everywhere he goes, he continues to assault his audience with the falsity that he was the winner of the Osun East senatorial seat. To further misinform the unsuspecting members of the public, he adds injurious icing to his cake of falsehood by claiming that a suit challenging the result of that election is already before a court.

    Yet, when the claims of the former chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation are flicked through on the screen of irrefutable fact, their true nature as deception aimed to hoodwink comes clear. From all available evidence known to the people of the Senatorial District and beyond, Omisore won only in the polling booth where he cast his vote. So unwanted was he that voters in his ward, local government area and Ile-Ife voted against him. If there is one fact that this so-called powerful politician finds hard to accept, it is that he clearly lost that election. It is a ringing defeat that further reveals till date that he is no more than a politician whose influence and popularity weigh the same as a waver biscuit. And it is in the nature of such diluted politicians to concoct dessert of misrepresentation in order to paint a different picture.

    But the implication of the result of the 2011 election is that Senator Omisore cannot even be a councillor, with all the vaunting and false air he puts up.

    What is more, Omisore doesn’t have any pending case arising from that 2011 National Assembly election. The case in court has to do with the status of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun, Oluwatoyin Akeju. Osun PDP alleged he was a card-carrying member of ACN. They went to court then. The court ruled that INEC should stop recognising Akeju as its REC and ordered his replacement before that election. But INEC appealed the verdict and Akeju stayed. After the election PDP went to court again, this time asking for the invalidation of the election. Till today the two cases are still at the Appeal Court. But Omisore is no party to neither of them! He has no election petition before any tribunal.

    Assaulting the people of Osun with doctored tale as against what the truth is will not improve the electoral fortune of Omisore. He should stop defacing the pages of newspapers with misinformation.

    • Adekunle Oyelade,

    Ile-Ife, Osun State

  • Tribute to Madam Eunice Fajuyi

    SIR: It was in 2009 while on my way from the funeral ceremony of the late Major-General James Oluleye (rtd) in Efon-Alaaye that out of curiosity, I chose to visit the home of the late Col. Adekunle Fajuyi. I had met the legendary retired Major-General Oluleye in the twilight of his life in Lagos in the course of academic research. The old man received me warmly and after an hour of chit-chat, he gave me a copy of his autobiography Architecturing A Destiny. It was my wish to honour him in death that propelled my journey to Efon-Alaaye in Ekiti State.

    I left Efon for Ado-Ekiti immediately Oluleye was committed to mother-earth. An Okada man was kind enough to drop me in front of the residence of the late Fajuyi.

    Unfortunately I did not know his widow, Madam Eunice Fajuyi in person, but I faintly recollected having seen pictures of her in newspapers. I met her in the compound and she promptly took me into her modest sitting room.

    She offered me drink, and was anxious about where I would pass the night. My discussion with her centred on how she had managed to carry on with her children, and I told her that my visit was just to know how she was doing. She prayed for me and was full of advice on the journey of life. As I made to leave, I saluted her courage for remaining single since the demise of her husband at the age of 38, particularly for keeping faith in the face of the daunting challenges of training her children. And I thanked her for receiving a complete stranger and for her hospitality.

    On my way home, I ruminated on the visit. She was the wife of a former military governor, and indeed that house used to be the home of a former governor of a region which has now been split into five states. The woman was so simple and accommodating. The house was as modest as any one built in the suburbs. Her life reflected simplicity and lack of ostentation, contrary to the lifestyle of many of today’s first ladies. This is an enduring lesson for the ruling elites.

    I was still hoping to be part of her 84th birthday in Ado-Ekiti when I heard of her sudden demise. I had made a promise to visit her again whenever I had cause to be in Ekiti State. May her soul rest in peace.

    •Adedeji Badejo

    Lagos, Nigeria

  • IGP should investigate Charity Uzoechina’s abduction

    SIR: The story as told by Pastor Raymond Uzoechina of an alleged abduction and unlawful detention of his daughter, Charity Uzoechina by the Etsu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, which became public through a publication on May 15 refers. The allegation borders on abuse of human right, abuse of traditional office, and disregard/neglect to the rule of law.

    It should not be seen as a personal business of the Uzoechinas, but a revelation of what the less-privileged go through in the hands of our traditional rulers and leaders.

    Our daughters’ security are being threatened. Some time ago, female corps member was raped and killed in a state in the North. Also, a young Corper was insulted and raped by a Yoruba monarch, which even got to court. Now, young Charity, a student of Bida Polytechnic has been allegedly kidnapped and forced into marriage by the Etsu Nupe in his palace against her will.

    This abuse of womanhood and continuous abuse of our womenfolk should be arrested by our law enforcement agents and fought by women organizations, human right bodies and the President.

    Crime Arrest Network calls on the Etsu Nupe to release Charity Uzoechina immediately without any sign of abnormality trace on her.

    Charity and her parents should be paid compensation by the Emir and the Emir sanctioned.  If a Judge of a high court in Nigeria could be sanctioned for wrong doing, we don’t see why the Emir should go unpunished as the law is no respecter of persons.

    If nothing is done within two weeks of the submission and publication of this letter by the Inspector General of Police and the federal government, Crime Arrest Network will mobilize human right groups to seek redress, release and compensation of Charity’s family in law court. Also the Sharia Judge who conspired with the Emir and gave ill-gotten judgment should be shown a way out.

    Comrade Tony C. Onye Esq.

    National Coordinator, Crime Arrest Network,

    Festac Town, Lagos.

  • Suntai and the conspiracy of silence

    SIR: As a concerned citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I chose to address this open letter of appeal to the United States government to reveal to the good people of Taraba State in particular and Nigeria as a whole the exact state of health of Governor James Danbaba Suntai, who has been a patient in John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland USA since March.

    This open letter of appeal has become necessary because, the people of Taraba State have not seen or heard from their governor for over seven months without any credible information since he personally piloted a CESSNA 208-5N-BMJ which crashed near NNPC depot in Yola, Adamawa State on October 25, 2012.

    The abnormal tight-lip posture demonstrated by the governor for the past seven months has continued to generate reactions amongst politicians, interest groups and the general public in Nigeria. Like many others, I feel deeply touched by what the governor is passing through at this time of his life. This is one strong reason why he still enjoys some amount of sympathy from millions of people across the country. Nevertheless, Governor Suntai is like a tap-root in the political equation of his state and the country. However, his prolong absence from office due to ill-health, coupled with his continued silence has started manifesting negative result already. Three religious riots – one from Ibi, two from Wukari and another ethnic crisis have been recorded in Takum. So far the crises have claimed hundreds of lives and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.

    Before the tragic air crash, Governor Suntai was a blessing to Taraba State and Nigeria. He changed the face of Jalingo the state capital through the provision of massive infrastructure; the establishment of Taraba State University and Jalingo Airport are legacies that are fresh in our memory. More than that, Governor Suntai opened up the rustic hinterland of Taraba with tarred roads, schools, health facilities as well as his ability to keep peace in the state which was moving on the slippery road to anarchy when he came to power in 2007.

    Governor Suntai is not a private patient but an elected governor in one of the 36 states of Nigeria; also he is an employee accountable to millions of people. Information about his physical and mental well being cannot be subjected to the usual medical confidentiality of ordinary citizen and should not be kept secret from the people he leads. Sadly I must admit that President Goodluck Jonathan, acting Governor Garba Umar, immediate family members and close aides to Governor Suntai have failed to be truthful and transparent about the extent of infirmity of the governor which resulted to cat and mouse, hide and seek game.

    In the eyes of many Nigerians, the US government has by default become part of the conspiracy of secrecy that threatens to destabilise our democracy. I therefore, implore the US authorities to as a matter of urgency, let all Nigerians know the true state of Governor Suntai’s health.

    • John Akevi,

    Bauchi

  • Proposed INEC reforms, trigger for anarchy

    SIR: For what can be appropriately termed as an attempt to trigger political anarchy, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is seeking wider powers including powers to disqualify candidates, which will make the current sectarian tensions engulfing the polity a child’s play. This is revealed in a fresh letter dated June 13, addressed to the National Assembly by INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega seeking amendments to the Electoral Act.

    The major blow to all-known democratic norms is the power being sought by INEC to disqualify candidates. This is as well as powers to be the sole authority to determine the names and logos on the ballot papers. The warped argument canvassed in this respect by INEC is that it is not only a management body but also a regulatory one and it should have powers in this respect just like such bodies as the NDIC (National Deposit Insurance Commission) or Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or National Agency for Foods, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in revoking bank licenses or banning unregistered drugs.

    In short, INEC shows a shallow understanding of the socio-political ripples that this would create. Candidates democratically produced by their respective parties are not mere drugs or bank licenses that must be revoked, or properly put in this scenario, disqualified.

    To justify further its proposition, INEC is seeking powers to disqualify for 10 years anyone convicted for electoral offences by a court or tribunal. It is already settled law that a person convicted of a criminal offence cannot stand elections in Nigeria, why is INEC seeking extra-powers for disqualification in this respect?

    It is also seeking that the proviso of Section 31(1) List of Candidates be made subject to Section 87 of the Electoral Act in order to have powers to disqualify a person who has qualified as a candidate. It recommended as an alternative that political parties should submit the name of a candidate who won a primary election along with the name of the candidate who scored the second highest number of votes at the primaries as the substitute candidate. In short, INEC is seeking to override the internal democracy of the political parties. This would only lead to outright socio-political anarchy and disaster.

    Equally, it is bidding to have the power to determine the political parties that would have their names and logos on the ballot papers. This would be a further attack on multi-party democracy in Nigeria. Presently, Section 78(7) of the Electoral Act 2010(2011 as amended) empowers INEC unconstitutionally to deregister parties that do not have political office holders at National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly. INEC’s fresh proposals would only open the way to chaos.

    The Supreme Court decision in INEC vs. MUSA (2003) 3 NWLR has laid down through the doctrine of “covering the field” that INEC’s exercise of its powers in the Electoral Act is subject to the supremacy of the 1999 Constitution(as amended). INEC’s voyage to acquire wider and unconstitutional powers is a journey to hell paved with “good intentions”. What is needed to be done by the National Assembly is to entrench genuine multi-party democracy by removing or deleting Section 78(7) of the Electoral Act 2010(2011 as amended) as it is undemocratic. Any attempt by the National Assembly to allow the proposed amendments of INEC is a big invitation to disaster.

    • Ayo Ademiluyi,

    Director, Social Justice Institute, Lagos

  • Rivers crisis and political expediency

    SIR: The political atmosphere in Nigeria has always been dramatic and full of intrigues. It beats one’s imagination that a blessed nation like Nigeria can throw up some clowns who call themselves legislators and whose behaviour only but bring untold embarrassment to the image of Nigeria.

    The nation and the world got a rude shocker on Tuesday July 9, when the crisis in the Rivers State’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) precipitated a commotion at the House of Assembly chambers. The video clips of the fracas which we saw on TV and online were not only disturbing to an average mind, but showed how desperate some people could go in order to vent their anger. Members of the state House of were seen openly attacking each other with dangerous objects which left some of them injured in the process and later hospitalised.

    Five legislators opposed to Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi had purportedly impeached the Speaker Hon Otelemabala Amachree and therefore presented Hon Evans Bipi as new Speaker. For the impeachment of any elected official to be constitutional and valid, there must be a two-thirds majority vote of the members of such House. Specifically, by virtue of Section 92 Subsection (2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution, a Speaker of a state House of Assembly can only be removed from office by a resolution of not less than two-third majority of the members of the House. In the case of the Rivers House, this mandatory constitutional provision was breached and therefore a valid impeachment cannot be said to have taken place.

    It is worrisome that many politicians in Nigeria still believe in and practise the culture of impunity. Why would a legislator who is supposed to be a shining example to the upcoming generation of youths be seen on national television exchanging blows with a fellow lawmaker? Are these people really law makers or law breakers? In saner climes, these clowns should have been put behind bars or recalled from office for such national embarrassment. Are there not better ways to resolve whatever impasse there are or grudges they have against each other?

    The role played by the police is not clear since despite their presence, the crisis persisted and it is uncertain if they came to douse the crisis or to add to an already aggravated situation. We are all aware of the political issues in Rivers state for some time now and even the Governor himself had raised an alarm on security issues and safety but what have the security agencies done to forestall any breakdown of law and order? The role played by the police on that day is not only questionable but leaves much to be desired and this should be investigated by the Senate and any police officer found culpable should be made to face the law. The members of the House who took part in such show of shame by assaulting their colleagues should likewise be investigated and properly sanctioned.

    The culture of impunity must stop in Nigeria and people who break the law must be made to face the law and be punished for their offences if found culpable. This is very vital if Nigeria must move forward. We cannot continue dancing round the same circle all the time without learning from our history. The only way to stop impunity is to punish offenders without minding whose ox is gored and it will be impossible to do this without the cooperation of everyone concerned.

    • Tayo Demola

    Lagos

     

  • Jobs for sale in Cross River

    SIR: All over the world, it is the responsibility of a government to protect and care for the needs of her citizens. If the people get to see that they are priority in government’s agenda, payment of taxes and other levies becomes something that is done willingly and deliberately. It becomes habitual for the people to support the government in any way possible. They will not go on strike or go on demonstration if the pump price of petrol is increased.

    Unfortunately, Nigeria is a country where the welfare of her citizens has become dormant, sacrificed on the altar of greed and wickedness. Over the years, government’s actions or the lack of it has led to the shutting down of many firms and industries. The result is a steady increase in the rate of unemployment. The collective wealth of the country is continually channelled into personal pockets by successive rulers. As if to add salt to injury, the government has now devised a means of duping the citizens especially the unemployed.

    Few years ago, the government of Ikedi Ohakim extorted about two thousand naira (N 2,000) from unemployed indigenes of Imo State on the pretext of giving them jobs in the state civil service. These unemployed persons were shamelessly “419nied” by the very government that swore an oath to protect their interests. What happened to the promised jobs and the money collected is, as they say, history.

    Sadly, the scenario is playing out again today in Cross River State. The government has come up with a phantom desire to employ teachers into the state secondary schools to teach science subjects. Of a truth, there is a dearth of science teachers in most secondary schools in the state. The government has decided to cash-in on this and has asked interested applicants to pay a non-refundable fee of two thousand naira (N2, 000) into UBA account number 1000989395 with Secondary Education Board as account name. This is not the first time that the government is duping the unemployed in the state. Few months ago, some persons who were employed under the UBE scheme and sacked after working for two years, were made to pay one thousand naira each to have them re-instated. Nobody has heard anything from Sylvia Atsu, the chairperson of the Post Primary Education Board, since then. Even those that were recently offered “permanent appointment” after working for about six years as volunteer teachers were made to pay one thousand naira each (N1, 000) before the appointment. The “beneficiaries” have not been paid any salary since December, 2012 when they collected their letter.

    It is bad enough for a graduate to roam the streets in search of jobs after many years of graduation. For the government to use them as a channel to make wealth is a crime against morality, humanity and even divinity. If the government is sincere about giving jobs to the unemployed, why not employ them and deduct the money from their salary? Why should somebody who has no job be made to part with a sum of money before being employed? In any case, why should a form consisting of about three pages cost as much as two thousand naira (N2, 000)? What is the guarantee that politicians will not buy-out the entire positions for their cronies?

    • Undiandeye Jerome Anguel Bedia Village, Obudu, Cross River State.

     

  •  The change Nigeria needs

    SIR: Nigeria would be better if the leaders and the led change their attitudes, love one another, and turn to God for Him to heal our land. We all need to turn around and sow in righteousness, so that Nigeria would see better days.

    We should not lose hope in the country, despite the socio-political and economic challenges, but should always be in fervent prayers, repentance of sins, look unto God, have faith in God, for God will shower His blessings and favour on the faithful-believers.

    Also, our economic management team, should adopt policies that have human face and the effective utilization of the nation’s resources for the development of the country.

    The leaders and the led should shun selfish interests, as capitalism is returning Nigeria to the era of slavery and the solution is the abolition of greed and antagonistic competition in our economic system.

    The federal government should tackle the seeming insurmountable power problems in the country to fast-track socio-economic and infrastructural development. The continued unity of Nigeria is in our hands. Nigeria will be great if we do the right things.

    I want to plead that all of us should work seriously to ensure that Nigeria remains one united nation. By 2014 Nigeria will be 100 years and we just have to make it work, as there is power in number as in China, India, USA and Indonesia. We cannot fold our hands and see our unity shattered. Let us all join hands to see Nigeria work. Also, we must all be concerned about the security of our nation that is being threatened.

     

    •Prophet Oladipupo Funmilade-Joel (Baba Sekunderin)

    Lagos