The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • ‘People play chess with Nigeria’s fate’

    ‘People play chess with Nigeria’s fate’

    House of Representatives member from Ikole/Oye Constituency Hon. Bimbo Daramola is the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In this interview with Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, he speaks on the state of the nation and what can be done to remedy the national drift.

    The general consensus is that Nigeria has not been blessed with good leadership. What is your reaction to this assertion?

    To be honest with you, Nigeria’s leadership problem is a source of pain to me. It is fashionable for us to blame the military for all our woes and to describe the military years as the years of locust. But let us ask ourselves: are we better off today? We are not. Indeed, one is tempted to even give some credit to the military. Up till today, we still don’t have another Third Mainland Bridge. Investigation has shown that about one million Nigerians use the bridge everyday. It was given to us by the military. We have not make any resonable progress with our national leadership. Those who say our problem is good leadership are absolutely right. It looks as if Nigeria is irredeemable. We keep taking one step forward and 50 steps backward. In this country, we are standing precariously on a cliff hanger and I hope we don’t fall.

     What should Nigeria do to prevent the country from falling off the cliff?

    The first and the last or the first, second and third is getting leadership that does not think of itself alone but is also thinking of the majority. Our problem in Nigeria is the fact that we don’t have a leadership that is people-centric. We have leadership that thinks about how to defend, protect, enshrine and deepen the frontier of their peculiar interests. There seems to be a grand design to keep Nigeria prostrate. People are sitting down and playing chess with the fate and fortune of Nigeria. Ask yourself why they take their children abroad for education and shut their mind to the fact that more people are here to acquire the same education. Only good, caring and people centric leadership can change the course of the ship of state from where it is presently heading. And the early our leaders think about this, the better it will be for the country to experience the desried change for good.

    What is your take on the current state of infrastructure in the country?

    I went to a private hospital recently just to see what is happening. Hospitals, sometimes when you wheel people there, you have signed their rite of passage. The next call you should be making is the next available funeral home. That may be a grim picture, but that is the true state of our infrastrure today. You should see the way people die these days in our national hospitals. If they take you to John Hopkins Memorial Centre in America, except it is divinely appointed by God for you to die, you wont die. There was a time in this country when a prominent Nigerians was ill and they called air ambulance from France. I was privy to it and those people were asking the man here to just ensure that the sick man is kept alive for the next six hours by the doctors here. The import is that once they are able to get him on the ambulance, he wont die. The man is still alive today. Are you going to talk about road? The PDP government led by Olusegun Obasanjo spent well over N4 trillion, yet there is nothing to write home about our roads. The total stretch of road in Nigeria is 36, 000 kilometers, less than a quarter of that is bituminous and that is why Nigerians die from road accidents than sicknesses. As I speak with you right now, people are dying by accident. The truth of the matter is that we have to get back to the basics. If the leadership fails, the followership should say enough is enough. It is about time that they come for us. Real power belongs to the people. It is not easy to effect a change but it is not difficult also. The thing is that if you see challenges and you do not see light at the end of the tunnel, you will most likely be overwhelmed by the darkness of the moment.

    Can we say power belongs to the people when governors dictate who goes to the Senate, House of Representatives, State Assemblies, and local governments?

    Will the governor vote for himself? The governor can insist, ‘I want this man, take police there, make sure that he wins primaries, write his name and send to Abuja’. If the people say no, this is the candidate of the governor but he is not our candidate, the people will win. it has happened before in this country. The point is that you need to stretch your endurance limit a little bit. When we got into the dog fight to ensure that Dr. Fayemi got back his mandate, I cast away all my comfort and conveniences, I went right into the thick of the matter. I used to tell people, I am not a thug, I am a man in pursuit of my conviction. Nigeria has to come to that point. When you go to Ekiti and they call me Mr. Shoot Me, Mr. Shoot Me, it was not because I wanted to die. I was tired and I said listen it is better to die and die a gallant fighter in the midst of tons and tons of mobile policemen at that counting centre in Ado Ekiti. Yes, they rigged us out again, they declared fake results but they never recovered until we got our mandate back and that is an example.

    You are a member of the opposition. How has the opposition fared in the House?

    I believe that the opposition has remained the barometer and the consciousness of the parliament. With every sense of responsibility and modesty, I can say that its a good thing that we have this critical mass of members of the opposition in the parliament, particularly, in the House of Representatives. And I don’t want to even give all the credits to the opposition alone, there are people from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are also being driven by the sense of purpose of responsibility. We do not have the Nigeria that belong to the opposition, we do not have Nigeria that belong to the majority party, we have just one Nigeria where our fate and fortune is joined together.

  • Ekiti PDP: 20 in race for governor

    Ekiti PDP: 20 in race for governor

    The crisis-ridden Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is parading 20 governorship aspirants, ahead of the 2014 polls, reports SULAIMAN SALAWUDEEN.

    he party is factionalised. At least, there are three factions within the fold. Efforts to resolve the leadership crises have failed. But Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) still has 20 governorship aspirants running on the crisis-ridden platform.

    To observers, it is confounding that the aspirants are pursuing their ambitions without pursuing peace and unity in the party. Many believe that the chapter may go for the elections in ruins, unless concerted efforts are made to promote collective interest, instead of the antagonistic agenda of the factional leaders.

    The governorship aspirants and other chieftains are carrying on as agents of the three leading chieftains locked in a battle of superiority; former Governor Ayodele Fayose and Police Affairs Minister Caleb Olubolade, who are also eyeing the slot and the deposed governor, Segun Oni.

    Crisis has engulfed the troubled chapter, following its controversial congress, which produced Chief Akin Omole as the chairman. Party members rejected the congress, saying that it was a kangaroo congress.

    Moves by the leaders of the party in the Southwest to resolve the logjam have proved abortive. Party members have given their loyalty, not to the party, but the warlords; Fayose – Akinbolade and Oni.

    The former governor is also in another sort of battle with himself. His camp is still revisiting his judicial deposition, with a view to discrediting the ACN administration in the state. Thus, which the other two factions are looking at 2014, Oni’s supporters are still going back to 2010.

    According to credible sources, views within the party heirarchy had opposed his (Oni’s) escapades in and out of courts in respect of the 2007 polls. Aggrieved party chieftains have urged him to show leadership, mend fences, forge alliances and work towards a united Ekiti PDP, but without success.They have reasoned that the fight to reclaim the disputed mandate is counter-productive because events have taken over the critical electoral contest and the controversy it unleashed in the state. But Oni has been adamant. He has been moving in and out of the courts, receiving injunctions and adjournments.

    In Ekiti PDP, there is no trusted leadership. Thus, the party is in disarray. The result is that over 20 aspirants are struggling to become the governorship candidate. They are projecting themselves, but they are not projecting the party.

    Miffed by this disorderly conduct, a concerned PDP member said: “The wisdom in laying beautiful beds under a dillapidated roof will soon come clear to all of them. What we should all be doing now is to settle internal scores, after which a genuine congress would be summoned.

    “But, despite efforts in this regard, they think pursuing a governorship agenda under a divided house is the next thing. Let them go ahead and we will all see how it will go with all of us”.

    Before the controversial congress, the party has been divided down the line. The return of Fayose into the fold created more disaffection. The former governor resumed his hostilities with Oni, who he did not support during the rerun.

    Today, Ekiti PDP lacks a party secretariat that genuinely serves as the rallying point for all members. The claim of other members is that only the loyalists of Fayose operate at the secretariat. Therefore, they believe that it is a factional party office.

    The recent sack and recall of the party secretary, Dr. Tope Aluko, for alleged anti-party activities also deepened the crisis in the party.

    It was alleged that Aluko was “indulging in acts capable of denting the image of the party and putting it into disrepute in the eyes of right thinking members of the public.” But the secretary defended himself, saying that certain elements were trying to frame him up. Although he has since been recalled, the general mistrust within party heirarchy, which led to his sack, has not fizzled out.

    The aspirants have continued to unfold their ambitions at press conferences, parties and dinners. Observers contend that they are not offering a new deal to the people; neither are they able to really articulate their views and positions on various issues.

    Apart from Fayose and Olubolade, other aspirants include Prince Dayo Adeyeye, (Ekiti South); Senator Gbenga Aluko (Ekiti South); Abiodun Aluko (Ekiti South); and Chief Adeyanju Bodunde, former aide of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (Ekiti Central).

    Others are former federal legislator Wale Aribisala (Ekiti North); Senator Ayo Arise (North); former Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Bode Olowoporoku, former Deputy Governors Abiodun Olujimi, (South) and Chief Bisi Omoyeni (South); and former chairman of Emure council, Chief Ropo Ogunbolude.

    Aspirants and the zoning formula

    Historically, zoning is a non-issue in Ekiti. The state is perceived as one zone. But for political expediency, it has been divided into three districts, from which the three senators emerged. Now, aspirants from the South Senatorial District are agitating for power shift, in a bid to edge out their colleagues from other zones.

    It is evident that majority of the aspirants are loyal to Oni, although the party machinery appears to be in the hand of Fayose. They were members of his campaign team in the past. But party sources said that Oni is backing Adeyeye, a defector from ACN, for the job. This is threatening the cohesion within his camp.

    However, the aspirants from the South are united by one cause. They have called for the harmonisation and expansion of the state executive council to reflect its composition in the pre-congress period. While the advocates of harmonisation and expansion point out that it would pacify the aggrieved chieftains, Fayose’s men have kicked against the move because it would reduce the influence of the faction.

    At a party recently, Fayose spoke on the agitation.“I don’t believe either in harmonisation or extension. Look at those crying for harmonisation. They are those who have lost out in a contest. This is just politics.

    “Neither will an expansion of the state exco be possible as well. If they are saying that, then the central body should equally be expanded to accommodate the aggrieved parties. This again is impossible and unthinkable. The strongest candidate will always emerge”, he said.

    However, some experienced politicians are moderating the exercise in the South. They have advised the aspirants from the zone to present one candidate. If this is done, Adeyeye may emerge as the consensus candidate. Sources said nine aspirants are actually meeting for the purpose of anointing a candidate.

    Party sources said that if they close ranks, Oni may use his influence to canvass support for his favourite aspirant, Adeyeye. The sources added that this is the only way to edge out Olubolade, who appears to be the wealthiest aspirant, and Fayose.

    At the centre of the alliance are the three former deputy governors; Olujimi, Abiodun Aluko and Omoyeni. Others , according to the source, are Mr Bimbo Owolabi , Senator Gbenga Aluko, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Dr Kunle Folayan, Captain Tunde Ajayi (rtd), and Chief Ropo Ogunbolude. A PDP chieftain, Mr. Bunmi Olugbade, said the South will definitely produce a consensus candidate that will be acceptable to the three factions.

    The Olubolade factor

    To observers, things are falling apart in Ekiti PDP and the centre cannot hold. The national leaders often complain to Olubolade that a party in crisis can hardly win election. This has made the minister to begin a fence-mending process, in a bid to restore peace and harmony to the troubled chapter.

    Every weekend, his Ipoti-Ekiti country home is a meeting venue, where party issues are discussed and reconciliation plans are discussed.

    A source once said: “If we have just about five Olubolades in Ekiti PDP today, we would not be in this mess. He (Olubolade) seems naturally positioned as the party leader for his equanimity, accommodation and kindness, despite being abused by detractors”.

    Can Ekiti PDP resolve crisis?

    The absence of a crisis-resolution mechanism is a setback. Ekiti PDP chieftains are deserting the chapter because they cannot endure being left in the cold.

    It is not likely that Fayose and Oni would be friends for a long time to come. To reconcile them have proved difficult. Although Oni was made the Southwest leader, he is not accceptable at home to the two factions. The two factions can only underate Fayose at their peril. Fayose’s conditions for a truce cannot be met by the to factions.

    What, therefore, is the way out of the crisis?

     

  • ‘APC ‘ll dislodge PDP’

    ‘APC ‘ll dislodge PDP’

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain Hon. Kayode Tinubu has lauded merger leaders, saying that they have made a sacrifice for democracy.

    He said the new party, All Progressive Congress (APC) will wrest power successfully from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.

    The politician spoke on phone with our correspondent with on the birth of the new party and its chances of winning power at the centre.

    Tinubu, a lawyer, noted that, for the first time, progressive leaders put their slight differences away to forge a common bond of unity in the national interest.

    He described the new party as a party of ideas, stressing that the 10 governors backing the initiative are also role models in the country.

    Tinubu said: “Many of our members in Lagos received the news with joy. Our leaders have made sacrifices. I mean our progressive leaders across the four parties.

    “The party will adopt welfarist programmes. All the masses will belong to it. It will be superior to the PDP, in terms of programmes. Now, we have a broad-based party that can successfully confront PDP in the country.

    “This is a period of sober reflection in our country. The drift to backwardness should not continue. For 13 years, PDP has ruined Nigeria. I agree that it is time to salvage the country”.

    The politician urged the people to support the new party, adding that political salvation is at hand.

    He added: “The success of the merger is a pointer that the country can still be redeemed. I urge our leaders to sustain the tempo to the end’.litician spoke on phone with our correspondent with on the birth of the new party and its chances of winning power at the centre”.

  • Lagos sets pace with Assembly Commission

    Lagos sets pace with Assembly Commission

    The Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission (LAHASCOM) has been inaugurated. It is another trail blazing effort by the state, reports OZIEGBE OKOEKI.

    agos State House of Assembly has taken another step in its quest to operate above stereotypes.

    It has broken new grounds in legislative business. Recently, it inaugurated theLagos State House of Assembly Service Commission (LAHASCOM). The objective is to ensure efficiency in the performance of its legislative, administrative and other relevant duties.

    In advanced democracies, the Legislative Service Commission is one of the legislative agencies serving as veritable sources of legal expertise, particularly, in career management and staffing. In Nigeria, being a developing democracy, the commission is, however, saddled with the responsibility of developing legislative practice and catering for the appointment, welfare and discipline of staff. In other words, the commission is to involve itself in the development and expansion of legislative activities and potential of staff, particularly, in Lagos State.

    The commission was established through a bill passed into law in year 2010 by the House of Assembly; it is to serve as an unbiased arbiter of career management and progression of staff of the commission and the Lagos State House of Assembly. It is also to ensure administrative convenience and excellent service delivery as enunciated above.

    The commission has five directorates. They include (a) Finance and Administration (b) Career Management (c) Discipline and Severance (d) Recruitment and Appeal (e) Secretariat and (f) Account.

    A major landmark was achieved when the commission took off in July, 2010 on the order of Lagos State Governor Raji Fashola (SAN). However, operational activities of the commission did not commence until the twilight of December, 2012 when the chairman and other members of the commission, including the Executive Secretary, Mr. Ibisola Olawoyin Ogayemi, the immediate Deputy Clerk of Lagos Assembly, resumed duties. And one of its first duty was the confirmation of the Acting Clerk of the Lagos Assembly, Mr. Ganiyu Abiru as the substantive Clerk.

    LAHASCOM is made up of five commission members, each member represents each of the five administrative divisions of the state, namely: Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos and Epe.

    Members of the commission whose appointment was ratified by Lagos Assembly in December 2012 and sworn-in recently include the Chairman, Chief Olawale Mogaji; Ismail Olanrewaju Odesanya (Commissioner I); Mrs Risikat Adeniyi-Adegeye (Commissioner II); Prince Adebayo Balogun (Commissioner III); and Dr Bode Tawak (Commissioner IV).

    They are to hold office for four years which is subject to renewal for another four years and further confirmation by the House.

    According to Section 4, of the Law establishing the House of Assembly Service Commission, which deals with the tenure of office, “a member of the commission shall hold office for a period of four (4) years from the date of his appointment and may be re-appointed for another term, subject to further confirmation by the House”.

  • Ebonyi lawmaker’s suspension stirs controversy

    Ebonyi lawmaker’s suspension stirs controversy

    Ogbonnaya Obinna in Abakaliki reports that supporters of suspended female member of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mrs. Lilian Igwe, are threatening state wide protests if she is not re-instated immediately

     

     

    The leadership of Ishiagu Community Development Union (ICDU) and other political stakeholders of Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have declared a seven days praying and fasting aimed at seeking the face of God to intervene in the continued suspension of its female lawmaker, Hon Mrs. Lilian Igwe, who was suspended nine months ago by the State House of Assembly over alleged act of drunkenness, an act considered embarrassing to the House of Assembly.

    In a release signed by the President of the union, Mr. David Ajah, and the Secretary, Mr. Sunday Chukwu, and made available to newsmen at the end of its emergency meeting held at the community, the town union regretted that for nine months running, the state constituency has not had representation at the State House of Assembly, describing it as undue marginalisation of the people.

    According to the release; “The union expressed surprise at what it described as current conspiracy of silence over the unjust and mischievous suspension of the lawmaker, Hon Igwe from the House of Assembly.

    Similarly, a Human Right group based in the state, Center for Peace and Defence of Human Right Abuses, said it would soon mobilise all civil society groups in the state, all women groups and other groups to protest the continued suspension of the lawmaker without recourse to the constituency she represents.

    Speaking with newsmen in Abakaliki, the State Chairman of the right group, Comrade Chigbo Nwaeze, noted that the suspension of the female lawmaker has denied the constituency any representation for a period of nine months describing the allegation against the lawmaker by the State House of Assembly as baseless and unfounded.

    “They said she was found drunk, that she drank her self to stupor, fell inside a gutter and some student came and carried her put her inside a tricycle and brought her to the House of Assembly. Did PDP know she was a drunk and gave her ticket? We have urged the House to present any prove to the allegation. None of them is yet to do that.

    Our investigation reveals that she was suspended because she did not support the impeachment of the former speaker, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwankwo,’ the group said.

    Meanwhile, the leadership of the House is reportedly insisting that the suspended lawmaker must come to the floor of the House and tender an apology before the House will consider her case. But the rights group found this unacceptable. ‘This is a happily married woman with grown up children, apologizing means acceptance. What becomes of her happy family? They are bent on tarnishing the image of the woman and we must stand up against that,’ the group said.

    Also some concerned groups have petitioned the President, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the wife of the President, who is championing 35 percent affirmative.

    When contacted, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku, said that no amount of petition or protest would force the House of Assembly to recall the suspended female lawmaker without any formal apology letter from her.

     

  • ‘We are not retiring Orji Kalu from politics’

    ‘We are not retiring Orji Kalu from politics’

    In this interview, Cosmos Ndukwe, the Chief of Staff [COS] to Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, speaks about the benefits of the visit of the good governance team to Abia State and the controversy over the return of former governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, to the PDP, alleging that the state government is not retiring Kalu from politics, but only wants him to leave PDP alone. Our correspondent, Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, was there. Excerpts

     

     

    Since the good governance team visited your state, Abia, why has no government official spoken about the visit?

    The good governance team’s visit to our state was to our advantage as our governor is a silent achiever who has been doing things that are for the benefit of all. The governor does not believe in blowing his trumpet as the people of the state saw something in him and asked him to serve them. It is like the good governance team which came with renowned journalists and saw things for themselves was designed to allow us show case things we have done which some have doubted. The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, and the NUJ president, Garuba Mohammed, gave resounding testimonies of things they saw.

    What can you frankly identify as Governor Theodore Orji’s achievements?

    The governor has been called legacy governor and has also been building projects that past administrations should have put there before now. The new twin state secretariat is almost completed and will house all the ministries, parastatals and other government agencies. It will save the government some funds which are being paid as rent to house owners. These funds would be channeled into other areas. This government has commenced massive road construction and reconstruction across the entire state and the people of the state especially Aba people are happy about it. Where do we start;  is it agriculture, where we have made the people to become self dependent and reduced crime rate in the state as the youths are fully engaged.

    When you said there is peace in the state, why are there altercations in the PDP?

    The PDP in the state is a one happy family. Before now, some of us moved to PPA, while others moved to APGA. But now, we are together under one happy umbrella, the PDP, and we were able to win all the elective positions in the state and at the national level because we are united. In fact, we have 100% in the last election and have decided to unite to fight at common front. But now, an enemy in the form of former governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, has been making moves to come in and destroy what Governor Orji has built over the years. Now this man is parading a fake card, which he got in his house instead of at the party ward office. This is a man who had said that he has nothing to do with politics again and moved to form what he calls Njiko-Igbo. He should go and face that project of his or his party the PPA and leave us alone. This is a man who said he gave the sum of N500 million at the time PDP was being formed, yet no one has ever seen the stub of the cheque. Governor Orji is aware of his antics having worked with him for eight years. We are now in a new era and we do not need him in our party.

    Kalu has accused the state government of plans to print his presidential poster and to paste same in the South-East as a strategy to embarrass him. What have you to say about such allegation?

    Abia State Government has no plans to either print or paste the presidential campaign posters of the former governor of the state, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, with the intention to bring him at logger heads with the federal government. It is too early for political campaigns.I have known Kalu for many years and I know there is noting he cannot do. I want to assure you that the printing of his poster is what he wants to do, and he is only testing the ground to know the reaction of the people. My advice to the former governor is to face his political party, the PPA. He is only playing his usual antics of causing confusion. He will not succeed.

    Is it out of place as a former governor for him to be registered in a party he was a pioneer member?

    You people are wrong and have failed to get it right, Orji Kalu has not been registered in the PDP in either his ward at Igbere Ward A or in any other part of the state. His name is not in our party register and the card he is carrying is a fake card. As a stakeholder in the party, from the same local government with him, I want to tell you that Orji Kalu has not entered PDP; if he had, I should know.

    Is Abia government or PDP worried that Kalu is entering the party?

    No, we, as a government are not worried. The party is also not worried that he wants to come into the party. The people know that he has nothing to offer and they are worried that he will come in and destroy what we have built over the years. Abia State has never had it so good since we joined PDP . We are not retiring him from politics but he should remain at his party, the PPA and leave us alone.

    Why are you afraid of  Kalu?

    The people know his antecedents and they do not want fear within the polity as it was before now. People want politics to be played the way it is supposed to be played, not by creating fear in politicians and the people. The people do not want to mortgage their conscience before getting any political position. We do not want to go back to Egypt; we want to remain in Canaan.

    Are all these geared towards 2015?

    Yes and they are mere propaganda and more will still come. The people should not worry, at the right time, we are going to give them direction on how to vote.

    Are you not denying him entry into the party?

    Kalu has not approached us that he wants to enter our party, the PDP, so until he does that, we will know how or what to do, whether to celebrate him or not.

     

  • Assembly unveils southern agenda

    Assembly unveils southern agenda

    Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly recently held a retreat in Enugu where the members articulated the position of the south on some important issues like constitution review, stating that only a national conference can give Nigerians an acceptable people’s constitution, reports Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu

     

     

    when some elders of Southern Nigeria, took a retreat to Nike Lake Resort Hotel in Enugu on Tuesday, January 29, 2013, the aim was not just to savour the serene environment of the resort, but to take a stand on some of the major socio- political and economic issues of the day.

    The 2nd General Conference of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, attended by leaders and elders from the 17 southern states, was chaired by former Vice President of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme (South-East), and co-chaired by Sen. Chief Edwin K. Clark, (South-South) and Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi (South-West).

    At the gathering, the leaders deliberated on issues like corruption, national security, infrastructure development, ecological disaster and the on-going efforts at the National Assembly to review the 1999 Constitution.

    In a communique signed by Ekwueme, Clark and Gbonigi and released after the exhaustive deliberations, the Assembly note among others, that:

    ‘While we recognise the powers of the National Assembly to amend provisions of the Constitution, the right and power to review and give to Nigerians a Constitution is vested in the people of Nigeria, who remain the sovereign authority to do so. The constitutional right to amend the Constitution bestowed on the National Assembly by the 1999 Constitution of ‘the Federal Republic does not amount to and confer on it the right and authority to review wholesomely the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. The present exercise by the National Assembly amounts to usurping the sovereign power and authority of the people to give to themselves a truly peoples constitution.

    ‘That the challenges of inequitable states distribution, skewed federalism which has continually exposed the structural imbalance of our country, the basis of the federating units for our federation and the place of local governments in a truly federal state are critical issues that Nigerians must and can only truly and genuinely address in a National Conference.’

    On this issue, the Assembly therefore resolves: ‘(a) That the process of producing a constitution that truly reflects the aspirations of Nigerians cannot be the sole responsibility of members of the National Assembly. For there to be legitimacy in the process of defining a constitution for Nigeria, and as the basis for the resolution of most of the challenges that tend to tear the country apart, it is a fundamental imperative that a National Conference that would afford genuine platform for Nigerians to dialogue should be convoked to permit the emergence of a “truly peoples constitution”. The sovereign right of the people to give to themselves a constitution can neither be negotiated nor usurped.

    ‘( b) That a National conference is imperative to correcting the present national structural imbalance which has foisted inequity, marginalization and giving undue advantage to the north.

    c) That to bring parity between the north and south there should be created two additional states one of which must come from the South-East.

    d) That accordingly the Conference supports the demand of the South-East zone for one extra state based on equity, justice and fairness.

    e) That without prejudice to the issues aforesaid, the recognition of the present six zonal arrangements by the Constitution as the federating units of Nigeria is fundamental to the sustenance of the corporate existence and survival of our country. Accordingly, thereafter, the creation of states and local governments should be the responsibility of the zonal federating units.

    f) That Local Governments in Nigeria should be autonomous in terms of management, funding and administration.

    Founded in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on July 12, 2012, Southern Nigeria Assembly’s primary aim is to serve as a socio-political and economic forum for all the people of southern Nigeria. It is designed to be the southern voice on national issues.

    The chairman, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, confirmed this in his welcome address when he said his involvement in the convening of a Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly was the second time he would be involved in promoting a pan-Southern Nigeria organisation. The first was during the late General Sani Abacha’s regime after the north held a similar meeting on June 25, 1994, the eve of the commencement of the one year National Constitutional Conference. In that meeting, the northern delegates caucus had reached an agreement to ensure maintenance of the status quo, that is to ensure that political power remains in the north.

    It would be recalled that it was the counter meeting of southern delegates caucus, initiated by Ekwueme, that led to the agitation for power shift.

    Commenting on the effect of the initiative on his political fortunes, Ekwueme told the Enugu assembly, ‘It was suggested to me that my so-called “hard-line posture” in successfully securing power shift and 13 percent minimum for derivation were contributory factors to my inability to obtain the presidential nomination of a party I founded and nurtured to success. Be that as it may, I have no regrets as long as my guiding principles were a search for justice, equity and fair play.’

    He added immediately, ‘I believe I have said enough to show the advantage to be gained by Southern Nigeria speaking with one voice, not for Souther Nigeria alone but for Nigeria as a whole.’

    Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, in his contribution, used the opportunity to charge leaders in authority, especially fellow governors, to rule with the fear of God by shunning sycophancy.

    “Please help us build a better Nigeria of equitable justice and fair play of balanced desirability with human and material resources, devoid of cheats, neglect and a persistent rulership and domination by a certain section of the society and the nation,’ he told Nigerians, people in authority and members of Southern Nigeria People Assembly.

    In their speech at the Enugu meeting, the South-West delegates said their vision of the role of the assembly is to help build a better Nigerian nation, adding that the assembly has what it takes to lead the country towards the attainment of that goal.

    ‘The American founding fathers did not have our education or our exposure; what they had was a resolve to build a nation and with that resolve, they built what has become the world’s leading nation, with a constitution that has endured, with appropriate amendments, for almost two and a half centuries. We too can show a similar resolve.

    We would like to mention at this juncture that since our last meeting at Uyo, we have played host to the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum. While understandably having different perspectives on the appropriate remedies for the challenges confronting our nation, we nevertheless agreed that these problems are all traceable to bad leadership, that a national dialogue has become imperative and that such meetings between various sections of the country should be encouraged,’ said the delegates.

    A release signed by Are (Dr) Kunle Olajide, for the Publicity, confirmed that the next meeting of the assembly has been fixed for Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday 21st May, 2013 tentatively or Akure, Ondo State, as an alternative.

    Among distinguished members that attended the retreat were Senator Femi Okurounmu, Senator Anthony Adefuye, Chief Olu Falae, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Are (Dr.) Kunle Olajide, Prof. Oladapo the immediate Retired Head of Service of the Federation, Senator Kofoworola Akerele – Bucknar the Former Lagos State Deputy Governor and Prof. Adenike Grange.

  • Are the progressives back?

    Are the progressives back?

    The past week was loaded with political activities. It was the week of celebration of the centenary of Nigerian nationhood. While the President and the government he heads insisted that the drums would be out for a full year to commemorate the January 1914 celebration, a number of scholars and opposition parties’ leaders thought that it was a misplaced action as the event itself was not borne out of altruism on the part of the colonial masters. Others argued that what we should take into consideration at this point is what we have made of the nation in all of a hundred years. The debate continues and I do not intend to join at this point.

    What interests me this week is not much of the past, but the present. And the future. Where do we stand today? In the comity of nations, where is Nigeria? What have we made of this potentially beautiful country? Today, the debate is whether Nigeria is failing or has failed. The Americans have warned that it could disintegrate within the next two years. Some have dismissed the suggestion as far-fetched, but events of the past giddy years suggest that we need to think out of the box to salvage whatever we can of the federation. It is obvious that Nigeria is not working. We have not got the political structure right. We are yet to have a government of the people as each attempt at an election throws up the worst candidate. The economy is consequently in shambles. For how long shall we be in the wilderness?

    It is in this context that I received with a gladdened heart the news that four political parties had decided to merge into a mega party that could actually confront the behemoth Peoples Democratic by 2015. The four- the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, Congress for Progressive Change and All Progressives Grand Alliance had been holding talks for months. Each had set up a merger committee to negotiate terms with others. It was clear to them that the only way to stand a chance against the PDP was combine efforts and present a genuine alternative to the electorate.

    The new party unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja says it is progressive. How? We may get to know in the course of the next set of activities. We need to see a manifesto that sets out progressive ideals in bold relief. We want to see how the allies intend to run Nigeria. The new party should not deceive itself into believing that merely announcing its birth and even registration by the electoral commission would win the next general election. The current statistics still suggests that the PDP has the upper hand. It is in control of 23 of the 36 states. Labour Party that also has a handful of members in government and controls a state is not on board. Accord, too, has not indicated how it intends to move. The people need assurance that the word progressive is not a misnomer in the All Peoples Congress.

    The first hurdle to scale is INEC’s. It is true that this is not the Second Republic when the electoral commission proved to be an arm of the ruling National Party of Nigeria. Under that arrangement, the “progressive parties attempted to fuse into a Progressive Peoples Party (PDP). It was frustrated within and without. It is unlikely that the Jega commission would do that. In any case, the merging parties took a good strategic decision in coming up with the new parties well ahead of the next elections. All the issues could be straightened within the time left.

    The tallest hurdle standing in the way now is managing the egos of the leaders. The legal requirement may be the least obstacle. What about the political? It is good that the allies have settled for a name. Agreeing on logo, objectives and motto may pose no problem either. But, setting up an executive council could be tricky. Whichever of the merging parties that produces the national chairman knows that it might have been knocked off the presidential race. This could be a bone of contention as sectarianism continues to threaten corporate existence.

    The current president is from the South South. The South East knows that allowing him another term could ensure its ineligibility in 2019. The North has not hidden its desire to bounce back on the national plane in 2015. What it lost through the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua, it wants to reclaim in 3015. It is a power game; a game of numbers. So, who gets the first chance to fly the APC’s presidential flag?

    Then we saw what became of the CPC especially in the period leading to the 2011 elections in the states, especially in the North. How would the parties in the North be harmonized to produce state executive committees? What happens when it is time to decide who picks the governorship ticket in each of the states of the North?

    The euphoria of the moment may make these simple questions. But the days ahead could prove very tricky. Anyone who thinks that the PDP is sleeping should perish the thought. The leaders realise that this is the clearest danger to the dream of running the country for 60 years. They also have tacticians who know what to do to make things more difficult for the allies.

    This is just the beginning of a chain of events. We shall continue with this next week.

  • Intrigues threaten constitution review project

    Intrigues threaten constitution review project

    As the two houses of the National Assembly put finishing touches to the committee reports on constitution review efforts, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, takes a look at the issues stalling the process

     

    A  subtle but deep struggle is currently going on at the National Assembly. Sources close to the hallowed chambers say the rumpus, which has to do with the ongoing constitutional review process, may soon blow into the open as a very serious political crisis that will cut across party, regional and even ideological divides.

    Though the reports of the nationwide referendum on the constitution review conducted by both the House of Representatives and the senate are yet to be made public, there are already indications that the lawmakers may find it difficult to speak with one voice on the matter.

    While the House of Representatives took the survey on the review to the 360 Federal Constituencies in the country, members of the senate conducted similar surveys in the six geo-political zones of the country all in a bid to make the planned amendment as reflective of the desires of Nigerians as possible.

    But there are now fear that the outcome of the said surveys may have torn the National Assembly apart ahead of the public presentation of a report on the ongoing constitutional review process.

    Already, there is a failed attempt by the Constitution Review Committee of the House of Representatives to present its result on the review. The Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who rose from a marathon meeting of principal officers that lasted over three hours, announced the cancellation of the event.

    He based the cancellation on the need to put certain things right by doing more consultations on the issue. Later, the leadership of the lower House said the presentation was stalled because there “were hitches here and there.”

    “As leadership, we have reviewed the process so far and realised that we cannot go ahead with this programme today. Just like any other things associated with humans, there are hitches here and there- that is normal,” Tambuwal said.

    But findings by The Nation suggest that the cancellation may not be unconnected with the wrangling among the lawmakers over certain portions of the report. According to inside sources, the legislators are yet to agree on a number of issues as at the time the committee attempted to push its final report into public domain.

    The Speaker and some other principal officers, excluding the deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, who is the chairman of the committee, are said to have strongly disagreed with the Constitution Review Committee over certain provisions suggested in the report.

    And after several efforts to reach a compromise failed, Tambuwal and his men chose to stop the unfavourable report from becoming a public document as they feared that such presentation may further complicate the already fragile situation amongst lawmakers.

    Tambuwal, according to sources, is uncomfortable with the position of the Ihedioha-led committee on issues like state creation and immunity. It is believed that the Speaker and his deputy disagreed on several occasions when attempts were made to reach a compromise on the grey areas.

    “The Speaker is not hiding the fact that he is not comfortable with the content of the report. The problem however is that his deputy is the chairman of the same committee. The leadership of the house is currently divided into two halves with each supporting Tambuwal or Ihedioha on the matter.

    The point the Speaker is making is that should the committee go ahead to present the document, the House could suffer more serious embarrassment because lawmakers, including the house leadership, could publicly contradict themselves over the content of the report.

    The Spokesman of the House, Zakari Mohammed, at a press briefing, admitted that Tambuwal had to cancel the public presentation because most lawmakers had complained that they were yet to scrutinise the final document.

    “But because of the short time we have and the fact that a number of our colleagues have not been able to go through the reports from their various states we had to postpone the presentation ,” Muhammed said while explaining why the event was abruptly cancelled.

    The House of Representatives is not the only chamber heated up by the rumpus generated by the constitution review process. According to sources, the arguments for and against the need for new states has caused a sharp division among the principal officers of the senate.

    While Senate President David Mark and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, are for new states; a number of other principal officers, especially those from the north, are opposed to the creation of more states.

    On the floor of the senate, it is difficult to determine what the result would be should the lawmakers decide to vote on the contentious issue of state creation. This is because while a good number of senators from the south and north central support state creation, most lawmakers from the north are strongly opposed to the idea.

    “The fear that the process is aimed at creating just one more state for the southeast to balance the number of state per zone is ripe in the minds of northern lawmakers. For this, they are opposed to the idea while most senators from the south will support the call for more state should a public debate arise,” our source said.

    It is believed that it is this inability of the lawmakers to reach a common ground on some of the contentious issues contained in the reports that is stalling the public presentation.

    “Most members of the House of Representatives from the North are not in support of the creation of an additional state for the southeast. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, wants a new a state in the Southeast. Speaker Tambuwal is not favourably disposed to the idea.

    Right now, the leadership of the National Assembly is in a dilemma over how to manage the situation, not only concerning state creation but other issues like state police, immunity, local government autonomy among others.

    The truth is that principal officers and members are divided on a number of these issues. For instance, President of the Senate, David Mark, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, are in support of new states. Many of the other principal officers hold contrasting views on state creation. There is currently a stalemate on the reports,” a lawmaker from Kogi state told The Nation.

    Given the current scenario, analyst are of the opinion that unless care is taken, issues like the proposal for state creation, immunity and local government autonomy might derail the ongoing constitution amendment process

    “There is need for us to stop and take a closer look at the whole process. There are many other burning issues Nigerians are hoping will be addressed by the ongoing constitution review effort. But as things are now, the lawmakers may allow their selfish interests in a few issues to thwart the entire process.

    Already, there is a cold war in the House. The Senate will soon follow suit as disagreement are also rife among its members on some issues. And if care is not taken, it will become a north versus south situation.

    ‘Once that happens, we should all bid constitution review farewell once again. This is why we feel the public should be let into what is going on within the hallowed chambers concerning the review process. Continued silence will not be to anybody’s advantage,” Barrister Modupe Oduguwa of the Citizens’ Right Project (CRiP) cautioned.

    Recently, while reacting to a statement credited to Senator David Mark, a senator from the core north has said northerners will oppose the plan to create more states in the south with all their might.

    “We are ready for whatever will happen on this state creation issue. The rumour is that the presidency is behind this agenda. For us, it is an agenda against the core north, especially Hausa-Fulani. We will north allow it to go unchallenged. Already, it is causing serious rumpus here at the National Assembly,” the Senator said.

    Mark was reported to have said: “The argument of those opposing state creation is based on whether existing states are viable or not. But they forget that a state might be unviable just because the administrator is not ingenious with internal revenue generation or the people are not united and the administrator has to spend the available resources on achieving peace.

    “I am for the creation of Apa state and any other state that may fit the conditions. I have never shied from my agitation for creation of additional states just as I have always called for the creation of roles for traditional rulers in the Constitution.”

    To further complicate the matter for the lawmakers, Governor Rotimi Ameachi, in his capacity as the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) said his colleagues would resist any attempt by the National Assembly to grant autonomy to local governments.

    “There is no country in the world that there are three federating units; there are only two all over the world. Why should you then say that there must be a third federating unit in Nigeria?

    Of course yes, let a state governor or let the states create as many local governments as they want to create. Don’t put it there as a constitutional issue,” Amaechi said.

    But Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, stated that the governors do not support the amendment because it will put a stop to their siphoning of resources meant for the development of local government areas.

    “Local government autonomy as far as Nigerians are concerned is long overdue. As true representatives of the people, our constituents do not agree with the current status where local government funds are being pilfered by governors at the expense of the people and chairmen who are seen as mere boys for the job. We would certainly not accept a situation where governors turn themselves to demi -gods in the name of joint accounts.

    But if Mohammed thinks it would be easy to ignore the governors, he may have to beat a retreat because, determined to have their ways, the governors are said to have recruited some national lawmakers to ensure that the autonomy clause never make it into the constitution.

    “The current rumpus at the National Assembly is not without some external prompting. For example, state governors are now cajoling and threatening elected national lawmakers from their states into rejecting the autonomy clause. They are using their hold on party machineries as a bait to lure the lawmakers to their sides.

    ‘We are already hearing tales of how governors vow to stop any lawmaker who supports the clause from getting re-elected in 2015. This explains why some of our colleagues are now singing new tunes. But I can assure you that we will not jettison the demand of the majority of Nigerians because of a few selfish governors,’ a principal officer of the Senate said.

    Given this confusing scenario, the question on the lips of most observers of the ongoing brouhaha over the constitution review process is whether the much awaited reports will survive the rumpus in the National Assembly.

     

  • Aregbesola’s new chieftaincy title

    Aregbesola’s new chieftaincy title

    When next you are chanced to meet Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, governor of Osun State, please don’t forget to congratulate him on the conferment of the title of ‘Omoluabi of Oodualand’ on him.

    The governor got this latest honour when former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Bola Ajibola, took time out to commend him for giving preference to capital expenditure in the 2012 and 2013 budgets.

    Ajibola did not act alone when he crowned Aregbesola as the Omoluabi. He was ably supported by ex-Governor of the old Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, who said it was not an accident that the governor is performing well.

    The two statesmen also said for his efforts so far on the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) and his struggle to make agriculture the biggest industry in the Southwest, Aregbesola deserves the new title. Well, this is to congratulate the Ogbeni in advance, while awaiting invitation to the conferment ceremony.