The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • Can mushroom parties escape INEC’s axe?

    Can mushroom parties escape INEC’s axe?

       The decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-register some parties has generated controversy. In this report, AUGUSTINE AVWODE examines the powers behind other mushroom parties and how far they can hold on.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission,(INEC) has wielded the big stick again. It de-registered three more political parties at the weekend. It was the third time the commission would apply the sledge hammer. The action brought the total number of political parties delisted to 38, since the exercise began.

    According to a statement by INEC Secretary Abdullahi Kaugama, the electoral umpire’s decision to de-register the parties was based on the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).

    Political parties delisted, according to the statement were African Renaissance Party (ARP); National Democratic Party (NDP) and the National Transformation Party (NTP).

    The statement gave reasons for INEC’s de-registration of the ARP and NDP, which it said, was based on their inability to meet the requirements of Section 223(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution(as amended). The section deals with the composition of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of political parties.

    INEC also alleged that the parties have “no verifiable headquarters office contrary to Section 222(f) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)” and have “not won a seat in the National and State Assemblies.”

    On the NTP, the commission said it was deregistered because the composition of its national executive committee (NEC) has failed to meet the requirements of Section 223(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) in addition to its inability to win a seat in the National and state assemblies.

    The commission has refused to bulge even in the face of severe criticisms and threats of legal actions against it by the affected parties.

    As at the last general election in April 2011, there were 63 political parties in the country. Out of the lot, only six have governors in various states of the federation today. These are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria People Party (ANPP), the Congress for Positive Change (CPC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Labour Party (LP). These have come to be known as the big players. But few parties have managed to cling on to life by virtue of the powers behind them, and, of course, satisfying the all important provision of winning at least one elective seat at the federal or state level of either legislative or executive posts. Prominent among these concert of medium parties are the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), Accord, Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) and Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN).

    While they have not been able to win the governorship position in any state, these parties managed to remain a force to be reckoned with in some states across the country where they are quite visible.

    The DPP for instance has transformed itself over the few years to be the leading opposition party in Delta State. It actually snatched one senatorial slot from the PDP in the 2011 general election. The PDP in Delta State had ruled with little or no opposition to it until the coming of the DPP to the state. It used to be a thing of pride among stalwarts of the PDP in the state to announce with glee, that the only opposition to the party in the state is the party itself.

    DPP’s highest electoral success remains its winning of the Delta Senatorial District election, which has been described in some quarters as “the minority of minorities”. But in addition, it also won a sizeable number of the Delta State House of Assembly seats.

    In Oyo State, the Accord cannot lay claim to the governorship seat or winning any senatorial seat but in the state House of Assembly, it has a reasonable presence that can only be disregarded at one’s political peril.

     

    Circumstantial birth

     

    These parties came into being as a result of the prevailing circumstances in some of the big parties as at the time they emerged. For the record, most of the parties under discussion are splinter groups from the PDP. And they are often led by an individual who feels strong enough politically to call the bluff of his former party or his inability to stomach much of what was going on in it.

    In Ogun State for example, the irreconcilable differences that engulfed the PDP led to the emergence of the PPN led by then outgoing governor Gbenga Daniel. But his aides and top members of the PPN denied then that Daniel was leaving the PDP.

    But former governorship aspirant of the PDP in Ogun State, Mr. Gboyega Nasir Isiaka who lost to Gen. Tunji Olurin through a court judgment, blamed the “raw power” being used by some members of the PDP in the state then for the mass defection to the PPN. He later contested that election on the platform of the PPN. The defection of Isiaka and other influential members of the PDP into PPN immediately boosted the party ’s profile in the state while depleting the chances of the PDP.

    For the record, all the candidates of the Gbenga Daniel faction running for House of Representatives and House of Assembly seats, who were excluded by the court from running on the ticket of the PDP, were allowed to run on the platform of the PPN.

    But PPN has only managed a distant third in the hierarchy of parties in the state. In the last local government election in the state, the ruling ACN won 19 chairmanship seats out of the 20 in the state; 217 councillorship seats, while the PDP and the PPN won eight and one councillorship seats respectively.

    In Kwara State, the late Dr. Olusola Saraki led his loyalists to dump the PDP. They embraced the ACPN.

    It was learnt then that the strong man of Kwara politics decided to use ACPN to reach out to all the existing political parties in Kwara to forge a coalition, with sufficient strength to dislodge PDP in the state. The resolve by the senior Saraki to enthrone Senator Gbemisola as the next governor of Kwara in the governorship election was the reason he dumped the PDP. The Kwara political icon said he was never a card-carrying member of PDP but had since 2003 remained the major pillar behind the party in the state. But the ACPN could not dislodge the PDP in the state. And, soon after the election, a reconciliation meeting between the PDP and ACPN took place.

    In Oyo State former governor Rasheed Ladoja also dumped the PDP for the Accord. He latter explained that: “a party that does not believe in people will fail. Since 2007, I have been advising the PDP to try and reconcile with the people of the southwest. They have refused to do that. Instead, they believe that force , which they used in 2007 elections, will see them through again . We have seen the effects of their inaction. Since that time, they have lost Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, and Osun. So, PDP will be swept off in Oyo state and I am not bothered because I know my party will win because the people of Oyo state are ready for us. They have tested me and they have found me worthy and they are going to vote for me again”.

    Unfortunately for Ladoja, the people of Oyo State preferred Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the ACN to be their governor. But the Accord did relatively well in the state House of Assembly.

     

    For how long will INEC’s hammer dangle?

     

    All the medium parties are personality driven. In Delta State, the personality of Great Ogboru looms large. He is loved by the people and his association with the party has been the sustaining influence of the party in the state. It is indeed doubtful if DPP has any other visible image across the country apart from what it is doing in Delta State.

    It is a fact that the former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, who flew the party’s flag as its presidential candidate in 2007 has since returned to the ANPP from where he came. In fact, but for the Delta State chapter of the party, it probably would have been deregistered along with others.

    Accord is tied to Senator Ladoja. And he is the personality that has been giving it some life. Apart form Ladoja, it is hard to associate the Accord with any other renowned politician in the country. The PPN is also closely connected to Daniel. In fact, there is hardly any other state in the country, apart from Ogun, where PPN is visible.

    Herein lie the problems of these parties. With the removal of party subventions by the federal government, funding becomes a problem. It is increasingly becoming a tough task financing political parties these days. But the greatest problem to these parties is the possibility of the personality behind them “moving on to another platform”. In the event of such a development, it will be a matter of time before INEC’s hammer falls.

    In Oyo State, Ladoja is courted by seriously by his former party – the PDP. It has never hidden the desire to see that Ladoja returns to the party with his supporters. In fact, to a section of the PDP, Ladoja’s defection to Accord was responsible in part, for its defeat in the state.

    In a bid to ensuring that the party wins him back to its fold, several meetings have been held to reconcile all aggrieved factions. Most intriguing, political watchers in the state say, was the visit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to Ladoja’s Bodija residence in Ibadan not long ago. Obasanjo allegedly told newsmen that , “Ladoja belongs here. As you can see, he is on his way back to the party. As you c see, it is condition that makes the crayfish bend and we are making efforts to straighten the crayfish. I am sure that the PDP in the state and the entire South-West will bounce back and reclaim power.” That should be enough warning to those who want Accord to continue to exist as an independent party.

    In Delta, there is an alleged plan to by Ogboru to defect to the ACN. If that happens, it will be the end of DPP. And should the PDP succeed in effecting a lasting reconciliation in Ogun State, Daniel and his supporters will be back and PPN would vanish from the political horizon.

    In Kwara, with the reconciliation of the ACPN and PDP, and even now that Baba Oloye has passed to the great beyond, the chances of the continued existence of ACPN are slim.

    Should this happen to these parties, the axe man may be nearer than anticipated. At the end of the day, may be only 10 parties will be available to face the electorate in 2015.

     

     

  • My plan for next year, by Oshiomhole

    My plan for next year, by Oshiomhole

    Edo State Government will, in 2013, hold a town hall meeting on how to get the local governments in the state to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people.

    Also, a security summit to look into how to tackle the security challenges in the state will hold early next year.

    Besides, the construction of the Central Hospital Benin, which suffered a little setback in the outgoing year, will be completed and equipped with modern facilities.

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole unfolded his agenda for 2013 at a meeting with traditional rulers across the three senatorial districts at the weekend.

    He said: “We need your support to revisit the local governments to make them work for the people. We have to bring a change to the local government administration to bring government closer to the people. In a democracy, the only thing that is constant is change, we cannot continue like this at the local government; we cannot have local governments that are there to pay salaries alone”.

    The governor, who expressed dismay over the activities of local councils, said expenditure would be streamlined to save money for capital projects, including the building of markets in the respective local government areas

    He added: “I will seek your support to restore sanity in our public life. We have to carry out major reforms across the state and we will need to be more firm”.

    On the proposed security summit, which will involve all stakeholders in the state, Governor Oshiomhole said, with the contributions made by the state government, security challenges in the state should have been reduced to the minimal level.

    He said: “In Edo State we have given out over one hundred and ten vehicles for patrol but when I go out I don’t see them. I have asked the Acting Commissioner of Police to make the vehicles available for a physical audit. We cannot accept a situation where the vehicles provided for security in the state are diverted for private use or even taken outside the state for other purposes. We have to revisit the issue of the vigilante groups carrying weapons to complement the security agencies in our communities. We will need to go beyond throwing money at the security agencies and find out how they have managed the ones we have given to them.”

    The governor urged the royal fathers to appeal to the Federal Government to adequately fund the security agencies which is a matter in the exclusive legislative list.

    He said there will also be reforms in the education sector to enforce discipline.

  • ‘Confirming Yakowa’s death was big challenge to reporters’

    ‘Confirming Yakowa’s death was big challenge to reporters’

    I had just got home at exactly 5.30 pm on that fateful Saturday, December 15, 2012. As I tried to undress and take a rest, my phone rang. It was John Shiklam, my colleague with ThisDay newspaper. We exchanged pleasantries. He said: “I just heard a rumour and I don’t know whether to believe it or not”. I became curious and asked: “what is it all about?”. He replied: “I heard that Yakowa was involved in a plane crash and that he is dead”. I told him that I have not heard anything about that. We spoke briefly and we agreed to make calls to find out what the true situation was. Immediately he hung up, Shagari Sambo of TV Continental called to ask about the crash and I told him that I had no information. He hung up and as I tried to put a call to the Senior Special Adviser to Yakowa on Media, Reuben Buhari, Isaiah Benjamin of Leadership called. He asked: “Do you know if the governor was in town or not?” I told him I had no idea and he said: “My office asked me to confirm”. I tried Reuben’s line, but he would not pick (apparently because he was also trying to get the true picture). I called the Information Commissioner, Saidu Adamu, and he would not pick any call at that time. I called Rev. Joseph Hayab, Yakowa’s Special Adviser on Religious Affairs, Christian Matters. At first, his line was busy and I kept trying to get through to him. Eventually, I got him and listening to him, I knew that something was actually wrong. I asked him point blank : “We learnt the governor was involved in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa and I am trying to confirm the story”. He said: “My brother, a friend of mine called me from Bayelsa to say that he saw my name on the list of those that were supposed to come to Bayelsa with the governor, but that he didn’t see me there. I told him that I could not make the trip because of other engagements. He told me that they heard the helicopter carrying our governor and Azazi crashed, but that they were still trying to ascertain the true position. I saw on Sahara Reporters that he is dead, but I don’t have any information to give you on that right now. We pray it is not true”. With that, he cut the line.

    Not satisfied with the information, I called Reuben and the Information Commissioner again, but they would not pick their calls. Ismail Omipidan, the Bureau Chief of The Sun called to also get information. I told him I had none. Then, I called Emmanuel Ado, the governor’s External Media Adviser . He said: “We don’t have any information yet; yes, he went to Bayelsa”. At this stage, I log into the facebook, trying to get whatever information available there. Reuben was online and I posed the question to him. His reply: “No information yet. We are trying to get whatever information we can from the federal government”. The time was 7.00pm and the News Coordinator for the Weekend titles, Dapo Olufade, called me. “Have you heard the news?”, he asked. Not wanting to increase the pressure, I told him no and he relayed the information and directed me to work on the lead and see what I could get. A few moments later, the MD sent a text message asking me to call him urgently. I tried to call him, but for several minutes, the call failed to go through. When I eventually got him, he asked:“Tony, what is happening in Kaduna?” I told him what we heard and that I was trying to confirm, but none of the government officials was willing to talk. He said: “Forget about trying to confirm, the governor is dead. We have confirmed that. I want you to write for us immediately ‘The man Yakowa; write everything you can and send it to us immediately. We are using it for tomorrow. I am waiting for it”. With that, I went to work immediately. He followed up with another directive saying: “Do that of Yero too”. I did as directed . Confirming late Governor Yakowa’s death was a big challenge. At about 9.45, Reuben sent a text signed by the Secretary to the State Government, LawalAbdullahi, announcing Yakowa’s death. On Sunday morning, it was not clear what the programme of the day would looked like. Should I go to church or to the Government House? My colleague with The Punch suggested we go to town to gauge the mood of the people. I also decided to make a few calls and sent SMS to a few other Southern Kaduna people. I called the state Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mohammed Musa Soba, a former member of the House of Representative, Jonathan Asake, Secretary of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Adamu Marshal, among others, for their reaction. I also called the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) chairman, Yusuf Idris, who informed me that the new governor will be sworn in at 10.00am. That put an end to the idea of trying to go church and we headed for the Government House. On arrival, we were told that the ceremony, which was to take place at the council chamber of the Government House, had been shifted to 1.00pm on the request of the would-be governor.

    The Government House was like a market place or political rally ground. Everybody wore gloomy face. We went to the deputy governor who will soon become governor. He was receiving people on condolence visit. With him were the former governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Col. Paul Zakka Wyom, the Kpop Gwong and traditional ruler of Yakowa’s own village, and other traditional and religious leaders.

    A few minutes after 1.00pm, the Chief Judge, Justice Rahila Cudjoe, who had sworn in many governors in the state, drove into the Government House. Before her arrival, we tried to gain access into the chamber, but could not because of the large crowd of people trying to gain access. As we stood outside wondering how to get a glimpse of what was happening inside, the engineer on the outside broadcast van of Nagarta Radio came to our rescue and provided for us a loud speaker with which we monitored events inside the chambers. After taking his oath of office and delivering his acceptance speech, I saw the national President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Dr. Ephraim Goje. As I walk towards him, my News Editor called to inquire about the event and followed up with other instructions. I wanted to be polite and not cut him, but it was evident that I was going to lose Goje. Fortunately for me, he was walking very slowly and I was walking behind him while talking on phone. Before he got to his car, my conversation ended and I had the opportunity of speaking with him. I used my phone to record him, but I almost lost the interview along the line. By the time I got out of Government House, time for production was at hand. Tired and stressed out from the events of the day, I left for home at about 8.30 pm. I ran into a police road block near the Television Garage. A policeman tried to add to the tiredness of the day. That is a story for another day.

    Monday, being a public holiday in the state, was not as busy as Sunday, except that people that came to the Government House were there on condolence. Vice President Namadi Sambo was there receiving guest and apparently waiting for the wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan. Yakowa’s corpse was supposed to have arrived on that day, but when we got to Government House, we gathered that the arrival had been shifted to Tuesday. Mrs. Jonathan later arrived. Former Heads of State, Yakubu Gowon and Gen. Mohammadu Buhari also visited the new governor. Many governors and other eminent persons also thronged the Government House..

    On Tuesday, the corpse finally arrived Kaduna aboard a Nigeria Airforce cargo plane. It was then conveyed in a Haice bus ambulance belonging to the St. Gerard Catholic Hospital along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Western bye pass to the mortuary. Apart from the ceremonies at the airport and along the road to the mortuary, it was a less busy day. But that cannot be said of Wednesday. In Kaduna, the state Executive Council meets on Wednesdays. The meeting on that day was purely meant to honour the departed. It was a day of speeches. Commissioners took their turn to say something about their late boss. Yakowa’s corpse was brought to the chamber during the session. While that was going on, the state House of Assembly was also holding a valedictory session in his honour. Then, the wake-keep service also took place at Government House. Again, reports had to be written about the valedictory session and it coincided with the wake-keep service. The conflicts therefore, necessitated some form of networking, especially for those of us with the burden of covering Kaduna state alone. There was also the need to gauge the mood in Yakowa’s village, Fadan Kagoma. So, I had to travel about two hundred kilometers to see what the mood was like.

    The networking among reporters in the state within the period was superb. Gbenga Forulunsho, the Government House photographer of the New Nigeria newspapers was particularly very helpful with photographs. Thursday was the burial proper and as expected, the crowd was unprecedented. People came from far and near and the security was heavy. President Goodluck Jonathan witnessed the ceremony. While some of my colleagues left for Kagoma a day earlier, I had to leave very early in the morning for Kagoma, while the corpse was expected to leave at about 7.00am. The funeral service started early enough, but the entire process did not finish until about 5.00pm when the corpse was lowered into the grave. The town was thrown into mourning.

    It was, no doubt, a week full of activities, though most of the activities were neglected because of Yakowa’s burial. Unfortunately, not much was heard about Dauda Tsoho who died alongside Yakowa in the ill-fated crash.

  • I am restructuring APGA -Nwabu-Alor

    I am restructuring APGA -Nwabu-Alor

    The race to succeed Governor Peter Obi has started . Chief Sylva Nwobu-Alor, Obi’s uncle, is the National Coordinator, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Stakeholders Forum, a group agitating re-estructuring of APGA at all levels. That agitation has brought sharp divisions within APGA, threatening its chances of winning Anambra State in 2014 governorship elections. Nwobu-Alor, who is also the Camapign Coordinator of Governor Peter Obi, in this interview with Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, discussed the envisaged re-structuring of the party and it’s chances in 2014. Excerpts:

    2014 Governorship election is fast approaching in the state, what do you think will happen in Anambra State in the three Senatorial zones?

    There will be election of the governor of Anambra State, who will take over from the incumbent governor, Mr Peter Obi.

    What chances are there for the people of Anambra North, based on Mr. Obi’s promise, to them come 2014?

    They have chances if they can select credible candidate. A candidate that will be transparent like Obi. A candidate who is credible and is committed to the aspirations of the people of Anambra State. Such a candidate of course must be committed to what Obi has been doing, not a person that will come and destroy everything. Such a candidate has chances of winning and taking over from Governor Peter Obi.

    So, there is no agreement that somebody from Anambra North will be the Governor  in 2014?

    For purposes of equity and good conscience, the people that have not witnessed anything like governoship should be given an opportunity to nominate somebody of their choice. So, as you know, it depends on the masses. It depends on the acceptability of the individuals too. They might be happy to have a governor for the first time but as I said, depending on the nature of the person and the reaction of the people. If the people see him as a good candidate, they will vote him, otherwise, they may not.

    In other words, you are saying that the chances of Anambra North is slim.

    It’s not slim. What I am saying is if the person is acceptable to the people, yes. But if he lacks any quality, then, he may not win and that applies to everybody who is contesting. If you are not a marketable material, you will not win any election.

    But has APGA as a party agreed that 2014 is for candidates from Anambra North and no other zone should come and contest that?

    No, supposing they fail to present anybody, must they still be talking of the position. I don’t think it’s the issue. The issue is that they have been given opportunity to nominate somebody and the party and the governor will support whoever they nominate and ensure that he wins. But, you cannot say that it must be, because it all depends on them. Supposing they did not nominate anybody.

    Is there going to be transparent primaries to nominate candidates?

    If we have two or more candidates from Anambra North, then we subject them to primaries.

    Since APGA is talking of zoning to Anambra North, do you think that other political parties are saying the same thing?

    No, they are not bound to do so. We are talking about APGA. APGA has zoned it to the place and you should know that any election from now on in Anambra must be won by APGA. So, other parties may nominate but they don’t have chances in Anambra State.

    Why do you think so?

    I think so because we are restructuring the party and before we get to the middle of next year, the party will be so strong that it will amount to foolhardiness for anybody to come in to context for governorship and I am very sure of that.

    Is it now that the party is in disarray?

    It is not in disarray but it is not organised for effectiveness. It hasn’t got the cohesion required by the party to hold election which we are now putting into it. I am very sure that by the middle of next year, the party will be so strong that no other party can win anythig here.

    Who is the National Chairman of APGA?

    As far as  I am concerened, Massala is the National Chairman of APGA because Victor Umeh has been removed.

    But some individuals from Massala”s camp are going back to Victor Umeh to apologise for betraying him?

    It’s not true. Adams was sacked from the party three or four years ago. He is not a member of the party not to talk of being a member of National Executive Council. Ukwa was also sacked from the party two and half years ago, he is not a member not to talk of being  a member of the National Working Committee. Victor is just getting them for propaganda purposes.

    It is widely believed that you are the one causing problem in APGA?

    No, I am restructuring APGA, creating enabling environment for people to come in, it is Umeh and his cohorts that are causing the problem which we have. It is Umeh that made it impossible for us to win elections in Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Imo states and other places. So, who is causing the problem. I am creating an environment that will make it possible for the party to win, Umeh has created an environment that made it impossible for the party to win.

    But now in Anambra, there are factions in APGA. Some call themselves National Stakeholders Forum which you are the National Coordinator others call themselves mainstream APGA party and the two factions always clash in some  functions?

    You can investigate this, those people you see in different camps are the officers of the party. They are scared that if the restructuring continues, they may lose their positions because most of them are passive. So, they are afraid of losing their positions and that is why they are kicking. Nobody outside the office is against restructuring.

    Is your camp ready to embrace the peace dialogue being initiated by CAN?

    I don’t think that is continuing, CAN has seen that it is purely a political matter and they want to go back to their religious business. But even if it goes, we are not trying to punish anybody. This matter is Victor Umeh versus his employers. Employers of a political office holders are the stakeholders of the party. So, the chairman and his men are working for the stakeholders. If the stakeholders say you are not doing well, you should take an honourable exit. But, he said he is not going to do that, that, it will be under his dead body.

    But all of you elected them at Women Development Centre Awka to serve for the next four years?

    It is not true, there was no election. You better study the constitution. There was a general meeting of the national officers of the party where they approved the nomination of Governor Peter Obi as the candidate of APGA. Actually, the party did not nominate him, he was nominated by the joint signatory of Ojukwu and the Secretary of Chekwas faction of APGA. The constitution provides how to conduct convections. If you wish to contest when your power expires, you are expected to resign at least two monthes before the date of the election if you wish to recontest.

    If Chief Victor Umeh is ready for dialogue, will your camp allow him to complete his tenure?

    Well that simply means allowing the party to die because as it is now, unless it is restructured, we cannot win any election and that is my own. He was saying that his tenure will end by 2015 but now he has changed his gears and he is now talking about 2014 but whichever applies, we will not win anything. So, we cannot allow him to stay and destroy the party. I am not contesting anything and I don’t need employment by any political party, including APGA. So, I am not doing anything for myself.

    Is it not a contradiction, you said you didn’t need a job or employment from any political party, including APGA, but you are being employed already as the National Coordinator of Peter Obi Campaign Organisation and National Coordinator, APGA Stakeholders Forum?

    I am not employed by any political party. I will not contest for anything in APGA and they cannot give me a job. I am not fighting for Anambra State Government. I am fighting for APGA as a political party.

    You must be strong, at 80 and above you are still waxing strong?

    Well, you people gave the age. I was born in 1937 and Victor gave my age at 88. I am praying to God to live up to that and now you are talking of 80 and above. I don’t know where you saw my birth certificate. So you people assume too much and that is not correct for journalists. Journalists should be investigative in everything they do or say because people take you serious. So, if you pass on wrong information, people will buy it and parade with your wrong information. So, I am 75 – years if you need the correct age.

    There are some advertorials in a Newspapers where stakeholders were asking why Peter Obi did not hand over to the people of Anambra North when he finished his first tenure?

    I think I have said it before. It is a question of equity and good conscience. He has been there for two tenure as provided by the constitution.

    He was doing very well and we wanted him to complete his two tenures. It is entirely wonderful achievement and we are very happy for that. It would have been a disaster if he had left without completing the second tenure. We had achieved much in the first tenure and very much in the second one and we are looking forward for achieving more and we cannot go beyond that if the provision is there for him to continue. We will reelect him again but now that he cannot go further, we need somebody who has the capability, who have the commitment and the quality that will possibly surpass that of Mr. Peter Obi.

  • Ndigbo and Kalu’s call for unity

    Ndigbo and Kalu’s call for unity

    Unity is something that is essential in the Igbo mythology. This is why every family, kindred and village in ala-Igbo always meet in their different soirees to discuss issues bothering on their welfares. The Igbo knows the importance of unity, and the forebears had a proverb that says, no one can break a bunch of broom, but it is easy to break just one broom.

    For the umpteenth time, the former Governor of Abia State is calling on the Igbo to unite, irrespective of their political affiliations and associations. He has been reaching out to Igbo people both at home and in the Diaspora. From Cambodia to Canada he has not hidden his voice for this noble act. He is of the belief that the Igbo might not have gotten it right in the past, but are capable of getting it right this time. All it will take is just unity.

    What makes his call unique is the neutral position he has taken in making sure that this is achieved. But this does not make him not to support any political party in Nigeria that would zone the 2015 presidential ticket to Ndigbo. This is what Kalu sees as the fundamental objective of his, since Ndigbo are not in dearth of credible and dynamic persons that the presidency of the country can be entrusted on.

    Being over qualified to be president of Nigeria and with their wealth of entrepreneurship, Ndigbo can ever boast of the sagacity and dexterity to lead Nigeria. This is the bane of Kalu: why a people with such charisma cannot be allowed to mount the exalted number one seat in the Nigeria’s political positions. And it is time Ndigbo came together and avoid trading blames of the seemingly past that can never re-emerge in the existence of man.

    Kalu would tell anybody who doubts the stuff the Igbo are made of that they have made name in virtually all the areas of man’s endeavours. Is it in the business, politics, academia and benevolence, the Igbo have always hold the mace, but have not been allowed the pronouncedly lead Nigeria.

    In the area of doing everything humanly possible for the wellbeing of Nigeria, the Igbo have always put in their legs. They have always expressed their republican nature in the amalgam that is called Nigeria by voting people of different ethnic backgrounds overwhelmingly. Amongst others, they voted for Chief M.K.O. Abiola (when he was alive) and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in the 1993 and 1999/2003 presidential elections. They have also shown the same affability in them to President Goodluck Jonathan by mobilising and voting for him without blemish in the 2011 elections and as well have stood by him till date, in affirming the Igbo aphorism that says, Igwe bu ike.

    But there is chagrin on the face of Kalu that the Igbo cannot always be in unity, only when they want to support an ‘outsider’. They have to support their own and guide their integrity with every thud of responsibility. For this reason, from the USA to UK, Kalu has been mobilising for the unity of the Igbo. Many people have expressed and given him their support for this Igbo unity crusade, while few persons

    are still swimming in the pool of political brigandage against their Igbo kiths and kins, because of the infinitesimal derivations they get from the powers that are, especially in Aso Rock, the Nigeria’s seat of power.

    Ndigbo have to parley without equivocation for their unity. Ndigbo must solicit for the support of this unity project with unflinching support to the Igbo cause. No matter how anybody might be looking at it, Kalu has always fought for a selfless cause. One was when he rocked as the president, Student Union Government of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.

    It could be recalled that he refused the offer by the school authority to pardon him alone during the remonstration of the SUG that saw to many students being hounded out of the school.

    Just as he is going everywhere telling the Igbo to come together and unite, so also he refused to be solely pardoned by the University of Maiduguri, saying that unless everyone involved in the march was pardoned. His function in shopping for the formation of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) cannot be easily forgotten. The likes of Dr. Alex Ekwueme, late S.M. Afolabi, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Atiku Abubakar and Aliyu Gwarzo, among others, would always thumb up for Kalu for his political wizardry.

    Today, the party has become a party that has produced the highest political office holders since 1999 democracy was restored in the country. It is therefore very aplomb to applaud the commitment of Kalu in making sure that the Igbo is united to further the promotion of Nigeria. Kalu has got what it takes to unite the Igbo no matter any gainsaying opinion. He has got the contacts beyond party and ethnic linings.

    Onwumere is the Coordinator, Concerned Non-Indigenes In Rivers State (CONIRIV)

  • Osun 2014: Gubernatorial race gathers steam

    Osun 2014: Gubernatorial race gathers steam

    Following the recent declaration by Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, of his intention to vie for re-election in 2014, Dare Odufowokan reports that opposition political parties have further tightened their belts in preparation for a grand battle. 

    For months before now, some politicians, especially within the ranks of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), have stepped up subtle but very intense political activities aimed at positioning them as frontline contenders for the plum position of the executive governor of Osun State.

    In fact, so intense is the battle of wits among aspirants on the platform of the PDP that the party is already feeling the heat. This is symbolised by the current factionalisation of the party with aspirants and godfathers alike controlling splinter groups within the party.

    The constant criticism of the policies and programmes of the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government in the state by leaders and members of the PDP has been interpreted by political observers as a strong signal of the readiness of the opposition to engage the ruling party in a tough political battle come 2014 governorship election in the state.

    For the Labour Party, its leadership suddenly arose from its slumber to announce its readiness to wrestle the control of the state from the ACN. Through various press statements and public sensitisation programmes, the party has been painting the political horizon of the state with its imprints as part of the build up to the 2014 gubernatorial tussle.

    From the ranks of the LP, a couple of aspirants have emerged, professing their determination and eligibility to unseat Aregbesola.

    Of course, political observers see among these, both contenders and commedians. But one thing that leaves nobody in doubt is the fact that the party is now more active in the state than it has been in nearly eight years.

    The political frenzy in the state did not start today. It is safe to say the jostle for Aregbesola’s job started immediately after the 2011 general election in the state. Perhaps following the superlative performance of the ruling AC N in that election, the opposition realised the party is not in a hurry to lose its control of the politics of the state.

    However, observers of the politicis of the state are of the opinion that the race to occupy the Okefia Government House, Osogbo, has gathered more momentum following last week’s declaration by Governor Aregbesola to contest for a second term in 2014,

    This, according to sources, is because political gladiators, who before now were contented with subtly selling their candidates through programmes and events, are now daily making open consultations and holding public meetings.

    And with the fresh momentum came the realisation that the election would be stiff as it would be a contest involving Aregbesola of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the candidate of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), amongst others.

    Going by the calendar of the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC), gubernatorial election would hold in Osun State by the second quarter of 2014 and the new governor is expected to be sworn in on November 16, 2014

    Aregbesola, while hinting on his bid to govern the state for a second term after the expiration of his first term in 2014, said his aspiration is guaranteed by the support his government currently enjoys from the people of the state.

    Speaking at a programme to commemorate his Second year in office, tagged, ‘Ogbeni Till Day Break’ in Osogbo, the state capital, Aregbesola noted that the developmental programmes of his administration in the last two years would serve as campaign elements for his second term ambition.

    “I am too sure of my second term in office. My ambition to rule the state for a second term was not because I have failed, but to continue with my developmental agenda and ensure that Osun is rated as the best in the black race.

    “The people of the state will give me a second term because they have seen what my government is doing in the state,” he said.

    But political observers are of the opinion that the challenge of the opposition should not be ignored by the ruling party. Sources within the state said there are indications that the PDP may be banking on federal might to wage the 2014 political war in the state.

    “Right from the time President Goodluck Jonathan composed his cabinet, it should have been clear to discerning minds that the PDP was preparing for a titanic battle with ACN in the South-West.

    “Just take a good look at the allocation of the posts of Minister of Police Affairs and Minister of State Defence, to the South-West and you will come to understand my position.

    “Recently, they added the post of National Secretary to it. And they gave it to  Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Both Oyinlola and the Minister of State (Defence), Chief (Mrs) Olusola Obada, are from Osun State,” Comrade Boladale Odanye of the Centre for the Advancement of Democratic Ideals (CADI) said.

    PDP strategists believe that a victory for the party in Osun in 2014 will deal a deadly blow to the ACN, given that the state is also home to ACN National Chairman, Chief Adebisi Akande, who is also a former governor of the state.

    Perhaps this explains why so many PDP chieftains are currently oiling their campaign machineries ahead of the party primaries. Among the names being touted for the top position are Senator Iyiola Omisore, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Mr. Tunde Odanye, Chief Femi Fani-kayode, Prof. Wale Oladipo, Diran Odeyemi, Fatai Sarumi, a tycoon and an accountant, Lati  Bakare.

    But to some pundits, it will not be an easy task for the opposition to unseat the ACN as the governor currently enjoys wide following among the people of the state.

    “It is obviously a tall dream for the PDP or any other party at that to think of defeating Aregbesola in 2014. The policies of his administration have endeared him to the people of the state. Take for instance the recruitment of 20,000 youths  into the OYES programme.

    “This  has invariably reduced the rate of unemployment in the state and as well reduced crime rate, because youths who would have indulged in social vices, now have a job that keeps them busy.

    “Even the ordinary walk-to-live programme embarked upon once in a month has made him popular  among members of the public, because they see him as a governor who is accessible, as some do utilise that avenue to lodge their complaints whenever he trekked past their community.

    “His decision to embark on some road projects of recent, is also seen as a step in the right direction because most of the major roads  in the state are  in deplorable condition  and the situation  of the roads when it rains is appalling. Also, his desire to beautify six major towns in the state is equally commendable. All these and more will work for him,” Odanye said of the plan by the opposition to oust ACN.

    The LP, it was gathered, is enjoying the support of the Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko. The party has not stopped accusing Aregbesola of committing a huge amount of money into the last Ondo governorship election in spite of the fact that the governor denied the allegation.

    “I did not use Osun State resources to fight Ondo governorship election. If I had used Osun resources to fight Ondo election, where then did I get the resources to pay workers salaries in my state and still be able to execute those projects,” he asked?

    The LP and its backers, however, see 2014 as the right time to pay Aregbesola back with his own coins. Consequently, it is believed that Mimiko and the national leadership of his party have resolved to invest heavily into the gubernatorial election with a view to dislodging ACN from Osun as the first step in their quest to take over the whole South-West by 2015.

    The state chairman of the party, Chief Afilaka, said the party would pose serious challenge to Aregbesola and the ACN in the next gubernatorial election, saying the party is now strong in the state and was ready to use all legal means to unsure that it unseats Aregbesola.

    The LP is now seen as a serious threat in the state as the party now has functional secretariat and campaign vehicles unlike in the past. So strong is the LP scare that it is being insinuated that Senator Iyiola Omisore may even dump the PDP to contest on the platform of the party.

    But to Aregbesola, there is nothing to fear as both the PDP and the Labour Party (LP) will not be able to unseat him. According to the Osun State helmsman, the combination of both parties are not enough to give him challenge in the 2014 gubernatorial election.

    “What happened in Ondo State gave some people the reason to brag. We will allow them to brag. It is normal, but their bragging season is almost over. You cannot keep on bragging over and over because after bragging what comes next is bashing.

    “The transformation going on in all parts of the state are enough to tell any discerning mind that the ACN-led government cannot be compared with the PDP-led government, which is the government of corruption.

    “We have given the state a face-lift and history will judge us well. We have done the best for this state within the last two years and we shall not hesitate to do more. Only those who have no sight to see what we are doing will complain about our visionary government,” Aregbesola said.

  • I have right to contest Akwa Ibom governorship

    Larry Esin is not new to the Akwa Ibom governorship contest. He contested in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary in 2006 and in 2011, he was the governorship candidate under the platform of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). An engineer by profession and Harvard trained economist, Esin in this interview with correspondent Kazeem Ibrahym argues that the Federal Government is biting too much. Excerpts:

    It has been confirmed that government is not executing budgets, rather officials are busy deceiving the poor masses. Many infrastructure, including roads accommodated in the budgets are not executed, what, in your opinion, is the cause of all these?

    I am not sure I would say there is a grand scheme to deceive the populace because it is not easy to deceive the populace. You have just mentioned that roads have not been built and all that; so you cannot deceive people for too long, they will always find out the truth.

    I think what is happening in government today is that unfortunately we have either by default or intentionally brought people into government or positions they do not have the capacity to deliver.

    Once you have a situation like that, that will be the kind of results we are getting today. But on the macro level, remember that we are still in a global recession and if our government doesn’t have the capacity to understand the implication of a global recession on the Nigerian economy itself, then we are in trouble.

    You know it is a mono economy that we run in Nigeria; we rely just on oil revenue and the price of oil is not stable. We also have a budget issue, we don’t have a well planned budget so far. Last year, I am not sure what percentage of the budget was implemented. We just came out of the fuel subsidy crisis. So, even this year, there is a gap in our budget. We are running a deficit budget this year. Therefore, government needs to tighten its belt.

    There has to be some fiscal discipline introduced, so that we are able to mop up excesses here and there to fund those fundamental sectors like education, health, security and infrastructure. In very simple terms, if you earn N100 for example and your responsibilities are above N200, you will find that there is a gap. So, what you now have to do is to look at those responsibilities and now pick the priorities, for example healthcare, so that your N100 can go towards making those sectors function.

    Others will have to suffer. If you look at some sectors in the federal government budget, in my opinion, the government should not fund them. I see no reason why government should fund the railway. The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) in the current budget has over N100 billion. Federal government should not give NRC money for its capital projects; rather it should only fund its recurrent expenditure.

    Government should tell NRC to raise money for its capital projects. The NRC owns today the Eastern and Western railway corridor which is land that starts from Lagos all the way to Kano, and in the East, from Port Harcourt all the way to Maiduguri. They own those tracks and about one kilometre to both sides of that track belong to NRC. Now that is some huge real estate that belongs to one agency of government.

    Why can’t that agency fence that real estate, go to a bank, mortgage the land, raise money and do what they have to do. There are so many strategies they can use to raise money, without relying on the federal government. I also believe federal government should trim its own expenses.

    Don’t you think that budgets in Nigeria are violated at will because the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Procurement Act are not followed?

    The simple reason people don’t follow such laid down procedures is because there are no penalties and we are not implementing the law. The biggest problem we face in Nigeria today, in my opinion is the level of lawlessness in the country. From the way we drive on our streets, so it’s not only in government but also outside of government.

    There is no country in the world that has been able to develop without a strong law enforcement agency. You have to be able to enforce it. So if you have the laws in the books that say that budgets have to be implemented to the latter and when it is not implemented people are prosecuted and penalties are applied to them, you will see that we will begin to curb the excesses.

    Since 2006, you have contested for the governorship seat of Akwa Ibom but have not succeeded yet, may you assess the level of development in the state and comment on areas you think still requires the kind of change you wanted to introduce.

    First of all I have to commend the governor for what he has done so far. At the onset, he said his focus was going to be on infrastructure and he has done exactly that. He has focused his energy and the resources of the state on building infrastructure. Development is something that takes years, it doesn’t have to be four or even eight years. But I believe that at the end of his eight year tenure, he and the people of Akwa Ibom will be able to look back and agree that there has been major infrastructural development in the state.

    The issue now becomes, where do we go from there? The next administration must also identify areas where they can focus on, and in trying to focus on a particular sector you must also have a capacity to understand the linkages between all the economic sectors in the state. The modern infrastructure built by the Governor makes it possible to access parts of the state hitherto not accessible and that helps in developing the health and educational sectors in different parts of the state.

    So whoever comes in after him, will now have to take it from where he stopped and develop another sector of the economy which will help in the development of another sector of the economy. My thinking is that what needs to be done next is the development of human capacity in the state. That is where I think the focus should be now because with the development of human capacity, you will create jobs for the teeming youths in Akwa Ibom today. Unemployment is a major concern.

    Also after you’ve built modern infrastructure and you don’t have indigenous capacity to sustain that major infrastructure you’ve built then you have created a major problem. This is because most of the human capacities that will come in to help sustain it will be from outside the state.

    I will give you an example. When I was in government in Cross River State; we did the Obudu cable car thing. While that was going on, we decided that when the cable car is built, the capacity to sustain it may either have to be imported from the contractors that built it in Europe or we have the opportunity now to build local capacity.

    So we took over 20 of those local boys in Obudu and Ogoja who had degrees in Electrical Engineering but had no jobs. We sent them to Germany for training. Today, those boys are the ones running the Obudu cable car. The Germans have since left, we only had with them a long term contract for spares and maintenance but those boys are the ones managing and sustaining the cable cars today. So that needs to be done also in Akwa Ibom State with the available enormous resources. A few years ago, I talked about this issue of resource control. I said that while we are earning so much revenue now, we should be thinking of the future because all it will take will be an Act of Parliament to take that revenue away from us and now there is already agitation at the National Assembly for a review of resource control. So, while things are good now, we must also save and plan for the future.

    If you ask me, what kind of person will be able to take off from where Governor Akpabio will leave in 2015? I will tell you right now that we do not need a technocrat in government at that level. We don’t even need a technocrat at the federal level. Look at where we are today in our development. We are still a developing country.

    What we need is an innovator. Ex-president Obasanjo, former Governor Donald Duke, were innovators, Governor Godswill Akpabio is an innovator. They are people that run into a brick wall and they don’t start looking for a manual and ask what do we do, where do we go from here. They just find a way to scale that brick wall.

    But a technocrat in a third world country like ours will find it very difficult because there are road blocks and challenges everywhere. If you put them in a Western Environment, where there is a system already in place, they will succeed because there is a system already in place. The Okonjo Iwealas of this world are technocrats, she did well at the World Bank but in Nigeria it is a problem because if she wasn’t a technocrat, she would not have given a hasty advice on the removal of oil subsidy. But as a technocrat, she only had to think of a formula and it was to be applied quickly.

    Between an innovator and technocrat, where can Larry Esin be placed?

    I think I will definitely be an innovator, I am not a technocrat. By my training and work experience I am not a technocrat.

    Can you confirm if you have returned to the People’s Democratic Party?

    Yes, I have officially returned to the People’s Democratic Party.

    Recently, the people of Oron nation came together to present to the people of Akwa Ibom their position on the zoning of governorship position in Akwa Ibom State in 2015 and they stated emphatically that it is the turn of Oron nation to produce Governor and a lot of people at the gathering even thought they were doing it with Larry Esin in mind, what is your take on this?

    The agitation for governorship by the Oron nation, I think, can be understood by most Akwa Ibomites. Having said that, I have always been of the opinion and I still stand by my position that to be a Governor of Akwa Ibom is not an ethnic nationality issue and personally I will not be seeking the governorship because I’m from Oron. I will seek the governorship because I am an Akwa Ibom son who wants to serve Akwa Ibom. In the final analysis, you will be the Governor of Akwa Ibom, not the Governor of Oron nation.

    Have you had the opportunity to share ideas with Governor Akpabio on some issues in the state?

    The governor and I have spoken on a number of occasions. I have had the opportunity as well to sit with him and exchange ideas; for example, the idea on the industrialisation of the 31 LGAs. He ran that by me and I gave him my own thinking on how it should be done. He has reached out to me on some other issues, but it never went beyond that. In other words, we didn’t meet on any official capacity because I am not on any board or any agency.

    Can it be deduced from all you have said that you have made up your mind to contest the coming governorship election?

    I have made up my mind that I have a right to contest governorship of Akwa Ibom State and I can exercise that right any time I feel like doing so.

    Under what platform?

    PDP is my party.

    Are you coming on in 2015

    I have the right to come on in 2015.

  • Tukur, OBJ in alliance against Kashamu

    Rather than abate, the crisis rocking the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is seemingly proving intractable, reports Remi Adelowo

    There appears to be no let-up in the war of attrition between opposing factions currently battling for the soul of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Some days ago, the state headquarters of the party was turned into a battlefield when members of the faction, led by Lagos-based businessman, Alhaji Buruji Kashamu, engaged in a deadly physical confrontation with members of the group allegedly loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The cause of the crisis, according to eyewitnesses, was an attempt by the factions to take control of the party office, with each claiming to be the authentic group recognised by law and by the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.

    Days before the clash took place, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, had visited Obasanjo at his Abeokuta hilltop residence, according to sources, to achieve two things: first, to appeal to the former president to sheath sword in his open disagreement with President Goodluck Jonathan, and second, to unite the warring factions of the party in Ogun State.

    But rather than unite the factions, Tukur’s visit, The Nation has gathered, has further polarised the party, in what is seen as a dress rehearsal of the crisis that may erupt in the party ahead the 2015 general elections.

    Tukur, according to some party members, had, at the end of his visit, met with only the faction of the party loyal to Obasanjo, a move insiders have interpreted as his subtle recognition of the Obasanjo faction.

    In the last one year, the Adebayo Dayo-led executive council of the party, allegedly bankrolled by Kashamu, has been laying claim to being the lawfully recognised faction of the party, but which the Senator Dipo Odujinrin-led exco, supported by Obasanjo, has continuously rubbished.

    In the last couple of days, sources disclosed that fear has gripped the Kashamu faction over feelers it got that Tukur had allegedly reached a secret understanding with Obasanjo to use his office to influence the recognition of the Odunjinrin-led executive council by the national headquarters of the party. “The invasion of the party headquarters in Abeokuta by members of the party loyal to Kashamu to take control of the place was to preempt the Obasanjo group in moving in,” said another source.

    However, that preemptive action may have failed. The Nation gathered that days after the clash between the factions, which was quelled by security agents, the Odunjinrin-led group has been allowed to take control of the party office allegedly with the support of security operatives allegedly acting ‘on orders from above.’

    Due to this development, the Kashamu faction is said to be seething with rage. A member of the faction, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “We will not allow Obasanjo to continue to ride roughshod over us. We remain the authentic group of the party. The Dayo-led council was elected at a congress supervised by national officers of the party and witnessed by INEC officials. In addition, the Federal High Court in Lagos has also affirmed its authenticity. Tukur is not helping matters by aligning with Obasanjo because we are in the majority.”

    While the Kashamu faction has reportedly returned to the drawing board to outwit the Obasanjo faction, sources disclosed that the group’s future moves are constrained by certain factors, few of which include its inability to concretise its reconciliation with another group led by the former governor of the state, Gbenga Daniel and the dilemma of the national headquarters of the party on how to handle Obasanjo. A source quipped, “The officials in Abuja know quite well that the Kashamu group controls the grassroots but nobody wants to offend OBJ.”

    The situation in the Ogun PDP, according to findings, is further worsened by alleged subterranean involvement of some major stakeholders of the party with other political parties in the state.

    Investigations revealed that many PDP members are allegedly working on a Plan B just in case their 2015 political aspiration is threatened in their party. In this regard, the Labour Party is said to be the biggest beneficiary of the discontent in PDP.

    The Nation gathered Daniel is working on two options to protect his future political relevance in the state. While he has not formally dissolved the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), which he allegedly floated in the rundown to the 2011 general elections last year after he lost out in the power play in the PDP, he is also allegedly bankrolling the Labour Party, on which platform his loyalists may contest the 2015 elections.

    The former governor’s group, sources alleged, is putting forward a former Secretary to Ogun State Government, Sarafadeen Ishola, during Daniel’s first term, as its governorship candidate on the platform of the Labour Party in the 2015 election. The choice of Ishola, who is also a former Minister of Solid Minerals Development under the late Umaru Yar’Adua presidency, was predicated on a strategy to divide the Ogun Central votes where the incumbent governor, Ibikunle Amosun, and Ishola hail from and fight for votes in the two other senatorial zones-Ogun East and Ogun West.

    With new political permutations constantly springing as the race for the 2015 race gets under way next year, it remains to be seen how the PDP will put its house in order in its quest to fight the Action Congress of Nigeria-controlled government led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

  • What’s Dokubo’s new game plan?

    Informed Nigerians are suspicious of Alhaji Mojadeen Asari Dokubo’s recent criticisms of President Goodluck Jonathan’s government, reports Sam Egburonu

    Ex-militant and leader of Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF), Alhaji Mojadeed Asari Dokubo, caused a stir last week when he slammed President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of derailing from the objective for which he was voted in as president.

    Dokubo also alleged that Jonathan “is surrounded by greedy people,” who, according to him, had conspired to alienate him from the very people that made his election possible, including his core supporters from South-South and South-East geo-political zones.

    As he put it, “We have continued as Ijaw people and the entire Niger Delta and South-South to support President (Goodluck) Jonathan, but the time has come when silence cannot be golden. We must speak out on issues that are very critical for the survival of our people, the survival of the people of the South-South and the South-East, which is the political base of Jonathan.”

    Political observers, who have reacted to Dokubo’s latest outburst, expressed surprise over his sudden turn-around, recalling that few months earlier, the ex- militant leader was one of the most outspoken defenders of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Just last March, for example, Dokubo’s comments sparked off controversy when he declared that Jonathan would remain president for eight years from 2011. It is, therefore, currious to observers why he made a complete U-turn last Friday, when he said rather unsparingly that “due to a woeful performance, the chance of the president being re-elected is fast slipping through his fingers,” adding that “It is alarming because the South-South must have its uninterrupted eight years tenure which is constitutional, but with how things are going under Jonathan’s watch, we are afraid that we may not be able to have our eight years tenure, because there will be no magic about it if it is going to be one man one vote.”

    Why the sudden change:

    Until now, most informed political watchers in Nigeria have easily explained away Asari Dokubo’s sweeping defence of Jonathan over the years. As one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s amnesty programme, Dokubo has risen from being a notorious Niger Delta militant leader to a big power broker in Aso Rock and a wealthy federal government contractor.

    The extent of the fortunes he had amassed under Jonathan’s government was made concrete through a Wall Street Journal report, which alleged that he got a contract from the government to guard pipelines in Niger Delta and that the said contract alone pays him about N1.42 billion annually.

    Given such patronage, only the uninformed bated an eyelid whenever he came out strong, issuing reckless verbal fire in the direction of anyone that dared to question any of Jonathan’s policies.

    But his change of attitude towards the president first became noticeable in August this year, when, after a meeting with Niger Delta youths in Abuja, he reportedly told reporters that Jonathan’s government has no option than to convoke a Sovereign National Conference. “Whether he likes it or not, Goodluck Jonathan must convoke an SNC. There is a need for a national discourse and dialogue. It is only an SNC that will solve the problem. The solution to the Boko Haram crisis is to dissolve the government and convoke an SNC,” to the consternation of his patrons at the seat of power in Abuja.

    He did not stop there as he declared last week that Jonathan has failed Nigerians and cannot hope to continue in government beyond 2015.

    Nigerians, who spoke to The Nation during the week are, therefore asking what must have informed the sudden change of opinion by a man, who has been courting controversy after controversy on behalf of Jonathan since he started enjoying multi-billion naira patronage from a government he once fought against?

    While some claimed that Dokubo’s eyes may have been opened after all, many said he may be playing a game.

    Dr Boniface Effiong, for example, said Dokubo is seeking undue attention. “I suspect he may have been denied a fresh juicy contract and has, therefore, resolved to use the media to fight another selfish battle. Is it now that he suddenly realised that Jonathan has elienated his immediate constituency? Opportunists like Dokubo should not be taken seriously. He has been reaping from where he planted not, and is, therefore, merely crying wolf. Please let’s ignore him and talk of how to move the country forward.”

    Effiong, a political scientist, also claimed that Dokubo is playing a political game as he is toying with the idea of courting Chief Olusegun Obasanjo against Jonathan for reasons yet to be unveiled. “I think he is singing the tune of a political interest from where he hopes to reap in the near future,” he concluded.

    It would be recalled that Dokubo, last Friday, pointedly blamed Jonathan for his alleged fallout with the former president.

    Chief Dickson Edet, a political leader from Rivers State, however argued that there is a sense in what Dokubo has said. “It is a fact that Jonathan may have been misadvised, considering the way he has treated the South-South, the South-East and some other zones. We may not like the person of Dokubo, especially the way he talks, but we can’t deny his courage. It is a fact that something is wrong presently, let’s face it and forget who is making the allegation.”

  • Thoughts on Nigerian constitution (1)

    ONE Nigerian political legend who I admire for a number of reasons is Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He is relevant today, perhaps more than he was when alive. And, aside his devotion to the cause of the people, courage and doggedness, his thoughts, well laid out in books, have stood him out.

    When he started out in the 1940s, little known even in Ibadan , his base, he wrote the Path to Nigerian Freedom. He had just left Britain where he had sojourned for the so-called Golden Fleece when he published the book.

    Then, he plunged into the murky waters of politics. He god soaked and soiled in the process. But, being the rugged man that he was, he soldiered on. To leave his footprints on the sands of time, documenting his early life and early political involvement, Awo, like Winston Churchill and other great men of his time, wrote and published AWO: The Autobiography of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. It was vintage Awo, but not yet the great statesman that we later saw him metamorphose into.

    In my view, the first great book by the Oke-Ado, Ibadan political giant was Thoughts on Nigerian Constitution. It showed Awo as a philosopher, a deep thinker and concerned Nigerian. It also portrayed him as one who had a blueprint for a better and greater Nigeria . Unlike the Path, it was published just after independence and was a critique of the process that led to coupling together the first constitution. He also laid out his thoughts on the road to a great future where Nigeria would turn out as the true giant of Africa .

    Two other books published in the 1960s were to provide further insights into Awo’s thoughts, views and impressions of the country of his dream. The Peoples Republic was next in line, followed by Strategy and Tactics of the Peoples Republic.

    I have said these to introduce my readers to the importance that I attach to the constitution as grundnorm for relations, institutions and, most importantly, laying out the society’s political estate.

    It is in this contest that I believe that a closer attention should be paid to the ongoing attempt to amend the rigid constitution foisted on us by the military in 1999. The constitution may not be all that is wrong with our political enterprise, but it shares so much of the blame. Much of the flare-ups that we experience today, stem from the ambiguities and deliberate landmines planted in the supreme law of the land.

    If there is anything that I look forward to in the coming year, it is the production of a revamped constitution.

    I look forward to pruning the powers of the government at the centre. I am convinced that traveling this road, with the country structured as it is, can only lead to further underdevelopment of Nigeria . It will make the dream of becoming the giant of Africa a mirage. How can the country join the list of 20 greatest economies when the leaders continue to loot? The centre is too far from the component units and violates the core principle of federalism as laid down by K. C. Wheare that none of the governments or tiers of government in a federation should be far more powerful than the other. The central government in Nigeria is far more powerful than the all the federating units combined. The resources are snapped by the ineffectual federal government and the agencies for law enforcement are solely controlled by the commander-in-chief. This much change as we hope and plan to move forward.

    It is also my strong belief that something much more fundamental must be done about the electoral architecture of the country. We really need to put on our thinking caps and decide to sanitise the electoral system. This is beyond just INEC. The commission is a key stakeholder, but there are many more that should be tidied up if we are to begin to have credible elections. First, we are yet to have a credible electoral register. The Jega commission has tried, but we are not yet there. If we are able to have a fully computerized, fool-proof register and get those who cheated in the last elections punished, we would have taken many steps forward.

    I remain convinced, too, that the influence of politicians should be warded off the system. What business has the President in a country like Nigeria in appointing a Chief National Electoral Commissioner, National and Resident Commissioners? How could the independence of all the men be guaranteed? Till date, our dear President is yet to let us into what informed his renewal of the tenures of some of the former national and resident commissioners and the dropping of others. Justice, we are told, should not just be done but must be seen by all to have been done.

    I salute the courage of the Jega team in giving effect to section 78 of the Electoral Act; he has to take a step further in ensuring that the internal processes in the political parties conform to the dictates of the constitution.

    Given the dominance of the centrifugal forces, shouldn’t Nigerians take another look at the structure of the constitution that has been a source of worry and insecurity? Can we sustain the existing 36-state structure? Can the powers of the federal government actually be whittled down for as long as we have 36 small states dotting the landscape?

    These are my thoughts. I hope to further examine some of the points next week.