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Tag: Agenda

  • Agenda for President-elect, by lawyer

    Agenda for President-elect, by lawyer

    As the President-elect Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Prof Yemi Osinbajo are getting set for governance on May 29, a Law teacher at the University of Lagos, Wahab Shittu, draws an agenda that will guide the new president in the arduous task ahead.

    Beyond the euphoria and celebrations that greeted Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the March 28 presidential elections as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), there is the urgent need to examine what the president-elect has to offer including the likely impact of his vice, Prof Yemi Osinbajo on his administration from May 29.

    I have listened to the pronouncements of the president-elect and observed the disposition of the incumbent president since the outcome of the historic elections. I have also watched the comportment of the INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega during and after the announcement of the outcome of the election was made. The first point to make is the seeming statesman-like comportment of incumbent President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan,  which is salutary. He may have raised the bar of democratic spirit and ethical conduct by the swiftness with which he congratulated Gen Buhari even before the formal announcement of his victory by INEC. The whole world is already celebrating this remarkable gesture which is uncommon in this clime.

     

    Starting well

    The second point to note is the outstanding integrity and comportment of the INEC chairman at the time the results of the election was being collated and proceedings became rudely interrupted by the seemingly unguarded utterances of Elder Godsday Orubebe. The matured manner he handled the proceedings despite the tantrums thrown at him by Elder Orubebe may have elevated the rating of the  Nigerian in the consciousness of civilised nations of the world. I commend his maturity in the face of provocation.

    The other issue worthy of mention is the magnanimity of Gen Mohammadu Buhari in victory consistent with the democratic spirit. He had extended his hands of fellowship and conciliation to President Jonathan and those who voted against him saying that he has no ill-wind against anyone and describing the incumbent president as a great Nigerian who is still our president.These are pronouncements of a statesman and indicative of a very positive beginning sign-posting the fact that politics ought to be about service to the people without bitterness from the contenders including politicians and their supporters. These actions may have contributed to the deepening of the democratic process including enhancing the quality of the peace process in the land.

    Thirdly, the president-elect also pledged to deliver just and peaceful governance subject to the rule of law including declaring massive war against corruption, saying quit significantly that ‘corruption will not be tolerated by this administration’.  He also pledged to tackle insurgency that is ravaging the land, declaring – with a strong resolve – that ‘the strength of our collective will would spare no effort until we defeat terrorism’.

    Overall, it can be said that Buhari has started well judging by the quality of his pronouncements. But what are the preliminary issues that he ought to consider moving forward?

     

    Beyond rhetorics

    The first issue that he needs to address urgently is the unity and cohesiveness of the country because never has our country except during the civil war been so divided by politics, ethnicity, religion and other primordial sentiments making it imperative for him to immediately unify the country as a matter of priority.  I am happy to observe that he has also pledged to prevent the discrimination of any Nigerian on account of ethnicity, religion and such other base sentiments. Beyond that however, is the need to walk the talk by putting in place policies and programmes that would make every Nigerian to have the requisite sense of belonging which is indispensable in nation building.

    There is the need to reconcile entities within the nation that are severely divided including elements from the Northeast and Niger Delta with prospects of instability and threats to the nation state. The war against terror must be fought to a standstill by enlisting the cooperation of Nigerians, the international communities and the neighbouring countries of Niger, Cameroon and Chad whose cooperation is crucial to forestall illegal movements across borders and check the inflow of illegal weapons. Our security forces must also be well-equipped in terms of weapons, training, logistics, funding and collaboration to win the war of terror. Corruption which he has identified as a major stumbling block in prosecuting the war of terror must be addressed decisively as our country can no longer afford destruction of valuable lives and property including the displacement of Nigerians from their homes.

     

    Walking the talk

    Secondly, I am also impressed by the president-elect’s declaration that he is now a converted democrat alluding to the fact that having attempted the presidency three times without success and ending up in the Supreme Court rather than resorting to violence, he has demonstrated his belief in democratic tenets. The president-elect is advised to continue with that spirit as dictatorship in whatever guise is no longer fashionable in any part of the world.

    There is also the need to fix the economy and raise the living standards of Nigerians, majority of whom are suffering and living below the poverty line. In this sense, there is the need to approach economic development within the context of a major set of problems such as poverty, inequality, population growth, environmental decay and rural stagnation including adopting a problem and policy oriented approach to governance. The present situation comprising widespread poverty, large income and asset inequalities, rapid population growth, low levels of literacy and health, high levels of urban unemployment and underemployment and chronic balance of payments and foreign/debt burdens to name a few.

     

    Empowering the people

    Nigerians must have access to food, energy, natural resources, technology, information and financial flows. The incoming administration must realise that there is a symbiotic relationship between economic, social and institutional problems of underdevelopment requiring coordinated approaches to their solution at the local, national and international levels. In summary,  attempts to boost our economy must address decisively issues bordering on lower levels of human capital, higher levels of inequality and absolute poverty, higher population growth rates compared to available resources, greater social fractionalisation accelerated by displacements arising from insurgency, larger rural populations but rapid rural to urban migrations, lower levels of industrialisations and manufactured exports, adverse geography, underdeveloped financial and other markets, lingering colonial impacts and inadequate public and private sectors participations in driving the economy.

    These require agricultural transformation and rural development, involving appropriate policy framework to tackle finance and fiscal policies for development. The widening gap between the rich and poor must be reduced to the barest minimum.

     

    Creating business-friendly environment

    It is also important for the president-elect to make the business environment more conducive and friendly. These include carrying out performance audit of key regulatory institutions whose activities impact on the private sector with a view to ensuring that these institutions deliver added value to the economy.

    The foregoing would require the president-elect to put in place an all-inclusive team of talented and outstanding Nigerians to assist him in delivering on his commitment to a just and principled governance.

    The incoming Buhari administration should also deliver positive change to Nigeria by providing visionary leadership, upholding the rule of law, ensuring transparency and accountability, guaranteeing zero tolerance for corruption, putting a stop to the culture of impunity and indiscipline in our national life, protecting fundamental rights of the people and generally ensuring good governance.

     

    Leading by example

    These outlined policy objectives could be achieved if the Buhari administration leads the fight against corruption from the front believing that the leadership below and the followership will take a cue from leadership by example. In this wise, one expects the president to publicly declare his assets and insist that those working under him should also follow the example.  The activities of the anti-graft agencies at all levels must be overhauled to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. This means the anti-graft agencies must be supported with funding, training, logistics, collaboration and equipment to enhance their operations. Autonomy and independence of these agencies are key factors.

    The leadership must adopt both preventive and proactive measures in stamping out the menace of corruption. This implies that systems be overhauled; institutions must be strengthened; social traditions must be restored; ethical and moral values ought to be emphasised by putting in place a code of ethical conduct for all categories of public office holders. These measures would no doubt impact on personal behaviours and lead to a change in the orientation and values of our people. When this orientation changes, hard work, discipline, integrity, credibility, honesty, trustworthiness and patriotism would be restored into our collective consciousness as a people and as a country.

    The incoming Buhari administration must put in place policy guidelines to address every sector of the economy and our national life and this policy thrust must also guide our foreign policy objectives and direction. This in turn will restore the image of Nigeria and Nigerians in the committee of nations.

    In summary, if the incoming Buhari administration delivers on leadership, rule of law, transparency and accountability, rights protection, zero tolerance for corruption and impunity and above all on good governance the trust that most Nigerians placed on Buhari by electing him in this fiercely contested election would not be in vain.

    I wish the president-elect the best of luck.

  • Agenda for in-coming APC government

    Agenda for in-coming APC government

    The transition to a new government is underway. Public affairs commentator Abiodun Ladepo, in this open letter to President-elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, sets an agenda for the incoming All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

    Let me quickly jump in front of the oncoming bandwagon in offering my congratulations. I know you do not have too much time for niceties because much has been left in the Augean Stable for you to clean up. Let me be one of the first to offer my two kobo on how you should begin the art (for, in Nigeria, it is indeed an art) of governing us for the next four years. My advice is neither in chronological order nor even in any order of preference. But most of it stems from lessons learned in the huge fall from grace to grass of your immediate predecessor, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan.

     

    Declaration of Assets

    Even before your official swearing in ceremony scheduled for May 29th, go ahead and declare your assets as you promised. Do it publicly. In fact, find some money and buy space in a few national dailies and online media outlets and declare your assets. I am sure your Vice, Professor YemiOsinbajo, will follow suit. Nigerians know both of you are not stupendously rich, so no need to worry about having to explain how you came about your assets. Then go ahead and make it (in private, of course) a requirement for all your ministerial, judicial and heads of MDA appointees, to also declare their assets.

     

    Appointments

    Please look beyond the APC for a combination of brains and brawn. Make deliberate efforts to find talents in other parties (believe it or not, there are good people even in the PDP) and appoint them to, not just inconsequential positions, but key positions that will task their intellect and vigor. Look beyond active politicians for skilled people because many of them want to serve and can serve very well but for myriad reasons, could not participate in politics. Spread your appointments across the nation as fairly as possible. I know the southwest practically elected you (the north had always been with you) and you will be pulled by those of us from the southwest to reward us and not marginalize us like Jonathan did. But you are president for the whole country. Beam your searchlight on the east, south-south and all over the country and look for talents. If you try hard, you will find talents in the states that voted against you. You will find talents among Nigerians living abroad. You have to demonstrate the level of maturity that Jonathan lacked and show the world that you are not vindictive. How nice would it be if you could askNuhuRibadu to be Minister of Interior, in charge of the Police, Immigrations, Prisons, Civil Defense and Customs? These are parastatals that have become cesspools of corruption and need someone of Ribadu’s incorruptibility, energy, patriotism and attention-to-detail to lead. How about RajiFashola for Ministry of Works or Ministry of Justice? You get my drift?

     

    Corruption

    Nigerians trust you and to some degree, trust Osinbajo. But that is not the same and will, of course, not be the same for your appointees. You cannot single-handedly eradicate corruption in Nigeria. In fact, no one can eradicate corruption from any country. You can only do your best to reduce it to the bare minimum. To this end, you must return transparency and independence to the EFCC and ICPC. Once nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve for a specified term, the chairpersons of both organizations should only be removable by (a simple majority) legislative impeachment. This removes the EFCC from Executive control and allows every political party to have a say in how it does its job. Please ask your political appointees to sign an undated Resignation Letter before you appoint them. This will serve you well in the future if they misbehave and you need to sack them. All you would need to do is put a date on their Resignation Letter and ACCEPT their resignation. This letter serves to keep them on their toes. I have heard other members of your party (and specifically Prof. Osinbajo) promise to not go after those who have perpetrated corruption before your election. I hope that is not true. Nigerians expect you to go after those who stole the future of their children. No, you should not allow this to consume you and detract from more important things. Nonetheless, we cannot afford to let them go scot-free. They must pay, if only to serve as deterrence to future thieves.

     

    Judiciary

    You must overhaul the judiciary as a matter of urgency. The process of litigation in Nigeria is too long, too tedious, too expensive and too prone to abuse that justice is often delayed and thus often denied. Please embark on the construction of more courtrooms, upgrade the infrastructures of the existing ones, improve the welfare of judiciary workers and build more prisons to house those convicted in your new, expedited process.

     

    Federal Budget

    This is too fat. You have to demonstrate to Nigerians that you are going to live by example. All those billions of naira usually allocated for food in Aso Rock need to be drastically cut down. Everybody working in or visiting Aso Rock is already being paid handsomely. They can pay for their own food. Make the cafeteria in Aso Rock a pay-for-your-own-food establishment for everybody. Cut down on the number of people traveling out of town and out of country who collect estacodes and allowances for doing practically nothing on such trips. Then invite the Senate leader and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and ask them to lead their respective legislatures in taking drastic cuts both in salaries and in other emoluments. Nigerians find it unconscionable that a Senator earns more than the President of the United States. Your predecessor was too compromised to have the moral authority to ask the legislators to take a pay cut. You do not have such a problem. They – the legislators – are looking for motivation, direction and purpose. You must provide that leadership.

     

    NNPC

    I don’t need to tell you that this is the nation’s jugular. Fortunately, you are probably the most knowledgeable about this sector out of all who have governed Nigeria. So, there is very little anybody can tell you about this that you do not already know. You must appoint persons of absolutely unquestionable character to head this Ministry and the various parastatals that support our oil industry. Your Minister of Petroleum must believe in refining our oil within our country. And so that person must commence the construction of new refineries and the repair of old ones. If you have to borrow money to do anything, this is one sector you must get going almost right away. By the time your party comes to ask for our votes in 2019, we must be paying far less at the pumps than we are currently paying and exporting finished oil products to neighboring countries.

     

    Transportation

    I take you at your word that you will revive the moribund Nigeria Airways by first deploying most of the aircraft in the currently bloated Presidential fleet to the national carrier. It has been a national embarrassment that the Giant of Africa has been unable to manage its airline. Remember that what killed Nigeria Airways was corruption (from ticketing fraud to spare parts fraud and) general poor maintenance record. Your new Nigeria Airways must be peopled with crack professionals and technicians – people who take aviation safety and customer service seriously. On the railways, you will agree with me that the situation whereby people and merchandises headingfrom Abuja to Ondo, Ile-Ife, Sokoto, Ado Ekiti, BirninKebbi, Akure, Benin City, Ogbomosho, Oyo, Jalingo,Yola, Damaturu, Dutse, Calabar, and many more key townscannot even contemplate taking the train. Train tracks do not pass through these places! And the tracks we have are single tracks that force trains to wait for each other for hours at trains stations. These were the tracks betrothed to us by the colonial masters and we are yet to improve on them. Please start building new tracks and get rid of those archaic, used locomotives with which your predecessor “transformed” us back to the Stone Age. Remember, a viable rail system will ease the pressure on our roads as large goods such as petroleum tanks and containers will find it cheaper and faster to use the railways.

     

    Defence

    Like NNPC, this is another sector about which nobody can lecture you. As the Boko Haram quagmire has shown us, there has been gross corruption or negligence or incompetence of all of the foregoing in the Ministry of Defense dating back to before your predecessor. Things just got past him more because he knew next to nothing about this sector and he was too incurious and too afraid to ask questions. Luckily for us, you know what is going on and nobody can accuse you of being too afraid to ask questions. The ranks of our military leadership, the officer corps, has been politicized and bastardized to the point that they have lost credibility with Nigerians. The respect and adulation normally enjoyed by the military has been erased and replaced with scorn and derision. People now see the military as a bunch of willing tools in the hands of politicians; a rag-tag bunch who will scamper off the battlefield with tails tucked between their legs at the sound of Boko Haram’s Hilux trucks. You have to restore the dignity of the Nigerian military. Heads have to roll. In fact, heads that have left the service but responsible for the rot in the military must be recalled and set rolling. You must set up a panel of former military officers, aided by a crack team of accountants, to look into the books of the military and find all the missing trillions – the reason our military lacked weapons and other equipment when called up to defend the country; the reason why thousands of our citizens were easily massacred by terrorists; the reason why we lost parts of our country to a Boko Haram and the reason why our country became the butt of jokes in international military circles. You must reorient the military to the path of professionalism – training for war in peacetime as if they are at war; training them in some of the best countries in the world and with some of the best militaries in the world; equipping them with the most modern war-fighting equipment; taking care of their welfare and that of their family and building for them infrastructures that befit the status we want them to occupy in the world. If you have to reduce the size, please do so. Remember, size is not might. Most advanced nations have moved away from large, slower military to smaller and more mobile, more nimble forces. That is the direction we should be headed. We should be building a smaller but more lethal force.

     

    Intelligence

    There are too many unintelligent personnel parading themselves as intelligence operatives in our country. Like the military, they too have been co-opted into serving the whims and caprices of the government of the day. And they do not know what they are doing. I make this last statement boldly, confident that I know what I am talking about. Our intelligence organizations should complement the efforts of the law enforcement agencies and the military. In fact, they should be integral parts of those organizations and should not, themselves, be exempted from being scrutinized. You need to infuse the DMI, the NSA, the DSS and all the others with well-trained (internationally well-trained) professionals who can teach basic and advanceintelligence gathering, packaging and dissemination to the end user. The gun-toting, sunglasses-wearing and suit-decked so-called intelligence personnel are just collecting pay checks. Where, for example, is the Boko Haram leader? Where are the Chibok girls? How are weapons getting inside Nigeria – and I mean heavy weapons? How are fighters getting inside Nigeria and how are they getting re-supplied? You need to overhaul this sector.

     

    Medical

    Please send a bill to the legislature prohibiting all government officials from using government money to fund any aspect of medical care they receive abroad. They can exercise their inalienable right of free movement, but Nigeria should no longer pay for anybody to receive treatment abroad. In the mean time and while the bill snakes through the legislature, use your executive powers to deny requests for overseas medical travels that involve the use of government funds.

     

    Clearly, your biggest challenge is electricity. This is the giant killer that has “killed” those before you. If you fail in everything above and succeed in stabilizing electricity supply, increasing its generation and distributing it effectively, your name will be written in gold. This will task your brain and sap your energy the most. Every sinew of your being must be engaged when you appoint people to solve this very huge problem. With the talents that abound within our country and outside, with the resources at our disposal, you can eradicate our dependence on all sorts of generators. With stable electricity, you won’t need to create too many jobs as Nigerians will create jobs by themselves.

    Your Excellency, I know you have a full plate and you are no spring chicken. That is why assembling a team of very qualified and able people from across the country and the Diaspora will make your job easier. All you need to do is provide the motivation, purpose and direction and they will execute.

  • Organisation sets agenda for presidential candidates

    Organisation sets agenda for presidential candidates

    A pan-Southeast professional group, the Concerned Nigeria Professionals and Entrepreneurs Forum, has suggested ten key issues that should form campaign topics for the presidential candidates in the general elections.

    They are particularly concerned about the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The group decried the current campaigns of mudslinging and name-calling, when according to the group, the nation was at a crossroads and had better things to do than engaging in campaigns of calumny.

    Convener of the group, Emeka Ugwu-Oju, who was in Enugu for the southeast zonal town hall meeting of the forum, told newsmen that the group believed that entrepreneurs were major stakeholders in Nigeria that is presently in a cross road based on the coming elections.

    “But we don’t want it to be a negative point for the country. So we are trying to redirect things, the campaigns are to be issues-based, and not on personal issues. The zonal town hall meetings are to reassess the issue to be announced to the presidential candidates at the national town hall meetings that will take place in Abuja on March 20, 2015 that will be attended by the presidential candidates, either as a debate or separately,” he said.

    Ugwu-Oju gave the summary of the ten key issues that should form presidential campaigns as: The fundamental change in the dynamics of the global oil market (guaranteed average low oil price for the foreseeable future) and the negative implication for a mono product economy; Restructuring/creation of a fair, just and equitable federation; Reduction in cost of governance at the federal, state and local government level; Transiting from an oil income sharing to a wealth creating economy.

    Others issues include: Climate change; Security of lives and property; Unemployment; Corruption; Food, water and housing and Education.

    He stated that it was clear there were enormous issues that bother the electorate, which require very clear and unequivocal discussion by the campaigns of the two major political parties that are presenting the two main presidential candidates, President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

    “These issues will be further distilled at the zonal town hall meetings and subsequently addressed by the presidential candidates at the national town hall meeting. On the question of the 2015 general elections, all we need to say is that, on no account should any Nigerian who is registered and willing to vote be disenfranchised because of inability to collect a PVC, whether card readers are deployed for the elections or not.

    “It is instructive, however, that if the elections had held as originally scheduled, on February 14, 2015, it would have been a disaster going by the recent experience with the test-run of the card readers. The case of what happened in Ebonyi state is a pointer to this fact,” said Ugwu-Oju.

    He noted that his group was of the opinion that if the electronic card readers cannot work as perfectly as it should work, INEC should better turn to option A4 so as not to disenfranchise any elligible voter.

     

  • Agenda behind annulment of Feb. 14 election date

    Agenda behind annulment of Feb. 14 election date

    The postponement of the general elections from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11 has thrown up some perinent questions about the role of the military in the electoral process. In this article, Professor of Philosophy and Director-General, Awolowo Centre for Philosophy, Ideology and Good Governance, Osogbo, Osun State, Moses Akinola Makinde (FNAL), argues that the military is acting the script handed to it by the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    A few days before the annulment of the February 14 date for the presidential election by President Goodluck Jonathan and the military Service Chiefs, the army, navy and airforce had asserted categorically that they were more than prepared for the election. To the delight of most Nigerians, they even told the nation about the preparations made for the exercise. But, the Service Chiefs who had shown readiness for the election two weeks earlier said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must shift the date because the President wanted it that way.

    For about five years, the security operatives, especially the military, have been helpless in “crushing” the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast. Now, just as the election was about two weeks away, the National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki said “we will crush them in six weeks”. Now, the questions:

    1. How come the same Service Chiefs who had failed to provide security for the people of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa states for five years now decided to do their job only for the sake of postponement of February 14 election? The implication of Dasuki’s statement is that it was the Presidency and the military that were behind the insurgency and the attendant killings of innocent people in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in the Northeast, a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC), all these years! This means that only those who are behind the problem can solve the problem. We now know why the military and security operatives have refused to stop the insurgency in the region, even after more than N3 billion had been wasted on the matter. It is either to prevent the election or find excuses to postpone it as a result of their unreadiness and unwillingness to perform their constitutional duty of creating a conducive atmosphere for a peaceful election in the APC’s stronghold. By this postponement, they have now exposed their hidden agenda by telling us that what they had willingly failed to do in three years they can now willingly do in six weeks!

    2. The postponement of the elections till March 28 and April 11 was to give the PDP time to prosecute their case against the APC presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s certificate saga, a case which even the PDP lawyers said could not be won by any stretch of the imagination. As for the claim of perjury being prepared over Buhari’s certificate, Gen. Alani Akinrinde had made the point that the military did not return certificate to their owners and, in most cases, it appeared that these certificates were lost or misplaced by the military. After all, the Vice President claimed that his certificate was lost in an inferno and has not provided any evidence for this with a police report.

    3. Perhaps, the most important and dangerous agendum of Jonathan and the PDP is their plan to “sack” Prof.  Attahiru Jega, the hardworking and totally uncommitted cerebral Chairman of INEC, before the election on March 28. This was another reason behind postponing the election for six weeks; so that Jega would be asked to proceed on terminal leave by the middle of March 2015, until the end of his tenure on June 30, 2015. In this way, he would not be allowed to complete the elections he had started. Jega’s sin was that he, a reputable intellectual that he is, could not afford to soil his hands and reputation by heeding Jonathan’s and the PDP’s instruction to rig election for them at all costs. They now want to appoint a stooge to rig the election in their favour. Of course, Nigerians and the whole world know that Jonathan cannot stop Prof. Jega from completing the assignment he had started about five years ago, which is to conduct the presidential and other elections in 2015. To think that stopping Jega is possible is to demonstrate a high degree of illusion and folly; not even when no new appointment could be made without the consent and approval of the National Assembly. To such hidden agendum, Nigeria and indeed the international community say “no way” to Jonathan. He should stop behaving as if he owns Nigeria, and whatever he wants he gets by force, just as he forced Jega to postpone the election. Prof Jega enjoys the confidence of Nigerians and the international community, while members of his constituency, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), stand behind him as a tested man of integrity and honour, and will stand behind him to the end.

    4. The military’s unholy and dangerous alliance with the Presidency might just be another hidden agendum. Could it be there was a secret pact between the military and the President to precipitate a crisis before or after the election for the army to take over from Jonathan in order to allow him a soft landing instead of facing a Buhari administration? Or could it be a preparation for interim government or tenure elongation, also by the aid of military, that would allow Jonathan to spend another two years to make up for the constitutional limit of 8 years as president, since he cannot be president for 10 years? Under the Nigerian constitution? That is probably why the Service Chiefs said the election was postponed for six weeks “in the first instance”. The second instance may be to create a constitutional crisis that would lead to an army take over in favour of Jonathan. For Jonathan, it is as the Yoruba would say, “kaka ki eku ma je ere, a fi se iwadanu” (instead of the rat not being allowed to eat the peas, it would scatter the peas, so that nobody would be in a position to eat the peas). But, my fear is that this time around, the army cannot succeed, as the result of any army take-over for Jonathan or for themselves would be greater than the Egypt’s or Algeria’s Arab Springs where the whole country stood up for their rights, and eventually the army and the police had no choice but to be on the side of the people. The Nigerian case would be worse because the military had already been perceived to be supporting Jonathan against the people.

    Be all this as it may, both Jonathan and the military have boxed themselves into a corner. Their dilemma is a follows: (1) crush the insurgency in the Northeast in six weeks and admit that the President and the military have been behind and supporting the escalation of the activities of the insurgents for more than five years. (2) Fail to crush the insurgents in the Northeast in six weeks and admit that you want to use the failure as a reason for further postponement in order to precipitate a crisis that would lead to a military take-over, just to prevent Buhari from ruling the country, and provide a soft landing for Mr. President and his galaxy of sinners against the people of Nigeria. In either case, Jonathan and the military are in great trouble and have questions to answer before Nigerians and the international community. Already, the postponement has already backfired, as more and more Nigerians are now angry and only waiting to nail the coffins of Jonathan and PDP with protest votes at the March 28 and April 11 election.

    The bottom line and the most important of course, is that Professor Jega must complete his assignment of conducting the elections by which he is to be judged for the sake of posterity. You cannot prepare so hard for an examination only to be cruelly prevented from taking the examination for which you have prepared so hard and for so long. The examination must be taken and results of your efforts made known to you and the public. Having told the US and the UN that the election would be free and fair, Jonathan must not confound Nigerians and the international community by a super rigging device i.e. changing the umpire in the last minute in order to give room for rigging of the 2015 election.

  • My agenda for Kosofe, by Braimah

    My agenda for Kosofe, by Braimah

    Tunde Braimah was the executive chairman of Kosofe Local Government Area between 1999 and 2002. Braimah, a lawyer went back to practice his first love, law, after leaving office. More than a decade after, he is back into active politics and has won the primary election to represent Kosofe in the Lagos State House of Assembly under the banner of the APC. In this interview with SEGUN AJIBOYE and INNOCENT DURU, he spoke about his expectations and what put him in good stead for legislative assignment. Excerpts:

    You defeated an incumbent in the recent primary election for the Lagos State House of Assembly in Kosofe Constituency. How did you achieve this?

    I will not subscribe to the use of the word ‘defeat’ because it was an intra-party primary election. The word defeat may sound inappropriate in that circumstance. It was a kind of arrangements of the best hands in the party to be selected for the job. There were other people that aspired for that post. It was an election of the most qualified person.

    What have you been up to, since you quit office as a local government chairman?

    I went back to law practice, but it was not as easy as it used to be. The expectation of the people will not allow me to move freely. Many people did not know the difference of being a lawyer and a politician, they try to lump everything together. It was affecting my performance to my clients, even the way my client related to me. But the office is there, I only stepped aside for other colleagues to run the office. I have concentrated fully on my other business, which is hospitality. I have invested my time and resources into it.

    What was the secret of your success in the primary election?

    God has been kind to me. Whatever others did with so much money, I have always achieved with little or nothing. This is because of my background, the name and the goodwill. There was a particular leader who encouraged me to continue to do more. He told me to ensure that I continue to do more for the people. That advice has really encouraged me to continue doing to my doing good to my people.

    Politics is an expensive venture. How have you coped all this while?

    I thank God that I am not a pauper.  I have source of income and I had to cut my coat to my size. I did not go out of my way to do what I should not do. I am taking everything in my strides and God has been kind.

    What happened to your followers while you were out of office?

    Many left while others stayed with me. My staunch supporters stayed with me even when I was not contesting any election. You would be surprised that they rally round me whenever I have anything to celebrate.

    Looking back at what happened when you ran for the office a local government chairman, what would you say has changed?

    For my experience, I believe that things have indeed changed. I thank Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the development he has brought to bear on our party. He has allowed for a free and fair contest, and of course, that was what helped me. I thank God there was no order from above. The conduct of the election was liberal and proper, and it allowed people who really know us to vote freely.

    I thank God there was no order from above it was liberal and proper, and it allowed people who really know us to vote and make their choice. In 1998 when I became chairman, the process was also free and fair. And sincerely, I think when election has been free and fair, God has always been kind to me.

    What particular lesson did you learn as chairman that you hope to bring to bear if you win?

    The basic lesson I took away from office as chairman is about public attitude to governance and that you must be public-oriented. Of course my background as a lawyer will help me because it is a procedural activity. Procedures are used in court, though I know that there will be differences. I practiced law undiluted since 1999, doing nothing other than law practice.

    So what do you think should give you the edge seeking a legislative position?

    My profession as a lawyer has really helped me. As a practicing lawyer, I know how to present a motion and argue matters, though there may be slightly differences in the way legislative business is done because instead of me persuading somebody, I will be convincing them. And I will adapt, by the grace of God, to bring myself in tune to the rules of the House. There is enough time to prepare for the election. My background should be a good start for me to build on. Moreover, I also have the benefit of having held an executive position. So, I think the combination of the two experiences would go a long way to assist me in carrying out my responsibilities to my people.

    You said something about goodwill. How easy is it for you to have maintained you followers these past years?

    The world is like a talking drum. It faces some and at the same time backs others. But you must always believe in yourself. There are three ways of judging people’s character- what he says, what he does and what people says about him. What he says and what he does are the most important things. What people say about him, of course, may not be a fair assessment of who he is.  But what you do says a lot about you and people must know who you are.  Character is the most important thing, because that is who you are. For instance, you may be reputed to be a womanizer, but it may a very wrong opinion about you. But for me, there is nobody that I cannot deal with. If someone has a wrong impression of me, I try to keep up with him, because I know that with time things will change. When you are persistent on an issue or in your relationship with people, they will get to know who you if they allow their minds to be open. Majority of the people in Lagos are hard working people whose desire is good representation. Therefore,

  • Tambuwal’s agenda for Sokoto

    The ongoing campaigns by various candidates seeking elective posts and their political parties have provided Nigerians with the opportunity to assess those seeking to rule over them for the next four years. When politicians come to the people directly for a face to face interaction, citizens can evaluate their programmes and suitability for the office they are seeking.

    In Sokoto State, attention of voters is now fixed on the plan of action rolled out by the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the governorship contest, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. At the flag-off of his campaign penultimate week, Tambuwal, better known to Nigerians as the ever-smiling and no-nonsense Speaker of the House of Representatives, promised to take the state on a journey of prosperity already started by the incumbent governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.

    The greatest treasure the state is currently enjoying, according to him, is the peace and tranquility found in abundance within its borders. Located in a region bedeviled by the Boko Haram insurgency, Sokoto’s ability to steer off crisis has been a source of admiration for sociologists. Considering its unique position as the centre-point of Islam in Nigeria, Sokoto has in the past taken the lead in finding lasting solutions to the menace of terrorism in the country. Political and religious leaders have, at various times, given a true interpretation of all the tenets of Islam, and have openly abhorred wanton killings and destruction of property.

    The citizens of Sokoto have at various forums harped on the need to ensure continuity of government policies. Many who gave their inputs into the Tambuwal agenda emphasized that coming to start afresh will be detrimental to the prosperity of their state. Their claim followed a close observation of the achievements of Wamakko in critical areas like education, healthcare, social reorientation, youths and sports development and infrastructural development.

    The economic potential of Sokoto is enormous. With the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria factory located in the state and various small and medium scale industries scattered all over, Sokoto has already charted a path to industrialization. As Tambuwal noted in Shagari and Tureta LGAs during his campaign stop, there are also abundant water resources for irrigation farming and other agro-allied activities. The Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority has its headquarters in the capital and so far, there are plans to enhance its capacity to meet the growing needs of the people of the area.

    The people of Sokoto are known for their entrepreneurial disposition. Tambuwal said when elected, the state government will complement their efforts by creating an enabling environment to boost investment and other commercial activities. He said this can be done by ensuring that parameters for ease of doing business are enhanced for both local and foreign investors.

    Given its huge economical potential, it is pertinent to ask: what will the incoming administration do to further harness them to advance the socio-economic development of the state and its people? The initiatives of the present government are numerous. Let us look at a few. The first is the vision of the administration in developing the human resource capacity to meet its development challenges.

    Since its inception in 2007, the administration has invested handsomely in education, based on a vision premised on developing skills for the future industrialization of the state.  The state has its gaze fixed on developing the mining industry in the state in the very near future.

    Today, the human resource to drive that industry is being prepared. For example, quite a number of youths have been abroad to study various courses in Mining and Mineral Engineering. Others went to other parts of Nigeria and Africa to study agricultural extension. All these are done with the aim to ensure that those trained contribute their quota towards the development of various sectors of the state.

    As a leader, the Speaker has promised to lead from the front, working in tandem with other progressive Nigerians from all walks of life to bring about needed change in the socio-economic landscape of his dear state in particular an Nigeria in general. This he said can be done by fully implementing the policies of the APC as espoused in its manifesto.

    Tambuwal remains the quintessential politician who has defied the notion that politicians, especially of the Nigerian variety, cannot say the truth to the powers that be while still in power. By now, Nigerians have come to identify their Number Four citizen as a fearless man whose words are not at variance with his deeds. In a clime polluted by years of sheer indiscipline and unfulfilled promises, the optimism, and testimonies openly exhibited by those who followed his leadership style will no doubt gladden the hearts of the people of Sokoto who are now set to have him as their Leader in the coming years.

    Not since independence have we seen a politician promote an ideology as fervently as the speaker does. Tambuwal has promoted the concept of a strong dichotomy between politics and governance. To him, there is a marked difference between a candidate in electoral contest on the platform of a political party and an elected official who has assumed a non-partisan responsibility and taken oath to protect and preserve the constitution, to serve the people and the nation. While the former is not merely at liberty but under a duty to be partisan, the latter must conduct himself in a manner worthy of the call to non-partisanship in governance. And whenever partisan interests conflict with national interest it is partisan interests that must be sacrificed in the preservation of the national interest.

    In Sokoto today, many are confident that Tambuwal will leverage on his experience and contacts in national and international circle to the benefit of the state. In him, they see a person who will not only redesign the economy of the state, but will also redefining its politics.

     

    •Imam (@imamdimam), wrote from National Assembly, Abuja

  • Ambode’s human security agenda

    The forthcoming governorship election in Lagos state is surely arousing the curiosity of most Nigerians – from the political analysts and scholars of Nigerian politics to the so-called common man, for a number of reasons. It presents an opportunity to further test the political credentials and clout of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, unarguably the most influential politician and strategist in the south-western part of Nigeria, having previously been governor of Lagos State from 1999 – 2007. Tinubu is regarded as the originator of modern Lagos State’s development template. Upon leaving office after the expiration of his mandate in 2007, he had successfully engineered the election of his successor, now the outgoing governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, in 2007, despite the expression of interest by a number of his own loyalists, as well as the perpetually marauding People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which is cognizant of the fact that the key to Tinubu’s continued relevance lies with his firm control of Lagos politics. Despite fielding such candidates as the late Funsho Williams, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Ade Dosumu, in the past, the PDP has been continually trounced in the gubernatorial elections in Lagos State. With the imminent end of Governor Fashola’s tenure, a man widely respected for transforming Lagos state beyond expectations, to the extent that even opposition politicians grudgingly admit he has discharged his duties well as governor, the race for the governor’s office becomes even more interesting.

    As with previous governorship elections, the contest is between the candidates of the APC and the PDP. The PDP candidate, Jimi Agbaje, who had previously contested against Babatunde Fashola in 2007 under the less-known Democratic Peoples’ Alliance (DPA), surprised many by coming third and garnering more votes than more experienced and better-known politicians like Tokunbo Afikuyomi and Femi Pedro. Agbaje is the flag bearer of the PDP and given the weight of the PDP, and going by Agbaje’s previous antecedents in the 2007 election, he surely represents a formidable challenge to Ambode’s APC.

    Ambode has a couple of advantages going forward in the February governorship elections. First is the political goodwill enjoyed by the Tinubu-Fashola administrations in Lagos State, which gives the APC the political legitimacy to present a relatively unknown person as gubernatorial candidate. This goodwill has been earned, more so, as a result of Fashola’s excellent delivery of good governance in the State. Fashola, who was also relatively a political unknown in 2007, having served as Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, has further endeared Lagosians to the APC. The PDP has not been helped greatly by the internal squabbles within its fold, as well as the dearth of a credible leader of the party in Lagos State. Second, the prospect of a continuation of the public service delivery initiated by a candidate who understands the workings of government in Lagos State also works in Ambode’s favour. Having served in the Lagos State Civil Service for almost three decades as Permanent Secretary and Accountant-General respectively, and having the privilege of understudying Tinubu and Fashola, Ambode appears to represent the continuity in governance that the APC advocates for, which also resonates with most Lagosians.

    What appears evident from an examination of candidate Ambode’s Governance Plan is a focus on human security, centred on promoting freedoms from poverty, need and fear. The Plan has service delivery as its core, which will be under girded by the principles of Leadership, Accountability, Governance, Opportunity, Service (L.A.G.O.S). The Plan has as its main areas of focus: tourism, economic growth, community cohesion, and equitable distribution of wealth, poverty reduction and the urbanization of slums, human rights protection, urbanization and the provision of physical and social infrastructure, all in tandem with the present administration’s development blueprint.

    The Ambode Plan focuses on Security, Economy, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Education, Social Welfare and Good Governance. In the area of job creation, it proposes the establishment of an Employment Trust Fund to the tune of N25b within a period of four years by the government, with one billion naira earmarked for each of the five divisions in the state for the next four years; Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos and Epe Divisions.

    On ‘Corporate Lagos’, the manifesto proposes measures that will attract and retain both foreign and local investors to Lagos, with the aid of e-governance solutions for business. Quite importantly, it prioritizes the re-establishment of a middle class in the state, under strict adherence to the Rule of Law. Also, while recognizing that multiple taxes/fees exist in the state’s tax codes, a pledge is made to remove them as soon as Ambode assumes office.

    On Education, a number of initiatives have been highlighted for implementation. The emphasis of the manifesto is on the upgrading and creation of new e-libraries, in line with best global education practices, the upgrading of the state-owned tertiary institutions – the Lagos State University (LASU) and the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), as well as the introduction of scholarship schemes in the vocational and technical colleges.

    On Health, the manifesto seeks to further improve upon the Primary Healthcare Programme, the harmonization of private and public sector partnership in secondary healthcare, as well as the establishment of medic-parks and bio-parks in Lagos state..

    On Tourism, there is a plan to launch a project known as T.H.E.S.E, which refers to an integrated solution involving the systematic integration of Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment/Arts Sports for Excellence, aimed at enabling the state to explore, execute and enshrine a new vista of jobs for our youths, our women and vocational artisans.

    On Social Welfare issues, the manifesto seeks the continuation of free education for primary and secondary school children, in line with the core principles of the APC. Underscoring the need to ensure the protection of the rights of children in Lagos State, there is an emphasis on the enforcement of the Child Abuse Law, and the criminalization of child labour. Also, ensuring the protection of the rights of women, the aged and the disabled, as well as the provision of social welfare and opportunities for these groups are emphasized in the manifesto.

    On power generation, priority is placed on the exploration of opportunities for alternative energy sources. There are also plans to further expand the already-existing Independent Power Project (IPP), and the protection of the rights of Lagosians in their engagement with private power suppliers.

    On what is referred to as ‘Integrated System’, the plan’s starting point is that the existing 29 bridges in Lagos are inadequate to cater for its huge number of motorists. It therefore seeks to expand seven of the bridges while also exploring the opportunities of pursuing an integrated transport management system.

    On Finance, the manifesto underscores its commitment to a 20-year financial and statistical planning on the needs of the state, as well as the establishment of a Lagos Finance and Development Commission, which will afford all stakeholders in the State, including the private sector, civil society and government, to match the needs of the State with the financial resources required to achieve set goals.

    While across Nigeria, there is the increasing agitation for change, especially at the federal level, in Lagos State the majority seem to aspire towards a more encompassing continuity and improvement in the delivery of public services to the people. Candidate Ambode’s credentials appear to fit the bill for the tasks ahead. In the efforts to further develop the manifesto into concrete policy documents, there will be the need for an inclusive and coordinated engagement with sectoral experts, the civil servants of Lagos State who will be tasked with implementing the plan, while obtaining the input of the citizenry, on whose behalf the manifesto has been developed. This will promote and guarantee a genuine partnership and ownership of the plan, while inculcating a crosscutting sense of responsibility and inclusivity.

    • Tunde, a public policy analyst, is based in the United Kingdom.
  • PENGASSAN sets agenda for govt

    PENGASSAN sets agenda for govt

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has urged the Federal Government to demonstrate commitment to stimulating local refining of crude oil this year. Its General Secretary, Mr. Bayo Olowoshile, who spoke in Lagos said only domestic refining would end the crises in the oil and gas sector.

    ”The key focus of the government in 2015 should be to stimulate local refining of petroleum and petrochemical products. Domestic gas production for energy, industry, agricultural and automotive purposes should be given ultimate attention this year,’’ Olowoshile said.

    The PENGASSAN scribe said the government should cut the rate of importation of products by 50 per cent. “Job creation and manpower utilisation should also be a priority of the government at such time like this when crime rate has increased. Many of our present challenges are tied to unemployment and government’s inability to channel the youthful strength of our young people into productive activities,’’ he said.

    Olowoshile said a slice in importation of products would not only stabilise the economy, but also create millions of jobs for unemployed youths in the country. He said importation of finished products into the country was a ‘canker worm’ that had left many Nigerians jobless.

    According to him, government should boost local capacity development and curb idleness in the country. Olowoshile urged government to halt capital flight in the New Year to save enough money for infrastructure and socio-economic development of the nation.

    The oil workers’ scribe urged the government to do everything possible to ensure the restoration of national peace and tranquility.

  • ‘My agenda for Kosofe’

    ‘My agenda for Kosofe’

    Lagos State Commissioner for Housing Hon. Bosun Jeje is a House of Representatives aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kosofe Constituency. He spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU on issues that will shape the contest.

    Why are you contesting for the House of Representatives in Kosofe Constituency?

    If we are to refresh our memory, in 2007, I contested, In 2011, I contested. But, as a party man, who believe in the voice of the leaders, when they made arrangement and say, “this is the way to go,” I followed. So, when I was asked to step down in 2007 and 2011, I complied. This time round, I consulted widely, I have been given a nod that I should go ahead. So, the aspiration is on and on course.

    What is the assurance that you will get the ticket?

    I think it is the way you work that would determine your success. The way you sow is the way you reap. I have been a party man, I believe in the establishment, I believe in my people. I have always been living with them. And I have really been working with them. Even, it is my people that have been nudging me on that I should go to the House of Representatives. So, the chances of clinching the ticket for me, I think it is very high. So, that is what has been propelling in this aspiration.

    What are the developmental challenges facing Kosofe Constituency?

    Well, anything worth doing in life, there are always challenges. But, we look for solution for every challenge. I have come out and I have submitted my form and I have told all the leaders of my aspiration. Some of the challenges are that my party people are also coming out for the same post. And even, the incumbent, I learnt, is coming out too to re-contest. So, I have these challenges but I think they are not insurmountable.

    What experience qualifies you for a parliamentary role?

    I think what goes for me in my life is that I try to give back to the society what it has done for me. And the House of Representatives is a lawmaking institution. I am a lawyer by profession and an environmentalist, a sociologist who has things to do with the people. Basically, my core area has always been people, people and people. For the environment, I think I will be more useful in making laws in that area to ensure that our people live healthy life and that they are well represented.

    My constituency in Kosofe will be well represented in the scheme of things at the national level. When you are the National Assembly, you are now in the Nigeria’s circle. And I want the federal presence in Kosofe.

    How do the people of the constituency perceive your ambition?

    The reception has been wonderful people are really identifying with me. I have been with them, so they are with me now that they know that I have an aspiration. Like I have said, they are nudging me that I should go ahead. They want Kosofe’s name to be heard nationally and be on the map of Nigeria. Who else could do it? My people are convinced that I could do it with my experience in business and my exposure in so many areas. I have attained so many things in my life that I am no more searching for any material gains again than to serve my people. Any time they come to me, they see me. Since when I have become a commissioner, they have been coming and they have been seeing me. I am not a type of commissioner that would luck myself up. They have been telling me that they want Kosofe name to ring bell in Abuja. And I am sure if I get there, it will definitely ring bell.

    It is my duty to make sure that Federal presence becomes more pronounced in Kosofe in every sphere of life.

    There are agitations for and against consensus and primaries. Where do you stand? I agree with both primaries and consensus to get the candidates. Where it is possible to reach a consensus, there is no need for primaries. Primary basically, is expensive. Besides, it generates bad blood in our own clime here. So, we try to go for consensus if we can achieve it. If we cannot achieve it, then, we go for primaries. And good enough, the APC, being a new party, is trying to put its feet down that there should be primaries. I have a revised timetable that states that we should go for indirect primaries. And I think that all of us are going for primaries unless we can achieve consensus. If not, we go for primaries. We are prepared and everybody is prepared for it. I am prepared for it.

    Is the APC not threatened by the move by the PDP to displace the party in Lagos State?

    With what our administration has done in Lagos State, I believe the election would be a work over. Starting from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu dministration down to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), we have found ourselves at a level whereby it would be difficult for the PDP to contest with us and match us. we have convinced the people that governance can be beneficial. And having done that, the people themselves have seen that they can trust government. So, Asiwaju Tinubu, Governor Fashola have set the template for governance in Lagos State. PDP would try to show that they exist because of appointment. But unfortunately for them, there is no more appointment for them in Abuja because APC will over run them next year.

     

     

  • Ochicha: I have better agenda for Cross River

    Ochicha: I have better agenda for Cross River

     Cross River State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Odey Ochicha spoke with NICHOLAS KALU in Calabar, the state capital, on the prospects of his party in next year’s polls.

    Why you intend to run for governorship?

    I have been in several leadership capacities throughout my career. I love leadership. This has prepared and positioned me for leadership and this accounts for my decision to run for the office of the governorship of Cross River State, having been sufficiently groomed in leadership capacities. I am a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management, and Chartered Institute of Personnel Management.

    The reason I am running is to simply, sincerely, honestly and humbly serve the people. I like selfless leadership in the mould of Nelson Mandela of South Africa. I believe leadership is to serve and uplift your people. I feel by running for this office, I would be able to help my people and make them happy and move our state from the level it is now to a higher level.

    What is your agenda for the state?

    For me, we have the best agenda for the people. We intend to do what most leaders have not in Nigeria. My administration would be anchored on three top priorities. It is only one leader in Nigeria that has adopted this strategy and that is the former Premier of the Western region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. What were the top priorities? Education, health and infrastructure. So similarly ours would be so. Education is light and life, progress and development. Check all the developed nations. If you don’t make education your top priority, forget it. You will remain in darkness. You cannot grow. Every family or society that wants to be great, education must be your top most priority. So if we assume leadership, education like Awolowo did would remain the most important. The second is health. Health is wealth as we all know. The third which is infrastructure gives us comfort and convenience. These three would be driven by three key economic sectors, which are agriculture, tourism and manufacturing to create job opportunities and generate wealth for our people.

    The perception in Cross River State is that the PDP is the only party. What difference can the APC make?

    That view holds no water. It was relevant up till last year. Following the merging of parties to form APC, I don’t think that can be said to stand again. There is no condition that is permanent. Cross River may have been a one party state because all the little political parties could not come together, but following the merger it is not right to describe us as a one party state. APC is coming up. It has structure now on ground. You know it takes time to build. It is a gradual process. Power is a pendulum. Democracy is all about alternatives. If you leave power in one hand for too long, it is a recipe for decay and retrogression. So for us to move forward to enjoy rapid progress, we need another party to challenge the ruling party. We need a party that can effect a positive change and the APC is a good omen for the state and should be embraced. We need a vibrant opposition to check the government else there cannot be growth, progress and development.

    How formidable is the APC in Cross River?

    Good leaders are opportunity minded not problem minded. So it is now left for the opposition to close ranks and realise that when we all work together, we achieve success and progress. It does not help anybody to work at cross purposes. The only way we can succeed and take over to work together and we would do that to achieve our aim.

    How strong are you financially to face the PDP?

    When it comes to the issue of power politics, it is not a one man thing. It requires collective effort. It requires all hands on deck. What we need is ideas, then you can partner with somebody that has the resources. Once a man of ideas is identified, all that is needed is for all to contribute towards installing that person. Winning elections depends on your strategy and also having a clear vision. No governor ever in this state has the kind of policy we need. One measure you use to assess our leader is their three top priorities. Yes, PDP have structures, but the APC is coming on board. Like I said it takes one to have a credible candidate who can connect with the people. When Obama came on he was not given any chance, but because Americans saw him as a man of ideas, clear vision and great ideas, he was voted. A good product always sells. I know our people. We have instances in Nigeria where the people voted who they wanted not just because of money. The same will happen here. We intend to give the people of Cross River State three best gifts no governor has ever given.

    How would you react to speculations that you are planted by the PDP to cause confusion in the APC? “That is where I come in. With my experience as a successful player in the private sector, and having been in politics for some time now, I know

    There is no iota of truth in that. The PDP cannot sponsor me. If you know my antecedents, they cannot. A lot of my friends are in PDP. They have even tried to drag me in, but they know I won’t. There is one simple question I would ask PDP up till they cannot give me the answer. I ask them what the operational philosophy of the PDP is and none of them has been able to answer that question. What are their three top priorities, they don’t know. They cannot tell me. So how can I be sponsored by the PDP? The issue of party logo, if you notice, we have just rolled out one poster and it is not a campaign poster. It is just to sensitize. That came on board when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had not lifted the ban. Before we did that we sought legal advice. They said you want to sensitize, yes, but don’t put the party logo, because INEC had not lifted the ban on party politics. The real one is coming. Just hold your breath, you will see. We are going to launch out ferociously. Elections are in stages. We could not have put party logos because that would have violated INEC regulations. Let us just sensitize the people on my interest. The real ones with party logo will come.