The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • ‘Why Taraba acting governor can’t be substantive governor’

    ‘Why Taraba acting governor can’t be substantive governor’

    Senator Emmanuel Bwacha represents Taraba South District in the Senate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU in Lagos on why the acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, cannot become the substantive governor.

    The acting governor of Taraba State was expected to act for 21 days before assuming full power, but it is over a year now…

    The deputy governor can be in an to acting capacity, but the constitution did not define the time frame for the acting capacity. Get this very clear. You should also remember that a precedent has been set. The case of Taraba State governor is similar to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, who was out of office for a period of time. President Jonathan is showing some measure of concern in this matter because there was a similarity to what happened when he was the Vice President. He wasn’t pronounced as the Acting President, until Yar’Adua died. We amended the constitution that empowers the Vice President or the deputy governor to assume the acting capacity, once the President or the governor is out for 21 days and this is what happened in Taraba State.

    The question people should be asking is whether the acting governor wants to be substantive governor because some of these controversies are coming from the opposition, who couldn’t get the thing through the ballot. So, they are trying to come through the back door.

    Let the acting governor tell the world whether he want to be substantive governor. We should ask whether the governor is in a permanent state of incapacitation because some people are playing politics with his health. I visit the governor regularly and I can tell you he is recuperating fast. The committee that was set up by the party to fast-track processes to adhere to the constitution visited him in New York and we saw the pictures in some of the newspapers.

    There is nothing to worry about. The governor will soon be here. The people in the state never like the committee to visit the governor because they regarded it as illegality. Their argument was that the party has no business to delve into the processes as it affects the office of the governor. It is within the power of the PDP to decide how it can reconcile its members, but certainly not how it will take decisions on constitutional matters. That was strictly a matter for the House of Assembly, which was very clear in Chapter 6, Part 2, Section 190 of the Constitution. How long the acting governor is going to act is not clearly defined in the constitution. The deputy governor can act as long as the regime last.

    Is it true that you don’t want the acting governor to assume full capacity because you also nursing the ambition to contest for the post?

    I have never heard that. Our worry is that some of these calls are not coming from the state, but they are coming from outside. Taraba State is working; the acting governor is doing everything to move the state forward. I don’t know whether he is complaining that he is not being given the chances to act as the substantive governor. I really don’t know what people want?

    What is the situation now with the governor?

    First of all, an accident took place. It was all over the place that the governor is dead. It was first reported by Sahara Reporters. Even, some television houses reported he was dead, but they changed the news the following day. Later on, they said he was in a vegetable state and from there, they said he could no longer recognise people and later, they said he was talking. They said he spoke with the President and the Vice President. But later, we saw him walking out with the team that visited him in New York. I don’t know which story will follow again. Maybe, finally, when we see him in the Government House, Jalingo, they would say he is not the one. There was a time they rumoured it was his brother that was holding forth for him. I now begin to imagine the kind of mischief surrounding the governor’s accident? When has it become a crime for someone to get involved in an accident he never bargain for? This could happen to anybody. People should rather thank God and celebrate with him, instead of the politics they were playing.

    Would you like to contest for the governorship?

    When people ask me this type of question, it amazes me because I have put in 23 years in active politics. In a developed democracy, senators show interest in the Presidency. You should ask me whether I want to contest for the Presidency. If the call for me to serve as the governor is coming from the people, I will not mind. I have been hearing this from people, but if God is going to promote me, let it not be a hindrance to my journey to heaven. But if it is going to be the type that will get me involved in the things of the world, I don’t like it.

    Would you want Jonathan to continue in 2015?

    Jonathan has served one term. He is coming from the Southsouth and the President is qualified, even on the basis of rotation, which has become the common language. In our political terrain, it is as if the Southsouth would have got its second term after 2015 and any other region can have that opportunity.

    It is not strictly on the basis that the entire South brings one side and the entire North brings one side. We are looking at Nigeria from the perspective of regions. If it goes to the North, it will either be to my own northern region or the Northwest. If it moves to the South, it is either to the Southwest or the East or Southsouth.

    Now the Southsouth has taken its first term and it is going to take another term in 2015. We believe Nigerians should give him that opportunity so that all of us will have that sense of belonging.

    How did you see the threat of the opposition to dislodge the PDP from power?

    Well, the opposition is good because it will put the government on its toes, but I can assure you it is not a threat. I can see the opposition as strange bedfellows. The presence of the opposition is good for our democracy because it puts the party in government on its toes, but I am not looking at it as a threat that is capable of unseating the PDP government in 2015.

    The argument is that Jonathan is not doing enough…

    These are individual opinions. But irrespective of whatever anybody is saying, I am a Northerner and I can tell you the preponderance of opinions; that an average northern minority wants Jonathan to continue in 2015. If those northerners, who were saying Mr. President cannot continue, like Ango Abdullahi, are expressing our opinions, I wouldn’t be saying something different.

    What about the five Northern governors who are saying that, if the PDP fields Jonathan in 2015, they would leave the party?

    If they would allow me to advise them, I would have simply encouraged them to back Jonathan because the southern minorities at different intervals backed them. Therefore, I think this is an opportunity for them to reciprocate so that Nigeria can be stable.

    Should the fact that Jonathan comes from the minority group be used as excuse to support him while he has become unpopular?

    I do not know the yardstick you are using to measure his unpopularity. Is it that many people have expressed their opinion in the papers or is it that you have gone round to conduct opinion polls and discovered that he is not popular.

    The feeling is that the President has not lived up to expectation…

    My view is that Jonathan is qualified to run for a second term. The reason being that Mr. President has achieved. If you say contrary, I would like to know the yardstick through which you are trying to measure his achievements. The instability, insecurity, which people are talking about, is already taking shape in the Northeast. Apart from this, what are those spectacular things other leaders have done that Jonathan has not done? Can you point out one?

    Critics say that he has failed in transportation, power sector, infrastructure and many others…

    In the rail sector, the Kaduna-Abuja rail has been awarded. We have a member of the committee and we witnessed that award. For the first time, the rail sector has been rejuvenated. When you are assessing a regime, it is essential that you dwell on those areas that you know him to have failed but of course you must also highlights these areas there are improvements too.

    The power sector, we know we are progressing. Is there any plan or progress that the past administrations made that Jonathan has departed from? The power challenge is a recurring problem in the history of Nigeria. Since independence, the traditional problem is power instability. Government comes in and goes out without being able to solve the problem. So, you cannot say it is a problem that was created by the Jonathan’s presidency.

  • ‘APC will make a difference’

    ‘APC will make a difference’

    Foremost Awoist and associate of the former Ondo State Governor Adekunle Ajasin in the Second Republic, Dr. Akerele Adu is the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. He spoke with LEKE AKEREDOLU on the challenges confronting the newly registered party.

    As the APC leader in Ondo State, how would you compare the politics of Awolowo’s era and that of today?

    I have spent a long time in politics and I can say there is no basis for comparison. They are dramatically opposed to each other. Politics in the days of Awolowo was based on sincerity, service to the people, principle, transparency, and the concept of human capital development. But nowadays, it is politics of money. The politics of today is simply dominated by money.

    You will see politicians, who will tell you that you can’t win an election without spending money and that is why, it is now so difficult to have credible politicians in the country because money has taken over. For instance, if someone wants to contest a political post in a party, instead of the party leaders to look at such person’s credibility, performance, background and previous records, they will ignore all these and focus on how deep his pocket is. It wasn’t like that during Awolowo’s era. We do not care about money and that is why, till today, most of the infrastructure put in place in the Southwest by these great men are still in existence. That is why people are still agitating for such people to rule the region again.

    What is your reaction to the registration of the APC?

    We are really excited because this is the first time in the history Nigeria, even in Africa, we are having workable merger. It has never happened before. Most of the time, they will do it to a certain level and it will collapsed. This time, we have a successful merger, which I think is now ready to unseat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) come 2015.

    However, leaders involved in the merging issue should be very careful because the PDP has a very strong foundation, the ruling party is just like a big tower that has a concrete foundation and which we are trying to pull down. They must be very careful in the sense that the PDP building, which will are trying to pull down, should not be allowed to fall on smaller buildings surrounding it. What we are saying is that the leadership of APC must be very careful because politicians from PDP are coming enmasse to join the new party. They must be very careful and prepare to make sure that those who have the dream of joining the party are progressives minded people. They must not leave the party to any fallout of PDP to come and take up the party. I commend the leaders of ACN, ANPP, CPC and factional leaders of APGA for ensuring that the merger worked out.

    What is your advice to the leaders of the APC as 2015 general elections draw near?

    My advice is that they should not put their ambition above the party’s interest, if they want the APC to maintain its present popularity. If they don’t heed this advice, that will be the end of APC. The party must be very careful because it is the new bride and every man will like to woo it. Starting from the ward level, they must be very careful. Like the case of Ondo State now, that is why we are careful before selecting our leaders.

    Any comparison between APC and the proscribed SDP?

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in those days is like the APC now, they are the progressives. If you remember very well, during the era of SDP and NRC, that was the first time Nigeria has the freest elections. We can say that APC and SDP are the same. I am seeing the APC as peoples’ party that will take us to the promise land. Immediately after the party was registered, I learnt that some governors were busy calling the interim national chairman of the party. I won’t like to mentioned their names. There was jubilation at the National Assembly and all over the country because the people are tired of PDP. PDP is already sinking. If not for the merging of APC, Nigeria would have been seating on a gun powder because of the issue of insecurity, particularly, in the northern region but for the merging now people are now looking at APC as the unifying factor bringing the northerners and southerners together to discuss on how to salvage the country from ruling PDP. Not the release of El-Mustapha that Fasehun was claiming was to bring unity among the northerners and Yorubas. APC is the only bridging factor that want to bridge Nigeria together.

    If not APC was registered the 2015 would have remained the same, where PDP as usual will use its usual method to retain in power, but the emergence of APC, things will change totally. I must thank Jega for using his own wisdom and independent mind to ensure APC was registered. The Presidency tried to ensure APC was not register but we thank God their mission failed because people who were in PDP were happy that APC was registered, market women, civil servants, students and others were also happy because they do not believe any good thing will come out from PDP again and they look at APC as the new beautiful bride but if you are a beautiful bride, you must be very careful so that you won’t marry the wrong man. My believe for APC is that the leaders are sincere to re-write the history of Nigeria properly.

    Despite the contributions of some Northerners to the emergence of theAPC, some politicians still believe the party is still a Yoruba party. What is your reaction?

    It is not about Southwest, though, ACN may has the lion’s share but they have submitted their pride in order to make the merging work. It is not about Southwest alone but all progressives parties that is why we have governors from the Southwest, Southsouth, North and Southeast who are working in building the party. Not only this, like I said earlier governors from the ruling PDP are also knocking that they will like to join the APC. Do you think their move was because of Tinubu or Akande? The party has gone beyond that. If it is the leaders of ACN from the Southwest who are driving the force is there anything bad in that? You should note that Yoruba always lead in terms of performance while others follow. I am really excited that leadership of APC have been able to identified some progressive leaders in the north and also in the South, look at Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha is performing and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State is also doing well. All these governors, particularly, those who are in PDP are tired of their party. With this, we should believe that APC is in the country for good.

  • Excitement, anxiety as Taraba awaits Suntai’s return

    Excitement, anxiety as Taraba awaits Suntai’s return

    Taraba State is on edge, following reports that Governor Dambaba Suntai will return on Sunday, after 10 months of absence. Correspondent Fanen Ihyongo captures the excitement and anxiety of the people.

    Taraba State Governor Dambaba Suntai is expected back on Sunday, after 10 months of absence. The ailing governor was hospitalised in Germany and the United States (US) hospitals, following the injuries he sustained in a helicopter crash last year. His doctors, according to sources, said he was now fit to resume work at the State House, Jalingo.

    Suntai was flown to Hannover, Germany, from where he was evacuated to the US on the advice of his Chief Physician, Prof. Zakari Yusuf Aliyu.

    The governor piloted the ill-fated Cessna 208 aircraft, which also had onboard his Aide-de- Camp (ADC), Iliya Dasat, the Chief Detail, Joel Danladi, and the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Tino Dangana. The security aides, who were treated in Germany, have since returned home.

    Suntai, who is said to be hale and hearty, is expected to depart the Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Centre and Home in New York, for home on Sunday. The acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, has been officially informed.

    During his long absence, there were moves to remove him, on claims that he was either incapacitated or dead. His associates say his return will disprove reportsthat his condition was sad.

    In Taraba, there is unease. Many people are anxious; some are confused. There is panic in the anti-Suntai camp. Suntai’s men ,who shifted loyalty to the acting governor are also panicky. While the governor’s family and political associates are happy, his antagonists are afraid.

    Some people actually jubilated when the accident occured on October 25, last year. To them, Suntai’s return is bad news. To those who wept, planned his return calls for celebration. In other words, it is defeat for his opponents, but triumph for his loyalists, supporters and well-wishers.

    Suntai’s deputy, Umar, who was sworn in on October 5, last year, succeeded Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi, who was impeached . When he became the acting governor, he prayed for speedy recovery for his boss. He is however, surrounded by fanatical supporters, who wanted him to be sworn in as governor.

    Umar’s supporters mounted pressure on him to assert himself. A source said that the deputy governor always cautioned his supporters saying it was wrong to betray a benefactor.

    He also explained that through providence became he deputy governor and acting governor. Umar also said that, even as acting governor, he has been exercising the powers of the governor as prescribed by the Constitution.

    But, some party chieftains accuse him of pretending. The former Secretary to the Government (SSG), Ambassador Emmanuel Njiwah accused him of trying to manipulate the governor, without success.

    Njiwah was among nine members of the State Executive Council sacked by the acting governor for allegedly failing to account for the N400 million Federal Government’s intervention funds for victims of the flood disaster in the state last year. But he claimed that he was fired because he refused join those who said that Suntai was incapacitated. “I cannot betray my governor (Suntai)”, Njiwah said at a press conference.

    The sacked commissioners are Anthony Jellason (Agriculture), Rebo Usman (Water Resources and Rural Development), Yakubu Agbaizo (Education), Charity Green (Women Affairs) and Jonah Agyo (Works). The sacked Special Advisers are Joshua Augustine (Revenue Matters), Mannaseh Kaura (Border Development), Tonyonga Binga (Education) and Joseph Magaji Tahwa (Rural Development).

    Apart from Binga and Tahwa, other sacked officials were indicted by the House of Assembly, which adopted the report of its investigative committee on the utilisation of the flood funds.

    “They were fired for failing to account for the N400 million federal government intervention funds provided for victims of the flood disaster in Taraba state last year”, Umar said in a statement.Binga and Tahwa bitterly, but Umar said their services were no longer required.

    The Commissioner for Health, Prince Mustapha Hammangabdo, who was also indicted by the report, resigned few hours before the acting governor’s axe. Njiwah alleged that it was the acting governor who advised Hammangabdo to resign.

    The sack has been heating up Taraba.There have been protests and counter protests.

    Njiwah said the sacked officials only spent N300 million out of the N400 millions. He accused the acting governor of trying to feast on the remaining funds. But Umar said he acted in the interest of the state.“My boss (Suntai) would have done same”, he said.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fact-finding panel of the on Taraba which visited Suntai in New York, was impressed with what it saw. Senator Hope Uzodinma-led panel was set up by the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. The committee members told the party that the governor was still fit to rule.

    A lot of political changes have taken place in the last 10 months. The House of Assembly Speaker Istifanus Haruna Gbana, was impeached and replaced with Hon. Haruna Tsokwa. Gbana was removed along with Deputy Speaker Abel Peter Diah and the Majority Leader, Charles Maijankai.

    Umar, explained that the impeached House leaders were planning to remove him. Gbana and Diah denied the allegation.

    The political situation in Taraba changed when Gbana and Diah, who are strong allies of the ailing governor, were shove aside.

    The Gbana/Diah-led House impeached the former deputy governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Danladi, to pave the way for Umar. Danladi went to court to challenge the impeachment but he lost.

    Njiwah and his group have sued the government. The sacked officials were accused by the flood victims of feasting on the relief funds. Their cries prompted the House to investigate them.

    In their suit, the sacked officials are seeking a declaration that their sack is null and void, and an order setting aside the ad hoc committee’s report of the House.

    They also want the court to restrain the acting governor from appointing other public officers to replace them. They are also praying the court to issue an order compelling Umar to apologise to them “for defamatory and/or libelous publication”.

    The defendants include Speaker Haruna Tsokwa, the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee that investigated the sacked officials, Tanko Adamu Maikarfi, and other members of the committee-Edward Baraya, Yahaya Abdulrahman, Ibrahim Adamu Imam and Yohana Iratsi Adaki.

    They alleged that the House denied them fair hearing. They also want the court to determine whether or not the failure of the ad hoc committee to invite them to respond to the allegations levelled against them did not breach their fundamental rights to fair hearing, as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.

    But Speaker Tsokwa has stood his ground, saying that the sack officials were given enough time to defend themselves.

    Umar appointed Mr. Garvey Yawe, the former Chief of Staff, as SSG. The acting governor also appointed Ahmed Yusuf, an engineer, as the Chief of Staff. Yusuf had been an opposition leader in the state for many years. He was urged to defect to PDP by Suntai in May last year. The governor later appointed him as the Chairman, Board of Taraba Investment and Properties Limited.

    Umar however, has not replaced other sacked officials, apparently to dispel the claims by Suntai’s loyalists that he is “over ambitious” and that he was subverting his boss.

    The acting governor has directed other commissioners to oversee the affected ministries.

    The Commissioner for Finance, Iliya Wanapia, is supervising the Ministry of Works. Information Commissioner Emmanuel Bello oversees the Ministry of Agriculture. Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation Isa Musa is supervising the Ministry of Education. The Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, G. T. Kataps, is in charge of the Health Ministry. Environment Commissioner Danfulani Kwetaka is in charge of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Commissioner for Social Welfare,Youth and Sports Abdulhadi Haruna Lau is supervising the Ministry of Water Resources.

    Majority of the commissioners are pro-Suntai; they were appointed by him. This makes Umar to believe that they do not want him to be sworn in as substantive governor. “But being pro-Suntai does not mean being anti-Umar”, one of the commissioners said.

    “Ours is loyalty to the state government. Whoever is in the saddle has to be supported. We hear a lot of stories, such as; the acting governor is reshuffling the cabinet tomorrow, next week and so on. We don’t actually understand him”, he added.

    The Muslim elite from the Northern geo-political zone had wanted Umar to take over, so that he could run as the governorship candidate in 2015. Their belief is that, if the acting governor contests as an incumbent, he can muzzle the ruling party to give him the ticket, so that he can become the first Muslim governor, since Taraba State was created on August 27, 1991.

    As Suntai returns, he is likely to relinquish power to the Southern Zone. Although Taraba does not practice power shift, the governor had promised the zone that he would handover to one of the indigenes of the area.

    But there are still ‘doubting Thomases’, who think that Suntai will not come back. They ask: Is Suntai is returning, or an impostor? Will he be physically and mentally strong to carry on as governor?

    The pro-Umar group is angry with the acting governor for not being “decisive”. They allege that Umar is playing along with Suntai’s loyalists to shield the governor.

    Suntai will return to meet a divided state and party. His stickers are on his supporters vehicles. But Umar’s supporters also carry the acting governor’s sticker.

    Umar has allegedly opened a campaign office, where his supporters meet to plot Suntai’s fall. The office, claimed to be a PDP Youth Vanguard Secretariat, is located a few metres from the party’s office, at No 29, Barde Way, beside the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), in Jalingo.

    Suntai’s loyalists, including the PDP chairman, Mr. Victor Bala, have frowned at the move. Bala’s fate as chairman is hanging in the balance. Some stakeholders are plotting his removal.

    There has been a lull in party activities. Suntai’s absence and politics of succession have polarised the party. The camps work at cross purpose. Will the governor’s return re-unite the divided fold or deepen the crisis? Time will tell.

  • Ebute: Power can’t shift to North in 2015

    Ebute: Power can’t shift to North in 2015

    Former Senate President Ameh Ebute spoke with reporters in Lagos on the Jonathan Administration, the North’s agitation for power shift, Rivers State crisis and other issues. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there. 

    You have been silent in the polity for a while, but a lot of people expect to hear from you as a statesman. What has been happening?

    I am part of an organisation called the Congress for Equality and Change and I was participating in the argument about zoning before the 2011 elections. I am a legal practitioner by profession and I have devoted time to legal practice. In 2010, I was on the pages of the newspapers. So it is not true that I have been quiet all along.

    You supported President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. Are you disappointed with his performance, now that a lot of people are disgruntled with the administration?

    As a lawyer, I need evidence from you that a lot of people are disgruntled with the administration. The government has just being in office for just two years. If at the end of the third year nothing happens, then, you can

    What is the evidence that President Jonathan has performed?

    Well, let me argue that President Goodluck Jonathan has introduced a new era of democracy in Nigerian politics; the era of unlimited tolerance, which we have never witnessed before. You can insult him, you can say whatever you want to say and I think that is democracy and that is why we have not gotten so many people, especially members of your profession in detention.

    Secondly, most of the projects that the administration has embarked upon are still at the infancy stage and I will take them one after the other. You go to electricity supply. Just like the way Obasanjo succeeded in the communication industry, Jonathan is succeeding in the electricity supply industry. He is bent on privatizing the electricity industry so that, in a year or two, it will become as efficient as any industry in the developed countries of the world.

    Thirdly, the physical infrastructure. You must have noticed the face lift at most of our airports in the country. Go to Abuja, come to Lagos and go to other airports in the country, you will see that there is great change.

    Four, the road construction that are going on are fantastic, for example the Lagos –Ibadan Express Way, the contracts have been given out, move to the South –East between Enugu and Port Harcourt is almost completed, then the East-West Road, from Port Harcourt to Warri is almost completed and then, there are quite a number of them the Minister for Works pointed er time.

    You raised the issue of unlimited tolerance as one of the things President Jonathan has achieved. What about the face- off between him and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi?

    You will agree with me that the Presidency has denied over and over again that the President is not a party to the crisis in Rivers. Some people say he is behind what is happening in Rivers State but even then he has tolerated enough because ,if he is not a tolerant person, Ameachi will not be doing what he is doing today. He will not have the audacity to confront the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, if President Goodluck Jonathan is not the person that tolerates everything. If I were the President, Amaechi cannot go to the far that he has gone.

    What is your reaction to the North’s agitation for power shift in 2015?

    My advice to them is that they should wait, until President Goodluck Jonathan completes his second term. By divine providence, the zoning has automatically fallen on the Southsouth. God zoned the Presidency to the Southsouth. It is as a result of the unfortunate death of Alhaji Umaru Yar’ Adua that Goodluck Jonathan became the President. He contested again and won the Presidency.

    So, the North, whose definition I am not too sure includes the Middle Belt, should wait, until the person whom God has given the Presidency completes his tenure and, as soon as he completes his second term, one can now argue that it should now come to the North and that North, should include all the zones in the North, not only the Northwest. We have other zones in the North, but some people are now arguing or defining the North as if it means only the Northwest.

    Are you now saying that Prof. Ango Abdullahi is not speaking for North?

    I am not a member of the Arewa Consultative Forum or Northern Elders’ Forum. Whether he is speaking for the members of the Arewa Consultative Forum or Arewa Elders Forum, it is left for Ango Abdullahi. I don’t know anything that is happening in those organisations. But I assure you that, apart from the members of the Arewa Consultative Forum and Northern Elder’s Forum, there are millions of Northerners that believe in the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. So, when one person representing a few people being funded by the governors and holding press conferences virtually every day; he is putting up his own ideas. You cannot say that the ideas are the thoughts of everybody within the North. So, I don’t know whether Ango Abdullahi is speaking on behalf of the people he has been speaking for I am not in the position to say that. He must be speaking for some people. I must agree that he is speaking for some people, but they are not the majority in that zone.

    So, you don’t agree that the North is disenchanted?

    But why should the North be disenchanted? We started in 1979 when President Shehu Shagari was the President for four years; he entered the second term when the military took over from him. The head of the military that took over from him was from the North, Buhari. Then, almost one year into the office, another Northerner, Ibrahim Babangida took over from Buhari and he was in office for eight years. That is about ten years, with Buhar’s tenure and then Abacha came.

    What of Shonekan?

    Shonekan was just an interim leader for a few months, but the person that had control, who took over from us was Abacha and Abacha was in office for five years; five plus ten is 15 years. Then ,Abacha died and the person who came to office as President was Abdulsalami Abubakar. He was in office for one year and nobody complained. Although that was military system of government, but nevertheless, the people that were the heads of the administration were all from the North. Then, there was no Boko Haram; nobody organised anything to destabilise this country. So, should the North be bitter now for the eight years President Goodluck Jonathan is trying to do? They should be patient enough. Nigerians were patient when these officials I mentioned to you were in office. Why shouldn’t they be patient when other persons are in office for only just four, five years now. Does that mean that the Presidency belongs to them?

    You mentioned that there was no Boko Haram then. Are you saying it is part of the agitation for power shift?

    You want to hear that from my mouth? Were you not in Nigeria when some people said they will make the country ungovernable for President Jonathan? Were you not in the country when some people said that, if President Jonathan won the election, they will make the country ungovernable if? Are you saying that Boko Haram is not an off shoot of the election that took place in 2011?

    But the main argument in the North is that President Jonathan obstructed the zoning arrangement of the PDP by contesting in 2011

    In 2010, when some people were trying to frighten Mr. President not to contest the 2011 election, my organization, the Congress for Equality and Change, argued in favour of the zoning policy of the party (PDP) and that the Presidency could go to any zone. You will agree with me that there is no clear definition of the word zoning that we have in the party between the South and North that we have six geo-political zones in this country.

    And as far as I am concerned, once the Presidency goes to any of these zones, it is zoning and it is in complete compliance with the zoning policy of the PDP as contained in the PDP constitution. It doesn’t have to necessarily be between the South and North. So, the Southsouth is a geo-political zone and, once the Presidency goes there and the zone has not produced the President before, I think it is only fair and just we agree that it has complied with the zoning policy of the PDP. So, I still believe in the zoning policy of the PDP. Since I am a member of the PDP, I cannot disagree with the zoning policy. The only disagreement is that zoning must have a human face so that any zone that has not had it before should be allowed to produce the president.

    Do you see Gen. Buhari as a leader of the North?

    From the way the 2011 election votes were cast, I now agree that Gen. Buhari is a leader of his zone, that is, the Northwest zone. He is in full control of his Northwest zone politically.

    What of your own area, the Northcentral?

    No, no, he is not in control of the North Central?

    You don’t see him championing the cause of your people?

    Some of us in the Northcentral are now saying we do not fall within that definition of the North.

    Your party, the PDP has been jumping from one crisis to the other. Don’t you see the agitation of the G5 governors breaking up the party?

    I read recently that they have made 10 demands and one of them was that the national chairman should be removed. Their demands go contrary to the law, the Nigerian constitution, the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution. The national chairman was elected for four years under the PDP and you cannot remove him. If you remove him, he can go to court before the end of four years and he will be restored, thereby embarrassing the Presidency. So, I cannot imagine the five governors calling on the President to remove the national chairman. The President does not have the power to remove Bamanga Tukur. He can only be removed before the end of his fourth year in office, if he is guilty of any gross misconduct and he can only be removed by the national convention of the party, like the one that is coming up now; anybody can raise a motion of vote of no confidence on the chairman and, if it sails through, the chairman becomes automatically removed. But to say that the President should remove Tukur, who was elected for a four-year tenure according to the constitution of the party, is wrong. The constitution is enforceable in the court of law. Their call on the President beats my imagination. I believe they are just calling on the President to give him a bad name. How can the President remove a chairman that was legally elected for a fixed period?

    The demand that they want to be leaders of the party at the state level; they are already leaders at the state level. They call the shots, but there is nowhere in the constitution of the party that the governor should be the leader of the party at the state level. It is the state chairman that should be the leader of the party at the state level. They are calling for this leadership so that they can continue to commit the atrocities that they have been committing, dividing the local government money into two, making sure that everybody that gets elected into the National Assembly and state assembly is their nominee.

    So, I think that the problem we have in this country is mostly caused by the governors ganging up together in order to reduce the powers of the President. That is their intention.

  • ‘Regional integration in Southwest’s interest’

    ‘Regional integration in Southwest’s interest’

    A group, ‘Egbe Omo Yoruba, North America’, has said that the regional integration mooted by the Southwest progressive governors is in the interest of the geo-political zone.

    The group urged Yoruba in the Diaspora to support the project by donating their talents and knowledge to fuel development in the zone.

    Rising from its annual meeting in Washington, United States, the group led by Chief Bolu Omodele charged the six governors to forge ahead with the programme in unity.

    The theme of the convention was: “Stability of the Yoruba in the 21st Century and beyond”. Guests at the convention included the Lagos State Special Adviser on Regional Integration, Rev. Tunji Adebiyi, who represented Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Ekiti State Commissioner for Integration Affairs Mr. Niyi Afuye, who stood for Governor Kayode Fayemi, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) Secretary Mr Ayo Afolabi, former Presidents of the Egbe; Aare Kolawole Ayodele, Dr. McGuinis. Otunbusin and Aremo Adeola Odusanya, and leaders of other Yoruba sub-groups.

    Lauding the Southwest governors, the former President of the group, Mrs. Monilola Tenabe, enjoined them to develop policies that would lift their people from the poverty.

    Omodele also echoed him, saying that the governors must always strive to be different by implementing people-oriented policies.

    In its communiqué, the group noted that the stability of the Yoruba nation is linked with the preservation and promotion of the Yoruba Language, culture and values, urging the people never to subject it to the ravaging western culture.

    The group added: “The restructuring of Nigeria to ensure federalism would guarantee accelerated development of the potentials of the Southwest.

    “Political leaders of the Yoruba nation should focus on massive infrastructure development of schools, hospitals, roads and bridges, premiums placed on the state of our environment and also agriculture and food security.

    “The developmental integration project of the Yoruba should take cognizance of the comparative advantage of the component states should be vigorously implemented to ensure sustainable development of the Yoruba nation.

    “Yoruba in Diaspora should be recognised as a partner in the political, social and economic development of the Yoruba nation through repatriation of capital, investments, and ideas. Partnering agencies and corporate establishments should be introduced to the Southwest to support and initiate projects that would stimulate development of the Yoruba nation.

    “The government of the South West should treat as priority the security of life and property against vices as such kidnapping, robbery and the blood thirsty Boko Haram. Investments in security technology devices, mechanisms and community policing should be embarked upon by government of the South West states. Political actors should shun violence as election seasons draw near. The Southwest states should not be turned into a gallery of “do or die politics.”

    Omodele urged Yoruba in the Diaspora to make the group a vehicle for political, social and economic re-engineering of the Southwest. He said the Egbe would form a Consortium of Yoruba Professionals (CYP) to partner with the Southwest governments.

    He added: “We owe it a duty to take interest in what our governors are doing, especially the implementation of the Developmental Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN)”.

  • Why I want to rule Ekiti, by Bejide

    Why I want to rule Ekiti, by Bejide

    Former Secretary to Ekiti State Government and High Commissioner to Canada Ambassador Dare Bejide spoke with reporters on his ambition to rule the state.

     

     

    What is your vision for Ekiti State?

    My vision for the people of Ekiti State is to reduce poverty by promoting economic development through job creation, job retention, self-employment and to create an enabling environment where an average Ekiti man will be ready to contribute his own quota to the development of the state. I believe agriculture is very important. If you promote agriculture, you are likely to provide food security. In other words, the people will be able to feed themselves and also feed others too. You are also likely to attract young people into farming because those who are farming now are getting old. And, if we are not careful, nobody will be ready to farm again.

    How can agriculture be promoted?

    My plan is to encourage farmers to be on the farms. We would encourage them to farm in groups, not only to feed the people, but to also produce raw materials for industries so that we can attract investments to the state. We will also make farming more attractive. You will realize that at a particular period during the year when the farmers are harvesting their crops, there is no technology for preservation and the crops are sold at ridiculous prices. At another time, they won’t have anything to sell because they are still planting their crops. That will stop as soon as I am elected as governor. What I will do is to make government the buyers of last resort. We will encourage farmers to produce as much as possible, and if they are unable to sell, we will buy from them at competitive prices and store them so that they (farmers) can remain in the farms for 12 months. We shall offer credit facilities to farmer to enable them have enough funds for farming. In addition ,we shall make farming more attractive to young people by creating farm estates

    On education, which the state is noted for, how do you really want to improve on what is the ground now?

    Education is very important. That is why the state is called the Fountain of Knowledge. The experience of the last few years has not been palatable going by the results of examinations bodies like NECO, WAEC and JAMB as regards our children.

    We will promote compulsory basic education and provide g mid-day meals for our kids. We shall upgrade facilities to enhance qualitative and functional education .

    Our government will embark on diversification of curricular so as to place emphasis on integrated skills to make education more meaningful in the state. We would encourage the teachers to do well. Our government will encourage and motivate the school inspectors.

    At the level of secondary schools, we believe in the boarding schools and we would also make it compulsory that, at least, there is a boarding school in each of the local government. We are going to strengthen the school enterprise project by introducing the theoretical aspects of the program in all schools to promote skill acquisition and functional education. Functional in the sense that we would let people know that government cannot employ everybody. So, you must acquire one type of skill or the other while in school. The problem is that everybody looks on to government for employment. However, it is not possible, or done anywhere in the world. Even in advanced countries, it is not more than 10 per cent of the people that are employed by the government. But if you acquire additional skill, you will not only employ yourself but also create employment for others.

    Can your party beat the APC, which wields the power of incumbency?

    The power of incumbency has always been there. It was there during the time of the AD and they lost. As I said earlier on, it is difficult to manage success, particularly for those who have not lived with the people sufficiently enough to understand the sensitivity of the people. The power of incumbency has its own negative and positive effects. The positive side is that, if you are an incumbent and you do well, it has the potential of giving you more votes to come back again. But, if you don’t do well, it is a minus and has the potential of throwing you out of power for non-performance.

    And how do you see the performance of INEC, so far?

    The INEC has done considerably well going by our past experience. But again, it is not for INEC alone to ensure credible election. The politicians must also learn to be transparent in whatever they do. If you are talking about electoral fraud, it is difficult for the INEC officials alone to alter the result of an election without inducement by politicians. INEC officials will not bring thugs to the voting centers. So, the issue is that politicians must endeavor to play the game according to the rules. Once we play the game according to the rules, we won’t have any problem about INEC officials

    What is your advice for the political class and the electorate, ahead of the governorship race?

    For the political class, they should learn to play the game by the rules. Whether they are 20 or 30 of us contesting for the governorship, only one person will eventually emerge. We should appreciate from day one that we are going into this contest with the understanding that only one person will emerge as winner . Once we have this in mind, the issue of desperation becomes irrelevant. But, if a man feels he must win by all means, he will do a lot of terrible things to win. So, I will advise politicians to have it at the back of their mind that, in going to a contest, it is possible for one to win or not to win. I will also advise politicians, particularly my colleagues, that whosoever emerges should also embrace the losers. The idea of winner takes all should be a thing of the past. Once the loser knows that he is a stakeholder in the polity, he won’t be desperate; he will be willing to cooperate with the winner.

    For the electorates, they should think less of what they want to take from the man who wants to contest. They should think of the man who can deliver; they should think of the politicians that they know very well, and familiar with. They should ignore emergency politicians because they will abandon them whether they win or lose. If they believe that all they need is to take money from whoever is contesting, they should know that at the end of the day, they would also pay the price at the appropriate time.

     

  • Amosun deserves second term, says Anisulowo

    Amosun deserves second term, says Anisulowo

    Senator Iyabo Anisulowo is a former Commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun State and Minister of State for Education. She spoke with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE on the activities of Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his bid for a second term.

     

     

    Many people are endorsing Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun for a second term. What is your view?

    Yes, I have said it many times. He has been doing well, especially with the infrastructure – roads, schools and opening up investment opportunities for people. Workers in the state are being taken care of; the area that I am expecting him to do more is agriculture. If he doesn’t go for the second term, how will he open up the rural roads that would enable investors to plan, invest and move their finished products out of the markets? He is trying and in fact, I never knew he could do the much he has done now. I believe that we should be patient; we should give him support and, no matter what he may have as his shortcomings, at least, we are all human beings. But for me, nothing will make me go against him. If I go against him, it will also mean I don’t have the love of my people in my mind. So, let us give him the chance. Let him go for the second term so that he can actually help us also, in this area (Ogun West Senatorial District) because we are nearer to the Egbas. I mean, Egba and Yewa, we are nearer to one another. And the wind should blow across the land so that we can say that, at least, we have experienced democracy.

    But your kinsmen from Yewa land still feel that the governor has not been fair enough to the zone. Do you share that view?

    Every human being has his own different strategy. Amosun’s strategy is to combine four local government areas across the pure Yewa land. The road ,which he started from Aiyetoro, through Imeko, Ilara, Ijoun and the rest, is a major breakthrough for us in the border area. And when roads along these routes are put in the proper shape, development will come and radiate across the towns. To me, honestly, he has started well and even if I don’t benefit anything, no problem. If it is for some personal bases, well, I can say he shouldn’t go for the second term. But I don’t have any covenant with him to say he should go for only one term or not. Also, the constitution allows him to go for the second term. Therefore, let him go. To me, as an individual and also, as a leader in this community, as many I can convince, I will.

    What is the agitation for power shift to Yewa all about?

    I don’t think we are prepared for it because the major stakeholders are looking at this Amosun issue. They are feeling that “ko sa wa seti wa na” (He should come and do our own too). It is the survival of the fittest for now. For most people, that he has been demolishing houses in Egba, Aiyetoro, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu and others, and you should know that, it is four-legged. He has touched the four zones and I must confess to you. The extent is what we are talking about. Nobody can compete with Abeokuta; it is the state capital. If a Yewa-born person becomes a governor, he will live in Abeokuta because it is the state capital. He can’t shift the state capital to Ilaro, no! He can only, like we have a governor’s lodge here too, beautify or expand it to his own taste so that whenever he comes to his constituency he can have where to pass the night there and his entourage. But the capital will always remain in Abeokutaand that has been established. So, if they are spending 30 percent of the state income in Ijebu and they are also spending 30 percent in Yewa/Awori, definitely, Abeokuta will take the remaining 40 percent. And most people, especially workers live in Abeokuta. So, the economy will be better off than any other place. It is we, ourselves that we should sit down and map out our strategies on how to develop our own area, according to our ability.

    What is your position on the local government autonomy?

    For me, honestly, it is a difficult thing to do. When I was the Senate Committee Chairperson on State and Local Government Administration and, if not for the third term agenda that we threw out and other things, we would not have been better off. Take for instance, we have changed Yewa name. Sagamu too was badly spelt in the constitution. The local government autonomy then, thank God, the current Senate President, David Mark was part of the review. I could remember we went to Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, to review the constitution in a bid to change certain things and clauses. It was not controversial that time. I mean the issue of the local government autonomy. I am surprised now because, without the local governments having financial muscle, the rural areas can’t develop at all. Invariably, I am in support of local government autonomy. I had been the senate chairperson on state and local government administration and I know the limitation of the state.

    The states themselves, according to the constitution, are supposed to add 10 per cent of their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the local council funds. That is why they have the joint account – state and local government. The reason for the joint account is that the Federal Government puts its own money to the local governments and the state governments are required to add additional 10 per cent of their IGR into it and then, they will now share. So, invariably, the constitution meant well. It is the interpretation and the implementation of the clauses of the constitution that is causing ‘wahala.’ It is to enrich the local governments so that they can execute projects, take care of the environmental sanitation, to pay staff salaries, health and others.

    Why is it difficult for the National Assembly to create states?

    It is unfortunate that we don’t do our politics right in the south, especially as it concerns the creation of more local governments. And they (north) like joining the Army and you can see balance. The north believes in democracy and militocracy. If they can’t make it democratically they believe they will make it militocratically.

    And so, everybody either good or, bad was sent to enlist in the Army.  But in our own case here in the South, we were resenting the Army and we didn’t send our children to join the Army except the ones that were stubborn. You can see where it has landed us.

    It landed us in an area of succession because we were not able to enlist our people. And because they had killed one nobody would want to take over. But they, if they are still killing 100 persons of their own they would have people stepping into their shoes. In the area of local government or state creation, it is very difficult now because we are in a democratic era, but it is on the military by its fiat that you can just create local governments and states.

    But in a democracy like ours, it is difficult because it has to be discussed and debated. Population will be brought into focus. Take for instance, if we are creating local governments the questions of what are the potentials would come in? How buoyant is the local government? In this wise, sustainability will come in. And when this debate starts, interest groups will come in. And there are some people in this country that have money to stop whatever they want to stop or promote whatever what they want to promote.

    They have enough funds and that is the problem, but God is supreme. So, it is going to be difficult and when they were saying it, that they would create more local governments and states and I was once in that chamber before.  I know what can happen and I know what can’t happen because when they close the doors behind them so many things go on inside. And when that those things are going inside, even with your best ideas you will realise that you can’t speak for your own people alone. You will have to think Nigeria and when you are thinking Nigeria certain things can’t be done.

     

  • Who succeeds Obi in Anambra?

    Who succeeds Obi in Anambra?

    November 16 is a day of decision in Anambra State. The fate of political parties fielding candidates for the governorship election will be decided by voters. Who are these candidates? Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the strengths and weaknesses of the likely flag bearers.

     

     

    Three parties -All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-are warming up for theNovember 16 election in Anambra State. Although the Labour Party (LP) is also making efforts, but it is a party on the fringe. Observers contend that the race will not be a walk over for whichever party that eventually lifts the trophy.

    As the parties streamline the number of aspirants, the contest is being narrowed down to a few contenders. Last week, the APGA separated the wheat from the chaff. The Screening Committee headed by Alhaji Tayo Sowumi disqualified six aspirants from the race. Among them were Dr. Charles Soludo, former Central Bank governor, who defected from the PDP, Secretary to Government Osealoka Obaze, Emmanuel Nweke, Tony Nnaechetta, Dr, Dike Obidigbo, and Chinedu Idigo.

    In the ruling party, seven aspirants will fight for the ticket at the primaries. They are Chief Willie Obiano, the former Fidelity Bank Executive Director, House of Representatives member Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, Chukwuemeka Nwogbo, John Nwosu, John Emeka and Nwachi Obianwu.

    However, eyes are on Obiano, whose entrance into the crowded race generated excitement. Observers point out that he is a candidate to watch out for two reasons. He is from Aguleri in Anambra North Senatorial Zone, which Governor Peter Obi is backing for the slot because the district has not produced a governor since 1999. Also, the former bank executive is said to be very close to the governor.

    The thinking in APGA is that the candidate should have a financial muscle to run a successful state-wide campaign, ahead of the poll. It is believed that, among the aspirants, only Obiano can meet this requirement because, apart from the fact that he is wealthy, he has friends and associates who can support him to succeed.

    However, his emergence as the candidate may sow a seed of discord. Party members may perceive it as a curious move to reap where he did not openly invest. A source close to the screening committee disclosed that APGA should prepare for the post-primary crisis that may affect its chances. “That is why we have asked the aggrieved aspirants, who were screened out, to appeal to the national secretariat of the party. Before, during and after the primaries, the party must do a lot of fence mending”, he added.

    In the APC, the coast is almost clear for Senator Chris Ngige, the former governor, who was deposed by the court to pave the way for Obi. Since 2006, he has been nursing the ambition to return to the Government House. His supporters are also soaring daily. This attests to the fact that the senator from Anambra Central Senatorial District is popular. Many indigenes recall that, although his tenure as the governor was controversial, he fought the infrastructure battle very well. The roads he constructed have convinced the people that, if he returns to the government, he will not disappoint them.

    Ngige is not the only aspirant in the race in the APC. He has three contenders to face at the primaries. Two of them, Senator Annie Okonkwo and Goodwin Ezeemo, are touring the districts and zones, drumming support for their candidature. Their supporters have alleged that their ambition may be jeopardised, if a shadow poll is not conducted in the party to choose the candidate. Although the aspirants could not confirm, if pressures is mounted on them to step down for Ngige, their supporters are already crying wolf. Last month, a group of youths from the defunct Anambra ACN stormed the Lagos residence of the national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to demand for primaries. “We don’t want imposition of any candidate. We want the aspirants to participate in the primaries. The party members should decide their fate,” said their leader, Luke Uche, who urged the party leadership to ensure a hitch-free contest.

    Also in Lagos, Ezeemo warned against imposition, saying that it will affect the chance of the APC at the poll. “We will insist on internal democracy in the APC and I believe that our leaders will not do anything that will tarnish the image of the party”, he told reporters in Amuwo-Odofin during a press conference.

    After the primary hurdle, the APC will also have to brace for the campaigns. Already, APGA is sponsoring a media propaganda against the newly registered party, following the alleged deportation of 14 destitute to Anambra State by the Lagos State government. APGA chieftains have deliberately been inflating the figures to embarrass the APC, ridicule it before the people and score a cheap point.

    Expectedly, APGA hopes to profit from the power of incumbency wielded by the governor. However, the ruling party is still engulfed in crises. Obi is championing the zoning of the governorship to the Northern Zone. Besides the protracted leadership tussle in the fold is not totally resolved as the forces loyal to Maxi Okwu are murmuring.

    Also, both APGA and APC soldiers have not succeeded in wiping out the PDP from the state. Despite its past electoral misfortunes, PDP has not gone down. This contrasts with the fate of the Labour Party, which now revolves around the personality of the oil magnate, Ifeanyi Ubah, who has not really made any political point in the state,

    Relying on federal might, the PDP, whose arrow head is Senator Uba, is seriously mobilising supporters for another epic battle. Uba’s ego had been bruised in the past, when he was deposed by the court, barely a month in the saddle as the governor. But, like Ngige, his confidence was restored, following his election into the Senate. Also, like Ngige, he is a top contender.

    As eyes are on Ngige in the APC, many are rooting for Uba in the PDP. Although he was a governor by default, Ngige erected lasting legacies, which were acknowledged by Obi and other Anambra leaders. Reflecting on his tenure as governor, Ngige said that he served the state without blemish. “The roads I constructed are everlasting. I served with diligence and sense of purpose. I can confidently walk on the streets unmolested and without an escort. I wanted to solve a lot of problems in the state”, he said.

    Ngige is on a familiar terrain. His supporters believe that he is known and tested.

    He is not required by the law to resign his seat as a senator. He has organised empowerment programmes for the people. Ngige declared that, at this stage, the acquisition of wealth is not a priority for him, adding that the welfare of the state is the primary concern. . His philanthropic activities have endeared him to more people. Many of them recall that, as the governor, he fought corruption and channeled the state’s scarce resources to its development. Observers contend that Ngige will not lack the resources to oil his campaign machinery. Indisputably, he has the backing of APC leaders. As a senator, Ngige is a rallying point at home. Many people also believe that his party has good programmes.

    Uba is waxing stronger. Like Ngige, he is not expected to resign as a senator before contesting the governorship. He has the sympathy of prominent PDP elders, who believe that he was robbed of the ticket in 2009, when it was handed over to Soludo. Then, in protest, Uba defected to the LP to contest, but without success. In 2009, he had been elected as the governor. He spent 19 days in office before the court declared that he was elected in error.

    A PDP source said that the senator also has the backing of President Goodluck Jonathan, the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) members and other top party financiers. “Uba is a formidable candidate in the PDP and it is the belief of the PDP. It is significant that his brothers, Eselu Chris Uba and the elderly Senator Ugochukwu Uba, still call the shots in the Anambra politics. His past political tragedy is now a blessing. More than before, he is perceived by the PDP family as a vital asset, committed leader and promising contender”, he added.

    Another factor that may work for Uba is his solid structure. When he won the senatorial election in 2011, his rating in the PDP became high. At the grassroots, he has been solidifying his structures and the party organs by providing financial resources and credible leadership. Thus, among the party supporters, he is a household name.

    The fact that each of the three parties-APGA, APC and PDP-has a senatorial seat is an indication that none of them can be written off. But November 16 will tell which among the three is first among equals.

     

     

  • Is Nigeria not ripe for electronic voting?

    Is Nigeria not ripe for electronic voting?

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has jettisoned e-voting for the 2015 general elections. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines its implications for the nation’s electoral process.

     

    When the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, disclosed that e-voting would not be feasible in 2015, many Nigerians expressed surprise. In March, last year, he had raised their hope about the proposed voting system. They felt that the electronic method would bring relief in the next general elections.

    Since 1964, elections have been problematic. Ballot boxes have often developed wings and losers declared winners by the electoral commission. When those boxes resurface at the counting centres, they are stuffed with multiple thumb-printed ballot papers.

    Nigeria’s quest for electronic voting started in the Second Republic when the Chairman of the defunct Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO), the late Justice Victor Ovie-Whiskey, mooted the idea for the 1983 elections. The move was opposed by the leader of the defuct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who threatened to mobilise his supporters to smash the machines.

    In 2006, when former INEC Chairman Prof. Maurice Iwu proposed the method for the 2007 elections, it was greeted with criticism. The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, rejected the method, saying that the country was not ripe for it. The organisation cited low literacy level and lack of time to ascertain its worth and workability. Besides, it alleged that Iwu had a hidden agenda. Afenifere described e-voting under him as another electronic rigging mechanism.

     

    Constitutional hurdle on e-voting

     

    Jega had cited constitutional hurdle against e-voting in 2015. He said that the National Assembly is yet to amend the aspect of the electoral law that prohibits electronic voting system. But why did the National Assembly fail to review Section 52 (2) of the Electoral Law, as demanded by INEC?

    Senator Aloy Etuk from Akwa Ibom State said the National Assembly is not afraid of electronic voting. “INEC has to convince the National Assembly of its readiness to go electronic. You can’t just wake up one a day and say you want to introduce e-voting. For instance, INEC must have acquired machines it wants to use up to date and put in place all necessary infrastructure that would make it work”, he said.

    A political scientist, Professor Abubakar Momoh, is not disturbed by the National Assembly’s failure to amend the law. He said the permanent voter’s register, which the INEC is working on, would be embedded in the electronic chips on cards to curb electoral mal-practices.

    Momoh explained that each card would carry the information about the voter, his or her biometric data, finger prints and photograph. The system, he added, would have authentic verification of voters at the polling unit. “There will be card readers that will automatically verify whether you are the genuine owner of the card or not”, he said.

    The political scientist pointed out that the upgraded the voter register would prevent multiple voting or impersonation. Since the buying of voter’s card is not possible, multiple voting will be easily detected, Momoh said.

    “What the INEC has put in place is enough to apprehend those who want to breach electoral rules at the polling centres. The sophistication of the new system is unknown to politicians who may want to cheat to win election. Whoever that makes any attempt to cheat at the polling centres would be caught, prosecuted and jailed, if found guilty by the court.”

    Etuk, who agreed with Momoh, said that the National Assembly will support any system that will guarantee fairness, transparency and ensure that every vote counts.

    “All we need is the assurance of its effectiveness. One has taken cognisance of what happened in the United States, where the adoption of e-voting generated controversy at a time in California. Consequently, it was put on hold for a season. The government had harsh words for the voting machine makers.

    “If America is scared and cautious, it is advisable that we should do our homework very well, so that we don’t end up importing abandoned and outdated technology and flood the polling boots with them. We must understand the working processes of the machines”, Etuk advised.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Interim Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, said the manual voting is old-fashioned. He said the method would significantly reduce the huge cost of elections, improve stability and end the atmosphere of war associated with elections.

    Another advantage identified by the APC chieftain is that the involvement of security agencies in elections would be de-emphasised. He called on the National Assembly to amend Section 52 (2) of the Electoral Act, which outlaws e-voting.

     

    Prospects of electronic voting

     

    A software engineer, Adenrele Adebowale, said that electronic voting, if properly administered, is likely to improve the credibility of the elections, de-emphasise the militarisation of polls and increase transparency. He said that, since e-voting gives little or no room for manipulation during the voting, its adoption would reform and clean up the process.

    Adebowale said the voting system saves cost, increases participation by citizens and eliminates human error in vote-count, adding that recounting is eliminated.

    However, the challenge is the infrastructure. The country lacks the machines and software required for the functioning of the e-voting. A social critic, Bernard Briggs, said that this challenge should be resolved.

    “We do not have sufficient IT infrastructure as everything is being run by paper and file system. In Nigeria, we are not particularly known for our skills in technology and as a result, the electoral commission employees will have to learn how to operate the machines. With the intractable challenge in electricity supply and the poor Information Technology skills of the majority of our population, the 2015 elections may end up being badly muddled up.

    “ The electronic data capturing machines frequently ran out of power and those who wanted to register had to make repeated visits to the registration centres before they could get registered. This would not be tenable in an election situation”, he added.

    But the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Alhaji Mustafa Shehu, said it is possible for the INEC use electronic voting in two year’s time. He said that the engineers should take up the challenge.

    The NSE boss recalled how the organisation successfully used e-voting for the election of its officers last year. He said the soft word used was developed by local engineers.

    Shehu said the system would produce credible result that would confer legitimacy on the government and make the elected leaders to be more accountable to the people.

     

    How it works

     

    Electronic voting is any voting process where an electronic means is used for vote casting and result counting. For example, the NIGCOMSAT RFID biometric e-voting system is a contact-less card system, which presents a novel methodology for an off-line and always-available system that is suitable for developing countries.

    Its peculiar features include an inherent voter authentication and on-the-spot check of multiple voting without reliance on external communication link or backend database queries as the process are localised ,using the voter card as a local and mobile database.

    According to enginers, the system allows for quick and accurate voting electronically. It uses a client or server architecture which allows voters to cast ballots on the client terminal. Each client interfaces with the server, which keeps track of the entire system. The process involves registration, verification, authentication, voting and tallying’

    The intended voter has a registered smartcard with his orher bio-data, fingerprint and photograph printed on it. A database is also accessible to an electoral official, local and internal observer, and the public by visiting the domain site of the electoral body. The smartcard automatically becomes invalid, once a vote is cast and the voter is given a receipt or counterfoil of whom he voted for, time of vote and where the vote was cast.

    With the e-voting system, results are available promptly on the internet. Observers and voters can also view the ‘real-time’ of the election results from their homes, offices or anywhere in the world, using the web-enabled devices, including the PC, laptops, phones or iPAD, by simply logging into the designated website.

    Another benefit of the e-voting system is the speed in which results can be obtained because results are accurately tabulated instantaneously. It reduces the risk of human and mechanical error and movement restriction. It brings electoral fraud to the barest minimum as it will eliminate multiple registrations and upholds “one man one vote” paradigm.

     

    Countries where it works

     

    Electronic voting was introduced in Brazil in 1996. The primary goal of the Brazilian voting machine is extreme simplicity, the model being a public phone booth. The voting system was widely accepted, due to the fact that it sped up the vote-count. For example, in the 1989 presidential elections between Fernado Collor de Mello and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the vote count lasted nine days. But in the 2002 general elections, the count required less than 12 hours. In rural areas, the election results were known minutes after the closing of the ballots.

    It was introduced in Belgium in 1991. Two locations were chosen to experiment on different electronic voting systems. One of the systems tested was based on a touch panel similar to those used in the Netherlands. The other system still in use is based on a magnetic card and a voting machine with a light pen.

  • ‘Igbo Presidency feasible in 2015’

    A group, ‘Lagos Njiko Igbo’ has urged the Igbo to keep faith with 2015, stressing that an Igbo Presidency is feasible.

    The group’s co-ordinator, Hon. Chibuike Jonas, has the race has many indigenes who can provide better leadership to the country.

    He was reacting to the statement credited to Prof. Ango Abdullahi that the North must produce the President in 2015.

    Jonas observed that the injustice and marginalisation suffered by the Igbo has reached its climax, maintaining that Igbo Presidency is the answer.

    He called the other five geo-political zones to support a candidate from the Southeast for the highest position.

    Jonas said: “After all, Nigeria has six geopolitical zones, with each having occupied the number one position except for the South East.

    “Ndigbo has continued to be at the receiving end in the polity, despite the sacrifice and contributions of the Igbos to the nation.”

    Jonas said that there are competent men and women of integrity, who can turn around the fortune of the nation in Igboland.

    He berated some selfish Southeast politicians who are urging President Goodluck Jonathan to run in 2015, describing their action as anti-Igbo.

    He said: “This people are speaking for themselves and not Igbos.

    “They are only interested in mortgaging the future of their people for their selfish interests and unwarranted ambitions.”

    Jonas called on the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to remember that the North cannot continue to pose as the only geo-political zone that can do and undo in the country.

    He advised the North and other zones to conceed the slot to the Southeast in the interest of unity, fairness and justice.

    Jonas also urged Ndigbo, both at home and abroad, to support Njiko Igbo, a non-partisan movement, for the collective goal of the Southeast.