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Tag: Buhari’s men

  • In Bauchi, it’s Buhari mystique vs Buhari’s men

    Some political fortunes have hangovers. While the bad ones depress, the good ones can both oppress and elevate. When it is victory like what Muhammadu Buhari handed some states in the last presidential elections, some politicians tend to forage for advantage.

    In some states of the federation, some persons have started to work the victory to advantage. But what we all know is the dictum of a former speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Tip O’neil. He proclaimed that all politics is local. Indeed. There is therefore a limit to the Buhari momentum, but it can be converted to local moorings.

    So, PMB’s bandwagon is roaring for some who seek governorship seats this weekend. In others, though, it will chug and stumble to an abject stop. Bauchi State, however, provides a peculiar scenario. In the presidential polls,Buhari pulled a commanding lead over his nearest rivalAtikuAbukabar. And if the victory lacked the one million differentials that crippled Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid, he left no doubt who owned the narrative in the north-eastern state. He remains the first name, for now, in the politics of the north, including in the states. Bauchi State is no different.

    In the sweepstakes, a few factors have come into reckoning in the fight for Bauchi State governor now occupied by AbdullahiAbubakar. It is a battle of the Buharis. The first Buhari can be described as the Buhari mystique. This refers to the force of charisma that draws a sense of awe among the mass of the people. This phenomenon favours the APC and the governor. So, anyone who wants to fight against the incumbent must be seen not only to be at war against the governor and the APC but also also the personage that embodies the party.

    The first person to pull the trigger was speaker YakubuDogara. It ignited a cold war, in which the Governor Abubakar held the turf at home, and Dogara had to unleash long-range missiles from his comfy outpost in Abuja. Evidently, the missiles missed and Dogara lost the battle not only to fight the Buhari mystique in Abuja but also in Bauchi. He moved to the PDP to continue his fight. While he was in APC, he was in bed of spikes with other personages known as the Abuja crowd, and that included the education minister and the comptroller General of Customs, who would not stand the “guts” of the sitting governor. They even fantasised about what they saw as the “Ambode treatment” for the governor.

    But Abubakar’s foes are like soldiers who cannot shoot a loaded gun. They want the governor out but the man is also wrapped in the Buhari mystique, especially since his programmes have conformed interms of treatment of the poverty related policies in education and  social welfare. It seems so far the Buhari mystique is having a and over Buhari’s men in Abuja, including Dogara.

  • Make agric your second career, say Buhari’s men

    Nigerians have been advised to take advantage of the agricultural loan of the Federal Government, to make agriculture their second job for increased food production and growth.

    The National Coordinator of “Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO), Alhji Danladi Garba Pasali, gave the advice at the inauguration of the group’s Rivers/Bayelsa executives in Port Harcourt, Rivers capital yesterday.

    Pasali, who scored President Muhammadu Buhari high, said the soft loan was meant to encourage Nigerians to go into farming to discourage excessive importation.

    He said President Buhari was passionate to put the country back on her feet, and urged the citizens, irrespective of status and career, to make farming a second profession to contribute to rebuilding the economy.

    “The social investment policy (the anchor-growers programme) of the government is meant to assist farmers to secure loans and possibly training to start off farming progrojects in their  communities.

    “This also includes those that would like to go into animal and fish farming, as well as bird rearing, among others.  President Buhari believes in empowering everybody to be self reliant to entrench food security and not to share money to people.

    “I urge every Nigerian to key into this programme and save the family and nation from excessive importation that is the bane of the nation’s economy,” he insisted.

    Speaking on why Buhari should be suported to continue in 2019, Pasali noted that the Federal Government had achieved much in security,  economic growth, youth empowerment, anti-graft, infrastructural development, railway, among others.

    “People have been asking: why should Buhari return in 2019?   “This is clear; insecurity was the order of the day in parts of the country before the administration took over in 2015. Insurgency and militancy rose to the peak; some key facilities and other places, including Force and Army headquarters,  United Nation’s house among others, were bombed by Boko Haram insurgents.”

  • Ultimatum from ex-PDP chiefs: Buhari’s men await next move from Saraki, Tambuwal, others

    Strategists of President Muhammadu Buhari are awaiting the next line of action from leaders of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), following an ultimatum the latter issued to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a meeting.

    In a four-page letter the defunct nPDP leaders addressed to the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, dated April 27, 2018, they alleged that their members had been relegated to the background in the APC in spite of their contributions to the success of the party.

    But despite the seven-day ultimatum, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Odigie-Oyegun and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) are yet to meet on the protest letter.

    There were indications that the party leadership was tactically awaiting the return of President Muhammadu Buhari, the leader of the party, before taking a decision.

    But some Buhari’s strategists who spoke with our correspondent last night said they were not “losing sleep” over the ultimatum, adding that it was anticipated and they had guarded against it.

    They are only awaiting the next step of the nPDP leaders after the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum for counter-response.

    Investigation conducted by our correspondent revealed that the party is overwhelmed with activities, including the governorship primary in Ekiti State, the conduct of local government congresses, state congresses and the forthcoming national convention.

    It was learnt that managing the aftermath of the Ward Congresses in some states had been herculean for the party which is trying to ensure peace and reconciliation among its members.

    A member of the NWC said the leadership of the party might not discuss and respond to the nPDP letter in isolation.

    “Apart from being busy, the issues raised in the letter are weighty and all other organs might have to be involved,” the source said.

    Another party source, however, said: “The party appears to be tactically awaiting the return of the President because most of the issues raised border on the disposition of the Presidency.

    “You cannot get a letter and go to town with a response without hearing from the other side. With feedback from the President, the party will be in a good stead to lay the cards on the table.

    “Even on the eve of the President’s departure to the United Kingdom, he had audience with some of the key leaders of nPDP who joined hands to form the APC coalition.

    “No one knew whether or not the April 27 letter came up for discussion.”

    When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi, simply said: “The party has not had the opportunity to discuss the letter.”

    A source in Buhari’s camp, who spoke in confidence, said: “We are not losing sleep over the ultimatum, because we know their ultimate target is exit from APC. We had anticipated it long time ago and we have our plans on how to curtail them.

    “The letter was just the first stage of a pre-planned agenda to embarrass APC and President Buhari.

    “They have lined up more activities before they finally defect. We got all the intelligence report long before hand.

    “On the alleged side-lining of the nPDP members, we will respond with appropriate statistics at the right time. The letter was misleading and inaccurate.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “Unlike in 2014, the political dynamics are different this time around because Buhari is a covert strategist.”

    A leader of the nPDP said: “We cannot talk of the next step now until Buhari comes back to the country. We want his reaction to our notes too.

    “His body language will determine our next move, which is being jealously kept.”

    The nPDP leaders lodged their protest in a letter dated April 27, 2018 which was delivered to the APC National Secretariat in Abuja yesterday.

    The letter was signed by a former National Chairman (nPDP), Alh. Abubakar Kawu Baraje and ex- National Secretary (nPDP) Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

    Those copied include President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    In the said letter, they listed seven grievances on why the coalition which led to the birth of APC was not working.

    They include lack of concession of any position to nPDP in power sharing; no significant patronage and appointments to executive positions in various government agencies; fewer appointments of nPDP members into boards of various government agencies; opposition to the emergence of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; general lack of consultation, non-recognition and even persecution of former New PDP members and leaders; and harassment, intimidation and persecution of former New PDP leaders by the government.

  • How Buhari’s men plan to checkmate Saraki, Dogara, others

    Strategists of President Muhammadu Buhari are leaving nothing to chance in the event that some bigwigs of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) dump the party in the build up to next year’s elections.

    The Buhari camp has in place a Plan B to mitigate the effects of the possible defection of the likes of Senate President  Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Senator  Rabiu Kwankwaso, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Senator  Aliyu Wammako, and  Senator  Ahmed Yerima, among others.

    Also tipped to defect are Senators Shehu Sani, Suleiman Hunkuyi, Magnus Abe, Dino Melaye, and some other Senators and members of the House of Representatives.

    The Buhari strategists, The Nation gathered authoritatively yesterday, have come to the conclusion that some political heavyweights of the APC are on their way out of the party.

    Citing some recent political developments, the strategists at a meeting in Abuja said the bigwigs might abandon Buhari by shifting base from APC to PDP.

    One of the likely defectors is said to have taken a secret trip to  Port Harcourt last weekend to see Governor Nyesom Wike, escaping a near mishap when the chartered jet convening his delegation ran into a storm mid-air.

    The trip was made under the cover of an official engagement.

    Highly placed political sources said Thursday’s inauguration of the Liyel Imoke Committee by the PDP to work out modalities for receiving the APC bigwigs and alliances to ease out Buhari in 2019 was not co-incidental.

    The committee has its origin in what the sources called a secret agreement in Port Harcourt to hasten up the gale of defections.

    The committee was inaugurated by the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

    Responding to the PDP threat, the Buhari strategists decided  to be a step ahead of the defectors, not wanting to be caught napping like ex-President Goodluck Jonathan when high profile PDP members left him in the lurch in 2014.

    It was gathered that the strategists have devised a “state-by-state” response and what one of the more reliable strategists called a “local content” solution.

    Giving an insight into the Plan B and why Buhari supporters are prepared for ‘aftershock’, one of the sources said: “With the exit of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the pattern is predictable for Buhari strategists. Some chieftains have shown by their conduct that they are no longer with APC in spirit. Some steps taken by these leaders are pointing to likely defection. We cannot be caught unawares again.

    “We know some of those who may defect because intelligence has indicated that some of them are already negotiating the terms of their defection with a few opposition parties.

    “We will give a peculiar local response or local content to each of the defectors. It is going to be high-wire politics.”

    Kano State

    “For instance in Kano State, it is obvious that Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso will leave APC because of his presidential ambition and irreconcilable crisis of confidence with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

    “He wants to prove a point by stopping Ganduje from earning a second term ticket. Since he is extremely popular in Kano, his candidate can become the next governor of the state in 2019 on a 50-50 per cent basis.

    “We also do not rule out the possibility of a repeat of the election of Senator Aliyu Sabo Bakin Zuwo (of the defunct PRP) in 1983 as governor of Kano State against the highly favoured Abubakar Rimi of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). Kwankwaso can spring a surprise like Bakin Zuwo

    “But Kwankwaso may not go far against Buhari in the presidential race because of some hurdles. His challenge is the platform to use because he has to face a stiff competition for the presidential ticket with his local rival, ex-Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, ex-VP Atiku, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, ex-Governor Sule Lamido, ex-Governor Attahiru  Bafarawa, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and others.

    “The permutation of Buhari strategists is that if Kwankwaso gets the ticket of PDP, it will be easier to work with Shekarau’s camp to get substantial votes from Kano.

    “Certainly, there will be split votes in Kano in 2019 but the strategists are working hard on how Buhari, who has a solid support base in Kano, can secure at least 60 to 70 per cent of the presidential votes in the state.”

    Kwara State

    The source said some PDP leaders are in subterranean alliance with Buhari’s camp in case Senate President Saraki moves to PDP.

    The Buhari camp plans to  work with PDP leaders (mostly from Kwara Central) who may ditch the opposition party in protest against the possible  return of Saraki and his anointed candidates for the governorship and other election levels.

    His words: “With the alliance, Buhari may get  between  45%  and  47% of the votes from Kwara State and the  Kwara South Senatorial seat for APC which the incumbent governor from Ifelodun Local Government Area is interested in against Saraki’s long time ally, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, the current Senator.

    “The results of the 2015 governorship election showed that the APC candidate, Governor Ahmed secured 295,832 votes to defeat the runner-up, Senator Simeon Ajibola, of the Peoples Democratic Party by 115,220 votes.

    “A major plan of Buhari’s strategists is to close the gap in 2019 by working with those who may leave PDP like former Minister of National Planning, Professor Abubakar Suleiman, Saraki’s ex-Adviser, Moshood Mustapha, ex-VC of UNILORIN, Prof. Shuaibu Oba, Yinka Aluko, ex-PDP governorship candidate, Sen. Ajibola and others.

    “If Saraki concedes the Kwara South Senatorial ticket to Offa, his camp can easily win the three senatorial districts in Kwara State. But if he allows the rivalry between the governor and Sen. Rafiu to fester, his camp might lose Kwara South because either of them can play a spoiler game.

    “Most of those against Saraki’s hegemony in Kwara State are from Kwara South where the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed comes from. Saraki is worried that Mohammed has not been forthcoming in checking the ‘rebels’ in APC.

    “Saraki has however taken his political destiny in his own hands to avoid any slip. He has been shuttling between Abuja and Kwara State in the past few weeks to fortify his base, and holding series of meetings and events in the state, sometimes without the knowledge of the governor who has allegedly created a political baggage for him.

    “His major headache is the choice of the governorship candidate for Kwara State in 2019 from either  Kwara Central or Kwara North which produced a governor last in 1992 (26 years ago) in the person of Senator Mohammed Sha’aba Lafiagi.

    “The Emirs and other traditional rulers in Lafiagi recently stormed Abuja to demand the governorship slot from Saraki who asked them to resolve the divisions in Kwara North first. These rulers have raised a three-man panel on how to resolve the rifts in Kwara North.

    “If Saraki crosses over to PDP, he will have the same problem of where to pick the next governor from between Kwara Central (the largest voting population area and where opposition to Saraki is unusually coming from) and Kwara North which has been deciding the fate of every elected governor in the state since 1979.

    “Those opposed to Saraki either in APC or PDP are waiting for a slip by him on the choice of party and governorship candidate before forming an alliance against him for Buhari’s camp to capitalize on.

    “As part of the Plan B, some APC chieftains are pushing for the choice of Saraki’s sister, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, as the national women leader of APC at the forthcoming national convention of the party.

    “APC leaders from Kwara South are already plotting against the current National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi by claiming that the slot was conceded to them by the party following the election of Alhaji Lai Mohammed before he became a minister.

    “Pro-Saraki leaders insisted that the office was only zoned to Kwara and not any senatorial district. But it is obvious that Sen. Gbemisola’s candidacy is meant to whittle down the influence of Bukola Saraki.

    “Kwara may end up with two national officers of APC if the proposal is approved.”

    Sokoto State

    The presidential ambition of Governor Aminu Tambuwal may  force the Buhari camp to negotiate with ex-Governor Aliyu Wammako, who is closer to a strategic member of  what is called the cabal.

    The source added: “Although Wammako shares a political bond with Saraki, those in Buhari’s camp believe his grievances can be addressed if they are given local touch.

    “There is a plan by Buhari’s strategists to return the party structure to the ex-governor in order to determine who will be the next governor of the state in 2019 and other elective posts. If the plan works out, Wammako may be able to install his governorship favourite in 2015, Farouk Malami Yabo (ex-Commissioner for Finance).

    “But if Wammako sticks to his new found political ally (Governor Tambuwal) and shifts base to PDP, the alternative for Buhari’s strategists is to strengthen a faction of APC  in Sokoto called APC Buhariyya which is propping up Dahiru Yusuf Yabo (a former Commissioner for Water Resources) as its gubernatorial hopeful. The Buhariyya group comprises those formerly in the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

    “The target of the President’s men is Wammako who has proven to be unbeatable in Sokoto State.

    “The terrain is also slippery for Wammako because the governor has planted all his loyalists in the APC structures from ward to the State Executive Committee. He has been boxed into a corner in a manner that only Tambuwal-anointed candidate can emerge as APC governorship flag bearer even if he moves to PDP.

    “It will be in the interest of Wammako to remain in APC and allow Tambuwal to wander to PDP for the presidential ticket.”

    Benue State

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State is believed to be considering switching allegiance to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) because the PDP has shut its doors against him unless he wants to be an ordinary member of the party.

    His chances as APC governorship candidate are not brighter either because his godfather, Senator George Akume, is no longer favourably disposed to him.

    But SDP is willing to admit Ortom into its camp because of his grassroots connection and the political mileage which the killings in Benue State have earned him.

    “Benue appears a write-off but strategists are relying on a change of governorship candidate to win the sympathy of the people of the state or, at worse, secure the mandatory 25 per cent of the total votes cast for Buhari,” another source said.

    “While some strategists and forces in the presidency prefer the Managing Director of the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Emmanuel Jime (who was APC governorship aspirant in 2015), Akume, the kingmaker in the state, wants Mr. Titus Tartenger Zam, who is a Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to Governor Ortom.

    “It is left to the strategists to take a risk or defer to Akume who holds the ace. But Ortom’s plot to control the party machinery in the state might box Akume into a corner.

    “The likely exit of Ortom to SDP will leave three parties (APC, PDP, SDP) competing for votes in the state.”

    Zamfara State

    Sources said Senator  Yerima’s next move appears unclear for now “because of his romance with Saraki.”

    However, Buhari’s  camp is banking on Governor Abdulaziz Yari, some Yarimawa like ex-Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi and his running mate in  2015, Madami Dandoto, and a  former Deputy Governor in the state, Muktari Anka and others to checkmate the ex-governor.

    “The battle is likely to be a royal one because the governor is interested in installing his successor in 2019 and he wants to contest for the senatorial seat being occupied presently by Yerima,” one source said.

    “Yerima has told his political son that he is not yet ready to retire from politics now.”

    Buhari’s strategists have the weighty influence of a former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau, traditional rulers in the state and the unending killings in Zamfara to cope with.

    “We think Gusau is in league with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-President Ibrahim Babangida to stop Buhari in 2019,” another strategist added.

    Bauchi State

    Governor Mohammed Abubakar’s strong hold on the party’s structure in Bauchi State is posing immense threat to the political career of House of Reps Speaker Yakubu Dogara, who represents Bogoro/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency.

    From the look of things, it is unlikely that Dogara will get a ticket to return to the National Assembly or even have a shot at the governorship.

    Although the Speaker has reported the governor to the presidency, not much intervention seems to have taken place.

    The APC National Secretariat in August 2017 sent a Fact-Finding and Reconciliation Committee to the Bauchi State chapter but the panel which was headed by Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige could not go far.

    A source said: “The Cold War between Dogara and the governor may lead to the exit of the Speaker from APC to PDP where he will join forces with leaders like ex-Governor Isa Yuguda and ex-FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed to fight the governor.

    “The Speaker in May 2017, said: ‘It was because the people were getting so angry that they decided to take their destiny in their hands and everybody knows. You can find out from them in Bauchi that that was the direction we were heading to, a very dangerous direction and the president needed to intervene.’

    “Buhari’s strategists are aware that Bauchi State is politically fluid. The signs of the deep crisis in APC in the state were obvious at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi during the recent visit of the President to the state.

    “The strategists are relying on total reconciliation with top politicians like Dogara, Yusuf Tuggar and all the segments of the state to save the situation for Buhari. The reconciliation may involve President Buhari this time around.

    “Apart from politicians, the traditional institution is unhappy with the deposition of about 150 district heads and civil servants were shocked by the suspension of their pay for three months. In fact, of the 12 members of the House of Representatives from the state, only five Reps are with the governor.”

    A source said: “Once Tambuwal defects to PDP, Dogara will follow, I can tell you this.”

    Kaduna State

    Apart from his hometown, Daura, President Buhari is emotionally attached to Kaduna where he almost lost his life to a bomb ambush about four years ago. Well-loved and treated like a tin-god by his large support base, Kaduna is an electoral nightmare for Buhari in spite of the pretence by Governor Nasir el-Rufai.

    In an apparently frustrated tone, el-Rufai on Friday declared the three Senators representing the state as useless for allegedly blocking a $350m loan request by the State Government. The senators are Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) both of the APC and Danjuma Leah (Kaduna South), who is from the opposition PDP.

    Beyond the loan palaver, the battle ahead in 2019 is the hidden motive behind the vituperations of the governor.

    The facts are not adding up in the presidency and among Buhari’s strategists on the logjam in Kaduna. The entire Kaduna South is almost lost due to incessant killings such that the governor has not been able to attend major events in the area lately.

    The other two Senatorial districts are not an easy ride for el-Rufai who is Buhari’s self-acclaimed 2019 polls salesman.

    The most difficult will be Kaduna North where  Hunkuyi, ex-Governor  Ahmed Makarfi, ex-Governor Ramalan Yero,  a game changer, Isa Ashiru and the aggrieved huge population of followers of the Shiite leader, Ibrahim Yaqoub el-Zakzaky hail or operate from. El-Rufai is from Kaduna North although he votes in Kaduna Central.

    Except for the influence of ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo in Kaduna Central, Senator Sani poses less political threat to Buhari because his senatorial ticket was a “consequence of Buhari-el-Rufai’s benevolence in 2015.”

    Reputed as a human rights activist, Sani is not a natural or typical Nigerian politician. Although he is gifted with oratory skills, he will have to lean on big politicians like the ex-VP and the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki (who can negotiate his exit from APC to PDP) to realize his governorship or senatorial ambition.

    But with the control of party machinery by el-Rufai, there were indications yesterday that Sani, Hunkuyi, Ashiru and other stalwarts might be PDP bound.

    Six options open to the strategists of Buhari on Kaduna are relying on old and stale love for the President by his mob supporters; appeasing Kaduna South with enhanced security and development; granting automatic second term tickets to all House of Reps members and the state Assembly members from Kaduna State;  immediate reconciliation with Hunkuyi and Sani by conceding automatic Senate tickets to them;  factoring Ashiru into consideration with a better package and resorting to aged fault lines of ethno-religious politics to win votes in 2019.

    A top source said: “Capitalizing on the age-long fault lines will make the politics in Kaduna in 2019 messier and Buhari might have the upper hand. The same factor will not make the Christians in Southern Kaduna to vote for Buhari.

    “El-Rufai’s offer of automatic second term tickets to House of Reps members and the state Assembly members from Kaduna State is an ingenious political masterstroke which can make each of them to defend their frontiers.

    “To knock out Sani, one of the propaganda stunts emanating from the fault lines against him is the fact that he is from Niger State and as a non-indigene, he should be disallowed from taking the slot of a native.

    “Also, if Buhari’s camp can strike a deal with Ashiru and Hunkuyi, he can comfortably win Kaduna with a better margin. But Ashiru, whose ambition is to be a governor, might prefer following his political friend and ally, Governor Aminu Tambuwal to PDP. It is becoming too late to win.

    Adamawa State

    The strategists of Buhari and followers of the First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari have been trying to hijack the party structure in Adamawa State with a view to clipping the wings of ex-VP Atiku Abubakar who has tremendous influence on Governor Jibrilla Bindo.

    The outcome of Saturday’s congresses will determine and define where APC stalwarts in the state like ex-Governor Murtala Nyako, SGF Boss Mustapha, ex-SGF Babachir Lawal, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Sen. Binta Mashi, Hajiya Aishatu Dahiru Modibbo Binani and others are headed.

    A source said: “Adamawa is a heterogeneous state and the politics of 2019 is still dicey as I am talking to you.

    “While Atiku is still pulling the strings in APC through the governor, all the leaders are divided. Governor Bindo has visited the Presidential Villa many times to assure the President of support but the strategists of Buhari are still suspicious of him.”

  • Declaration pits Buhari’s men against opponents

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration to seek re-election next year may have pitted his supporters against his political foes. ONYEDI OJIABOR and JOSEPH JIBUEZE report the positions of both camps on Buhari’s decision.

    MORE reactions yesterday trailed President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration to vie again. The declaration, some said, saved the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from disintegration, said that it calmed fray nerves at the scheduled APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

    Others believe that the President broke an earlier promise that he would follow the Nelson Mandela by not seeking re-election.

     

    APC saved from

    disintegration, says senator

     

    The Chairman of the Senate Committee Chairman on Police Affairs, Abu Ibrahim, said declaration saved the All Progressives Congress (APC) from disintegration.

    The Katsina South senator said the President’s  announcement would go a long way in dousing what could have created an unmanageable crisis of confidence in the ruling party.

    Ibrahim told reporters in Abuja that he was “joyous, elated and delighted” at the decision of President Buhari to seek re-election.

    He added that “I think that it (seeking re-election) is also the right thing for him to do.”

    According to him, if the President had decided not to contest, “it would likely have led to the disintegration of the APC.

    “If Buhari decided not to contest, the NEC meeting would have ended up in combative situation. The meeting would have turned into explosive uncontrollable situation. Who will emerge as APC flag bearer: is it from the North or the South. It would have led a serious situation that would have been difficult to manage and control.

    “If Buhari decided not to contest, it would have created confusion. That declaration saved us that confusion. I am joyous.

    “There is no doubt that we are on the path of recovery in Nigeria. We are on the path of rebirth in Nigeria. If this gentleman continues for the next four years, Nigeria will be much better.”

    The senator noted that if Buhari decided not contest, it would have been difficult for the APC to get somebody as widely accepted as the President as the party’s flag bearer.

    Acknowledging that “there are pockets of problems here and there”, Ibrahim noted that Buhari had, to a large extent, dealt with Boko Haram insurgency.

    On his blueprint for Buhari if he is re-elected, Ibrahim said that he would still put more emphasis on security, especially internal security.

    He said: “Internal security is important. It means that the police must be rebuilt, given more funds and made viable to perform better. I will also put emphasis on the economy and infrastructure and investment.”

    To those criticizing President Buhari he said: “They should continue their criticism while we will continue to give them answers. That is the beauty of democracy.”

     

    Agbakoba: 2019 polls

    will be competitive

     

    ONE-TIME Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Olisa Agbakoba said the President’s declaration will trigger upsets in next years’ general elections.

    The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and leader of the National Intervention Movement (NIM), however, said the declaration was within Buhari’s constitutional rights.

    He told The Nation that with the declaration, the President had thrown the ball into the court of Nigerians for them to decide his fate.

    On what he thought about Buhari’s declaration, Agbakoba said: “It’s his constitutional entitlement but what really matters is whether this means he will be re-elected is an entirely different matter as this will be decided by Nigerians.”

    Agbakoba, a civil rights activist, said discussions were ongoing with a view to presenting a credible candidate who can match Buhari, predicting that next year’s general elections would be competitive.

    On whether there is a credible candidate who can successfully challenge Buhari, Agbakoba said: “That’s to be taken for granted. I am aware there are massive consultations and alignments underway throughout Nigeria and very credible candidates will emerge to make the elections competitive and with strong possibility for upsets across Nigeria.”

     

    ‘Decision good for Nigeria’

     

    Activist-lawyer Toluwani Adebiyi said Buhari’s decision to seek re-election was “good for Nigeria”.

    According to him, the President’s honesty and discipline stood him out as the best candidate, adding that a victory for the opposition party would take Nigeria backwards.

    Adebiyi said: “Buhari’s second coming is good for Nigeria. There are two things he possesses – discipline and honesty – rare qualities in present Nigeria Leaders. We need them and we will continue to need them.

    “No doubt he has made some economic restructuring and diversification, benefits of which may not manifest until later years.

    “Let him come back to reap and use what he had sowed and the looted money he had recovered for the betterment of Nigeria.

    “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) coming back will only be to re-loot and waste the recovered money. It will be a reign of revenge.

    “Honesty and discipline cannot be acquired; they are inborn. No PDP leader has such qualities. They will only take us back and down the drain in a despicable form that Nigeria may never find recovery.”

     

    It’s timely, worthy, says Ngige

     

    To Labour & Employment Minister Chris Ngige, President Buhari took a timely and worthy decision by declaring to run again.

    He said: “President Buhari’s declaration is a timely and worthy step in the right direction. We shall meet all letter writers and their cronies in the electoral battle fields’. God will bless Nigeria.”

     

    Obasanjo, IBB, others

    not God, says minister

     

    Communications Minister Adebayo Shittu said the stance of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida and others would not affect President Buhari’s re-election bid.

    He urged supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) not entertain fear that the former leaders may block Buhari’s chance of coming back.

    Shittu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday that since the former Nigerian leaders “are not God, there should be no apprehension’’.

    In separate letters, Chief Obasanjo and Gen. Babangida, had advised the president not to run in the 2019 poll. They urged Nigerians to vote him out should he decide otherwise.

    But Shittu, who described Buhari’s declaration as a welcome development, said: “Who is OBJ? OBJ is not God. IBB is not God. Obasanjo was president here, he wanted a third term and he didn’t get it.

    “What Mr. President did yesterday (Monday), we had done that much back on his behalf; that is the Mohammadu Buhari/Osinbajo Dynamic Support Group.

    “So, what he did yesterday was just a follow-up to what we had done about three months ago. And I want to assure you is that by the grace of God, Mohammadu Buhari will become president the second time.”

    According to him, the president had distinguished himself as his achievement in three years had surpassed what the PDP did in 16 years.

    He said: “For instance in the area of job creation for youths, no government has ever in one day employed 200, 000 graduates. It has never happened but under Buhari’s N-Power, that happened.

    “Through this, he has provided jobs for 200, 000 families spread across the length and breadth of Nigeria.

    “The government is still processing the employment of 300, 000 more graduates to make it 500, 000, this has never happened.

    “In the areas of transport, works and housing, the last budget of the PDP government was less than N20 billion and most of these monies were stolen; diverted to private pockets.

    “In 2017 alone, the Buhari government spent N255 billion on those subject matters; transport, works and housing. So, how do you compare?”

    He said the government was building new roads across the Southeast states with $100 million dollars SUKUK loan and non-interest loan from Islamic Development Bank.

    “For the first time, government is building new railway from Lagos to Kano, from Kano to Maiduguri, from Maiduguri to Calabar and from Calabar to Lagos. So the records are there,” he said.

     

    Report on Buhari’s one-term

    presidency wrong, says Adesina

     

    Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has described as a ‘misquote’ the report that President Muhammadu Buhari had pledged only one-term presidency and will never seek re-election in view of his age status.

    Adesina, who is the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, was reacting to a contributor on Channel television programme via Skype, on Tuesday.

    Yemi Akinbode, who contributed to the programme, said he was not surprised by the President’s declaration in spite of his pledge in 2014 not to seek re-election.

    Adesina said: “No, that’s misquote, he was never, never quoted that way. If there is anything on record like that is a misquote because I was with him in South Africa when that issue came when he said, oh, he wished he had become president at the time he was a military governor that he would have done a lot for Nigeria.

    “And the other happened in 2011. When he was running in 2011 he said, yes he would be a president for one term. But did he win in that year? No.

    “The victory came in 2015. So, that being quoted in 2011 is not applicable again because he did not win that year.’’

    Akinbode had said on the television programme: “It didn’t come as a surprise to me. We have seen indications that the president was going to run a long time ago.

    “The President in 2014 said that he was only going to run for one term because of his age.’’

    But the presidential aide maintained that it was not on record that Buhari had told the APC or any member of the party that he would do only one term in office.

    On the purported vote of no confidence allegedly passed on the President by Northern Elders Forum and the Council for Shariah, Adesina said the two groups had the constitutional right to support anybody vying for political office in the country.

    He cited an example of a former president of the country who equally failed to secure the votes in his state and region but ended up winning the presidential election twice.

    On whether the president had obtained the support of his doctors before making his declaration, Adesina said Buhari was a responsible man who would never go against the advice of his doctor.

    He said: “The President is a very responsible man. If there had been any warning, any red light from his doctor, you know, he wouldn’t have ventured into it, unless you are telling me there is something you know that I don’t know.

    “But I know the President, as a very, very responsible man. If there was any warning he wouldn’t do it.’’

    Adesina, who said that the President took him and other presidential aides unaware when he announced his intention to run for re-election next year.

    He said the president’s declaration was in reaction to appeals by millions of Nigerians.

    “Yes, there had been a lot of appeals. I have served in different meetings with different interest groups and all of them want him to run for second term in office.

    “And do you know that whenever the president reacted to these groups he would speak on all other points they raised except the issue of second term.

    “It has been like this in the past one year even before he went for medical vacation, these calls had started coming but Mr. President would not say a word and that reinforced my opinion that for him it was not a matter of do-or-die.

    “It is just a matter of serving the country and if he feels that he has done it with the best of his ability that is just it.’’

     

  • Buhari’s men who want to be governors

    Buhari’s men who want to be governors

    As the 2019 governorship race draws closer, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu and Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, report on President Muhammadu Buhari’s men with governorship ambitions

    FOR President Muhammadu Buhari’s henchmen, battle for control of political power in 2019 will not be limited to Abuja and Aso Villa. It would be extended to the states where they have lined up to take over some strategic Government Houses. From Ekiti to Akwa Ibom and from Abia to … Buhari’s men are putting finishing touches to the grand plot to take over power.

    The Nation investigation shows that Buhari’s henchmen who have made concrete moves to back up their governorship ambitions include the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali from Zamfara State, Obong Umana Umana from Akwa Ibom State, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu from Delta State, Nyerere Chinenye Anyim from Abia State and Marcus Gundiri from Adamawa State.

    Others are Suleiman Hassan, the Minister of State, Power, Works and Housing; Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communication; Aisha Alhassan, Women Affairs Minister; Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development; Babafemi Ojudu, the Special Adviser to the President; Dakuku Peterside from Rivers State and Isima Ekere, the Managing Director of NDDC. While most of these aspirants are no longer hiding their quests to contest the 2019 governorship elections, we gathered that many other close associates of the president are still consulting stakeholders and may soon join the race. A source at the presidency said Mr. President’s associates interested in governing their states are currently encouraged as it is seen as a good way of campaigning for Buhari’s re-election. “We believe these are the right crop of leaders that share the vision of Mr. President. If we encourage them to become governors in their states, the anti-corruption policy of Buhari will become more nationwide,” the Presidency source said.

     

    KAYODE FAYEMI

    The current Minister of Solid Minerals Development is a former Governor of Ekiti State who lost his re-election bid to incumbent Governor Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The minister’s loyalists are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to ensure that their principal returns to the Government House after the September gubernatorial election.

    To achieve this, they already had a campaign structure, named JKF Movement, in place as far back as 2016. His supporters argue that they want him back as governor because his development vision and ideals are exactly what Ekiti State needs at this crucial point in time. According to them, Fayemi has what is needed to change the current situation under the PDP administration.

    But the race to the ticket will definitely be a tough one for the minister. Apart from the very sharp division of opinions over his ambition, within and outside his party across the state, the contest for the APC ticket is a crowded one with prominent party chieftains jostling for the coveted prize. Thus, Fayemi has the likes of former Governor Segun Oni, Babafemi Ojudu, Bimbo Daramola and others to contend with for the APC ticket.

    Already posters of Dr. Fayemi, are all over Ado-Ekiti, the state capital and other towns in Ekiti State, ending months of speculation over whether he will once again seek to govern the state or not. Observers also said recent visits and consultations by the minister within and outside the state are indicative of his determination to return back to his former office by winning the forthcoming governorship election.

    Responding to questions about his ambition recently, Fayemi said, “In Ekiti, mothers have a way of force-feeding the sick child  blocking his two nostrils, pinning his hands and legs down, before putting the food and drugs in the child’s mouth. Of course, the child will wail and cry as mothers apply this tough love, but ultimately, it is for the good of the child because, if you agree with me that Ekiti is a sick child, I leave you to speculate about the application of tough love on a sick child. As for contest or no contest, we will cross that bridge when we get there.”

    While some political observers have wasted no time in declaring the minister as the most sellable among those currently seeking to fly APC’s governorship banner in the state, some analysts say his past brushes with civil servants and other interest groups in the state may make victory against the ruling PDP a difficult task for him as candidate of an opposition party.

    But those backing his ambition added that the minister will attract much needed external support from fellow ministers in the South-West as well as from Governors Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun and Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) of Ondo, if chosen as the APC flag-bearer. Many of his associates are also banking on the interventions of these prominent party men and women to help the former governor before and during the primary election.

    Meanwhile, incumbent Governor Ayo Fayose has a word or two for the APC about Fayemi’s aspiration. The governor said his party, the PDP, would find it easier repeating a resounding victory against the m  inister if he is picked as the candidate of the APC. Hear him: “I am waiting for him (Fayemi) and praying that APC picks him. I want to see how the teachers and other people of Ekiti would vote him, we are waiting.”

     

    MANSUR DAN ALI

    The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, a retired Brigadier-General, is also one of President Muhammadu Buhari’s henchmen interested in contesting for the governorship seat of their states in 2019.

    Born August 25, 1959, Dan-Ali would be 60 in 2019. Since August 30, 2013, when he retired from the Army, his name has been mentioned severally as a likely contestant for the governorship seat of his state, Zamfara.

    Observers said the well-known ambition was given a boost in November 2015, when Buhari appointed him the Minister of Defence, a position considered strategic enough to offer him the needed leverage for future political endeavor.

    This is even so as insiders confirmed that Dan-Ali has, since the inception of the current government remained one of the most powerful members of Buhari’s Kitchen Cabinet.

    But while Dan-Ali’s choice position made him very influential within the current federal government, his recent utterances, especially his defence of killer Fulani herdsmen has become a source of wide condemnations. It would be recalled that at the height of the killings in Benue State by Fulani herdsmen, Dan-Ali said the killings were provoked by Benue State’s anti-grazing law.

    According to him, the massacres took place because “cattle routes were blocked,” adding that “These people are Nigerians and we must learn to live together with each other. Communities and other people must learn how to accept foreigners within their enclave. Finish,” he advised.

    Coming from the Minister of Defence, the main public official that has the unique responsibility of defending Nigerians from foreign invasion and other attacks, Dan-Ali’s outburst has attracted endless flacks from enraged Nigerians, with some demanding his immediate sack. But while the utterance may have affected his public perception nationally, it is not yet clear how it will affect his governorship ambition in Zamfara State in 2019.

    A top source told The Nation that Dan-Ali has the backing of powerful elements to vie for the governorship seat. “This is even so because of the current criticism of his utterances. The feeling now is that it would be easier for him to vie for the governorship seat of APC in Zamfara, than an attempt to re-appoint him for his current position in 2019, considering that some senators may be used to frustrate his appointment. As a result, he has put together a political structure to realise his ambition in the state,” the source said.

     

    ADEBAYO SHITTU

    He is the Oyo State born Minister of Communications. A long-time ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, Shittu is about the first serving minister to make public his governorship intention. It will also not be his first time to seek the coveted seat having lost out as an aspirant in two previous attempts.

    “Today, as Minister of Communication, nobody in Oyo State has the experience I have in utilising ICT to develop the Oyo State economy to the extent that other countries are using the same ICT to develop their countries. They know that with my level of exposure and godliness that I will not steal their money. If you have someone who is ungodly, he will simply steal your state blind,” Shittu said while explaining the rationale behind his gubernatorial aspiration.

    The minister, a lawyer who hails from Saki in the Oke Ogun zone of the state, is among other things, hoping to benefit from an unwritten zoning arrangement that may see the governorship leaving the Ibadan zone in 2019. But Shittu’s unending face-off with Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the leadership of the ruling APC in his home state is seen by many as a big obstacle to his aspiration.

    The minister’s rivalry with Ajimobi, which precedes the formation of the APC, has heightened in recent times with the governor strongly believed to be opposed to Shittu’s ambition. But the latter says with or without the governor and his supporters, he will emerge as the candidate of the ruling party and go ahead to win the general election in 2019.

    “By the grace of God, I will contest for the governorship election in 2019. I don’t want to be handpicked by anybody. I want to contest a primary that if I lose, I will be happy. I can assure you that the primary will be fair. With the national executive of the party that I see and with the symbolic style of President Muhammadu Buhari‎, it will be transparent. If the ‎President will go through primary, why would others be different,” he queried.

    And in a recent petition he wrote to the President and APC leadership, Shittu accused Governor Ajimobi of nepotism, arrogance, creating division within the party in Oyo and disenfranchising members. Shittu also alleged that the governor ordered the demolition of his computer based test centre which was still under construction. He said the governor is miffed over his acceptance of a chieftaincy title from the Olubadan of Ibadan land and his 2019 governorship ambition.

    But the APC, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Strategy, Abdul-Azeez Olatunde, described such vituperations by the minister as deliberate falsehood because “his desperation for the governorship of Oyo State is driving him to work at cross  purpose with the overall well-being of APC in Oyo State.” Now, it is left to be seen how Minister Shittu will scale all these hurdles and grab the governorship ticket of the APC in Oyo State.

     

    AISHA ALHASSAN

    Mama Taraba, as the incumbent Minister of Women Affairs is fondly called by her admirers within and outside her home state of Taraba, contested for governorship seat as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015. She was hailed as Nigeria’s first female elected governor-to-be following initial results of the election but eventually, she lost to Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    She was subsequently appointed minister by President Buhari. She is believed to be interested in unseating Ishaku, who will be seeking a second term in office come 2019. Well loved by members and chieftains of her party in the state, Mama Taraba, until recently, was seen as the APC candidate-in-waiting by many observers within and outside the party.

    But following the circulation of a video of the minister pledging her loyalty to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential race, tongues have been waging about her political future. And when Atiku finally dumped the APC for the PDP, many expected her to promptly follow him. But she is yet to either resign her ministerial position or announce her defection from the ruling party.

    Although her position as the APC leader in the state is now being challenged, especially by loyalists of the President, close aides say her governorship ambition is still on track and her political structures remain activated across the state. She has also continued in her consultations within and outside the party as she works behind the scenes ahead of the 2019 general election.

     

    UMANA UMANA

    When he served as the Secretary to the State Government in the Godswill Akpabio-led Akwa Ibom State Government, Obong Umana Umana was so powerful and influential that his admirers concluded he was the undisputed successor to Akpabio. Even Akpabio could not deny in public then, the wide belief that Umana was a major influence to the success of the state government then.

    Informed analysts, who portrayed Umana as a favoured future leader in the state, traced his grooming stage to the government of Obong Victor Attah from 1999 when Umana served as the Finance Commissioner. Since then, Umana’s ambition to govern the oil-rich state has been known by all keen observers. He was seen as the scion of the Attah political family that produced both Attah and Akpabio.

    However, before the 2015 Governorship Election, the politics of the state took a different dimension as Umana had to dump Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the opposition political party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in a bid to realise his ambition.

    He became the governorship candidate of APC in a stiff battle with his former political family members.

    Although he lost to Akpabio in the election described by some official observers as ‘grossly rigged,’ Umana made a point as a leading figure in the APC, belonging to what insiders described as one of President Buhari’s key men.

    An economist of repute and bureaucrat, who rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary in charge of Akwa Ibom State’s Budget Office before his retirement and active roles in the state government, Umana’s appointment as the Managing Director of Oil & Gas Free Zone Authority, by Buhari after the elections has been described as a mere stop gap for the continuation of the quest to govern Akwa Ibom.

    It would be recalled that the persistent face-off between him and the former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator John James Akpan Udo-Edehe, has been a source of concern over the fate of APC in 2019.

    At the heat of the face-off, even their supporters expressed concern, warning that the resultant factionalisation of the party in the state may be its undoing in the 2019 elections.

    Some observers had traced the root cause of the Umana-Edehe quarrels to the emergence of Umana as the 2015 governorship candidate, notwithstanding the fact that until Umana’s defection to APC shortly before the 2015 elections, Edehe, who was the Action Congress governorship candidate, was considered APC’s leader in the state.

    A woman leader in the state chapter of APC, who pleaded anonymity explained that the current misunderstanding can be traced to the fact that while he served as the party’s flag bearer in the state for the 2015 governorship election, Umana also took over the leadership of the party in the state, a strategy calculated to secure the ticket for him in 2019. According to the woman leader, this is not taken kindly by supporters of Edehe, who allege that Umana is being imposed by some powerful forces in the presidency.

     

    SULEIMAN HASSAN

    Although he has been a political associate of the President for many years before 2015, and has worked tirelessly as one of the arrowheads of both Buhari and the APC before, during and after the last general election, he was only appointed a Minister in July 2017, after the slot of Gombe State in the federal cabinet became vacant following the exit of Amina Mohammed, who resigned upon her appointment as Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations.

    Hassan, who was the pioneer chairman of Buhari’s defunct party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), was made the Minister of State in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. Talks about his governorship aspiration were rife even before his appointment into the federal cabinet. His close associates say he has always been interested in the governorship and only sacrificed his ambition in 2015 in the interest of the then new party, the APC.

    His ambition is also being fuelled by the desire of the CPC bloc within the APC in Gombe State, to produce the next governorship candidate of the party in 2019. According to reliable party sources, there are two strong blocs within the party, namely the CPC bloc, led by Hassan and the Goje bloc under the leadership of former Governor Danjuma Goje.

    “Goje’s people produced the last candidate in 2015 and the APC lost the election to PDP. Now it is the turn of the CPC bloc to produce the candidate in the interest of peace. The minister is the undisputed leader of that group and he is the one they are pushing forward for the job. Already, his men are all over the place talking to party leaders and members to give him the ticket,” a party official told The Nation.

    Although the rivalry between the two groups within the party is no doubt one hurdle the minister faces in his quest to govern the state, party sources say given the strength of the CPC bloc in the party and Hassan’s grip hold on many party structures, it may not be too difficult for him to beat other aspirants to the governorship ticket of the APC in Gombe State.

     

    NYERERE ANYIM

    Nyerere Anyim from Abia State began as a student union activist and later joined party politics. A founding member of PDP, he was Abia South PDP Senatorial Candidate in 2007 before joining forces with other progressive elements in today’s APC.

    As the APC governorship candidate for the February 28, 2015 elections in Abia State and the National Vice-Chairman, South East APC, he was the leader of the party in the state then.

    But since then, so much has happened to Abia State APC and many heavyweights like former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu and Uche Ogah have joined the party.

    Notwithstanding the re-activation of his Divine Agenda political initiative, some insiders said unlike what happened in 2015, it may not be so easy for Anyim to pick the ticket for 2019 elections given the increased powerful stakeholders in the state to appease. But Anyim’s supporters said he is favoured by the zoning formula in Abia since he is from Abia South. It remains to be seen how far that claim will lead him.

     

    ISIMA EKERE

    Ekere is the incumbent Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). While he is still being appealed to by various groups within and outside the APC to officially launch his aspiration for the job of governing the state, it was gathered that several of his political associates and their foot-soldiers are traversing the length and breadth of the state to canvass support for Ekere’s governorship project.

    So much has the message of his ambition spread that many pundits are already predicting that the 2019 governorship race in Akwa Ibom State would be a straight fight between him and the incumbent governor, Udom Emmanuel, who is seeking to be re-elected for a second term in office. And within the opposition APC in the state, his supporters keep growing by the day, even as he said his concern for now is to focus on delivering on the core mandate of his current assignment.

    Those pushing for his candidacy say by his superlative performance as the helmsman of the NDDC, he “has won the hearts of Akwa Ibom people and he stands a clear chance of flooring the incumbent governor should he hearken to the clarion call by well-meaning people of the state on him to consider running for the governorship of the state come 2019.

    But to get the plum job, Ekere must first snatch the ticket of his party, the APC from the claws of former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and APC’s governorship candidate in the 2015 election, Obong Umana O. Umana, who is also interested in running again on the platform of the party. Already, the party is divided into two camps of those who desire to have Umana run again and those who don’t.

    While Ekere and Umana carry on as if there is no rivalry between them, their supporters are already exhibiting signs of how fierce the struggle for the ticket will turn as the election draws nearer. Sources also added that the obvious preference of party leaders for one of the two gladiators is already heating up the atmosphere within the opposition party.

     

    MARCUS GUNDIRI

    In Adamawa State APC, Marcus Gundiri’s name rings a bell. This is even so after the exit of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the party, when Engr. Gundiri, was quoted as saying that the party “is waxing stronger in his home state after the exit of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.” He added that “no Nigerian could run against President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.”

    For a state with powerful stakeholders like former Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) BD. Lawal, Nuhu Ribadu, Senator Abdulaziz Nyako, Gen. Buba Marwa, the current SGF Boss Mustapha and the Principal Private Secretary to President Buhari, Alh. Sarki Abba, Gundiri’s governorship ambition may however be threatened by the diverse interests which became further highlighted by the current crisis in the state chapter of the party.

    “Gundiri is popular, but we all know that he belonged to one of the two major factions involved in the alleged crisis. So, unless the crisis is resolved quickly, the stakeholders in the other faction will fight against him,” the source, an APC chieftain in the state, confided.

     

    DAKUKU PETERSIDE

    Although the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State during the 2015 General Elections, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, keep saying the decision to run or not in the 2019 election would be made by his party. Sources within the same party say he remains one of the aspirants to beat in the race for the governorship ticket of the party ahead of the next governorship election.

    Peterside, who is the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), according to checks by The Nation, still enjoys the confidence and support of major leaders and stakeholders within the APC in Rivers State in spite of losing the last governorship election to incumbent Governor Nyesom Wike of the PDP.

    Already, the state chapter of the APC is feeling the heat being generated by gubernatorial ambitions of both Peterside and the Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe. Party sources say there is urgent need to manage the rivalry between supporters of the two aspirants in the interest of the APC.

    But Dakuku, who says the race is not a do-or-die one for him, explained happenings in the party thus; “What is going on in the APC in Rivers State is very usual in large families where you have vibrant young people. Where you have people who trade on ideas, there will be conflict of ideas from time to time. But that has nothing to do with the objective and the mission to uproot the mis-governance going on in Rivers State and install a government that represents the wishes and aspirations of Rivers people. We are all together on that.”

    Believed to also enjoy the backing of Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who is the party leader in the state, Peterside also benefits from unending agitation for power shift in the state. Being from the riverine part of the oil producing state, the zoning arrangement within the party, as Amaechi and other leaders insist, will favour him once more.

     

    BABAFEMI OJUDU

    Agitation for Ojudu to contest the next governorship election in Ekiti State assumed a new dimension recently when dozens of youth groups gathered in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, to call on the Presidential Adviser to run as governor. According to the youths, they want a leader of Ojudu’s mold for the mission to salvage Ekiti from its present abyss. Responding, Ojudu promised to yield their call to service.

    “I have never shied away from service whenever I see things going wrong. This is my state. My parents are from Ekiti State. Ekiti people have a tradition of decency, humility and intelligence. We are gradually losing all that to bad leadership and sincerely, something has to be done to rescue our state from this path to perdition. I will offer myself to serve you. We have no business with poverty. We have arable land that can grow any crop. We will work on our youths and improve their standard of living. We will fix all the loosing ends and present a better state we all can be proud of at the end of service,” Ojudu assured.

    But like Fayemi, Ojudu who was once a senator representing the state at the National Assembly, will have a number of party big-wigs to wrestle with politically if he desires to clinch the ticket of the APC in Ekiti State. How easy this will be for him is now a topic of discussion within and outside the opposition APC which is seeking to unseat the Fayose-led PDP administration.

    Pundits say Ojudu may have to look beyond the support he enjoys among the young elements within the party and seek the support of party big-wigs across the state ahead of the primary election. “It is when he gets the support of all stakeholders that he can be assured of a good showing at the primary election. He is contesting against a number of heavyweights and he needs all the helps he can get,” a party official said.

     

    IBE KACHUKWU

    Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, is, according to sources, one of the most respected Buhari men being encouraged from Aso Villa to contest the governorship in their states.

    As former Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and now Minister of State for the strategic ministry, Kachukwu is considered experienced enough and powerful enough to make impact.

    His international exposure as President of OPEC is considered an added advantage.

    These apart, sources said the minister has not done much to confirm interest in the governorship race in 2019. “He does not have visible and tangible political structure at the local government level to back up the so-called powerful support,” the source said.

  • The storm against Buhari’s men

    With unfolding events in the past weeks, it appeared as if there are underground moves to bring down the powerful men and women around President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Buhari has not only put words into action in the fight against corruption in the country in the past nineteen months, but has recovered some looted funds, quizzed and arrested some key actors in ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    So it is not in doubt that Buhari has stepped on many big toes in the past months.

    The trend now, however is the series of corrupt allegations rising against some of the key people around the President.

    It is not clear whether the allegations are just naturally coming up or part of premeditated grand plan to weaken the men and women around Buhari.

    Besides labeling some of them as cabal, some were said to have hijacked Buhari’s government for their selfish goals.

    One of those being accused of wrongdoing is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal.

    He was alleged by a Senate’s Ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East of breaching Nigeria’s law in handling contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE).

    Lawal was accused by the committee of putting himself in a position of conflict of interests as his firm was said to have been awarded over N200 million contract to clear ‘invasive plant specie’ in Yobe State.

    But a press statement by Hamidu David Lawal, who is the Managing Director of the firm, Rholavision Engineering Ltd., which the SGF was connected to, had last month claimed that Lawal resigned as director of the firm and relinquished his shareholding in the firm as soon as he was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation in August 2015.

    Noting that the PINE contract came in 2016, a year after Lawal resigned from the company, the statement disagreed with the over N200 million allegedly paid to the firm as it explained that the firm only got N7.01 million contract for Consultancy Services from PINE.

    The statement reads in parts: “It is also very instructive that inspite of the weighty and potentially damaging allegations being peddled about and against us, the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East did not bother to invite us to the Public Hearing to put our case across despite the fact that our Head Office is directly opposite that of the Committee Chairman, Senator Shehu Sani.

    “Hence the Senate has left us with no choice than to put our case across directly to the Nigerian public. In conclusion, we wish to urge the General Public to disregard the information being circulated in both the electronic and print media as being false and malicious.” It stated

    Apart from the statement, those in the SGF’s camp believed that the recommendations in the Committee’s interim report were maliciously hasty as it was released while the committee had not completed its investigations.

    They noted that the over N200 million contracts mentioned in the committee’s interim report were meant for other items apart from what it called grass-cutting. The contracts included purchases of some machinery and tools.

    According to them, the implementation of the contracts in the area has resulted in appreciation letters and delegation visits by royal fathers from the area to the office of the SGF.

    The immediate past Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, had last December urged his colleagues to give Lawal fair hearing, insisting that Lawal had not been indicted by the Senate on the matter.

    But in a twist of events, Ndume was removed as the Senate Leader of the Upper Chamber by his colleagues last Tuesday, which was the first day of plenary sitting after the Christmas and New Year break.

    Another top government official, who has also been accused of corrupt allegations is the President’s Chief of Staff (CoS), Abba Kyari.

    He was first alleged to have collected N500 million bribe from officials of MTN Telecommunications Company to ensure that the government discontinue its heavy stance on the $5 billion fine imposed on the company for failing to disconnect subscribers with unregistered phone lines bought before January 2012.

    The COS has since denied collecting such bribe. But few weeks after that allegation, it was also alleged recently that Kyari abused privileges by allowing the Nigeria High Commission in London to pay his medical bills in London hospital.

    That allegation made two top government officials to rise to Kyari’s defense last week Monday.

    First was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who told State House correspondents that the allegation was false.

    Barely two hours after Onyeama spoke with journalists, the Presidency also issued a similar statement exhonorating Kyari from any wrong doing.

    The statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said: “The Nigeria High Commission in London did not at any time ever settle the medical bills or any other bills for that matter as Abba Kyari personally took responsibility for paying his own bills. This is by the Chief of Staff’s choice.

    “He pays for his medicals, his taxi and accommodation in the U.K in spite of the high office he occupies, even when there is no rule that says he cannot be catered for by government.

    “Hospital records are available for verification to show that the Nigeria High Commission in London didn’t spend a penny on Kyari, as its involvement didn’t go beyond the issuance of the letter of guarantee to the Wellington Hospital.” he added

    Also the case against Buhari’s anti-corruption arrowhead, Ibrahim Magu, who is the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is not better.

    The Senate had rejected confirmation of his appointment, claiming that the Department of State Services (DSS) security report had alleged that Magu has failed the integrity test and that if confirmed as the substantive chairman of the Commission, he could constitute a liability to Buhari’s anti-corruption drive.

    Magu was alleged to be occupying a N20 million per year accommodation, claimed to have been rented for him by someone under EFCC investigation.

    The Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, has also not been spared in the allegations.

    She was alleged to have abused privileges at the Nigeria High Commission in London, which she had denied.

    She went further to challenge the online medium championing the report to back up the report with concrete evidence or tender apology.

    Only time will tell who is next on the list to face such allegations.

    While it is very important for those in the executive arm of government, being accused of one corrupt practice or the other, to clear their names as soon as possible, some Nigerians however believed that there is more than meet the eyes concerning the allegations.

    To them, the increasing onslaught against Buhari’s men is corruption fighting back or part of grand scheming towards race for 2019 general elections.

    It is certainly not easy to pinpoint if these allegations are coming now to weaken the men around Buhari towards 2019 elections or just corruption fighting back.

    But one thing that is very certain is that lies and evil can never prevail against truth and good forever.