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Category: Politics

  • Mimiko has lost the election, says Akeredolu

    Mimiko has lost the election, says Akeredolu

    Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), President Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) is the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State.

    In this interview with select journalists in Lagos, he says Governor Segun Mimiko will not be helped by the incumbency factor, as the people are resolved to vote him out. Deputy Editor (News) ADENIYI ADESINA and Group Political Editor Bolade Omonijo were there.

    How do you hope to successfully challenge the incumbency factor considering the performance of ACN in the 2011 general election which was not quite impressive in the state?

    The performance of ACN in the last general election was actually determined by many factors. I concede that ACN did not do well in the election. But when you ask people, they will readily tell you that there was a belief that there was an understanding between the ACN and Labour Party. Many of those who voted Mimiko and Labour Party did so with the understanding that both parties are the same. But it was a matter of time before they all knew he was never part of them. In fact, he is PDP to the core and that is where he is going to end up at the end. So, we can all imagine the fortune of a party whose supporters went around with the assumption that both LP and ACN are the same.

    But you cannot use that election to judge this one because many of the ACN members have returned to their base. The ACN has won over half of those who are in Labour and over half of those in PDP. So, I can tell you that ACN is quite formidable in Ondo State today, more than ever before.

    When it comes to the issue of incumbency, I know he can out-smart all other parties put together when it comes to spending. He can spend in the rallies, campaign and giving people all sorts of things. This is because he is not spending his money but state fund. Obama cannot try it without going to jail. Cameron cannot try it. But in Nigeria, you can’t control it because there is no demarcation between an individual fund and the state fund. But we must know that the power of incumbency cannot match the resolve of the people. When people are determined, there is no amount of money you can spend to entice them. When the people were determined in Oyo, Akala left. When they were determined in Osun State, Oyinlola left and also in Ondo, when the people were determined, Agagu left for him. So, if he can oust Agagu who had all the support of the federal government at the time, so, who is Mimiko? We will run him out of Ondo State that I can assure you.

    Considering the fact that you are from Ondo North, specifically, Owo which has smaller population, how do you hope to win votes from other senatorial districts of the state?

    I am very sure that ACN as a party must have considered all these permutations before making a choice of a candidate from Owo. And I want to say categorically that no one is better placed than a candidate from Owo. In a state like ours, there are so many fallacies being dished out to the public and because you repeat, it seems to bring about some elements of truth. Of course, Akoko is an integral part of Ondo North Senatorial District and it has four local governments with 54 per cent voting population while Owo has two local governments areas with about 46 per cent voting strength. So, the figures are not determined by the numbers of local governments areas.

    Secondly, the relationship between Owo and Akoko has always been that, if you rub my back, I will rub yours. Most times, when the governorship candidate comes from Owo, the senatorial candidate has always been from Akoko. The current senator representing Ondo North is Prof. Ajayi Borofice who hails from Akoko. He is a member of ACN. So, the choice of a governorship candidate from Owo is just to balance the relationship that has often existed between the two Today, Akoko people will say “we are sure that ACN will win Akoko but our problem is Owo.” So, the Akoko people are solidly behind ACN and they are supporting our candidature.

    Concerning the central senatorial zone, with all apologies to my campaign director, that senatorial zone is like a pool. We have Owo people there and Akoko, people from the south senatorial zone among others. I remember we once joked that if you remove the population of other senatorial zone from Akure in particular, that is when they will know that there are more non-indigenes in Akure than the indigenes. Of course, the figure in central is large but it is not just for the indigenes of the senatorial zone, it also comprises those from other senatorial zones.

    And when it comes to the South, yes, Olusola Oke is from the place and luckily for us, our deputy governorship candidate is also from the area and he belongs to the largest ethnic group there, I mean the Ikales who are much populated than the Ilaje where Oke hails from. So, when you look at it, you will discover that a lot of balancing is already in place. And again, Oke knows that the race is actually between two persons. I know PDP will eventually work with us. Of course, we have always worked together because we both have one agenda and that is to get Mimiko out of that seat. When we meet at rallies, we joke, drink together and we often tell each other that the important thing is that Mimiko leaves that seat.

    Recently, the governor alleged that illegal registration of voters is being carried out by your party and the INEC chairman also confirmed that illegal registration is going on in Ondo State though he refused to mention any party; what is your view on it?

    Well, we are not in government. So, we couldn’t have been carrying out illegal registration of voters. ACN does not have the resources. We are not PDP and we are not controlling federal government. We are only controlling some states, so you will agree with me that this is a tissue of lies. So, who are the people doing the registration? Suspiciously, it should be the Labour Party. When the issue was raised, I remember INEC saying it was wrong for Ondo State government to be doing its biometric registration of the labour force at that point in time. I think that is where the suspicion came from.

    The government has been there for almost four years, why has the biometric registration not taken place? So, why is it being carried out on the eve of the election? And it has also been discovered that some of those being captured are not even workers with the state government. But one thing I know is that such steps will be a futile exercise as there is no amount of rigging that will change the result of the election. INEC should be commended for what it did in Edo State and I have confidence that the result of Ondo election will be free and fair.

    How do you feel, considering the fact that the incumbent governor was recently endorsed by prominent personalities like Dr Tunji Braithwaite, Dr Fredrick Fasehun and Mrs Ganiat Fawehinmi, among others?

    Endorsements don’t win election. Who is Braithwaite in Ondo State politics? Nobody. Who is Fasehun in politics of Ondo State? Nobody. Yes, Ganiat Fawehinmi can ride on the goodwill of her husband, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. But I can tell you that if the husband were to be alive, he would have supported me. So, I will rather prefer having the spirit of the husband who is no more rather than that of the wife who is around.

    Yes, when Chief Fawehinmi died, the governor gave him a befitting burial and we also know that he established a diagnostic centre which he named after him, even though it has just come to the notice of everybody that the centre is actually not funded by the state government but by some private investors and probably he has some interests in it.

    Some people have suggested that you are not your own man…

    I wish to place on record that I have always been my own man. The assumption in some quarters that I was hand-picked is not correct. I have served as Attorney General of Ondo State before and I know Ondo State very well. It is also instructive to point out that when I was a former president of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and I was championing a number of campaigns aimed at curbing government excesses, was anybody using us? So, all along, I have always been my own man at every given opportunity and at every point in time.

    There is also a belief that your emergence elicited so much controversy that the party is yet to recover. How would you respond to this?

    The process that produced me was fair because all the aspirants signed up to it; no exception. Every political party has its process of selection, which I believe is democratic enough. At the end of the day, some people, feel aggrieved, which I believe is normal. But we have continued to talk to them and most of them are now with us. If we have one or two who felt they must eventually go, there is nothing we can do about that. It is politics. It is personal ambition. If you chose to be governor and somebody offers you deputy governorship ticket and you go, that means you never wanted to be governor. So, for me, nobody can fault the process of my emergence, because it was thorough and we were all part of it. So, by and large, I believe the Action Congress of Nigeria that chose me has made the best choice for Ondo state ahead of the governorship election.

    Your opponent, the incumbent governor, kick-started his campaign few weeks back and we all witnessed the mammoth crowd that graced the event at your home town, Owo; what will you say this portends for your chances?

    The crowd you saw were people they brought from outside. People from Owo never came out. They brought in people from all the 18 local governments areas to Owo in many buses. People before us have said it, may be because the time has passed. We all know, crowd doesn’t vote. We are unperturbed because we know people are behind us. Even with the crowd that was brought to Owo, if you ask them to vote, we know that over 70 per cent of them will vote for us. You can bring people to rally. You can drive people to rally and you can more or less bribe people to come to a political campaign. They were more or less forcing people to come out. They are forcing civil servants while teachers were given numbers and at the end of the day, you gave them money. We have been out and we have seen crowd too, those who will attend rallies from 9 am till 11 pm without being given a kobo. Those are the real crowd. Those are the people we have. If you do your research in Owo, you will confirm what I’m saying and you will discover that the crowd was brought there.

    Considering the fact that the governorship election is close by and your major opponent is a sitting governor, what do you think can make him lose the election?

    Let me say emphatically that Mimiko has already lost the election. He can never win any election in Ondo State and that is why he is running from pillar to post. This is because he knows quite well that he has lost the forthcoming election.

    How?

    If you have a government that has nothing as achievement in four years, how do you expect people to vote for such government? In four years, he started one or two roads, none is completed. And I have said while I was campaigning that he can never complete any of those roads because I will be the one to complete them. I’m standing on that. Again, you have a government where the army of unemployed has increased and many of these unemployed are voters. How do you expect those people to vote for government that does not provide them with jobs?

    So, you are saying the crowd does not represent the strength of the party?

    Many of those you see in their rallies were there because they are forced. Some, out of inducement and some are there for sight-seeing. Some go there to collect vests and money. In the heart of the Ondo State people, Mimiko is out already. You can stay here in Lagos, watch television and start to imagine how we are going to defeat him because of the crowd you see. But I don’t have any doubt in my mind that he is going to lose. And if we are to look at it critically again, are the people of Ondo State foolish? They are not.

    Oba Adesida Road has been there all the while, with street lights on it and then you remove them and put other ones. At what cost? There is no project today that he can commission except for the markets which are responsibilities of the local governments. And this is someone who has refused to conduct election at local government levels. And the markets, nobody is even going there. Just drive through Ondo State and you will see that there are no people in those markets. Some people have refused to go to the markets because they believe they are more or less rituals stuff. Of course, I don’t believe in such any way because they don’t mean anything to me.

    What about the town halls?

    The other one, you force people to go and be building town halls. What has the state government got to do with the building of town halls? What are the people there to do? These are what people could raise money among themselves to build. And in fact, some of these town halls are already collapsing. In Opete for instance, a side of the town hall wall has collapsed. So, the government has not achieved anything, except hardship. The economy is grounded. How do you expect people to retain it? You need to go to the state, the whole place is dry. There is no money. That is the reality people of the state are facing and many people who are not there don’t know. And that’s the reason we are confident we are going to win.

    Specifically, what are your programmes for the people of the state?

    We have told the people of Ondo State that we have a five-cardinal programme. This includes education, technology, agriculture, entrepreneurship and infrastructure. I have told them that I have absolute commitment to the rural areas and our farmers will have cause to smile and that is why they are with me.

    As part of other things we will do when we get there, we will improve our IGR. This not going to be by tax but by ensuring we increase the number of places where we generate money into the coffers of the state government. And I’m very sure many people will be happy to pay their taxes. On the issue of surplus bitumen in the state, even if it is too much for just a state, about six to seven states can come together and run a company that will take care of it. We will jointly invest in it and we will still make our money because we are going to involve other people there. Our investment will be larger and investors will be happy to participate.

    Share with us your programmes for education?

    Education will take the chunk of our resources when we get there. This is because it will be made free from primary to secondary level. At university level, we will give scholarships. But such scholarship will not be limited to those who have Second Class (Upper) because that is what is obtainable now and I think it is not right. You may not be brilliant and your parents may not have the means to sponsor your education.

    Also we will ensure that bursaries are paid when due to indigent students. We will also support those who are in law schools and it will be more than the N25, 000 they are being given now.

    The role of first ladies has been abused in recent times; if you eventually emerge, what role will your wife be playing?

    It’s quite unfortunate that my wife is not here. But I can tell you that I’m married to a person that is highly political. She is somebody who does not believe in wasting people’s resources. So, we are going to have a first lady who is not going to waste people’s resources. I know that for sure. She runs a non-governmental organisation that addresses women issues. She is the President of Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BECAN). She already has an idea of what to do. It is not that when she gets there that she will start thinking of what to do. I’m sure her programme may include “let us all jug for a week. Let’s have breast cancer examination for all women”, among others.

  • ‘No going back on Southwest harmony’

    ‘No going back on Southwest harmony’

    Ajibola Bashiru, lawyer and Osun State Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, spoke with Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU on the national question and Southwest’s quest for  integration . 

     

    Is the Southwest ready for the challenges of regional autonomy and true federalism?

    The Southwest is ready for the challenges. There are a lot of activities that have been done in the area of regional integration. A document, DAWN, which is Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, by Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), has been released. A special technical committee has been inaugurated earlier by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the governor of Ekiti State. Sequence to that, Mr. Dipo Famakinwa was appointed the Director-General of Southwest Economic Development Corporation. The headquarter is at the Cocoa House, Ibadan. It is an important landmark in the history of the region. There have been series of meetings at Osogbo, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Ado to articulate the final implementation of the report and development agenda. The final implementation of the report will spell out the details of the implementation of the agenda. This agenda is to be pursued within the framework of the regional structures put in place. The stages of the implementation require the support of our legislative houses. Agriculture is a pivotal area the region has to develop. In this regard, there is agricultural revolution going on. The Commissioners for Agriculture from the region met in Lagos. The blue-print on agricultural development has been developed. The final report will be submitted to the governors for ratification and implementation. Each of the states has been given “regional commissionership” in terms of clusters. The commissioner from Osun State, my humble self, was given the infrastructure cluster. We want to upgrade and construct roads to facilitate free movement of people and goods in the region. We want to develop the rail infrastructure. We are talking to investors to come and make formal presentation to the commission. There are clusters on good governance and development. So, the stage is set.

    Talking about visceral commitment, how committed are the states in the region to the agenda?

    There is a high level of dedication and commitment on the part of the Southwest governors, although Ondo State appears reluctant to join the integration programme, may be for partisan reasons. Except that, all the states are collaborating together. Regional integration is about leveraging on the comparative advantage that can be gotten within the region. A part of the region may not be endowed with finance, but it may be endowed in other areas. for example, in Osun, there is abundant land resources. Lagos has financial resources. For us to crystallize a developmental and industrial programme in this region, we need massive and large scale agriculture to grow the agro-allied industry. Lagos and Osun can collaborate in this win-win situation. It is not about money alone. Resources for production are varied and they abound in different parts of the region.

    Southwest leaders are pushing for true federalism. But some people are wondering whether the region can now survive without oil. What is your view?

    Based on the handout economy being operated now, some people will say that, today, it will be pretty hard for any of the existing states to survive, with the exception of Lagos. The reality was that, before oil was discovered in commercial quantity, Western Region was surviving. At that time, Western Region extended to Asaba. The regional integration programme is being put together to mobilise resources to crystalise an economy. When we talk about federalism, what we require is that there must be an economy to sustain the federating unit. We talk about true federalism because Nigeria presently is not practicing true federalism. We practice unitary system of government masquerading as federalism or at best, military federalism. The military by their training, orientation and hierarchy of command structure, is a unitary system. But federalism envisages autonomy, independence of action of the federating units. The period between 1966 and 1976, when the military were in power marked the distortion and outright negation of the concept of federalism. Decrees were made at the centre and governors were merely appointees of the central military commander. The Constitution of 1999 mirrored that hierarchical structure. In federalism, there must be devolution of powers to the federating units and the central government should exist for things that are common to the entire federating units; defence, currency and foreign exchange. When the federal government deals with primary health care, primary education, agriculture when it does not have land, that is not federalism.

    Southwest can sustain itself. It is viable in terms of agricultural resources. That is why the leadership of the region is concentrating on agriculture. In Osun State, we have the evidence in Ife-Odan, Mokore, Patara, Akinleye. You see massive food production. Cattle rearing is going on. We want to get value beyond production. We can sustain the region through agriculture and education. If education is developed, there will be remittances from skill development. That is why we should operate Academy for Youths for skill development. Oil itself has become a curse. That is why people are agitating for states which would rely solely on the handout from the federal government.

    Many feel that regional integration is a foundation for succession

    Regional integration cannot and is not a foundation for succession. We know that the right to self determination is an internationally recognised right under international law and it does not amount to succession. What it amounts to is that every people have the right to organise themselves to foster development for their betterment. We have different people in Nigeria. By culture and orientation, we are different. Some cultures believe in the pursuit of wealth. Some believe in hard work. Some believe in religious affinity. Yoruba, either Christians, Muslims or traditionalists, are never known as fanatics. They accommodate all beliefs. In the West, we are positioned to practice agriculture, but because of dilution and standardisation by the centre, we cannot articulate ourselves. Regional integration is an agenda for development, self-determination and agenda to make government meaningful, and not succession. We believe in the advantage of diversity and a country with a large population, but we must address the basis of that relationship. There are about 10 or 11 countries that have population that is more than 100 million. Among them are India, Indonesia and Nigeria, which opted for federalism. India and Indonesea are developing because their federalism are well articulated. But in Nigeria, we are practicing unitary system. Over 80 federal commissions exist in Abuja and they do not impact on the people.

    Is the implementation process not too slow?

    A lot of activities are on, but they are not media activities. Experts have been brought to critique the report of the technical committee originally developed at Osogbo. We are at the stage of putting up the strategies for implementation. If you don’t plan very well, you cannot succeed. As soon as the final report is approved by the governors, activities would start. It is also necessary to carry along the people. The government of the State of Osun has approved that a sensitisation workshop should hold for political leaders, bureaucrats, journalists and other stakeholders in the region in November. Experts from UNO and other agencies are coming. What we want to do is to make use of our cultural uniformity and geographical contiguity fir the development of our people.

    The South is agitating for state police. But the former Speaker of House of Representatives said the current crop of leaders in the Southwest lacked the maturity of Awolowo, Ajasin and Ige era and that we should apply caution.

    I don’t think the former Speaker is well endowed in terms of experience and intellectual disposition to comment the way he had commented. It is gratuitous insult for people who have been elected to be described as politically immature. He was fortunate to be number four citizens by their arrangement in PDP. He is not in position in terms of experience, competence, and intellectual disposition to comment the way he commented. State police and any form of state institution is prone to abuse at intellectual level. That is where we have safeguards. Has the federal police not been use to abuse? Should it therefore, be abolished? There are facts to show that the federal police is prone to abuse. It was the federal police that was used to abduct a governor, Ngige, and nothing happened. It was the federal police that was used to terrorise our people in Osun State throughout the purported second term of Oyinlola. Every institution has the tendency to be abused.

     

  • Stakeholders seek peaceful election

    Stakeholders seek peaceful election

    The clamour for free, fair and peaceful election resonated at a sensitisation workshop for party executives, stakeholders and candidates ahead of the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State. Assistant Editor AUGUSTINE AVWODE reports.

    It is just three weeks and three days before the electorate in Ondo State will elect the man to pilot the affairs of the state for the next four years. The October 20 governorship election has remained a major talking point within the country’s political space. And, many people have expressed concern about the possibility of an outbreak of violence before, during and after the election.

    The concern is germane, given the trend of things in the state in the past few months. There has been an increasing rise in the wave of political violence, inter party fracas and other sundry forms of intimidation. The question has always been what would happen on election day and after the results would have been announced? Besides, reference has always been made to the orgy of violence that swept through the state in the not too distant past when a governorship election was manipulated in favour of a candidate which the electorate in the state clearly did not want.

    It was in a bid to forestall a possible repeat of such unwholesome and ugly development that the Special Adviser to the President on Inter Party Affairs Senator Ben Ndi Obi, last Friday, put together a sensitization workshop for party executives, stakeholders and candidates ahead of the election. The workshop which held in Akure, the state capital, saw stakeholders calling for free, fair and transparent election which should be held in very peaceful and conducive atmosphere.

    Senator Obi must have been inspired by a similar workshop conducted in June in neighbouring Edo State. In the run up to the July 14, governorship election in that state, anxiety was high, that violence coulddisrupt activities in the state. There were accusations and counter accusations by the major stakeholders, particularly, between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    The workshop turned out to be the needed tonic almost everybody had been waiting for to call attention to the need for peace, law and order. The election held and, apart from being generally peaceful, it was acknowledged as the freest and fairest since 1999.

    President Goodluck Jonathan wasted no time in congratulating Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the ACN who was declared winner. The PDP as a party did same, displaying great sportsmanship. It is on record that the party refused to contest the result of the election.

    That was in Edo State. But then, the Anambra State born presidential aide must have considered it a sacred duty to try and replicate the same in Ondo State.

    In his welcome address, Obi came up with far-reaching recommendations. He was quick to remind all present that the fact that they were all at the workshop represented a “collective desire to change the nature and character of elections in Ondo State and by extension, our nation”. Obi recalled with a deep sense of satisfactions the results which the Edo experiment of the workshop yielded.

    “It all started in Edo State in June 2012 following the need to arrest the dangerous political atmosphere preceding the Edo July 2012 Governorship Election that generated serious anxiety in the nation owing to the escalation of political insecurity, acrimony and rancour in that state. It was a paradigm shift. We are all living witnesses to the great success recorded by our sensitisation workshop in Edo State”.

    He added that “This workshop is, therefore, an occasion for party associates and stakeholders to rub mind on how to ensure a crises-free election in Ondo state. It is the time for all stakeholders to evolve the machinery to sensitise our various supporters on the need to adhere to electoral rules.

    “We must ensure that our supporters are thoroughly informed that in any election, there must be a winner and ensure that each vote counts. There is no doubt that the political environment in Ondo State is presently passionate and emotional but building on the lessons of the past, there is need for a positive decision to make it safe and friendly once again”.

    Outlining the place of periodic elections in a democracy, he spelt out what must be done by all stakeholders to achieve the dreamed free, fair and peaceful election. “Periodic election remains paramount in a democratic dispensation because it is the moment of truth for both the leader and the led. While election is a nightmare to nonperforming politicians, a great expectation it is to the people as it affords them the opportunity to choose their leaders as well as drop nonperforming ones. But elections cannot perform this function if the right attitude is not developed and right atmosphere enthroned.

    “Free and fair election calls for unrestrained right to vote and be voted for, a level playing ground for all in spite of party affiliations; common access to common facilities; one that is devoid of intimidations, misuse of state resources for electoral purposes, violence, riggings and the manipulation of the judicial process in situation of electoral litigations, etc”, he said.

    In his address, the chairman of the workshop Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd), while commending the initiative, warned that nothing short of a free and fair election is acceptable. He reminded the audience of what happened in the state once when electoral cheats tried to rob the people of their right to freely choose who to rule them.

    “People of my generation cannot forget the stiff, uncompromising attitude, backed by physical demonstration of limitless violence with which the people of this state stood against cheating, demonstrated by electioneering heist in the recent past”.

    Harping on the negative consequences of rigging elections, Akinrinade warned in no uncertain terms that: “When an election is not free and fair, people’s faith and confidence in the system are eroded, bad and unwanted leaders are sanctimoniously and ignominiously selected, democracy dividend are denied, crisis of unimaginable proportions with its concomitant violence are enthroned, development is distorted and lives lost”.

    Akinrinade warned those who are planning to ferment trouble to desist saying the election must be a true reflection of the wishes of Ondo people. “Political killings are not only antithetical to democracy; they are also satanic and contrary to the principle of the ‘General Good’. This time around, Ondo State and her people cannot afford to play into the waiting hands of the anarchy that result from manipulated elections. Election must be a true reflection of the people’s collective wish”.

    The ACN governorship candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Southwest of the party, Senator James Kolawole, noted that the consequences of not conducting a free and fair election are grievous. He maintained that Ondo State has sophisticated citizenry which makes it mandatory to ensure free and fair election in the state. Kolawole said the ACN, being a peaceful party, will not tolerate and promote any forms of violence.

    The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), represented by his running mate, Mr. Saka Lawal, not only condemned the denial of air time to opposition parties by public electronic media in the state, he also lamented the series of attacks against members of the PDP.

    He said: “We in the PDP, we are not violent, but the sitting government ever since has not learnt anything from us. Over the last one month, we have been to 203 wards, we have visited about 350 communities. We were at Idanre, we got police permit, but the SA to the sitting governor led thugs to attack our members. If not for the timely intervention of the Commissioner of Police, that rally would have been aborted”

    In his remarks, chairman of the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof Attahiru Jega, who was represented by a national commissioner, Hajiya Aminat Zakari, recalled the positive outcome and subsequent confidence building mechanism that resulted from the Edo State workshop. Jega noted that the Commission is always concerned whenever the electoral environment is over-heated by aggressive language, threats, and other forms of intimidation before during and after elections.

    “These do not augur well for all contestants, the voters as well as the political and electoral systems at large. Such an atmosphere also generates, and inevitably creates situations that not only lead to threats to life and property, but could also impact negatively on the credibility of the election”.

    Jega stressed that only personal commitment can help the system.

    “It is the personal commitment of political parties and candidates that can create the kind of peaceful atmosphere for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections that we all desire as a nation. As you deliberate on some of the most pertinent concerns on peaceful elections, I hope that you will generate concrete suggestions that will assist all Stakeholders in ensuring that the forthcoming Ondo State Governorship Election is conducted in a peaceful and conducive atmosphere”, Jega said.

    Delivering the keynote address, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a Political Scientist at the Usumanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, which he titled: “Trust: That rare value in politics,” said the essence of the exercise was to capture what he called an “illusive and rare value” in politics which he identified as trust.

    According to him, people are searching for: “Trust that politicians can rely on INEC to conduct the forthcoming elections in a manner that they can accept the results as genuinely reflecting the will of the people of Ondo State. Trust that political parties and contestants will play by the same rules, and will respect the electorate by giving them enough room to exercise free choice.

    “Trust of the people of this state that both INEC and politicians will allow their will to prevail; to remove fear from the entire exercise; and respect outcomes as the voices of the people. Trust that this election will serve as a benchmark for a nation eager to establish the possibility that we can elect leaders freely and openly, and, the heavens do not need to fall in the process”.

    The guest lecturer challenged all present to make sure that what would happen in Ondo represents an improvement on the election in Edo State. wish you a very useful workshop”.

    The communique signed by all stakeholders. As the d-day draws nearer, all eyes would be on these critical stakeholders to do the needful for Ondo, the state which prides itself as the “Sunshine State” and Nigeria.

     

    hip election in Ondo State. Assistant Editor AUGUSTINE AVWODE reports.

  • ‘Integration more important than Mimiko’s ambition’

    ‘Integration more important than Mimiko’s ambition’

    Lagos State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Publicity Secretary Joe Igbokwe writes on the importance of Sosuthwest integration for the people of Ondo State.

    Southwest Regional Integration is far more important than the ambition of Segun Mimiko. Southwest Nigeria is well known for progressive politics and it did not start today. It dates back to early 40s and 50s in the days of Zik of Africa and Chief Obafemi Awolowo until the unfortunate event on the floor of the Western House in 1951. Time and space will not permit me to tell the full story of the events of 1951 that rendered nugatory our progressive politics and struggles to build a Nigeria of our dream.

    Even though the great Zik returned to Enugu to join his kiths and kin, Progressive politics continued in the Southwest Nigeria. Today no one ethnic group or zone will say that it is better than Southwest, Nigeria. Is it in terms of education? Is it in terms ofwealth? Is it economy? Is it religious tolerance? Is it market? Is it in terms of good schools or hospitals? Is it good roads? Is it politics? Is it in terms of management of anything? Is it in terms of the press in Nigeria (both print and electronic) Is it commerce and industry? 80 per cent of the nations industry are based in the Southwest. Is it the growth of churches? 80 per cent of founders of the great churches in Nigeria are from Southwest. 90 per cent of the nation’s imports come through Southwest. I can go on and on but there is no need to continue to do so.

    The point I am making is that Southwest has led the opposition in Nigeria since independence and yet they are far more better than other zones in Nigeria in terms of anything. If I wanted to be strict, I would say that the economy of all other zones in Nigeria put together may not surpasse the economy of Southwest Nigeria. I stand to be proved wrong with emperical evidences. This is the reason why the forthcoming elections in Ondo State is very crucial and very strategic to South West Nigeria and to the Action Congress of Nigeria. It is difficult if not impossible to talk about regional integration in the South West without the late Chief Micheal Adukunle Ajasin’s Ondo State – the symbol of progressive politics in the days of the locusts.

    For record purposes, the late Chief Ajasin, the former civilian governor of Ondo State was the chairman of NADECO, the opposition platform that chased IBB, Shonekan,Abacha and Abdulsalami Abubakar out of power to make way for this current civilian dispensation. Many may have forgotten how the late General Abacha deployed the late Commander Onyearugbulam, the then Military Administrator of Ondo to buldoze his way to Ajasin’s home to harrass and intimidate the old man. Onyearugbulam led a contingent of military personels to Ajasin’s peaceful home unannounced to repress, oppress and suppress the leader of the opposition as a way of bringing down the entire opposition. Did Abacha succeed?

    The rest is now history! It is on record that our own Chief AJasin never recovered from this onslaught. He died as a result of shock from Onyearugbulem’s brigandage. I am telling this story today just to remind those who are key players in Ondo politics of the events of yesteryears. For the 13 years a combination of IBB,Shonekan,Abacha and Abdulsalami Abubakar declared war against the Yoruba nation, nobody heard the voice of Segun Mimiko, the governor of Ondo State today. He saw but he kept quiet. He did not join his kinsmen to fight the commom enemy.

    He did join his kith and kin to cry against the injustice being meted out to his people. He maintained the culture of silence. But a story that must be told never forgives silence. Southwest or Yoruba nation is too important than the ambition of one man called Segun Mimiko. Southwest Regional Integration is far more important than the ambition of one man. The governor may pretend to be in the Labour Party but in actions, and deeds and in body language, he is PDP. Dan Iwuanyanwu, the Chairman of LP has just received a National Honour from President Jonathan and as political historians we in ACN understand the game very well. The PDP has purchase Chief Dan Iwuanyanwu with National Award and as events unfold in Nigeria very soon, Nigerians will appreciate what we are saying. Mimiko betrayed our leaders in ACN by biting the fingers that fed him.

    He will pay for this in the fullness of time. Come October 20, 2012. I urge the wise people of Ondo State to vote out Segun Mimiko and usher in Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as Governor. Ondo State must be returned to the great family where they belonged originally. Regional Integration in the Southwest Nigeria is one of the biggest project in NIgeria today and Ondo State cannot afford to be in isolation. Like every other good thing in Nigeria, the regional integration going on in the Southwest is being copied by other zones in NIgeria. Ondo State cannot afford to be left behind in this serious business Mimiko or no Mimiko.

     

  • Fear of ACN grips PDP in Kwara

    Fear of ACN grips PDP in Kwara

    Should the spate of defections to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) by members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties in Kwara State continue, the PDP, in particular, may be in for serious misfortune. This is the current fear being nursed by many PDP chieftains.

    Recently, the expansive Latara Hall, Ajase-Ipo Road, Ilorin played host to scores of defectors, ACN supporters and loyalists from within and other neighbouring ACN states.

    It was an occasion for the celebration of the defection of some members of the PDP, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) and Accord to ACN.

    The defectors claimed they were leaving a “retrogressive and oppressive” PDP in the state to the progressive party, ACN.

    Notable among the defectors are former PDP deputy governorship candidate in the 1999 election, Barrister Akinmade Yahaya Abolarin; former Commissioner and a leading light in the Saraki political dynasty, Chief James Ayeni, and a former PDP chieftain and ex-chairman of Ifelodun Local Government, Engineer Jide Usman.

    ACN national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the party’s governorship candidate in the 2011 election, Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN); representatives of Osun and Ogun state governors among others, were also on hand to receive the defectors at the colourful ceremony in the state capital.

    Spokesperson of the defectors, Prince Shuaib Olanrewaju premised their defection on what he described thus: “The reason for our defection is premised on the fact that the state was among the original twelve states created since 1967, having nothing in terms of human capital and social transformation to justify the age of its existence. When we all joined hands with the PDP in the last year poll to deliver the state to the party, our expectation was that the good people of the state would be rewarded with good dividends of democracy.

    “Unfortunately, unemployment, poverty and fraudulent political promises occasioned by the PDP’s bad leadership have become the order of the day. All around us, you find mortuaries of wreckage inflicted by PDP in the state. During the past nine or more years, we all have been running a political race, the spectators (the electorate) have been looking on (though not impotently). Our state is like a patient whose condition is daily deteriorating.

    “There is the need for the state to be delivered from the hands of PDP that has constituted itself to a political demon and clog in the wheel of progress of the state. In order to achieve this political deliverance, it becomes imperative for all the progressive elements to join forces to fight these political oppressors and chase them away from governance. We promise to form a solid followership for the ACN to engender meaningful development in the state. We are declaring for the ACN today; we shall cooperate with the party from the ward, local, state to national levels to ensure the party’s victory in the 2013 local government election in the state and the national elections in 2015.”

    Prince Kolawole added that “here and there, there are evidences of total falling out of the common people with the irresponsible government of PDP. We all know that this state is dead broke. We do know it too, we had to accept that it is so because workers’ salaries are not paid when due and few weeks ago, the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) threatened to go on strike over non-payment of their salaries and other entitlements.”

    The ACN spokesman accused the PDP-led Federal Government of incapable of proffering solution to the nation’s problems.

    He posited that the PDP-led government’s ineptitude had resulted in the alarming rate of youth unemployment, epileptic power supply and general infrastructural decay.

    Maintaining that the PDP government had failed Nigerians, the Mohammed threw jibes at the party’s leadership for its spirited effort to defend President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Dr Doyin Okupe, over allegation of contract scandal levelled against him by the Benue State government

    The PDP, Mohammed insisted, had never been truthful to Nigerians on any national issue, citing the “many lies the PDP government churned out to Nigerians on the illness of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.”

    He added that Nigerians deserved to know the exact situation of the health status of the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

    Lamenting what he called lack of development and dearth of infrastructure in Kwara State, Mohammed said that the PDP-led government in the state was in no way different from the PDP government at the centre, adding: “The PDP at the national level is not performing, so you cannot expect anything different at the state level.”

    In his remarks, Belgore advised Kwarans to stop “suffering in silence” by teaming up with the ACN to sweep PDP away in the next general elections.

    Belgore added: “ACN remains the only viable alternative to PDP and the party that genuinely has the interest of the masses at heart. It is becoming clearer that PDP has absolute nothing to offer. Kwara in 2012 is worst than it was last year. People are coming in droves to ACN and there is a lot more than what you are seeing. This decamping, you will keep seeing more as we go along. My charge to Kwarans is for them to defend their right, support the party that will protect their interest and advance their cause and development. It is no point suffering. Support ACN and we will rout that evil called PDP out of our state.

    “This is not the Kwara state of my dream with these PDP people in power. What I’m seeing is a state of nightmares. It might be the dream of a few selfish people that are bent on plundering the state for their own personal gains, but it is certainly not my dream state and that of majority of Kwarans.”

     

  • Emulate Southwest, Evah urges Niger-Delta

    Emulate Southwest, Evah urges Niger-Delta

    Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG) Co-ordinator Comrade Joseph Evah has

    said except the Niger Delta people emulate their counterparts in the South-

    west it will be difficult to forge ahead in the nation’s political equation.

    He told The Nation that if not for the machinations of the other regions or zones that were dragging the South-west backward, it would be competing with countries like Malasia, Singapore and Korea.

    Evah who bemoaned leadership ineptitude in the Niger Delta, recently led about 150 students of tertiary institutions to tour Ghana, where they had the ample opportunity of studying the legacy of Kwame Nkrumah and other eminent political gladiators from Ghana which the people of South-west Nigeria can boast of.

    “I was in Ghana recently; we decided to tour Ghana with some Niger Delta students because our problem in the Niger Delta is leadership. We want to produce leaders like those of the South-west. Mind you before the South-west could produce the kind of leaders they have, it involved lots of painstaking. We don’t have those who can adequately fit into the position our compatriot in the South-west.”

    According to him, a nation without good leaders cannot make progress no matter the resources of wealth it is endowed with. If for instance our oil dries up today this marriage called will automatically end. After all, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore don’t have oil yet they are making waves in the world.

    “That is why we are not moving forward in terms of development and that why local government areas no council chairman in our areas don’t give bursary to students. When you go to the Yoruba areas the council chairmen present their work to the people. If you go to our areas the National or State Assemblies members don’t present their programme to the people, so we have problem of leadership that is why billions of naira that are pumped into the region have not manifest.”

    The people don’t even know why they are leaders; we produce emergency leaders in the Niger Delta. If we continue like this our children will suffer in the next 50 years, so we decided to borrow a leaf from what the Yoruba. We had to tour Ghana because it suffered in the late 70s and early 80s. Ghanaians were roaming about in Nigeria and other African countries. That was why I had to take over 150 students to tour universities in Ghana, visited some of their personalities.”

    He stressed that if not for their prayers, some forces wanted to manipulate the president in order to take charge. “It is our deliverance service that is still keeping the president alive, if not Jonathan is no more. I mobilised Niger Delta students to strom Abuja then he was the Vice President when a lot of people were harassing him. Yar’ Adua was alive people were harassing him as if he has nobody. All the governors were not going to him; some forces have manipulated the governors to the extent that he was ignored. Nobody was interested in him, people were manipulating the villa, they treated him as if he was a houseboy and we had to mobilised through prayers and change the situation for him.”

    Evah said: “We are urging our son to work harder for the Nigerian people because he is entitled to another term. If he works very hard and convincingly to the interests of Nigerians, we won’t have any problem. People will say since others have gone for second term let this man who has worked so hard go for a second term.”

    In fact the people will not even bother about where Jonathan comes from, that is why we are interested in his projects, he must ensure that electricity is 100 per cent, reduce unemployment. We are really disturbing our son not to fail the nation now that we are in the saddle, we are fasting and praying for him. That he should bring back that period when he was popular as acting president.”

    On the purported adoption of President Jonathan by the South South Peoples Assembly, he said all the South South could not have adopted him. “I am not a Peoples Democratic Party member, all the South-south people are not all in PDP, not even with the fact that I am not in any of the political parties. If PDP people gather it is a different ball game entirely but if the South-south leaders gather to tell our son what is missing it is better. They are supposed sit down to tell our son what is missing in the region, they are supposed to tell him not to waste our time and how best to tackle problems in the country.”

    He said the President who had not fully regain his popularity following the hike in fuel price this year, would be taking another unpopular path if he went ahead with the N5,000 note, one of the method which those who don’t want him to continue have devised to stall his 2015 bid.

  • Delta 2015: Will Anioma produce the governor?

    Delta 2015: Will Anioma produce the governor?

    The question which has dominated public discourse in Delta State for some time now is whether the gubernatorial ambition of the Anioma people from the Delta North Senatorial District will be realized in 2015.

    In the face of stiff opposition by other ethnic groups, including the numerically superior Urhobo from the central senatorial district, the Anioma group, undoubtedly, have a mountain to climb in their quest to occupy the Government House, Asaba.

    The Anioma ethnic group’s claim to the top job is hinged largely on the rotational policy, which may count for nothing in the rough and tumble of Delta politics.

    The Urhobo ethnic group has not hidden its desire to reclaim the governorship position since Chief James Ibori left office and has left no one in doubt in that regard.

    In the build-up to the 2015 election, the tribe have remained the most visible, judging from the plethora of political platforms that have mushroomed over the last few months.

    These groups include the Urhobo Political Forum (UPF) led by Chief Ighoyota Amori, the Urhobo Political Congress (UPC) headed by Sir Tom Amioku and the Delta Central Political Movement (DCPM) led by Olori Magege.

    The mobilization and sensitization of the grassroots within the zone are on, but the reverse is the case in the Ibo- speaking areas of Delta North where there is perceived lethargy.

    The Delta South Senatorial District, which currently occupies the office, may decide to hang onto power with the emergence of an Ijaw candidate. This will effectively kill the Anioma dream, should it receive the backing of Chief E.K Clark.

    In this regard, the Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who is nursing a gubernatorial ambition, may get the slot.

    But Protem Chairman, Anioma Agenda (AA), Mr. Alex Onwuadiamu, denies that political actors in Delta North are disunited and uncoordinated in their 2015 calculations.

    He said Anioma will ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) abides by the principle of zoning and rotation of public offices. He claimed that these are enshrined in the Nigeria Constitution and the Constitution of the ruling PDP.

    “What we are saying is that the principle of zoning and rotation of public offices as enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria and the Constitution of the PDP be adhered to.

    “The governorship of Delta State has gone to central senatorial zone, it is now in the south senatorial zone and by that principle come 2015, and it will be the turn of Anioma people to produce the governor for Delta state that is all we are asking for”, he stressed.

    Onwuadiamu disagrees with the perception of complacence and perceived disunity among politicians of Anioma stock, stressing that the Anioma people will soon begin the process of sensitizing the populace.

    Onwudiamu said no political zone can win election in the state without the support of other groups, adding that the need to work with other stakeholders cannot be ignored.

    “How we will go about it is by consultation. We have said that we will consult with our brothers and sisters in the south and central districts, quite a lot of them are already working with us. We will mobilise our people, we will sensitise the entire populace on the need for equity and justice. Very soon there will be a lot of town hall meetings, seminars, symposia on this same issue. We are not just starting with a road show; we are consulting our people quietly and simultaneously.

    “We are consulting different political stakeholders on the need for equity, unity and justice in our polity. It is not something we can do alone, Delta State is made up of three senatorial zones and if any zone, like we have seen in the last election, feels that it can do it alone it will always meet with failure. That is why we will always seek for reasonable partnership from the south and central, that is how elections are won in Delta State. This one is not going to be an exception”, he added.

    A big obstacle to the realization of the Anioma dream is the considerable large number of wealthy and influential aspirants within the PDP who may refuse to step down for each other, thus leading to bitterness and rancour within the party.

    This may force many to seek their political fortunes elsewhere which would automatically deplete or divide an otherwise Anioma block vote for one of their own.

    Although none have declared his intention,apart from former Delta Commissioner of Finance Chief Clement Ofuani, one does not require the services of a clairvoyant to know that the under top politicians are eying the top job.

    These include the Speaker of Delta State House of Asembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, who represents Aniocha North Constituency; Ndudi Elumelu, member of House of Representatives from Aniocha/ Oshimili Federal Constituency, Senator Arthur Okowa from Delta North District, ex-presidential aide Dr Cairo Ojougboh, and Chief Godson Obielum. But, Governor Uduaghan’s Chief of Staff Dr Festus Okubor is said to be the dark horse.

    Others from different political parties are multi-millionaire businessman Okocha and Democratic People’s Party candidate in the 2010 senatorial election Mr. Ned Nwoko. Political watchers believe that this will work against the emergence of an Anioma person as candidate.

    Pundits believe a consensus candidate will be difficult as Anioma lacks a true leader with considerable political clout. Besides, signs of disunity may have started rearing its ugly head as the major opposition party, Democratic People’s Party (DPP), whose chairman is an Anioma son, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, dismissed such sentiments.

    He said his party will support any Deltan that emerges through a democratic process, stressing that DPP will not turn back any aspirant on the basis of ethnic consideration.

    According to him, the DPP does not recognise the principle of zoning within its ranks. His words: “I am a man with a very broad mind. When you talk about Anioma people clamouring, I will not say what anybody is doing is wrong or right or I am supporting or not supporting. The issue is I am in DPP and the state chairman for that matter.

    “You know that it has been clamoured long ago in PDP that Anioma man must be their candidate based on their zoning arrangement which I am not part of. As far I am concerned if an Anioma man comes to my party to take form, I will not deny him. And if an Urhobo man comes to take form, I will not deny him either because in my party there is no zoning arrangement for now, our party is open for all Deltans. What we believe in is not even who governs the state but who gives the people what they want, dividends of democracy. When you clamour Anioma, Anioma, Anioma, are you telling us that Anioma people were not in Ibori’s government”?

    Ezeagwu added: “Anioma man was a deputy governor in Ibori’s government, we had a lot of them who were commissioners, who were board chairmen, what did they achieve? At a time, I took a full page newspaper advertorial in a national daily calling on our people in PDP to protest and resign because of marginalisation against the Anioma nation.

    “The issue was that they created wards and made all the wards in the central and south two each, all the wards were divided into two each. And as at the time, Delta north had the highest local governments of 9, the then deputy governor his local government he could not add 10 wards to make it 20. The only thing they did was to add four. Even in Ika North East that hitherto had 14 wards could not attain 20 but those that were 10 in central and south senatorial districts got additional 10. So Delta north was completely marginalised and I called on our people in PDP as at the time that they must protest and resign but nobody listened to me and it is still like this till tomorrow.”

    Stakeholders agree that Chief Clark will play a major role in the emergence of the flag bearer.

    The Ijaw leader had opposed the imposition of Governor Uduaghan in 2007 by former Governor James Ibori and 2015 presents an opportunity for the Clark faction to wrest power with Ibori, who is in a British prison.

    Despite assurances of rapprochement between Uduaghan and Chief Clark’s factions, political analysts are of the opinion that the 2015 Delta governorship election is a struggle for political power between these two factions in Delta State than simply a struggle by the Anioma ethnic group for power.

  • Cracks over Ekiti PDP governorship ticket

    Cracks over Ekiti PDP governorship ticket

    A quiet discontent is brewing in the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over the governorship ticket of the party in 2014, writes Remi Adelowo

     

    For the Ekiti State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), it seems a done deal that the incumbent governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, would be the party’s candidate for the next governorship election taking place in 2014.

    But not so in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as its party leaders, both in the state and at its national headquarters in Abuja, are presently mulling over who would fly the governorship ticket in the next polls.

    Among influential gladiators of PDP in Ekiti, there is a brewing discontent and dilemma on the best candidate to put forward to challenge Fayemi, who assumed the reins in 2010 after the Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, declared him the actual winner of the last governorship election in the state, as against Engr. Segun Oni, who the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the winner of the 2007 general elections and the re-run election in 2009.

    Early signs that the primaries for the PDP ticket would be keenly contested emerged a few weeks ago with the entry of Senator Gbenga Aluko into the race. Weeks before he declared his intention, speculations were rife that some unnamed chieftains of the party in the state had endorsed the candidature of Aluko, who they believe, has the stature and the pedigree to match the profile of the incumbent governor.

    One of the sons of late revered economist, Professor Sam Aluko, the senator served in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2003. He was the only senator elected on the platform of the PDP in the entire South West during this period.

    A mechanical engineer by training, Aluko retired into a quiet private life after he left the senate and worked as a consultant to oil giant, Chevron, until he announced his re-entry into partisan politics recently.

    Can Aluko upset the applecart?

    One major factor working in Aluko’s favour and which his promoters are trumpeting aloud is that he is, arguably, the only non-controversial aspirant among the multitude jostling to win the PDP ticket.

    Powerful interests backing his candidature, according to sources, also readily point to his family pedigree, which they believe, needs little or no introduction to party members and the electorate.

    Other factors also working for Aluko, aside his educational background is the fact that he is no greenhorn, who needs any tutelage in politics and workings of government.

    However, opponents of Aluko allege that he has lost touch with the power base of the party in the state since 2003, a factor they stated, will work against him when real politicking for the governorship race sometime next year begins.

    They have alleged that the former senator had abstained from affairs of Ekiti PDP for almost eight years, with not a few politicians in the state even suggesting at some point that he may have quit politics for good. A source said, “24 hours is a long time in politics, what more a solid eight years. Aluko has a lot to do if he is to warm himself back into the hearts of PDP members in the state.”

    Ayo Fayose factor and the crisis within

    Much as PDP leaders in Ekiti and Abuja will dismiss any report of an internal rift in the party, The Nation gathered that there is indeed a serious crisis of confidence among leading lights of the party, as some are vehemently working against others’ interests.

    Presently, the Ekiti PDP is heavily polarized. For example, we gathered that a faction is now loyal to the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade and other two factions are loyal to two former governors of the state, Ayo Fayose and Olusegun Oni, respectively.

    A source told The Nation that there is no-love lost between Oni and Fayose. While the former served as governor, Fayose was one of his most strident critics who did not see anything good in the Oni-led administration. It would also be recalled that during the re-run election in the state in2010, Fayose openly campaigned for Fayemi, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate. Oni, sources revealed, has not forgiven Fayose for this.

    An opportunity for both men to test their political strength came early this year during the election to elect officers of the state executive. At the end, Fayose took Oni to the cleaners with members loyal to him coasting to victory.

    For most PDP members in Ekiti, the result was shocking to say the least. Oni, they had reckoned, would use his privileged position as the National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the party to sway the result in his favour.

    Expectedly, Oni kicked against the outcome of the election, but his countless attempts to compel the national headquarters of the party to declare the Makanjuola Ogundipe-led executive illegal, were futile.

    Several peace meetings convened by stakeholders of the party, particularly Olubolade, to resolve the rift between Oni and Fayose, have also failed, our sources confirmed. Oni, according to sources, is aware that Fayose is plotting to stage a comeback to the Ekiti Government House in 2014 and has allegedly vowed to stop at nothing to scuttle this ambition.

    Has PDP endorsed Fayose?

    The announcement last week by the PDP national headquarters that Fayose, who was impeached as governor in 2006, has been formally readmitted into the party, said sources, is a tacit endorsement that he is the man to beat for the 2014 PDP governorship ticket.

    Fayose had decamped to the Labour Party early 2011, on which platform he contested for a senate seat but lost. His opponents had hoped to use this against him, alleging that he was yet to be fully reabsorbed into PDP.

    His major drawback, however, is his image as a controversial figure, which his opponents argue may further polarize the party, a development that may not augur well for the party at the polls.

    This seeming weakness notwithstanding, Fayose is forging ahead with his aspiration, said sources close to him.

    On Sunday, September 23, a reception is being held in his honour by a committee of friends at Fayose’s Afao Ekiti country home, where the former governor may formally announce his intention to contest for the 2014 governorship polls in the state.

    Is Borisade Obasanjo’s anointed candidate?

    Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, The Nation’s findings have revealed, is believed to be seriously interested in who becomes the PDP governorship standard bearer come 2014.

    Sources disclosed that the former president’s anointed candidate is Professor Babalola Borisade, who served in his administration, first as the Minister of Culture and later as the Minister of Aviation. This claim has however been denied by some top Pdp stakeholders in the state.

    Other aspirants in contention

    Other aspirants that may slug it out for the PDP ticket are Senator Ayo Arise from Oye Ekiti and Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, a former chairman of the state’s Universal Basic Education Board, who is alleged to be the preferred candidate of Segun Oni.

    Like Fayose, Arise’s major flaw is his image as a controversial figure, while Adeyeye is alleged not to flaunt any electoral value that could threaten ACN’s iron grip on the politics of the state.

    The former Ekiti SUBEB boss had contested for the senate in 1999 under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) but was the only candidate of the party that lost in the South-West. He also contested for the governorship ticket of the Action Congress (now ACN) in 2007, but lost to Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Alleging that he was not fairly treated, Adeyeye decamped to PDP in 2007, where he hopes to resurrect his long time ambition of ruling Ekiti State.

    But how far can he and the other aspirants go in the battle to unseat Fayemi? The picture will become clearer before 2014.

  • Andy Uba vs. Ifeanyi Ubah ?

    Andy Uba vs. Ifeanyi Ubah ?

    The latest news about Chief Andy Uba in the Anambra State’s political circles is his rumoured interest and that of Capital Oil boss, Ifeanyi Ubah, to contest for the state governorship in 2014. The reports suggest that while Uba, who reigned briefly as governor for two weeks in 2007 before he was sent packing for Governor Peter Obi by the Appeal Court, will be vying for the exalted seat on the ticket of the PDP, Ubah, revealed sources, is the alleged anointed candidate of Obi.

  • Non-indigenes are welcome in Katsina – Sada Rumah

    Non-indigenes are welcome in Katsina – Sada Rumah

    Alhaji Sada Salisu Rumah is the Senior Special Assistant, Diplomatic and Society Relations to Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema of Katsina State. The journalist cum politician tells Adetutu Audu how the state governor is maintaining peaceful co-existence between indigenes and non-indigenes in the state. Excerpts

    What motivated the state tour you conducted recently?

    Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema has charged my office with the responsibility of sensitising people on government activities and bringing them closer to the government. We are doing our best to discharge this responsibility and the recent tour is part of this effort to build a bridge of understanding among the diverse people resident in Katsina State on one hand and between the people and government on the other.

    During our tour of the thirty four local government areas, we made consultations, listened to the opinions, views and aspirations of the different ethnic, social, cultural and religious groups of Nigerians resident in the state. The aim was to make every Nigerian feel at home and have a sense of belonging. It is also to make every one understand that despite our differences, God has ordained us to live together as brothers and sisters and we can do this comfortably once we are committed to mutual respect and understanding.

    In what way is the tour going to impact on the people?

    Our interaction will promote understanding among Nigerians from various parts of the country living in Katsina State. It will also reassure non indigenes that they are accepted and at home in Katsina State. We want to leave no one in doubt that Katsina State is truly the ‘Home of Hospitality’ and in our state, every one is involved in the effort to promote political, socio-economic, religious and cultural harmony. Just as every one is equally involved, so also every one is equally entitled to the benefits of programmes and policies of government. That is why in Katsina both indigenes and non-indigenes benefit from fee education, free healthcare services for children under five years, pregnant and nursing mothers and treatment for diseases such as malaria and kidney problems.

    Another important component of the tour is to consolidate the peace and security enjoyed by the state especially in the face of the security challenges faced in the country. We have enjoyed peace through prayers and deliberate effort to promote understanding among the people. Peace and security is important as an enabling environment for people to pursue their livelihood.

    But some people feel you are placing non indigenes as top priority. How accurate is this?

    I think in the modern world, no society can develop socially and economically without the influx of people from other parts of the world. Rather than placing so much emphasis on the term ‘non-indigene’, I think we should focus on making people feel free, secure and at home, so that we move toward eliminating the feeling of being a stranger. This is important because going by history even the Sullubawa, who are currently heading the traditional institutions in Katsina, came from somewhere. Today, it is inconceivable that we can think of them as non-indigenes.

    What government is doing here is to give room for every body regardless of ethno-religious differences to contribute his quota toward the development of the state. This is part of our culture and tradition. If you go round states in the East, West, South or South-South, in cities such as Lagos, Enugu , Onitsha and the Niger Delta region, you will see our people conducting their daily businesses peacefully.

    One of the governor’s top priorities, according to reports, is youth empowerment. Is your office involved in it?

    The administration of Governor Ibrahim Shema has contributed immensely toward making the youths and other people in the state to become self reliant. The government has improved agricultural activities through the provision of fertilizer, soft agricultural loans, farming implements and insecticides to farmers. These are geared to ensure food security.

    Business Apprenticeship Training Centres (BATC) have been established in some local governments to train youths in skills and trades. Soft loans have been provided to small scale and medium traders. Even local business-men and women have benefited from government intervention.

    The department of Diplomacy and Societal Relations has opened a door to listen and act on complaints of inadequacy, cheating or abuse of office among government organizations and staff.

    Secondly, this office has also been carrying out sensitization on the importance of peaceful co-existence among the people. This is important because peace is pivotal to the success of any government policy or programme, so we are assisting by promoting the enabling environment for government policies and programmes to succeed.