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Tag: APC

  • APC chieftain: Kogi is on wrong path

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and gubernatorial aspirant in Kogi State, Chief Rotimi Obadofin, has described Kogi as a failed state 23 years after its creation.

    Obadofin, in a chat yesterday with journalists at his country home in Ayegunle Gbede in Ijumu Local government Area of the state, asserted that everything is wrong with the state.

    He argued that all the indices of development are not found in Kogi State 23 years after its creation, when compared with others created along with it.

    According to Obadofin: “As a matter of fact, Kogi is a failed state and what we have today is that there is no governance in the state.

    “All the indices to show that we have governance is not there. We have no governance in Kogi. What that means is that nothing is happening.”

    He deplored the poor state of infrastructure, particularly roads, which he said are not motorable.

    Going down memory lane, the APC stalwart pointed out that Kogi was created the same time with Osun and some other states, stressing that while Osun is progressively moving forward in terms of infrastructural development, the latter has stagnated.

    He said: “In Osun States education is free at the expense of the state government. The government pays for WAEC, NECO, for all SSSCE pupils and provides text books for pupils in primary schools.

    “In Osun you can sleep with your eyes closed because crime rate is very low.

    “There is no part in Osun where construction is not going on now but what do you have here other than lamentation by those at the helms of affairs?

    “They give the impression that the state cannot work. That we are so poor that work cannot be done.”

  • I have no plans to defect, says commissioner

    Nasarawa State Commissioner for Information, Hamza Mohammed, at the weekend denied the allegation that he was leading four other commissioners to resign from Governor Umar Tanko Almakura’s cabinet.

    He also said he was not planning to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for another party.

    The commissioner, in a statement made available to The Nation, alleged that the allegations were aimed at tarnishing his name and political clout.

    “The report, to say the least, is a figment of the imagination of the reporter as it concerns me and a continuation of the campaign of calumny directed at my person and the Government of Nasarawa state under the dynamic leadership of Umaru Tanko Almakura,” Mohammed stated.

    While declaring his loyalty to the governor, the commissioner stated he remained confident of his principal’s leadership attributes.

    “There is no gain saying the fact that I have gained so much from the style, character and achievements of the government and will continue to be proudly associated with its ideals and successes.”The tremendous development landmarks recorded in the short span of three years is a testimony to the prudent, accountable and visionary attribute of the Governor which I laboured to enthrone and which I will continue to support for the benefit of the people of Nasarawa State,” he said.

  • Ikimi’s burnt offering

    Ikimi’s burnt offering

    LAST week, Tom Ikimi, one-time political party chairman and former foreign affairs minister, and one of the architects of the amalgamation of parties that created the All Progressives Congress (APC), flamboyantly withdrew from his new party. Weeks ago, he had been expected to defect, possibly to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But so far, he is still in limbo, unable to determine just where to pitch his tent, or more logically, unwilling to disclose where we all suppose he is heading. In a tedious and justificatory eighteen-paragraph treatise, the last paragraph of which was even more laborious, he put the blame for his defection squarely on Bola Tinubu, whom he accused of recklessness, imperiousness and boastfulness. To salve his conscience, he also accused the party of purposing in its heart to present a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2015 presidential election, and of skewing its calculations to rely on the votes of the Northwest and the Southwest to clinch the presidency.

    Chief Ikimi is of course entitled to his opinion of the APC, and can pour scorn on its calculations and electoral projections, especially because he had been a longstanding member of the party’s precursors, the Action Congress (AC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He can skewer Asiwaju Tinubu with all the venom he can find, if that would make him happy. All these belong in the realm of politics and its science of shifting loyalties, allegiances, principles and personalities. If redoubtable conservatives like Senator Ali Modu Sheriff could join the APC, and a presumably natural progressive like former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau from the radical Kano school of politics could effortlessly transmute into conservatism without reference to either his conscience or his principles, no one should draw a presumptuous and supposedly impregnable Maginot line between the parties, or attempt to bar movements to and fro the parties. Indeed, Chief Ikimi may even feel justifiably offended by the undulating philosophy of the APC and by its abrasive members and leaders.

    Chief Ikimi, more than anything else, can resign his membership of the APC or any other organisation for that matter, and should not be deplored for doing so; and he can withdraw his membership any way he wants, as he daintily put it. But he must be careful not to distort facts or, more importantly, hide repugnant politicking beneath the swaddling and offending cloak of ambition. We are thankful he disclosed his ambition to lead the APC, for after all, he had once led the National Republican Convention (NRC) in the Third Republic. But that does not necessarily make him the most qualified man for that office, not even because he chaired the committee that birthed the APC. It was also more startling he insinuated that the man who eventually won the party chairmanship, John Odigie-Oyegun, was weak and malleable. Surely, horse trading is not alien to politics, particularly when it comes to leadership positions and party tickets.

    He has not indicated where he would go next. But should Chief Ikimi pitch his tent with the PDP, as Mallam Shekarau, Senator Sheriff, the capricious Fani-Kayode and others have done, it would be a self-defeating move. It would prove that fundamentally, most of Nigeria’s politicians lack the depth, knowledge and understanding required to succeed in both politics and leadership. Chief Ikimi and the other defectors must ask themselves why a misunderstanding within a party must ineluctably end in defection. Why could they not stay and fight it out, or bide their time until their worldview and perspective become ascendant? There are hundreds of examples in other parties elsewhere in the world: of principled leaders who lose favour in their parties or governments only to regain it sometime later. But by entering and exiting parties so casually, and to use Chief ikimi’s words, so recklessly, Nigerian politicians exhibit their superficiality, their avarice, their tentativeness, their fickleness.

    All the defections that have taken place in recent weeks, however, indicate that as civil rule takes root and democracy becomes entrenched, there would be movements up and down and sideways until the parties settle down and their philosophies and party principles ossify. Before then many reputations will be torn, and ambitions will collapse, but the wise politician will bide his time and take the sensible step at the right time. Neither Chief Ikimi nor any of his ilk, like Mallam Ribadu, has appeared to behave with the circumspection their names and positions suggest.

  • Moghalu: Onyebuchi’s impeachment, a national embarrassment

    The National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief George Moghalu, has described the recent impeachment of the Enugu State Deputy Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, as an embarrassment to democracy.

    The former National Secretary of the  defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, told newsmen in Abuja that impeaching the deputy governor for allegedly running  a poultry farm was ridiculous and unheard of.

    He said those who drafted the 1999 Constitution intended impeachment clause  only as a means of checking the excesses of the executive, pointing out that it was ridiculous that the deputy governor was not impeached for stealing or misappropriating government money.

    He said: “What happened in Enugu State is an embarrassment. It is absolute madness as far as I’m concerned. The legislatures themselves should please ask themselves questions whether they are doing this in the interest of democracy,” he said.

    On whether the party is considering adopting the principle of zoning in selecting its presidential candidate, he said: “One thing I know for certain which I can tell you is that we are going to provide the enabling environment for everybody to express him or herself. As a party, we have agreed that there will not be any imposition. We want a situation where the best candidate will emerge.

    “But when you are looking at zoning, you must not also lose sight of the fact that in our constitution, there is provision for federal character, there is provision for balance and for you to achieve this, you must, out of political exigency, be compelled to bring in zoning.”

  • Race for APC presidential running mate begins

    Race for APC presidential running mate begins

    Even as the All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to pick its presidential candidate for the 2015 general elections, the race of who gets the running mate slot may have been narrowed down to three individuals from the South West and a South South governor barring any last minute change in calculations. Assistant Editor, Remi Adelowo reports

    he next two months in the nation’s political arena promises to be action-packed as the two major political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), fine-tune last minute preparations to select their presidential candidates for the 2015 general elections.

    While it’s almost a fait accompli that President Goodluck Jonathan holds the ace as the most likely flag bearer of the PDP, the situation is completely different in the APC where about four aspirants are already being mentioned as serious aspirants ready to slug it out for the party’s presidential ticket.

    According to insiders, in the next few weeks, three of the aspirants, including former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (retd); former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will formally announce their interests in the race.

    The candidature of these aspirants, who are all from the North, is being interpreted within the political circles as an unwritten policy of the major opposition party to zone its presidential ticket to the region, even as many party chieftains have severally denied this assertion.

    Regardless of who clinches the APC ticket, leaders of the party, according to sources, are also looking ahead to select a formidable running mate who will complement its candidate and in addition, somebody that is capable of mobilising votes in certain segments considered as critical in winning a presidential election.

    Some of the qualities being considered in the choice of a running mate, The Nation reliably learnt, include cognate experience in the public sector, religious balancing of the party’s ticket and a solid track record to mention but a few.

    Unconfirmed speculations have it that the Senator representing Ondo North in the National Assembly, Prof. Robert Ajayi Boroffice, former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Prof. Yemi Osibajo and his former colleague in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Yemi Cardosso are strongly being considered by the party apparatchik for the slot.

    Boroffice leads the race

    Born on April 23, 1949, Senator Boroffice became a lecturer at the University of Ibadan in 1975, and was a Professor of Zoology at the Lagos State University (LASU) in 1986.

    He also held administrative positions at the Lagos State University including Head of Department, Dean of Faculty, and Chairman of the Committee of Deans.

    Boroffice was appointed Coordinating Director for Science in the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in 1992. His main focus in this job was on biotechnology, Information and Communication Technology and Space Science and Technology.

    He reportedly played a central role in establishing the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

    In 1999, Boroffice became the founding Director General of NASRDA, a post he held for 10 years. Under his leadership, NASRDA launched two satellites; a low orbit earth observations microsatellite (NigeriaSat-1) in 2003 and a communication satellite (NigcomSat-1) in 2007.

    He also laid the groundwork for the building of NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X, which were launched in August 2011 from Russia.

    In 2004, he was conferred the title of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

    In March 2011, Boroffice was given the 2011 Golden Merit Award in Space Science by the World Federation of Science Journalists.

    He was elected as Senator in 2011 on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) before he defected to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which merged with two other parties to form the APC.

    Other factors working for him

    Beside his impressive academic and public service career, another factor allegedly working in Boroffice’s favour is the fact that he hails from Ondo State, which is one of the two states in the South-West that will not be under APC rule when the 2015 election takes place next year.

    Ondo is presently controlled by LP, while from October 20 this year; Ekiti State will be run by a PDP-led administration.

    With Boroffice, APC believes it will win the sympathy of the people of Ondo and Ekiti, which share almost the same political philosophy. “This way, what the party lost in the governorship elections in the two states will be regained through the presidential election,” said a source privy to the party’s game plan.

    His faith

    A member of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Boroffice is said to be a strong Christian with links with prominent leaders of the Christian community. This factor, sources say, will come in handy in the battle for votes in the 2015 elections.

    Cardosso in the frame

    Those rooting for Cardosso, a former Vice President at Citibank and former Executive Director at the defunct Citizens Bank, point to his public sector background where he distinguished himself creditably and sound knowledge of the economy.

    Profile in brief

    Cardoso runs an investment banking business, FBC Associates. He has over 15 years of banking experience with Chase, Citibank and Citizens International Bank.

    He was a Mason fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 1999, he was appointed the first Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State.

    In this capacity, he championed the reform process creating awareness of the challenges of managing the world’s 6th largest mega city. He has forged working alliances with several donor agencies including World Bank, Clinton Foundation, the Department for International Development (DFID), and Swedish International Development Agency.

    The former banker currently sits on the Board of Directors of several companies, including Harvard’s Kennedy School (HKS) Alumni, Chevron Oil Plc, Sun International, Africa Policy Institute (API), a Massachusetts- based think tank.

    He is also the Chairman of Citibank’s Board Audit Committee and the Project Steering Committee of the World Bank’s Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP). He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in Nigeria.

    Cardoso holds a Bachelors degree in Finance and Accounting from Aston University, United Kingdom and a Masters degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.

    His drawback

    As attractive as his resume is, Cardosso’s lack of political experience is seen as a factor that may work against him.

    “He is not cut out for politics and also lacks what it takes to mobilise votes for a party,” said a source while analysing Cardosso’s major weakness.

    Osinbajo not keen

    In the last few weeks, the name of Professor Yemi Osinbajo has been mentioned as a possible running mate to whoever wins the APC presidential ticket. But sources close to him said he may not be keen on the appointment.

    However, those who tip him for the job say beside his enviable educational and professional pedigree, Osinbajo is also well respected within the Christendom. A pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of Nigeria (RCCG), Osinbajo is also well respected for what many call his unimpeachable integrity.

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Senior Partner in the law firm of Simmons Cooper Partners, his tertiary education was at the University of Lagos and the London School of Economics and Political Science obtaining the LLB and LLM degrees respectively.

    He was appointed Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in 1999 and reappointed for a second term in 2003. During the period of his public service, he commenced the Lagos State Justice Reform project.

    A prominent feature of that project was the establishment of the Directorate for Citizens’ Rights (DCR), which provides free legal services and legal representation to indigent citizens of the state.

    Prior to that appointment, he was the Head of Public Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos. Between 1988 and 1992, he was the Special Adviser to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    He also served as a staff member of the United Nations and Member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Committee of Experts on Conduct and Discipline of UN Peacekeeping personnel around the globe. He is currently an Ethics Advisor to the Ethics Committee of the African Development Bank (ADB) and is a non-Executive Director of Citibank.

    Osinbajo is Co-founder and Board Member, Convention on Business Integrity and the Justice Research Institute Ltd. He has also authored several law books.

    In 2007, Osinbajo and his wife, Oludolapo, the grand-daughter of late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, founded ‘The Orderly Society Trust’, a non- governmental organisation dedicated to the promotion of Christian ethics and orderliness.

    Other options before APC

    While the three aforementioned trio are from the South-West region, sources revealed that the APC is also considering the possibility of picking its running mate from the South-South geo-political zone.

    And the man considered the frontrunner for the slot is the Rivers State helmsman, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, who, since he defected to the APC last year, has proved a formidable foe for the ruling PDP both in his state and at the federal level.

    Time is fast ticking as the nation awaits, what from all indications, would be the most keenly contested presidential election ever.

  • Direct primaries okay for APC, says senator

    Direct primaries okay for APC, says senator

    THE mode of primary proposed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in picking its candidates for the 2015 elections has been hailed by Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon.

    Solomon, who is a governorship aspirant in Lagos State, said if implemented, the modified direct primaries would allow for “a rancour-free primaryand a level-playing field for the aspirants.”

    The Senate Minority Whip noted that there would be no need for the party’s leadership to be compensating members with other positions after they might have lost their bid for tickets, if the process was indirect.

    He, however, called for further clarifications on the “modified direct primaries” announced by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting last week.

    “The statement credited to our publicity secretary on modified direct primaries needs to be clarified. I’ve heard of direct and indirect primaries, but I want to wait for the clarification on what is modified direct primaries,” he said.

    Solomon was a local government chairman, a member of the House of Representatives and has been a two-time senator.

    He said direct primaries were used to pick candidates in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states.

    “All the aspirants were made to go through direct primaries, including places where there were no other aspirants other than the incumbent governors. We should not give room for speculations while picking our candidates,” he said.

    He said there had been no anointed candidate for the Lagos governorship seat.

    “There has been a clear pronouncement by our leaders who sounded it emphatically that nobody has been anointed,” the Senator added.

  • PDP, APC battle for Niger East senatorial seat

    PDP, APC battle for Niger East senatorial seat

    The stage is set for the senatorial by-election in the Niger East District, Niger State. The battle is between  All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates. Who wins? Correspondent JIDE ORINTUNSIN examines their chances at the poll.

    On Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the senatorial by-election in Niger East District, Niger State. The winner of the poll will replace the late Senator Dahiru Kuta in the Senate.

    His death had altered the political calculations, ahead of  next year’s elections. Now, there are new permutations and projections. But, owing to the vacancy, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) now have the opportunity to test their strengths at the poll. In Niger East, there is a re-alignment of forces. The ambition of some politicians is also threatened.

    Before his demise, Kuta had hinted that he would be recontesting  next year. He was warming up for the primaries. Stakeholders were expecting an epic battle between him and Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu at the PDP primaries.  Although the governor has denied nursing the  ambition, his body language and moves by his loyalists gave him out.

    Sources said that, for Aliyu, the senatorial bid is a “Plan B.” But, it became the main agenda when he lost out in the scheme to replace Vice President Namadi Sambo as the running mate to President Goodluck Jonathan in next year’s election. The Niger governor is a powerful voice among PDP governors. He was also the controversial leader of the rebellious  G7 PDP governors. That was his undoing when the PDP thought about a replacement for the Vice President.

    The INEC had earlier announced August 16 as the tentative date for the by-election.  But, few days later, the commission shifted the election by two weeks. The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo, hinged the shift on logistic problem. He said the postponement was valid under the electoral law.

    Three political parties – the All Progressives Congress (APC), the All Grand Progressive Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – are competing on Saturday.

    David Umaru, a legal practitioner, is the APC candidate. He emerged as the flag bearer at the indirect primaries, and later, the direct primaries. His challenger at the intra-party contest was Hon. Adamu Bala Kuta, a former member of the House of Representatives. Some people have alleged that he was sponsored by the PDP. Kuta, a product of David Umaru political structure in 2006 failed in his bid to stop Umaru. But, Umaru defeated his political son at the primaries in Minna, the state capital.

    In the PDP, there is also political scheming. The party had earlier settled for a consensus candidate. The former deputy governor, Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, was endorsed as the candidate. But, following the emergence of another aspirant, Hon. Abdullahi Musa, a former federal legislator, the party opted for primaries. At the shadow poll, Nuhu defeated Musa.

    At the primaries, Nuhu, who enjoyed the backing of key party leaders, polled 99 per cent of the delegates’ votes.  Incidentally, the two major parties, the APC and the PDP, have not experienced post-primary crisis.

    Similarly, the emergence of Hon. I.M. Bello as the APGA  flag bearer was also without rancour. He was unopposed. So, he emerged as the candidate without stress.

    The battle for the seat is however between the candidates of the two major parties, Umaru and Nuhu, of  the APC and the PDP respectively.  Stakeholders do not see Bello, who hails from Kusheriki, as a serious contender. He is perceived as a spectator. Although he pasted some posters on the walls of buildings in some towns, he is not perceived as a threat by the APC and PDP flag bearers.

    For the APC, the by-election is an opportunity to reclaim the zone. For the PDP, it is another opportunity to prove that the late Aweisu Kuta’s victory in 2011 was not a fluke. Although the APC candidate,  Umaru, has  not held public office, he is a household name in the district. He has connections. Any opponent that underrates him does so to his peril. He is loved by constituents because of his generosity.

    A grassroots politician, Umaru, who was eyeing the governorship, opted for the Senate, based on appeals by many stakeholders that he should vie for the seat. His political structure and network cut across the cultural divides in the area. He is a businessman with interest property development and the service sector. Many believe that he is a man of credibility and integrity who will endow the seat with honour and visibility. Political watchers believe that, in a free and fair election, the odds may favour the APC candidate.

    The PDP candidate is also a seasoned politician. He has served as the deputy governor for eight years. But, he has made a lot of enemies. These foes are now beaming a searchlight on his tenure. In their view, he has some questions to answer. His past actions and inactions, failures and shortcomings are now blown beyond proportion by those trying to abort his senatorial dream. Others have pointed out that, despite being a rich man,  Nuhu is stingy, a vice that his opponent is cashing on. Thus, in this electioneering period, he has been on the defensive. Although the state government is backing him, some constituents are not convinced about his candidature.

    This development has forced the party to mandate all political appointees from the zone to join his campaign team. They have also been directed to deliver their wards to the PDP. However, efforts to reach out to some aggrieved grassroots members of the party from the zone are not yielding dividends.

    Another challenge is the agreement purportedly signed by Nuhu to step down for Governor Aliyu during next year’s election. This has not gone down well with the people of the zone,  especially the Gbagyi stock. To them,  the agreement is injurious. They also believe that, if Aliyu becomes the senator, they will be further marginalised.

    If Nuhu wins the election, it will seal Aliyu’s fate. His senatorial bid next year may hit the rock. There are puzzles:  will Nuhu step aside for the governor at the PDP primaries in October? Will he vie for the position again? Is the Chief Servant jettisoning his senatorial ambition, despite the huge political investment?

    No doubt, the by-election is another popularity test for the PDP. For the ruling party,  it is a must win election, if it must continue its dominance of the state.

    However, the poll may serve as an opportunity for the opposition to reclaim its alleged 2011 stolen victory. It was alleged that the PDP denied Inuwa Zakari of the defunct Congress for Positive Change (CPC) victory in the National Assembly election.

    The success or otherwise of the by-election rests squarely on the INEC. Although the APC has challenged the neutrality of the Resident Commissioner.

    Stakeholders expect a free and fair election where only the wish of the people will be fulfilled and a true representative of the electorate in the  Niger East District will emerge.

  • Fury over troops’ desertion

    Fury over troops’ desertion

    APC seeks Jonathan’s action

    ‘Returnee soldiers under probe’

    There was outrage yesterday over the defection of 480 Nigerian soldiers to Cameroon on Monday.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) described the development as a national embarrassment; political scientists said it was a bad omen.

    Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and another senior advocate Chief Niyi Akintola said the defection was worrisome.

    Also yesterday, the soldiers, according to Agence France Presse (AFP), spoke through a proxy, on why they fled to Cameroon.

    The AFP quoted the junior officer as saying that his colleague who spoke with him from Cameroon claimed that they fled after running out of ammunition.

    He added that the soldier also spoke of the troops facing well-armed Islamic fighters. It said the officer insisted on anonymity since he was not authorised to speak.

    The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC),  in a report quoting Cameroon’s Army spokesman Didier Badjek on Monday, said Nigerian troops fled but the DHQ denied the claim, saying the soldiers strayed into Cameroon in a “tactical manoeuvre”

    Yesterday, AFP said Basuma Muhammed, a resident of Gamboru-Ngala, in Borno State told it that soldiers joined hundreds of civilians who fled into Cameroon.

    Initially, the soldiers were able to repel an attack by Boko Haram, killing many of their fighters, Muhammed said, adding: “But hours after the attack, a bigger number of the Boko Haram gunmen arrived from the other side of the town and engaged the soldiers who could not stand their superior force and had to join us in running into Cameroon.”

    The defence headquarters statement said the soldiers had performed a “tactical maneuvre” when they found themselves in Cameroon.

    The soldiers are back, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said yesterday, adding that they are in “high spirits with all their weapons and equipment intact.”

    On its twitter handle, DHQ said: “The Defence Headquarters has confirmed that troops who returned from Cameroon were today addressed by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division, Maj.-Gen. Zaruwa as they embark on another mission in the Counter Terrorism campaign. All the soldiers are in high spirits with all their weapons and equipment intact.”

    Calling for a probe of the matter, the APC urged President Goodluck Jonathan “to urgently address Nigerians on the worsening security in the North which allows Boko Haram to proclaim sovereignty over Gwoza.

    In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also demanded a probe of how the $14 billion votes for security, defence and the police between 2010 and 2014 was spent.

    ‘’The issue that should agitate the minds of Nigerians now is whether our troops are adequately equipped to battle Boko Haram and, if not, what has happened to the funds allocated for such in the past. As we said in our earlier comments on this issue, between 2010 and 2014, a total of US$14 billion was allocated for defence, security and the police. What has happened to these funds?

    ‘’Nigerians must start asking questions rather than just blaming soldiers. Nigerians must ask why the alarm raised by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State concerning the low morale and lack of necessary fighting equipment by the military was dismissed on the altar of partisanship. Nigerians must ask what next, if a rag-tag band of marauders are now carving out territories for themselves in our nation. Things cannot and must not continue like this,’’ the APC said.

    It said in the face of the biggest threat to Nigeria’s unity and territorial integrity since the civil war, President Jonathan must also put partisanship aside and rally the nation against Boko Haram, which seems to be getting bolder and stronger, to the extent of hoisting its flag over parts of the nation’s territory.

    APC restated its call for an urgent national stakeholders’ conference on security cutting across party lines to find a solution to what has become a danger to Nigeria’s survival. It pledged unalloyed support for any sincere effort to end the insurgency.

    The party urged the President to halt the illegal electioneering campaign by his Ministers, other appointees and supporters, saying Nigeria must survive before any party or individual can rule over it.

    ‘’These campaigns, ostensibly by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) but in truth being bankrolled by the Federal Government, offends national sensibilities at a time our citizens are being daily slaughtered and our troops are struggling against the terrorists who are bent on balkanising our nation. Needless to remind Nigerians that over 200 school girls remain missing more than 130 days after they were abducted,’’ the party said, adding: ‘’The President must put politics aside for now and lead the nation to defeat Boko Haram.’’

    It charged the military and civilian leadership to quit politicking and fashion out ways for the military to live up to its constitutional responsibility of maintaining Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

    APC said it was shameful for Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro to be prancing around Ekiti and Osun states, marshalling troops to harass the opposition during the elections in those states, at a time Nigeria is losing territory after territory to Boko Haram.

    Also worrisome, the party said, is the development that has seen some defence chiefs become the chief campaign managers to the President, an action it described as a violation of the military’s professional ethics. This has embroiled the military unnecessarily in politics, at a time they should be rallying troops against Boko Haram, APC said.

    ‘’Nigeria has never had it so bad. The country’s military that was being hailed worldwide for its sterling performance at global peacekeeping missions has now reached a level where its troops are deserting, engaging in mutiny or simply unwilling to fight.

    ‘’There is no way to spin what happened on Monday, when 480 Nigerian soldiers escaped to Cameroon. The Ministry of Defence called it ‘tactical manoeuvre’, but did not explain how soldiers fighting insurgents along Nigeria’s border with Cameroon will foray 80 kilometres into Cameroon! Also, if the Nigerian troops’ foray into Cameroon was in the spirit of the cooperation between the two countries in the fight against the terrorists, as some spin doctors have said, why were the Nigerian soldiers disarmed and then herded into schools in Maroua, 80kms from the Nigerian border?”, the APC wondered.

    Political scientists, who described the development as a “bad omen” said: “It is a sad commentary. A standing army, is a national asset. A nation-state is incomplete without a competent army. If the army is fragile and incapable of defending the territorial integrity of the country; when soldiers for whatever reason, desert the battle for the defence of the national interest, that means the state is fragile and state fragility is a prelude to state failure.”

    According to them, “there are certain factors that account for statehood. They include a government, population, land, boundary and a standing army. The role of the Armed Forces cannot be over-emphasised. To protect the government, land, the people, and police the boundary requires the presence of military proportional to the size and security requirement of the nation-state.

    “It means that the army should also be motivated, equipped, and placed in combat readiness. The presence of a competent army constitutes the maturity of a country.  A country without a bold army or a military ready to defend the national interest is vulnerable to conquest, foreign aggression and systemic fragility. Therefore, efforts must be made to raise the military bar. It is crucial to the survival of the democracy.”

    Akeredolu said the soldiers’ action shows an urgent need to restore law and order in the military.

    “If the story is true. It is really worrisome and calls for concern. It shows there must be a break down of law and order in the military.

    “Desertion is a grave offence but what should bother us now is the effect of such action on our country. We should concern ourselves also in finding out the cause of the desertion.

    “Soldiers and other ranks have been complaining that they are under equipped to fight Boko Haram, which attacks with superior weapons.

    “This is the time for us to equip our military. Our military needs to be up and doing. They should come out and let us know what has been happening to military budget.

    “The military should be properly equipped so that they will come up with necessary arsenal to fight and also forestall desertion in future,” he said.

    Akintola said the penalty for desertion is death and condemned the soldiers for their action.

    “For any soldier to desert the war front, it is a crime against the nation. It is a serious offence which no patriotic citizen should subscribe to.

    “Those basing their argument on morality should know that morality is an unruly horse. When you get astride, it takes you where you do not expect.

    “Those commenting on moral questions should have a rethink. When you join the army, you lose your liberty and freedom.

    “There are certain rights guaranteed by the Constitution that are not applicable to members of the armed forces the world over.

    “It is a serious thing, which no patriotic citizen should encourage under any right. To desert the Armed Forces of your country in the war front is worse than the crime of murder.

    “It is treasonable felony and a mutiny. Such action if true is highly condemnable,” said Akintola.

    The Nation gathered yesterday from a top military source that the soldiers traversed Nigeria-Cameroon borders throughout the night and arrived in Mubi, Adamawa State, at about midday.

    The source said: “The soldiers have arrived safely in Mubi. Preliminary findings confirmed that they were all hale and hearty. There was no evidence of being hurt.

    “The Nigerian Army has however started the process of debriefing the soldiers as part of the ongoing probe of how they crossed into Cameroon.

    “The debriefing will involve their commander and other ranks to know what transpired between them and Boko Haram insurgents.

    “This is a normal military tradition in order to guide military authorities on the next step.”

    Responding to a question, the highly-placed source said: “The military is weighing options on whether to reintegrate these soldiers into their battalion or unit or allow the outcome of the debriefing to determine their fate.

    “The military is being careful in managing the situation to avoid any decision which could lead to spiral effect in the Army. It is too early to judge the soldiers as guilty or not. A team is handling the debriefing of the 480 soldiers.”

    Another source said: “The soldiers meandered through the volatile security challenges from Cameroon to Mubi. If you are familiar with the route, Mubi, Michika and Madagali are along the same axis.

    “But each of the towns has border links with Cameroon making them vulnerable to attacks by Boko Haram.”

    There were indications last night that the soldiers risk a two-year jail term if found guilty of violating the Armed Forces Act.

    Their debriefing will confirm whether they breached Sections 60, 61 and 62 of the Armed Forces Act.

    While sections 60 and 61 have to do with desertion, Section 62 prescribes punishment for “failure to perform duties.”

    The sections provides  for jail term of not exceeding two years.

     

  • Ribadu remains a friend, says Tinubu

    Ribadu remains a friend, says Tinubu

    National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday described Former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chair Nuhu Ribadu as “a friend and brother.”

    Ribadu, the 2011 election Presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (AC N), one of the major parties that fused together to form the APC, last week defected to the PDP.

    He is seeking the PDP ticket to contest election as governor of Adamawa State. The by-election is slated for October 11.

    The Adamawa seat came up for by-election following the impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako of APC, ostensibly with the backing of the Presidency.

    Tinubu, in his first reaction to the defection, twitted yesterday: “Ribadu remains a friend & brother. He is mature. He remains one who believes in liberty, justice and service. I wish him LUCK with GOODLUCK.”

  • 2015: Billboard vandals to be punished

    2015: Billboard vandals to be punished

    A head of next year’s general elections, anyone caught defacing or vandalising approved billboards or outdoor advertising will be sanctioned in Kwara State, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said yesterday.

    About a fortnight ago, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused each other of allegedly destroying billboards in Ilorin, the state capital.

    Ahmed urged parties, politicians and other stakeholders to comply with the rules of outdoor advertising and signage to maintain integrity and professionalism in the sector.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Elder Peter Kishra, spoke yesterday in Ilorin at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWSSAA).

    Ahmed said: “As we approach another general elections, outdoor advertising is likely to play a more pivotal role in political campaigns.

    “Therefore, anyone or group who defaces or otherwise destroys any approved billboard or other outdoor advertising will be breaking the law and will be dealt with accordingly.

    “To me, the answer to the often-violent struggle for political power in this country, especially during elections, is very simple. If you do what the people want or inspire hope in them, they will vote for you, even if the opposition tears down all your posters and tramples on your billboards.

    “On the other hand, a thousand billboards will not get you elected, if the voting public has no confidence in you or in your capacity to deliver what they want at the time they want it.”

    The governor urged KWSSAA to “develop creative ideas and business processes that will be of benefit to all stakeholders in the industry”.

    The agency’s General Manager Ahmmed Olufadi said KWSSAA’s task is to attract further investment into the state.

    He said: “Like other regulatory bodies, our task is huge and challenging. This is the reason we are soliciting for your understanding to attract further investment into the state.

    “May I make it clear that we are out to make sure you are in business? We are ever ready to listen to your input and how best to achieve our mutually beneficial desired objectives.

    “At this forum, I am pleased to meet with you. I hope this will be the beginning of a better system for controlling advertisement displays, which is fair, balanced, consistent, efficient and to promote an aesthetics and safe environment in the state.”