The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • 2015: PDP is sending wrong signal

    2015: PDP is sending wrong signal

    In this piece, Lagos lawyer Akintola Benson reflects on the controversial Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) election and the abortive attempt by the five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to unconstitutionally remove the Speaker and contends that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is sending a wrong signal about the 2015 elections.

     

     

    Many well-meaning Nigerians rightly watched the show ofshame at the Rivers State House of Assembly on July 9, 2013 with heads bowed in shame at the curse of leadership ravaging our otherwise rich, vibrant and potentially great country. Many more carried heaviness in their hearts, regretting the failure, refusal and inability of a section of the political class to learn, or to exhibit signs of having learnt, the elementary lessons of democracy and the failure of that classto show readiness to lead Nigeria to the next phase of consolidating our democratic gains.

    However, it appears that not many Nigerians watched the sorry events of July 9, 2013 with trepidation and alarm at the possibility that the events of that day and those preceding them are signs that the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan will not accept any democratic outcome of the 2015 general elections that does not return them and their cohorts as winners. I am one of those Nigerians who watched the events of July 9, 2013 with shame, regret and a sense of alarm.

    We are all living witnesses to the events preceding the shameful acts at the Rivers State House of Assembly on July 9, 2013. We are witnesses to the power struggle between the Governor of Rivers State and the Minister of State for Education and the tacit support enjoyed by the Minister of State for Education from the PDP and the administration of the President Goodluck Jonathan who loathe the Governor of Rivers State for his independence, principled posture and outspokenness, characteristics regarded as stumbling blocks to the blind ambition to win another term of office in 2015 for a federal administration generally regarded as incompetent and irredeemably corrupt.

    We are all living witnesses to the futile efforts of the PDP and the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to remove the Governor of Rivers State from his position as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the subsequent triumph of the Governor in getting re-elected as Chairman of the forum with the support of 19 Governors and the telling undemocratic and shameless decision of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP to recognize Mr. Jonah Jang as the Chairman of the forum in the face of incontrovertible evidence that the said Mr. Jang did not obtain the support of the majority of Governors. Subsequently, the Governor of Rivers State was suspended from the PDP without affording him the opportunity to hear and defend the case against him.

    Again, we are all living witnesses to the brazen grab for power by five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who, emboldened by the overt and covert support of the leadership of the PDP and the of the police controlled by President Jonathan, unleashed violence on the law abiding majority members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and claimed to have removed the legitimate speaker of that legislative house. We all witnessed how, in spite of the illogicality of five lawmakers claiming to have removed a speaker enjoying the support of not less than 22 lawmakers, the PDP rushed to recognize the election of that impostor and-there’s more-the Federal Government-controlled TV station, NTA, is reported to have referred to that impostor as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly when other independent and discerning news organization and citizens disregarded the obvious unlawful and unconstitutional actions of those five renegade lawmakers.

    Without doubt, only the most gullible citizen believes the statement from the President’s advisers that the administration is not giving support and/or encouragement to those fanning the embers of violence and lawlessness in Rivers State. The whole situation would have been laughable and dismissed as the antics of unenlightened and primitive politicians if there were no ominous implications for the entire country in the sad and alarming events that the PDP and the administration of President Jonathan are creating and permitting to fester in Rivers State.

    In the first place, the PDP and the administration of President Jonathan acted irresponsibly and put the lives of innocent citizens at risk in allowing the unleashing of violence, mayhem and a state of insecurity in Rivers State by the tacit support and unmistakable encouragement given to the renegade lawmakers in Rivers State. In the second place, the PDP and the administration of President Jonathan are making mockery of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to which they owe allegiance. This is indeed a sad co0mmnetary on the present leadership of our country as the guardian of the law is now its chief-abuser!

    But, more importantly, the implication of the desperate and lawless actions of the PDP and the administration of President Jonathan recounted above and the many others that are well-documented in the media is that progressives must guard their loins and prepare for epic struggle as the actions and inactions of the PDP in this matter serve to give clear notice that it will not accept the will of the people or the principles of democracy to prevail in 2015.

    Clearly, the PDP is now desperate since it has clearly read the mood of the nation for change. Nigerians are yearning for change. Nigerians want to do away with incompetence. Nigerians want to do away with a culture of political violence represented by the PDP. Nigerians want to do away with primitive politics where unsophisticated means are used to gain power. Nigerians want to do away with corruption. Nigerians want to do away with clueless leadership. Nigerians want to do away with an administration that is unable to protect the lives and properties of citizens and has failed to provide or sustain the basic amenities that citizens of other countries take for granted. Nigerians want to do away with the PDP!

    Without doubt, and as has been noted elsewhere, “the storm of change is brewing in Nigeria” and, while this storm has kindled hope in the hearts of many Nigerians, it is bringing out the beasts in the enemies of democracy. It is clear that the change eagerly awaited and anticipated will not come on a platter of gold. Recent events have shown that. Therefore, Progressives in Nigeria must prepare for the challenging but honourable struggle ahead. As noted elsewhere, “History is upon us: the coming of great political change. A storm is brewing. Don’t be frightened. It is a positive storm with a positive wind.”

     

    Dr. Akintola Benson is a seasoned political scientist and lawyer based in Lagos.

     

  • 2014: Will Obi quit politics?

    2014: Will Obi quit politics?

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has hinted that he would quit politics when his tenure expires next year. Correspondent NWANOSIKE ONU chronicles the ups and downs of his political career.

     

     

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi chose an auspicious venue and event to announce his plan to quit politics when his tenure ends next year. It was, at the St. Bartholomew’s Church, Asata, Enugu State during the second session of the 15th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Enugu.

    “A very prominent person called me today and asked me of my plan concerning politics after my current tenure. This is what I told him.

    “For me, I have come to the end of it. I want to quit and rest. However, I have been praying to God that, for the sake of the good people of Anambra State, please give them somebody like Peter Obi”, he declared.

    He has been piloting the affairs of the Southeast state for eight years. He contested for the number seat in the state in 2003. But for the next 33 months, he slugged it out in the law court in a bid to reclaim his mandate, which was handed to Dr Chris Ngige, now Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District. He eventually took office on March 17, 2006, following the Court of Appeal judgment of March 15, that he was the validly elected governor.

    When the military left the political arena in 1999, the mantle of leadership fell on Dr. Chinwoke Mbadi-nuju, who emerged governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But his four years, as governor were marred with controversies and endless conflicts between him and his political “god fathers.”

    When he was to seek a re-election in 2003, his party, the PDP, gave the ticket to Ngige.

    Senator Ngige ruled the state for only 33 months. But those months were eventful as he used them to liberated the state from the clutches of the political “godfathers” and opened the eyes of the people that something good could come out of the state before he was shown the way out by the Court of Appeal. But before his exit, he opened the flood gate of infrastructural development that had eluded Anambra for many years. This is the bedrock his popularity till today and the bench mark for the Obi Administration.

    Before the 2003 election, Obi had traversed virtually all the political parties looking for where to realise his ambition. He struck a deal with the late Biafran warlord and the lkemba of Nnewi, the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Obi pitched his tent with the party.

    His entry into the party allegedly stopped the ambition of Chief Okey Nwosu from Awka, who had positioned himself to contest the governorship election on the platform of the APGA. Obi allegedly used his financial muscle to dislodge Nwosu and took the ticket of the party. The rest, as they say, is now history.

    The once tottering state gradually became stable and started making progress, building on the foundation laid by Ngige. When Obi started his campaign in 2002, his question to the people of the state was: “Is Anambra State cursed or are we the cause of its underdevelopment”?

    Almost eight years after, Obi has shown that, indeed, whatever trauma the state was going through was not as a result of any curse, but was caused by the political leaders and elite in the state.

    When in 2006, he survived an impeachment, those troubles the late Prof Chinua Achebe talked about in his The trouble with Nigeria, began to emerge again in the state.

    His deputy, Dame Virgy Etiaba, took over the reigns for three months and acquitted herself well with the infrastructural development. Obi came back and unveiled his development programme, the Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS), a programme for simultaneous development.

    When the programme was about taking roots the 2007 election came up and everything was at a standstill with roads impassable, except for the ones did by Ngige; schools were in comatose state, and the hospitals were in sorry situations.

    After the election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Andy Uba of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winner. Obi went to the Supreme Court to seek an interpretation of his tenure. After 17 days in office, Uba was shoved aside by the apex court and Obi was restored.

    Opposition parties started bombarding him with the allegations of non performance, insensitivity to the plight of the youth, workers and lack of empowerment to his party members. Already, as he was marshalling his ANIDS programme with his executive, insecurity became the order of the day as armed robbery and kidnappings held sway in the state.

    With time, Obi weathered the storm. He proved himself as a leader that Obi restored peace in the once volatile state.

    The bar of governance raised by Ngige has been sustained by Obi in his close to eight years rule, though, if Ngige had been allowed to stay, the story would have been different also.

    Furthermore, the governor, has brought prudence into governance. The provision of infrastructure, as being witnessed now in the state, has never been so.

    In fact, the major legacies of Obi will will be most noticeable in the health sector, where he built a Specialist Hospital in Amaku, a General Hospital in Awka and the turn-around of the school system.

    Not only has the youth empowerment by Obi earned him respect, his simultaneous handling of all the sectors will remain indelible in their mind. Obi has turned out to be an enigma in the state where he was criticised for being slow, tight fisted and being vindictive. However, Obi has come short in the aspect of conducting a local government election in the state. In fact, the question is whether he will ever conduct a local government election in the eight years that he would be in office. If he does, he would write his name in gold. This has eluded the state for the past 15 years, with politicians groaning that democracy dividends are lacking at the grassroots, while the governor had continued to install transition chairmen in the council areas.

    For now, the only sin of Obi is his magnanimity to federal establishments with the state funds.

    He is being criticised for doing out millions to the military, making donations to the rich people to take care of their roads leading to their firms, and donation of computers to secondary schools that have no electricity and good buildings.

    Apart from these dark sides, which are always played up by his critics, especially opposition parties and perhaps, the alleged buying of every available property in Onitsha and its environs, Governor Obi has done more good than bad for the people of Anambra State.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘No division in Ondo ACN’

    ‘No division in Ondo ACN’

    Ondo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Chieftain Comrade Bola Ajimuda spoke with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE on the efforts to reposition the party for future challenges.

     

    After the last governorship election in your state, it was said that the Action Congress of Nigeria was divided. Can you tell us the true position?

    Essentially, I think the party has assumed stronger stability, in terms of membership, in terms of strength and in terms of unity. There is cohesion in the party and I think that, contrary to the perception, there is division in the party, it is not correct. ACN is united and indivisible; whereas there may be groups within the party, it is to engender a healthy rivalry and competition. Internally, this is meant at further strengthening the party as a body. I will like to put it on record that the leadership from the state is a collective responsibility, as it is today between Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) who is the flag bearer of the party in the last election in the state and Senator Ajayi Boroffice. There is what I call mutual respect; mutual trust and very strong understanding between these leaders who are working together. Of course, the leadership of the party also transcends them. The party remains united and there is no division within the party.

    But it was said that the division in the party became visible when a meeting summoned by Senator Boroffice was boycotted by Akeredolu’s loyalists…

    There is no division and there is no disagreement between Senator Boroffice and Barrister Akeredolu (SAN). There is that understanding between the two of them. And they are working together. In politics what could be seen particularly among conventional politicians as busy bodies, they are there to say what they like and peddle falsehood. Immediately after the election, the party faced two challenges: one was the fallout of the results of that election which was widely held that the last governorship election in Ondo State was a charade. This was an election that was brazenly rigged. So, the leadership of the party across the state called on Rotimi and said that we must go to court to challenge the validity of the election. We have overwhelming evidence to prove that the election was criminally and brazenly rigged. Again, sequel to the result of that election, a large proportion of our followership felt very discouraged and there was that urgent need for us to step forward. There was a need for somebody to provide leadership in radiating hope that is capable of sustaining followership. Of course, these two responsibilities, that of the party and that of leadership must run concurrently. If you look at both Boroffice and Akeredolu, I will take the economic model of division of labour and based on core competency, admit that Rotimi Akeredolu, a lawyer, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, a sitting Senator and, if we are to allocate these two responsibilities, it is in the interest of the party that Chief Rotimi deploys every resources at his disposal to prosecute the court case. While Ajayi Boroffice being a sitting senator, occupant of the highest elective office in the state should provide leadership in terms of mobilization, in terms of re organisation, in terms of rebuilding and ensuring that the party is allowed to penetrate the length and breadth of the state. This was precisely what was carried out, it was done concurrently, it was done by both of them in the interest of the party but the lowest stakeholders of the party could not comprehend what is going on. And they begin to suspect that Rotimi is alone in the court, the other man is facing the party leadership challenges. There is no division in the party, what has been done is just a strategic move that will eventually lead to a synergy. We are in court to see that the charade called governorship election held in the state is nullified. Thereafter, we can have a rerun. We will not wait until there is a rerun before we begin to reorganise and rebuild our party. So, both of them honestly they are working together. If eventually the court and we pray by the grace of God that the court declares a rerun, we want to ensure there is a strong and vibrant party to re contest the election.

    How are you reaching out to those who have the misconception that the party is divided?

    People are being educated and they are getting to understand that contrary to their perception, the leaders are working together. And like I said, what is going on in the state is a collective decision. In terms of leadership, I will say Ondo State enjoys much of this, almost about six people are providing leadership and they are capable of sustaining leadership for the party in Ondo State. We have Mr. Sola Edu, who was the chairman of the party, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, Rotimi Akeredolu, Senator Ajaiyi Boroffice, Tunji Abayomi, Jamiu Ekungba all these people are working together. So, the division they are talking about in the party is at the pedestrian level.

    How will you score the present administration in Ondo State?

    Look at the economy of the state, I must say that today there is nothing to write home about it. Today, Ondo State remains in the whole of Southwest, at the bottom in terms of the capacity and functionality of the local economy. Move from the north or south there is no single economy in the state. Ondo State parades the highest number of army of unemployed youth particularly graduates. There are no systems to absorb them, no industry and agriculture is dead. There is no commerce even when we have a robust potential for commerce in the state. We have the longest coastline in the state, there is no single evidence of maritime economy, there is no evidence anywhere that production process is going on. Look at the state of infrastructure; look at the feeder roads they are not there. Today, salaries are not paid; the low level workers in the state are being sacked systematically. They say these workers were not recruited in due process and they begin to sack them. They have not considered the fact that these are citizens of the state, who have that inalienable right to be engaged by the state. And they are being purged because they say they did not follow due process. It is not sufficient to sack them. If due process was not followed then you correct that process, they have right to be employed. You are also on the payroll of government, so, why are you denying these young ones across the state these same opportunities.

    What is the way forward now and how prepared are you for leadership role?

    I must tell you that ACN is the party to beat because of its capacity for effective leadership. You can look at the eminent people we have in the party. The commitment to move the state forward has not been compromised. This we hope to actualize for the people and hopefully when the court nullify that charade called governorship election and order a rerun. I can assure you ACN will be the party to beat. We are full of sophistication, we are determined and I pray that the judiciary will not dash the hope of the common man in the state.

     

     

     

     

  • APC and wind of change

    APC and wind of change

    In this piece, Iluogwikphe  Ogbhembe contends that the proposed party, All Progressives Congress (APC), will be a credible alternative platform in the next general elections.

    In the world of law and philosophy, one would ask, (who will guard the guardians themselves?) “Quiscustodietipsos-custodes?” Are we not still at crescendo is a pertinent question I presume we should all be asking ourselves today? Ironically, our situation is almost if not in a predicament that may lead to a state of quagmire of probably no return if urgent and decisive steps are not to betaken, yet! Sycophancy refuses to abate from our acts and no one wants to bell the cat. To make a difference is by providing governance with superior ideas filled with innovations that can bring about acceptable development in which ethnicity, zoning, religion that has scandalously rare its ugly head have no place. To be accurate, this type of good governance is totally elusive because the PDP administration has not been able to provide such since 1999. I don’t mean to be so pessimistic.

    The birth of All Progressives Congress (APC), a new political platform is a clear signal that Nigeria is about to walk on the right part of a true democratic state. Now that we have an alternative political party to provide succor even if only for the flavor of change, I expect Nigerians to whole heartedly embrace this party as a beacon of hope for a new Nigerian as this is our dignified specific.

    All over the world, countries that are positively functional with true democracy are nations where democracy is rotated by elections among major political parties. This gives flavor to policies of divergent views which brings about possible ways to move nations forward. Accepting otherwise means we are not ready to move on with the rest of the world. When a political party rules for almost two decades without much meaningful development and opposition not strong enough to unseat that incumbent even when crisis reendowed like what we have seen with the PDP, the people are simply in chains.

    So, if men with a history of progressive abilities from their different political platform as we have seen come together and bent ready in creating an opportunity to freedom for us, we can only make the most desired change possible by cueing behind them. Any alliance to wrestle power and redefined hope for a Nigeria of our dream should be welcomed. Change is a consistent solution that always comes. Looking at the space and time, the APC seems to be the unstoppable bulldozer for this change today and if APC can put one of Nigeria’s important political defect in check, the imposition of candidates which is an all important issue beside this great birth, a new dawn will truly be born!

    This PDP administration has succeeded herself at the centre for fourteen years of our nicest democracy. What we see at every new dispensation is claims of obliviousness of bad policies of the out gone by same recycled politicians from same political party. I’m not being contemptuous here: First dispensation, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan was Deputy Governor, Second dispensation he was Governor, third dispensation he was vice president/president and in this fourth dispensation he is president. Same people with glaring inability to govern have held on to power since 1999. In reality, our economy is in shambles because with ideas so synonymous, nothing can be an additional value.

    The civility of the world has surpassed the level where governments like that of the PDP with lots of lapses like advertised failed policies years after years, pervading unemployment sniffing lives out of our teeming population, deepening corruption with empty anti-corruptions promises, insurgency out of control, lack of almost all basic amenities and far from having a clear solution can still be allowed to remain in power. This and more are reactionary forces and we can’t all be complacent at this predicament.

     

    Iluogwikphe R. Ogbhemhe, Port Harcourt,

  • When will peace return to Rivers?

    When will peace return to Rivers?

    Rivers State has become a theatre of war, ahead of the 2015 general elections. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN writes on the implication of the protracted feud between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi for security in the state.

     

    The political crisis rocking the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new twist last week, with the unsuccessful attempt by five out of 32 members of the House of Assembly to unseat the Speaker and replace him with another member. There was commotion in and outside the chambers of the House between the pro and anti-Governor Rotimi Amaechi law makers. Hoodlums allegedly sponsored by the supporters of the five legislators unleashed terror on members loyal to the governor. The Speaker and some of his colleagues were critically injured in the fracas.

     

    Partisan role of the police

     

    The Assembly had on previous occasions tried to hold its normal sittings and transact parliamentary business. But it was unable to do so as a result of the presence of hoodlums in the precincts of the House and the failure of the Police to provide security for the majority members loyal to the governor.

    Curiously, the Rivers State Police Command, which had pledged to provide security for the sitting on Tuesday, July 9, watched the violence unleashed on the members without any intervention. But the five lawmakers gained entrance into the Assembly Chambers and held a “session,” amid tight security provided by the police.

    A lawyer, Chief Emeka Ngige, said the crisis in Rivers State is a challenge to the rule of law. He condemned a situation where the State Commissioner of Police is openly supporting the renegades in their nefarious activities.

    Ngige, who spoke with our correspondent, noted that the Police Service Commission (PSC), as presently constituted, is a toothless bulldog adding that, otherwise, the Commissioner should have been brought to book.

    “A PSC under Parry Osayande would not tolerate the acts of indiscipline of the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State. It should be mentioned that this Commissioner of Police Mbu Joseph Mbu, was an Assistat Commissioner (Admin) during the Anambra State political crisis of 2003-2004. So, it can be seen that he was thoroughly schooled to unleash what is going on in Rivers State today.

    Civil Rights activist Mallam Shehu Sani also condemned the partisan role of the police in the festering political crisis in Rivers state. He told The Nation in an interviewthat the police had clearly shown that it cannot be trusted with the protection of life and property of the pro-Amaechi group.

    Sani described a situation where the Commissioner of Police is seen to have taken sides, as unfortunate.

    He said: “The police have taken side with the anti-Amaechi forces. This portends a danger to political and security order in this country. If Governor Amaechi collapses, our democracy is in imminent danger.

    “The Federal Government is being pulled into a demeaning war of attrition in Rivers and which will produce no good to either President Goodluck Jonathan or his government. Rotimi Amaechi has today been turned into a voice of dissent and resistance against fascism and dictatorship.”

    A Port Harcourt based social critic, Mr Bernard Briggs, indicted the police for what he described as show of shame in handling the political crisis Briggs said: “If the police have played the role of an unbiased security outfit, the crisis would not have gone to this extent. But the State Police Command under Mbu Joseph Mbu has made us to realise that the police can provide security for only those who are in the good book of the powerful in Abuja. How do you explain a situation where the Commissioner of Police is at loggerhead and not ready to take directive from the governor recognised by the constitution as the chief security officer of the state?

    “At a stage Mbu withdrew the governor’s police security outfit thus exposing him to danger. I doubt if the Police Commissioner had restored the Speaker’s police security withdrawn at the peak of this crisis . Mbu should know that those in power today will not be there forever. He, as a civil servant, should not owe allegiance to politicians but, should discharge his duties accordingly so that, after leaving the service, he will have a piece of mind.

    On the promise by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to investigate the role of the police in the fracas at the Rivers State House of Assembly, the social critic said it is a distraction. What other evidence does the IG needed to establish that his men in Rivers have compromised than what happened on Tuesday when the police gave cover to five legislators to commit illegality and turned their eyes against the terror being unleashed to the 27 lawmakers outside the Chambers of the House of Assembly, he asked.

    “Why is it now that the IG is aware that his men in Rivers have fallen short of expectation? Where was he all this while when Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the elders of Rivers State and the lawmakers called for the redeployment of Mbu? What he said recently was that he has not received a formal complaint. But who wrote him now before sending a team to Rivers State? To me, the action of the IG is face saving; it is belated. Nigerians are not fools. We know the IG is acting a script written by Aso rock”.

    Social critic and political activist Professor Tam David-West indicted the police for poor handling of the crisis in the Assembly. David-West, who warned that, if the Rivers crisisi is not handled with caution, especially by the police that has taken side with Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike, it will turn into a national crisis, the end result of which no one can predict. .

    David-West urged the Inspector General of Police to call his men to order and ensure they discharge their functions accordingly. I was surprised that the police failed to disperse the hoodlums hired by Wike to disrupt the lawmakers from sitting. Surprisingly, the five legislators gained entrance into the chambers and attempted to conduct a kangaroo meeting before they were dislodged by Amaechi and his security men. I don’t know what signals we are sending to the international community. Are we not making ourselves a laughing stock? What kind of democracy are we practising in this country, he queried.

     

    Jonathan, Patience and

    Wike factor

     

    Against the backdrop of President Jonathan’s denial of involvement in the crisis, David-West said Nigerians should not believe him. He said President Jonathan, his wife and Wike should be held responsible for the crisis.

    According to him “the man purportedly appointed Speaker by the five legislators, Evans Bapakaye Bipi, is a relation of Jonathan’s wife. Patient and Bipi are from Okirika in Rivers State. When Bipi wedded recently, Patient spent more than a week for the event. She nearly shut down Port Harcourt. Bipi is using his relationship with Patient to cause problems in Rivers State.

    “Okirika factor is being brought into the crisis. Bipi is an Okrika man and a relation to Patient, also an Okirika woman, but married to an Ijaw man from Bayelsa State.

    “The Speaker, Chidi Lloyd, is Kalabari. The Kalabari will not allow an Okirika man to take over the office of the Speaker through the back door as been planned by Jonathan, his wife and Wike. It is a dangerous dimension that can set River State on fire”.

     

    Culture of impunity

     

    Ngige said that what we are witnessing today in Rivers State is culture of impunity. He said the remote cause is the culture of impunity, which General Olusegun Obasanjo sowed in this country during his infamous eight years rule. He went further: “The monumental rigging of national elections by the PDP-led government in 2003 and 2007 produced charlatans and renegades as our representatives at different tiers of government. Illegality, they say, begets illegality. These renegades are the ones determining the fate of other Nigerians at different level of government today.

    “The impunity, which we are witnessing in Rivers State today, is not a new phenomenon in our polity. It has happened before in Oyo State where Adedibu held Governor Ladoja to ransom, in Anambra where the Ubas organised the worst mayhem ever witnessed in the history of the state, with properties worth billions of naira destroyed and in Plateau State where Governor Dariye was held to ransom by forces loyal to the sitting President. The examples are endless. None of the people involved in these crises were brought to book and so, the impunity continues till date,” he added.

    Sani said the President cannot claim innocence in this matter. The Federal Government, according to him, is culpable in the unfolding events. It shows how intolerance and desperate the President is in his attempt to crush any dissenting voice and to extinguish any glimmer of light of hope in our democratic process, he said.

    “Jonathan is fighting a war that will ridicule him and destroy his legacies. It was the same kind of war that Obasanjo fought with Atiku that is being re-enacted between Jonathan and Amaechi, This kind of political battle is hatched, nourished and sustained by political cronies who are benefitting from the on-going confrontation.

    “These so-called five members do not represent the interest of the people and the Rivers State. They are hired guns working against the interest of their people and to appease an anonymous force behind their plot. We have seen this during the Obasanjo administration. It failed. This one too will fail,” Sani stressed.

     

    Politics of 2015

     

    It has been observed that the crisis in Rivers is rooted in the political ambition of President Jonathan to re-contest, which he has not made public. The presidency is suspecting Governor Amaechi of having a vice presidential ambition, which the President considered a threat to his political career. Amaechi has denied this on several occasions.

    Ngige said: “For the immediate cause of crisis in Rivers, we all know it has to do with politics of 2015. The President of Nigeria wants to run again in 2015 and perceives that Governor Amaechi is nursing a vice presidential ambition for the same election. He therefore, considers Amaechi as a threat to his re-election.

    “I now ask: Is that the reason why Amaechi should be crucified or Rivers State turned into a theatre of war? Why are our politicians so intolerant of opposing views? Are we practising democracy or monarchy where the views of the King are unchallengeable?”

    Jonathan’s men have succeeded in elevating Amaechi to national prominence and importance, Sani. He said what the people of the Southsouth need to understand is that they still need the support of other Nigerians, even after Jonathan’s Presidency. “By what is happening in the South-South is simply drawing the battle line,” he added.

    Sanni urged Nigerians to stand on the side of justice and truth. This kind of war will only end up with Jonathan staining himself whichever way is the outcome of the battle, he added.

    On the possibility of the Presidency declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, he said: “Declaration of a state of emergency will be seen from the reality of its truth and the truth is not other than an attempt to bring down Amaechi and send him to jail. A state of emergency in Rivers State is very much unnecessary because the violence and crisis there are synthetic.”

    Ngige admonished Jonathan to thread softly. He said: “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should call his party men to order. He should have a rethink on the crisis. Withdrawing the soldiers guarding the Governor as well as removing the armoured tanks stationed in front of the Government House could not have been done without the permission of the Presidency. It smacks of pettiness and desperation for the presidency to be giving support to the renegades causing mayhem in Rivers state.

    “The President should be statesman in this crisis and learn from the mistakes of General Obasanjo who enjoyed destabilising state governments that were not in his good books. At the end of Obasanjo’s tenure, what happened to PDP in Southwest? Instability and turmoil took over including his household. That’s a lesson for all of us that when you sow the wind you reap the whirlwind. Our President should be a statesman and allow Governor Amaechi to be. Only God can determine who will be our President in May 29, 2015. Nobody should play God. The President and his wife should not play God.

     

  • My fear for 2015 polls, by Fayemi

    My fear for 2015 polls, by Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi spoke with reporters in Lagos on his endorsement for a second term by the party leaders, national security and 2015 elections. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

     

    What is your position on the removal of immunity for the President, Vice President, governors and their deputies?

    I have both conceptual and practical problem with the constitutional reform as being carried out by the National Assembly. With greatest respect to the members of the House of Representatives, when they claimed that they have held 365 meetings in their constituencies to gather feedback from the people, I think it is fundamentally flawed and disingenious way of conducting constitutional reform process. Either in the best global practices or even in the terms of elementary feedback mechanism, I don’t think it qualifies. What has happened has not met the basic aspect of legitimacy. I am of a thought that this process will end up in referendum that all Nigerians will have a say. Constitution is a serious matter to exclude the citizenry from it.

    On immunity, my own position tallies with what they say. I have consistently said immunity should be limited to only civil matter and that anyone who commits a crime and expected to be protected by the law is first, not democratic and second, not interested in good government. Since we all agree that the bane of our country today is corruption, criminality in high office, whether it is electoral criminality or grand theft of the public treasury, criminality is criminality. I have always believed that the only justification for immunity is when a politician designed to distract person doing a job from delivering the job with pedestrian and irresponsible cases in court. That has nothing to do with criminality and I think I still hold strongly that view. Immunity for civil matters should be adhered to. However, lawyers can be dangerous and difficult. They can turn civil cases to criminal issue depending on what they are fighting for.

    In that wise, I don’t think immunity is a matter for just the National Assembly to decide. Majority of the proposals that I have seen from the Lower Chamber have truly undermined the spirit of federalism throughout the world. As a matter of fact, in some part of the world, the unit that is responsible for election is the local government or county that runs election. It is from here they calculate the election from the number of local governments across the country. Many countries don’t have what is called Federal Electoral body; Britain, USA, all of them. I don’t know many countries with federal electoral bodies. We only do our own thing in Nigeria in reverse order and yet, we expect to get correct outcome. It doesn’t work that way. There is logic to principle of federalism and that logic is subsidiarity. But in our country, we want to be unitary state, yet masquerade as a federal state. But I do know that many of the National Assembly proposals for constitution amendment may not see the light of the day unless they are not coming to the States House of Assembly.

    What is your reaction to your endorsement for a second term by your party?

    I have come to be very wary about this term, endorsement. It has become bastardized word courtesy Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF). Seriously speaking, I think it is a burden when people say that you have done well. The burden of doing more becomes enlarged. That is what has come out of the endorsement that our leaders gave to me last December and the affirmation by Chief Bisi Akande and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    I also think seriously that what we have learnt from Lagos and Edo experiment is that if good governance is entrenched, it will be useful and helpful for the parties not to change candidate arbitrarily unless there is a compelling reasons to do that and those reasons should include those conditions listed in the Nigerian constitution like temporary or permanent insanity, ill-health and others like that. If we are to consolidate on things that we have achieved, then it makes sense unless the candidate chooses not to contest.

    Our constitution allows second term. Obviously, you cannot legislate against ambition. With the endorsement, I felt a sense of elation on one hand and surprise on the other because it imposes enormous burden on one, not just to do well and protect the things that have been made but to also protect our people because I am sure Abuja is eyeing Ekiti State very interestingly. They considered those of us in the Progressive Forum as governors to be taken out at all cost. But they will discover on the ground that they will have very little to sell to our people. As far as we are concerned there are clear and consistent changes in all of these states. What will the opposition be bringing to the market to sell to the people at the end of the day? The important point here is that endorsement is not an election. We have a lot of work to do.

    It’s great that our leaders recognised the work that we have done so far but election is not going to be a child’s play. We have prepared for a very tough election because we know full well that the other side will not sit idle even before 2015 and the election in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun will be a dress rehearsal for 2015.

    Is it not confounding to you that insecurity has persisted in the country?

    We have almost moving to a point where our leaders need a serious strategy; and economic cum security strategy. I don’t know how that is going to come about but the Council of State and opinion leaders might need to step back and look at the possibility to organise Security Summit. One, there is a body led by the Minister (Turaki) talking to the various players in this unfortunate development. But I do think what we are confronted with now is poverty insecurity complex. That is the challenge that we must address.

    How do we tackle it?

    The last time I spoke about five sides to issue of Boko Haram. The most prominent one is the religious angle, but it is not devastating like economic strand. It is when people feel they have nothing to lose that some of these things happened. We ought to pay more attention in involving of the military in civilian affairs. I know the implication is that you are not in charge and that they should come and rescue you. That rescue can be defined in elastic by involving military in civilian matters. You are sending a sub-minimal message to the military that you cannot take good charge of the situation and that must be worrisome in the light of what we have seen in the last two days in Egypt. It should worry us that we are playing with fire. What is our youth development programme in Nigeria? We have 60% population under 25, and majority of these young people are totally fed up with Nigerian state. For one to be young and idle, other forces will find use for you. That’s the part of the country’s major problem and we are not dealing with it the way it should be done. Those who are in the power corridor seem to be totally detached from their people. We certainly need coherent strategy and that strategy must almost be a marshal plan. State of emergency should have been a component of the comprehensive marshal plan that we need in this country. And the plan must be based on special economic security because we must be able to cut off the oxygen that is fuelling what is going on. If you don’t cut that oxygen, it will continue to get to other parts of the north.

    I happen to know the governors of Borno and Yobe very well. The governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima is one of the smartest governors we have in this country and it’s been so sad that Boko Haram has diminished the impact of the work he is doing in Borno State. People know what the governor is made up.

    What is the implication of the insecurity for 2015 polls?

    I think there is a fifth columnist in this government that is desirous of this crime being perpetrated becaus of politics in 2015; or it helps to put the President in the bad light. It could be either way.

    Those who are out to get the President and destroy him and those who seek to protect him and protect his agenda of return. Maybe, their thinking is that, if we keep the north perpetually busy with these crises, election may not take place there in 2015 and that we can annex the area. That is likely where our own will come from. I’m throwing this out as my reflection rather than certainty. But we are not the only country afflicted by this kind of challenge but it refuses to go because of little attention we pay to intelligence. Up till now, the police intelligence unit is virtually zero, military intelligence is not as impressive as one expect. We are just left with the State Security Service (SSS). That seems to have a bit of the arm of it. And that leaves us with enormous challenges. Almost coming to the reality of national intelligence report as we go near 2015. Maybe there is something the American saw which we didn’t see that Nigeria may disintegrate by 2014. But,we don’t need to resign ourselves to fate. We need to make a clarion call to Mr. President and all of us in the leadership position to begin to respond to issues. This is one of the issues discussed at NGF that we should make resources available to the afflicted states. In our view, you cannot have about 10 million children there outside and not see correlation between helplessness and hopelessness of these young people. There is correlation somewhere, poverty and violence are related and we must do certain things to separate them. We can take specific steps.

    Right now, the bulk of what is happening under the state of emergency is being paid for by those states where the rule is in place. So, you can see what is happening that if Borno State gets a monthly allocation of say N5 billion every month and it devotes N2.5billion to keep the Joint Task Force in place. That is zero-sum in economics.

     

  • Ogun 2015: ACN, PDP set for battle

    Ogun 2015: ACN, PDP set for battle

    Ahead of the 2015 governorship election in Ogun State, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have returned to the drawing board. Correspondent ERNEST NWOKOLO writes on the permutations and issues that will shape the contest.

    Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun has been making deft political moves since he came to power, to the discomfiture of the opposition and critics.

    Amosun was senator between 2003 and 2007 on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But he was sworn-in as the governor on May 29, 2011 on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN). He defeated former administrator of Ekiti State, General Tunji Olurin (rtd) of the (PDP), Gboyega Isiaka of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Ogbeni Lanre Banjo of the National Conscience Party (NCP), and Rev. Jide Awosedo of the Labour Party (LP).

    Prior to the April 2011 polls, the governor had also contested for the same office in 2007 on the ticket of the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP), but lost to former Governor Gbenga Daniel of (PDP). The legal battles to re-claim the mandate stolen from him failed to yield the desired reult.

    opposition parties and critics are not only having sleepless time regarding the pace of transformation in the state by Amosun, but are also confused because of the precarious financial position he inherited from the previous administration.

    Daniel left a debt profile of about N49 billion, but Amosun had continued to fault it, saying it was well above that. A foretaste of what Amosun’s administration has in stock for the state was the expansion of the Totoro – Sokori Road to six – lanes and, particularly, the construction of the first flyover in the state at Ibara, Abeokuta, which the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Michael Gbadebo, likened its unveiling to the day “electricity, pipe borne water and railway first came to Abeokuta.” He lauded the governor for changing the “city from the status of 19th century to that of the 21st century.”

    Governor Amosun has remained steadfast in turning around the face of Ogun through his five – cardinal programmes that bordered on building of model schools, more roads (expansion and construction), revolution in agriculture, clean and safe environment, return of peace and orderliness, jobs creation, industrialisation and improvement in the healthcare service delivery.

    This did not come as a surprise to keen watchers. Commissioner for Environment Mr Adebayo Fari ascribed the feats to purposeful planning, focus and commitment to development by the governor and his team and as the support of the good people Ogun State resulting from “sincerity and credibility” that was brought to bear on governance in the last 25months.

    Fari said: “We hit the ground running because we were aware of the huge infrastructural deficit on ground and so, this government is committed to further developing the people and we have been able to bring credibility to governance. That is why the people are in support of us. And because of population expansion, we are futuristic in planning and developing as evidenced in the types of roads and model schools being built in Ogun.”

    President Gooluck Jonathan has also commended him. According to Jonathan, who visited the state to flag – off the reconstruction of the two sections of the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway, Governor Amosun “is a hard working governor,” and “has done wonderfully well” in his two years in office.

    But Amosun’s most vociferous critics, Mr Ladi Adebutu, who recently joined the Labour Party, thinks differently. Adebutu, who contested for the House of Representatives in the last general election on the ticket of PDP, lost to the ACN candidate. He has not seen anything good in Amosun’s many projects, particularly, the roads and model schools in the state.

    To him, they are not only a misplaced priority but also channels through which the governor is plunging the state into needless debt.

    Adebutu alleged that the two years of Amosun administration has put the state in a debt trap of N200bn via loan facility. but he could not explain when and how the loan was obtained and what institution granted it when pressed by reporters to substantiate his claims.

    Finance Commissioner Mrs Kemi Adeosun debunked the allegation. She dismissed the N200 billion loan as “internet loan,” which the Ogun state government never obtained. She said it is not even possible for anybody to borrow that kind of money.

    “The N200 billion on the internet; maybe it is an internet loan. We didn’t take N200 billion from anybody. It is not even possible for anybody to borrow N200 billion I don’t know where they got the N200 billion”.

    She explained that of the N16.6 billion bank loans approved by the House of Assembly this year, adding that Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s had only taken N7 billion out of that amount.

    According to her, the state inherited a debt profile of N87 billion as at May 2011, but following the “financial re-engineering efforts” of Amosun’s team, the debt figure as at December 2012 has “reduced marginally to N61.640 billion.”

    These achievements did not come about without some levels of pains to the people. Homes, shops, religious houses, offices and even burial sites were compelled to give way to the rebuilding mission in Ogun.

    Amosun has acknowledged this momentary setbacks and sufferings severally and had commended the people for their patience and understanding, knowing that one can’t make an omelette without breaking an egg. He had equally assured of alternative arrangements being put in place for traders who lost their shops to roads expansion projects.

    This, analysts further contend, would also complement the earlier gains when over 21,000 children of secondary school age, who hitherto were compelled to drop out of school, because their parents and guardians, could not afford to send them to private ones.

    The immediate past administration ceded some public schools in the state to the original missionary owners, but later found their way back to school when Amosun reversed the policy and returned such schools back to the state.

    The recent tour of the three senatorial districts was a test case for Governor Amosun. Although it was designed to enable the stakeholders have on the spot assessment of the projects being executed by him in the last eight months, it turned out also to be another eye opener to the political reality that, contrary to insinuations and speculations in some quarters, the governor and his government projects are not only well received, but also quite popular with the people.

    In Ogun West, leaders of thought and traditional rulers in the zone, including the renowned historian, Prof. Anthony Asiwaju and the Olola of Ilara Kingdom, Oba Samuel Alade Adeluyi, lauded him for opening the area for the 110km Ilara road construction as well as construction of model schools for the children.

    Oba Adeluyi and Prof. Asiwaju , noted that their communities, which were almost marooned from each other and from the rest of the state, would henceforth, be able to inter-connect with one another effectively through Ilara – Ijoun – Egua – Oja Odan – Ilase road that stretched over four local government councils in the zone.

    The monarch called on his people to back Amosun with their “support and prayer” to ensure continuity of the transformation.

    The youths of the area endorsed Amosun. Observers said the youth might have reckoned that the good job being carried out by the governor should continue because the basis for the their yearnings for the slot in 2015 is the development of the area, which is being met by Amosun.

    The youth leader, Yomi Olojeloju, noted that they are not unmindful of the reality that Yewa/Awori people are yet to produce a governor since the birth of the state, but said the aberation was self-inflicted.

    Olojeloju said: ”We must reciprocate this unparalled gesture by supporting Amosun to continue beyond 2015 and we, in collaboration with other senatorial districts, have talked to ourselves concerning Ogun West for governor project. For now, any individual or group of people nursing or canvasing gubernatorial ambition in Ogun West are seen by us as being egoistic and self-centered because there is no basis for such at the moment.

    “We are very conscious of the fact that we have not produced the governor, but several opportunities to occupy the seat had come our way, but going through the records of past political activities, we discovered that we have always been architects of our own misfortunes.

    “For now,we seem not to have the needed unity among ourselves, which can see us through such a gigantic electoral contest. And if God in his wisdom, gave us the incumbent governor, who has been performing well, even beyond our imagination, we should therefore commend and support him.”

    Analysts said that the endorsement and accolades that trailed the tour of the three senatorial districts by the governor gave the opposition and critics away as ones not only crying more than the bereaved. They said majority of the residents are not swayed by the criticism of the governor, whose giant footsteps they see daily.

    Amosun himself recently said his critics were doing so because they can’t give the state what they do not have and that their criticisms proceeded from ignorance.

    The governor told reporters in Ilaro that his critics and detractors had thought that his administration would run into a financial cul-de-sac and collapse, following the massive capital intensive projects being pursued.

    According to him, no financial institution would want to deal with Ogun State in respect of credit facility, but following the administration’s financial re – engineering strategy, it was getting short term borrowing to execute long term projects.

    Amosun said:”With what we met on ground when we came on board, nobody would want to touch us with the longest of poles over credit facility, we have to take the bull by the horn, it is a cross we have to carry it and so we are borrowing short term and spending it long term.

    “ It is hard and tortuous but that is the fact we met otherwise we (the government) will collapse. That is what they think will happen, because they believe that there is no way out but with the benevolence of God, the support of our people and our professional calling have stood us out in good stead. It is not only the roads, we have very good health centres we built.”

    Expectedly, in the political annals of the state, there is no gainsaying the fact that many still remain quite grateful to the founding fathers for laying the solid foundation upon which subsequent generation of leaders are building to keep Ogun on the path of greatness, however, pundits are saying given the pace at which Amosun is transforming the state, he may go down in history at the end of the day as the builder of modern Ogun State.

    Amosun told the people in Ogun West: ”We know that governor comes and governor goes and we also know that it is by what we do that we will be remembered for.”

    But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state thinks otherwise. The PDP Chairman in the state, Mr. Adedayo Bayo said:”Amosun’s government is nothing to write home about, the people know it, the teachers know it, the students know it, he is not performing, this is an administration that is thinking of only white elephant projects.

    “He is not thinking of the communities. You may come to our place in Ogun East Senatorial District. We have nine local government areas, but we are not feeling the impact of his government.

    “They are not functioning because all allocations coming to them are being utilised by the state, that is why there is no developmental projects at the grass-root. When we think of development at the state level, nothing is done except destruction.

    “Amosun is going about destroying people’s property and is not doing the right thing for the people, he is not thinking about our healthcare and education save white elephant projects where he can have billions and billions of naira to put in his pocket.”

    But whether these criticisms will affect the outcome of 2015 election, only time can tell.

  • ‘PDP can’t win Osun’

    ‘PDP can’t win Osun’

    Oyo State Commissioner for Finance Mr. Zacheaus Adelabu

    has lauded the performance of Osun State Governor Ogbeni

    Rauf Aregbesola, saying that opposition parties in the state have no chance in the next governorship election.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the secretariat of the Ede Chapter of a socio-political volunteer group, ’De Raufs’, Adelabu charged the members of the group to be fearless in publicising the good works and ideals of Ogbeni Aregbesola praying that the dream of the volunteer group would come to reality.

    “The enormous achievements recorded by the present administration in Osun State would speak for Governor Aregbesola during the election in 2014”, he said.

    He however, solicitedfor the support of people the governor’s re-election bid Adelabu said the governor has performed beyond the expectation.

    He further described Governor Aregbesola as the parameter of good governance and representation stressing that, “what we are witnessing today in the State of Osun today is not by accident, but carefully planned action of a visionary leader like Ogbeni Aregbesola.

    Adelabu, who lamented the cost of acquiring education in the country, urged the government to ensure that education is accessible to the children. He noted that Governor Aregbesola has brought the needed change to the education sector. The recent launching of Opon Imo, “The Tablet of Knowledge” in the state by Ogbeni was the first of its kind in the black continent of Africa., the said.

    Adelabu, who later donated an 18 seated passengers bus to the group and paid N1,000,000 for surgery for a patient with cancerous neck tumour, urged the group to support the governor.

    He described the leader of the group, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, as someone who has passion for the development of the society at large.

    “Going by the antecedents of the present crop of leaders controlling the southwest region of the country, we can now say that we have good government and Nigerians in this part of the country can also feel the real good governance which indicates that democracy has been entrenched and there is future for the country’’.

    Also speaking at the event, the Osun State Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Prof. Olubukola Oyawoye, urged the people of the state to support the government, promising that Aregbesola Administration would bring more dividends of democracy to the people.

    Professor Oyawoye, who was the guest of honour called on the people to also support the re-election bid of Aregbesola.

    Delivering his lecture, the guest speaker Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, said that the event is watershed in the political history of the ancient town where people without political sentiment would come together to support a candidates for the election.

  • ‘Imposition of candidates undemocratic’

    ‘Imposition of candidates undemocratic’

    ANAMBRA State politician Ogbuehi Ekeneme, has faulted the alleged zoning of the governorship to the North Senatorial district by Governor Peter Obi. The move, he argued, smacked of imposition of a candidate on the people of the state.

    In a statement in Lagos, Ogbuehi said the days when few people in a political party, would impose their candidates in the name of party supremacy, were gone. He added that methods negates democratic principles.

    The politician advised the people to consider the strengths of the candidates before endorsing them. He maintained that zoning is agreeable with the tenets of democracy, stressing that the people of Anambra State must be allowed to choose a candidate of their choice.

    Ogbuehi said there should be no anointed person and utomatic ticket for a successor to Governor Obi. He emphasised that a free, fair and credible election would not be achieved by the imposition of a candidate from Anambra North Senatorial zone. He however, noted that Anambra North has qualified persons that can challenge the aspirants from Anambra Central and South.

    “This issue is creating a whole lot of dichotomy and division in the state. Those already parading themselves as the anointed candidates of Governor Obi would be disappointed because people are now enlightened enough to shun injustice and fraud. Party supremacy should be applied to enforce justice and protect the choice and will of the people and not the other way round”, he said.

    Ogbuehi explained that democracy has given Nigerians the freedom to choose those who would rule them; freedom to choose the political parties to belong, freedom to vote according to their conscience, freedom to criticize government’s style of leadership and freedom to contribute their own quota by way of advice on how government can be improved.

    He urged the people to shun the imposition of candidates. He also raid that tickets will no longer be given in Abuja because there will be primary elections from in the wards adding whoever that wins will earn the respect and support of the other contestants and the party.

     

  • Imo APGA, PDP prepare for fresh re-run

    Imo APGA, PDP prepare for fresh re-run

    Political parties are back to the drawing board in preparation for a repeat of the Imo State House of Assembly re-run election for the Oguta constituency, which has been declared inconclusive in eight wards by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Correspondent okodili ndidi writes on why the election is important to all the stakeholders.

    The recent Imo State House of Assembly re-run election for the Oguta Constituency has become a big political puzzle, which many people in the state and across the country are battling to unravel. The reason is clear. Multiple results have been brandished by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) the as the authentic results.

    More worrisome is the fact that, despite the parties’ claim to victory, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has held tenaciously to its position that there was no winner in the election. it has declared the election in eight wards inconclusive.

    But both parties, relying on different result allegedly signed by the INEC officials, insisted that their candidates won the election and should be issued a Certificate of Return. They accused each other of bribing the officials to falsify the result.

    Governor Rochas Okorocha was the first to congratulate the APGA candidate, Mr. Walter Uzonwanne, for emerging the winner of the election, after he was said to have scored a total of 9,595 votes as against the PDP candidate, Eugene Dibiagwu, who got 7, 584 votes.

    But the PDP, which equally has a signed election result in its favour, insisted that it won the election with 7, 585 votes while APGA got 7, 241 votes. The governor, who copiously displayed a result sheet signed by INEC Returning Officer in the election, Dr Cynthia Oguike, in favour of APGA, asked the commission to declare the APGA flag bearer as the winner and issue him with a Certificate of Return.

    According to him, “INEC was at the verge of announcing the result when they suddenly got a call from somebody at the top and immediately retired to a closed door meeting after which it announced that the election was inconclusive. How can it say the election is inconclusive just because the APGA candidate won. If it were the PDP that won the election, INEC will not declare it inconclusive”.

    But the PDP leadership, which also congratulated their candidate, insisted that the party won the election, despite the alleged intimidation and harassment by the security operatives, who they alleged, were incited by the government.

    The State Chairman of the party, Eze, Duruiheoma (SAN), alleged that weeks before the election, Okorocha had issued directives to all the traditional rulers and senior civil servants in the area to deliver the APGA candidate or lose their positions. This explains the violence and desperation that greeted the election, he said.

    Duruiheoma also alleged that commissioners were assigned areas to deliver in the election or risk dismissal, although most of them are not from Oguta.

    The PDP boss lamented that the development had ridiculed the state in the comity of civilized people, stressing that the governor should represent all the people and not a section.

    Duruiheoma explained that the result presented by the PDP contradicted to that of the state government and APGA, based on the valid result of the votes already cast. He disclosed that PDP is aware of plans by the state government to use a customary court Judge to swear in the APGA candidate.

    Although INEC agreed that one of the parties is leading with 2011 votes, but it declined to identify the winning party. The Oguta Constituency election has become a major issue in Imo State politics. The ruling party, APGA, and the foremost opposition party, PDP, have been locked in fierce battle over who wins the oil-rich, council area.

    To analysts, the election will determine who controls the political machinery in the state, ahead of the 2015 general elections. For the PDP, which occupied the seat before it was nullified by the Court, failure to win the Oguta re-run will further deplete its already battered image.

    The reason the election is generating such attention is not far- fetched. The state governor has not hidden his interest in the election. At one of the campaign rallies for the APGA candidate, he told the party supporters that the election was not about the candidate, but a critical support for his administration.

    Another controversial dimension to the election is the seeming external interest, which has helped in heating up the polity. During the election, security operatives were mobilised from outside the state, especially from Abuja, to beef up security.

    Expectedly, during the election, the various troop who were obviously working at cross purposes, were the first group to clash. But for the timely intervention of senior officers who openly criticised the mobilisation of troop for an ordinary re-run election for one constituency.

    INEC despite the earlier assurances of credible polls, seemed inundated by the turn of events and declared it inconclusive, to the chagrin of the people of Oguta Constituency, who have not had a representative since the inception of the current House, more than two years ago.

    While waiting for the next round of election, the political parties have gone back to the drawing board to re-strategise on how to outwit each other.