The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • ‘Akpabio never rigged senatorial poll’

    ‘Akpabio never rigged senatorial poll’

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio has said that he did not rig the last senatorial poll for Senator Alloysius Etok, who represents Ikot Ekpene. He also denied imposing him on the people of the district.

    The governor said that the senator emerged as the respresentative of the people without violating the due process.

    The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, said in a statement that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presented Senator Alloysius Etok as the best candidate for the 2007 election in the zone.

    He recalled that, since the Ini/Ikono, a minority part of the district, had never produced a senator, the party hierarchy, in the spirit of fairness and equity, supported Etok for the seat.

    Umanah said that the governor was being vilified by those misusing the social media network. He enjoined well-meaning individuals and groups to ignore the attempt of mischief makers to malign the person and office of the governor.

    The commissioner also urged the media to verify their information before publishing them as news.

    He added: “The governor said that he made Alloy to become the senator in 2007. This requires explanation so that people don’t think that he wrote his name and he became a senator, no. During the primaries of the PDP, the party zoned the senate to his federal constituency, and from his federal constituency, he emerged first in the primaries. That was what happened in the PDP. So, the leaders said that, since he was the first among the people who came from his federal constituency for the primaries, he must be the one to become the senator. And after that the leaders presented him to the public in the general election and he won. And in 2011, with the governor’s support, he had the highest vote in the entire country”.

     

  • Yero’s turbulent 100 days in office

    Yero’s turbulent 100 days in office

    Alhaji Mukhtar Yero was sworn in as the governor of Kaduna State on December 16, 2012, following the death of Governor Patrick Yakowa in a helicopter crash. In this report, Correspondent Tony Akowe examines his 100 days in office.

     

    He woke up on December 14 as the deputy governor of Kaduna State. He went to the office of his boss, the late Governor Patrick Yakowa, for a briefing. The governor told him that he was travelling to Bayelsa State. That was the end. Yakowa died in a helicopt crash. Barely 24 hours later, on December 15, 2012, the mantle of leadership fell on him. Alhaji Muktar Yero was sworn in as the governor.

    The former deputy governor was catapulted to the front seat by fate. He ceased to be the spare tyre. In a twinkle of an eye, the burden of managing the complex state fell on his shoulders. He had no premonition of what destiny had in stock for him. But as Yero inherited power, he also inherited its burden.

    Analysts argue that the governor has been a lucky politician from the onset. When he was appoined as commissioner, he did not expect it. He was more surprised when he was selected as the deputy governor three years ago. What has sustained is his cautious attitude. Both as commissioner and deputy governor, Yero was fiercely loyal to his boss. He was a dependable aide, in whom Yakowa was well pleased.

    In his first 100 days, the challenges were undaunting. Kaduna politics is often shaped by the tension triggered by ethnicity and religion. So far, Yero has succeeded in managing the centrifugal forces. He has maintained the image of the governor of all in the state. His tenure has been crisis-free. The governor has not created problem for himself by any false step.

    Traditional rulers, politicians and other stakeholders have given him support because he had carried them along. Many also believe that he is still learning on the job. He has shunned pressures to disband the state executive council and appoint fresh blood. His relations with the opposition is also cordial. Although critics have accussed him of being slow, his supporters said that cautious approach has prevented him from making mistakes that are unpardonable. Yero has continued with the programmes of his former boss. Thus, he has also earned the trust and loyalty of Yakowa’s supporters.

    Yero assumed the reins when the financial year was about to end. It was a period when government and the private sector were taking stock for the year. The state government had just presented its budget and winding up for the year. It took another two months for the budget to be passed by the House of Assembly.

    Before he came into the office, many contracts had been awarded by the government. Though Yero promised on assumption of office that he would carry on with Yakowa’s programmes, not many people believed him. However, he has kept faith with them, thereby assuring the people that his government is the continuation of the Yakowa Administration.

    Yero has disbursed monies approved by Yakowa for the victims of the post-election violence in the state. He has distributed operational vehicles to the state security outfit, ‘Operation Yaki’. He has given money to the victims of the flood disaster.

    Governor Yero has reiterated his determination to return Kaduna State to its glorious past when the residents lived freely in any part of the state without fear of attack, irrespective of their religious inclinations. Ethnic and religious crises had divided Kaduna metropolis along the lines of Christianity and Islam. The Christians live predominantly in the southern part of the metropolis and the Muslims live in the northern part.

    But how far these efforts will go, is left to be imagined. The failure of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee to submit its report to the government may have created a wrong impression in the mind of the public. Sources close to the committee disclosed that there is a lot of suspicion among the members of the committee.

    Some of the members have been quoted as saying that there is a hidden agenda. A source close to the committee told The Nation that , though there was no disagreement among members during their sitting, suspicion had set in shortly after some members were asked to correct some observed errors in the final report, which was ready before the Yakowa’s death.

    The source said: “Forget the talk about disagreement. I can tell you that there was no disagreement among the members. If you must know, the report was ready and was to be presented to the former governor before he died. We delayed the presentation because there are minor corrections to be done and we nominated eight members-four Muslims and four Christians- to do the corrections.

    “They were on it when Yakowa died and they abandoned the work. Eventually, the corrections were done and we are ready for presentation anytime the governor wants it.

    “Unfortunately, there has been suspicion among members, with the strongest suspicion coming from the Muslim members. The committee started with about 70 members. Some have died and others have left and the number came down to about 45. When we came to present the report, some members did not come, apparently not knowing whether they would be required to sign the report before the presentation.

    “While the governor was meeting with the co-chairmen in his office, we managed to get many of the members to sign, and by the time they came down to join us, over 30 members have signed. But we had to shift the presentation to allow time for those who are yet to sign to do so”.

    This suspicion has adversely affected peaceful coexistence in the state, which the committee was meant to address. The committee, which was inaugurated by the late Yakowa comprised eminent citizens and opinion leaders. If the members of the committee cannot remove the suspicion among themselves, it is left to be seen how their recommendations can bring about peace and reconciliation in the state.

    However, the failure of the governor to constitute his own cabinet is seen by many as a weakness on his part. There are those who believe that he is being tele-guided on the choice of cabinet members. But others believe that he is only buying time and making wide consultation before selecting his cabinet. It has been alleged that on two occassions, he had discarded a list of possible cabinet members because the list became public knowledge before they finished work on it.

    This could not be independently verified as at the time of writing this report. Be that as it may, the fact that Yero has worked in the last 100 days with the same commissioners he accused of looking down on him and had no respect for him when he served as the deputy governor is a clear indication that he has a large heart and he is ready to accommodate all shades of ideas and opinions.

    In the last 100 days, Yero has received lots of criticism by those who felt that he has a separate agenda from what he inherited from Yakowa. While the House was yet considering the state budget submitted to it by late Yakowa, the state was awash with claims that Yero had withdrawn the budget and replaced it with his own.

    Those who made the claim attributed the delay in passing the budget to the withdrawal. But as it turned out, the budget was passed as presented by Yakowa, with the Assembly making a few additions, which is their constitutional right.

    The issue of security is of paramount importance to every governor and Yero is no exemption. One of his first moves was to immediately release operational vehicles to security agents in the state. The state has been calm. Except for the attack by unknown gunmen in villages in Birnin Gwari and Zangon Kataf, the state has been free from any form of violence since he assumed office. However, the governor has a very big task ahead of him to ensure that the security agencies are kept on their toes to avoid any unfortunate incidence in the state in the days ahead.

     

  • ‘Women are being short-changed’

    ‘Women are being short-changed’

    House of Representatives member Mrs Rafeequat Onabamiro (Badagry Constituency) is the Vice Chairman, Committee on Women in Parliament. In this interview with Musa Odoshimokhe, she speaks on women marginalisation in politics and other issues.

     

    How have you been grappling with the activities of the House, since you became a member?

    As a first timer in the House, you just need to lie low and listen more than talking in order to learn the how things are done in the House. You may eventually use the first year as a learning process. This will enable you to know how to lobby and push your bills. In the United State, and I think in Britain also, first timers usually don’t get up to talk in the House. What they do is to learn. It is like a body of school where you get to know how proper lawmaking is inculcated. Though that may not necessarily be the case here ,but I have taken my time to study, learn and I am still learning and so far, it has being good. I have equally being making my impact in the House, though we are learning in the process.

    As the Vice Chairman Committee on Women in Parliament, could you shed light on the committee’s activities?

    Though our committee is responsible for the women in parliament, notwithstanding, issues affecting women have not completely been taken off our shelves. You should also remember that we have a Committee on Women Affairs that deals directly with the Ministry of Women Affairs. That also deals with the issues concerning women generally. What we do affect women generally, apart from those in the parliament. For instance, two weeks ago, I was at the United Nations in New York on issues that boarder on the abuse of women, children and gender violence. When parliamentarians go for Inter-parliamentary sessions, they usually invite us in order to look at the whole challenges facing women and how we can get the best living condition for our women and children.

    How would you assess women participation in politics?

    We have been short-changed in a lot of ways, we have been cheated for so long. There are lots of very smart women out there; very hardworking good administrators. I am talking of women who have made their marks in all facets, women who have excelled in businesses and who can handle government businesses at all levels. Some of them have been in the political scene for quite sometimes now. With due reference to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Okonjo-Eweala, the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar and other women of repute are good examples. These women have found themselves in leadership positions and have excelled. I want to say that the men just refuse to recognise the fact that there are good women out there and they are very smart and intelligent. They are ready to work. They are not waiting for any man to do any thing for them before they prove their worth. They are go-getter; whatever they are determined to achieve, they go all for it. By and large, we have not been given our fair share in the areas of business, not even in politics. The men have taken over almost everything. The men have been there much longer. I want to say that almost all the deciding roles are in their hands. So, it is like whatever we have to forcefully take from men is what we have, but we will get there.

    Is this marginalisation peculiar to Nigeria?

    I am afraid that we have not been well favoured politically in this country. In other countries, women have had the opportunities to become the President or Prime-Minister. They have made much impact in such countries. They have done very well and have earned the confidence of their people. I don’t know why Nigerian men are afraid of allowing us to take such positions. There are women who can do extremely well in this country as President, governors. And incidentally, when we have our first female governor in Nigeria, Dame Virginia Etiaba, she proved a success in Anambra State. She made it clear that we could handle the position successfully. I know there are lots of women who can take up that position, if they are given the chance to do so.

    You have often lamented the bad nature of the Lagos/Badadry Express Way. Has your effort paid off?

    I raised a motion on the floor of the House in December last year about the condition of the road. My agitation was that the Christmas was approaching and many people would use the road. Goods would be moved on that road from Benin Republic and other West African countries to Nigeria. I was appalled by the accidents that normally occur on the road at the festive period and the terrible traffic snarl. This had led to lost of lives and goods that I can’t quantify. The matter was reported to the Ministry of Works and the Federal Roads Management Agency (FERMA). The Lagos State government, during the period, came to Badagry and saw the road. It was noted that the road was in a deplorable condition and Lagos State government immediate moved in to give palliative measures. As soon as Lagos State government moved in to start work, the federal government came and said it was a federal road. That is what they have always done from the beginning. If you look back, when the former Minister of Works, Adeseye Ogunlewe, was there, it was the same story. It is a federal road, but you have to maintain it. This is an international road and it should not be crippled by politics. The road should be a showpiece of Nigeria’s developmental drive and there is no reason why the road should be like that. The economic viability of Badagry squarely rests on the road and when the road is better, the people will enjoy economic prosperity and Nigeria generally will reap from it.

    Is the House comfortable with the security situation in the country?

    You must realise that we are not comfortable with what is happening in the country. If you follow this House, it has shown everybody clearly that we know what we are doing. We have set agenda for ourselves and it is not business as usual. We are there to perform our function and not just there to rubberstamp what the executive pushes out. We prove this during the fuel subsidy crisis; if not for the bribery issue that came up, our stand was clear. But the government again is not sincere. Something should be done with some decisions taken. But so far Nigerians are still waiting. Take the issue of power; we still do not have enough electricity in this country despite the huge investment in the sector. Most industries and people depend on generators which they maintained at high cost. How much profit margin do these companies make that they must spend on generators? We ought to have advanced beyond the use of generators because we have crude oil. We have refineries that are not working. What kind of economy are we running? We have all its takes to succeed in the country and I want to say if APC form the next government, things will definitely change. Look at the states that are governed by ACN, things are happening there. Give us the chance at the federal level things will change for this country.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘APC ’ll fight to the end’

    ‘APC ’ll fight to the end’

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed spoke with JEREMIAH OKE on the All Progressives Congress (APC), its prospects, manifestos and challenges ahead.

    How will the All Progressives Congress (APC) overcome the registration hurdle?

    Neither the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) nor the merger parties have any precedence to follow. Clearly, in the political history of Nigeria, so far, this is the first time we are having a merger of two or three political parties. What we had before was an alliance. So, with that, we can understand why there is so much misconception, controversy and noise. We are on the right course, on the track. We are following the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in all our dealings. So, we refuse to be intimidated. If political parties want to merge, they will write a letter to the INEC of their intention to merge and in that way, they will be able to reserve their name. There is no provision in the electoral act or constitution, which says we must write a letter of intention or they should reserve a name. However, the relevant provision for merger is stated in the Section 84 of the Electoral Act as amended. It says that, if any two political parties want to merge, they shall give the commission 90 days notice of their intention to do so before the general election.

    What it means is that, if you give the notice of your intention to merge less than 90 day before the general election, such a merger cannot be accepted. However, the defining provision in the Section 84, Sub-Section 3 says: “a written request of the merger shall be send to the chairman of the commission jointly signed by the national chairmen, secretaries, and the treasurers of the different political parties proposing a merger and shall be accompany by a special resolution passed at the National convention of the political parties proposing to merge and approving the merger. The proposed full name and the acronym, logo or symbol, constitution, manifestoes and the address of the national body of the party and evidence of payment of the party.

    The law is very clear that the party that want to merge, must first consider the consensus agreement that they want to merge. After that they must sit down and decide on the name, the logo, the manifesto and the constitution of the new party and other conditions they want to adopt. After that, they will now go and call for the convention of their various political parties to get a clear resolution because the convention of the party is just like the annual general meeting of the organisation which is the highest body in any organization. Now, from that resolution, you will now write a letter signed by the National Chairman, secretary and the treasurer of the party that they want to merge if the name they agreed upon is not contrary to the law of the land. What we have done is to follow the law to the latter as the issue of the merger is concerned. But we must make a distinction between the process of the registration of a new party and the process of merger because they are two different process and the procedure are very different in the electoral act and they are governed by the constitution of federal republic of Nigeria. In the case of registering a party, you go to INEC and pick a form; you fill the form meanwhile the procedure for merger is more complex than that because it involves more interest, more people than party registration. So, by the provision of the law, it is very easy to ambush or frustrate a merger. People have been asking why we have to blame INEC since we have not written a formal letter before another group signifies interest in the same acronym, which we have adopted. But I tell them that the issue is far from that because on February 6, when we agreed to merge, we held a world press conference, at the press conference, we informed the whole world our intention to merge. We told them that we have adopt the name called All Progressive Congress, and INEC also reacted to it through its spoke person that they have heard that we want to become one political party and we must fulfill all the condition required by law. Although, we have not informed them formally, INEC has the constructive knowledge and our motive on our intention to come together.

    APC is made up of three political parties. How can rancor be avoided during the selection of the members of the National Executive Committee of the party?

    The first thing we all agreed upon at the first meeting of the merger was that there shall not be any conditionality. The only thing behind this merger is the resolution of the three political parties that we want to rescue and savage this nation from the PDP. Before we entered the merger negotiation, we have agreed that everybody must drop his ambition, ego and self-centeredness to make proper negotiation and that is why it is possible for us in less than six weeks to achieve more than half of the merger procedure. Sincerely speaking, it is not easy for three political parties, which have been competing against themselves in the past 14 years, to come together and form a merger. But we are able to do so because we are more concerned by the future of this nation. For you to know that it is not that easy, we have to set up different committees on constitution, logo, manifesto and even acronym. In six weeks, they submitted their report. It is a phenomenal achievement. I don’t see myself in this merger because of material gain. So also all other members of the merger. On the issue of who want to be this, who wants to be that, I can assure you that the party will handle it effectively without any rancor, since it is meant to savage this nation.

    How can the differences that have marked the parties out be resolved?

    We have taken care of that in our manifesto. This manifesto is a product of very intensive consultation by members of the three merging parties. What we did for each committee was that each party nominated five members in the party to be among the different committees and after thorough examination of the different manifestos in the world. They sat down and decided on what is going to be the vision and the focus of APC. In the manifesto, there is something we called a cardinal program of the party, which will be the core program that must be executed by the APC government, either at the federal, state, or local level, irrespective of whether they are from the North, East, or west. For instance, the issue of no tolerance for corruption will apply to every government under the APC. The issue of internal security, protection of lives and properties must apply by all governments under the platform of the party. Youth empowerment will be given priority. Housing and power will also be given priority. After that, each state depending on the peculiar reality and situation will now determine what their people need. For instance; if you talk about ecology, while the problem in the South might be erosion, flooding, the problem in the North could be gully erosion or other problem.

    How can APC dislodge the PDP?

    There is going to be an explosion in the PDP. They are no more on ground. For instance, they held a reconciliation meeting and their key people did not attend. Let me give you some of the headlines: “ Tambuwal, Kwankwanso shun meeting”. “Obasanjo, Oyinlola fail to appear”. ‘In the Southsouth Amaechi walks out of meeting’. I think it is the people that give credibility to the PDP. PDP is imploding. PDP is not what it used to be. The governors in the party are at war with their chairmen. It was the serious crisis within the PDP that led to the creation of the PDP Governors’Forum. As we are talking now, virtually all the states are having serious crisis with the national secretariat of the PDP. In Ogun State, for instance, they have sacked all the Obasanjo people there. In Adamawa State, Nyako and Bamanga Tukur are at war.The most important thing is that the PDP has been in power for 14 years and they failed to give dividends of democracy to Nigerians. Epileptic power supply, our roads are death trap, mounting youth unemployment, graduate unemployment, kidnapping, Boko Haram insurgency, health centre are death centre. Tell me what will make any rational being to vote for the so the PDP. Do you think our people are not tired of this suffering?

    But the PDP is threatening to capture the Southwest…

    They have been saying that for a very long time. Obasanjo vacated his sit in 2007 to come and superintend election in Lagos State. In 2003, he did the same thing. Were they able to get Lagos? On the contrary, they lost Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Osun. You see their leader should be able to show people that, in my state where I control, this is the thing our people are benefiting. The PDP has nothing to show for it. Let themcontinue to threaten and if they are threatening from today till 100 years to come, our people will never vote for them. Yes, it is true that we are making some rules, policies and laws that may seem to be inconveniencing our people, but look at the long-time benefit of the policy. People are saying that Lagos State banned okada rider, and I asked them, is Lagos State not better than what we used to have in the past, in terms of crime? Lagos State want to add value to my life and your life because they are constructing more roads, buying more busses. Lagos State is not the only State that had banned okada. The aftermath of the BokoHaram in Kano was also responsible for the banning of okada in Kano. We realised that most of the crimes are committed by the okada riders. Police research has shown that most of the armed robbery is okada -assisted. Two weeks ago, a boy was shot from okada in Lagos State University. I can tell you that we are have responsive governments in ACN and that is why we are there for the people to make their lives more better.

    Can APC sustain the tempo to the end?

    We have drawn the battle line with the PDP government and have you ever seen anybody in the water and complaining of cold? No surrender, no retreat. We are going to fight the political battle till the end to save this nation from the bad governance. The core leadership of ACN can never be intimidated. We are very confident that the people of this nation will also support us till the end because the battle is for them.

    What are the manifestos of the APC?

    We cover factually all the spares of life. From environment to industrialisation, to housing. We intend to build a million houses in a year. When you create a million houses in a year, you can see that you are creating additional jobs for our people. We intend to construct 26 killometers of rail every month when the facilities are there on ground. So, we believe that, with a proper leadership, which we want to provide in APC, we can regain our lost glory.

    There is this speculation that General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) is going to be the flag bearer of the APC and the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Tinubu, will be his running mate. How true it this?

    Nigeria has the most advanced rumor industry in the whole world and it is so vibrant to the extent that even you the actor on the subject matter will begin to doubt yourself. Like I said before, we entered the merger negotiation without any conditionality, not even the chairman of the party. We are focused on getting the party registered, compiling our manifesto, constitution, logo and other important things. We don’t want to be distracted by the rumor of who wants to be the flag bearer or the running mate. The constitution of our party is very clear on how to choose our leaders. No cause for alarm.

    What informed your recent statement that the economy was about to colllapse?

    Yes, it is true I said that, if care is not taken, the economy may crash in few years’ time. For instance, in 2002, a barrel of crude oil was four dollars. In 2005, it went to seven dollars. In 2007, it was $12 and today, it is $35. Out of the $35, 16 goes for security. They said Nigeria looses six billion dollars in a year through oil theft and what it gained through the amnesty programme, we are losing to the oil theft. I said Nigeria is not investing in exploration. The discovery of gas and oil is making America less depending on our oil. They came out that what I said was a false calculation and all sorts of things, but the following day, Shell came out to confirm that they looses 60 barrel of oil a day to the oil theft. They said that it is possible that by 2014, America will stop buying oil from us. Shell has stop production in some areas because of insecurity and oil theft. So, help me ask them who is lying? Is it me or the federal government? Let them come out and tell me they don’t produce at N35 per barrel. This government is always trying to defend what is open to the whole world and the fact is that the economy is not getting better. If the economy is better, why is the level of unemployment increasing by the day?

    What is your reaction to the state pardon granted to former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha?

    No comment.

  • ‘My ordeal has to do with 2015’

    ‘My ordeal has to do with 2015’

     Imo State politician Jude Agbaso was impeached as the deputy governor by the House of Assembly last week, following the report of the panel of enquiry, which found him guilty of the allegations of bribery. Agbaso denied the bribery allegations and urged the anti-graft bodies to investigate the matter. JOSEPH JIBUEZE met him in Lagos before the impeachment proceedings.

    To what can you attribute your current ordeal?

    This whole situation is about who will be the governor of Imo State in 2015. If you recall, I had said also that, to my knowledge, there is a subsisting agreement between my elder brother, Chief Martin Agbaso, and the governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, that the governor would run single term tenure. Thereafter, he would hand over to the people of Owerri zone; that he would support someone from there. Every information that is available to me has pointed in this direction. There is effort being made, truly and factually, to tarnish the brand of Agbaso, to preclude it from the forthcoming election in Imo State. That is my honest belief. The heart of the matter is the politics of 2015.

    What is the source of your wealth?

    Going into government didn’t make me a well-off person. I have very minimal income from the government. If anybody is making such insinuation, it is really sad. It saddens me that somebody would think that. And for your information, I declared my assets before I became the deputy governor. I am open to investigation.

    What is the proof that you are innocent?

    I have said that these companies must be known at the Corporate Affairs Commission. Therefore, they can be investigated. We are working seriously towards getting that information and making it available. Also, the information about these companies is in the banks. Their information is at GTBank and UBA where they said these sums of money have been paid in. We’re also making effort to get at them.

    What is your reaction to the move by the House of Assembly to impeach you?

    I think, ab initio, the Imo State House of Assembly should have caused the investigative authorities and vest them with the relevant information to investigate this matter, to establish a link between me and these companies, to find out and trace where these monies have gone to, and to see if they have gotten into my pocket or if there is any link before they went to town with their accusations.

    I know for a fact, as God lives, that eventually we’ll get to the bottom of the matter. It is irrelevant whether the Imo State House of Assembly continues with the impeachment or does not continue with the impeachment. What is paramount in my heart and what is paramount in my head also is to make sure that I clear my name from these false accusations that have been leveled against me. At my disposal are the law courts. At my disposal are avenues of going to the police or relevant authorities to make sure that I get justice.

    What is your position on your governor’s romamce with the APC?

    As I said before, when the APC gets registered as a political party, then the platform will be open to me as it will be open to all Nigerians whether to join or not.

    The contractor has maintained that he gave you bribe…

    The barrage of misinformation that is being fed members of the public, especially members of my constituency from Imo State is the allegation that I received bribe money from the contract, JPros Nigeria Nigeria Ltd. It has become important that I must continue to state my innocence; that I must continue to tell my side of the story; that I must continue to prove to my people and all Nigerians by extension that I am an innocent that is falsely accused. It is in the public domain now all over the country that I received bribe money from JPros Nigeria Ltd to the tune of N458 million. That is not true.

    Who approved the contract?

    The contract in question that JPros Nigeria Ltd is executing in Imo State was approved by the Executive Governor of Imo State. It was really negotiated by the Executive Governor of Imo State, my boss, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. While the approval was sought and given, I wasn’t really in the country. The principal secretary to my governor conveyed the direct approval of the contract and payments of the sum of N1.15billion to the Commissioner for Finance, who directed the Accountant General to make payments.

    Was due process followed in awarding the contract?

    Also, recall that I had stated earlier that the normal process was when such approvals are made, that the money is paid into the coffers of the state Ministry of Works where due processes are now applied. Certificates will be raised. Based on that, vouchers will be raised and application will then be made for the payments to the contractor, instead of what transpired in February of last year where wholesale payment of the entire 100 per cent cost and value of the contract were paid out directly to the contractor. I am not the commissioner who caused that payment to happen. I am not the Accountant General who made the payment directly to the contractor. I am not the Accountant General who paid on verbal instruction of the governor to the contractor. I was then, the Commissioner for Works and Deputy Governor who wrote the contract ab initio for N1.15 billion, and never at any point did I cause this 100 per cent payment or any payment to be made. I only found out that payment had been made to the contractor, four months after the payment had been made.

    Why are you being probed, despite the fact that you were not involved in the contract award?

    Also, recall that ab initio before the payment of N1.15 billion was made to JPros Nig. Ltd, that a payment of N200 million had been made to the same contractor from the Government House. I did not approve the payment of the N200 million. The payment of the N200 million never came to the Ministry of Works and did not receive my approval. My question, my fellow countrymen remains – for a man who has access to the governor, to the Commissioner for Finance, to the Accountant General of the state who paid him directly – why would he pay me N458 milion which represents a 46 per cent of the total contract sum?

  • ‘Deltans are tired of PDP’

    ‘Deltans are tired of PDP’

    Delta State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship aspirant Navy Commander Uche Onabu (rtd) spoke with JEREMIAH OKE on his ambition, the clamour for power shift in the state and other issues.

    What is the political situation in the Delta State?

    So far, the People Democratic Party (PDP) has been ruling the state for 14 years, From the era of Chief James Ibori to Dr. Uduagahan. Currently, Deltans are yearning for a drastic political change This is because our people are fed up with the PDP. Our people need a change and that is why we think that the change cannot come from any other party, except the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), considering the fact that ACN as a party has been able to proved that they can govern very well. We want to replicate what we see in the states like Lagos, Edo, Osun, Oyo, Ogun and Ekiti in our own state. Politically, right now, in Delta, the wind of change is blowing. Everybody is thinking of how to restructure the state in terms of infrastructural facilities, security, industrial development, employment generation, and other areas. But the most important thing is that, if you interview an average man on the street or in the bus or in the market, they will tell you that they are fed up with the PDP, which is just sharing the money, and not using it for developmental projects.. That is the present situation of things in Delta State.

    Is the ACN hail and hearty in Delta State?

    Yes, we are. So far, we were not the main opposition. Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) is the main opposition in Delta State and that is Great Ogboru’s party, but at the national level, we know that ACN is a strong force. That is why we decided to stay in the party in our state. Personally, I decided to stay and be loyal to the party, despite the fact that I lost against a PDP candidate when I contested for the House of Representatives in 2011. They offered me an appointment in the PDP after the election, but I refused. I stay with the ACN because of the good governance we are preaching to our people and I am still there preaching the good governance gospel. At the state level, our major challenge is funding because the national body of our party did not have trust in Delta State in 2011, but now the elders of ACN and the youths are prepared to restore the party in the state

    You are a solder. How have you been able to adjust to the civil politics?

    As a military officer who has been in the navy, I was privileged to participate in the political life of the country. I was the ADC to the former Lagos State Governor under the Babangida regime. I was the ADC to Governor Ukiwe and that had exposed me to political life. I was the Security Officer to Ukiwe and Aikhomu. I was also Security Officer to Maduekwe. I was also the Security Officer in Abacha’s office. That exposed me to politics because I was in a key position in the Ministry of Defence for a while. Since I retired, I was also privileged to work with Shell as an adviser. I have been in the fence ,until 2010 when I came home from abroad and that made me to witness the rerun of Ogboru and Uduaghan. That was the event that spot my interest to start having the passion to see what I can do to contribute to governance in my community. That was what led me to participate in the House of Representatives race in 2011. I won the primary with a very wide margin. I won in Warri and other areas. That was what made me the flag bearer of our party, ACN, for the House of Representatives. But unfortunately, when we went for the election, the PDP won. I accepted the victory without going to court. I started preparing for 2015. That was my first time in politics. I quickly adjusted and moved ahead with my life because I have learned how to adjust my political career. That was a good experience for me because it was the first time and it was a baptismal of fire in a political terrain. That exactly is what gives me the confidence to say that I want to come out for the governorship in 2015 to bail my people out of the abject poverty, despite the resources available in the state.

    Why do you want to become the governor of Delta state?

    Our people need a change.There is a general trend now that the governorship in the state has been zoned to the Delta North, regardless of the party affiliation. Since the state was created 22 years ago, nobody from the Delta North has been governor. Although, we had two deputy governors; one under Ibru Administration and one under former Governor James Ibori. They both tried their best, but as we all know, they are just political stooges. They could not properly fix the Delta North to the political power control of the state because the Delta Central and the South, which comprise of the Urhobo felt that we have the capital, therefore, no way for us to produce the governor. The late Mrs. Mariam Babangida was able to secure the capital for us. So, they say they will always produce the governor. That is their mentality. But we are saying no, it is our turn. Therefore, I believe that this is the right time for us in the Delta North to produce the governor. That is one of the reasons. Secondly, with my experience, my exposure in governance, leadership and management, I think it is time for me to contribute to good governance in my state. Transparency, good governance, disciplined management will bring back our lost glory in the state. The only thing you can see in Delta today is the federal road from Benin to Warri or Benin to Asaba. No other thing. Industries are broken down completely. The little renovation that was done by Ibori, which ought to have continued by Uduaghan, has been stagnated. An average Deltan sees Ibori as a better governor because Ibori was able to provide better infrastructure than Uduaghan who has no plan to improve the standard of living of our people. By 2015, his tenure will end. He spent 50 percent of his time going to court fighting Ogboru for no reason spending 70 percent of the time fighting the militants. So, by the time we get there in 2015, I am going to focus on proper infrastructural development and bring back the failed industries. For instance; the Asaba textile mill was the best mill industry in Nigeria which can employ over 5000 workers. We had the best football team in those days comparing with the Rangers and other top football clubs in Nigeria. We have the biggest palm oil victory that can employ 7,000 workers. These two industries are dead. So, through these industries, we can create over 12,000 employment for our people and that will reduce crime. Now on the power sector, it is a shame that if you lodged in hotel in Asaba today, you can spend three or more than that without seen the power supply by PHCN. All the banks, industries, companies and even the individuals live on generator. 80 percent of the time in the state, they use generator even in the government house. Meanwhile, when I asked, I find out that we are still generating power from Onisha and we have gas in Delta.

  • Ndigbo and leadership question: The Orji Uzor Kalu alternative

    Ndigbo and leadership question: The Orji Uzor Kalu alternative

    Few issues concerning the Igbo nation have provoked profound debate and lengthy discussions than the vexed question of leadership. There is this otiose conception among our people that the Igbo have no ‘eze’. I think this is a wrong assumption. The Igbo have ‘eze’, perhaps not in the sense other cultures, like the Yoruba or the Hausa/Fulani, express and institutionalise their own kingship patterns. Unfortunately, most of our people have bought into this rheumy impression upon which basis they impugn their very best and ridicule them before the public.

    The present travail of Orji Uzor Kalu, the former governor of Abia State, is a case in point. The man who succeeded him and who incidentally was installed by him has made a past time in rubbishing Orji Uzor Kalu. He has gone to extreme lengths to cast Kalu in the mould of a pariah; a cheat and corrupt man. This is most regrettable. I have never met Kalu in person but I have followed his activities like all other Igbo titans and I do not think he deserves the raw deal he is getting today. The latest of the travesty against Kalu is the purported cancellation of his degree certificate by the Abia State University, Uturu.

    According to reports, the certificate was cancelled because Orji Uzor Kalu allegedly did not complete his course. This allegation is not only frivolous but underscores pettiness to drag Uzor Kalu to the mud. Incidentally, Orji Uzor Kalu has maintained a dignified and respectful silence in the face of this executive cannibalisation of his persona and integrity. This is commendable essentially because the Igbo man has this belief that if you are taking your bathe by the riverside and a mad man comes along to take your clothes, you will be regarded as another mad person if you run after him naked.

    That Orji Uzor Kalu is a towering leader is not in doubt. That he was a successful business man and philanthropist ever before he ventured into politics is also not in doubt. That he was not lifted like a cripple and put on the executive seat of Abia State is also evident. That he has defended the Igbo interest even at the risk of personal safety is equally not debatable- a struggle that has brought great admirers and vicious enemies within and outside; a struggle that has threatened to scuttle his business empire.

    In this struggle to defend and protect his people, Orji Uzor Kalu has had security operatives unleashed on him; his home and offices turned inside out by these security operatives like maggots rummaging the inner anatomy of a putrefying carcass. He has been cursed and discussed. The battle rages on and that is just the way he loves it.

    For any person to think that this man of destiny and history would be thrown into the dust bin of history in the form of a footnote is not only a crass permutation but also supine intellectual and ethereal assumption.

    Men of destiny, irrespective of their backgrounds have always had to strive hard to arrive at the top, and such struggles to be the best in whatever they do have always quickened their inventiveness and inspired their resolution.

    My assignment in this paper is fairly simple. That assignment is to focus attention on the one issue, which every shade of opinion in this country has come to appreciate as a fundamental problem and challenge to the Igbo nation. That singular issue is the question of credible leadership.

    Today, I have no doubt in my mind that Ndigbo in Nigeria are standing at a crossroads; the type that Bennet Lerone Jr., would describe as critical in the evolution of any society. in his epic work captioned “The Road not Taken”

    I cannot but agree totally with Professor Chinua Achebe when he insists that good leadership, like good money, is difficult to come by. In the Igbo context, this is absolutely true.

    Today, as we get set to chart a new course for our people, I want to say that we are at the threshold of history.

    I have always asked the question: what has this kind of politics done for us? We do not have to look far to see the fruits: a 30-month old civil war that was fought with every ounce of vengeance, bitterness and viciousness; a Niger-Delta brimming with youth militancy and youth restiveness; a thoroughly corrupt public service; a lame duck judiciary that has taken justice far away from the common man; cities littered with the corpses of victims of religious and ethnic crisis with their blood crying out for reparation from a country that held out so much hope but gave so much pain and frustration; and so on and so forth.  For how long must we continue to dance this dance of the spirit; this surugede dance of death?

    As we proceed with the task of rebuilding Nigeria, we cannot avoid taking stock of our past- a past that has done very little to make the present meaningful; a past that has seen brothers take up arms against their brothers in several moments of indiscretions.

    Our generation is determined to locate our mission as a people and fulfill it. We can no longer keep quiet and wring our fingers in despair and anguish while our homesteads are being consumed by a raging inferno.

    Orji Uzor Kalu has pointed the way forward in this connection. The determined strides of Orji Uzor Kalu since he emerged as an Igbo political leader are very refreshing and enervating, for it shows that even in the midst of our confusion, there are still God-fearing man with conviction and commitment to credible leadership.

    The Orji Uzor Kalu alternative

    There is no gainsaying the fact that the issue on the front burner and for which Governor Theodore Orji is hypertensive is whether it is right or appropriate for Orji Uzor Kalu to come back to the PDP, which incidentally he was a founding member. All those who frown at his coming back into the PDP fold brandish the so-called formation of a rival political party to PDP as their only reason. Incidentally, none of them in Abia has acknowledged the fact that it was on the platform of the so-called rival political party that they all assumed political power. They all went back into the PDP. Incidentally nobody has come out to say that Orji Uzor Kalu should not rejoin the PDP because he is not so-qualified or because he is such a poor leader.

    Leadership inertia or ineptitude has very often been fingered as one of the major factors militating against our development as a people. This, to me, is simply hitting the nail on the head. Leadership is the soul of society and governance.

    In the presence of credible leadership, hitherto dormant possibilities, which have been slumbering, will gradually begin to uncoil and inch towards the collective goal. This is a critical factor in societal evolution. Has it not been said that a society is like its leader. The leader sets the agenda.

    – Chuma, a senior research consultant and public affairs analyst, wrote in from Enugu

  • ‘Anambra Child Rights Act takes cognisance of our culture’

    ‘Anambra Child Rights Act takes cognisance of our culture’

    Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Lady Azuka Henrietta Agbata, was before her appointment the chairperson for South-East West African College of Nursing and  Coordinator of Umuada Igbo Nigeria and in the Diaspora, Anambra State. In this interview with Odogwu Emeka Odogwu in Nnewi, Lady Agbata speaks on a wide range of issues including how she met her husband. Excerpts:

    Before you joined the ministry and the government of Mr Peter Obi, were you into politics or any other organisations?

    Yes.  I was working for my village and community.  Though, I am still working for them.  Also, before joining the government I was actively involved in the Church.  I am the President of Anglican Women Association in Awka; Coordinator of Umuada Igbo Nigeria and in the Diaspora Anambra State; Chairman, Editorial Committee of the Christian Family Magazine, Diocese of Awka.

    Apart from these, I was also involved in politics. As I said earlier, I went to work from village, that is, my community.  So in my ward, I was taking part in the political activities. Sometime, they made me the woman leader in Anambra State when Dr Aneze Chinwuba was vying for the governor of the state; that was in the 90s. I was the state woman leader that represented Anambra State at the Alex Ekwueme Campaign Organisation when he was vying for the presidency in Nigeria.

    I was also the state woman leader for United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP); so I just did those things as a hobby and they did not stop me from  my job because I was serving the nation, that is how I got involved in politics.  Later on, I joined APGA. I was an APGA stalwart in my ward; then I vied for the House of Assembly in 2011 in APGA which I guess has made it possible for me to be in the office that I am today.

    Do you have any regrets at all being in this office now?

    I don’t have any regrets whatsoever. I was working and had a hobby which I was enjoying.

    What are the challenges you have faced so far in the programmes, I mean being your first time away from your normal procedures?

    I must say that I have been pleasantly challenged.  As you can see, with my background, I am used to having programmes. I was even the chairperson for South-East State, West African College of Nursing because Nursing is my profession. I am a fellow of West African College of Nursing.  When it was the turn of Anambra to host the South-East Zone, for two years, I was the chairman and I hosted them in those two years.

    This present office has a lot to do with mobilisation, hosting women, children, the handicapped, etc.  It is not new to what I was used to do and that is why I said that I have been pleasantly challenged.

    The Child Rights Bill which protects the rights of the child has been passed in Anambra State.  How workable is this bill?

    Yes, I must say that we are grateful to the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Umeadi, for seeing that this law is actualised in Anambra State.  What we really want to do is to meet the press, discuss it on air so that people will be aware of the latest trend.  There are terminologies that have been changed and the public needs to be aware of them.

    Until we make it known to the masses, that is, the Child Rights Act, we will not implement it and will not be as forceful as we may end up being.  The fact that you mentioned it means that you will write about it and that is part of getting it across to the people and then we will have a time to talk to the press, it will be on the TV, radio and the papers because we tend to take a lot for granted as far as Child Rights is concerned in our culture.

    We believe that the child must always be told what to do, pushed around and all that.  Adults don’t even think that children should be allowed to grow up in their own little ways but some changes have been made and we have planned for it so that implementation will be successful.

    It was announced last year that by January 2013, all the Day Care Centres will be registered, please comment on that.

    The management of the Day Care Centers is one of the things we took up on resumption to this office.  I sent people to the three senatorial zones in Anambra State in order to assess what is happening there and the reports they brought was not very commendable, so as a result, we had resource persons and we invited all the proprietors of the Day Care Centers to a seminar and had to talk to them on how to run Day Care Centres and how to manage emergencies in these centres.

    I urged the proprietors that came to make sure that they disseminate the information in their meetings and associations.  Having done that now, we will go round and those Day Care Centres that are not registered with the government will be closed; those of them that are poorly managed will also be closed.  We have a programme, such that anyone who wants to run a Day Care Centre in Anambra State will come for proper orientation; after which the ministry will now go and inspect the place where the Day Care Centre is situated and if it is not registerable, we will not register it and if a person starts a Day Care Centre without registration, the person stands to be prosecuted.

    What do you have to say about reports on sale of babies and the management of motherless babies home?

    When you say “sale of babies,” I don’t even want to talk about it because babies are not sold.  It is inhuman to sell a baby.  Babies are not chickens and goats that are sold.  We understand that sometimes, a child may be born out of wed luck and the mother is not able to take care of this child, we always advise the mother to take the child to orphanages where the child will be kept legally.

    It will go through the normal legal process; the police will be aware, the social worker will also be aware to know that the mother does not intend to keep the child, then the government will accept the child.  We also know that there are couples that are looking for babies; for one reason or the other, they were not able to have a baby of their own and these couples are always joyous to be trusted with children to look after; they also go through the normal adoption process.

      So, please, don’t talk of sale of babies, we shouldn’t go back to what happened years ago during the slave trade.

    Recently, the world celebrated “Migrants Day”, a day created to sensitize people on the dangers of illegal migration.  We have come to realise that most youths especially ladies are promised of better opportunities and jobs outside the country, but unfortunately when they arrive at these countries, they are turned into prostitutes.  What is your office doing to curb this menace?

    First of all, we have to educate our people, the adults and parents to properly raise their children; don’t sell the idea that it is better outside Nigeria.  When children grow up with such impression, any little offer with a lucrative base from a person they don’t even know, they will be always jumped at. They will follow the person.

    That you are going to “so so” places “ka ejee gbuo ozu” there is nothing like that; just like the trends with special education centres.  There is nothing like special education centre.  It is either you bend down and read and pass or you don’t pass.  Whoever that does not pass has stopped himself/herself from moving forward.  There is nothing hard or special about education; one just has to burn the midnight candle.  Young people, especially children and youths, think that the world is a bed of roses, it is not.

  • Ogbeni’s critics again

    Ogbeni’s critics again

    Whose who are uncomfortable with Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola are at war with again over his education reform policy project. There are three components in this project which have become controversial and have generated some inclement comments from political opponents and rabid critics.

    These components are: merger of schools; Opon Imo (the computer tablets); and Hijab.

    So controversial is the last component that the matter has become a court case in Osogbo, the state capital. At issue is a bogus conception that Ogbeni Aregbesola, as part of a phantom Islamisation agenda has introduced the wearing of hijab – a covering for a moslem woman’s hair and neck) – into public schools in the state. At the forefront of the campaign against Ogbeni-led government is the Osun chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN that went to town recently with a statement practically accusing the governor of stoking religious crisis by allowing the use of the hijab in publuc schools.

    But almost simultaneously as CAN was peotesting in the press, the moslems went to court seeking an order to compell Ogbeni to allow them the use of the hijab in public schools, embarrassing CAN, which had already alleged that the governor had given to moslems what they were seeking in court. The whole thing became a theatre of the absurd when the same CAN jumped into court asking to be joined with Aregbesola’s government as co defendant in the moslem suit seeking affirmationof its women’s right to wear the hijab in public schools!!! CAN simply looked desperate about nothing.

    If CAN had been properly advised, it would possibly have waited for the court’s interpretation of Section 38 sub-section 2 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which states inter-alia that:

    ‘No person attending any place of education shall be required to take religious instruction or take part in or attend any religious ceremony, observance if such instruction, ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than his own, or a religion not approved by his parent or guardian’, before it went to town with its allegations against the governor.

    However, the sub-theme of CAN’s criticism bears both political and religious incitement, the latter of which cannot succeed in Yorubaland. So why this level of intolerance? Well, there are suggestions that the Osun CAN may have been politically motivated by ACN’s principal opponent in the state, but this is not substantiated. The question to ask is, what is CAN’s interest in public schools run by government, which is supposed to be neutral on religion?

    Why is the christian body making itself look like an ally of the PDP in the State of Osun by repeating verbatim that party’s discredited allegations against Ogbeni which were outright lies contrived to score silly political points. We may never get to the bottom of this,  but it is a very sad development which questions the integrity of those behind Osun CAN’s latest outbursts.

    On the question of merger of schools. Some of the criticisms don’t make sense at all. In particular, the one that says Ogbeni should have renovated old schools rather than build new ones is fundamentally dumb. We are talking here about renewal of a totally broken down infrastructure in the educational sectorin such a way as to maximize available resources in creating a new, modern school infrastructure that would make both citizens and students proud. Whoever has been to Osun and seen some of these new schools would wonder what kind of mentality is behind all the criticisms against Ogbeni’s educational reform project.

    On the questions raised about different communities’ schools that were merged, as well as the issue of new ‘hardships’ created by distance and commuting to and from the schools’ location; it should be admitted that painful as these challenges may be to a few, the benefit to the entire communities involved outweighs the objections and criticisms to the project’s execution.

    Perhaps we may remind the critics that change (especially the type of revolutionary changes being introduced by Ogbeni in the State) cannot occur without some pain. That is the opportunity cost every backward society would have to pay to move forward in the modern world otherwise the hardship which will attend stagnation in backwardness would be worse than the pains that you experience in the transformation to a better and.progressive circumstance. It is only from this point of view that intelligent people would have to assess Ogbeni Aregbesola’s reformation project in the education sector.

    With regard to the ‘Opon Imo’ (the computer tablet) which is designed to help students improve on their performance in WAEC and NECO school-leaving certificate examinations, the critics are pathetically uninformed. The unintelligent attempt by PDP and its minions to discredit the project on account of alleged ‘inappropriate’ disbursement of funds on two aspects of thr components of the project is in very bad taste.

    We had explained this before that a key aspect of Ogbeni’s six-point integrated transformation agenda is education, and because of its importance, the operation is domiciled in the Governor’s office. So if the governor signed two or three documents authorising disbursement of fund to execute done deals on the same day, what’s the big deal about that? Would these rabid critics please supply evidence that those disbursements were fraudulent!! The stolen documents that they published didn’t prove fraud. So what’s the big deal?

    The PDP inspired critics have still not learnt that they have an incorruptible politician in the person of Ogbeni to deal with. And the more they look at him from the prism of their own fraudulent philosophy of governance, the more they will be deceiving themselves on the purpose of this man in government. PDP is a ‘come and chop’ party.

    That mentality appears to have crippled their intelligence so much so that they only can perceive every monetary transaction of Ogbeni from that prism of graft, fraud and squandermania that motivate their own participation in government, and characterized their disasterous 90 months in office between 2003 and 2010 in Osogbo.

    Keep in mind the fact that the infamous statement, ‘we invited you to the PDP government to come and chop’, originated from one of the most prominent PDP members in the South West during the Obasanjo presidency. That had been and continues to be PDP’s philosophy of governance, it is the reason Nigeria is collapsing into a failed state. So you don’t expect such people’s ethos to be framed outside fraud. That’s all they can see in, and know about governance. But unfortunately for them, Ogbeni Aregbesola operates from a commanding height of public interest, morality and integrity. Try as hard as they may, PDP cannot fault Aregbesola on these high ethical values.

    Waheed works in the Directorate of Publicity, Research and Strategy of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Osun.

  • Chris Uba battles four Anambra PDP lawmakers

    Chris Uba battles four Anambra PDP lawmakers

    The recent sacking of a federal lawmaker in Anambra State, Chriscarto Ameke, from the House of Representatives, has brought to the fore controversies over an alleged pact between Chief Chris Uba and four other PDP lawmakers in the state, reports Remi Adelowo

    For the four members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, these are indeed not the best of times.

    In the last few weeks, these parliamentarians namely, Mrs. Eucharia Azodo, representing Aguata federal constituency; Hon. Chriscarto Ameke, representing Anambra East/West constituency; Hon. Ben Nwankwo of Orumba North/South; Fort Dike representing Ihiala federal constituency and Hon. Obidigbe (Ayamelum constituency), have been running from pillar to post to placate the erstwhile godfather of Anambra politics, Chief Chris Uba, over an alleged unfulfilled political obligation.

    Genesis of the crisis

    The ruling of the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu, which sacked Chriscarto Ameke from his seat at the Lower House of the National Assembly allegedly blew the crisis in the open.

    A few weeks ago, the court had ruled that a former National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Mr. Tony Nwoye, and not Ameke, was the duly nominated candidate of PDP for Anambra East/West federal constituency in the 2011 general elections.

    Nwoye had been in and out of court for about two years battling to retrieve his mandate from Ameke until the appellate court ruled in his favour recently. Armed with the court judgment, Nwoye had approached the leadership of the House of Representatives seeking to be inaugurated as a member of the Green Chamber.

    However, the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has been allegedly foot dragging on the issue on the premise that Ameke had secured a stay of execution from the Supreme Court over the judgment sacking him from his seat.

    Sources revealed that beyond this excuse, it was the South-East caucus in the House, headed by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, which impressed it on the Speaker to stay action on the inauguration of Nwoye pending the final decision of the Supreme Court.

    How Chris Uba came into the picture

    The position of the South-East caucus, it was gathered, was largely due to pressures from Chris Uba, who allegedly facilitated the nomination and also bankrolled the election of Ameke and the other four PDP federal lawmakers in Anambra State.

    Uba’s action was not due to any altruistic reasons. Sources revealed that the businessman was worried that with Ameke shown the exit door at the Lower House, it will become practically unlikely for the lawmaker to honour an alleged agreement he (Uba) had with him before his election in 2011.

    Uba, according to sources, allegedly struck an understanding with the lawmakers, whose fulfillment would be difficult under the current development.

    All the lawmakers, it was gathered, have allegedly breached that ‘unwritten agreement’ with Uba almost two years into their tenure in the House of Representatives, a development the younger brother of former presidential aide and now senator, Dr. Andy Uba, is not finding funny.

    Uba would not let things lying low. He was reported to have filed a suit at an Enugu High Court, asking it to compel the lawmakers to honour their agreement with him.

    Wary that the matter could degenerate further if not carefully handled, the lawmakers, sometime in January this year, were alleged to have entered into a consent judgment with the court, whereby they allegedly confirmed their agreement with Uba, while also promising that they will start to fulfill their obligation to Uba starting from that month. “But up till now, no such thing has been done,” said a source.

    Within the Anambra PDP, there are fears of what Uba’s next line of action would be in view of the antecedents of the young businessman, who allegedly masterminded the abduction of the former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige (then a sitting governor) in 2005.

    Uba’s grouse against Ngige, who is now a senator representing Anambra Central, was the latter’s refusal to honour an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO), an alleged agreement reached with Ngige, which mandated the state government to pay a huge sum of money for a contract awarded to Uba’s company by the state government.

    Division in South-East caucus

    A new twist has been added to the unfolding controversy, with sources claiming that members of the South-East caucus are sharply divided over the fate of Nwoye, who has received the backing of NANS, which a few days ago threatened to stage a protest at the National Assembly to demand the unconditional swearing-in of Nwoye.

    While some members are believed to support the immediate inauguration of Nwoye based on the Appeal Court ruling, those on the opposing side predicated their position on the need for Ameke to explore all legal options before a final decision is taken by the House.

    This stance seems to enjoy the tacit endorsement of the speaker, a source told The Nation last week.

    A few days ago, spokesperson of the House, Zakari Mohammed, disclosed that it will not be stampeded to swearin Nwoye until Ameke’s appeal at the apex court is decided.