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  • 2015: How feasible is APC, PDM alliance?

    2015: How feasible is APC, PDM alliance?

    Until recently, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were the two dominant parties warming up for 2015 elections. The registration of more parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have altered the envisaged two-party system. But will the new opposition parties team up with the APC to confront the ruling party? Correspondent MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE asks.

    When the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) registered the All Progressives Congress (APC), observers contented that Nigeria was heading to a two party system. Their thinking was that the two dominant parties-the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and APC- will fight for presidential power in 2015.

    Two party system is not new in the country. In the Third Republic, the former military leader, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, had foisted the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC) on the polity. The two parties represented the two dominant ideologies- “a little to the right and a little to the left”.

    However, with the registration of more parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the journey to the two party system may have been aborted.

    Historically, political parties have always teamed up to erect two broad platforms to contest the elections. It may not be different in 2015. While smaller parties may endorse President Goodluck Jonathan, the big oposition parties may collaborate during the exercise.

    Analysts are of the opinion that the newly registered parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand. Since the aggrieved PDP chieftains may seek refuge under it, it may have support in some states where they hold sway. If the reconciliation in the PDP succeeds, it may be a setback for the PDM. Many of its chieftains may defect back to the ruling party.

    Those behind the PDM are not light weight politicians. The perceived arrowhead is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is a chieftain of the Baraje’s faction of the PDP.

    Other parties and associations, especially the Independent Democrat (ID) and the Voice of the People (VOP), also have links with the aggrieved PDP governors.

    The PDM was registered barely two months after three leading opposition parties – the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) and a faction of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) collapsed into the APC. The PDP leadership has accused the PDM of the betrayal of the cause of its founding fathers.

    As a powerful movement within the PDP, it was instrumental to many successes of the ruling party. The personal appeal of its leader the late General Shehu Yar’Adua has endured.

    However, as the battle draws nearer, an alliance between the APC and PDM may not be ruled out . In politics, there are no permanent enemies but permanent interests.

    As an asociation, PDM has substantial members in the APC. Outside politics, they still relate with their former colleagues. Therefore, consultations may be smooth. For example, Atiku and many APC leaders have been friends since the Third Republic. Among his former associates in the old PDM are Senator Bola Tinubu, Chief Olorunfunmi Basorun and Senator Tony Adefuye,

    The PDM chairman, Bashir Yusuf, appreciated the limitation of the party from the onset. He said the party will consider alliance with the opposition parties. That meant that, from the onset, reality had dawned on the PDM chieftains that it lacked the muscle and network to mobilise support to challenge the PDP, without collaborating with the opposition parties.

    Yusuf recalled that past efforts to register the party in the past failed because the military aborted it. He said: “The registration of the PDM is a good development. We have been trying to register it since 1994, but the military government of the day stood in the way.”

    Yusuf said that politics in Nigeria will never be the same again, saying that PDM will serve as an alternative platform for those opposed to the PDP. “I have no doubt in my mind it will change the present decadent order and try to fix Nigeria for all of us, not section , religion or tribe, but for all of us”, he said.

    However, many have faulted the registration of the PDM by the INEC, which had de-registered seven parties, based on their electoral misfortunes.

    The electoral commission had deregistered the smaller parties parties on the ground that they could not produce a sizable number of legislators at the state and federal levels. However, INEC ran into trouble at the court. The court ruled out that the de-registration was faulty, adding that it violated the freedom of association.

    In the 2015 race PDP, APC and PDM will be in contention. If there must be an alliance, where will PDM pitch its tent? Analysts are building scenario. It is not likely that Atiku’s supporters in the PDP will retrace their steps to the PDP. Sources said that Atiku deliberately supported the Baraje’s faction to weaken the mainsteram PDP led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

    For any alliance to happen between the APC and PDM, certain challenges must be overcome. The defunct ACN chieftains in the APC may be weary. Atiku was the AC presiential candidate in 2007 election. He was supported by the AC leaders. But he lost the presidential election. After the election, he went back to the PDP. Therefore, the APC leaders may execise caution and restraint in sealing an alliance with Atiku’s party.

    Another issue is the role of the former Vice President, if there is an alliance between the APC and PDM. Atiku has presidential ambition. But there are some presidential contenders too in the APC. Although APC will zone its presidential ticket to the North, Atiku may not emerge as its beneficiary. It will unthinkable for the APC to dump Gen. Muhammdu Buhari and other aspirants for for the former Vice President.

    According to analysts, the way out is for the two parties to work out the details of the alliance by evolving a power-sharing formula. This may pose some challenges, but the leaders on both sides can overcome them because they are experienced politicians.

    If these challenges are resolved, APC and PDM alliance will pose a great threat to the PDP in the next general elections.

  • 2015 Presidency: Fading hope of Ndigbo

    Very often we say it is unimportant where the next president comes from, what should be paramount is his ability and capacity to deliver democracy dividends. But we are compelled to tag along with the whims and caprices of self-appointed godfathers, men of means and ways, who have turned power houses by virtue of straying into corridors of power.

    Take it or leave it, issues like rotational presidency or zoning in the interest of equity and fairness, will continue to be a big part of Nigeria’s politics and election process for a long time to come.The famous Ndigbo axiom of urinating together so that the much needed foam will form has become implausible as distinguished persons of Igbo extraction have so far, failed to work together.

    Make no mistake about it, the Igbos are respected for their entrepreneurial skills but all too often derided for perceived lack of unity and inability to articulate their position in matters of collective interest. This perception is now aimed at subtly disparaging and marginalising them.

    In the light of this, news making the round that a presidential largesse have torn the Ohaneze apart, tearing the zone’s ambition to shred becomes credible. It is a cinch that the Igbo presidency has been auctioned. The cacophony of voices mouthing the ambition of the geo-political zone from the rooftop every four years is now hackneyed. It usually starts with the pronouncement that it is the turn of the Ndigbo’s by some eminent Igbo politicians , then resonated by Ohaneze and amplified with subtle threats by MASSOB – bluffing to unleash fire and brimstone if it does not come to fruition. They harp their agitation for the presidency from the rooftop but
    when it matters most they fail to do the needful – coalesce.

    The best chance the Igbos had to occupy the highest seat of democratic power was first in 1999 and four years later in 2003, when a founding member of PDP, Dr Alex Ekwueme, contested the party’s primaries with Olusegun Obasanjo. South-East governors and their delegates voted instead for the Ota farmer. It was a shame that governors from the zone could not rally behind their own.

    Only Mbadinuju (governor of Anambra state at the time) and his delegates,polled for Dr Ekwueme in 2003. Orji Uzor Kalu, protem coordinator of Njiko Igbo (a group working for the actualisation of an Igbo presidency) did not support an Igbo when he had the opportunity. Isn’t this the height of hypocrisy? On two occasions, Kalu saw Ekwueme’s name on the ballot but voted Obasanjo. Many Ndigbos still believe the Igbo presidency project died with the defeat of Dr Alex Ekwueme at the PDP national convention
    because if he had won any of the primaries, he would have gone on to win the general elections and become President!

    The Igbos can learn a lesson in unity from other zones who have ruled the country. In 2011, within the PDP, we witnessed how five northern presidential candidates surrendered their personal ambition to scrutiny by the panel set up by the Arewa Consultative Forum to decide who represents the North. Who would have thought a political heavy weight like Ibrahim Babangida would bow out for the consensus candidate of the ACF? It is wishful thinking to imagine this scenario among Igbo aspirants. However, it
    is not asking for the impossible for same from them.

    The perceived lack of ambition of governors of the South-East has not helped the cause of the region. The fear of the EFCC or the Rivers-Amaechi treatment, for them, is the beginning of wisdom. They have chosen to file behind the self acclaimed “chairman” of the NGF, Gov. Jonah Jang in absolute loyalty to President Jonathan. Compare them with their colleagues from the North – all of them thinking they have a realistic chance at the presidency. For the Igbos, what we hear is the discordant tune of the PDP governors singing President Jonathan’s ambition, forming all sort of alliance with South-South governors. Leaders of the zone, for selfish and pecuniary
    reasons, are preoccupied with canvassing and building support base for Jonathan. It is indeed, sad, that they have auctioned the collective ambition of the Ndigbos.

    The death of Odimegwu Ojukwu, the former Biafra warlord, to a large extent has hushed the voice of the Ohaneze, the foremost Ndigbo socio-political forum and direct opposite of the boisterous ACF of the north. In recent time, the agitations of the Igbos have been distant and unconvincing. The Ohaneze seem to have given up on their dreams, choosing to grope and gloat in the back and forth of the northern groups with Ijaw leaders.

    But then, some argue that there is a dearth of Igbo leaders who are sellable on a national platform. A visit to some of states in the east will convince you why none of the state governors is being muted as a potential presidential aspirant. Underperformance and mediocrity has been taken to a whole new level. Physical infrastructure is decrepit and social amenities are frebile. Only Enugu and Imo bear a semblance of states with governors.

    Juxtapose them with their colleagues in the South-West where you have the likes of Governor Fashola who has transformed Lagos. Even the SouthSouth can boast of an Oshiomhole who is making giant strides after 10 years of comatose PDP leadership in the state. Some governors in the north have turned the economy of their states around in spite of the meagre allocation
    from the federal government.

    Furthermore, South-East governors do not share the same vision on the 2015 Igbo presidency project like the northerners do. Gov Peter Obi is more interested in who controls the APGA machinery. He is at loggerheads with
    Rochas Okorocha. The latter leads a faction into the opposition coalition, APC, believing the Igbos can mount a serious bid for the presidency, or at least a VP ticket. Sullivan Chime has never shown any kind of support for the Igbo presidency project. Same with Abia state governor, Theodore Orji, apart from his occasional rhetorics about an Igbo president, has shown little commitment.

    For a region that has not benefited from the largesse the government doles out to quell violence from youths in other parts of the country, they truly deserve the highest office in the land. Anytime MASSOB speak in hash tone, they are quickly hushed with threats of treason by security agents.

    Terrorists in the north have crippled the economy of some states, yet government is begging them and other dreaded sect in the north to accept amnesty. Militants in the Niger Delta plundered the economy of the nation with sustained attacks on oil installation until they were granted amnesty.

    Till date, same region is safe haven for oil bunkering, like never before in the country’s history.  If for nothing at all, the Ndigbo must be commended for the manner their youths have conducted themselves over the years.

    MASSOB and other groups have remained law abiding even in the face of provocation that would have triggered reprisals like the recent killing of Igbo traders in the north by suspected members of Boko Haram. All of the restiveness in the Niger-Delta and northern Nigeria have not resonated in the East. That the region have not produced the president of the country is enough reason to resort to violence, afterall, the orgy of blood shed that morphed into terrorism sprang up after the 2011 elections, when some politicians of northern extraction threatened to unleash mayhem if the results of the elections did not go their way. Same northerners who have
    produced the leaders of this country for over 30 years since independence!

    The usual reframe that has left the Ndigbo where they are today has been, the South-East should support other zones, this time the South-South for Jonathan, and in another four years time, it will be their turn.

    Regardless of whether Ndigbo present a consensus candidate for the general elections barely two years away, Nigerians hold the ace, as they are to decide, through the ballot, who becomes the next president.

    The writer can be reached via; theophilus@ilevbare.com

  • 2015: Why PDP bids time on automatic ticket for Jonathan, others

    2015: Why PDP bids time on automatic ticket for Jonathan, others

    There are indications that the  Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)  wants to  pacify its  five aggrieved governors from the North  under the   party’s reconciliation process.

    Governors Murtala Nyako (Adamawa),Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano),Sule Lamido (Jigawa),Aliyu  Wamakko (Sokoto) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger) have fallen out with the national leadership of the party   especially the national chairman,Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, whom  they want sacked.

    They accused him of running the party as a private business.

    Over the last few  weeks,the governors have visited former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Shagari and  ex-military rulers Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar as well as Second Republic Vice President Alex Ekwueme , to seek their intervention in the crisis.

    The governors’ position  on the removal of Tukur and the planned automatic tickets for President Goodluck  Jonathan  and deserving first term governors for the 2015 elections appeared to be threatening the party’s unity in the build up to its mini national convention in Abuja next weekend,until  last Thursday’s meeting of the PDP national executive committee (NEC).

    It was gathered that the party decided to suspend the automatic ticket issue until it is able to effect reconciliation with aggrieved members including the five governors.

    Sources said the governors are to be wooed to buy into the automatic ticket project

     The party felt it would be better to complete the ongoing reconciliation process than causing further disaffection or alienating  influential members with the project.

    Meanwhile, the National Executive Committee of the party has stopped members of the Interim National Working Committee(INWC) from participating in the election of new members of the NWC on August 31.

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said the party leadership and  forces in the presidency met in the early hours of Thursday and opted to delay the proposal.

    The strategists suspected that the automatic ticket option might backfire and compound the crises in the party if it was raised at the National Executive Committee(NEC) meeting on Thursday.

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The PDP leadership suspected that the idea of automatic ticket might be rejected at the NEC session by aggrieved and influential members of the party.

    “And once the proposal is rejected by NEC, it might be difficult to table it afresh. So, it was a tactical move.

    “The party’s leadership decided that there should be total reconciliation and healing before such a proposal could sail through. There is urgent need to pacify some Northern governors and leaders of the party.

    “This was why President Goodluck Jonathan met with some Northern governors on Wednesday. Also, there was another session in the early hours  of  Thursday to review the agenda and leave out  the automatic ticket idea.

    “The only part of the reconciliation agenda having challenge is the crisis in Rivers State which the PDP Governors Forum has been mandated to resolve.”

    Asked of what might  become of the automatic ticket proposal, the source added: “It will be tabled to NEC at the appropriate time.”

    On the exclusion of members of the Interim National Working Committee(INWC) from participating in the election of new members of the NWC at the Special National Convention on August 31,a  source said: “Although few members of the Interim NWC tried to get a waiver to contest for some offices at the Special National Convention of the party next week,since the nomination had closed before they expressed their intent, there was no way the party could bend the rules.

    “So, all the current members of the INWC are excluded from election into the available vacancies in the NWC.”

    The absence of ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar at the NEC meeting on Thursday was attributed to an appointment at the US Embassy.

    The clarification was made against the backdrop of speculations that the ex-VP boycotted the NEC because of the registration of the Peoples Democratic Movement(PDM).

    His spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu yesterday said: “Turaki had a prior appointment for the renewal of his visa at the US Embassy in Abuja . For this reason, he could not turn up for the NEC meeting.”

  • 2015: The new calculations, permutations

    In another one year, perhaps, a fuller picture of what to expect at the polls in 2015 would emerge. At the moment, the jostling has started. First, it was the emergence of irreconcilable differences among the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains. Since the party was founded in 1999 and helped to power by the ruling military faction of the power elite, it has known no peace. The contraption had threatened to unscramble at every opportunity. As an agglomeration of fragments, the specks are beginning to fly about again.

    But, this is not about the PDP and its shenanigans. It is about the Nigerian political landscape. The All Progressives Congress (APC) is now registered. And, with that, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), have ceased to exist as political entities. This is a major development that could become a game-changer.

    Then, just before going to press, there was the news that the old Yar’Adua political machine had started gathering and could soon seek registration. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has confirmed this and hinted that those who put it together were indeed his political associates. Could that be a hint of the direction Atiku may be moving in the months ahead? It is an indication that the political system in 2015 could be characterized by two or three parties.

    The on-going court battle on the limits of the power of the electoral commission in relation to registration or deregistration of political parties and another possible contest of the commission’s power to regulate the political parties, candidates and parties may further determine how well the elections are conducted and the influence of political players on the system.

    Tepid meetings are already being held towards determining who holds what post and what platforms are available for hire or genuine prosecution of ambitions. Have Nigerian opposition leaders learnt enough lessons after 14 years of the Fourth Republic ? Have they realised that there is wisdom in the saying that there is strength in unity?

    A study of the political scene across Africa shows that opposition parties have only succeeded in making strong impacts in states where the race has been narrowed to two political parties or alliances. In 2007, when the All Peoples Congress (APC) sought to dethrone the ruling Sierra-Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), it had to position itself as a credible alternative. Four years earlier, when the APC’s Bai Koroma tested his strength against the incumbent President Tejan-Kabbah, he fell flat. In 2007, APC had perfected its act. Vice President Solomon Berewa moved up the ladder as the ruling party’s official candidate. No winner emerged on the first ballot, but, in the run-off, Koroma won with 55 per cent of the votes to SLPP’s 45. A third party, the Peoples Movement for Democratic Change mopped up 14 per cent of the votes. None of the others could muster two per cent. The political scene was thus redesigned. Four years later, the APC had consolidated its hold on power, but the SLPP retained its relevance. While the APC won at the first ballot with almost 59 per cent of the votes, the SLPP retained the confidence of 37 per cent. The PMDC was the clear loser as people were not willing to sit on the fence. Many of those who had support it in 2007 crossed over to APC’s side with PMDC managing to hold on to only one per cent of the electorate.

    The Kenyan example is not much different. A fractured opposition lost to a rampaging ruling party when multi-party democracy was introduced for the first time in 1992. However, ten years later, the opposition had learnt its lesson, with Mwai Kibaki presented as flag bearer in the 2002 presidential election, the candidate of the ruling Kenyan African National Union (KANU), Uhuru Kenyatta, was narrowly defeated. Kibaki had 50.51 of the votes to Kenyatta’s 43.70 per cent. A distant third candidate, Musala Mudavadi managed to scoop only about four per cent of the votes. Kibaki realized that the country was sharply divided and responded to the situation by forming a Government of National Unity. The experience in B enin Republic and Congo Democratic Republic is not much different.

    It is too early now to say how things would turn out in 2015. Would it be a two-cornered or three-cornered fight? Can the allies hold on to the very end? Would the ruling party finally implode before the next general elections? How bitter is the North and what is it up to this time? Who would make the critical concession in the bid to wrest power from the ruling PDP?

    Honestly, for now, without the support of an octopus or a crystal ball, I cannot manage to answer any of the questions, let alone all. I remain a keen watcher of developments on the scene.

  • 2015: Nigeria won’t break up, says IBB

    2015: Nigeria won’t break up, says IBB

    Former military President General Ibrahim Babangida yesterday rubbished the fears that Nigeria might cease to exist by 2015.

    He dismissed such fears as a wishful thinking that will never come to pass.

    Speaking in his Minna country home with reporters ahead of his 72nd birthday today, the former Nigerian leader said that such a prediction “will make Nigeria to emerge stronger and more united come 2015.”

    He said the current security challenge in the country is not even sufficient to cause Nigeria’s disintegration, saying, “We are only crying wolf when there is no cause for it.

    “Folks, forget about disintegration in 2015. I can’t see it happening. A country that will disintegrate, you will know it. It is not something that happens in one or two months. The disintegration of Nigeria is just out of question,” he said.

    He was of the opinion that the motive behind the prediction was to instil fears in Nigerians.

    His words: ”People say all sorts of things to instil fear in others. If the majority of the people believe in the unity of the country, then why do they worry about someone saying it will disintegrate? I know it wouldn’t. People are just crying wolf.

    “Nigeria is one of the amazing countries we have in the world. If you live outside Nigeria and you hear and listen about the happenings in the country, you will think the world is coming to an end, only for you to come to the country and see the people, they are happy, laughing, attending football matches and doing other things. That is Nigeria for you.”

    He asked the media to “stop giving prominence “ to such misgivings.

    “The fact is that the struggles and challenges currently facing the country will end up making her a great nation,” he added.

    Babangida also ruled out violence in the 2015 election because, as he put it, “2015 election will come and go.

    “There are people assigned the responsibility for the election. The politicians, the followers who will vote, aspirants seeking people’s mandate, they are all in place. It is not a rat race.”

    He however advised that electorate to elect leaders with good credentials who believe in the Project Nigeria and have her interest at heart during the next general elections.

    “What we need are leaders who have good understanding of what we want to achieve and look for people who share the same view and work with them,” he said, naming former President Olusegun Obasanjo as one of the leaders who have the interest of the nation at heart.

    “My boss, General Obasanjo, there is one thing that we cannot take away from him; he believes in the unity of the country. You can’t take it away, and this is what we all believe in.

    “So, anyone who believes in the unity of this country at any level, I think should be the leaders to vote for.”

    President Goodluck Jonathan, in a goodwill message to Gen. Babangida, wished him a happy birthday.

    He praised the former military ruler for a life of outstanding accomplishments.

    A similar message came from the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) which said his untiring efforts at preserving the unity of the nation remained unrivalled.

    Babangida’s life, according to the governors, “symbolises statesmanship, patriotism, vision and courage.”

    Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, who spoke for his colleagues, said the former military leader excelled in his chosen profession and went on to preside over Africa’s most influential country during which period he showed rare vision, courage and exemplary leadership.

    The forum then prayed God to grant IBB excellent health, courage and many more years of selfless service to Nigeria and humanity.

    Senate President David Mark, in a separate message, described Babangida as a “quintessential statesman” whose leadership quality remains a reference point in the contemporary history of Nigeria.

    “Babangida remains a true statesman and a nationalist who believes in one indivisible, united, peaceful and progressive Nigeria,” he said.

  • 2015: 15 more parties seek registration

    2015: 15 more parties seek registration

    About 15 more groups have applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registration as political parties.

    The development is already generating anxiety in the commission with officials worried stiff by the huge cost of conducting the 2015 polls if all the parties have to participate.

    They fear that the nature of the electoral process may turn out to be unnecessarily cumbersome and in effect confuse voters.

    But INEC is looking up to the National Assembly to effect amendments to the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act for new guidelines to limit the number of parties that can appear on ballot papers.

    INEC records show that 63 political parties had participated in the 2011 poll at one level or the other.

    Of the 63, only 20 contested the presidential poll which was won by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    But about 11 of the 63 parties met the requirement of Section 7 of the Electoral Act by winning at least a seat in the National Assembly.

    Armed with the law, INEC wielded the big stick by de-registering 25 of the 63 parties.

    Investigation by our correspondent however revealed that in spite of the de-registration of some parties, applications for new ones are flooding INEC on a daily basis.

    It was learnt that while the increasing number of applications could be attributed to internal crises in some parties, the immediate factor might be the high stake for presidential seat in 2015.

    Some of the applications have been traced to disenchanted members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    It was gathered that some politicians, who are trying to unseat President Jonathan, have resorted to formation of parties in case they are sidelined in their present parties.

    Some politicians were also said to be indulging in party formation as a result of a hidden agenda to distort the electoral process.

    There were fears that those de-registered in the past are taking advantage of the law to form new parties.

    But the development is giving INEC some concerns, especially the likelihood of unwieldy number of parties on the ballot paper.

    A National Commissioner, who spoke in confidence, said: “It is amazing that we are getting applications on a daily basis for registration of new parties. As I am talking to you, we have about 10 to 15 applications pending before the commission.

    “Yet, we have no cause to deny these new parties registration as long as they meet the requirements.

    “After the 2011 poll, we toned down the number of parties to 25 in line with Section 78 of the Electoral Act, but the number is going up.

    “Since the registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC ), we have been getting an application every week.”

    Responding to a question, the commissioner added: “It makes the number of parties unwieldy and the cost of printing the ballot papers and conducting the 2015 poll will be higher at a period the nation is experiencing revenue shortfall.

    “We are concerned too that unmanageable number of parties might make the electoral process cumbersome because voters might become confused. You can imagine a presidential ballot with 150 or 200 candidates.”

    The source said the National Assembly “might need to assist this electoral commission to put in some checks.

    “This is necessary now that the nation is undergoing constitution review. Even the law on de-registration of parties is being challenged and we have conflicting judgments from four courts. Three of the judgments were in favour of INEC, one against.”

    The source added that INEC believes that the nation needs a law which would set criteria for parties before they can participate in any election or be on the ballot paper.

    “For instance, there are many parties in Germany and France but there are minimum criteria you must meet to contest presidential election or get on the ballot paper. We should be able to set the minimum conditions for getting on the ballot papers.

    “We may need to revisit the Electoral Act which says the registration of new political parties ceases six months before an election. If we do not review the law, more parties will register eight months before 2015 poll.

    “These are some of the electoral challenges before the 2015 poll. With good laws, we can overcome these challenges. We can register 1,000 parties but those to be on the ballot might be 10 or 20 depending on criteria.”

    Parties are usually registered in compliance with Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 78 of the Electoral Act.

    Section 222 of the constitution says “No Association by whatever name called shall function as a political party unless:

    a. the names and addresses of its national officers are registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission;

    b. the membership of the association is opened to every citizen of Nigeria irrespective of his place of origin, circumstance of birth, sex, religion or ethnic grouping

    c. a copy of its constitution is registered in the principal office of INEC in such form as may be prescribed by INEC

    d. any alteration in its registered constitution is also registered in the principal office of INEC within 30 days of the making of such alteration

    e. the name of the association, its symbol or logo does not contain any ethnic or religious connotation or give the appearance that the activities of the association are confined to a part only of the geographical area of Nigeria and

    f. the headquarters of the association is situated in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

    Section 78 of the Electoral Act reads: “A political association that complies with the provision of the constitution and this Act for the purposes of registration shall be registered as a political party. Provided that such application for registration as a political party shall be duly submitted to the Commission not later than 6 months before a general election.

    “The Commission shall, on receipt of the documents in fulfillment of the conditions stipulated by the Constitution, immediately issue the applicant with a letter of acknowledgement stating that all the necessary documents have been submitted to the Commission.

    “If the association has not fulfilled all the conditions under the section, the Commission shall within 30 days from the receipt of its application notify the association in writing, stating the reasons for non-registration.

    “A political association that meets the conditions stipulated in the constitution and this Act shall be registered by the Commission as a political party within 30 days from the date of receipt of the application, and if after the 30 days such association is not registered by the Commission, unless the Commission informs the association to the contrary, it shall be deemed to have

  • 2015: Ogun APC endorses Amosun

    2015: Ogun APC endorses Amosun

    AHEAD of 2015 election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ado- Odo/Ota Local Government chapter of Ogun State, yesterday passed a vote of confidence on Governor Ibikunle Amosun. Rising from the maiden meeting of the party in Ota, the chairman of the party in the council area, Alhaji Quawiy Salako said Amosun’s endorsement was as a result of his stellar performance so far. “We have reviewed the activities of Senator Ibikunle Amosun, via his developmental projects across the state,in the areas of education,health,security, agriculture,environment,infrastructure which has brought the dividends of democracy to the people of Ogun State.” “We have unanimously resolved that the projects are not only far-reaching and value-driven but unprecedented in Ogun State. The government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun deserves the support of all wellmeaning citizens of the state, regardless of political affiliations, in view of his quality leadership and monumental impact of the projects on the socio-economic development of the state.”

  • South Korean city is World Book Capital 2015

    South Korean City, Incheon, has been picked as UNESCO World Book Capital 2015.

    It will succeed Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, which is the World Book Capital 2014.

    Incheon’s tenure will begin following an official handover from Port Harcourt in April 2015. As World Book Capital, Port Harcourt will deliver on an exciting array of programmes primarily targeted at young people, to build on the knowledge economy of the city. The Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, has set up a special committee, chaired by his deputy, Tele Ikuru, to oversee a team of notable men and women to deliver a successful World Book Capital in 2014. In addition, various stakeholders are also teaming up with the Rainbow Book Club to ensure that the city’s tenure is a roaring success. As 2014 also happens to be Nigeria’s centenary, the milestone certainly presents a unique occasion for positive change.

    The World Book Capital title is accorded as ‘an exclusive symbolic acknowledgement of the best programme dedicated to books and reading’. According to the World Book Capital Selection Committee, Port Harcourt was selected, beating 10 other contenders, “…on account of the quality of its programme, in particular its focus on youth and the impact it would have on improving Nigeria’s culture of books, reading, writing and publishing to improve literacy rates”.

    Once again, congratulations to the people of Incheon, South Korea, on securing this nomination. We are certain that it would impact positively on the South Asian region, much as the Port Harcourt World Book Capital 2014 nomination is expected to have rippling effects on the Niger Delta, Nigeria, and indeed the continent of Africa.

  • 2015: North has no grounds for demanding power

    The agitation for power shift being mounted by northern leaders has reached a deafening crescendo. This high octane demand is coming from a section of the country that has held power for nearly 40 out of the 53 years of Nigerian independence. Even more irrational is the fact that this vociferous demand is being couched in terms of the morality of power rotation. But Nigerians ought to understand that as far as central executive power politics in this country is concerned, the only moral imperative is the concession of the presidency to a Nigerian citizen of Igbo extraction.

    In a recent public statement credited to “northern leaders”, aspects of which were meant to insult other sections of the country, Professor Ango Abdullahi, the putative spokesman for the “leaders”, said, among other things, that “if you look at other parts of the country that are making noise, they are small enclaves, perhaps may not be bigger than Kaduna State.” Njiko Igbo accepts that in a democratic setting, it is the political right of every section of this country to aspire to the presidency, but insists that such an aspiration must be based on considerations of the democratic ingredients of justice, equity, fair play and genuine moral conduct. The arrogance that frequently erupts from certain sections of the country is not conducive to the realisation of equality of opportunity in a pluralistic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society such as Nigeria.

    To refer to other regions of Nigeria, populated by patriotic and freeborn citizens as mere enclaves is to suggest that such regions are not qualified either to aspire to or to remain in the central executive position in this country. As far as we know, the South-East and South-South are, respectively, the major contenders for the presidency in 2015. To dismiss these regions as mere enclaves and the inhabitants who are seeking the highest office in the land as mere noise makers is the height of arrogance and betrays the imperialistic instincts that have thwarted democracy in this country and retarded its progress.

    The demographic superiority claimed for the north is a complete sham because if the regions dismissed as enclaves were to withdraw their support, no northerner can ever fulfil the constitutional requirement to ascend to the presidency of this republic.

    This point is proved by historical evidence which shows in crystal clear terms that all northern democratic heads of government had depended on the support of these regions that are now being described as mere enclaves to win general or presidential elections, and to sustain central government.

    And practical statistics tell a more powerful story: In the last presidential election, of the 13 states that delivered one million or more votes to any of the presidential aspirants, more than half of them are located in the South. Among those 7 states are Imo, Abia and Anambra.

    Others are Delta, Lagos, Rivers and Akwa Ibom all of which drew heavily from the Igbo votes to reach and exceed the one million mark. Furthermore, the northern states that reached the one million landmark also drew heavily from the Igbo votes and they include Plateau, Kaduna, Kano and Bauchi.

    In the light of these statistics, therefore, to dismiss the citizens that have such a rich and significant electoral impact as “noise makers” is not only a demonstration of political naïveté and ignorance but amounts also to a total misconception of the dramatically altered post-Boko Haram realpolitik of this nation.

    The negotiation of the power equation in this country should not be conducted on the basis of aggression, intimidation, insults or ethno-religious arrogance. It must be done on the basis of mutual respect, understanding and sympathetic consideration of the sensibilities of other elements that make up this complex nation.

    The old simple ways must yield to the sophisticated complexities of today. These are serious times ovulating serious issues that require serious people’s attention.

    The justifiable anger emanating from those who feel that they were cheated in the power game because ambitious people chose to honour a gentleman’s agreement in the breach should not form the basis for elderly patriots to shut their eyes to the fundamentals of justice and equity as well as the imperatives of morality. Njiko Igbo insists that the only moral imperative in this republic is for an Igbo man or woman to be elected president in 2015.

    It bears repeating for the benefit of those who are yet uninformed about Njiko Igbo and its mission: NJIKO IGBO is an organisation dedicated to the struggle for the ascent of a citizen of Igbo extraction to the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015.

    We are fully committed to the security and peace of our nation, and to the comradeship of a common justice for all Nigerians. We are neither a political party nor are we affiliated to any political party.

    Our primary mission is to enlighten and mobilise the Igbo population, both at home and in the diaspora, to stand firm and united in the pursuit of our collective goal. Our secondary duty is to connect with and persuade the rest of the Nigerian population about the justice of our cause.

    · Senator Onwe is Director of Operations, Njiko Igbo

  • Group begins media campaign for 2015

    The Executive Director, “Enough is Enough,” a pro-democracy group, Yemi Adamolekun, has called on the civil society groups to explore the  social media to improve governance, transparency and accountability in Nigeria.

    Adamolekun made this known at a briefing organised by the Project and Campaign on the 2015 General Election in Lagos.

    The project, which theme is on “Register, Select, Vote and Protect your Vote” is supported by the Kudirat Initiative For Democracy (KIND), Community Life Project, West Africa NGO Network (WAGONet), and Reclaim Nigeria.

    According to the need to leverage on social media tool and information is to “enable more Nigerians to be aware of their rights and responsibilities as citizens to ensure that our elected and appointed officials are accountable to the people they serve”.

    Adamolekun said “the electoral process is at the heart of our work and we have spent the last two years building social media tools and networks to deepen youth engagement in governance”.

    She said that only constructive engagement on a platform of knowledge in an atmosphere of mutual respect can bring about enduring positive change and development in Nigeria. She asserted that the new media is a powerful tool for socio-economic and political change and government and other institutes responsible to the well being of its citizens cannot ignore. “There are approximately five million Nigerians on facebook.

    If each person reaches and influences five people based on the information they are exposed to, that 25 million people will be mobilised,”she said. Adamolekun said 2015 will be an important milestone in Nigeria’s history. “As such, we are focused on organising the youth vote to be effective and transformational and also want to communicate numbers that the youth vote must count,” she said.

    She added that the technology tools to be showcased include: Revoda, the election monitoring mobile app launched in 2011 as well as the crowd sourcing platform, shineyoureye.org and all activities that are anchored on its official election campaign: Register, Select, Vote and Protect Your Vote which was launched in 2010. “We will share experience and knowledge of tools used around the world and explores possibilities for adaptation, particularly pertaining to key governance issues such as budget tracking and security.

    She opined that government cannot afford to ignore new media as it has made it easier for citizens to make their voices heard and force government official to response. In her words, The Executive Director of Kudirat Initiative for Democracy, Mrs. Amy Odekunle, whose participation is to mobilize women and the girl child for the campaign, said women must be part of the conversation as that would help further drive home their demand for a better world.