From his body language and comments by his aides, it is obvious that Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, is not disposed to the governorship ambition of controversial businessman, Ifeanyi Ubah. But from all indications, Ubah seems not perturbed by the governor’s position and is forging ahead with preparations for his underground campaign to win the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the general election. Ubah, it was gathered, has been busy in the last few months marketing his candidacy to traditional rulers, opinion leaders, youth and women organisations in the state.
Category: Politics
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Heavyweights up against Okorocha
The scenario that played out in the 2011 governorship election in Imo State may be reenacted if the current political realities in the South East state are anything to go by, reports Remi Adelowo
From all indications, the 2015 governorship election in Imo State promises to be a keenly contested race.
At the last count, over 10 aspirants, considered as heavyweights in the politics of the state, are currently oiling their machinery to challenge the incumbent governor, Rochas Okorocha, who is likely to contest for another term in office.
In spite of the fact that Okorocha is perceived by many Imolites as having justified his mandate so far, those angling for his job are not perturbed that they can still pull the chestnut out of the fire by trouncing Okorocha at the polls.
The Nation gathered that while many of these aspirants have not come out openly to declare their ambition, a few others have been very visible at several political fora, while others have surreptitiously embarked on secret campaigns by inaugurating structures across all the wards in the state.
Among the aspirants being mentioned within the state’s political circles include the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Speaker of the Pan African Parliament and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bethel Amadi.
Others are Senator Chris Anyanwu; Okorocha’s immediate predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim; senator representing Imo West, Hope Uzodinma; a former senator, Ifeanyi Araraume and Chief Martins Agbaso, amongst others.
The big question being asked by political stakeholders in the state is: who among these aspirants can defeat Okorocha, who, against all odds, defeated the then incumbent governor, Ohakim?
The race is crowded in PDP
Ihedioha the frontrunner
A three-term federal legislator, the political profile of this 48-year-old politician has been on the rise since he was elected into the House in 2003.
From the Owerri zone, Ihedioha is credited with the few federal projects in the state, a factor analysts say may work in his favour at the next election.
However, the general perception of his being arrogant and inaccessible are considered as his major weaknesses.
Amadi also favoured
From Owerri like Ihedioha, Amadi is also a three-term lawmaker and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
An in-law of business mogul Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Amadi also has the advantage of having a prominent chieftain of the party and member of the Board of Trustees, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, as his political godfather.
A source told The Nation that what could count against Amadi is his alleged distancing from his political base and perceived nonchallant disposition to affairs of his party.
Uzodinma yet to decide
Having contested elections into various political offices, from governorship to the Senate in the state since 1999, Uzodinma finally succeeded in 2011 when he defeated Senator Osita Izanaso in the PDP primaries and proceeded to trounce a former governor of the state, Chief Achike Udenwa, for the Imo West senatorial seat.
Though quite popular across the state, the unwritten zoning formula in the state may work against him, as he hails from Orlu like the incumbent governor.
Ohakim staging a comeback
His defeat to Okorocha in 2011 brought unexpected political reconfiguration in the state, resulting in the jettisoning of the unwritten zoning arrangement allegedly reached in 1998 by major political stakeholders in the state.
From the Okigwe zone, the failure of Ohakim to win a second term in office, sources say, truncated the desire of the Owerri senatorial zone to produce the governor in 2015.
The former governor, it was gathered, is banking on his structures which have remained intact even after his exit from office to enable him stage a comeback to the exalted office.
Araraume stands a slim chance
Once touted as a possible successor to Udenwa who ruled the state from 1999 to 2007, Araraume’s lifelong ambition, according to sources close to him, is to govern Imo.
Currently a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), on which platform he contested for the governorship in 2011, sources alleged that it is only a matter of time before the Okigwe-born senator returns to PDP.
His close relationship with the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Anthony Anenih, is one advantage many believe Araraume is banking on, not only to smoothen his return to PDP, but to clinch the party’s governorship ticket.
Is Agbaso moving to PDP?
Though he has denied reports that he has been fraternising with the leadership of the PDP, The Nation, however, gathered that Agbaso, whose younger brother, Jude Agbaso, was impeached as Okorocha’s deputy a few months ago, is considering joining PDP and contesting the party’s governorship ticket.
But how he plans to achieve this objective, considering the array of aspirants in the party, remains to be seen.
Ihenacho also interested
A successful shipping, oil and gas magnate, Ihanacho served as the Minister of Interior under the late Umaru Yar’ Adua, but was later removed under controversial circumstances.
From Ezeogba in Owerri North Local Government Area, unconfirmed report has it that he is weighing his options before deciding whether to throw his hat into the governorship race.
Other aspirants in the PDP include Emma Ojinere, who though is popular among party members, but is said to lack the structures to prosecute a successful campaign. Besides this, another factor likely to count against him is the fact that he hails from the same Mbaise zone like Ihedioha and Chris Anyanwu.
Eye on Chukwueke
The other aspirant enjoying generous mention among PDP members in the state is Jerry Chukwueke.
A governorship aspirant in the party in 2007, the businessman has been in a political wilderness of sorts until recently when he donated a bus to the party, a gesture many have interpreted as a subtle way to indicate his return to the mainstream of the party.
Will Anyanwu contest the APGA ticket?
The impending registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with Governor Okorocha as one of the prime movers, sources pointed out, has provided an opportunity for Anyanwu to vie for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
A two-term senator, Anyanwu proved her political worth in 2011 when she crossed over to APGA after she was denied the PDP’s senatorial ticket for Owerri zone and defeated the PDP candidate, Dr. Kema Chikwe, in the general election.
Independent-minded and outspoken, opinions are divided in the state as to whether the senator can make history by becoming the first female governor of the state.
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‘Zoning of A’Ibom governorship will throw up mediocrity’
Michael Bush is the Director-General of Ibom Medallion, a group rooting for the emergence of Umana Umana, the current Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Akwa Ibom State, as the next governor in 2015. In this interview with Kazeem Ibrahym, he speaks on the politics of the state and the controversial zoning arrangement.
As the Director-General of Ibom Medallion rooting for the governorship aspiration of the current SSG, Umana Umana, how far have you gone to sell his candidacy?
Very far! But you know it is about strategy; it is about cause and effect. Ibom Medallion only came to set the stage. I think God helped us to have succeeded in doing that beyond expectations. We are glad that a majority of our people are elated to identify or side with this humane brand. Umana Okon Umana is easy to sell. Let me add that very soon we are going to return to set stage number two. We are just waiting for the right time to set the tempo for the next stage and I think that should begin from next month.
You once supported zoning of the governorship in the past, why are you not supporting it for 2015?
Yes, it is true that I went for election in 2011 and it is also true that I had a position on zoning then. I still maintain that position only that because of what happened, I have now gone ahead by removing that ambiguity on zoning. Now, I am on zoning but I want it to be to the best man. Zoning can only throw up mediocrity. And in any case, why waste time? You can never stop people in other zones from contesting. In the United States, nobody talks about zoning; it’s just about excellence. So for me, that is why I have re-engineered my position on zoning. I am not saying zoning is not good, but please zone it to best man.
Why are you backing the aspiration of the SSG?
The man is vast in experience. Have you ever imagined the reason Governor Akpabio did not just hit the ground running from day one; but that indeed he hit the sky flying from 29th May, 2007? The secret was his six-year experience in the previous administration. He knew the loopholes, so as soon as he returned to the field of play as captain, he changed the complexion of the game by simply overlapping through flanks he had marked out. That’s the power of experience. I think that is the same thing Umana will do.
Opposition parties are merging to give the PDP a run for its money in 2015. How is the PDP in Akwa Ibom and Mr. Umana preparing for this challenge?
Well, I don’t speak for PDP. But if you know PDP as I do, you will realise that it has a way of reinventing itself. PDP is even better anytime there is something you call crisis. I’m not sure they even call it crisis. They know what they call it, something like family affair. And you know every family that resolves its crisis always comes out better and stronger. The party is sharp enough to know that it will need the best man in Akwa Ibom for 2015 because, again back to the issue of zoning, you would have heard that All Progressive Congress (APC) is not considering zoning. It wants to put up the best against PDP. Is PDP going to do zoning and present a candidate that is not popular or loved by the people?
There have been unconfirmed reports that Mr. Umana Okon Umana was presented to President Goodluck Jonathan by Governor Godswill Akpabio as the next Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2015, but that the president rejected him. As an insider, can you clear the air on this?
There are a number of things I will want to say on this issue. Number one is: as journalists, have we observed that anytime people, particularly those interested in 2015 governorship open their mouths to speak, their target is Umana Okon Umana? Have you ever wondered why this is so? I think it shows you clearly that he is the man to beat. By the way, I am not in government, so I am not speaking for the governor on this matter. I am only telling you what I know as somebody who should know. The first line is that it never happened. Of course you know that things don’t happen that way in politics. In fact if something like that were to happen at all, there is no way a governor, in the mould of Chief Akpabio, will take somebody to the president and the president would say no. So I want it to be on record that it never happened. I can confirm to you that Umana Umana will not only stand for the governorship ticket of the PDP, but he will grab it and by the grace of God, go on to win the governorship election in 2015.
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Aregbesola, Omisore and I
The political drumbeat of the 2014 gubernatorial election in the State of Osun is, no doubt, gathering momentum.
It is weird and surprising that those at the forefront of the opposition drumbeats have refused to come out with concrete programmes to challenge the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and my party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
As a student of politics, democracy and good governance, elections are (meant to be) won with laudable programmes, peoples’ appeal, and acceptance; not boastful claims without substance and willful distortion of facts.
Unfortunately and surprisingly, Senator Iyiola Omisore is at the forefront of the opposition drumbeat, doing all he could to gain media presence. I thought it was not worth giving him any response, but it appears that this posture of silence has resulted into unabated, conceited and ignominious ranting of a misguided soul.
From the boastful misadventure of threatening to stop the convoy of the governor in the Nigerian Tribune interview of Sunday, 10th February, 2013, and the usual Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) beer parlour misinformed remarks, silence seem to be no longer golden.
In a nutshell, Iyiola Omisore has made futile attempts to launder his image, flaunting integrity and pedigree he does not possess and making unsubstantiated political rhetoric.
Omisore has been so blindfolded by his inordinate ambition that he fails to realise that the people of Osun’s parameter for gauging political reliability has left the days of United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) when you had to be an Abacha’s friend; and the barometer of measuring trust and performance are no more where they left it, when it was just a question of posturing.
The people have had the opportunity of juxtaposing two governments and have clearly chosen that which meets their real and felt needs.
Led by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the ACN in the State of Osun sought and obtained the Almighty God’s consent to liberate the people of Osun. We consulted far and wide; drew up our plans, programmes and manifestoes from both bureaucratic and technocratic perspectives.
Between 2005 and now, we have campaigned into the nooks and crannies of the State of Osun with a clearly defined manifesto to show for it all the way. We also taught the people how to defend their votes and ensure the same count.
In Osun East senatorial district from which I was elected, we did not only campaign in the cities, we traversed the rural areas. Not at one time did we meet the PDP campaigning. They were still under the spell that guns and machetes would be used to snatch ballot boxes and write results.
Without equivocation, the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the State of Osun has performed well. This is clear to all and sundry except sworn critics, blind politicians or those craving for “Abuja attention”.
Infrastructure under the Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led administration was dilapidated to say the least. The governor has successfully taken the state from its disorganised state of nature where we met it and has put it on the path of ideal governance.
In this day and age, I can’t imagine how PDP managed the state without a Waste, Traffic, Signage, Hygiene Management Agencies, amongst others, to say the least.
At the moment, 20 inter-city roads (294kms) are either under construction or are completed. 61 major township roads are either under construction or are completed (128kms, including the important Omi-Okun Road in Ile-Ife that is said to have been already contracted by PDP and abandoned).
A super highway from Old Garage in Osogbo to Ila-Odo in Kwara State is ongoing (47kms) and Osun is being connected directly to Ogun and Lagos States through Gbongan/Ikire/Orile-Owu/Ajegunle/Ijebu-Igbo (74kms). Under the supervision of the state government, the 30 local government areas are constructing an average of 300kms of roads.
Is Senator Omisore aware of the qualitative leap in the Education Sector with the phenomenal and second to none Tablet “Opon-Imo”, with 56 tutorials and free text books covering about 17 subjects and over 40,000 practice questions for students in SS1 – SS3?
What about the free uniform given to every student, free quality and nutritious lunch for 254,000 elementary school children provided by 3,000 women recruited by the state government, properly kitted and groomed for that purpose? About 90 monumental school structures are springing up across the state. These are exceptional dividends of democracy that can be least imagined by Senator Omisore and his ilk.
Agriculture is now a profitable and lucrative business in the state, farm support, inputs and markets are readily provided by the government to encourage farmers. Take a tour of the farm settlements that were wastelands when the PDP was in governance and see tremendous transformation.
Water production capacity of Ede Water Works has been improved from 17% to 30% with a commitment to make it 100% by the end of this year. Rural water supply has received a boost with massive repair of dysfunctional water pumps and provision of about 122 new hand pumps for 61 communities.
The first sets of 20,000 OYES cadets have successfully been absorbed by the economy and the government, contributing meaningfully to the economy from various sectors. Another set of 20,000 is currently on the scheme gulping about 200 million naira every month. We have the Green Gang, Traffic Marshals, Paramedics, Public Works Brigade, Sanitation Czars and the Sheriff Corp, which are productively engaging our youths as against the past orientation of preoccupying them with political violence and other abuses. They are off the streets and no more readily available as tools for political violence.
What are we talking about here? The State of Osun hosted the PDP-led federal government when the OYES project was studied for replication. Even the SURE-P blueprint used the picture of OYES in a parade for its youth development programme.
Improvement in the health sector has been tremendous with over 74 new primary health centres built to proliferate healthcare to all communities within the state. We give free healthcare to all without discrimination on any condition and almost concluding renovation and equipping our state hospitals and comprehensive health centres. As we speak, there are about 115 medical students from the state currently undertaking their clinical studies in Ukraine; they were admitted to study medicine in Osun State University by the PDP administration without clinical studies facilities.
The PDP in the State of Osun has recently been fed with tissues of lies that Senator Iyiola Omisore’s woeful loss and my victory at the Osun East (Ife/Ijesa) senatorial district polls of April 9, 2011 is subjudice, i.e. a subject of litigation. The truth is that I won that election squarely, in a free and fair atmosphere, largely devoid of the usual vote-stealing, ballot box-snatching, violence (the people of Ife refused to be provoked when 5 people were killed in a Church on the eve of the election at Isale-Agbara in 2011. Our Polling Agent was killed in Ojoyin in 2007) and result-writing.
I scored a total of 119,652 votes, while Iyiola scored 51,315 votes, winning with a margin of 68,337 votes. For record purposes, Iyiola Omisore did not win his Moore Ward in Ife East Local Government.
He scored 1,084 votes, while I scored 1,131 votes. He did not even file a petition in the Electoral Tribunal. At least, I was not served with any court process and I did not appear at any tribunal. Election tribunals are open to the public and the only petition filed in Osun State Electoral Tribunal in 2011 was Oluwole Oke (PDP) Vs. Nathaniel Agunbiade (ACN). The PDP petitioner in the afore-cited case lost at the tribunal and lost his appeal.
Omisore also did not win in 2007 when I first contested against him. If the compilers of the World Guinness Book of Record had been observers at that election, that election would have gone down in the annals of history as the most rigged election in the whole world.
I showed a video to the tribunal where 3 young men (names withheld) cast 1,350 votes for Omisore at the Odo-Eran (Abattoir) polling unit of Ajebandele Ward in Ife Central within 1 hour. The Court of Appeal ruled in my favour on October 29th, 2009 that the election was fraught with malpractices and violence and ordered a fresh election.
In the wisdom of my party, we decided not to participate in that election so as not to waste the lives of our polling agents since we did not trust the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Prof Maurice Iwu.
Free and fair elections were also not held in 2003 when he claimed victory from prison detention. Results were written. How could he have won Uncle Bola Ige’s polling unit in Esa-Oke? Furthermore, Omisore will still have to explain among other things if and how the Commissioner for Oath visited him in prisons to sign his INEC Form in 2003.
For the avoidance of doubt, under the relevant provision of the Electoral Act, a Notary Public cannot endorse an INEC Form; only a Commissioner for Oath could. Statute of limitation does not apply in criminal matters.
The only free and fair election Iyiola Omisore won was as a running mate to Chief Bisi Akande in January 1999. In that government, Omisore represented gross insubordination. He abjectly subverted, serially undermined, extremely defiled, rudely disobeyed and obviously disrespected the old man (his boss) even before they were sworn-in on May 29, 1999.
I sincerely hope that Senator Omisore knows the difference between popularity and notoriety. For academic purpose, popularity amounts to being liked or admired by many, while notoriety is being famous for some bad qualities.
Yoruba people and indeed all Nigerians are teaching the new generation to look deeply into qualities, substance, deliverables and tangible proofs of service before they brand public office holders as idols, heroes and leaders.
My secret prayer is that PDP fields Omisore in the next gubernatorial election against Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Like the Americans say, “bring him on”!
Since 2006, I have requested for a public debate with Iyiola Omisore on any national network of his choice and I am still keeping this humble challenge open.
Omoworare is senator representing Osun East.
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Jumoke Akinjide still interested in governorship
Contrary to rumours that the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, has dropped her governorship ambition, Ripples can reveal that the contrary is the case.
Close associates of the minister disclosed that Akinjide has been quietly building her structures in her home state, Oyo, in the last two years. However, it is not clear if Akinjide is preparing for the 2015 governorship race or working towards 2019.
As part of her strategies to consolidate on her structures in the state, sources say the minister has leveraged on her position to dispense patronage to members of her party, PDP.
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Tambuwal 2015: Where will the Speaker port?
A cloud of uncertainty currently hangs over the political ambition of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal of the House of Representatives. Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, takes a look at the various options open to the Sokoto-born politician.
Following his surprise emergence on the national political terrain of the country in 2011, Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has remained one of the major players in the unending power games played in the corridors of power.
The Sokoto-born politician became the Speaker of the House of Representatives following the defiance to the zoning arrangement of his party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP) by the majority of the lawmakers elected on the platform of the ruling party.
To successfully defy their party’s directive, Tambuwal and his co-travellers teamed up with opposition lawmakers. This coalition succeeded in thwarting an arrangement by the PDP to force Hon. Mulikat Adeola from Oyo State in the Southwest geo-political zone on the House as its Speaker.
From his first day in office as Speaker, Tambuwal did not leave anyone in doubt that he intended to be his own man. From criticising the government and hobnobbing freely with opposition political figures, the young politician has ensured that his actions in and out of office are not determined by party affiliation.
Of course, he became controversial in a way as many of his actions and utterances generated discusses. That same controversy appears to be dogging his step ahead of the 2015 general elections in the country. This is because it is still uncertain which of the many options before him he will settle for eventually.
For one, Tambuwal’s yet-to-be-denied presidential ambition is reportedly heating up the political camp of many presidential hopefuls from the northern region. Pundits say many northern politicians with presidential ambitions are waiting on the Speaker to either declare or deny his rumoured interest in the race before going public with theirs.
On the other hand, the Speaker’s supporters back home in Sokoto State are calling on him to come and be the next governor of the north western state. Sources within the ruling party in the state even told The Nation that at a time, Tambuwal was adjudged as a consensus candidate by party elders and the various factions within the PDP in the state.
Yet, there are those who swore that the Speaker’s plan is to seek another term in the lower assembly so that he can retain his position as Speaker in the next political dispensation.
Although he has not declared his presidential ambition, analysts claim recent moves by Tambuwal give the impression that he is a likely candidate in the 2015 presidential contest.
.Several groups and organisations across the country went viral with requests that Tambuwal should join the presidential race. Individual politicians were not left out as the Speaker was endorsed for the presidency by political heavyweights within and outside his party.
Finally, in what political observers called an apparent response to speculation that the Speaker may be gearing up to run for president in 2015, the House of Representatives announced that it would back Tambuwal’s aspiration if he decides to run.
Deputy spokesman of the House, Hon. Victor Ogene (APGA, Anambra), told Nigerians that Tambuwal had displayed worthy leadership qualities that show he would make a fine president and that if Nigerians asked him to run for the office, he wouldn’t turn the request down.
“As it stands today, Tambuwal has displayed good leadership in the House of Reps. It is only left for Nigerians to determine who will lead them in 2015. Though he has not told us about this, leadership is done by the people.
“If he decides to achieve the dream, we will support him. Tambuwal is not a PDP Speaker; he is the Speaker of the House of Reps. He can relate with any party in the best interest of Nigerians,” he said.
Hon. Ali Ahmad (PDP, Kwara) and Chairman House Committee on Justice also confirmed Tambuwal’s eligibility for the 2015 presidential contest, when he said, “Anybody who knows the Honourable Speaker and the way he has steered the House in the last two years and the way and manner he has been able to hold firm the House, will know that not a single pen has been thrown in this Assembly.
“That shows you glaringly the quality of this man is better than what I will say about him. So anybody can judge his capacity to control and manage people with different ideas and disposition. So a man like that has what it takes to be the president of this country.
“He could be one of the front runners because I know there are many people who will come out to contest in 2015, including those who have done so in 2011. If I am the repository of the decision of Nigeria, if I were the embodiment of the 160 million Nigerians and if Tambuwal expresses his desire to contest, I have to say ‘if’ because now he is concentrating on this House and we don’t want him to digress because now we have two years to go with serious business to do. But if he decides and I am the embodiment of the 160 million Nigerians, I think he will be our next president.”
In spite of all the agitations and endorsements for his presidential candidacy, mum has been the word from the Speaker. But his close associates and followers said he is currently engaged in widespread consultations and discussions with leading politicians across the country.
“The Speaker is talking to people across the country. He is conscious of the fact that he will have to seek the support and votes of all Nigerians across the states when the race is declared open. That is why he has chosen to seek the approval of as many leaders as possible before stepping out.
“Tambuwal has all it takes to be president and I am sure it is just a matter of time before he publicly declares his interest in the job. Once we get all the approvals and encouragement we seek, we will come out and tell Nigerians what we want them to do for us in 2015,” an aide of the Speaker told The Nation.
All these and more leave no one in doubt that Tambuwal’s name has crept into the roll call for the presidential race. Many analysts believe that what is just left is for the 47-year-old politician to publicly announce his readiness to contest the next presidential election.
Meanwhile, admirers of the lawyer-turned-politician in his home state of Sokoto want him to come back home and rule the state in 2015. For them, the presidency shouldn’t be the next port of call for their illustrious son whose wealth of experience, they claim, the state requires at this time.
The argument is that since the incumbent governor, Aliyu Magatakarda Wammako, would be reaching the constitutional limit of two terms having been first elected in 2007, the state should put its best man on the job to consolidate on the achievement of the outgoing governor.
Tambuwal’s chance of winning the governorship race, according to sources, is also made more attractive by the zoning arrangement in the state as well as the support he is said to be enjoying from Governor Wammakko in the crowded race to the Government House.
Sokoto south, Tambuwal’s senatorial district, is the only zone yet to produce a governor for the state and there is currently a strong agitation by the people of the area to have a shot at the plum job in 2015. The Speaker is expected to be a beneficiary of this agitation should he decide to opt for the job.
But the recent suspension of Governor Wamakko from the PDP, which is already being viewed in some quarters as an attempt to frustrate Tambuwal’s governorship ambition, may adversely affect an attempt by the Speaker to seek to replace the governor in 2015.
“Tambuwal is to use Governor Wamakko’s political structure to run for governorship in 2015, while the governor will seek to go to the Senate and represent Sokoto Central. But with this move by the party at the national level to take the control of the party away from Wamakko, it is left to be seen how these two allies will achieve their ambitions in the state,” a PDP chieftain in Sokoto explained.
This perhaps explains why some analysts feel the best option for Tambuwal would be to seek another term as a federal legislator with a view to retaining his speakership. His chances of doing this, they argued, remain bright considering his hold on the House since he became the Speaker.
“Tambuwal will find it easier remaining the Speaker beyond 2015 than gunning after the presidency or even the governorship of his state. He has a firm hold on the House and he enjoys the support of opposition lawmakers, who would rather have him on the seat than any other PDP member.
“The PDP is not likely to lose its majority in the House in 2015. In such a situation, a repeat of the 2011 scenario where the opposition and rebellious PDP legislators went into a coalition to produce a Speaker would play out again and Tambuwal will defy the odds to remain as Speaker,” Fred Ogunba of the Centre for Democracy and Justice (CDJ) analysed.
With just a little more than a year to the commencement of the general elections, many politicians within and outside the Speaker’s political party are impatiently waiting for him to tell the world where he intends to port politically in 2015.
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Ochei parries question on governorship ambition
The event was a media briefing held by the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Victor Ochei, in commemoration of the second year legislative session.
Close to the end of the event, a reporter asked the Speaker to clear the air on his speculated governorship ambition and the statement by elder statesman, Chief E.K Clark, that he (Ochei) cannot be the next governor of the state. Eyewitnesses at the parley told Ripples that the Speaker was diplomatic in his response.
First, he told the inquisitive reporter that the briefing was solely to talk about the activities of the Assembly and not his rumoured ambition.
Second, he added that he was not ready to join issues with a respected leader like Clark, whom he said was entitled to his views.
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APC: The real hurdles
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has finally applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registration. This marks the attainment of a high degree of preparation for contesting the 2015 election. Hopefully, with that move and the consequent INEC decision, the controversy over which is the real APC would be resolved and a higher gear engaged by the political association.
By this, I am not being simplistic. I am not unaware that issues could always crop up requiring attention and impeding movement. But, it is my contention that registration represents only one real hurdle: fulfilling the legal requirement. The party has already done what is expected of it at this stage. It has painstakingly gone through the process of agreeing on a name, a logo and flag. The issue of officers and how they are to be picked has, also, been presumably settled. The ball is now in INEC’s court to prove if it is indeed an extension of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. Thereafter, the matter could be tackled.
However, the registration hurdle is the lowest. The real hurdles are political. The requirements to make APC a potent political force and an alternative to the PDP are legion and more difficult to handle. It pushes the political association (that is what it is until it is formally registered) to a terrain laced with landmines.
First, it is faced with the challenge of bonding with the people. The only concrete antidote to rigging and manipulations by the dominant ruling party is obtaining the confidence of the people. It is not a feat to be attained overnight in a country where cynicism is a religion. Many, and there is merit in the argument, believe that there is little to distinguish one set of politicians from another. After all, many of those in the APC have traversed the entire party corridor. Many were pioneer members of the ruling party and only left when handed the short end of the stick. It is an uphill task convincing the electorate that the APC is any different.
Second, the people need assurance that the APC stands a ghost of a chance to displace the PDP. Otherwise, some of those who may be sympathetic to its cause could decide to be apathetic to the process. All that the PDP strategists have to do is drum up the message that the party controls the federal executive, the federal legislature, 23 of the state governments and more than two-thirds of the local government councils and put up a nice argument that no other party could possible stand the PDP might in the run up to 2015. Again, it is left for the APC captains to prove that the battle is not for the mighty and there have been cases when such giants fell; if not in this clime in others around us.
Third, there is one question to be answered: is there a real difference between APC and PDP? This can only be answered in action. The campaign must be shifted to issues. Up till now, save regular rancor and acrimony, no one knows what the PDP stands for. Its governments cannot be held to anything. This is the common feature of the current party system. The APC needs to toe the line of the Action Group and Northern Elements Progressive Union in the period leading to independence. Both canvassed support based on a social ideology that located the people, the governed at the heart of policy. The AG that was reputed as the best organized in Africa had a policy paper on every issue. When it was coming up with the free education programme in 1955, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Dr. Awosika and Professor Sanya Onabamiro and others had to work to produce a blueprint with the tiniest of details. It had similar policy frameworks on the Justice, economic, agriculture, industrial and health sectors, among others. The Unity Party of Nigeria built on that in the Second Republic with the famous four cardinal principles. This is a difficult but inescapable precedence for the APC.
Fourth, the cost of maintaining a solid structure required by a mass party must be staggering and enormous. But it is the only road to travel. The branches, chapters and cells of the APC must be visible and working. Its federal and state organs must function and the impression must not be given that it is owned and run by one or a few oligarchs.
One responsibility that the aspiring party can take up immediately is exposing the hollowness of the PDP government. Its men must take up the party on major issues of the day. Alhaji Lai Mohammed of the ACN has been doing a lot for the party, so has Rotimi Fashakin of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), but this is not substitute for structured responses and expert analysis. At best, the public sees Mohammed’s and Fashakin’s views as partisan responses, not detailed analysis on social issues.
On national development, where does the APC government stand? On federalism and restructuring, would an APC government convoke a national conference- within what period? Would an APC government introduce free education or insist that qualitative education must cost parents money? How would education be funded? What about scholarship schemes? What about state police? These are issues that the people deserve to know and should know.
The APC stands at a vantage point now. This is a unique opportunity to arrest the rudderless and inept leadership of the country. But the party needs to assure us that it is dependable and the future of the country could be entrusted to it.
Otherwise, the search has to continue.
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Why NADECO is back, by Kanu
Former military governor of Imo and Lagos states and pro-democracy activist Rear Admiral Ndubusi Kanu (rtd) is the Chairman of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). He spoke with reporters in Lagos on national issues. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.
NADECO is known for its agitation for a Sovereign National Conference in the past. With its re-emergence, would it come up with new tactics? Do you think SNC is relevant in in Nigeria today?
People really need to understand what the Sovereign National Conference that we clamoured for is all about. People have explained it to make mischief out of lack of knowledge. With reference to quite some people in government, they don’t really understand SNC. When you take a young man who was just 15 years in 1993, how old would he be today? Where are they today? They are in governance, quite a few of them and they had only seen twilight of Babangida Administration. They go further to later years, from Babangida to Abacha, to annulment, to seeing how much money or contract you can get at corridors of power; then come to assassinations, stealing, organised armed robbery, and now kidnapping. So persons like that cannot understand what SNC is all about without applying the mind. If the pressure of living and pressure of enjoying overwhelm the mind, you cannot understand what SNC stand for. If you look back, the problem in Nigeria did not really started from the military. It is when the Federal Government stepped into sovereign matter of the region that the problem started. Military now came in. Even under the first military rule, we have federalism. We have been saying these all this while that under the military that was an aberration, I never asked to become governor of old Imo State and later governor of Lagos state. Let me repeat that even under the military that time, there was no unitarism like we have now established by the military so called constitution. Then as a military governor of Imo State, I derived my power from the constitution of Eastern Nigeria. As governor of Lagos then, I was subjected to the constitution of Western Nigeria and Lagos Colony. There was no question by then of suspending a governor by the federal government. For instance, in spite of the fact that I was the governor of Lagos State and Muhammad Buhari was Federal Commissioner for Petrol-eum, he came with his ministry officials and apply for pipeline right of way for federal government. The issue is that, if you take the unitary system of governance we have now, you cannot blame those who are operating it. But if you look at the issues that is dragging the nation back critically like security and power, you will understand that it will take the synergy of all the units(regions) in the country, in that diversity to move forward. But, in a situation where those in power are concerned more about accumulation of material wealth, that is where corruption will continue to thrive. We are running a unitary system of government in Nigeria. There are so many connotations that we can go on talking about. The truth is, many unbelievable things are happening in the country now and if we don’t act, we may be heading to a tough time.
When you look back at Nigerian politics and governance since the return to civil rule in 1999, are you satisfied with what you have seen so far?
It is good to look back and look around too. Yes, we can see few infrastructure development put in place, infrastructure like communication advancement and other level of development. However, the body politics of Nigeria is facing greater danger and sliding further backwards over years. In the result of how we come about this sorry state, we have been saying and we will continue to only peaceful way can lead Nigeria back to the right path.
Democracy is what NADECO fought’ for. Are you satisfied with the present political situation the country?
Let me state briefly here that when the June 12 election, a free and fair election was annulled; an election that Nigerians let off religious sentiment, left everything and voted their conscience, when you can say bribery and intimidation wasn’t the case, when young men ans women counted votes one-by-one. I wish we could play back what happened in those days before the election was annulled. The question is, whatmakes it possible to get that free election annulled? What makes it possible for the military to annulled the election? What follows? What if Nigerians, if NADECO or no NADECO protested? Everybody just accept what the military did. What do you think would happen if the whole country rise up against the annulment? Of course what goes round will come round. When you do bad to the people, you will never know it will flip to other side. So inequity is inequity and it will go round. Same thing with equity self. So that happened? We have been operating civil rule for 14 years. Ask yourself what has happened? To put it briefly, we are not yet there in the democracy we fought for.
This is not a matter of trying to blame anybody. Issues have gone beyond blaming anybody. The cost and effects is what really matter. What does it cost Nigeria to be going through what we shouldn’t go through? What are the collective factors? When we are talking about SNC, we are not talking of just to go and sit down and talk. We are talking about going back to the sovereign people who are suffering in the midst of plenty. We are talking about people that wanted to live together very much as a country and surrender their sovereignty administrative control central governance on their own free will, sense of belonging and maintain their own sovereignty. There are no two ways about it.
If we don’t go back to the feelings where all of us, different people with different backgrounds accept to live together as one, then, the crisis will continue to stare us in the face. If we have got a fundamental problem in the land, these matter will keep on increasing. That is the factor why NADECO decided to intervene. We are saying let’s quickly find peaceful and lasting solution to all these problems. We have been saying it for long; we would keep saying that the country is heading towards where it shouldn’t go.
Could you reflect on your ordeals during the struggle against the military government after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election?
Many things have been written before about that. Many things have been spoken and narrated before about my experiences of those period. I want to appeal to you, let’s shift our attention from our experiences in NADECO, let’s shift to motivation; what really pushed us into the struggle and what was the position of those things in Nigeria today.
Many Nigerians will still like to share your experience as a top military officer who served high positions at a time but later joined forces to ensure that the military relinguished power. What’s your experience like?
Anyway, at the beginning, I was picked at home one morning by a group of policemen led by someone who later became DIG in this country. Before he died in a crash we later became friend. Together is one retired ACP, he was CSP then and up till today, I still relate with him afterall. Yes, first in the morning I was led to the Force Headquarters. While there, I was told I’m carrying arms and ammunitions and then, they brought a paper for me to write statement. They also brought a paper allegedly prepared by me as NADECO’s Chairman of Action Committee where I have recommended massive arm and ammunition importation.
I made it clear that, if I prepared the paper brought to me, they won’t see it in the first place. They also made remarks about Dr. Beko Kuti and some other members of NADECO until the wee hours of the following day. Later, I learnt they were looking for cars and I asked what for? They said we are travelling to my home time. It was around 4 a.m that early morning. I said No I am not travelling anywhere and that whatever they want to do to me, they should do it there. I said I am not going. I even told them that I wish they take me back to my house because I won’t stay at the Force Headquarters. In the morning, they were all around. We all take off to the airport. Four plain cloth policemen were with me.
We did fly to Port Harcourt. From there, we drove to my hometown and to my house. While there, they said I should come inside and join them in searching. But I decline. One of them threathened me that what happens of they planted something capable gave putting me in serious trouble, I said that will be between them and their conscience. I remained at my balcony when they conducted their search of the whole house. I overheard one of them saying this man has nothing to hide and that was where it ended and I was flown back to Lagos. There are so many harassment meted out at me thereafter purposely to break me down. I don’t want to go into all that. But at a time, I decided to send message to Abacha. Admiral Akhigbe was by then the Naval Chief. The message I sent then was that I shouldn’t be subjected to un necessary harassment after serving my country well defending her territorial integrity. There are so many to tell as regards my experience when NADECO was running from pillar to post.
What motivated you to join NADECO when it was formed?
I don’t mind telling anybody who cares that I am a well trained Naval Officer. I don’t mind taking on any Admiral anywhere in the world, any day, any time. While I was in the service, where I was trained in India; there was an inscription on the dome there. It was, Safety, Honour and Welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The Safety, Honour and Welfare of the men you command come next. Your own safety and welfare come last. And there was no training that talk about being a governor. My first Military appointment was when I was in the Supreme Military Council (SMC). I was put under General Muritala Muhammed. Nothing was done single handedly by the Head of State.
Everything was from the SMC. Olusegun Obasanjo was a member likewise myself and other officers. Obasanjo was not superior to any member of the council. So, anytime Obasanjo says he did this or that after the assassination of Muritala, there is nothing he did independently; all actions were by SMC. I also partake in Babangida’s Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) after Ubitu Ukiwe’s exit. I was also a member of Political Bureau set up by the Babangida’s administration. There was a fixed programme for return to civili, government but they changed the whole thing. In fact, after the annulment of June 12 election in 1993, someone like Akampgbo said anyone that talk about June 12 was inciting people and risk treason. Chukwumerije too along with Akampgbo talks against June 12 but deep inside their heart they could see clearly that ordinary Nigerians who voted during the election are angry about the turn of event.
Anybody in uniform or out of uniform, I mean anybody who is in his right senses for any reason, that support annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election, is personal to him. The annulment is against the country and the people, anyhow you look at it. So, there is no need saying that anybody, including IBB himself, David Mark who is there today and Obasanjo who was at the helm of affairs of this nation between 1999 to 2007, anybody at all, whoever that gave support to the annulment of June 12, 1999 election did not give their support to serve the interest of this nation, except their personal interest.
Now, whenever there is Military aberration, it is the political authority that the military take
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Ogun 2015: Can PDP dislodge ACN?
The governorship aspirants in Ogun State are on the track. Correspondent ERNEST NWOKOLO examines their strengths, weaknesses and issues that will shape the contest.
The die is cast between the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State. Will Governor Ibikunle Amosun keep his job beyond 2015? Can PDP bounce back?
Amosun, who was sworn-in on May 29, 2011 as the fourth civilian governor, has just completed two years out of his four year-tenure. But political parties and aspirants are warming up for another political battle, thus compelling some observers to conclude that they are raising the tempo of politics in the state prematurely.
In the build up to the April 2011 general elections, six political parties – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the National Conscience Party (NCP) -participated in the epic battle for the governorship. Each of them presented its candidate as the possible successor to former Governor Gbenga Daniel. But, Amosun (ACN) defeated the former military administrator of old Oyo State and ECOMOG Commander during the Liberian civil war, General Adetunji Olurin (rtd) [PDP], Mr. Gboyega Isiaka (PPN), Rev. Olajide Awosedo (LP), Olawale Okunniyi (CPC), Ogbeni Lanre Banjo (NCP) and Kayode Olubiyi (APGA).
In the future polls, contestants would run on the platforms of the All Progressive Congress (APC), if registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, LP and perhaps, APGA.
Already, there are political alliances, re-alignment, sensitisation and campaigns. Not even the calls for caution by former Minister of Mines and Steel Development Alhaji Sarafa Ishola on the aspirants has changed the tempo as the advice is unheeded.
Chief Ishola, the former Secretary to Government (SSG) under former Governor Daniel and now a governorship aspirant, said anyone that is campaigning now to become the next governor is “either ignorant or lack, knowledge of the game of politics.”
According him, what is paramount to the people is not who becomes the next governor, but how they can profit from the dividends of governance.
But some governorship aspirants guided by the maxim that success does not find home in the indolent and sluggard have started hitting the road. Others storm the palaces of traditional rulers and new media space through proxies to woo a section of the electorate and simultaneously using same to wage war against their perceived and feared opponent. Governor Amosun.
Analysts contend that the politics of the Gateway State is sophisticated. The state has produced many political gladiators. They include former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of Interim National Government (ING) Chief Ernest Shonekan, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Segun Osoba, former Governor Daniel, the late Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, the late Chief Moshood Abiola, and the late Afenifere leader, Pa Abraham Adesanya.
The state is politically delineated into three senatorial districts – Ogun Central, Ogun East and Ogun West. But the people see themselves more as comprising of four distinct zones – Remo, Ijebu, Yewa and Egba (RIYE) by reason of their differential ancestral, historical, tribal backgrounds and idiosyncrasies.
There is an unwritten agreement about the zoning of the governorship, but the reality is that there has not been strict adherence to the zoning arrangement.
The Ijebus produced Onabanjo and Daniel. The Egba (Ogun Central) produced Chief Osoba and Amosun, but the Ogun West is yet to clinch it since the creation of the state 37 years ago.
It is not surprising that the people aspiring for the elective offices are scrambling for the blessings of the gladiators because the electorate, who are not so literate, rely on them to decide which governorship candidate they should vote for.
The last time the Yewa people came close to producing a governor was in 2011 when two of their sons, Isiaka and Olurin, clashed. But the hope of their people were dashed as they lost to Amosun. What probably should have been a bloc votes from the area was inevitably splited between the duo.
Today, the Ogun West (Yewa people), while not ruling out its inherent susceptibility to routine political manipulations, has also not relented in blaming the zone’s loss on the clash of interest between the two gladiators – former President Obasanjo and Daniel – who the Yewas claimed, in a bid to further their personal agenda, caused the area to have two contestants on the field at a time only a consensus candidate would have delivered the magic.
The fear was even expressed early during the build up to the April 26, 2011 governorship polls by one of the opinion leaders from the zone, Chief Ishola Olateju, who lamented that the disagreement between Daniel and Obasanjo over the Yewa’s aspiration, remained a major obstacle to the actualisation of that project.
Olateju had warned that, should the Obasanjo – Daniel feud continued “the governorship, which was zoned to Yewa may be lost.
During that failed bid, Obasanjo stood as the promoter of Olurin while Daniel sponsored and campaigned for Isiaka.
Ahead of 2015, aspirants are warming up again. They include Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka, Hon. Isiaq Akinlade, Jide Taiwo, Mr Sina Kawonise, Hon. Kayode Amusan, Anthony Ojesina and Amosun.
Isiaka
Isiaka contested the 2011 election on the ticket of the PPN, but lost. He is still eyeing the office. This time, he is likely to run on the platform the LP, if the party offers him the ticket.
His former boss, Gbenga Daniel, isstill backing him.
According to Daniel,” Isiaka is cool headed, intelligent and hardworking.”
Many people also agree that there is nothing wrong with the young technocrat – turned politician. But the challenges Isiaka may still face derive from his link with Daniel, who ran a highly maligned administration and who at the time also did engage in many political battles with the stakeholders.
This, according to analysts, was what worked against him during the 2011 polls. The electorate saw Daniel in Isiaka in whichever direction he turned.
To them, a vote for Isiaka was a vote for Daniel and, by extension, a call for the continuation of Daniel’s style of governance, perceived at the time as a debilitating yoke that should be thrown off.
The people have not forgotten that, while Isiaka called the shot at the Gateway Holdings Limited as the managing director, he did little or nothing to stop the concession of assets the Ogun State founding fathers bequeathed to the incoming generations.
Chief Jide Taiwo
The seasoned property magnate, who hails from Yewaland, is another governorship aspirant.
The snag in Taiwo’s aspiration is that he is per ceived as a green horn.
This property valuer and developer, who has garnered goodwill over the years through estate business across the country, is yet to harness same for political gains.
His foot soldiers are on the field marketing him and chances are that he would pursue his ambition on the platform of the PDP.
Abiodun Akinlade
The member of the House of Representatives is from Yewa. This former PDP member, who returned to the House on the ticket of ACN, is actively involved in oiling his governorship campaign.
Apart from the foot soldiers working for him, he is banking on the goodwill gained over the years as a federal lawmaker.
His ambition, a frosty relationship between him and Amosun.
Akinlade may move from ACN to the Labour Party soon where he hopes the ticket would be given to him to actualise his goal. Analysts have since identified impatience, immaturity and unguarded optimism as his major weakness.
According to observers Akinlade stands a better chance of becoming a governor, if only he could wait till after 2015 and also stay put in ACN.
Sina Kawonise
Former Information and Orientation Commissioner in Daniel Administration Sina Kawonise has been holding con sultation with people.
It is certain that he will seek expression for his ambition through LP, but the odds against him are many. He is an Ijebu man from Ogun East like Daniel. It is unlikely that an Ijebu man would be a good sell now as a governorship candidate for 2015 and that is even if the LP could be so blursighted to leave the likes of GNI and Akinlade and drop its ticket on SK’s lap.
Anthony Ojesina
Ojesina, a former Commissioner for Environment, has his eyes fixed on Okemosan. He has promised to harness the resources of the state to create jobs and industries. He plans to enhance the state’s Internally Generated Revenue and improve the healthcare delivery.
Kayode Amusan
Amusan is the only governorship aspirants who has openly declared his ambition in a political gathering in Ijebu – Igbo home of Prince Buruji Kashamu.
Amusan who hails from Ogun Central, is being groomed by the PDP to penetrate the Egbas in 2015 where Amosun also came from.
Kashamu lamented that if Amusan, younger than Olurin, was fielded as PDP governorship candidate in 2011, the fortune of the party would have perhaps, been better at the poll.
Senator Amosun
The governor has not formally declared his intention to re – contest, but his body point, to the fact that the Oke – Mosan office may not be vacant until 2019.
Amosun is the person to beat, if he enters the race, and given his record achievements in the last two years, it is highly probable that the Owu-born governor would win.
The roads expansion projects, financial re -engineering, clean environment, affordable and qualitative education and model schools across the state are laudable achievements.
Already,many groups have endorsed him for a second term.
Expectedly, the youths have declared their readiness to support Amosun and to work assiduously for his re – election in 2015.
The youths under the aegis of the Ogun Youth Professional Forum (OYPF), said they have endorsed him in advance following his administration’s massive infrastructural development investment drive, provision of qualitative and affordable education.
The leader of the group, Mr Olamide Agboola, and Secretary, Doyin Bajomo, after the group’s meeting in Abeokuta, said they were impressed Amosun’s projects adding that they are of global standard.
He said: “We are compelled to make this open declaration and endorse Governor Ibikunle Amosun for a second term, having been convinced by the midterm report sheet of the administration. We are of the opinion that he meant well for the state going by the developmental projects across the state.
“Initially, we thought his was going to be another thieving administration, particularly when the issue of obtaining bond to run his government cropped up. But having meticulously studied his style of administration, we are convinced that he meant well for the state and allowing him another term of office will not be out of place”.
The forum, which comprises of information technology experts, engineers, business men and women in Nigeria and abroad also explained that they were advocating for Amosun’s re -election because his administration has laid “solid foundation for business to thrive in Ogun.”
“We are not politicians; we have our businesses here in Nigeria and overseas, but we found out that the mosquitoes, who ate our land dry before now are also re-grouping to deceive our people for a second time. We want to tell them that the Ogun electorates will not allow them again.
“With what is on ground now, Amosun has provided the enabling environment for businesses to thrive. Amosun has good future for the state with what is on ground and we must tell our people to support this course because of the future of our children,” they added.