The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • 2015: What next for Umana Umana?

    2015: What next for Umana Umana?

    Akwa Ibom State stakeholders are divided over the sacking of former Secretary to Government (SSG) Umana Okon Umana by Governor Godswill Akpabio. While some people hail the action, others claimed that it smacks of dictatorship. Correspondent KAZEEM IBRAHYM reports.

    The removal of the State Secretary to the Government (SSG) of Akwa Ibom State, Umana Okon Umana, by Governor Godswill Akpabio has continued to generate ripples in the the state. Umana was kicked out of office on July 29. He was on an official duty in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) when security operatives stormed his office and ordered the workers to vacate the premises before sealing it off.

    Umana and Akpabio have a long history of friendship dating back to when former Governor Victor Attah was in the saddle. Both men served in the Attah Administration. Umana was the Commissioner for Finance. Akpabio was commissioner in three ministries – Petroleum Resources, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Lands and Housing.

    When Akpabio indicated interest in the 2007 governorship election, he resigned his office to focus on his ambition. Attah was also positioning his son in-law, Dr. Bob Ekarika, who was the Commissioner for Health, to take over from him. It was an open secret in the state that Attah was not interested in the candidacy of Akpabio. However, Akpabio was able to exploit the frosty relationship between Attah and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He warmed his way into President Obasanjo’s heart and mobilised the support of major stakeholders in the state. It was easy for him to get Obasanjo’s consent during his face-off with Attah over the explosive issue of resource control. Attah and the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, and his Bayelsa counterpart, Chief Diepreyei Alamamieseigha, were the arrow heads of the Southsouth’s agitation for resource control at the time. It was an agitation that Obasanjo was never comfortable with.

    It was at that time that Umana, a man with a deep pocket, supported Akpabio. He was one of the few aides of Attah, who stood by Akpabio and assisted him to secure the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) . He was said to be a major factor in rallying the Ibibio to support Akpabio’s ambition. He emerged, ahead 56 other aspirants during the PDP primaries, and went ahead to win the governorship election.

    As a compensation for the various roles he played before and during the election, Umana was appointed as the Secretary to State Government. He held the office for six years before his unceremonious removal. During his time as the SSG, Umana was always described as the ‘brain box’ of the administration. He determined who gets what in the government. It is either you are his friend or you are thrown out of the government.

    While many Nigerians have condemned the way Umana was sacked, others believe that the governor has the right to hire and fire. One of those in support of Umana’s removal was the former Commissioner for Economic Development, Jerry Akpan, who also served in the Akpabio Administration. He said the governor has done no wrong in removing him.

    Akpan, who is also a former Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Matters to Akpabio, explained that the removal has provided a level playing ground for the governorship aspirants. He pointed out that the former SSG was using his office to full advantage, to the detriment of other contenders. “It is possible that, like I have read in the newspapers, the declaration of the former SSG triggered-off the action of the governor. No one should blame the governor. If the governor had allowed him to continue, I don’t think it would have augured well for his administration. Apart from that, I think it is even better for the former , if truly he wants to contest as the governor of the state in 2015. It would give him an ample opportunity to move round the state, do his consultations without any fear of any kind.

    “So, I think that the arrangement is a perfect arrangement. The governor is a man that you cannot predict. It is even better to enable Umana to go out and canvass for the support of the electorate, because asking someone to resign is not bad.

    Akpan said that the constitution enjoins aspirants in government to to resign from office, ahead of the electioneering.

    “We all know that from all intents and purposes, at that time the former SSG was seen as the governor of the state. As at that time, the former SSG was seen as a man that has been anointed to takeover from Akpabio. As at that time, there was no level playing ground provided by this administration. But the sacking of Umana has provided a level playing ground for every other Akwa Ibom person to come into the 2015 governorship race, otherwise he was using his office at the detriment of others”, he stressed.

    However, the Media Adviser to the former SSG, Iboro Otongaran, claimed that his boss publicly declared his intention to contest the 2015 governorship. He challenged anybody with the evidence of such declaration and electoral campaigns, including video clips, texts of speeches and others to provide it.

    “The claim that Mr. Umana Okon Umana, the former Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government, had publicly declared his intention to run for governor in 2015 and commenced his election campaigns is untrue and misleading, and it can only help to reinforce a falsehood earlier planted in the media by mischief makers, if it is not challenged.

    “Umana made no formal public declaration to run for the office of governor and did not start any election campaigns. The hype built around the so-called declaration was nothing more than the regular rumour peddled by mischief mongers. Any position to the contrary must be supported by evidence of such declaration and electoral campaigns, such as video clips or texts of speeches or a list of attendance by journalists at the declaration ceremony.

    “It is instructive to note that, unlike all previous press statements from Umana, which he either signed himself or were signed by his media adviser, Iboro Otongaran, this so-called gubernatorial declaration was not signed by anybody. If anyone has any evidence that contradicts this position, let the person make it public.

    “We wish to also note that the press has been feasting on the stories of possible aspirations by politicians, not just in Akwa Ibom State, but all over the country, though in this instant case, it was not just a case of media obsession, it was obviously a case of a planted story for the purpose of a witch hunt. The purported public declaration story was planted, not only to embarrass, but ultimately, to discredit the former SSG”, he added.

    However, the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, argued that it was the prerogative of the governor to appoint and make changes in his cabinet.

    “Following the declaration of Mr. Umana’s gubernatorial ambition for the 2015 election and the commencement of campaigns, as widely reported in the media on July 25, 2013, and his non-rebuttal of same, Governor Akpabio sought advice from relevant electoral and constitutional experts. He was advised that he was duty bound by his oath of office to defend the constitution, which includes the provisions of the Electoral Act, which forbid public officers from declaring for electoral office while still in office. He consequently, requested for Mr. Umana’s resignation to enable him pursue his stated interest in the 2015 governorship election.” he said.

    For Sylvester Nyong and Victor Usoro, who are company executives in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State, the governor has harsh on the former SSG.

    To them, it is only in Akwa Ibom State that the governor had resorted to gangster methods to prevent the legitimate political ambition of citizens. Nyong said: “We therefore, vehemently disagree with Chief Akpabio’s reason that Mr. Umana Umana was humiliated out of office because he had allegedly expressed his political intention. Rather, Umana’s ill-treatment is a premeditated political persecution meant to scuttle his political ambition, instill fears in other aspirants and pave the way for Akpabio’s goal, which is to plant a stooge as a successor.

    “The stooge will do the bidding of Chief Akpabio, render financial returns to him and be beholden to him as the godfather. In other words, together with his siblings and wife, the governor wants to establish the Akpabio Dynasty to which their puppet-governor would report and render financial and other benefits long after in the post-Akpabio period”.

    Nyong and Usoro cited the examples of politicians that are already making arrangements to contest the next governorship election at the federal level. They pointed out that the Minister of Niger Delta Affiars, Godsday Orubebe, had announced in that he would contest for the Delta State in 2015, adding that President Goodluck has not asked him to resign.

    “Senator Ganiyu Solomon had also indicated interest to contest the governorship of Lagos State. The Senate President and Governor Babatunde Fashola have not humiliated them publicly. Even, the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, announced his intention to run for the governor of Ekiti State. It is only in Akwa Ibom State that Chief Akpabio had resorted to gangster methods to abort a legitimate political ambition of a citizen”, he said.

    These claims, however, have not gone unchallenged. Other indigenes of the state, who spoke in defence of Akpabio, pointed out that the former SSG had used his position in the past 10 years to ensure that no Ibibio son or daughter, other than himself, stood a fair chance of getting the PDP ticket for the 2015 governorship election.

    Ofonime Ebong and Idara Ntuen, who are Uyo-based company executives, advised the people not listen to politicians who are wiping ethnic senstiments, adding that Umana cannot be in public office for ever.

    To them, Umana was the crafty mastermind that plotted the removal of his kinsmen, the former deputy governor, who had nursed a governorship ambition, from the position of deputy governor, to pave the way for himself. They said the plot to discredit the Akpabio Administration will fail.

    Umana has maintained absolute silence. His next line of action is not known. It is clear thyat the governor does not want him to succeed him. But Umana’s associates have said that he has a governorship ambition. Will the former SSG chicken out? Will he stick to his ambition? Time will tell.

  • Baraje faction is legitimate, say Sagay, Ngige

    Lawyers have said that the Kawu Baraje’s faction of the Peoples DEmocratic Party (PDP) can legitimately lay claim to the leadership of the party.

    Professor Itse Sagay (SAN) and Emeka Ngige (SAN) said, since the party is in crisis and there is a split, both factions can lay claim to its leadership, unless the court decides otherwise.

    Sagay said the Baraje group can make claims because the election that produced the Bamanga Tukur executive was flawed. The election, he observed, did not comply with the rules and the constitution of the party. Therefore, Tukur’s faction cannot claim to be authentic, he said.

    The Baraje group, according to him, has evidence to prove its case in the court. He said there is confusion in the PDP, adding that there is no legitimate executive committee to paddle its canoe.

    Ngige also agreed that the new faction is legitimate, since it has not pulled out of the PDP. He said that the court will decide its fate.

    He commended the Baraje’s faction for going to court to prove its case as the authentic group. “Instead of engaging in thuggry or fisticuffs, they opted for the court interpretation. That is the beauty of democracy. The aggrieved governors have proved that they are democrats”, Ngige said.

    Sagay noted that the split in the PDP has put an end to its claim as the dominant party in the country.

    He said the ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan to re-contest in 2015 and the North obsession’s for power have ruined the party. The Northern governors are against the second term for Jonathan and they are prepared to go to any extent to ensure that power returns to the North”, Sagay noted.

    “What is happening today is not a surprise because it was predicted by political observers. This development has further exposed the PDP as a party without common ideology. The driving force is the acquisition of power by all means and sharing of the spoils of office”.

    Ngige said many people saw the split in the PDP coming. He said the party lacked a culture of internal democracy. This, according to him, made some of its founding fathers to abandon the party.

    He said: “What is happening is the beginning of the disintegration of the party. A house that is not built on the pillar of justice, consistency and probity can never stand. The PDP is a rot that has besieged Nigeria.

    “The opposition should take the advantage of the situation and free the country from the PDP and the opportunists in the party that have held the nation back in the last 14 years. The opposition should put its act together and take over power; they should sacrifice their personal ambition in the interest of common Nigerians and the country as a whole”, Ngige added.

    Sagay said the three major parties are likely to square it up in the 2015 general elections. According to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Movement and the remnants of PDP would present a presidential candidate. “The APC and PDM should merge or form an alliance to enhance their electoral fortunes”, he added.

  • Delta Apc sets up harmonisation committee

    It was a carnival-like rally in Asaba, the capital of Delta State. The members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) thronged the Grand Hotel for the inauguration of the party’s Harmonization Committee by its Southsouth leaders.

    It was a clourful event. The supporters of the aspirants for the senatorial elections in the Delta Central District accompanied the contenders, dancing and waving the brooms, the symbol of the party.

    The aspirants include the Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, and Otega Emerhor. The seat became vacant, following the death of Senator Pius Ewerhido

    Security agents had a hard time controlling the thousands of supporters from the three senatorial districts.

    At the event were Senators Adego Eferakeya, Spanner Okpozo, former Governor John Odigie -Oyegun, Tony Omoaghe, Victor Eboigbe, Frank Kokori, and former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Olise Imegwu.

    The Southsouth Zonal Vice-chairman, Chief Tom Ikimi, applauded the supporters for embracing the slogan of change. He said that the APC was not an opposition party, but an “alternative party”.

    Ikimi was accompanied by Mr. Olisamaka Akamukale, the National Auditor and Miriki Ebikina, the ex-officio member.

    He said the party will build a secretariat after it has built its leadership structure. Ikimi urged the members to cooperate with the Harmonisation Committee, which will supervise the party in the interim as directed by the APC interim leadership.

    He said: “We are not going to allow any individual to say that I am the owner of APC. We are not yet building a party leadership or structure. We are building a harmonisation committee.What we are going to establish in Delta State is not an executive; it is a harmonization committee. The harmonisation committee will give directions, until an interim committee is set up.”

    According to him, the members of the harmonization committee will be drawn from the three senatorial districts, based on the guidelines by the APC interim leadership. He said the former Presidents, former and current governors, senators and other legislators will be part of the committee.

    Ikimi said the list will be scrutinized by the interim national council to rectify any deficiency and everyone a sense of belonging.

    He added: “When we have compiled the list from these people and we see any deficiency, we shall sit and make the necessary adjustments. This list will not be published, until we take it back to the National Executive Council. We will deliberate on it. Once it is approved by the interim council, it will now become the State Co-ordinating Committee.”

    Ikimi said the duties of the State Harmonisation Committee include “the harmonisation and fusing of the structures of the legacy parties into one united, strong and vibrant APC.”

    He said the committee will also co-ordinate the activities of the party, including meeetings.

  • PDP: A catalogue of crises

    PDP: A catalogue of crises

    Crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been suffering from self-inflicted wounds arising from its aversion for internal democracy, dictatorial leadership, presidential pressure on the party structures, and politics of exclusion at the federal and state levels. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the catalogue of crises that has characterised the ruling party since its inception.

     

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been a promising platform, right from March 31, 1998, when it was established. It was built on a solid foundation under the leadership of the former Plateau State governor, Chief Solomon Lar. The founding fathers were elder statesmen who, under the auspices of G-34, recommended a terminal date for the military rule. The fold was a mixed grill of conservatives, progressives and military apologists.

    However, the Afenifere Deputy Leader, the late Chief Bola Ige, found fault with the composition. To him, it was an association of strange bedfellows. Ige reasoned that, since the military apologists of the Babangida and Abacha eras have invaded the platform, the prospects of building an ideological party was slim. Although he wrote the party constitution, the former Oyo State governor left the party.

    The former Plateau State governor was able to wield the fold together. He had taken the baton of leadership from the interim chairman, the late Senator Sunday Awoniyi, the Aro of Mopa. In 1999, the acclaimed largest party in Africa won federal and state elections without massive rigging. But it was evident that the party had been hijacked by the conservative actors and their collaborators, the retired military officers, who brought back one of their own, General Olusegun Obasanjo, as the civilian President.

    Lar is a celebrated democrat. President Obasanjo is a retired soldier, who could not adjust to the democratic civilian life. The transition from soldering to politics was difficult for the old soldier, who had mastered the hierarchical military dictatorial order and command. His first move was to secure the title of the ‘National Leader’ of the PDP. Few months after he assumed office, he agitated for the change of baton at the party’s national secretariat. That was necessary to limit the party’s influence and moderation on presidential activities. It was clear that Lar, the former Police Affairs minister, had to bow out honourably. He spent barely a year in office.

    During Lar’s tenure, crises were minimal and the party was supreme. One of his aides, Dr Solomon Dalung, a lawyer, recalled that trouble started when Obasanjo, who is not one of the founding fathers, became the President and the party’s national leader.”When Obasanjo came in, being an African General, he came in with the Machiavellian theory of dispensing with whosoever that might have made him king because it was only him who knows the intrigues that brought him to power. He applied this to Lar”, he said.

    Since Middlebelt politician left office, there has been a high turn-over of national chairmen. The position was zoned to the Northcentral geo-political zone. Up came the former interim chairman, Awoniyi, and Chief Barnabas Gemade, former member of the Interim National Government (ING) led by Chief Ernest Shonekan. Awoniyi, a Yoruba, was from Kogi State. Gemade hails from Benue State. Other contestants-Senator Ahmadu Ali, Yahaya kwande, and Sule Usman from Kogi State-were on the fringe.

    Awoniyi, who had often described himself as a Yoruba-Northerner, got the shock of his life when Obasanjo from Ogun State declared that, in the PDP, Yoruba could not produce the President and National Chairman as the same time. Awoniyi was a though politician who could challenge Obasanjo, if he undermined the party leadership. He was harassed out of the party. On his way out, he lamented the collapse of the due process in the party and derailment of the vision of its founding fathers. Awoniyi said that he was leaving the party of sinners.

    Gemade, who succeeded Lar, inherited a party ruptured by the post-presidential primaries. The aspirants that were rejected at the inaugural party primaries, including former Vice President Alex Ekweme and the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, were bitter. Crisis was also brewing at the state chapters because of the presidential directive that the pioneer chairmen should hand over to other chieftains in the party. The national chairman went on tour of the troubled chapters. It was evident that the idea of the national party caucus could not be adopted by the PDP. Suddenly, there was a push for the extension of the tenure of the members of the National Executive Council (NEC) from two to four years.

    Gemade wanted to run the affairs of the party as a democrat. That meant mustering the effort to assert himself. But he was handicapped. Following disagreement with the National Party Leader on party issues, his days in the office were numbered. He complained that certain powerful forces in the party were making unreasonable and unethical demands from his office. When the tenure of the National Executive Committee (NEC) was extended by one year, there was disagreement over whether the chairman, Gemade, could benefit.

    Amid the crisis, the national chairman announced the suspension of Chief Tony Anenih, the powerful Works Minister. It became his undoing. The next day, he recanted. Gemade was forced out of office. But on his way out, he predicted that the fate that would befall his successors would be worse. Reflecting on his tenure, he said: “The way I saw the situation in the party that time, it was clear to me that the mindset of the people who had the party in their control and who had the government in their control that time was such that the meddlesomeness that we were experiencing as the leadership of the party would not change”.

    At a special convention organised by a committee led by Senator David Mark, who is now the Senate President, the Second Republic Minister of Communications, Chief Audu Ogbeh, replaced Gemade as the chairman. All those who wanted to succeed Gemade were edged out. Obasanjo made Ogbeh his Special Adviser on Agriculture, contrary to the provision of the PDP constitution, which forbids a party executive from accepting government appointment. In 2004, the NEC was polarised. A section backed Obasanjo. Another section backed his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. It was very hard for the chairman to blend with Obasanjo. He felt that the President was elected to run the country and the chairman, in consultation with him, was elected by the party members to run the party. Ogbeh became the chairman as the party was preparing for the 2003 elections. The party was in turmoil. The state chapters were crisis-ridden and the divisions had weakened the fold. The crisis on the Anambra State chapter drew a wedge between the President and the chairman. The state was later enveloped in tension when the Ubas waged war against the former governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, who was abducted. The Govement House and the state-owned television were in flames. Ogbeh told Obasanjo that the matter was not being properly handled by the party leadership. The President and national chairman canvassed opposing solutions. In Lagos State, there were three camps. Efforts to promote harmony failed. The feeling was that the former President was behind the dominant camp, which was bent on rusticating the members of the rival caucuses. In disunity, the chapter went for the polls. The report of the reconciliation panel headed by Chief Tunde Osunrinde from Ogun State recommended the distribution of party offices among the Lagos PDP caucus. It was not implemented.

    In Osun State, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, a defector from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) to PDP, was standing trial for an alleged involvement in the murder of the slain Attorney-general and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige. Ogbeh counselled that that he should not be made the senatorial candidate for Ife/Ijesa District to preserve the image of the party. The President was said to have disagreed. Some party leaders supported him, explaining that, since Omisore had not been found guilty, he can contest while still in the custody.

    The parting of ways became imminent between Obasanjo and Ogbeh, when he publicly advised the President to pay more attention to the sliding economy and the cries of the populace for improved welfare. The former President took exception to washing the administration’s linen in the public. He went vulgar, alleging that Ogbeh had made much money after he emerged as the chairman. The chairman was harassed and cajoled to visit the Aso Rock, where Obasanjo demanded for his resignation, ahead of the expiration of his tenure.

    Ogbeh was succeeded by Dr Ahmadu Ali of the ‘Ali Must Go fame’. He was the only chairman who enjoyed harmonious relationship with Obasanjo. Both of them are retired soldiers. Ali, a retired colonel, former Federal Commissioner for Education and Third Republic senator, hails from Kogi State. When he was inaugurated as the chairman, Obasanjo said: “Now, Ali has come. Ali must stay”, a vague reference to the call for his removal as minister by students who insisted that “Ali must go”. Former Governors Fidelis Tapgun (Plateau) and Lafiagi (Kogi); Senators A.T. Ahmed, Alex Kadiri and Abdulazeez Farouk were interested in the job. But they stepped down for him.

    Ali stirred controversy when he announced that party members should re-register. To forces opposed to Obasanjo, the move was meant to de-register the perceived foes. The crisis between Obasanjo and Atiku got to a peak. The former Vice President was disrobed. No duty was assigned to his office for him to perform. An administrative panel was set up to investigate his activities in government. It was also clear that the PDP would not organise democratic presidential primaries. Atiku and his supporters left the PDP for the defunct Action Congress (AC), where he emerged as the presidential candidate in 2007. But he lost to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua at the poll.

    In 2008, Yar’Adua set up a reconciliation committee headed by Ekwueme. His goal was to bring back the aggrieved members who had deserted the party. But the work of the committee was sabotaged by some forces in the party. Its report was not implemented. Following the same pattern, the report of another panel headed by Gen. Ike Nwachukwju (rtd), was thrown into the dustbin.

    Also, the pre-national convention rift between former Governor Sam Egwu, who was backed by Obasanjo, and former Senate President Ayim Pius Ayim torn the party apart. A dark horse, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, emerged as the national chairman. Basking in the euphoria of the party’s victory, he declared that PDP will rule the country for another 60 years. Also, his statement about zoning sparked off crisis. A group, the PDP Reform Forum, called for the dissolution of the PDP NEC and National Working Committee (NWC). In 2010, a corruption case against Ogbulafor was exhumed. He was forced to resign from office.

    His successor, Okwesilieze Nwodo, also had a turbulent tenure. He had served as the national secretary, but left the party when it was engulfed with crisis. He returned and emerged as the chairman when the pro-and anti-Jonathan forces were at war. His home state, Enugu, was also boiling. The national chairman was locked in a protracted battle with Governor Sullivan Chime over the imposition of candidates for elections. At the PDP presidential primaries in 2011, Nwodo was consumed by the crisis. He was allegedly forced out of office on the instruction of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    When Nwodo was shoved aside, his deputy, Dr.Haliru Bello, became the acting chairman. When he was appointed as minister, the national secretary, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, became the acting chairman.

    The next national convention was fixed for March, 2012. The competing forces were in hot competition for the party leadership. Obasanjo had laid the precedence of imposing the national chairmen in the past. President Jonathan emulated him by insisting on the candidature of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as the chairman. The zonal congresses and national convention were rancorous. In the Southwest, stakeholders protested the emergence of former Ekiti State Governor Segun Oni as the National Vice Chairman and zonal leader. Also, some protested over the election of the national secretary, Gen. Olagunsoye Oyinlola. When the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) report came, it was discovered that 16 national officers were elected without following the laid down rules. They were advised to step down.

    The relationship between Obasanjo and Dr. Jonathan had turned sour. Therefore, when Oyinlola and Oni, who are members of the Obasanjo camp, were removed from the NEC, the former President, sources said, believed that the President was against him. Also, following the court ruling, which recognised the Adebayo Dayo executive in the Gateway State, Tukur directed that the Dipo Odujinrin factional executive, which had the backing of Obasanjo, should be dismantled.

    Reconciliation between the Obasanjo camp and Dayo executive, which is backed by the billionaire politician, Buruji Kashamu, also collapsed. Also, former Governor Gbenga Daniel, who could not find his feet in the troubled chapter, defected to the Labour Party (LP).

    To correct the mistake of the last year’s messy convention, a new convention was scheduled for Abuja to fill the vacant positions in the NEC. Ahead of the national congress, the state chapters were ruptured by strife. In Anambra State, the governorship primaries was chaotic. Parallel shadow polls threw up the former student leader, Tony Nwoye, and Senator Andy Uba. The NWC gave recognition to Nwoye and expelled Uba. The supporters of the two politicians carried the acrimony to the Eagles Square, the venue of the convention. They exchanged blows.

    But in the last one year also, crisis had broken out between the President and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi. The President’s man, Nyeson Wike, the Minister of State for Education, is coordinating the presidential onslaught at the home front. Attempts have been made to remove the governor illegally. Also, the crisis in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum was mismanaged by the ruling party. The party set up the PDP Governors’ Forum under the chairmanship of Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio. Amaechi won the NGF chairmanship election. He defeated his Plateau State counterpart, David Jang. Both of them are PDP governors. But the party recognised Jang, who polled 16 votes, instead of Amaechi, who got 19 votes. The crisis has not been resolved.

    The Rivers State governor was suspended from the party. Later, Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State was also suspended. But the Northwest PDP rallied round Wamakko, who had called for the resignation of Tukur. The suspension slammed on him was lifted. But Amaechi’s suspension was not lifted. Other anti-Tukur governors-Admiral Muritala Nyako (Adamawa), Alhaji Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Alhaji Musa Kwakwanso (Kano) and Dr. Babangida Aliyu (Niger) could not be touched. The reconciliation shuttles by the Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, Tukur and Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, failed to reconcile the aggrieved members and the national leadership.

    Ahead of the convention, Oyinlola, whose election as the national secretary was not voided by the INEC, celled for his reinstatement. He went to the court to challenge his removal. Thus, the election into the position was postponed, until the determination of the suit. Oni also went to the court, complaining that he was unjustly removed. When the Southwest zonal executive was dissolved, a caretaker committee was set up under the leadership of Chief Isola Filani. But Filani stepped aside recently to contest for the national chairmanship. A BoT member, Commodore Bode George (rtd) disagreed. Following complaints by aggrieved stakeholders, the Southwest zonal congress was put on hold. Thus, the number of delegates to the Abuja convention reduced drastically.

    The mistake of last year was repeated at the convention. Due to the crises in some states-Anambra, Rivers, Adamawa and Nasarawa-the Convention Planning Committee headed by Senator Jerry Gana gave accreditation to the statutory delegates. The elected delegates alleged a foul play. The Rivers State delegates who were loyal to the governor, alleged that the pro-Jonathan forces raised Chris Secondus to replace Dr. Sam Jaja as the deputy national chairman because he is supporting Amaechi. Delegates from Rivers, Adamawa, Anambra and Nasarawa alleged deliberate exclusion from the convention.

    Amid the convention, the aggrieved governors and party chieftains walked out. At the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, they set up a parallel NEC. Today, the acclaimed largest party in Africa is factionalised. The split was sudden and there is no end in sight to the crisis.

     

     

     

     

  • What next for Tukur’s faction?

    What next for Tukur’s faction?

    Things appear to be falling apart in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The two factions led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Alhaji Kawu Baraje have not achieved a truce. Unless the grievances of those who stormed out of the Abuja convention are addressed, the centre may not hold again.

    To curtail the ugly trend, it appears the party’s leadership is making frantic steps to prevent further damage. But there is no positive result yet.

    There are some options that can be explored. The first option is to dare the faction and expel the aggrived members for anti-party activities. Tukur’s faction is recognised by the electoral commission. It is not likely that INEC will recognise Baraje’s faction. But this option is dangerous. It means that the PDP will face the 2015 general elections as a party at half. Its influence in some sates controlled by the faction may drop.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had proposed a reconciliation meeting between the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and the aggrieved faction. He said the elders will broker peace. Although the former President has not left the party, he is also an aggrieved party elder, whose supporters have been sidelined in the running of the party by Tukur. The former Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman is not happy with the removal of his key supporters from the National Executive Committee (NEC). Although he was said to have held a closed door meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday in Aso Rock, details were unknown.

    Observers contend that the PDP boxed itself into this logjam because it deviated from the vision of the founding fathers. Many PDP elders have been sidelined, especially in the states, by the governors, who are the state leaders. In the past, party elders, including former Vice President Alex Ekweme and Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, headed the reconciliation panels set up by the party. The reports of the panels were never implemented. If another reconciliation committee headed by another party elder is set up, what is the assurance that the report will be implemented?

    Party sources said that the road to peace may not be in sight for now. The utterances by the Presidency have been couched in belligerent tones, which suggest that those who have formed the faction would likely face sanction.

    Presidential Adviser on Political Matter, Ahmed Gulak, described the formation of new PDP as the height of irresponsibility. He said, if the intension of the seven governors was to cause crisis in the party before dumping it, they would not succeed.

    He said: “As far as we are concerned, there is one PDP; we remain a united family. But, if your son or daughter decided to be a prodigal son or daughter, so be it. But we plead with them to be reasonable; to be law abiding and to know that nobody is above the law.”

    The other option is to reinvigorate the crisis-resolution mechanism in the party. Already, the Reconciliation Committee headed by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson now has a bigger assignment. The staring point is to collate the grievances of the faction and make recommendations that would foster a win-win situation.

    The PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has reiterated the need for peace and dialogue. He said the only way the PDP can remain relevant is to unite. But there must be conditions for unity. S

    He said: “Some of my colleagues and I have resolved to ensure reconciliation with all those that have grievances. I can tell you that there was a break in communication.”

    The option of a new convention cannot be ruled out. Since the modalities for selecting delegates and electing the national officers led to the bitter feud, the party can renegotiate with the faction on how to correct the mistakes that were committed at the recent convention.

    The faction has demanded for Tukur’s resignation, saying that he is a divisive and destabilising factor. This is a delicate matter. The President is leaning on Tukur, who has backed his second term bid. It is certain that the factional members are opposed to the President’s second term. But, according to a source, if the President acceeds to the demand that Tukur should go, the faction will likely reel out more demanding conditions that may pull the rug off the feet of the President.

    There are individuals who have grudges against the party. One of them is the former National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, whose election was not voided by the INEC. If the party reinstates him as the secretary, he may retrace its steps.

    How to also resolve the crisis stirred by the governorship primaries in Anambra State is another issue. The faction has insisted that the party decided the primaries in favour of Mr. Tony Nwoye, to the detriment of Senator Andy Uba.

    There are other challenges. The faction has revisited the controversial Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and demanded that Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State should be recognised as the authentic chairman, instead of Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang.

     

  • How far can PDP go in 2015?

    How far can PDP go in 2015?

    The factionalisation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) portends grave danger for the acclaimed largest party in Africa. EMMANUEL OLADESU, AUGUSTINE AVWODE, LEKE SALAUDEEN and MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE examine how the protracted crises may affect its fortune in the 2015 elections.

     

     

    Two years ago, the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, boasted that the party will rule the country for the next 60 years.

    He was basking in the euphoria of the party’s vicoty at the 2011 elections. He said the party, which has a strong leadership, 23 governors and grassroots appeal, will always be the party to beat.

    Judging by the protracted crises that have enveloped the party, it is doubtful, if Ogbulafor can exude the same confidennce. To observers, the PDP is now a house divided against itself.

    In a twist of irony, the acclaimed largest party in Afica is now approaching the next general election with trepidation.

    At its recent controversial convention in Abuja, where the party split into two factions, its national leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, had peeped into the future, saying that “there is no shaking”. The unfolding drama may have made him to eat his words. According to analysts, not only is the future bleak for the ruling party, the explosion may be the beginning of the eclipse of the octopus, which has betroded the landscape in the last 14 years.

    The President and others in his camp were jolted out of their delusion when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar led seven governors and other key chieftains to form a parallel national executive.

    The factional leader, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, seems to have put the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, on the defensive.

    Expectedly, there have been efforts to reverse the ‘ugly development’ in the last 48 hours. But it was not clear, if such efforts would succeed. However, the question many Nigerians are asking is what next for the Tukur’s faction?

    A chieftain of the party from the Southsouth, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Nation that, as long as the splinter group has not announced another which it would be identified, then the reconciliation can be achieved. He said the breakaway group has only positioned itself strategically for better negotiation. “The aim of those behind the emergence of the new PDP is to force, arm-twist or even blackmail the Jonathan Administration to extract reasonable concession in the running of the affairs of the party. We all know that they are not going anywhere. What they want is to have a greater say in the affairs of the party. They think they have lost out. So, I expect them to continue with the negotiation while they claim to be independent. Don’t forget, they don’t have a complete executive now. They are not recognised. The authentic faction is the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur faction. They may push for the exit of the chairman, but they won’t be audacious enough to go out and float another party or join an existing one”.

    Baraje had announced at the inaugural meeting of the group that the immediate priority is to revive the culture of robust debate of all contending issues, while providing a level-playing field for all our members. As leaders of our great party, we consider it a sacred responsibility to save the PDP from the antics of a few desperadoes, who, have no democratic temperament and are therefore, bent on hijacking the party for selfish ends.”

    He listed some of the shortcomings of the NEC to include the taking of arbitrary decisions, violat on of the constitution of the party, suspension without due process and failure to abide by decisions of constituted institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Another chieftain of the party from Edo State, Chief Richard Lamai, told The Nation that the factionalisation cannot stand, and as a result, cannot affect the second term ambition of President Jonathan.

    “We are pretty sure that all they want is to be able to stand at a vantage position to negotiate with the main leaders of the party. We know that 2015 is at the heart of the whole development, and we know they will want to negotiate. Just now, the INEC recognises the Bamanga Tukur group. They are not going anywhere.”

    But what happens, if the PDP apparatchiks refuse to budge? There is speculation across the country that the faction is preparing to open a parallel secretariat in the Maitama District, Abuja, any moment from now. Besides, to live up to the billings that it is serious with its objective of reforming the PDP, it must be able to fill the other offices that are yet to be filled. For now, only the factional national chairman and factional national secretary of the party are known.

    The journey to 2015 will be difficult for the PDP. Unless the crisis is resolved, retaining the presidency is slim.

    Analysts are of the view that the recent registration of three parties – the Independent Democrats (ID), the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and the Voice of the People (VOP) heralded the splitting of the PDP. Atiku is a major stakeholder in the PDM. The seven governors have been linked with the VOP. In the event that the ongoing negotiations between the factions fail to yield any reasonable fruit, the faction may be forced to join any of the two parties, which will go into a merger arrangement with the maiin opposition. Of course there is still ample time for the consummation of another merger of political parties in the country before the next general election.

     

  • What gains for the opposition?

    CRISIS is an ill-wind. It blows no political party any good. With the factionalisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the loss of seven governors, the party is left with the control of 16 states. Thus, the party has lost its dominance in the polity. When it was a united fold, the party controlled 23 out of 36 states. The reality is that a party that has described itself as Africa’s largest party is crumbling in the build-up to 2015. It has lost control of Sokoto, Kano, Jigawa, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara and Rivers states to a certain extent.

    The PDP may start playing the second fiddle in the Northwest and Southwest regions, whose total voters’s population is about 50 per cent of the national voting population.

    Political observers believe that more governors are likely to abandon the sinking ship, if the leadership of the party refuse to change its leadership style, foster internal democracy and uphold the rule of law to rein.

    If the Bamanga Tukur’s faction fails to reconcile with the Kawu Baraje’s faction, the PDP may be rocked by litigation between now and the next elections. The galadiators on both divides may waste precious time in court, instead of political mobilisation.

    A political analyst, Dr Emma Okongwu, urged the seven governors not to indulge in fighting over the ownership of PDP . He advised them to align with the formidable opposition party to effect change in the country.

    Okongwu said the between now and 2015 is short. Therefore, he said it is useless to fight for the soul of the PDP in court, stressing that they will not win.

    He added: “It’s better for them now to team up with other opposition to usher in a new political order in 2015. The seven governors are politically correct. More are likely to join The reality is that the balance of power in Nigeria has been radically altered. The most important thing now is how to translate the new development into a political liberation and change of power in 2015.

    Asked which of the opposition parties would benefit the governors in their struggle, Okongwu said: “I think the newly registered All Progressives Congress (APC) would do because it has a national appeal and 11 governors in its kitty. It makes it easier for the APC to build structures in those states and facilitate the take-off of the party in other states”.

    Okongwu said the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) would not help in this circumstance because the party has to start from the scratch. Since the seven PDP governors and 11 APC governors are colleagues in the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), who share similar view on the state of the nation, there is no reason why they should not work together in a political party.

    A civil rights activist, Shehu Sani, described the PDP dissenting governors as patriots. He said they are the apostles of democracy. “Govenors Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso (Kano), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) are patriots, who have the interest of the nation at heart”, he said.

    The activist said they should be courted by the APC because their views are similar with the party’s objectives.

    In his view, the Convener of the Coalition of Democrats for Electora next step for the PDP governors is to faclititate a merger plan with the APC.

    “It is a possibility and when that happens, the best in the two camps will come to produce a better political platform for Nigeria. It is possible for ideological configuration of thesis and anti-thesis to produce the synthesis.

    “I ‘m persuaded that we are yet to see the end result of what happened last Saturday at the Eagles Square, Abuja, the venue of the PDP convention. The consequences would be far reaching. Any prognosis being made now by political fortune tellers, we need to exercise some restraints because the business at hand is not done yet”.

    Opadokun also called for caution. He said the PDP faction may not stand for principle, adding that its chieftains may go back to bet the Tukur’s faction when government instruments are unleashed on them to whip them back on line.

    Another analyst, Harrison White, said the limitations of the democratic space and political competition have made it extremely difficult to promote a free rivalry of ideas and concepts for development of the state. He said the state would gain a lot, if only the opposition parties could join forces and challenge the crisis-ridden PDP. He warned that the failure to do this would increase the PDP’s chance of retaining power.

    He argued that the PDP’s competitive advantage is the division in opposition and the fact that it can manipulate the election rules to suit itself. However, he stressed that the possibility cannot be ruled out that a formidable opposition may emerge, if the faction cooperate with the main opposition party.

    White said a formidable opposition made up of the APC and the PDP faction will pose a serious threat to the survival of the PDP, which has remained a dominant party in the country, since the restoration of civil rule in 1999.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘PPA’s agenda for Nigerians’

    The National Publicity Secretary of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Dr Orikeze Ajumbe, has attributed the lack of good governance in the countryto insincerity and selfishness on the part of the leaders. He said the 14-years old Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has ruined the country.

    Ajumbe said that Nigeria’s socio-economic and political woes have reflected the lack of vision and purposeful leadership the PDP.

    He told reporters in Owerri, Imo State capital, that the PPA is being repositioned to provide quality leadership that would Nigeria one of the 20 leading economies of the world by 2020.

    On the chances of PPA, which he said, is undergoing some rebranding, Ajumbe said: “We are determined to revive the party and make it have more national outlook. By 2015, the PPA will win many states in the federation, especially, in the Southeast. That is why we are undergoing rebranding. This means changing the party’s logo, changing the name to All Progressives Peoples Alliance (APPA), which was adopted during the party’s national convention on July 10, 2013.

    “We are also injecting resources in the states and local government areas to make the party spread to the grassroots and make it have more national outlook.”

    He added: “We have four structures of PPA one of which is Njiko Igbo which is the political arm of the party. It is meant to waken the political consciousness of the people.”

    On how the Igbo could win the Presidency, Ajumbe advised that “Ndigbo should come together and work under one umbrella. Our campaign therefore is aimed at sensitising the Igbo towards recognising the platform on which they could realise the dream of occupying the presidency.”

    The Publicity Secretary also said that the party would work hard to develop other sectors of the economy and make the country less dependent on oil.

    He stressed: “An APPA government would pay less attention to revenue from oil and make other sectors of the economy more viable. The APPA will significantly develop the agricultural sector to be seen as an economic activity which will engage millions of jobless Nigerians. The party will also develop the small and medium enterprises which are core means of creating employment.

    “Through this, the country would witness tremendous economic growth and development as was the case during the First Republic when agriculture was the main revenue earner for the country”.

    Ajumbe emphasised that PPA party would consciously develop the power sector to give Nigerians 24-hour electricity supply. This, he said, would be a catalyst to the country’s economy, noting that most businesses are not thriving because there is no steady power supply.

    He lamented that kidnapping, armed robbery and youths’ restiveness became the orders of the day because of unemployment.

    On security, Ajumbe said PPA government will ensure that numbers of unemployed Nigerians are usefully engaged, stressing that, when people have genuine means of livelihood, their tendency to take to crime would reduce.

    On education, Ajumbe lambasted the Federal Government for paying lip-service to its development, maintaining that education is pivotal to any country’s advancement.

    He said: “It is worrisome that the Federal Government would enter into agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) towards improving infrastructural facilities in public universities and renege on it. The billions and trillions of Naira spent on matters that are not in the public interest should have been channelled towards developing the sector.

    “It is this lack of commitment to the development of the education sector that has resulted in the lack of quality in the sector. Most universities in Nigeria are nothing but glorified secondary schools. These grim situations the APPA government would address when the opportunity comes”.

    Ajumbe chided the PDP for creating tension in the country. He said that it was unfortunate and unbecoming of a ruling party to be acutely rocked by crises, noting that “the party’s inability to manage its internal problems rubs off on the entire country”

     

  • Kalu calls for resolution of PDP crisis

    former Abia State Governor Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has called for the quick resolution of the crisis facing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Kalu, who is one of the founding fathers of the party, said the splitting of the party into factions, following its recent special national convention, should be handled with care so that the prediction that the party will implode before 2015 does not come true.

    The former governor said in a statement by his Special Adviser, Oyekunle Oyewumi, that the two sides to the conflict should quickly find a common ground to resolve their differences.

    Kalu said: “Both former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Dr. Bamanga Tukur as seasoned politicians, no doubt, have what it takes to resolve political differences. It is in the interest of the party and Nigerians for this to be sorted out as quickly as possible, considering the fact that the party is in government at the federal level and in most states.

    “A house divided against itself will, obviously, not stand. And it is not in our interest both as founders and joiners for us not to bring down the house we laboured very hard to build.”

    Kalu called on the stakeholders in the party, especially former and current members of the Board of Trustees, the National Working Committee and the National Executive Council, to intervene urgently before the crisis gets out of control.

     

  • How to resolve Rivers crisis, by PDP Senator

    How to resolve Rivers crisis, by PDP Senator

    The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity, Senator Wilson Ake, spoke with BISI OLANIYI in Port Harcourt on the way out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis in Rivers State.

     

    The National Assembly’s resolution that the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, should be redeployed has been ignored by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar. What is your reaction?

    I do not know what the IGP means by asking Mbu to be professional in his duties. The National Assembly has taken a position. The Senate carried out investigation, to know what led to the crisis, before taking the position. Two heads are better than one. The Senate and the House of Representatives declared that the commissioner of police should give way, to ensure peace in Rivers State.

    If we desire peace in Rivers State, the first person to be sent away is Mbu, because his actions were very obvious and everybody saw that he was playing politics out of the whole thing.

    The National Assembly members are on long recess. By the time we come back, a decision will be taken on the issue, because we are the largest representatives of the people, who gather together in one place. If 439 persons took a decision, a reasonable person should look at it critically and in-depth. It is very unfortunate that the IGP is yet to redeploy Mbu.

    You cannot have somebody in appointed position being in contention with a popularly elected governor. Where the two of them cannot work, it becomes mandatory that the commissioner of police must go.

    The governor of a state, as the chief security officer, has the right to request for the change of a police commissioner. The governor has done that severally and other people have joined their voices to say so many times, insisting that Mbu must be redeployed.

    Is it not hasty for the National Assembly to take over the functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly?

    The action is not hasty. The impunity of the past should remain in the past. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides us with the opportunity to react the way we did, to save elected representatives in the state.

    The Senate sent a team to Rivers State to investigate the crisis. With what they saw, it was sufficient to take over the functions of the House of Assembly of 32 persons, with 27 of them indicating that the National Assembly should take over the functions of the House of Assembly, because of the huge risk involved in sitting. The five lawmakers (anti-Amaechi) insisted on sitting, while the 27 persons (pro-Amaechi) said they would not be able to sit. In democracy, you have to listen to the larger number of the people, who believe that it will be very dangerous for them to sit. Taking over the Rivers House of Assembly will save additional problems, by letting the tempers come down and people begin to talk to one another, for reason to prevail. It is not an indefinite take over.

    When are the members of the Rivers House of Assembly likely to sit?

    The moment peace is noticed in Rivers State, everybody will know. They will sit when police can provide adequate security for the whole members. We want a situation where the 27 lawmakers will not feel intimidated and the five legislators (anti-Amaechi) will not feel overwhelmed. We want them to go into the House of Assembly, as one body, representing the interest of Rivers State. For now, it is still unsafe to allow them to sit, which will amount to taking a big risk, because of the political crisis.

    How can the Rivers crisis be resolved?

    The crisis is because of political interest. All the grandstanding is for political relevance. Peace will definitely come. The only concern is that anybody who has gone too far, how does he retrace his steps? We must always put the interest of the state first, because the state is bigger than individuals.

    The Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, allegedly said he would make Rivers State ungovernable for Amaechi. How will you react to this statement?

    This is an unfortunate period in our lives, in the political history of Rivers State, that some of these things are happening. We are not proud of the crisis. Rivers State has civilised, well educated and well exposed people, but what is coming out of the state is shocking to many people.

    First, the comment by Obuah is unfortunate and condemnable. It is not an educated comment. It was made from an uninformed point of view. He should know that there is protocol and the protocol puts the governor ahead of other individuals in the state, whether he is suspended from the PDP or not. The governor remains the father of the state, whether anybody likes it or not.

    Anybody who is addressing the governor must know that he is addressing the political father of the state. If you are addressing him in any way short of it, shows that the person does not know where he stands.

    Obuah is disrespectful, not only to Governor Amaechi, but to the whole Rivers people. It is not an issue to be taken lightly or in a comic way. Governor Amaechi is the head of Rivers State. Desperation should not push you to regret many years later, your actions of today. Your children, too, will be shocked seeing the playback, that their dad spoke in a manner not expected of a public officer.

    It is sad that Wike could say he would make Rivers State ungovernable and life uncomfortable for Governor Amaechi. He should be called to order, he should stop the unguarded utterances, for peace to reign in Rivers State.

    Governor Amaechi and Chief Wike are both from Ikwerre,. Will it be ideal for another Ikwerre person to succeed him?

    I am not against Wike’s governorship ambition in 2015 or anybody showing interest in any position. There is no law against it. We only have moral and political understanding that allows people to indicate their interests, according to the dictates of the moment.

    If you are interested in a political office, you should not cause mayhem or problem for people, especially with Wike’s declaration that people will no longer be sleeping with their eyes closed. It is condemnable. When Amaechi was contesting, he was not the only person. People showed interest, but the understanding was there, like an unwritten rule, for positions to go elsewhere, not to be retained in the same place. All of us are reasonable about it, because we want peace in Rivers State. We want everybody to have a sense of belonging. That is why we feel that no matter how good you are, you should allow others to partake. Wike’s ambition is not wrong, but the way he is going about it is heating up the polity.

    How would you describe the roles of President Goodluck Jonathanin and his wife, Dame Patience, in the Rivers PDP crisis?

    If not that Dame Patience Jonathan stated that the problem with Governor Amaechi started four years ago, when they visited Okrika, I will not hang the problem of Rivers State on anybody. Individuals in Rivers State allowed themselves to be used.

    If they did not allow themselves to be used, all these things (crises) would not have happened. The President and his wife should show interest in what happens in Rivers State and how the problem can be solved. Not doing anything is not good enough, because if Rivers State boils, Bayelsa will be affected. If Bayelsa State boils, Rivers will be affected. Rivers and Bayelsa states were together in the old Rivers State. President Jonathan is a Rivers man. There should be peace in Rivers State, before going out to ensure peace elsewhere.

    What is your reaction to the fracas in the Rivers State House of Assembly?

    Bipi has no case whatsoever. Some of them are just instruments that people are using. The moment the people who are using them as instruments stop, they have no role to play. It is just unfortunate that some of them allow themselves to be used that way. Bipi is not the issue. The issues are the people who are the paymasters.

    There are people with major interests. Bipi has no role to play. Bipi is just talking for the sake of trying to prove that he can be speaker. He is ignorant. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is very clear on how a speaker can be impeached. How can five lawmakers, in a 32-member Assembly, impeach the speaker (Otelemaba Dan Amachree)?

    Is Governor Amaechi not being distracted by the crisis?

    The crisis is not distracting Governor Amaechi. It is exerting him more. He is putting in more man hours to his job, than what it used to be. In the thick of the crisis, he still sent the budget to the Rivers House of Assembly, after the five pro-Wike lawmakers took over the place. The 27 lawmakers still went back and sat.

    The interest of the opposition is to distract Governor Amaechi and to later use it against him, but he is surprisingly relaxed, doing his job.