The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • APGA begins reconciliation

    APGA begins reconciliation

    The crisis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) may become a thing of the past as the concerned chieftains have begun moves to reconcile the two politicians laying claim to the party’s leadership, Mazi Okwu and Victor Umeh.

    At the vanguard of the reconciliation are the former governorship candidates of the party in the Southeast geo-political zone. Sources to the party disclosed that these chieftains are also trying to bring Governor Peter Obi and Umeh to the table of brotherhood. Many party stalwarts have also lamented the loss of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The source said: “We are concerned that the party is in crisis at a time we should be preparing for the next governorship election in Anambra State. The platform is greater than any member. There is crisis today because the platform exists. We should not allow the platform to collapse in crisis”.

    One of the governorship flag bearers, Chief Reagan Ufomba, declined comments about the reconciliation, although he conceded that APGA can only forge ahead in peace and cohesion.

    He lamented that other parties were ganging up against the APGA, which he described as the most formidable platform in the zone. He also alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in Abia State has been waging war against APGA because of its growing popularity.

    Ufomba confirmed that he had sued the Abia State government at the Lagos High Court for malicious publication against him on the government website. He said that he had been exposed to public ridicule for shunning political and monetary inducements.

    He said: “The government said that I went away with government property when O voluntarily resigned as a member of the State Executive Council. For the first time, I have seen smoke without fire in the name of politics. A lie told several times may begun to sound like the truth, if it is left unchallenged. This is precisely why I went to court.”

     

  • Afenifere not party to UPN resuscitation, says Fasoranti

    Afenifere not party to UPN resuscitation, says Fasoranti

    The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has said it was not involved in the move by the Oodua peoples Congress (OPC) founder, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, to resuscitate the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). The group recalled that Fasehun was not a member of the party when it existed in the Second Republic.

    Afenifere also reiterated its objection to amnesty for the members of the Boko Haram sect. The group lamented that, although the nation had devoted a substantial proportion of the budget to security, safety of lives and property has not been guaranteed.

    Afenifere Leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti told reporters in Lagos that amnesty for the dreadful sect may not resolve the security situation, urging the government to realise that it is wrong to reward criminals with money for killing and maiming.

    Accompanied by Chief Supo Sonibare,Chief Olu Falae, Chief Korede Duyile, Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, Akogun Tunde Odanye and Hon. Segun Ojo, the elder statesman said that any solution to Boko Haram insurgency that lacks consideration for the victims of the horrors is inadequate.

    Fasoranti said: “We agree that granting amnesty to the Niger Delta militants is in order. But we find it hard to defend the monumental abuse going on, especially among the elite managers of the scheme and are disturbed as to whether the scheme will bring lasting peace, given episodic restlessness still being demonstrated. yet, we have created a set of emergency billionaires from the amnesty while the conditions in the creeks remain virtually what they were.

    “It is with this at the back of our mind that we have been skeptical over the so-called amnesty for the Boko Haram, which is a much more dangerous group than the Niger Delta insurgents who were known and demands were clear”.

    Fasoranti warned that “it would be a tragedy, if we embark on another money sharing spree in the name of amnesty with all the blood that has been shed”. He added: “Granting amnesty to dare-devil, blood thirsty insurgents whose identities and grievances are yet to be properly ascertained is prosperous, offensive to commonsense and retrogresive in its entire ramifications. Our stand is that any decision on Boko Haram should be holistic. We should not just be talking of the insurgents, but also their victims and causes of this menace, with a view to ensuring it doesn’t happen again and again”.

    The Afenifere chieftain put the Jonathan Administration on the weighing scale, pointing out that it has failed in the critical areas of security, anti-corruption crusade, threats of subsidy removal, and job creation. On fuel subsidy, Fasoranti said that the Federal Government owed the people an explanation about the collapse of the refineries and the misapplication of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

    Fasoranti cautioned against perceiving the next general elections as a bloody war, advising the unpatriotic politicians to desist from heating up the polity, ahead of the 2015 polls.

    Falae, the former Secretary to the Federal Government, noted the move by Fasehun to re-float the UPN. He said Afenifere is not the architect of the move by the medical doctor who was never a member of the proscribed party led by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    He said: “Afenifere will support a political party that shares the same progressive ideals with it is the next elections”.

    Also at the press conference were Chief Rahman Owokoniran, Hon. Leke Mabinuori, Bayo Fajemilua, Prince Lanre Omisore, Chief Kole Omololu and Mr. Alufa.

     

  • ‘Amaechi is fighting for federalism’

    ‘Amaechi is fighting for federalism’

    House of Representatives member Hon. Dakuku Peterside is the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream). In this interview with Victor Oluwasegun, he speaks on the crisis rocking the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the face-off between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

     

     

    How will you assess the performance of the governor of your home state, Rivers?

    Impressive and spectacular. Governor Amaechi has done very well. Few Nigerians will disagree with me that he is among the top three model governors. He is outstanding in security, education and health. He has done well in roads and power, but above all , he has come to symbolise transparency and accountability. In terms of performance, Governor Amaechi is a gold fish. This simply justifies the support he is enjoying from Rivers people and Nigerians.

    Why is he having crisis in the Nigerian Governors Forum, the Rivers State PD and with the President?

    I am not aware that he is having any problems with the President. You see, in this clime, being honest, bold and courageous could lead you into trouble. Permit me to take the issues one after the other. On Nigeria Governors Forum, there is absolutely no trouble. Certain characters allowed themselves to be used for selfish reasons to destabilise a registered association that has stabilised the polity. Governor Amaechi’s only crime is that he puts a face to decisions made by his colleagues, very often for the interest of democracy and federalism. Some persons also claim that he is too forthright and I don’t know what crime that is called. However, the biggest unsaid problem is the perception by certain persons in the Presidency that Governor Amaechi has ambition to aspire to higher office. The attempt to criminalise ambition, if any, is the root cause of the perceived problem in NGF. This contradicts with the expectation of some of the President’s associates who are pushing that he should go for a second term.

    The second strand is speaking truth to power as can be seen in Governor Amaechi’s comments on the Sovereign Wealth Fund, excess crude account, Rivers-Bayelsa oil well issue, fuel subsidy, Eastwest road, Adamawa PDP case amongst others.

    Are there forces in the Presidency you alluded to responsible for the crisis in PDP Rivers State?

    Is there any crisis in PDP Rivers State? There is absolutely no crisis. What has happened is simple to understand, unless you chose to ignore or thwart the facts and continue in self delusion or you are outrightly ignorant of how the federal might can be manipulated against the perceived political opponents in Nigeria. A party congress was conducted peacefully in March 2012. Nobody raised issues until December 2012 when the interest of certain elements in the Presidency clashed with certain elements in Rivers State who are incurably ungrateful and who do not fear God. Then, some characters in the judiciary allowed themselves to be used and a controversial judgement surfaced. An Abuja High Court gave judgement in an issue it has no business with. One Felix Obuah, who never participated in any of the party congresses, started parading himself as the PDP Rivers Chairman. The same Felix Obuah has been going about making inflammatory remarks. If history teaches any lesson, it is that this ones too will be consigned to the dustbin of history very soon. I have watched how a certain colleague of mine from Rivers State sold his conscience and tries helplessly to defend the indefensible on the television. All the members of the PDP in Rivers State know who their leaders are and know who the charlatans are. Rivers people are more intelligent than the ignorance been displayed by the characters parading themselves as the officials of the PDP in the State. Rivers people know them and know their history.

    Are you suggesting that the judgement of Abuja High Court on Rivers PDP is faulty?

    I am not suggesting that, but the facts are clear. Prof. Itse Sagay, the respectable legal luminary, said that single judgement delivered by Justice Ishaq Bello had the capacity of derailing our democracy. He clearly said that it has no basis in law and portends danger to our democracy. Prof. Wole Soyinka expressed concern that the debasement and manipulation of the judiciary by the politicians as exemplified by the judgement of Justice Ishaq Bello can lead to anarchy. He acknowledged the effort of the current Chief Justice of Nigeria to reform the judiciary, but recognized the fact that there are dark areas and that this dark area is responsible for the seeming crisis in Rivers State. These are voices of reason. What has happened is an attempt to sacrifice the entire democratic project to get to one man who is perceived to be a political opponent. How do you explain a situation where there is a dispute among two persons who live in Rivers State over an event that occurred in Rivers State, yet a resolution was reached by an FCT High Court? How do you explain a situation where the congress in dispute took place in March, last year, and only became a subject of litigation one year after? What does the law says about the law courts entertaining purely intra-party matter? These are questions begging for answers. I am optimistic that the Court of Appeal will cure this malaise, restore sanity in the system and save our democracy from self destruction by a few desperate folks. The judgement has done a serious damage to our democracy

    The new or factional party officers in Rivers State, as you admitted, have suspended the members of House of Assembly and threatened to impeach Governor Amaechi. What is your take on that?

    It is laughable. It simply shows the degree of ignorance of the characters parading themselves as party officials in Rivers State. They are displaying ignorance or lack of knowledge of the powers of state party officers. Even, if we admit that they can suspend elected officials, and by extension, party leaders, by our law, they do not lose their seats in the legislature. So, I do not know what they stand to benefit by that rascality.

     

     

     

     

  • How to develop Niger Delta, by lawmaker

    House of Representatives member, Hon. Evelyn Oboro, has urged the government and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to improve the quality of life of the people. She said the promotion of the public welfare would stop further agitation.

    The legislator spoke to reporters at the Atamu Social Club of Nigeria investiture held in Lagos. She said the condition of living in the Niger Delta was still deplorable, urging the government to rise to the occasion. Oboro who represents Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Constituency, said: “I am not satisfied with what I see in the Niger Delta with regard to the welfare of the people. This is not just about the oil from this part of the country but the welfare. They still live in the creeks, their farmlands have been destroyed, they have no homes, they have no good education, they do not even have better environment to live in as human beings.”

    The lawmaker noted that people outside the Niger Delta often make sweeping statements without bothering to visit the area to know the true situation. She said: “People have often made various comments to denigrate them but most of us don’t live there and we don’t know what they are passing through. Take a trip to the Niger Delta and you will understand what I am talking about.”

    Oboro expressed the hope that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) would see the light of the day after the heat it had generated.

    She added: “A good law from the National Assembly can contribute to the progress of the Niger Delta. You and I know that there are laws but the implementation has always been the problem.”

    “The PIB bill some people are kicking against it which is meant to better the oil communities. They should think about it because of what is derived from this area but unfortunately some people are saying no.”

    The legislator remarked that the Urhobo community in Nigeria have not been favoured in the distribution of national appointmentsShe added: “Urhobo is the fifth ethnic largest groups in this country and if you look at it critically, we have not had a good number of our people appointed at the national level. But our people have not been disillusioned by this development. They have made strides on their personal enterprises to better their own lots.”

    Oboro commended the government for appointing more women in the administration. She urged money to come out massively to participate in politics because women have not disappointed in their calling.

    “Most women believe that they could just sit down and begin to wait for men to give them everything. I must say the women must develop themselves and it has to start from the individual. If you develop yourself and position yourself you are fit to contest for elected office.”

     

  • Yar’Adua: Three years after

    Yar’Adua: Three years after

    The late President Umaru Yar’Adua was in office for a little less than three years. Three years after his demise, AUGUSTINE AVWODE writes on those things for which he would always be remembered.

     

    I  think my greatest achievement is the effort to institute a strict culture of respect for the rule of law in Nigeria. All the problems this country is facing can be traced to the breakdown of the rule of law, regulations, procedures and due process in almost every aspect of our national life, including interaction between our citizens”.

    That was the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua during an interview he granted to mark his first year in office. In his usual self effacing manner, he did not harp on things that are considered tangible, nor reeled out an endless list of what Nigerians often describe as “dividends of democracy.” For him, the foundation was more important as it determines the fate of the structure that anyone plans to erect.

    Before he came into office on May 29, 2007, Nigeria was reeling under the jackboot of impunity even in a democratic setting- to the chagrin of all. Yar’Adua, therefore, sought to instill the culture of respect for the rule of law, due process and order. And very soon, people latched on to the mantra of the rule of law and due process.

    President Goodluck Jonathan at the weekend testified to the enduring place of the late President in this respect. He urged Nigerians to emulate the late Yar’Adua’s commitment to due process and rule of law.

    Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Rueben Abati, President Jonathan said Nigerians, especially public officials at all levels of government, should rededicate themselves to the late “Yar’Adua’s exemplary commitment to upholding due process, the rule of law”.

    A chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Dr Ibrahim Lame, spoke glowingly about the late President. Lame worked under the late Yar’Adua as Minister of Police Affairs.

    Speaking to The Nation on phone, Lame said the late Yar’Adua had a clear vision and understanding of the situation in Nigeria and, more importantly, what to do to salvage it.

    “To be frank with you, I can say that after Balewa and Sardauna, we never had a President who had a clear vision and understanding of the situation in Nigeria and what to do like the late Yar’Adua.

    “He was so concerned about the rule of law because once you don’t have the rule of law in a democracy, you’re finished. So, he realised that the entire process of checks and balances was not there, even under Obasanjo. He felt that the best way to become a model of a progressive and democratic society was to recognise the supremacy of the rule of law”.

    On his fight against corruption, Lame said Yar’Adua’s style of instituting probity, transparency was by example. In this regard, he compared him with great Nigerians who left their footprints on the sands of time.

    “The late Yar’Adua emphasi-sed probity; he wanted everybody in position of leadership to be transparently honest. He fought corruption by example. That was what the late Sardauna did; that was what Chief Awolowo did and what the late Balewa did and what Aminu Kano did. They were transparently honest. Materially, you can’t accuse them. There was no material information that will send bad signals about the late Yar’Adua; he declared his assets, he never got involved in any contract that I know of; he allowed discussions and debates to take place, he offered independence to all his functionaries; he never interfered with their jobs”, he said.

    On the economy, Lame singled out the historic step taken by the late president to restore orderliness and peace in the Niger Delta, an economically strategic region to the country. The Bauchi state-born politician said if the late Yar’Adua had not taken that decision, the economy, which was already on its knees, would have crumbled.

    “He was concerned about the economy. When the destruction of oil installations was getting too serious by militants in the Niger Delta, the late Yar’Adua gave amnesty to them in order to save Nigeria and the economy. He did that at the greatest political risk. And at the time he did that, the economy was almost crumbling. Our only source of revenue was oil and we were not able to get it. So, he had a great understanding of what must be done to save Nigeria.”

    But notwithstanding the unfortunate fate that befell the late president, Lame ranked him as one of the greatest leaders ever produced in the country.

    “Unfortunately, like every human being, he had challenges. He had health challenges. He wasn’t very well and that had some negative effects on his achievements. But in terms of vision, focus and devotion, he was one of the greatest leaders Nigeria ever produced”, Lame said.

    Apart from his total commitment to the rule of law, the late Yar’Adua would be remembered always for presenting his vision to Nigerians in a pack. After he won the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on December 16, 2006, the late Yar’Adua hit the campaign trail with a sensational Seven-Point Agenda. What was significant about it all was the manner in which he tried to articulate his programme of action for the country, if voted into power. What is more, other candidates, particularly at the state level, latched on to the culture of arranging and labeling programmes as ‘so and so agenda’. The Seven-Point Agenda represents a deliberate effort to package the plans of a candidate to be executed once he comes into office.

    These include power and energy, food security, wealth creation through diversification of the economy, enhancing the transport sector, land reforms, security of lives and property and education.

    Whether he was able to execute the same or whether the succeeding administration jettisoned the Seven-Point Agenda matters little. Its importance lies in the effort to envision all that would be needed to steer the country into the path of development and growth.

    The late Yar’Adua will be remembered for the amnesty by the federal government for those who had turned against the country and her economic and social interests. When militancy got to a head in the Niger Delta region in 2009, the late Yar’Adua, after a series of consultations, declared a general amnesty for the militants that had almost crippled the economy. In no time, the situation changed and has never been the same ever since. It was a master stroke that saved the nation’s economy from imminent collapse. Its effectiveness can be measured by the fact that the government of today has been prevailed upon to grant a similar amnesty to the Boko Haram sect in the North in the hope that it would help to bring peace to the beleaguered region.

    Besides, the late Yar’Adua endeared himself to Nigerians by publicly declaring his assets. Few months after his inauguration in 2007, he made public his assets. He had done a similar thing as the governor of Katsina State. This unusual action was received with public approval and was seen as a demonstration of his determination to live up to public scrutiny. He was generally regarded as a President that was above board notwithstanding the perceived fraternity with two or so governors that had come across to the Nigerian public as pathetically corrupt. Yar’ Adua’s action put pressure on many other elected public office holders to do same. But typical of the Nigerian situation, such a suggestion was met with so much disdain and argument that no law made the public declaration of assets compulsory.

    A man, sincere almost to a fault, the late Yar’Adua in his inaugural speech, shocked even his party members when he openly admitted that the election which produced him was flawed. He immediately promised electoral reforms to correct the anomaly in the system. The elections were widely criticised by both local and foreign observers as not free, fair and credible. It contrasted sharply with the position of some of his party members who believed that a party can always ‘capture’ a state rather than win it. But while Yar’Adua admitted before the world that his election was fraught with irregularities, the court upheld the elections as free and fair enough to keep him in office. He went ahead to make good his promise by inaugurating the Justice Mohammed Uwais panel on electoral reforms.

    But like Shakespeare put it, death, a necessary end, will come when it will. It eventually came for the late President Yar’Adua on May 5, 2010, ending an agonising struggle with fate but his sterling qualities continues to endure.

     

  • ‘Aregbesola practises participatory democracy’

    ‘Aregbesola practises participatory democracy’

    Olusegun Bada is the Special Assistant, Research, Planning and Policy Implementation to Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola. In this interview with FAITH YAHAYA, he explains that the governor has transformed the state with his people – oriented programmes.

     

    The State of Osun is hardly mentioned when people talk of governments that have impacted lives. Why?

    The government has recorded tremendous achievements. We have estblished a solid database of indigenes from Osun State and this is done with the view of creating an avenue for inter-personal interactions between the Governor and the people. It is a novel idea whereby Governor Aregbesola occasionally brainstorms with the people on how to move the state forward. You must understand that it is from this kind of gathering that you can get different shades of opinions since all strata of the society are adequately represented. Also, in Abuja here, the government has been able to liberalize the attitude of indigenes who are indifferent to what is happening in the state. Now, they come and interact with the liaison officers and they tell them the development that is going on in their respective local government areas. For example, we have been able to ameliorate, as it were, the hardship being felt by the taxi drivers of Osun extraction here in Abuja. In the last two years, we have been able to provide about 60 cars for them. It is part of Aregebesola’s initiative.

    In concrete terms, what would you list as the key achievements of the Aregbesola Administration?

    In the area of infrastructure, what we are doing is not renovation. We are building and rebuilding. Prior to this time, nothing much could be said about the infrastructural facilities in the state. The teaching and learning aids were not there. But the story has changed today. The government recently distributed teaching aids to about 30,000 beneficiaries. We distributed chalks, boards, and every other thing. But before the distribution of the teaching aids, we distributed the Opon Imo. It is the “Tablet of Knowledge”. The teaching aids were only distributed to public schools. One of the integral elements of the Aregebsola Administration is to ensure that education is accessible even to the poor. The benefits that the rich hitherto enjoy should be extended to the poor. A lot of things are embedded in the Opon Imo.They include 56 textbooks, 17 subjects and 6 extra curricula activities. It also contains past questions of about a decade ago for children to practice for NECO and WAEC. The tablet takes care of three special areas in education. When a child is born, he is like an empty shell. Three things are supposed to be inculcated into him for him to have knowledge. We have the cognitive knowledge, affective knowledge and psychomotor knowledge. Cognitive knowledge is knowledge that you know, prior to this time, the head might be empty. Affective knowledge has to do with feelings, you will be happy that you are learning something. It can also be called affective domain. Psychomotor domain has to do with activities, involving extra curricula activity.  These three domains are embedded in the Opon Imo and it is a total form of education. Also, Aregbesola’s government believes that it is not the aesthetics of a school that makes up the school but the quality and content of education embedded in the students. At the same time, they are training and recruiting teachers to cope with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). We are going to distribute 150,000 tablets to secondary schools but so far, we have distributed almost 60,000 to 70,000 of the tablets and it cuts across the whole state, even the rural areas. The tablet is powered by solar energy and in all these rural areas, we have installed solar charger to charge it. The tablet is user- friendly and it has instructions that will make it easy for users. However, it does not have internet facility because we are aware that children these days might want to use it to watch pornography amongst other things. So, the tablet is basically an instruction kit that will enable them practice their homework, go through past questions and access relevant textbooks. It is a revolution and I tell you, no state, no country in sub-Saharan Africa has tried it. It is sheer ingenuity of man and the wisdom that God gives man to do that. Bill Gate said recently that educational training is going to move from the ideal to the effective, people will now go about with tablets or something

    Apart from the focus on education, which other sector is the government looking at?

    In every local government in Osun now, they are tarring over 214 kilometres of roads. Osun State is experiencing massive infrastructural development. By the time you make the people proud of where they come from, they will not need to go to the urban areas. It will curtail the rural urban drift and it will encourage them to stay within their locality. Aregbesola’s government is engaged in what is called participatory democracy. Every Saturday, he goes to one city or the other for what they call jogging for healthy living. He interacts and interface with the elderly through the town hall meeting and apart from that, people above 65 years of age are given a stipend of N10,000 monthly because they don’t have to depend on their children who already have too much responsibilities. Before he came on board, the Internally Generated Revenue was about 250m to 300mbut now, the IGR in Osun is about 700m. Before the end of this year, it will reach about N1bn. The purpose of this is that no responsible government should depend on the federal allocation to take care of its recurrent expenditure profile. A responsible state government should be able to meet up with the challenges of paying its recurrent expenditure profile. The previous government borrowed money monthly to pay salaries but now, we pay salary as at when due. The issue of ghost workers has also been eliminated. E-payment is what is going on in Osun State now. The governor is serious about issues relating to prudent financial management, prudent fiscal responsibility as practiced in the best institutions in the world.

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘Adelabu will be a loyal deputy’

    ‘Adelabu will be a loyal deputy’

    The nomination of Prof. Modupe Adelabu as the new Ekiti State deputy governor by Governor Kayode Fayemi has ended weeks of speculations within and outside the state, writes Sulaiman Salawudeen.

     

    Nature harbours no vacuum. When the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, passed on, there were speculations about who would fill the void.

    Will the new deputy governor come from Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, like the late Mrs. Olayinka? Will Governor Kayode Fayemi nominate another woman as number two citizen? Will religion play a role in the choice of a deputy?

    These speculations fizzled out, following the nomination of Prof. Modupe Adelabu, a high flying scholar and chieftain of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    The Chairperson, Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs. Adelabu, may be sworn in today following her screening by the House of Assembly.

    In 2006, the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Fayemi, had wanted Mrs. Adelabu to be his running mate. She was favoured for the job by her community and the party. But she turned down the offer, explaining that she needed time to attend to her ailing husband, Prof. Adelabu, who later died.

    ACN chieftains felt that she was the competent person for the job because of her intellectual ability and integrity. She is also a household name in Ado-Ekiti.

    The party also believed that the late Mrs. Olayinka’s successor should come from the community as a mark of honour for her.

    “The Professor is very popular, particularly, among 9,000 primary school teachers in the state. The party’s move is a master stroke and a very tactical one for that matter. It is primarily to enhance its chances, ahead of the 2015 governorship election, especially in Ado- Ekiti ,which has 57 wards. It is the town with the highest number of wards in the entire state,” said a source.

    Mrs. Adelabu, it is believed, shares the same traits with the late Mrs. Olayinka. She has been described as a loyal, diligent and disciplined woman. She has no record of scandals and controversy. Politicians across the divides have attested to her humility. Her grassroots links would also be of immense value, they say. Analysts say that Mrs. Adelabu’s choice would enhance the rating of the governor and boost his second term chance next year.

    Besides, her choice has been described as an affirmation of Fayemi’s commitment to gender balance.

    Mrs. Adelabu will be leaving behind worthy legacies as the SUBEB chairperson. The board has completed many projects primary schools.

    Like her predecessor, she will not be “a spare tyre.” Apart from deputising for the governnor, Mrs. Adelabu will likely oversee the local government administration in the state. She will also chair the Economic Council and Tenders’ Board.

    Hailing Mrs. Adelabu’s nomination, a community leader in Ado-Ekiti, Prince Ayodeji Adejugbe, said that she is the right choice.

    Adejugbe, who is also Adelabu’s relation, said she has leadership qualities, assuring that she would not let the governor down.

    “She is a loving sister to us, a dutiful and committed wife to her late husband, and a successful academic. She remains the backbone of many of us. Really, if anyone were to be considered within the family, she automatically qualifies as the best choice.”

    Another sibling, Prince Dotun Adedugbe, said that Mrs. Adelabu is a disciplinarian and a committed Christian.

    Senator Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti Central) said Mrs Adelabu has the qualities to succeed as the deputy governor.

    Describing her as an accomplished academic and an expert on a wide range of issues, Ojudu said he had no doubt that Mrs. Adelabu would add value to the Fayemi administration.

     

  • Is single six-year term the answer?

    Is single six-year term the answer?

    The Senate has recommended a single term of six years for the President, Vice President, governors and deputy governors. EMMANUEL OLADESU and AUGUSTINE AVWODE examine the views of politicians, lawyers, rights activists, and other stakeholders on the proposal.

     

    The controversial single tenure debate is back. The Senate Committee on Constitution Riview has recommended a non-renewable single term of six years for the President, Vice President, governors and deputy governors. If the proposal is adopted, it will be a turning point in the country’s history. If it is rejected, the status quo remains. Analysts contend that both have implications for the polity.

    To the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Dr Ahmed Gulak, said that it is the right step in the right direction. He recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had suggested it before. “If the proposal becomes a law, the credit should go to the President,” he added.

    Few weeks after President Jonathan was sworn in, he shocked Nigerians when he proposed a single six-year term. He argued that the option would stabilise the polity and reduce the tension associated with electioneering.

    “Every four years you conduct elections, you create so much tension in the political environment. As we are talking, some people are busy holding meetings for the 2015 elections.It creates series of confusion in the political environment,” Dr Jonathan observed.

    Other stakeholders have, however, rejected the proposal. The National Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, said that the constitutional two-term is better. He urged Nigerians to insist on the sanctity of the ballot box, stressing that one man one vote will lead to good governance.

    “The best option is the two-term; that is a renewable term of four years. If a person knows that he will only spend one term, he knows that he does not need your mandate again. If someobne knows that the people have the power to determine his fate, and that if he performs well, the people will renew his mandate, that will be sufficient motivation to work hard.”, he said.

    Lagos lawyer Chief Fred Agbaje described the suggestion as a political suicide. He said that the single term years are too long, adding that it could lead to indolence.

    “The six or seven years is too much for one person. It is too long. Assuming we have a non-performing individual in the office, he will then remain in office for all that time? Four years is enough for a performing individual to make a good mark. In fact, he would not need to ask for re-elelction, the people will call on him to do so. The beauty of democracy is that it allows for a periodical re-engineering”, he added.

    Renowned legal scholar Prof Itsey Sagay (SAN) has a different view. He observed that the second term battle often created tension, adding that immediately people were inaugurated for the first term, they started the battle for a second term. Urging Nigerians to support the single term proposal, Sagay said it would enable the President, his deputy, the governors and their deputies to focus properly on their mandate within the stipulated one term.

    A political scientist, Prof. Kimse Okoko, shared this view. The former President of the Ijaw National Council (INC) said a single term would stop the political wrangling associated with the second term politics.

    “In the context of the reality of Nigeria, we should adopt a single tenure. It will be better. It willl spare this nation the unnecessary wrangling for a second term and reduce the inordinate ambition on the part of politicians,” Okoko said.

    The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has backed the recommendation with reservations. The group observed that the non-renewable single term would halt the mad race for a second term, moderate the politics of succession and give opportunity to the incumbents to concentrate on their duties without nursing reelecton. The association also said that, since the preparation for the second term commences barely six months into the first tenure, and rages to the second tenure when the politics of finding a worthy succeessor takes the centre stage, a single term would restore sanity.

    “ARG is of the opinion that an un-renewable term will encourage our leaders to think of bequeathing a legacy by focusing more on governance than politics”, said the group’s Publicity Secretary, Kunle Famoriyo.

    However, ARG differed on the number of years recommended for a single term, saying that a single term of five years is enough. The group also objected to the proposed denial of the deputies the right to succeed their bosses. “ARG thinks that nothing should stop a good deputy from succeeding their bosses. Denying credible and deserving deputies the right of party sponsorship tramples on the political right of the people to choose their leader”, Famoriyo added.

    Renowned journalist and former Information Minister Prince Tony Momoh, who described the proposal as another tenure elongation bid, said President Jonathan should tackle the pressing national questions threatening the social, economic and political fabric of the country.

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora decried the move, saying that it would pale into a licence for corruption for elective office holders.

    Former Edo State Governor John Odigie-Oyegun called for a national debate on the bill, saying that the proposal is a serious matter. He said the only advantage is that the presidency would move round the geo-political zones in a fast manner.

    The Third Republic governor of Edo State said: “That is a serious matter. It calls for a national debate. This is my preliminary reaction. It should not be done in a way that affects his (President’s) tenure. That will distort it like the third term. If it is being done for personal benefit, it has no merit.

    “On the surface, it has a merit. Four years is short. People spend a lot of time on how to have a second term. Given the nature of Nigeria, the Presidency will move round a bit faster. my expectation is that the law will not have retroactive effect. It must be debated. May be, it is worth thinking about. The prons and cons should be debated.”.Momoh, who suspected a tenure elongation agenda in the proposal to the National Assembly, advised the President to face the fundamental issues critical to the survival of the country. The CPC National Chairman asked the President to devote more attention to restructuring of the polity to guarantee true federalism, adding that a return to parliamentary system and regionalism would do Nigeria a lot of good.

    Momoh stressed: “Tenure elongation is not the immediate problem of Nigeria. The immediate problem of Nigeria is social justice. We have opted for social justice and constitutional democracy. Social justice relates to the welfare package for Nigerians. This is the road taken. But we are putting money on the road more than the destination. We are chasing shadows and not substance.

    “What we need is true federalism. The centre is too power loaded and power must devolve to the regions. There is need for restructuring. People are sharing a cake they are not part of its baking. There should be true federalism after restructuring and the six geo-political zones of Southwest, Southeast, Southsouth, Northwest, Northeast and Northcentral should be the federating units. There must be democracy before development. There is the need to revert to regionalism and we need part-time legislature in a parliamentary system”.

    Mamora, a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), said that the President was busy chasing shadows. He said a single term of six years is “a veritable instrument for corruption, chop I chop and turn by turn chopping”, adding that it would breed a new culture of “don’t disturb me; wait for your turn; and don’t interfere in my affair”.

    Mamora said the President should have concentrated on the immediate challenges of economy, security, infrastructural development and unemployment, which are germane to the development of the country.He added: “I have not seen the bill. But that is not what we need at this time. The issues we need to address are not being addressed. It is like leaving leprosy and attending to minor ailments. The single term will turn out to be a way of instituting corruption in the system.

    “Once the elected executive is not coming back, he or she becomes a law to himself or herself. he is not bothered. It is the surest way of making a dictator. It will breed lawlessness. The person will have the feeling that he is not going back to the electorate to seek re-election. When a person is seeking re-nomination, he will be encouraged to do well and demand for a second term.

    “The demerits outweigh its merits, if there is any merit at all. A single term does not give you the opportunity of second chance, which means that you have to live with an error or mistake you have committed”.

    The ACN governorship candidate in Taraba State, Senator Joel Ikenya, said the agitation for a single term was not new, adding that it is a non-issue. He added: “ The issue is not about tenure; it is about performance. We must work on the system. It is uncalled for, a waste of resources and time. Tenure is not a problem. The people in authority are the problem. What we need is a political education so that those who fail to perform well in office should be voted out. Reviewing the tenure is not a priority. The issue is the delivery of dividends of democracy.

    A leader of Afenifere, the Yoruba pan socio-political group, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, however, hailed the bill, saying that it is desirable. He said: “I think it is a welcome idea. There is the tendency in this part of the world, especially Nigeria, to see elective public office as an avenue for making money. Six years is sufficient for you to do what you think you can do in eight years. Staying longer in office leads to corruption and power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

    Another Afenifere leader, Chief Rueben Fasoranti, spoke in the same vein, calling for support for the bill. He said: “It is a right step in the right direction. When people seek second term, there is always trouble. A single term of six years is enough. Then, there is a new leaf.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘We welcome independent investigation on Baga’

    ‘We welcome independent investigation on Baga’

    Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity Dr Rueben Abati spoke on the national security and other   issues on the Sahara Television on Saturday. Correspondent Adeola Oladele – Fayehun monitored the interview in New York.

     

    COULD you summarise your report on the Baga incident…

    The statement that I issued on the matter was based on the submission of reports to the President by the National Emergency Management Agency and the Defense Headquarters or if you like, the Military Command, who had been given strict instructions to go and investigate what happened in Baga; to intervene in terms of rehabilitation of the victims, and to also determine whether rules of engagement of the military authorities had been respected or not, and to make appropriate recommendations.

    In that report, the military authorities made it very clear, that the incident occurred on April 16 and not the April 19 that was being published by newspapers, and that contrary to the reports, there was no case of over 200 people or 158 persons dying, that also there were no mass graves in Baga, and that the investigations revealed that 30 Boko Haram terrorists died, one soldier and some bodies were found in Lake Chad, a few meters away from the scene of the confrontation.

    The report also made it clear that arson is a usual method adopted by the Boko Haram terrorists, and that these Boko Haram terrorists, some of the weapons seized from them included rocket grenades, bombs, AK47s, and a lot of sophisticated weapons. And that in the process, many of the buildings around the area of the confrontation were set on fire by the Boko Haram terrorists.

    It was also made clear that the military command in its investigations was able to establish that there were no mass graves and there was no evidence that so many people died. NEMA pointed out that it has set up its own intervention programme, including units for internally displaced persons. And as at the time that statement was issued, 642 persons had been accommodatedat at the internally displaced persons unit. And also, NEMA made it very clear that the graves that the officials visited, the two major graves in the community, that they could only find a total of just 32 graves.

    In terms of population, Baga is a very small fishing community on the boarder between Nigeria and Chad. And even in terms of the number of houses in that community, you don’t have up to 1,000 houses. So, where was this information coming from that 3,000 houses were burnt, 4,000 houses were torched. So, NEMA concluded also that there has been a lot of misinformation.

    Are you saying Red Cross lied and the Senator that visited Baga and said 228 people died, are you saying he lied?

    The figures that are being around cannot be substantiated, and I’m quoting that line directly from the NEMA report. The NEMA officials were there on the ground, they conducted their investigations, you’re quoting Red Cross, don’t forget that many of the aid workers were claiming that they were not granted access; the same people who said they were not granted access are quoting figures. And NEMA has already debunked that and said that nobody was barred from accessing the community. NEMA was granted access, Red Cross was granted access, and the investigations that NEMA and the defense authority did are the details that I have given you earlier on.

    What about the Senator?

    The question we should ask is: “Did the Senator go to there or was he speaking on the basis on hearsay? Then the question is how did he conduct his own investigations? What empirical evidence does he have? Because we should refrain from relying on gossip or hearsay. And I believe that the senator, am sure the authorities may possibly invite him to provide evidence and to assist in the investigations that are still continuing.

    What about the published satellite image of Baga before and after the incidence. Have you seen the picture?

    Well, I have seen the satellite images that are being circulated. But you know those satellite images are questionable. You know that satellite imagery is determined by a lot of variables: weather condition, the quality of equipment, the resolution, the distance, and all of that. And the military authority have made it very clear that the Nigerian authority have also carried out their own satellite imagery, using Nigeria’s tools. And the evidence that they have is clearly different from the evidence that the Human Rights Watch is talking about.

    In that same Human Rights Watch report, it is claimed that certain persons in the community were interviewed. Where were they interviewed? When? These are questions that you should ask. I mean the same people said they were not granted access, so how did they conduct their interviews? And if they said they conducted their interviews by phone, the report states that communication satellite mast in that community had been damaged by the Boko Haram terrorists, such that at the moment, it’s very difficult to make phone calls to that community.

    And then, of course, it is not impossible if at all anyone was interviewed, you ought to realise that there is a lot of politicking involved in this matter, people are beginning to play politics with it, but the military authority and the Nigerian State has the responsibility to ensure the integrity of the Nigerian state, to ensure that the sovereignty of Nigeria is not violated, and to ensure that terrorists are not allowed to create a state within the state. Because what the authorities are faced with is a situation whereby the terrorists are almost creating an enclave inside the Nigerian territory.

    Are you going to have an independent investigation, apart from the government owned agencies?

    In the statement that I issued on this matter, I made it clear that President Jonathan, welcomed the decision by the National Human Rights Commission to conduct its own independent investigations. And the council of the National Human Rights Commission has already met, and they issued a statement saying that they would carryout independent investigations. Whoever wants to also carryout independent investigations is welcome.

    Historically, Nigerian government is known to downplay figures in incidences like this. So you should understand why people are not believing what the government is saying, do you?

    Well, the government is also concerned that people are playing politics with this Baga incidence, that there is a lot of misinformation out there, and there seems to be a deliberate attempt to give a bad name in order to harm it.

    Killing of innocent civilians by the Nigerian military is nothing new. Former President OlusegunObasanjo had his Odi massacre. President Yar’Adua actually created the modern day Boko Haram after his security agents massacred over 1000 members of Boko Haram. Is Baga President Jonathan’s own massacre? In this new world order where heads of states face charges of crime against humanity for ordering the killing of his own citizens is the president worried about the possibility of facing charges in the International Criminal Court over the activities of the JTF?

    One, the position of the government is that there was no massacre in Baga. Two, the reports by investigators also made it clear that the Boko Haram terrorists were the ones who set houses on fire, and the ones who have turned Baga into an enclave within the Nigerian State. And to the extent that that is true means that the terrorists are determined to violate the sovereignty of Nigeria.

    The investigations that have been carried out by the Nigerian authority are already public material and there is no reason why anyone should play politics talking about international criminal court. I don’t think that that is what we’re dealing with in this situation. But, of course, the National Human Rights Commission is going to carryout its own investigations, President Jonathan has said that the investigations should continue, and that where it can be established that there has been any misdeed or misconduct, that the administration will do everything to ensure that justice is done.

    Will the government allow an international agency to come and look into this incident?

    Yes, whoever wants to come and investigate is welcome. But what we expect is that people will be truthful, and that they will not play politics, or set out to work to a predetermined formula or answer, as seems to be the case at the moment.

    Do you think this will have an impact on the amnesty talk and the goal to see if Boko Haram could be brought into the administration for any kind of negotiation?

    If anything, I think what has happened in Baga again, brought attention to the fact that every step must be taken to bring this terrorist challenge that we have in that part of the country to an end. And the situation that we have on our hands now is that a lot of Nigerians are recommending the amnesty option, and government has set the machinery in motion for this to be considered as an option that can be taken along with other measures that are being adopted.

    So I don’t see it as standing in the way of the measures being taken.

    Did President Jonathan award $40 million contract to an Israeli company to monitor computer, Internet communication by Nigerians? Will some Israelis soon be reading my emails to my grandmother?

    Well, the report that I read indicated that the Israeli company that is being talked about never mentioned Nigeria. It only referred to an unnamed African country. It is the people doing the interpretation who are insisting that it must be Nigeria. I think that those making the claim must be certain that it is Nigeria that is being referred to. And in the reports that I have read, there is no clear indication that the Isreali company talked about Nigeria.

    Are you saying that as far as you know, there was no contract given to this Isrealicompany?

    Well, I am referring to the report on which your question is based, and am saying that the press release on which the stories are based, that press release by the Isreali company never mentioned Nigeria. However, speaking theoretically, you will note that in an age of terrorism, and with the kind of security challenges we have in the world today, many countries have seen the need in combating terrorism to upscale their intelligence gathering methods. And in many of the countries that we like to quote, that we like to refer to, you know for a fact that several methods are taken to monitor what happens in cyber space and to prevent cyber crime, and to ensure that nobody abuses an important medium as the internet. But that is speaking theoretically.

    So, you’re sure that Nigerian government did not give contract to this company?

    Well, I can find out for you, but you know these are security matters. But I have taken note of your request, I will find out.

    The Presidency said that the US report on corruption in Nigeria is exaggerated. That same week, the Senate Public Accounts Committee submitted a report that says that N1.5trillion special accounts funds by the Federal Government was misused from 2002-2012. The three special funds accounts are the Stabilization Account, Ecological Fund Account and the Natural Resources Account. How could that happen?

    Well, that has not been proven, and I don’t know the details of that story. But you know, of course, that often times, some of these things come up, and when they’re properly investigated, they’re found not to be actually accurate. But that story I don’t quite have the details, but I can assure you that allegations of mass corruption, all these are exaggerated. And as we move towards 2015, with which a lot of people seems to be so upset, you’ll keep finding all kinds of stories, which are contrive, and which are being brought forward to public attention just to see if the administration can be discredited. So, there’s a lot of mischief out there.

    This administration has made it very clear that it is committed to good governance, transparency and integrity in all its processes. And many steps are being taken to ensure that these objectives are met, that these objectives are achieved on a sustainable bases. And there has been many cases on a daily basis with clear evidence of the administration dealing with corruption. And I think that the last time that you and I discussed, you know I gave many examples in this regards, including the fact that the fuel subsidy scam was something that was exposed by this administration.

    Two, the fact that political corruption is probably the biggest corruption, and this administration has been dealing with that. Today, we live in a country where people praise election conducted by this administration, as being free and fair. Many elections have been held under President Jonathan’s watch, and there has been no evidence, no indication of interference by the center, or any attempt as was the case in the past by anybody at the center to impose his will on the will of Nigerians. This President is committed to free and fair elections, electoral process that is very high in terms of integrity.

    Look at what the administration is also doing in terms of the ports, you know, getting the ports cleared of all the toll gates that people have erected there. Look at what is being done in terms of even double-checking and making sure that people who are working for the government are properly documented. Look at what has been done in the agric sector, the same agric sector in this country that was defined by sheer scam, fertilizer scam, tractor scam; all of that has changed, and a lot is still changing. But the opposition in Nigeria will like to keep concocting stories trying to embarrass the government and claiming that the government is not fighting corruption.

    The truth of the matter is that this government is committed to the fight against corruption.

    What happened to the buses we were promised when the government removed subsidy?

    You know that after removal of partial subsidy that occurred in 2012, following the protest, government immediately set up the Sure-P Committee. The Sure-P Committee is a body set up to monitor how the savings are spent. I’ve heard a number of people talking about projects by Sure-P. it is actually an oversight body working with the project implementation units in the various ministries. And what government did was to outline and publish all the activities that Sure-P would oversee. And Dr. Christopher Kolade, who is the head of that committee, has given reports again and again and again.

    One of the programs under Sure-P has been the, empowerment at the level of maternal and child healthcare. Before December last year, almost about 4,000 health workers were engaged and sent to different parts of the country, focusing specifically on the issue of maternal and child health.

    On the issue of employment, under Sure-P we have what is called the graduate internship scheme, to which over 13,000 Nigerian companies signed up. And by December last year, over 100,000 Nigerian graduates were already being placed in various companies and that number has even gone up this year.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Thorny road to NGF chair election

    Thorny road to NGF chair election

    The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chairmanship election is expected to hold this month. A major contender is the incumbent chairman, Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is having a running battle with the Presidency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NACA) and a section of the polarised Rivers State House of Assembly. Will Amaechi weather the storm or  will he be defeated by the forces opposed to him? EMMANUEL OLADESU and AUGUSTINE AVWODE examine the protracted crisis rocking the NGF and implications for its future.

    This month is critical to the future of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF). The 36 governors are warming up for the forum’s chairmanship election. But, unlike the previous poll, the contest is not beiong aproached as a friendly.

    The NGF is polarised into the pro-Amaechi and anti-Amaechi factions. Majority of the governors are said to be backing the Rivers State governor. But the Presidency, which is believed to be uncomfortable with his leadership of the forum, is trying to raise another aspirant to slug it out with him. The battle became more fierce last month, with the pro and anti-Amaechi elements returning to the drawing board to perfect their antagonistic scheming strategies to have a upper hand. Following the forum’s rancorous meeting in Abuja, the election was postponed.

    Amaechi is battling to retain the seat. When the election was postponed, it was evident that those opposed to him have not mustered the majority support required to frustrate his second term bid as the NGF chairman. The 10 northern governors who are opposed to President Goodluck Jonathan’s choice were backing Amaechi. But it cannot be ascertained now whether his critics have recruited more antagonists for the leadership of the forum.

    The gathering storm

    Amaechi is in the eye of the storm. The first move against him after the last NGF’s meeting was strategic. Posters announcing the presidential ambition of Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, with Amaechi as his running mate, flooded the Northern States to stir up emotions and sentiments against the duo within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and create disaffection among party followers. The posters, which were sighted in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, Bauchi, and Benue states, may have been released to blackmail Amaechi and weaken his popularity in the NGF and the newly inaugurated PDP Governors’ Forum led by his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Chief Godswill Akpabio.

    Amaechi’s relationship with President Jonathan turned sour, when he openly criticised the federal government’s transformation agenda. Under his leadership, the NGF had confronted the President over critical issues germane to true federalism. NGF objected to the formula for revenue allocation and the controversial Sovereign Wealth Fund.

    The government has also turned the heat on the NGF chairman. Recently, at the Akure Airport, his plane was grounded for allegedly violating aviation rules. Many believed that the problem was aggravated by the existing cold relationship between the governor and the President. Now, the Rivers State House of Assembly has affirmed the plot to remove Amaechi from office. Already, the ruling party is in turmoil in Rivers State. There are two parallel executive committees fighting for the soul of the party. So far, the party executive allegedly backed by the Presidency is having the upper hand. The game plan is to frustrate the governor’s senatorial bid and ensure that he does not hand over to a candidate of his choice in 2015.

    But the Rivers State governor has not been deserted by many governors. Sources close to him disclosed that since his plane was grounded and the impeachment plot thickened, many of them have called to solidarise with him. “The governors are with the NGF chairman and some of them have advised him not to reply his Abuja critics on the pages of newspapers,” said the source.

    NGF’s growing influence

    The NGF is not recognised by the 1999

    Constitution. But governors have used

    the forum as a platform for the ventilation of grievances against the defective federal structure. Under the umbrella, the governors, who have been described as provincial oppressors, have challenged the Presidency to a duel by going to the court for judicial interpretation of presidential actions and moves.

    The membership of the association is voluntary. Its resolutions and decisions are advisory and not binding. But the NGF cannot be ignored by any politician. Observers believe that it is a potent force in the polity. In the past, the body derived its strength from its unity and cohesion.

    Critics of NGF

    The NGF lacks a legal backing, although it thrives on the exercise of the freedom of association by its members. Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, who antiaged what he said as the excesses of the NGF chairman, pointed out that the body has been used to feather personal nests. In his view, the forum may have exceeded its bounds as a mechanism for peer review.

    Critics of the NGF have observed that the governors had grown wings. A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi Central District), berated the governors for frustrating the constitution amendment process. He pointed out that despite the clamour for the local government autonomy, the governors are averse to it.

    A PDP elder and former Education Minister, Prof. Jibril Aminu, alleged that the governors were exercising sweeping powers. He described the NGF as an oppressive body, whose wing should be clipped.

    Another PDP backer, Chief Edwin Clark, a prominent Ijaw leader and former Information Minister, flayed the governors for oppressing the President. He said their virulent attacks were unwarranted. He pointed out that the governors have tacitly supported corruption by not speaking against the corrupt activities of their colleagues.

    Governors/federal legislators feud

    From 1999 to date, there has been tension between many governors and federal legislators from their states. The governors, who are locked in the battle for the control of the party machinery in their states, have labeled the lawmakers as “Abuja politicians”, who are not conversant with the situation at home. The senators and House of Representatives members also frown at the growing powers of the governors. The governors are the party leaders in the states and they decide who gets what, how and when. Party faithful worship them as thin gods. The party’s executive committees at the ward, council and state levels are created in the governors’ image.

    During elections, National Assembly members who are not in the good book of some governors may miss being nominated by the party. Many legislators have also complained that their influence has been cut by the governors in their constituencies. Any legislator who criticises the government’s activities may be labelled as the enemy of the governor, with severe consequences for his political career.

    Governors and godfatherism

    Since the aborted Third Repub-

    lic, governors have assumed the

    status of godfathers. They dictated to the Houses of Assembly and ensured that the Speakers were under their armpits. President Jonathan was sensitive to the governors’ awesome powers when he requested them to nominate candidates for ministerial slots. That special privilege, which enraged the ruling party, further increased the powers and influence of the state party leaders, to the detriment of those outside their camps.

    The privilege was abused by some governors. They ended up nominating cronies who ultimately serve as liaison officers in the federal cabinet. The ministers who have performed creditably became threats to the governors in their states. The constant rivalry between the governors and ministers over their antagonistic political ambitions has generated more tension and confusion in the ruling PDP. In many PDP states, the party has often been polarised into the camps of governors and federal lawmakers. When the two factions struggle for the soul of the party in the state, the party has always ended up as the main casualty. Ahead of the primaries that heralded the general elections, PDP states boiled over the contest for supremacy between governors and National Assembly members on one hand and governors and ministers on the other.

    Power loaded governors

    As the party leaders, governors are at a vantage position to manipulate the primaries to favour themselves or their anointed candidates.

    In many states, the Houses of Assembly work as an appendage of the executive. The governor decides who emerges as the Speaker. Except in Lagos State, most governors loathe the idea of a fully independent legislature, supported by the House of Assembly Service Commission. Governors also determine, in many instances, who becomes members of the Houses of Assembly, Representatives and Senate.

    A political scientist, Boniface Ayodele, said the hands of the governors are also heavy on the local governments. “They are afraid to conduct council elections. They prefer to set up caretaker committees composed by their lackeys and cronies”, said the Ekiti State University don. In fact, some governors interfere in local chieftaincy tussles and insist on the candidature of their friends and associates for traditional thrones. “Governors are too powerful. The problem is that there is no one to tame them in their states, not even the parliament”, Ayodele added.

    Governors as state

    party leaders

    In the Second Republic, governors were regarded as primus inter pares by the members of the executive councils they presided upon as chief executives. In that previous era, governors could not isolate themselves from the pack of democrats who constituted their teams. The new breed, who came on the stage in the Third Republic, were not rooted in the democratic culture of earlier period, which thrived on internal democracy, constructive dialogue and wide consultation. In that era, which was generally regarded as an era of strong political culture, party supremacy was upheld and governors, ministers, commissioners, special advisers and state and federal parliamentarians were bound by party constitutions, directives, guidelines, rules and regulations. The late Kwara State kingpin, Dr. Olusola Saraki, who , alluded to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) caucuses, submitted that these elected functionaries knew their limits because the party was supreme.

    The beat changed in 1999. Immediately the governors stabilised in their offices, the buck, henceforth, stopped on their tables. During the second term of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, governors were instrumental to the nomination of scores of politicians for ministerial positions. The formula employed for their selection was devoid of equity. Those who had scores to settle with the governors were denied the opportunity, despite their qualifications, competence and service to the party.

    Also, in 2007, governors were completely in charge. Only the candidates endorsed by them made the ministerial list. The governors also instructed the senators from their states to ensure that they scale through the screening hurdles in the Upper Chamber. A few of them who were lucky to be appointed by the President without consultation and involvement of the governors soon fell out of favour with the governors and the party at the state level. Lagos politician Isiaka Adekunle-Ibrahim, said governors grew wings because of the weakness of the country’s political culture. “The Governors Forum, as we have seen, is a powerful and influential political bloc. They are so powerful in the PDP and many of them used to have their ways, no matter the odds”, he said.

    NGF’s origin

    For a body that is not only elitist

    but also has less than 40 in num

    ber, nobody expects that the the NGF would be this polarised. The Forum’s website says it all. The mission of the Forum is to: “ provide a common platform for collaboration amongst the Executive Governors on matters of public policy; to promote good governance, sharing of good practice and enhance cooperation at the state level and with other arms of government and society”.

    The NGF is a “coalition of the elected governors of the country’s 36 states. It is a non-partisan association which seeks to promote unity, good governance, better understanding and co-operation among the states and ensure a healthy and beneficial relationship between the States and other tiers of government”.

    The body was registered in 1999 under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, (CAMA), 1990.

    From that time, the NGF has been led by five governors. It started with the former governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu. He piloted the affairs of the body from inception in 1999 to 2004. He was succeeded by former Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Victor Attah who led it from 2004 to 2006. Next to chair the Forum was former Edo State Governor Chief Lucky Igbinedion. He led it from 2006 to 2007. Thereafter, former Kwara State Governor Senator Bukola Saraki took over the mantle of leadership. He was there for the whole four years. The incumbent Chairman, Amaechi, took over in 2011. Whether he would serve a second tenure would be decided this month when his first tenure ends on May 26.

    Drama as of old

    This present drama about leadership succession in the forum is not the first of its kind. In 2011, a similar drama rocked the Forum as it sought to pick a new chairman. That drama

    was laced with political intrigues tied to the 2011 presidential election.

    Former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, who had been named as the new chairman of the Forum was removed in a dramatic fashion. His ‘overthrow’ was said have been engineered by some Northern presidential aspirants who thought they could not trust him.

    The presidential aspiration of former Governor Saraki had led to the announcement of Daniel as the NGF chairman. But a section of the Forum would not have any of those measures described as “undemocratic”. It was alleged that the PDP hijacked the process of naming a successor and mandated Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam to announce Daniel’s appointment. The battle for things to be done right was champinoned by Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola.

    Fashola had maintained that the process adopted in selecting Daniel was an affront to the country’s quest for a viable democracy.

    “Some members of the Governors Forum have acted in an undemocratic way. The question of who leads the forum must be a democratic process.

    “It bothers me as the single national agenda in the country today is free and fair elections, but members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have chosen to usurp and subvert the will and decision of 36 governors, only 10 of them sat down to elect a new leader.”

    He had an ally in Ekiti State Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi, who argued that it was improper for any governor to be imposed on the Forum which covers the whole country by a single party – the PDP.

    Those who opposed Daniel’s emergence hinged their position on the fact that he could use his position to the advantage of President Goodluck Jonathan. Daniel was coordinating Jonathan’s Presidential campaign in the Southwest then.

    No to external influence

    The desire for a forum that is

    not attached to the whims and

    caprices of a ruling party could be said to be the major reason Daniel faced such a stiff opposition and was eventually pushed aside. From all indications, the forum wants to be free from the apron string of any political party. This is exactly what will make the election very interesting.

    Already, a new body, the PDP Governors Forum, has emerged since February 25 with Akpabio as chairman. Since 1999 when the Nigeria governors forum was formed, whoever led the forum had always served as coordinator of an informal association of PDP governors. This has since changed, with the emergence of Akpabio who now has a clear cut brief to lead PDP governors.

    PDP Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, described the formation of the PDP Governors Forum as borne out of “necessity”. The PDP Governor Forum will no doubt go into the election with its own agenda. Interestingly, not all the governors on the platform of the PDP are in agreement with the formation of the party’s separate forum. It has been generally interpreted that the move was to weaken the larger body and force PDP’s agenda down the throat of others.

    In the same vein, governors on the platform of major opposition parties have sent a strong signal that they are ready to work together for a better country. Though still in its budding stage, the governors of the proposed All Progressives Congress (APC) demonstrated their togetherness recently when they visited the hot bed of the Boko Haram insurgency. Observers say there are apparently about three or more factions that will be going into the election whenever they are ready to conduct it and that each ‘group’ will fight to protect its own interest. Though Akpabio has assured that the PDP Governors Forum would not do any harm to the main body, not many people believe it. But the major question is: can the NGF elect its chairman without any external interference?