The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • There is zoning in Enugu, says group

    There is zoning in Enugu, says group

    The people of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, Enugu State have called on  the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP and Governor Sullivan Chime to respect the zoning agreement in Enugu State in the interest of fairness and justice.

    A community leader,  Ignatius Onodugo, said the neglect of the pact would lead to the political marginaliation of the area.

    He  said the agreement on the rotation of the House of Representatives slot between Uzo-Uwani and Igbo-Etiti councils in the Nsukka Constituency  is sacrosant, adding that it is the turn of the former to enjoy the slot in the next year’s election.

    The community leader said the  federal legislator from the constituency is trying to tamper with the agreement by mooting a second term agenda.

    Onodugbo said: “In recognition of the historical and brotherly affinity and the need to foster peace and unity between Igbo-Etiti and Uzo-Uwani Local Government Areas,  some wise men from both areas met in February, 1998 and entered into an agreement that the House of Representatives seat shall rotate among the two brotherly local governments.

    “They further agreed that Igbo-Etiti would produce the first candidate for the seat and this led to the emergence of Hon. Mathias Ozor in 1998 under the platform of the UNCP. However, his tenure was short lived because of the truncation of the Abacha transition programme due to his demise,” he said.

    He added: “Again, in January, 1999, by a broader representation, another agreement was entered into by political leaders from the areas reiterating the need to foster a harmonious co-existence between the two areas by rotating the seat.

    “It was further agreed that Uzo-Uwani LGA shall take the first shot this time around having conceded the position to Igbo-Etiti the previous year but for the truncation of the transition programme.

    “This agreement led to the emergence of Dr. Romanus Ezike from Uzo-Uwani whose election was upturned by the electoral tribunal . He spent only three months in the office and was replaced by Hon. Chris Nnadi from Igbo-Etiti, who now stayed from September 1999 to 2007.”

    “It is instructive to note that, since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999 till date, Uzo-Uwani has served only four years out of the 16 years by 2015 when the incumbent might have completed her tenure making Igbo-Etiti to occupy the position for 12 years leaving Uzo-Uwani with only four years.

    “It is in the interest of the foregoing that we call on all men of goodwill to see the need for an Uzo-Uwani to take the next turn’’.

  • ‘With internal democracy, APC ‘ll survive’

    ‘With internal democracy, APC ‘ll survive’

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Senator Ganiyu Solomon spoke with reporters in Lagos on his ambition, zoning, the agitation for a Christian governor and the fate of the party in the next general elections. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

    What are your expectations about the next governorship poll in Lagos State?

    Democracy translates to participatory governance, which means everybody gets involved; you participate. And that differentiates it from a dictatorial government. Dictatorial government is just about a few people, and that was what we had during the military era. There was the accusation that, ‘all these parties, you’re not allowing internal democracy.’ And they kept saying, ‘yes, we’re guaranteeing internal democracy.’

    I remember when Chief Akande spoke on this, because he was the first person to give something close to a manifesto, of sorts, before the official launch of the party. And part of what he said, apart from fighting corruption, is that in this our party, we are going to make sure we imbibe the culture of internal democracy. So, anything that will make the party look at another direction, instead of a particular direction, will make it short on internal democracy. So, to me, it’s about perception. Some people may say the body language of the leadership is tilting towards this person; at the end of the day, it’s about perception. I say this because I relate with the leadership; none of the leaders have said, ‘I don’t think you can go,’ or ‘you’re not going,’ or has sent somebody to me to say ‘you’re going back to the senate.’ As far as  I am concerned, any way, the issue of the Senate is closed; I am not going back to the Senate. Maybe, we should start with that:  I am not going back to the Senate; that is settled.

    What is your reaction to the endorsement of Mr. Akin Ambode for the governorship election by the Olowo-Eko, Oba Rilwan Akiolu?

    Let me say that, in making the pronouncement, Kabiyesi was expressing his preference. He has also expressed his personal opinion. We’re talking of a party now; I don’t know which part or provision of the constitution of the party says a traditional ruler endorses or can endorse. Whatever he says is his personal wish, which is not the same thing as the wish of the generality of the people.

    At the end of the day, we have a party structure. Let me also tell you that he made the pronouncement at a time when we had not even concluded putting party structures in place. So, it couldn’t have been in consultation, with who? Is it with the political leadership? Is it with the traditional leadership? We’ve had different opinions since then. We deliberately did not come out to say anything about it because we felt it was a political statement. And what do you do with political statements?

    You either respond or you leave it. In this case, we decided to leave it. It has happened a number of times when a traditional ruler in one state would say, ‘this is the person we want.’  At the end of the day, the man would not go anywhere. It has happened several times. I don’t want to cite instances. Even in Lagos, it has happened. In our own case, such statements would not deter us. It will not deter the party man.  What is the weight of a vote? Every vote carries the same weight, regardless of the status of the individual. So, what anybody can do is to go behind his chosen, preferred, aspirant, mobilise people behind him, and provide a level playing field. It is not even for them to do that, that is the provision of the constitution; that is the tenet of democracy – provide a level playing field. And there must be transparency. Whoever wins becomes the party’s candidate, every other person queues behind him. It is not by pronouncement it is not by proclamation;, yes, they were using proclamation years ago to annex, to cede, land , to cede society, to cede country, but not now. That is now out of vogue; this is democracy, you can’t do that. So, we’ll just leave it at that – it is political and we, politicians, take as political, and consign to its proper place.

    Consensus or primaries, which would you recommend to your party?

    Now, we have a much more bigger party; that means it has also increased our stakeholders. And let me also remind you recently, we had a very aggressive membership mobilisation drive which brought a lot of people into this political party. These people now are interested; how do you do consensus? Do you do consultation down to the grassroots level? Do you do consultation up to various sectors of the political parties? Because you need to do that. Then, how do you now aggregate their opinions? If you meet a particular group, they would have somebody. If you meet another group, they would have a different person. So, you have to meet various groups at different levels, up to the lowest rung of the ladder, from the top to the bottom. How do you now aggregate their preferences? You have to do it; it has to be very scientific. Whatever you do, you must make sure it can stand the test of time. What is that test of time? The election.  What I will recommend is to have primaries. It will put everybody’s mind at rest.

    We believe you’ve been consulting with political leaders in the state. Have you consulted with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and what did he tell you?

    Yes, I’ve consulted with him. There’s no way you’d want to run for governorship, or any serious political office and you don’t meet your leaders. I met him and he said, ‘well, you can go ahead with your ambition; at the right time we’ll roll out the party programmes and so on, but right now we are busy putting up the party structures.’ We agreed that putting up party structures will not stop me from meeting people, going ahead with my plans. That is it.

    There are some issues that may shape the primaries-zoning and religion. We want your opinion on these issues, zoning and religion.

    I always try not to go into discussing religion, because people can be very emotional about religion and, given what is also going on round the country, it is a very sensitive issue. In this particular part of the country, we don’t discuss religion when it comes to governance. This is the very first time some people are bringing it up. And I can tell you that they are bringing it up because of their own selfish interests. I don’t want to go further, but look at the average family here, you have them muslims, you have them Christians. I have a cousin who is a reverend; my sister is a deaconess; go to Methodist Church, Palm Avenue, that is the church our grandparents attended. That is where they had their burial. So, how will I do anything against a Christian community, for instance? It has never been an issue. Some people have come out to say governance is not about religion. Religion will not put food on your table. You’d have to look at people you believe have integrity, who have what it takes to govern. And I will not also want to go into comparison, as some people would want to do. The moment they succeed in bringing this, and somebody comes on board, and the only credential he’s waving is ‘I am a Christian,’ or ‘I am a muslim,’ his royalty, whether we like it or not, will go to that group, first and foremost. And it will now exert a big influence on his policies, on his roles, on anything he does, because he would now think he’s obliged to that community. That is about religion – like I said, it is very very sensitive, people can be very emotional about it. Now, about zoning. Again, in the history of Lagos – I challenge anybody to prove me wrong – this would be the first time that anybody would sit down and say ‘we’re zoning to this particular person’, and they made a mistake of it. Those people that were doing it made a mistake of saying they were zoning to a particular town. You can only zone to a senatorial district, because that particular town does not constitute the whole district. And when eventually they said, ‘Ok, Epe.’ Its part of the East. We have some other towns, some other divisions, as part of the East. The other divisions rose up and said, ‘no, it’s our turn, because Epe has done it before.’ These are things that are avoidable, if we ourselves had not inadvertently brought it up.

    However, in my own case, if they think that would be a deterrent, no. I also have a roof in the East. And also because they’ve made it possible to move from one senatorial district to another, or ven move across – move from a senatorial district, jump over to another senatorial district. So, it’s all well and good. Whatever I am saying is not new to Lagos politics; there are precedents. It is accepted, it has become a norm, so we do it.

    You said you’re also from the East, where?

    How?

    My dad was from Ipakodo. You go to the palace, they will tell you. They will tell you also his role in upgrading the Obaship. My mum is from Ituwolo, and my maternal grand mum is from Ibeshe. So, whatever way you want to push it, I am there. They can’t talk of zoning as a way of stopping anybody. It is also not a provision of the party, which means anybody, even from the Central, can run. It is the party members that would say, ‘no, we prefer this person.’

    It depends on who the individual is. You go ahead, just leave party members to their thing, that again would promote democracy. It would make the candidates to talk to people, to talk to people across the other senatorial districts. You just don’t fold your arms and say because somebody has zoned it to your area, that is the end. You also need the other districts. At the end of the day, you’re not going to be governor of Lagos East only; you’re supposed to be the governor of Lagos State.

    What are your chances of getting the party ticket, given the possibility that you’re believed to be independent-minded, which is probably one of your undoing?

    I’d gone through this root before, and I know what it requires, I know what it takes. And I have also said that it would be foolhardy of anybody to join a political race without doing self-assessment. In Lagos State, anybody from our party throwing his heart in the ring in 2011 would have been foolish, because there was no way he would have defeated the incumbent. In the same way, I think I have done my own assessment, and, with respect to members of my own party, I know their thinking, I know where they are leaning towards. And I know that they are agitating very strongly that this time around, they should be allowed to indicate their preference. With that in place, I stand more than a good chance of clinching the ticket, and finally by the grace of God.

    Have you also talked to Governor Fashola?

    I said any serious contender will do a far and wide consultation with the leadership of the party, and when you’re talking of the leadership of this political party – I don’t know how you read – by the time you mention a few names, and you’ve not mentioned the governor, you still don’t know where you’re going, you’re joking. He’s a leader of the party, both at the national and state levels. Definitely, he’s one of those I’ve consulted.

    What would you do if there is a free and fair primary election and you did not win?

    A free and fair primary election? Oh, I’ll queue behind whoever wins. If there was none – we ‘ll leave that to that time. We will act accordingly.

    What happens, if you lose in a flawed primary election? There are speculations that you would move out of the APC.

    We still need to sell our party; we still need to sell our party to the general populace, which is much more important, and that is why I will not engage in a bitter fight, because at the end of the day we still need to come together to fighter a greater ‘devil’. The second option, where there’s a close margin, where there is free, fair transparent primary election, the people would have spoken and there is nothing you can do; it becomes our party issue. You rally round whoever emerges, and try to work out things together. As for the last scenario, where some people think they can outsmart the others, we’ll act accordingly.

  • Celebrating illusion of hope

    Celebrating illusion of hope

    As Nigeria celebrates 15 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, stakeholders are lamenting the gap between expectation and reality, reports Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN.

    On May 29, 1999, the expectation was high. But, 15 years after, the hopes appear to have been dashed.

    Security of lives and property cannot be guaranteed. Job opportunities are elusive. The standard of living is low. Corruption has assumed an alarming proportion. Cravings for wealth among public officials appears to be the norm. Government has also failed to create a conducive environment for business and foreign investment.

    It appears the government has been overwhelmed by the problems facing the country. Observers argue that the situation is even worse than it was before the advent of democracy.

    On the economic front, the story is depressing. The World Bank has ranked Nigeria as the fifth poorest country in the world. About 75 per cent of the populace live on $1 per day. The irony of it is that Nigeria is the sixth largest producer of crude oil in the world. The oil wealth has translated into mass poverty.

    It seems the country is broke. The states’ monthly allocations from the Federation Account have been dropping. There is panic  over the state of the economy. Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has attributed the shortfall in the national revenue to the oil theft in the Niger Delta, which has led to a grossly diminished accrual to the national treasury.

    A university lecturer, Dr Adetunji Ogunyemi, described the situation whereby oil thieves have held the nation to ransom as shameful. He said the government seemed to have given up and accepted that oil theft is a way of life.  He noted that the activities of these criminals have forced some states to go borrowing before they could pay civil servants.

    In his reckoning, an economist, Henry Boyo, said the economy was trapped in a paradox of deepening poverty, despite the increasing export revenue. He said: “It is inexplicable that Nigeria became listed among the poorest nations of the world. A careful analysis of the process of infusion of our export earnings into the economy will show that this anomaly was made inevitable by the Central Bank’s practice of capturing export dollar revenue and substituting naira at its unilaterally determined rate of exchange before the payment of consolidated naira allocations to the three tiers of government.”

    To Boyo,  the monetary framework is faulty, and there is urgent need for its fundamental restructuring so that the economy can be rapidly transformed  to induce vast expansion  in industrial activity with single digit lending rates. If this is done, it will also increase employment opportunities and lower single digit of inflation and the exchange rate mechanism. He observed that the government’s efforts to achieve these parameters, reduce poverty, enhance the social welfare in the last 15 years have failed woefully.

    Another economist, Dr Lanre Dada,  said the lack of planning and respect for the budgetary process are apparent. He said successive governments are culpable.  Dada said while the three regimes have applauded themselves for managing the economy very well, the economic indices tell a different story. He observed that Inflation has been skyrocketing, adding that the purchasing power has also fallen. He regretted that neither of these issues is being addressed by the government.

    Dada said it was disheartening that billions of dollars could not be accounted for by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). “For a nation that relies on earnings from the oil export to have failed to account for this huge amount speaks volume about the level of mismanagement in the oil sector,” he added.

    The economist frowned at the Federal Government’s indifference to the oil theft in the Niger Delta on daily basis, noting that the activities of the criminals are affecting the economy, because the nation’s earnings from oil have dropped drastically. “What the states and local governments get from the Federation Account on monthly basis has dropped. They are short changed by the oil thieves,” he stressed.

    Dada said the so-called rebased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that the Federal government is celebrating is meaningless to the common man because it has not impacted positively on his standard of living. He asked: “If Nigerian economy is ranked the largest in Africa, what does this translate to for the economic indicators such as the industry? Will it result in the resuscitation of moribund industries? Will it result in the return of those who left the country because of harsh operating environment?” The economist warned that the emergence of Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa may not necessarily trigger financial inflows, unless there are good policies and prospects to woo foreign investors.

    The fight against corruption by the government has not fared better. According to stakeholders, the anti-graft war is selective and is geared more towards dealing with perceived enemies of government. The high profile corruption cases include the Malabo oil deal, Halliburton contract scam, the fraud in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Communications Commission, particularly as it relates to an estimated N1 trillion debt owed the NITEL for telecom operators’ use of NITEL’s facilities at the inception of GSM, the fraudulent conversion of operators’ universal access license to a national carrier license.

    To public affairs analyst, Mallam Aminu Abdullahi, the anti corruption war is not just dead; its remains have been interred. He said the President’s body language encourages and protects corruption. “Remember the case of Stella Oduah, former Minister of Aviation, and the use of over N250 million to buy two bullet-proof cars, which were not provided for in the budget. Besides, the amount was in excess of the market price. Despite the public outcry against her continued stay in office, it took President Jonathan several months to sack Oduah,” he said.

    Abdullahi added: “Now, another minister has been alleged of misappropriation. Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs Deziani Alison-Madueke was alleged to have spent N10 billion on a private for her personal use. While the matter was still pending for investigation at the National Assembly, President Jonathan stoutly defended the minister by saying she is entitled to a private jet because of the nature of her work.  The minister said she would appear before the House of Representatives Committee, if the President approves.

    Upset by the President’s comment, Abdullahi said: “It appears our President doesn’t know that corruption is an impediment that stunts the growth of nations. No nation has ever developed or made any meaningful progress without tackling corruption head-long. I am not expecting any positive change or determined effort from Jonathan in the anti-graft war”.

    Dada aligned himself with Abdullahi’s position. He said government has refused to arrest and punish corrupt officials, thereby promoting the lack of accountability in public life. Noting that transparency and accountability are fundamental to good governance, the economist urged the President to eradicate the rot in the oil and gas sector.

    The 1999 Constitution states that the security and welfare of the people are the primary responsibility of government. It appears that government has failed in this respect.  The security challenges are enormous. The Boko Haram insurgency, the armed robbery and kidnappings have overwhelmed the government.

    A social critic, Charles Edebiri, is of the view that the Federal Government, which controls the Armed Forces, should guarantee an atmosphere of security, peace and tranquillity. He said a government that is popularly elected by the people, and still enjoys the currency of tenure, should handle security challenges because it is expected to have plan, vision and will power.

    Edebiri said: “Instead, our President only talks and complains about terrorism without pro-active measures to contain the insurgence, robberies, kidnappings and other crimes. Though the Federal Government has declared a state of emergence in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe and it has ordered a full scale military operation against the Boko Haram sect, the social critic raised some puzzles: Are we getting the desired results? Are the soldiers well equipped? Why has the Federal Government decided to seek the help of foreign countries to subdue the insurgents?  “These questions must be addressed, in view of the army mutiny in Maiduguri recently and the protest staged by the wives of military personnel over the welfare of their husbands,” he added.

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said over 50 per cent of Nigerian youths is jobless. The World Bank puts the figure at 56 per cent. Considering the country’s estimated population of about 160 million, the 80 million jobless Nigerians are endangered species. These are grim figures portend danger to economic growth and development. Experts have warned that 56 per cent unemployment rate is too high for comfort, alluding to the fact that the Arab Spring was triggered by a 25 per cent unemployment rate.

    A lecturer in the Department of Economics, The Bell University, Ota, Ogun State,  Oluwatosin Oyetayo, blamed the high rate of unemployment on government policies, infrastructural decay and the neglect of the manufacturing sector. She said that the economy is not viable, in terms of job creation. “Our production has reduced to almost zero level as a result of erratic power supply. The implication is job loss and Nigeria turning into a dumping ground of finished goods from foreign countries. The economic implication is that we are unable to manage our balance of payment. The social implication is that our youths are engaged in criminal activities”, Oyetayo added.

  • Celebrating illusion of hope

    Celebrating illusion of hope

    As Nigeria celebrates 15 years of uninterrupted democratic rule tomorrow, stakeholders are lamenting the gap between expectation and reality, reports Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN.

    On May 29, 1999, the expectation was high. But, 15 years after, the hopes appear to have been dashed.

    Security of lives and property cannot be guaranteed. Job opportunities are elusive. The standard of living is low. Corruption has assumed an alarming proportion. Cravings for wealth among public officials appears to be the norm. Government has also failed to create a conducive environment for business and foreign investment.

    It appears the government has been overwhelmed by the problems facing the country. Observers argue that the situation is even worse than it was before the advent of democracy.

    On the economic front, the story is depressing. The World Bank has ranked Nigeria as the fifth poorest country in the world. About 75 per cent of the populace live on $1 per day. The irony of it is that Nigeria is the sixth largest producer of crude oil in the world. The oil wealth has translated into mass poverty.

    It seems the country is broke. The states’ monthly allocations from the Federation Account have been dropping. There is panic  over the state of the economy. Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has attributed the shortfall in the national revenue to the oil theft in the Niger Delta, which has led to a grossly diminished accrual to the national treasury.

    A university lecturer, Dr Adetunji Ogunyemi, described the situation whereby oil thieves have held the nation to ransom as shameful. He said the government seemed to have given up and accepted that oil theft is a way of life.  He noted that the activities of these criminals have forced some states to go borrowing before they could pay civil servants.

    In his reckoning, an economist, Henry Boyo, said the economy was trapped in a paradox of deepening poverty, despite the increasing export revenue. He said: “It is inexplicable that Nigeria became listed among the poorest nations of the world. A careful analysis of the process of infusion of our export earnings into the economy will show that this anomaly was made inevitable by the Central Bank’s practice of capturing export dollar revenue and substituting naira at its unilaterally determined rate of exchange before the payment of consolidated naira allocations to the three tiers of government.”

    To Boyo,  the monetary framework is faulty, and there is urgent need for its fundamental restructuring so that the economy can be rapidly transformed  to induce vast expansion  in industrial activity with single digit lending rates. If this is done, it will also increase employment opportunities and lower single digit of inflation and the exchange rate mechanism. He observed that the government’s efforts to achieve these parameters, reduce poverty, enhance the social welfare in the last 15 years have failed woefully.

    Another economist, Dr Lanre Dada,  said the lack of planning and respect for the budgetary process are apparent. He said successive governments are culpable.  Dada said while the three regimes have applauded themselves for managing the economy very well, the economic indices tell a different story. He observed that Inflation has been skyrocketing, adding that the purchasing power has also fallen. He regretted that neither of these issues is being addressed by the government.

    Dada said it was disheartening that billions of dollars could not be accounted for by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). “For a nation that relies on earnings from the oil export to have failed to account for this huge amount speaks volume about the level of mismanagement in the oil sector,” he added.

    The economist frowned at the Federal Government’s indifference to the oil theft in the Niger Delta on daily basis, noting that the activities of the criminals are affecting the economy, because the nation’s earnings from oil have dropped drastically. “What the states and local governments get from the Federation Account on monthly basis has dropped. They are short changed by the oil thieves,” he stressed.

    Dada said the so-called rebased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that the Federal government is celebrating is meaningless to the common man because it has not impacted positively on his standard of living. He asked: “If Nigerian economy is ranked the largest in Africa, what does this translate to for the economic indicators such as the industry? Will it result in the resuscitation of moribund industries? Will it result in the return of those who left the country because of harsh operating environment?” The economist warned that the emergence of Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa may not necessarily trigger financial inflows, unless there are good policies and prospects to woo foreign investors.

    The fight against corruption by the government has not fared better. According to stakeholders, the anti-graft war is selective and is geared more towards dealing with perceived enemies of government. The high profile corruption cases include the Malabo oil deal, Halliburton contract scam, the fraud in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Communications Commission, particularly as it relates to an estimated N1 trillion debt owed the NITEL for telecom operators’ use of NITEL’s facilities at the inception of GSM, the fraudulent conversion of operators’ universal access license to a national carrier license.

    To public affairs analyst, Mallam Aminu Abdullahi, the anti corruption war is not just dead; its remains have been interred. He said the President’s body language encourages and protects corruption. “Remember the case of Stella Oduah, former Minister of Aviation, and the use of over N250 million to buy two bullet-proof cars, which were not provided for in the budget. Besides, the amount was in excess of the market price. Despite the public outcry against her continued stay in office, it took President Jonathan several months to sack Oduah,” he said.

    Abdullahi added: “Now, another minister has been alleged of misappropriation. Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs Deziani Alison-Madueke was alleged to have spent N10 billion on a private for her personal use. While the matter was still pending for investigation at the National Assembly, President Jonathan stoutly defended the minister by saying she is entitled to a private jet because of the nature of her work.  The minister said she would appear before the House of Representatives Committee, if the President approves.

    Upset by the President’s comment, Abdullahi said: “It appears our President doesn’t know that corruption is an impediment that stunts the growth of nations. No nation has ever developed or made any meaningful progress without tackling corruption head-long. I am not expecting any positive change or determined effort from Jonathan in the anti-graft war”.

    Dada aligned himself with Abdullahi’s position. He said government has refused to arrest and punish corrupt officials, thereby promoting the lack of accountability in public life. Noting that transparency and accountability are fundamental to good governance, the economist urged the President to eradicate the rot in the oil and gas sector.

    The 1999 Constitution states that the security and welfare of the people are the primary responsibility of government. It appears that government has failed in this respect.  The security challenges are enormous. The Boko Haram insurgency, the armed robbery and kidnappings have overwhelmed the government.

    A social critic, Charles Edebiri, is of the view that the Federal Government, which controls the Armed Forces, should guarantee an atmosphere of security, peace and tranquillity. He said a government that is popularly elected by the people, and still enjoys the currency of tenure, should handle security challenges because it is expected to have plan, vision and will power.

    Edebiri said: “Instead, our President only talks and complains about terrorism without pro-active measures to contain the insurgence, robberies, kidnappings and other crimes. Though the Federal Government has declared a state of emergence in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe and it has ordered a full scale military operation against the Boko Haram sect, the social critic raised some puzzles: Are we getting the desired results? Are the soldiers well equipped? Why has the Federal Government decided to seek the help of foreign countries to subdue the insurgents?  “These questions must be addressed, in view of the army mutiny in Maiduguri recently and the protest staged by the wives of military personnel over the welfare of their husbands,” he added.

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said over 50 per cent of Nigerian youths is jobless. The World Bank puts the figure at 56 per cent. Considering the country’s estimated population of about 160 million, the 80 million jobless Nigerians are endangered species. These are grim figures portend danger to economic growth and development. Experts have warned that 56 per cent unemployment rate is too high for comfort, alluding to the fact that the Arab Spring was triggered by a 25 per cent unemployment rate.

    A lecturer in the Department of Economics, The Bell University, Ota, Ogun State,  Oluwatosin Oyetayo, blamed the high rate of unemployment on government policies, infrastructural decay and the neglect of the manufacturing sector. She said that the economy is not viable, in terms of job creation. “Our production has reduced to almost zero level as a result of erratic power supply. The implication is job loss and Nigeria turning into a dumping ground of finished goods from foreign countries. The economic implication is that we are unable to manage our balance of payment. The social implication is that our youths are engaged in criminal activities”, Oyetayo added.

    According to experts, the way out is for government to put in place an effective constitutional and procedural checks and balances on the exercise of state power. They also advise the government to pursue a dynamic and modern process of diversification of the national economy. This can be done by committing a reasonable fraction of the country’s earnings to the development and modernisation of its agriculture and solid minerals sectors so that the two areas can complement the oil and gas sector, which are the major sas foreign exchange earners.

     

  • Challenges that ‘ll confront my successor, by Akpabio

    Challenges that ‘ll confront my successor, by Akpabio

    Akwa Ibom Governor Godswill Akpabio has  highlighted the challenges that will confront his successor. He said the next governor must endeavour to maintain the various development projects, which are the legacies of his administration.

    The governor spoke with reporters in Uyo, the state capital, after inspecting the Ibom International Stadium project. He was accompanied by Senator Udoma Udoma.

    He said: “This is a state where maintenance should be a major focus. The next administration should not look for too much glory, but  a way to maintain the projects that we have done, which are  of high standard. We like to see our  people drive along our roads with no potholes”.

    Akpabio said he had set a standard for his successors, who should build on the legacies. He said the projects executed by him will stand the test of time.

    The governor added: “On the stadium, we are signing a maintenance contract with Julius Berger Company for the next 10 years. For most of our projects like the Ibom Tropicana Entertainment Centre, we have also done maintenance management for the Le’ Meridien Hotel and Golf Resort, which the golf resort had already handed over to the hotel for maintenance for four years now.

    “We like to see improvement in the education sector, with our children going to school free, with the quality of teachers improving through the training and re-training of teachers. We also intend to expand Akwa Ibom State University with the building of more structures, so that,at the end of the day, we take education as a priority and train our children in management for the sustainability of projects and for the uncommon transformation of the state.”

    Akpabio, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum Chairman, reflected on power and politcs, saying that power is only meaningful, if governors execute laudable projects for the benefit of the people.

    He urged governors to live up to expectation in their  states, adding that this is what is required in a democracy.

    Udoma, who lauded the quality of work at the stadium, praised the governor for the state’s infrastructural development.

  • Yuguda’s 2015 calculations

    Yuguda’s 2015 calculations

    Bauchi State Governor Mallam Isa Yuguda, who is leaving office next year, has been endorsed by stakeholders for the Senate in the South District. Correspondent AUSTIN TSENZUGHUC reports that his ambition may pitch him against Senator Adamu Gumba, who is seeking re-election.

    Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda will vacate office next year. But, he will not embark on political retirement. It is an open secret that he is eyeing the senatorial slot in his native South District. Although he has not publicly declared his ambition, he is consulting with party elders and other stakeholders in the district. Also, there are subtle campaigns by his loyalists that suggest that the days of the Senator Adamu Ibrahim Gumba are numbered in the Senate.

    Analysts argue that Yuguda is emulating former governors, who became senators, following the expiration of their second term. Already, the state is abuzz with unsubstantiated claims that there is a subsisting “gentleman understanding” between  Gumba and Yuguda that makes it obligatory for the senator to vacate the seat for the governor next year.  Yuguda and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have not refuted the claim.

    The Bauchi South seat became vacant in 2009, following the appointment of Senator Bala Mohammed as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Many indigenes of the zone, including  Gumba and Mr. Ali Wakili, a retired Custom officer, contested for the ticket under the PDP. But, Gumba emerged victorious.

    Many stakeholders were taken aback. Before the contest, Gumba was perceived as a   colourless politician. Unlike Wakili, he lacked financial clout and a formidable network.  The story making the rounds then was that Gumba was Yuguda’s anointed candidate. ‘’He was provided with the required financial resources to ensure his victory, and that is why he beat all other candidates,’’ a PDP chieftain said. The source added: ‘’That is why what you heard is yet to be denied by either the government or Senator Gumba.’’

    However, Wakili and other co-contestants  defected to All Progressives Congress (APC), with the hope of clinching the party’s ticket for the Senate. They have already deployed campaign materials across the zone in readiness for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s official nod for the commencement of campaigns.

    This development is coming ahead of the APC’s nomination of a senatorial flag-bearer for the Bauchi South, who may give the PDP candidate (Gumba or Yuguda) a good run for his money. The APC barely three weeks ago had its state congress in Bauchi, where its state’s officials were elected in a transparent and orderly manner.

    A  source close to Gumba has refuted the claim that he was sponsored by Yuguda and that he is obliged to step down for him in 2015. His words: “It is not true that Governor Yuguda asked Gumba to hold the post for him. What happened was that, when Senator Bala moved to the F.C.T. as the minister, the former Northeast PDP Chairman,  Senator Paul Wanpana, conducted primaries for seven aspirants who against all pleas refused to step down for one another.

    ‘’At the primary, each person was asked to vote for himself and another aspirant of his choice. So, somebody voted for himself and Gumba. That is how he emerged as  the Bauchi South PDP senatorial candidate. From there, he contested with candidates from opposition parties and won. So, it not true that Yuguda placed him there to hold brief for him.’’

    The source, who is a chieftain of the PDP, said Gumba is not an aggressive politician, stressing that he does not believe in the politics of blackmail and violence. “He was a successful civil servant as a custom officer. On retirement, he served as the Head of Civil Service and Commissioner for Education under  Governor Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu,” he added.

    Neither Gumba nor Yuguda has declared his intention to vie for the seat. But, a partisan group, ‘’Yuguda for the Senate Advocates,’’ has urged the governor to declare his ambition.  Members of the group have paid visits to Gumba, urging him to step down for Yuguda. They said that the governor should be compensated with the seat for serving the state meritoriously for eight years.

    Gumba is yet to give a definite answer. But, as source said: “The peace loving, gentle senator, who is the Chairman of Senate Committee on Sports, is waiting for Yuguda to personally approach him to step-down on terms agreeable to the two of them.”

    In Bauchi South, Gumba has been watering the ground for his re-nomination. Between January and March, he has organised empowerment programmes for the people. A sourcse close to him said that he has expended over N140 million on projects across the seven local governments that make up the zone.

    However, top PDP chieftains confided that this may not guarantee Gumba’s renomination. It is a common knowledge that most  governors often use government resources to intimidate rivals and cow them into submission.

    Yuguda is popular in the zone. For the eight years he has been in power, he has not forgotten home. He has sited some projects in the district, thereby earning applause from indigenes.  He has constructed roads and provided other social amenities. He has also  empowered key stakeholders in the zone. One of the roads constructed by him is the 84-kilometre Alkaleri/Futuk Road, which is a  road linking Magama/Gumau, Toro Local Government Area, to Rishi-Ramaha-Saminaka in Kaduna State. In addition, another access road to fast track economic activities in Kirfi Local Government is under construction.  Yuguda has offered appointments to many indigenes. He has  also provided job opportunities for many youths.

    At the grassroots, the governor has created more districts, village heads and hamlets to give minorities a sense of belonging. He was applauded for the creation of the Sayawa chiefdom. The move has bought peace to the troubled Sayawa-dominated Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa Local Governments. Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa had been the flashpoints of ethno-religious conflicts for almost a  hundred years. Many lives have been been lost and property worth millions destroyed.

    However, the contest may not be a walk over for Yuguda.  He may not count on the support of the people of Bauchi Local Government Area, which has always been the stronghold of the opposition. In 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011 elections, they voted against the PDP candidates. Next year, voting may follow the same pattern. Although the local government hosts the state capital, the people are not favourably disposed to the PDP. Eminent Nigerians from the area are gravitating towards the direction of the APC.

    Also, the Sayawa people of Bogoro Local Government Area are not happy with Yuguda, in spite of the fact he has given them  the chiefdom. For 40 years, the people had agitated for cultural identity. The Sayawa (Zaar) Chiefdom is a welcome development. But, the seat of the GumZaar (the spiritual and social leader of the Sayawa ethnic group) was moved to Marten-Giji, against the wish of the people. Marten Giji is an obscure hamlet. It is far from Tafawa Balewa town. The people have maintained that it is not their ancestral home.

    They is also the bitter resentment against the governor over the indefinite suspension of Hon. Rifkatu Samson Danna, the only female member of Bauchi State House of Assembly. She is an influential indigene of Bogoro Sayawa. She has been on suspension June 2012.  Also, Sayawa people are complaining that the only Government Girls Secondary School in Tafawa Balewa has been closed down since 2012, because of insecurity in the area.

    Toro and Bauchi local governments share the same political feelings. Toro has always been in the opposition and it will not be an easy task for Yuguda to secure the votes of the electorate in the area. Prominent indigene, including Dr. Ibrahim Yakubu Lame, Dr. Aliyu Tilde, Dr. Danjuma Adamu Dabo, and Barr. Ibrahim Zailani, Ibrahim Tilde and Hon.Lawal Yahaya Gumau, are major stakeholders in the Bauchi APC.

     

  • Fashola: An actualiser on last lap

    Fashola: An actualiser on last lap

    As Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) marks his third year in office this week, MIRIAM EKENE-OKORO examines the journey so far and the challenges that the administration would encounter on the last lap of the race.

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has made a remarkable impact on governance. The speed at which he is delivering dividends of democracy, as his second term is about to end, shows that he is desirous of leaving an enduring legacy.

    Seven years ago, when the mantle of leadership fell on him, he was underrated by many skeptics. The lawyer-turned politician was determined to leave an indelible mark. He was burning with a passion to excel. Armed with the 10-point agenda,  Fashola took the bull by the horn.

    The first major reform of the governor  in 2007 was in the area of security. Day in day out, criminal activities were reported across the  metropolis. More worrisome was the persistent cases of bank robbery. The situation was of great concern to the governor, who wanted to create a conducive atmosphere for investment.  For this reason, he noted that there was the need to provide support to security agencies to combat crime.

    Thus, Fashola  initiated the  Safe City Project, which later metamorphosed into the establishment of the Lagos State  Security Trust Fund (LSSTF). This platform, driven by public-private partnership, became a mobilising force for corporate organisations and individuals to provide equipment and resources for security agencies. This approach, observers acknowledged, was a pragmatic response to the operational deficiency of the police and other security agencies.

    LSSTF operations were backed by the law. On September 3, 2007, the Lagos State House of Assembly passed a law that was assented to by the governor on security. The legislation institutionalised an enduring public – private partnership approach to security.

    The main objective of the Trust Fund is to solicit for  donations to the fund for the acquisition and deployment of security equipment, and human, material and financial resources for its effective functioning.

    The fund is also meant for the training and welfare of security personnel to get optimum results.

    The collective investment in crime prevention has led to a lower crime rates in the state. Now,  foreign missions have keyed into the process. Foreign aids have come from the Consul-General of Lebanon, Mrs. Dima Haddad, who recently donated N80 million to the fund.

    So far, the government has made judicious use of the fund. It has constantly provided patrol vehicles, motor bikes, bullet proof vests and other equipment to the police to combat crime.

    The government has also been applauded for its effort towards infrastructural renewal in the state. Roads and bridges have been constructed across the three senatorial zones.

    Legal scholar Prof. Itse Sagay, in his paper; ‘Phenomenon and the future of Nigeria’, explained that Fashola, while building on the legacy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, established a modern, enlightened democratic and civilised state and society in Lagos under the rule of law.

    According to Sagay: “Quite rightly, emphasis and considerable attention have been devoted to the infrastructural and physical development, transformation, indeed revolution, Fashola and his predecessor have deployed in changing the face of Lagos State, and the standard of life enjoyed by its people.

    “The people of Lagos are beneficiaries of this physical transformation which has introduced, so to speak, ‘another life’, in Lagos.”

    Among these projects are the construction of the 10-lane Okokomaiko-Marina expressway, with its light rail component, the Ikoyi-Lekki cable bridge, the  beautification of Lagos, with the establishment of parks and gardens in former area boys-infested locations, the reconstruction of public facilities, including the City Hall and the Freedom Park, have all contributed to restore Lagos to its glory.

    The education sector has been defended by the government. Fashola has invested heavily in the rehabilitation and construction of  new blocks of classrooms in public schools. The distribution of free text books, provision of well-equipped laboratories and libraries, provision of buses for teachers to ease transportation problems, re-launch of uniformed voluntary organisations in public schools, and the implementation of Teachers’ Salary Scale (TSS)  the impact has also been enormous.

    Similar feat was recorded in the  tertiary institutions, with the revamping of technical colleges  and massive development of infrastructure at Lagos State University (LASU).

    However, the hike in the school fees LASU has continued to generate controversy. The disagreement over the policy has disrupted academic activities in the school. But, the government has assured that it will soon come up with a new pronouncement on the issue the stakeholders.

    The government has also scored a pass mark in the beatification of the environment, agriculture and transportation.

    For a state with about 20 million dwellers, effective transportation model is very important. Thus, the Fashola-led government launched the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme to effectively address the challenges.

    The success of this scheme has attracted the attention of other states and the Ghanaian government, which sent a delegation to understudy the scheme, with the aim of replicating it.

    One key feature of the governance is the 100-day commemoration. It has offered opportunities for feedback. Although it is criticised by the opposition, government insists that the intention is to relay its programmes and achievements to  the people.

    At the recent celebration of 2,500 days in office,  Fashola explained that the evidence of the budget performance reflects in the number of projects completed and services rendered.

    He listed the projects within that period to include Kodesoh and Simbiat Abiola Roads, Isapako-dowo market, Oshodi to resettle those relocated from the Oshodi Rail line and the Aka Bashorun Memorial Park, the 4-storey, 110-bed Maternal and Child Health Centre, Amuwo and the  dualised Alaba Cemetery Road, Ajeromi-Ifelodun and the bridge linking Ajao Estate and Ejigbo together.

    He said the government also started the issuance of the Electronic Certificate of Occupancy and launched the Lagos Home Ownership Scheme (HOMS) project,  a strategic intervention to deliver housing to citizens on a minimum of a 10-year mortgage and a maximum interest of 9.5 per cent.

    “We were at Iba to hand over a block of 12   classrooms, while a public spirited citizen, Chief Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, donated an 18-classroom block in Sabo Oniba, Ojo.

    “On the same day, our water transportation received a boost in the rural and riverine areas of Ojo and Ijegun Egba with the handing over of two new ferry terminals and support services to ease transportation along that corridor,” Fashola said.

    But, one of the challenges that will confront the administration is the completion of the on-going projects in many sectors.

    As the battle for who succeeds him hots up among contenders, the next governor will be stepping into  a big shoe.

  • ‘We need paradigm shift in Oyo politics’

    ‘We need paradigm shift in Oyo politics’

    In this piece, a member of a partisan group, ‘Oyo Renaissance’, Ayo Akande, contends that Oyo State is ripe for a paradigm shift in participatory governance.

    As Albert Einstein considered the imperative of change, he made the popular statement that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. That statement, made decades ago by the renowned scientist, still holds true today.

    As the 2015 general elections draw near, this saying should tug at the heart-strings of the people of Oyo State. It should nudge them to wake up from their individual and collective slumber, a slumber so deep that their state, once-so-greatthat it was called the Pacesetter State, is now anything but great.

    Oyo, our common heritage, had begun that journey to greatness, until its course was altered. Altered by its people and their leaders; altered by not-well-thought-out decisions to place it in the hands of leaders with parochial tendencies and without direction.

    Oyo State has had its fair share of disappointments. It is either those at the helm of affairs are too clueless to recognise the people’s plight, too arrogant to understand the suffering of the common man or too selfish to render genuine service.

    We have even seen many who falsely professAwoism, pretending to be apostles of the immortal Obafemi Awolowo’s ideals.Once they win elections, Awo’s ideals are the last things ever found in them and they brazenly advertise a total lack of the servant-leadership spirit of the sage.

    Under the guidance of the most unsuitable captains of the ship, Oyo State has continued its nosedive and it is only a matter of time before it hits the rock bottom. But, as the saying goes, omoonilu o nifekotu (a prince cannot have pleasure in the dispersal of his father’s kingdom), we in the Oyo Renaissance Group can no longer siddon look. Afterall,‘Ajise bi oyolaari.’

    As the 2015 governorship election approaches, these politicians, across different political parties, have again decided to take Oyo State people for another ride. The same set of people who had fooled the people before with sweet electioneering promises that have gone unfulfilled are angling again to get the people’s votes.

    Of course, to them, the people of Oyo State are always there to be deceived every election year. They come in different to gas and present themselves as interested in the common progress of Oyo State, but we know their fruits, and by their fruits Oyo State people must know them. The people of Oyo State are no fools and are better prepared now.

    The experience of‘Idera’under Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja was stagnation wrapped in docility. ‘Oyato’ was nothing more than brigandage.

    They even celebrate payment of salaries and irregular pensions as if governors are elected to come and pay salaries. Salary is a statutory  right; it is only in the land of the fools among disillusioned workers that such becomes a bargaining factor for  the votes of the civil servants and the populace. But, for how long more can the people continue to live with this visionless-ness?

    Though we do not believe in the widely-held assertion that Oyo State cannot elect someone twice as governor, the efforts of former governor who are now seeking the support of our people, are disappointing. As the words go around, Ladoja and Alao-Akala might be seeking after nothing but vendetta and vain-glory.

    If what they understand governance to mean is to defend a wife’s interests at all costs, just bear the title of  governor, throw parties, run the state as a private business, receive instructions from women-friends, marry more wives across nations, wearAnkara fabrics in a show of fake populismor, while they claim Ajumose, they turn the state into a personal estate, then the people of Oyo State should declare the duo of  Rashidi Ladoja and Adebayo Akala unfit for any elective office in 2015. They should also ignore their cronies in whatever guise they may come.

    For those who believed that Akala’semergence as governor was accidental because he is a ‘non-Ibadan’, Oyo state is one and is beyond such divisive opinion. Justice and equity, of course, demand that all zones in the state have good personages who can and must be governor. Besides, Ibadan is a cosmopolitan city that is largely populated by so-called non-indigenes. It is not a taboo, therefore, for non-Ibadan zones to produce a governor in their own state,afterall, no one becomes the governor without the good support of all the zones in Oyo State. Oyo should be more forward-looking and realistic to put behind every primordial sentiment andthe people should search and vote for competence that can bring about arenaissance.

    We in the Oyo Renaissance Group believe the right time for change is now. Oyo State needs truly visionary leaders, who will serve them and their interests and not impostors and vain rulers. Governance of Oyo state is beyond a display of riches, and it should be structured beyond emergency interventions to bait the electorate. It’s about servant leadership and sustenabilitythat will reposition the state. We must judge right and vote right by voting for true leaders with the love of the people at heart.

    It will be disastrous to rely on the inept experience of governance which some of the aspirants parade to take Oyo on the plane of development. Care must also be taken with any ambitious but dubious generational shift.

    The people of Oyo State  must play the political game better by saying enough to deceit and injustice.

     

     

     

     

  • 2015: APGA legislators can seek re-election

    2015: APGA legislators can seek re-election

    All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) National Chairman Chief Victor Umeh has said that House of Representatives members seeking re-election are free to pursue their ambitions under the platform.

    He rejected the move by party chieftains in Awka North and South Local Government Areas of Anambra State to stop legialators from seeking a second term.

    The National Secretary, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, who spoke on his behalf in Awka, the state capital, said the decision to ban Hon. Emeka Nwogbo and Kenechukwu Chukwuemeka from contesting was null and void and of no effect.

    He said: “ The attention of the national leadership of our party has been drawn to a media report that APGA leaders in Awka, Anambra State have taken a decision to suspend and bare two lawmakers representing the area from running for a second term in office in 2015.Their decision has no blessing of the party leadership.”

    Some chieftains of APGA in Awka including former Special Adviser to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Chief Austin Ndigwe, former Commissioner of Agriculture, Chief Godson Ezenagu, and  Special Adviser to Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano on Security Matters Chief Chikodi Anara had resolved to suspend Nwogbo and Chukwuemeka over alleged poor performance.

    However, Shinkafi, who dismissed their action, said that, under the APGA constitution, there is no provision for any stakeholder meeting, adding that only the executive committees have the power to suspend members at the local, state and federal levels.

    He stressed: “If the member has failed to discharge his constitutional responsibility to his people, it is for the electorates who voted into office to remove him at the appropriate time. It is not for our party members to start showing to the opposition that our elected representatives are not capable of delivering dividends of democracy to the people. This is not good for the progress of the party in the 2015 general elections.”

    Shinkafi also faulted the suspension of 10 ward executive committees and councillors, saying that at no time was a vote of no confidence passed on them.

    Urging members to prepare for the next year’s election, he said that the party will not allow imposition of candidates.

    “The party will not allow any unconstitutional act by baring or disqualifying any member of the party who wants to aspire to any elective position in 2015. We have a procedure where the party will come out with election guideline on how its candidates will emerge through a democratic process.

     

  • ‘How to end insecurity in Nasarawa’

    ‘How to end insecurity in Nasarawa’

    THE Civil Society Coalition Against Corruption (CSNAC) has urged Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura to foster peace and harmony in the Northcentral state.  The group said the communal strife and violence rocking the state are worrisome, stressing that economic and social activities have been paralysed.

    The Chairman of the group, Olanrewaju Suraj, said the onus is on the government to forge peace and promote peaceful co-existence.

    He said: Since 2012, threats of violent communal clashes have assumed a worrisome dimension in the state, making residents and visitors to live in perpetual fear, apprehension and uncertainties. Series of sectarian violence  had led to the death of 534 persons. the government at the state and local level must rise to the challenge.”

    Suraj lamented that the report of Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the murder of about 74 law enforcement officers allegedly by members of a cult group widely fingered in the Alakyo violence in the outskirts of the state capital, Lafia on May 7, 2013, has confirm the killings of over 500 persons in violent clashes within 10 months between December, 2012 and September, 2013.

    He said the report revealed that property worth over N2.3 billion were destroyed while about 30,000 persons, mostly women and children, were displaced.

    The right activist added: “As bloody clashes between Eggon and Alago communities on one hand and Fulani settlements on the other continue unabated in Lafia Local Government Area, ugly specters of similar communal violence was witnessed on January 9, 2013, following renewed feud between Fulani herdsmen and local farmers which led to the destruction of lives and property worth millions of naira as well as displacement of more than 15,000 inhabitants.

    “The spate of violence would further worsen the prevailing mutual distrust, fears and insecurity in Nasarawa State. The present situation has greater propensity of degenerating into more crises during the next year’s election, if urgent actions are not taken.

    “Apart from the fact that some of the crises are politically motivated with attendant violence instigated through political manipulation of security apparatuses, the major actors of these crises are also shielded from investigation and prosecution for political reason”.

    Suraj called for public enlightment on the danger of promoting conflicts and violence in the interest of the state. He said:  Public education and enlightenment would go a long way in putting the real challenges facing our people in proper context and ensure that the attention of the ordinary citizens are not diverted from the basic issues. “We believe that violent conflicts in our communities and among our people are diversionary and unhelpful and should therefore, be discouraged through proper education and enlightenment by actors in the civil society.

    “We urge the people to be more interested and vigilant on governance activities beyond periodic voting and demand accountability from elected representatives through their various platforms and channels. We call for more vigilance from the media and security agents in forestalling further descent into violence in Nasarawa State.”