The Nation Newspaper

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  • Honour for Olanipekun

    The prestigious University of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, is on Monday making history by bestowing its well-thought-out award of the Doctor of Law on an exceptional courtroom firebrand, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), just a day to his birthday.

    Honouring this legal potentate is not a surprise to many, especially those who know his impressive antecedents, exemplary work ethics and inspiring penchant for excellence. He is a distinguished jurisprudential pontiff and a rare legal icon. It is incontrovertible that Chief Olanipekun is an accomplished, world-acclaimed and versatile legal luminary. He is an elder statesman, frontline national figure and outstanding mentor of lawyers. He has worked relentlessly to build an imperishable legacy of irresistible virtues for the legal profession.

    The book of Proverb 22:29 says: “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men”. This Biblical passage exemplifies the life of Chief Olanipekun, who epitomises diligence, assiduity, honour, integrity, compassion, benevolence and indeed, finesse. I can attest to the fact that the secret behind his phenomenal success is hard work and stubborn proclivity for distinction. No wonder that Henry Wordsworth Longfellow said in his ‘The Ladder of Saint Augustine’ that ‘The heights by which great men reached and kept are not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.’ Chief, as we fondly call him, inspires young lawyers to high heavens. He is a voracious reader that goes through every literature that comes his way. He often tells us that a lawyer must know what is happening around him; he reads all major newspapers published in Nigeria every day!

    Chief Olanipekun is a quintessential and irrepressible advocate. Watching him in action in court reveals a lawyer very deep in thought, and ardent in learning. He exhibits a unique skill for presentation of arguments, a powerful delivery and a dazzling ability to carry the court along with him. He has a stunningly clear and analytical mind. He deconstructs cases with ease and backs them up with decided authorities without winking. He is indeed a courtroom General.

    To Chief Olanipekun, a good mastery of the English Language and knowledge of the law are the weapons needed by a lawyer for the successful prosecution of a client’s cause. In a paper he delivered at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma on September 17, this year in honour of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), he enthused thus: “A lawyer does not possess arsenals of war; no guns, bullets, cartridges, horses, arrows, tear gas, cutlasses, cudgels or any of the modern weapons of mass destruction which are always in custody of government, but which, nowadays are always within the reach of some people/insurgents who use them effectively against government forces, as well as innocent citizens. All a lawyer possesses are his training, his skill, his law, his law Chambers which houses a well-stocked library, his good suits and oratory prowess.”

    The above more graphically captures the importance of Lord Justice Birkett’s, address entitled: “Law and Literature”, when he said:”Now, words in their proper order are the raw materials of the law, and words have a magic of their own; they have colour and sound, meaning and associations. But choice words in the right order have a magical power still”.

    Even when he loses a case, his client goes home satisfied that he could not have had a better lawyer. His advocacy, his Brief writing too is enchanting. Even his archrivals and adversaries always agree on one point: that Chief Olanipekun pays attention to minutest details. He has his way with words. He writes with so much tantalizing effect and he describes so graphically that a reader would have an imaginary pictures of the characters or would be so carried away with the flow of language and thought that he would not have a choice than to agree with his line of reasoning. That is why many Judges of High Courts and Justices of our appellate courts have praised his writing prowess and counselled lawyers to emulate his style of writing.

    His capacity for giving is unassailable, his penchant for philanthropic activities is awe-inspiring and his proclivity for humanitarianism is unmistakable. His many scholarships and philanthropic gestures are matters of public knowledge. He can boast one of the most organised and consistent scholarship schemes in the country – the Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme which he established in 1996 to give scholarships to indigent students. Today, the scheme has produced several lawyers, doctors, engineers, pharmacists etc. In 2006, he built, equipped and donated an ICT Centre to Amoye Grammar School, Ikere Ekiti, his cradle; in 2012, he donated a Vicarage to his home church, the St. Peter’s Church, Ikere in honour of his late father, Mr. Isaac Olanipekun; in March, 2014, he donated a well-equipped 500-capacity modern Bar Centre to the NBA Branch in Ikere; in 2011, he initiated an endowment fund with which over 700 laptop-computers and flash drives were bought and distributed among young lawyers in Lagos; while 7 cars were bought and distributed among lawyers whom he never had contact with in Ilorin.

    In 2012, when the University of Ibadan was ravaged by flood and billions of naira worth of properties were destroyed, he made a donation which was only second to the Federal Government’s; in that same year, he completed the 480-capacity Wole Olanipekun Law Auditorium for the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan.  The list is endless. For a man who has done so much for the law and the society, the award of Doctor of Law on him as being done today by the University of Ibadan is, to say the least, most apt.

    I commend the University of Ibadan Management for its effort to honour this outstanding Jurist, doyen of the Bar, quintessential, well-informed, much gifted and exceptionally brilliant Senior Advocate. He deserves all the accolades on this momentous occasion. May the Almighty God preserve him and take him to higher heights.

     

    • Adesanmi, writes from Lagos.

  • The time for national unity is now

    Nigerian political parties and politicians have over the years been linked with nepotism, tribalism, political intolerance, political violence, love of public office, maladministration, mismanagement of the economy, embezzlement of public funds, and breakdown of law and order. As a result, insufficient attention has been paid to the major responsibility of achieving nationhood through cohesion and integration. But attention must now be paid to them because investigation has shown that the above mentioned factors have been the bane of meaningful growth and development of our country, Nigeria.

    The lack of nationhood has definitely contributed to our slow level of progress and it is high time we began to champion the task of nation building because tribalism, ethnicity, sectionalism, partisanship, religiosity, federal character and zoning among others are inflicting pains on the people and this pain is becoming more difficult to endure. The Ibos are marginalized; there is dispute over land and borders; politicians are always fighting in the interest of their state, local government, constituency and the region; there is also stereotype about one tribe or the other among the different ethnic groups.

    These have serious impact on the cohesion and integration of the diversities of cultures and ethnic groups as well as the relationship among those who make decisions, laws and policies that affect us. It is for this reason that frantic effort must be made by every Nigerian to discourage these vices. This is not to say that tribe and ethnicity does not matter in our society but we need to look beyond them in steering the ship of our country. The evolution of an attitude that shows we are all one begins with knowing how debilitating the promotion of ethnicity and tribalism are.

    At this point in our national life, the call for national unity and achieving nationhood may not be a novelty but political parties and politicians cannot afford to shut their ears to this important call because there must be a paradigm shift from the way the affairs of government is run and how the people are mobilised. We need to move away from the old ways of doing things. This is the 21st century, things must not remain the same nor the way they have always been. Nigerians are one regardless of our tribe, culture, tradition, region and religion.

    Sectionalism, tribalism and nativism no longer thrive in modern societies. We all know what is right but we hardly make an effort. We have the capacity to support one another and breakaway from the past but we are always resistant. Though it may be difficult to shift away from the aforementioned factors that impede the progress of Nigeria due to fear but becoming aware of the success it brings to us as a country will make Nigerians evolve over time.

    The problem posed by disunity in Nigeria should be a source of concern to politicians who also double as leaders of government because Nigeria is experiencing a setback on account of tribalism, ethnicity, sectionalism, zoning and federal character. But it is also important to state that government alone cannot foster national unity. It is the collective responsibility of every Nigerian.

    Nigeria really needs to be united as well as become a nation, and to say that these factors mentioned above does not impede our progress is to close our eyes to the realities on ground. Disunity is causing us a lot of problems especially in forging ahead. All the tribes, ethnic groups, regions and sections of our society are suffering from the consequences of disunity and hence, all hands must be on deck to ensure that Nigeria becomes united and achieve nationhood. There is no gainsaying the fact that its benefits are immeasurable as it will lead to a steady pace of progress among others.

    For the first time in the history of our country, Nigerians showed the possibility of achieving unity in what was tagged ‘the freest and fairest election’ in which the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and his running mate, Baba Gana Kingibe were voted  as president and vice-president respectively by majority of Nigerians irrespective of tribe, region, ethnicity and religion. This is just to draw our attention to what we were able to achieve through unity even though the election was later annulled by  General Ibrahim Babaginda. Many Nigerians made a remarkable decision on June 12, 1993 and this is an indication that such feat can be attained once again in the history of our country, Nigeria.

    It does not matter if it is going to take years to achieve unity and nationhood. We can make it if we all work hard at it; we must not give up until every Nigerian begins to have an outlook of one Nigeria. No tribe or ethnic group is superior to the other; hence, equal opportunity should be given to all the tribes and ethnic groups in Nigeria.

    Furthermore, it is saddening to know that some ministries had from independence been headed by individuals from certain region or state. This is a case of blatant tribalism. In the same vein, some tribe and ethnic group do not feel a part of Nigeria because they have been side-lined. They feel unimportant. A notion they have due to the nonchalant attitude of Nigerian leaders. The citizenship of such tribes means nothing to the ruling class and this ought not to be.

    No doubt, togetherness will help us achieve more as individuals. Although, it’s an assertion based largely on the writer’s opinion, investigation and studies but I think it’s true. It pays to serve the interest of one another—becoming your brother’s keeper. It is a widespread believe that united we stand, divided we fall. We can hardly achieve more as a country if tribalism and sectionalism continues. Countries that have become united have proven that it is the path of progress. There should be no disparity on the basis of tribe and ethnicity in governance. Thus, government have a big role to play in championing the course of national unity and nationhood which is yet to be achieved after 54 years of independence.

    • Aregbeshola is the author of Nigerians Political Parties and Politicians: Winding Road from Country to Nation.

  • Oshiomhole: Six years after

    On November 12, 2008, Adams Eric Aliyu Oshiomhole, was sworn as governor, Edo State. It was a special moment for the state and its people for several reasons. Remarkably, it was the culmination of the resilience of the people, who voted and stood by him when anti democratic forces tried to rob him of the mandate they gave willingly to him, and the judiciary that resisted machinations of the powers-that-be to give a verdict in favour of a popular choice.

    The nation became better for it as the judiciary stood resolute on the side of the people. In addition, it was a turning point for the entire state as it marked the beginning of what is now popularly referred to as the ‘new narrative’.

    While making the solemn pledge to turn the state around like never before, he underscored his desire to be a people’s governor by seeking their consent to be referred to as “Comrade Governor.”

    Uniquely, his pledge was an unambiguous desire to give the state a fresh breath in terms of people-oriented, physically verifiable development projects that will stand the test of time. The pledge became necessary because the supposedly democratic administrations before him ruined and wrecked the state economy without any attempt to upgrade basic public infrastructure on the pretext that the state had no money.

    A few years into his administration, Oshiomhole eroded the no-money myth by proving to be a man of his words. Decades after the historic performance left by Dr Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, who, as military administrator of old Bendel, left a telling record of infrastructural development, Oshiomhole recreated that long gone era as structures, after hope-rising structures began to fill available spaces in all the nooks and crannies of the state. It was not a surprise that the people decided to give a unanimous second term endorsement in all 18 local government areas despite subterranean subterfuge by those put to shame by his performance.

    Importantly, Oshiomhole was not given an unassailable second term approval by the people on flimsy grounds. Between his inauguration and the end of his first term, they witnessed an unprecedented, self evident and widespread development projects spread across every sector, including economy, education, works, health, environment/public utilities, etc, in every senatorial zone, every local government area and every town. With him, the people became convinced that the state had truly become a very positive new narrative.

    Before the coming of his administration, Edo State economy was in ruins. Though oil revenue was high, the greater part of whatever accrued from it found its way into the pockets of those elected by the people. It didn’t matter to them that the people they represented suffered. For instance, roads and public schools became so wrecked that an urgent surgical revival was needed to avert total collapse. Midway into the administration, roads in the city centre, including Akpakpava, Five Junction, Mission, Airport, Sapele roads, etc, became self-evident proofs that the administration meant business. Further from the capital, there are too many to be mentioned here. In addition, the administration embarked on a deliberate renovation and reconstruction of public schools, public health institutions and streets, designed and completed with covered drains, walkways, street lights, etc, also in all the 18 local government areas. The health sector witnessed the same level of turn around.

    Remarkably, the administration kept the momentum despite dwindling returns from federation allocations and internally generated revenue.

    With the accruing monthly allocations from the federation on the decline, from N3.8 billion to N2.8 billion, the administration took to the internally generated revenue option which moved up from its less-than-N300-million revenue before the advent of the administration to its present status of between N1.4 to N1.5 billion. Yet, Benin City, the state capital is about the cleanest compared to some of its neighbours with over N10 billion monthly federation account allocation.

    In the education sector, the new narrative is known as the red roof revolution. Public schools in the state only compared with poultry farms before the advent of the Oshiomhole administration. At best, most of them had no roofs, making teaching and learning near impossible tasks during rainy seasons.

    All that has changed as the administration went on a deliberate education rebirth policy that resulted in the rehabilitation of old and construction of new school buildings, complete with red roofs and every other facility conducive for learning. The new structures are found in all the 192 wards of the state. Education is not only free for both primary and secondary schools, the administration also made transportation free for all uniformed children both in private or public schools riding on the comrade buses.

    Edo State ranks as one of the state with the best network of roads. However, they were hardly motorable until the current administration took effect. Since then, things changed for the better as roads from the capital down to the local governments have become a beauty to behold in terms of their look and functionality. Among others, Akpakpava, Five Junction, Mission, Airport, Sapele roads, are proofs of the changes the administration brought to bear on roads reconstruction and rehabilitation.

    Oshiomhole has taken upon himself some ambitiously near impossible task and turn them around. The Azura/Edo Independent Power Project and Edo Water Storm project are obvious examples. The former is a $100 million project and the first Nigerian power project to benefit from the World Bank’s risk guarantee status, covered by the global bank’s Partial Risk Guarantee structure for developing needs of emerging global markets. It is very credible evidence that the state is a viable centre for global investment hob.

    The latter is a vast labyrinth of huge drainage system under construction to serve as a permanent solution of the endemic drainage challenge in the state capital. It is designed to empty the water deluge from all over the city to either the Ogba or Ikpoba River. For all his efforts, the Benin crown prince, Eheneden Erediauwa, described Oshiomhole’s performance in the following words. “I don’t know of any governor that has developed Edo Dtate in terms of infrastructure as Oshiomhole.”

    •Omoarelojie writes from Benin City, Edo State.

     

  • Questions Donald Duke must answer

    Former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke has been in the news lately. And this has to do with his claim that there are only two monkeys in Cross River State. He proceeded to name the two monkeys, insinuating that because these two companies are very active in the state, they are the only ones getting jobs in the state.

    A lot of us got giddy with excitement, hoping the former governor will go the whole hog and confess more, including the fact that his brother George Duke still enjoys business patronage in this state with juicy contracts that have been in place since his brother’s tenure, including management of the Millennium Park, Calabar, and maintenance of the Governor’s Office. So evidently the two monkeys’ theory was slightly embellished to distort the truth and cause ill-feelings amongst the public. Be that as it may, it is also common knowledge that one of the monkeys he mentioned; lilleker was in fact brought to the state by his administration.

    However, since this is a season of confessions, the poor people of Cross River State will like to know who the true owner or owners of Tinapa are?

    So sir, please is it true that at the stage of conceptualisation, the state executive council members were told that the project will be mostly private sector financed? If so, at what point did it become the state government affair, such that the state is indebted to the tune of about N80 billion because of this project alone?

    And if it is indeed owned by the state government, how come certain individuals and corporate organisations claim ownership of shares in Tinapa even when it has never been listed on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange?

    Another area where Cross River? people are seeking answers has to do with the status of the Children Hospital, Calabar. We know that the hospital belonged to the state, or so we were told.

    Who truly owns that hospital?

    Clarification has become necessary because at some point we began to hear that the Duke administration leased out the hospital to some individuals for 20 years? Yet another account claims that one family actually has the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) to the property. Please sir, which of these accounts is the truth?

    This is what an online news portal, THE WILL wrote regarding that hospital.

    “THE WILL findings into Duke’s questionable disposal of state government assets while he was governor revealed that the state government owned former party office of the proscribed National Republican Convention (NRC) on Murtala Muhammed Highway, Calabar, which currently houses Women and Children Hospital and the former Nigerian Union of Journalists Press Centre, Diamond Hill, Calabar, which the former governor currently calls his Calabar residence… These choice assets are worth tens of millions of naira.

    “There are also others such as a hotel property off Marian Extension Road in Calabar bought with state government funds as a government hotel from the family of Mr. Mike Archibong but which has curiously become a privately owned hotel awaiting opening anytime soon.

    “The Cross River State House on Military Street, Onikan Lagos is another property that caught our attention…”

    “That Duke sold off a lot of government assets in the guise of raising funds for the state is no longer news, what is news however is that most of the properties sold especially the residential houses in Calabar were sold to cronies and associates…completely ignoring government’s owner occupier policy.

    Some indigenes however are not letting Mr. Duke get off so easily. There has been public outcry over Duke’s acquisition of public properties amongst Cross Riverians. A former governorship candidate in the state during the last election, James Ebri, the younger brother of former governor of the state, Clement Ebri, has gone to court to challenge Duke’s takeover of the former NRC party office.

    “Also joined in Ebri’s suit are the Cross River State government, state Attorney General, Commissioner for Lands and the Commissioner for Justice.

    “Justice E. O Eneji of the State High Court after listening to arguments granted an order “that an interim order shall and is hereby granted restraining the defendants/respondents from commissioning, inaugurating and opening of the Calabar Women and Children’s Hospital (CWCH) by any person whosoever, scheduled to hold on 28th May, 2010, at the Movie theatre, Calabar Women and Children’s Hospital, Cross River State or any other day pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.”

    ?Is there any iota of truth in the report by THE WILL?

    The iconic Metropolitan Hotel has since become Transcorp Hotel. And I must confess that services are miles better now.

    But tongues wagged when the ownership of the hotel changed hands during your tenure, why so?

    What about the oil palm estate in Ayib Eku, in Akamkpa Local Government Area? Can you respond to very weighty allegations made by Okoi Obono-Obla in a petition concerning land grab in Ekorinim?

    Not only that.

    Obla, a lawyer and member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) also claimed that your achievements as governor of Cross River are most times hyped. In his words, your so-called superlative performances were a fluke, and that your administration institutionalised ?the culture of impunity and corruption in Cross River.

    The last but not the least, is the issue of the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula through which certain individuals profited.

    Although it was not the fault of the state government when you were the governor that the Peninsula was ceded to Cameroon in the first place, there has been a lot of talk in town that two people benefitted from the adversity that befell the state. Is there any truth to this? If yes, who are these people?

    Thank you sir and may God bless you as you give light to these issues.

     

    • Mpkanam wrote from Calabar

  • Why US won’t help fight Boko Haram

    Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Prof Ade Adefuye was quoted recently to have said that the United States refused to assist Nigeria with technology to fight Boko Haram. Specifically on Monday November 10, he told members of the Council on Foreign Relations that “The Nigerian leadership… are not satisfied with the scope, nature and content of the United States’ support for us in our struggle against terrorists,”. He added further that “We find it difficult to understand how and why in spite of the US presence in Nigeria with their sophisticated military technology, Boko Haram should be expanding and becoming more deadly”.

    Since the Boko Haram insurgency started, I am personally aware, through reliable military and diplomatic sources, that the United States had always availed Nigeria of list of those they suspect to be sponsors of Boko Haram. Immediately after the United Nations House bombing in Abuja on August 26, 2011, the US, alarmed by the sheer sophistication of the operations, reportedly availed the Nigerian authorities of the list of the sponsors of Boko Haram and were advised to act fast before they disintegrate Nigeria.

    This fact formed part of my published piece in 2012 titled PDP, Boko Haram and their 2015 Succession Politics.  Rather than the seize the opportunity of the uproar and outrage against the bombings to confront those indicted, the president chose to foot drag in taking actions until the 2011 Madallah Christmas Day Bombings which took over 80 lives. A traumatized President would admit two weeks later on January 8, 2012, for the first time, that Boko Haram sponsors had infiltrated his government.

    The military authorities, then under Generals Owoye Azazi as National Security Adviser (NSA) and Azubuike Ihejirika as Army Chief including other service chiefs pushed for the arrest of the sponsors of the group. However, political expediency and 2015 elections permutations would overshadow the earlier resolve of the military authorities to stamp out the insurgents. It was a frustrated Azazi that would later alert the nation at a public forum in Asaba, Delta State that the real sponsors of Boko Haram were in the PDP. Azazi was hounded for his frank observation until President Jonathan was forced to sack him as NSA.

    All these developments were not lost on the US military and defense analysts and advisers.

    The public outcry against the abduction of some 276 girls of Christian extraction from Chibok, by the terrorists, and the fear that if the conspiracy is misunderstood by Nigerian Christians, a religious conflict might ensue, coupled with other strategic reasons made the the US to volunteer help to rescue the Chibok girls and turn the tide against the insurgents. What US military officials met physically on the ground was enough for any sane nation not to commit its troops and weapons into operations likely to be sabotaged even before take-off.

    It was the US that first alerted the world that 10 Generals of the Nigerian Army were among 15 officers being secretly investigated for passing sensitive information to Boko Haram.  It was the US that officially verified information from local observers, villagers and hunters that Boko Haram had split the Chibok girls into three, taking them to different camps. It was the US that confirmed that due to probable high level sabotage, the only way to release the Chibok girls would be through high powered negotiations since any attempt to embark on a rescue operation would likely be sabotaged, endangering the lives of both the Chibok Girls and the US troops.

    The US military officials, after interacting with the rank and file and inspecting what is on ground in Borno’s 7th Division specifically created to contain the militants, alerted their home country of a deliberate attempt to issue the combatants with inadequate ammunition, thereby making them easy target for the insurgents.

    The US military officials discovered that funds meant for the welfare of troops while in the combat zone is being scammed from the top, and they fingered top political actors and their military collaborators.

    The US military officials discovered that in some cases where enough ammunition were issued, as in the case of Mohammed Kur Barracks, Bama, that some officers deliberately misled their troops to abandon their positions including caches of weapons only to be used by the insurgents.

    The fall of Bama, despite the heavy assemblage of arms, ammunition and the recently improved welfare of soldiers, have been a source of discussion within informed US military circles till date. The US authorities believe that with secured supply lines between Bama and the Divisional Headquarters in Maiduguri, a three hour journey through bad roads, and another support military base in Konduga, Nigerian soldiers have no business fleeing Bama.

    The US believes that the moment Boko Haram overran the prestigious Police Mobile Training facility in Gwoza, the Nigerian Police Force lost its pride to the insurgents, and gave them the boost to plot the fall of Bama and the ill-fated march to Maiduguri though Konduga, which was halted by soldiers and civilian JTF by the mercy of God.

    The US is still wondering at how weapons which belong to the Nigerian Army easily get into the hands of the insurgents and they are still investigating all the routes through which the Nigerian Army supposedly donated or sold the weapons to them.

    The heroic welcome the ruling PDP gave former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, and how an airport closed for months over security concerns, was opened just for the use of the former governor, was a political misstep from Jonathan’s men which raised concerns within the US.

    The US tipped off South African authorities that fund for illegal purchase of arms is being carried through their shores, and they suspected that the arms might end in the hands of the insurgents. The South African authorities, bent on ridding Africa of this scourge, failed to cooperate with the unknown arms vendors and buyers.

    The US believes that any lethal weapon they give to the military authorities might end up in the

    hands of the insurgents, and that any deployment of American troops as combatants would be easily sabotaged, their soldiers captured and another dimension to the war on terror will be introduced.

    The US believes that if the Nigerian government handles high-level corruption, poverty, and unemployment, social unrest will reduce drastically and the insurgents may find the business of blood-letting unattractive.

    The Nigerian government knows why the US cannot commit sensitive men and materials to aid its fight against terror. Prof Adefuye’s vituperation, though patriotic, does not show sufficient understanding of the situation the US met on the ground. Blaming foreigners for letting Nigeria down in the fight against Boko Haram is sweeping sensitive puzzles under the carpet. The erudite professor should interact with the US military advisers and officials in Washington and around the US, and they will avail him of the rot they met on the ground and get more insight into why the US government refused to assist Nigeria with the needed technology to fight Boko Haram; that done, he will be able to apportion the blames more proportionately.

  • Comments

    Comments

    For Gbenga Omotoso

    Tambuwal’s defection doesn’t make any difference. As speaker, how many laws did he enact for the benefit of Nigerians? No amount of cross carpeting, blackmail or deceit will make the average Nigerian not to vote whoever he chooses. They are all the same. From Robert, Port Harcourt.

    It is when the wind blows that we see the anus of church chicken. Soon PDP shall stand naked. Pity Dog Pity* Anonymous

    Tambuwal’s defection is part of inevitable change that will happen in 2015 presidential election. No power of incumbency can stop it except APC allow the opportunity to slip. Anonymous

    Sir, you have said it all. They PDP were in the Glass house and they throw stones. Nothing disturbs the opponent APC to destroy PDP house. It is if you Tarka me I Daboh you. Nigerians are no more fools. They have wise up. From Isaiah O. Fakunle

    A good piece, hope the opposition will put their acts together and win the election at the centre. Anonymous

    Why some of us do not bother about hon tambuwal is that he is the same hausafulani stock that has ruined this country.this comeback attempt to continue to pillage nigeria after jonathan has repaired our railways will not work. Anonymous

    I congratulate our (Nigerians) Honorable House Speaker for taking this bold step. It’s now better for the wise to know where the future of this entity called Nigeria is heading for -Definitely Nigeria is sailing to a safe island with this development. From I.O. AJIJOLA, Unilorin.

    Honourable Tambuwal’s defection is the genesis of PDP down fall, there is hope for Nigerians. From Dr Maduike, Ideato South, Imo State.

    Tambuwa defection is democracy in action and a right step towards rescuing Nigeria from the People Deception’s Party woos and bad leadership inhibiting Nigeria progress. Anonymous

    If it is truth that President Jonathan belong to the class of the wise leaders in the world as TAN always claimed in there jingles, why then order AIG the withdrawal of Honourable Tambuwal’s security personnel? From Comrade Isola Olamilekan, Area 10 Garki Abuja

    PDP has again shown its anarchistic nature by using state institutions to fight political opponents. The withdrawal of the security personnel attached to the speaker of the House of Representatives is indeed provocative and an abuse to the collective sensitivity of all Nigerians. Anonymous

    Mr Omotoso, lf your “Editorial Notebook” isn’t translated into a book. You would have done great injustice to Journalism. Keep it up! From Abdullahi Ali Mama, Nasarawa State.

     

    For Segun Gbadegesin

    Reaching a consensus: Vintage press in-house experts. Please expound on these – APC to allow north eight years rule not because they merit it on account of past misadventures but to start a process of redeeming Nigeria now from the present locusts hovering over Nigeria and misappropriating our entire commonwealth. Remedies can still come from the North taking the following steps: 1. General Buhari to lead an APC government for four years only with ex-governor Dr John K Fayemi Vice President to sanitize the country. 2. Dr Kwankwaso to serve Nigeria next four years president with Comrade Adams Oshiomole as Vice-president to start a building process. 3. Ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar should be appeased not to unleash his wealth on Nigerians to scuttle APC primaries. He has had his opportunities. This appeal is challenge to us all to save Nigeria. Anonymous

    The election of governors of the states comes and goes. And no governor remains in office for ever. The election of Fayose instead of Fayemi with his (Fayemi) fine democratic credentials though quite a mystery and unacceptable, shouldn’t be enough to bring d entire Ekiti down to her knee,whatsoever.Let there be more mature in handling of the matter in the interest of all. If Ekiti people have thoughtlessly or erroneously chosen the way of an Esau because of stomach infrastructure, I think it’s just proper they are allowed to suffer the fate of an Esau for the next four years and learn their lesson. That is if Fayose would still want to remain his old political self come what may, even in this his controversial second coming. From Emmanuel Egwu

    Sir, you truly expressed the mind of the Almighty God. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan met Nigeria a city of gold and marble but turned it a devastated clime of stones and pebbles. He lacks moral standard to think of seeking another term that has the likelihood of being more painful. The number of lives lost during his senseless reign has surpassed that of the three years of civil war. Let him go and rest and enjoy his loot. From Sola Olagoke, Ibadan.

    Segun, I appreciate your piece on practicing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       progresses.

    It is sad that greed and poverty has so closed our part of truth that we have lost the essence of living as a people .I challenge PDP government to tell Nigerians what else it owes Nigerians most if not security. From Mathias Oshie, Calabar

    I just read your column of October, 28 and I am so shocked by the ‘thoughtless’ reactions of some people. Truth is bound to elicit reactions, negative & positive. The Truth that sets men free is the Truth they don’t want to hear. Anonymous.

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    ‘Tambuwal’s ‘coup’: please tell that … of a man to go and put his house in order first. From Ali.

    The PDP should allow Tambuwal to be; after all he is not the first politician to defect. How is Tambuwal’s defection different and why is it generating this much heat in so many quarters? Time will tell. Part of the beauty of democracy is having strong opposition parties to engage and keep the ruling party on its toes for good governance and leadership. Let us go down memory lane, how many of those who had defected had their security aides withdrawn? We should not do something for which our conscience would judge us tomorrow. I can’t see any crime that Tambuwal has committed for the IGP to withdraw his security details. It is normal in Nigeria for politicians to cross-carpet to where their interest would be better served. The IGP should use his good office to restore Tambuwal’s security details as our Number Four citizen. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    You are a wonderful writer; keep it up, my brother. From James Abeva, Port Harcourt.

    Re: Tambuwal’s ‘coup’. To me Tambuwal is unprincipled. He gave two reasons for his defection – the PDP he was a speaker leading all was corrupt for three and a half years and he stayed in such a mess? Then he looks messy by inference. Second, the political climate in his state (now APC) where he realised he couldn’t win governorship under the PDP. Mimiko, when he had problem with OBJ and national PDP, he went to LP, contested and won until he defected. Defend not any unprincipled Nigerian politician. They are birds of the same feather, flocking together. Tomorrow you will see more of the dirty politicians. His defection was with double tongue. Note that Ribadu is waiting for 2015 in Adamawa after Ngilari must have completed Nyako’s term. From Lanre Oseni.

    Human life is a network of cobwebs; when it tangles and collapses, redemption is a mirage. In tandem to the aforesaid, Mr President and his cohorts are bellowing the furnace that would in corollary reduce them into ashes. From Bayo Alimi, Lagos.  

    He who lives in a glass house should not even dream of throwing stones because the consequence might be grave. When other party members were decamping to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its members were busy celebrating it, forgetting that he who points a fingerer  at someone, the remaining four are pointing at him. It is very sad that our so-called leaders are lawless leaders. The president and his party men are celebrating arrogance, forgetting that he who arrogates to himself the power that is not his or hers is liable to be disgraced.. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

  • Still on same-faith presidential ticket

    The media space has been dominated in recent times by comments from all shades of opinion regarding the desirability or otherwise of having a same-faith ticket by the leading opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC) at the forthcoming general election.

    Though the leadership of the APC has not formally indicated what the joint ticket would look like, comments that have been generated so far can best be seen as a calculated and orchestrated blackmail strategy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its attempt to feed Nigerians with the dangerous religious opium with regards to the deep-seated religious differences that exists in the country.

    Though, differences exist, we live in a clime where an issue that should ordinarily be restricted to the personal preference of the individual is now being elevated to national/official prominence.

    Looking through the comments also, anyone who is conversant with the prevailing political permutations in the country would readily agree that it is self-serving as they (the comments) are borne out more of pure mischief or to serve personal interests of those espousing the need to ensure religious balance the choice of personalities that would be given the ticket.

    It, however, gladdens my heart that the APC has become the viable alternative to the rudderless Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the voting populace is taking more than a passing interest in what is going on in the APC. The debate actually started with speculations in some quarters suggesting that the APC has made up its mind to field a Muhammadu Buhari/Bola Ahmed Tinubu ticket to challenge the incumbent government of Goodluck Jonathan next year.

    I mean those who have concluded that the ticket would not do the country any good is for reasons best known to them playing down the quality of the pair, just as they have sidetracked successful historical precedence in their warped analysis.

    What they only talk about is the fact that the ticket, if eventually it comes on board, will spell doom for the country owing to the current elite-induced mistrust that is currently being sown between the nation’s dominant faiths of Islam and Christianity.

    To those opposed to the Buhari/Tinubu ticket, the nation will burn as it would have shut out the adherents of Christian faith from the power loop at the centre, a situation they see as injurious to the nation’s fragile security.

    As stated earlier, the antecedents and the calibre of the eminent citizens involved must be considered before jumping onto the bandwagon of opposition to the ‘proposal’.

    Let me start by analyzing the personality of Buhari, who has had the misfortune of being profiled as a religious bigot. The Daura-born retired general is known to be a fair-minded individual who is known to treat non-adherents of Islamic faith compassionately. Most of his domestic aides are said to be Christians whom he had never prevented from practicing their faith despite being a staunch Muslim.

    It was told that Buhari as a general was approached by some Muslim adherents to grant Friday as work-free as did Christians faithful but turned down their request after he asked them to point to a verse in the Quran or the Hadith that enjoins Muslims not to work on Fridays. He told them that the Bible enjoined Christians not to work on Sundays. The vintage Buhari turned down the request when a cogent response was not forthcoming from his fellow Muslims.

    Buhari’s senses of probity and accountability in public service are too well documented for me to do a recall, but one will not fail to see the austere lifestyle of a former head of state, former petroleum minister, former military administrator and former chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

    On the part of Tinubu, one will no doubt forget his sense of financial wizardry. In fact, it won’t be out of place to describe him as the architect of modern Lagos who laid the foundation, which his successor and protégé, Babatunde Raji Fashola is building upon.

    It is to Tinubu’s credit that the status of Lagos moved from being a dirty backward mega-slum to that of a thriving metropolis. When Tinubu came on board as the third elected chief executive of the state in 1999, the total internally generated revenue of the state was a meagre N600 million, and it is on record that before he left office, the internally generated revenue had peaked at over N8 billion monthly.

    With the quantum leap in the financial base came massive investment in economic infrastructure that is currently servicing the growth and development of the state, a feat that has been attested to by various international bodies.

    Aside from the personalities of the two, it is on record that the near-impossible task of forging the viable opposition that the APC has eventually turned out to be due largely to the efforts of these two gentlemen.

    For Tinubu, his ability to turn defeat into success is legendary. When the PDP won all but one of the six states in the South-west, he soon ensured that he reversed the trend by regaining the states back except for Ondo.

    For the two, an achievement that was never seen in the history of the country was brought to bear with the coming into being of the APC, a feat many thought was unattainable. To me, whoever works must profit from his labour, so it won’t be out of place for the two to pick the tickets of the party.

    Talking about precedence, it is on record that in the South-west, we have had occasions when the governors and their deputies belong to the same faith without anyone raising eye brow. Two examples readily come to mind. In the Second Republic, both Lateef Jakande and his deputy, Rafiu Jafojo were Muslims, yet the Christians did not pray that heaven should fall.

    Recently in Osun State, the immediate past administration was dominated by Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Erelu Olusola Obada both Christians and to the Muslims, there were no qualms.

    The challenges that confront us all in this country today are acute deficiencies in security, employment, power generation and infrastructure among many others. All of these indices of poverty and underdevelopment recognize neither ethnic nor religious boundaries. There are as much poor, hungry, homeless and hopeless Muslims as there are Christians.

    It is also true that the pockets of developmental efforts that we are seeing in some parts of the country, the roads, schools; the hospitals, etc. did not discriminate among beneficiaries.

    Those that are propagating the divisive schemes are mainly individuals seeking direct individual benefits for playing the religious card. If this is not so, let them come and tell us what good the combination of Jonathan and Sambo – one Christian and the other one Muslim – two uninspiring pretenders, has done us as Christians and Muslims and most importantly as Nigerians over the past years.

    What Nigerians crave for is leaders with proven capability and requisite experience to lead the country out of the morass it had been dragged to by an opportunistic cadre of decadent leadership.

    What should dominate our political conversation should be what the parties and their candidates are bringing to the table in terms of records of achievements and programme of action that would rescue the country from the dangerous precipice that it is currently heading.

     

    • Raji is the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Information & Strategy.

  • The president is a good man

    President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is a good man.  Look at his gentle mien and unassuming carriage in spite of being the President of the most populous black nation on planet earth.   Look at how he is transforming Nigeria; the news media; the tabloids, tubes and online publications are awash with the benevolent achievements of the President.  Look at the roads, the airports, railways, power sector to name but a few.  Forget about the facts that there are no physical evidence on the ground; just tune to the Nigerian Television Authorities (NTA) and paid adverts in other media houses.  Recall the 2011 General Elections, the President had an overwhelming majority across the geopolitical zone because the Nigerian people love him as a good man.   Even though the baboons and the dogs were soaked in blood when the result was out, the election was relatively free and fair and the President genuinely won that election fair and square.

    His transformation programme commenced shortly after he was sworn.   First, he removed the controversial subsidy on petroleum products and hiked fuel prices as a reward to the people and kerosene became out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians.   When Nigerians went to the street in protest, the security forces and police fired live ammunition and killed scores of people. The President would rather hurt the poor masses than take on the corrupt officials responsible for the failure of the subsidy regime.   It was easier and better for the government to make the poor masses bear the burden and subsidize the ineptitude of government officials and rogue elements in the petroleum industry.   Everybody can attest to the fact that the President is a good man.  Look at those officials fingered for grafts of monumental proportions in his cabinet; aviation, petroleum and the interior.  Rather than bring them to book, the President rose stoutly to proselyte in their defence giving us presidential distinction between official corruption and stealing.

    Again, look at the mega seizure of $9 million and $5 million respectively by the South African government on a botched arms deal to tackle insecurity and the insurgency in the North-east.  Driven by patriotism, the President maintained golden silence while the South African authorities found it exciting to bathe the nation in the murky water of corruption in the market square.   Only his garrulous and loquacious Special Assistants (SAs) took the air waves to insult the intelligence of the people and expose their puerile logic.

    The President is a good man; look at those felons of yesterday and political fugitives who even disguised as women to escape arrest in UK.   He not only pardoned them, he also honoured them with Nigeria’s National Merit award.   Can you beat that?   He is all over the churches and recently he declared for the Anglicans and bagged the highest ecclesiastical Anglican award, the first of its kind.   His detractors and political enemies want him to be like a Pharaoh or a General.   As a good man he even forgot that he is the Commander-in-Chief and indeed, that all the Generals are supposed to be under him.

    His detractors wanted him to visit Chibok after the abduction and kidnapping of over 200 school girls by the Boko Haram.   The President would rather act the statesman that he is; the imperial majesty.  It is not statesmanlike for a ruler to visit indigent people struck by misfortune.  It is the bereaved that should rather pay homage to their king in the moment of calamity. Critics and opposition who would not understand keep pestering the Chief Executive of Nigeria to perform.   The sins of the President’s traducers and opposition are legion.   They want him to be a performing President.   They want him to take charge and be in control and make Nigeria take its rightful place among the comity of nations.

    The President is a good man that is why people fight for him in all things.   Look at those perceived irritant governors who had the audacity to stand to his authority, ordinary police commissioners fought for him and caged the lion in them while the state House of Assembly members sack the others as many more sit on edge.  His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan is a good man.   This is not because he has goodluck attached to his name.     As if that was not enough, he had no shoes when he was growing up which also showed a quintessential Nigerian grassroots man.  He is an academic doctor of a fine breed by dint of hard work.   I understand he was even a teacher in a College of Education somewhere in Rivers State; I am not sure now.    He is soft-spoken and an introvert.

    He was loyal to his principals and political masters and subservient to a fault.   When he was the Deputy Governor in Bayelsa State, he was seen but rarely heard until his boss caught a tiger by the tail, and was impeached.   As a good man, he was sworn in as the substantive governor of Bayelsa State.   Mother luck shone on him again when former President Obasanjo handpicked him to be President Yar’Adua’s running mate.   When the Nigerian power cabal tried to scheme him out of the power equation, he watched the bizarre drama go into melodramatic fever pitch.

    Nigerians rose up in their numbers and fought for him, and the doctrine of necessity was invoked which brought him in as President of the Federal Republic.   This broke the broke the jinx of monopoly of power by the so-called majority ethnic groups and gave hope that any Nigerian can aspire to the highest office in the land.    This was how the reluctant good man became President.   He has all the attributes of a gentleman notwithstanding his remote humble background and upbringing.   When the President served out the tenure of his late former boss, some political hawks wanted to fence him off from further serving Nigeria because of mere gentleman’s agreement his political platform had which he found convenient to ignore, breach, disregard and broke.    Nigerians should not leave the adoption and endorsement of the President as the only qualified candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the card carrying members and the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) only.     Those who think he is not a good leader or under- performing should not forget that Nigerians have not chosen a good or performing leader yet.   When we make up our mind, we can do it and get the leader that will see himself as commander-in-chief and take bold and courageous decisions.   Good men do not make history, courageous people do.  Good men do not bring about historical change in the life of a nation but brave men do. True, visible physical transformation will only come from a brave and courageous leadership not from a good man.   Look around the world today; the people bring about the change they want: Burkina Faso, Egypt, Indonesia and even the just concluded Mid-term Elections in the United States of America where the Republicans now hold sway in both houses.  Rise up and bring about the change you want; The President is a good man.

    • Kebonkwu Esq. writes from Abuja

  • Still dreaming about Vision 2020?

    SIR: We all know that Nigeria’s vision to become one of the world’s 20 largest economies by 2020 has attracted endless debates. So far, the pessimists would appear to have it. Most people believe that it’s an ambitious vision lacking well-articulated and implementable plans.

    Should this be a surprise in a nation with a history of countless failed visions?

    Sample: Green Revolution; Education-for-All; Vision 2010; National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy; Seven Point Agenda, and Transformation Agenda.

    Why should anyone disagree with pessimists’ conclusion that it is going to be easier for the proverbial camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for Nigeria’s Vision 2020 to be realised halfway?

    With the facts on the ground, beyond the usual crowded committees, expensive conferences and workshops where beautiful speeches are made, plagiarising similar visions elsewhere, those in charge of this vision have not shown serious strategic and tactical plans that are rigorously time-bound, financial-bound and execution-bound to prove to us that their vision 2020 dream isn’t our usual daydreams.

    • Kazeem Olalekan Israel,

    kazeemolalekanisraelgcaf@yahoo.com

     

  • Adopt Indian model for elections

    SIR: Nigerian electoral history is filled to the brim with malpractices, irregularities, thuggery, and rigging. This is so because, in Nigeria, political power is seen not as a means to an end but an end in itself. This explain why the craze for power and its appurtenances always take Machiavellian tactics.

    From 1946 till date, there has never been an election in Nigeria that is not controversial. Nigeria’s election is usually a do or die and / or a fight to finish  affair. Hence the accompanying post electoral crises.

    The electoral crisis that followed Western Region election of 1964 and general election of 1965 were one of the reasons why Nzeogwu and his men struck. The return to civilian rule after 15 years of military interregnum didn’t go without electoral crisis, in fact, it laid the foundation stone of judiciary being the last electoral  umpire in Nigeria.

    The 2011 general election was epoch making in Nigeria’s electoral history. It shows the world that we know our problems and can independently solve them. The latitude Goodluck Jonathan’s administration gave the Jega-led INEC was the reason INEC conducted an election second to June 12 1993 presidential election- though not without controversies and crisis.

    This silver lining in the Nigeria’s electoral sky could be sustained if we emulate the Indian electoral approach.

    Indian electoral commission considered the geographical vastness of their country as well as its teeming population in evolving a method for organizing free, fair and credible elections.

    India which is today, the world’s largest democracy with – according to this year general election indices – 815 million eligible voters scattered along its vast geography. Indian Government, knowing the irregularities, logistical problems  as well as complications that will mar their general election when conducted in a day, structured their general election into phases (2004, it was four phases, 2009, it was four phases, whereas in 2014 it was nine phases) which involved step by step announcement of the election dates and declaration of results at the end of each phase. This method does not just  bring transparency to bear but also force also-rans to concede defeat.

    This approach when applied in Nigeria will help to make our electoral processes more transparent and well monitored so as to curb the irregularities that have characterized our electoral system. The National Independent Electoral Commission could structure our Presidential election into six phases (based on six geopolitical zones of Nigeria) and organize it within a space of six weeks.

    This approach when merged with Jega’s novel televised reporting of results of presidential election by state’s resident electoral commissioner, will ensure more focus and easy election monitoring. And, it will minimize all sorts of electoral malpractices.

    • Asikason Jonathan

     Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State.