The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ambition

  • 2015: Jonathan justifies second term ambition

    2015: Jonathan justifies second term ambition

    ASUU strike ‘politicised’

    Help fix Nigeria, President urges Obama

    President Goodluck Jonathan gave yesterday in New York perhaps the clearest indication yet that he will run in 2015.

    Dr. Jonathan, who has not declared his interest in the yet-to-open but rancourous race, is faced with a group of seven governors elected on the platform of his party – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)- challenging his yet unannounced bid to seek a second term.

    At lunch with some Nigerian professionals in New York, United States, as a sideline of his visit to address the United Nations (UN), General Assembly, he said it was not illegal for a president or governor to spend two terms.

    Jonathan said: “Already, we have a constitution that makes provision for maximum of eight years for anyone who wants to become a president or a governor. There is no president or governor that all citizens vote for but at the end of the election, if somebody emerges, you must allow the person to work.

    “If you love your country, you would want your country to work. That does not mean that you will not vote against the person if you don’t like the way he works, but you must allow him to work.”

    Apparently replying critics of his administration, Dr. Jonathan went philosophical. He said: “No matter how you feel about the political situation, consider the interest of your country first before yourself. If you are struggling to enter a house, you must not put dynamite to destroy the house. By the time you get there, there will be no house for you to stay.”

    “So, first and foremost, we must collectively build our country. Don’t bother about who is there now because power is transient, very very temporary,” he added.

    The President also urged the political class to drop do-or-die approach in politics and allow him to concentrate on his core mandate of governance.

    He said Nigerians hold the power to vote out anybody they are not comfortable with.

    According to him, political leaders must be mindful of what they say or do in order not to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty.

    The President also spoke on his fight against corruption and the ongoing university teachers’ strike which is nearing three months.

    On corruption, he said: “So many people are saying we are not doing well in fighting corruption and before you say that, there must be a parameter for judging us. What are the yardsticks they are using to judge us?

    “Before the advent of this government, the Federal Government was spending a whopping N25 billion on fertiliser with only 11 per cent reaching the farmers. But since the coming on board of his administration, government now spends between N5 to N6 billion on fertiliser and we are getting 80 per cent reach.”

    “If we wanted to continue to steal money or look for money for election, we could have continued,” Jonathan said

    Giving kudos to his team, the President said his administration had made significant progress in reviving rail transportation, aviation, road and other infrastructure.

    He said the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had politicised the teachers’ strike.

    Jonathan, a former university teacher, said: “We’ve gone very far with the ASUU strike. We believe ASUU has some kind of politics that crawled into the strike, but we are still discussing with them. If things were normal, by now they would have called off the strike,” he said.

    He added: “We are doing a lot in terms of improving infrastructure and every other thing in our universities. In fact, this is the very first time a government has set up a team to go around all our universities to examine the infrastructure and a report has been written, which was presented to the National Economic Council and all the governors, and we are working.”

    With the President were Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Olusegun Aganga, Dr. Doyin Okupe and Dr. Reuben Abati, among others.

     

  • I’m through with presidential ambition, says IBB

    Former military President Ibrahim Babangida said yesterday his time for seeking the presidential seat was up.

    The general said he would work with other northern governors to emulate Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko’s agricultural skills acquisition programme for the revival of agriculture in the region.

    He said: “If that is done, the region would have made tremendous breakthrough and boosted its economic strength.”

    Babangida, who visited Second Republic President Shehu Shagari, spoke in Sokoto when he inaugurated a Modern Agricultural Skills Acquisition Centre at Milgoma, Bodinga Local Government Area.

    The centre is among the various projects executed by the state government and inaugurated by the former military leader across the state.

    Babangida was accompanied by AVM Hamza Abdullahi (rtd) and Hassan M. Jalo, among other personalities.

    He said: “The stage is now for the likes of Wamakko.

    I want to be convinced that Wamakko is working based on what we have seen.

  • Political summit won’t discuss Jonathan’s ambition, says Nwabueze

    Political summit won’t discuss Jonathan’s ambition, says Nwabueze

    The political summit holding in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, will not discuss the alleged second term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan, its Convener, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), said yesterday.

    The former don lamented that some elements were planning to discredit the summit, which he said was convened to discuss the challenges facing the country.

    In a statement, Nwabueze said the goal of the summit is to explore opportunities for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference.

    He said: “Notwithstanding the schemes to destabilise the national political dialogue, we have continued to receive calls and encouragement from well-meaning Nigerians who have applauded the initiative of the summit.

    “Such people have expressed excitement and optimism about the timing and impact of the non-partisan summit on the current challenges of Nigeria in the areas of political stability and national security.”

    Nwabueze said irrespective of the campaign of calumny by “egoistic and discredited politicians, 90 per cent of the eminent Nigerians invited to play key roles at the historic national summit have reaffirmed their support and readiness to participate at the summit.

    He said more than three hundred delegates have already arrived the Le’ Meridian venue of the summit in Uyo.

    The statesman stressed that the Uyo summit would build a national consensus on the modality and roadmap for national stability and security.

     

  • Finally, Mohammed Babangida unveils governorship ambition

    Finally, Mohammed Babangida unveils governorship ambition

    That Mohamed Babangida, the son of the fomer Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, is set to be the next governor of Niger State in 2015 is no longer a hot-button topic. The story came into the open on May Day with the distribution of campaign bags to workers at the Workers’ Day rally held in Minna, Niger State. There, workers fell over one another to collect the bags being distributed by the foot soldiers of the Mohammed Babangida 2015 Campaign Organisation.

    The bags with inscription, ‘I have a plan. What of you?’ were enough to go round the crowd of more than 2,000 people. Embossed on the bag is the picture of Mohammed and the logo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A former governor of Niger State and political godson of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulkhadir Abdullah Kure, was said to be leading the pack of Mohammed’s backers with the oiling of the old Kure political machinery, which would soon be put into use.

    It was gathered that Mohammed has been engaging in secret political moves, making wide consultations with the people that matter in the nation’s political space.

  • I have no VP ambition, says Yuguda

    I have no VP ambition, says Yuguda

    Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda has declared that he has novice presidential in 2015. He described his purported vice presidential aspiration as a figment of imagination, adding that it is an attempt to create suspicion and distrust between him and Vice President Sambo. The governor spoke with reporters in Lagos on the activities of his administration, insecurity and the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said: “It is a figment of imagination. I look up to Sambo as a senior brother. He grew up in Bauchi, where I knew him. He is competent. We have close family relations. I am an average intelligent man. I graduated at 20, started work at 21. I even weepat night when I remember how the Almighty God has been nice to me. I had a good career in the banking sector. I was the Managing Director of NAL. At 27, I was the youngest branch manager in Savannah.

    “I have five graduate children, with masters degrees. Another four will graduate next year. I joined Obasanjo’s cabinet as the youngest minister. I was a two-time minister. I do not begrudge the Vice President. What do I want to be as the Vice President that God has not tested me with? When I was the MD of bank, I was recruiting my classmates. Many of them were more brilliant than me. I am loyal to the PDP. I am loyal to the Vice President”.

    The governor, who spoke on the activities of the administration, disclosed that the Bauchi airport will commissioned in July, stressing the power plant project embarked upon by the state would also remain a priority. He also revisited his tenure as the Minister of Aviation, lamenting that the agreement between the Federal Government and Virgin Airlines collapsed because of policy summersault.

    Yuguda submitted that the Boko Haram insurgency has persisted because of the activities of the restless sect, whose members were being manipulated by certain politicians. He also said that Bauchi State is safe for living and business, blaming the media for blowing the security situation in the state out of proportion.

    The governor urged Nigerians to emulate the religious tolerance displayed by the Southwest, which he said, had foster religious and tribal harmony in the region”.

    He said: “The first Sharia Court was established in Iwo, Osun State. In the Southwest, you have a church upstairs and mosques downstairs and there is no quarrel. Anybody who kills is not a Muslim or Christian. He is a killer. Any person who wants to balkanise Nigeria through religion is a criminal. He is not a Christian or Muslim. A terrorist is a killer and criminal, not a Muslim or Christian”.

     

  • Keyamo declares political ambition

    Keyamo declares political ambition

    Human rights activist Festus Keyamo has indicated his interest to contest for governor.

    He promised to take Delta State out of what he called its “present state of underdevelopment.”

    Speaking in Effurun,Warri during the maiden meeting of his political platform, Delta Forces United, Keyamo condemned what he regarded as the politics of cronyism and ethnicity in the state.

    The rights activist said there has not been much to show for the 14 years of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) governance in the state.

    Keyamo vowed to live the rest of his life for the development of the state.

    “Delta State has been held hostage by a cabal. The cabal has done much to promote mediocrity by not allowing internal democracy reign.”

     

  • Vaulting ambition

    Vaulting ambition

    • Govt should rehabilitate, expand and equip existing hospitals instead of building $650m medical city

    Ordinarily, it would have been celebrated as one of the greatest things to happen to Nigeria’s health sector today, but we have a different opinion. The story was abroad last week that the Federal Government plans to construct what it calls Abuja Medical City; a $650 million mega medical facility which will have about 1,687 beds with a capacity to cater for at least two million patients at a time. The ambitious project, which is expected to be completed in about 36 months will have 763 beds for its trauma centre, 524 beds in paediatric section, 300 beds for amenities care pavilion and 100 beds for physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

    According to the health minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, the facility would be the first of its kind in Africa and will make Nigeria a medical tourist centre. It would provide first level medical facility and service in Nigeria and redirect high-complexity medical care to Abuja. The minister also noted that the proposed hospital was in line with the plan of the Federal Government to check Nigerians trooping abroad in the quest for medical tourism.

    This proposal initially seems welcome, especially in the face of the recent outcry concerning huge sums spent by Nigerians on medical tourism, especially in India and South Africa. Just last week, during a Senate public hearing on the National Health Bill, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, had said that, “it is estimated that over N80 billion is lost annually to medical tourism.” He noted further that what is more worrisome is the state of infrastructure, equipment and staffing of our primary health centres across the nation, as this level of health care caters for over 80 per cent of our health needs.

    We agree with Senator Okowa, and this forms our basis of divergence with the proposed medical city: the Federal Government, as represented by the health minister, must return to the basics and work out the fundamentals first. The National Health Bill which has been in the mire over the past few years now ought to be our starting point. We would expect the minister to partner with all the stakeholders in the health community to have the document passed into law, being the roadmap for every development in the sector. But it does appear that the health ministry is not showing any interest whatsoever in the Bill and it may well be stuck in the National Assembly for many more years.

    Since the days of Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti who hoisted the primary health care flag and pursued the credo to admirable ends; and to a lesser extent, Eyitayo Lambo, our health sector has been without any clear-cut policy or direction. All we have seen are off the cuff actions and knee-jerk reactions to Nigeria’s health needs as exampled by the move to build a so-called medical city, supposedly to counter the capital flight borne out of medical tourism.

    Well managed and properly coordinated health care services are still lacking in the country; the rural and primary health care gains of the Ransome-Kuti years have been lost as most rural hospitals are dilapidated, if not abandoned. Even the secondary and tertiary facilities, including the so-called centres of excellence hardly serve the populace because they are inadequate in all respects. Even the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which has the potential to aid the radical restructuring of health care delivery in Nigeria seems to stump its managers.

    Health delivery is a very serious affair which requires a lot of hard work and introspection. It is disgraceful that we are still grappling with polio and other diseases long-eradicated in other parts of the world. Hedging against losses arising from medical tourism abroad is good but getting our health centres, general and teaching hospitals working makes more sense. To do otherwise is to worry about ringworm when a man is ravaged by leprosy.

  • ‘Integration more important than Mimiko’s ambition’

    ‘Integration more important than Mimiko’s ambition’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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