The Nation Newspaper

Tag: chairman

  • Al-Makura swears in NASIEC chairman, members

    Ahead of the May 26 council elections in Nasarawa State, Governor Tanko Al-Makura has sworn in Henry Omaku as chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC).

    Four members of the commission were also sworn in.

    Mohammed Ayitogo and Ismaila Salau were reappointed as Interim Management Committee chairman of Keana and Keffi councils,

    Stephen Dogo was sworn in as permanent secretary in the state civil service.

    Al-Makura urged the appointees to justify the confidence reposed in them.

    He told Omaku and his commission to conduct a credible election.

    The governor reiterated that the government will not interfere with NASIEC’s activities, and urged parties to participate in the poll without fear of discrimination.

    He added that rehabilitation of NASIEC’s headquarters will begin soon, to be completed in a month.

  • Lagos NUJ ’ll look into report of N1.6b housing scheme, says chairman

    Lagos NUJ ’ll look into report of N1.6b housing scheme, says chairman

    Lagos Council of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Chairman Dr. Qasim Akinreti has assured members that the report of an investigation committee on N1.6 billion housing scheme initiated by the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) will not be swept under the carpet.

    Akinreti said the report will be deliberated on by the state NUJ Executive Council before it will be presented to the State Congress on March 10, for further discussion.

    After four months of investigation into the housing scheme initiated by NAWOJ, in partnership with the Lagos Council of NUJ, a committee set up to investigate the controversies generated by project submitted its findings last Friday.

    Receiving the 26-page report at the Lagos NUJ Council Secretariat on Iyalla Street, Ikeja, Akinreti said he was satisfied with the committee members for helping him to achieve one of his election promises, which he noted, has remained a source of concern to subscribers.

    In the report, the committee recommended outright cancellation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the project’s initiator and NAWOJ President, Mrs. Ify Omowole, former Chairman of Lagos NUJ Council, Mr. Deji Elumoye and the developer, Messers Primewaterview Holdings Limited.

    In arriving at the decision, the committee noted that the contents of the MoU were skewed much in favour of the developer.

    For instance, the developer, based on the MoU, was to take 300 units of houses in the scheme to defray its cost of infrastructural development in the project. The MoU did not state the cost of infrastructure to be built.

    Besides, the firm had spent N21 million of the N73 million it collected from NAWOJ/NUJ on “road stabilisation,” which to the committee, was wrong since it was part of infrastructure development to be paid for with the 300 housing units.

    “The developer has shown gross lack of commitment and diligent execution on the project.  A letter should be sent to the developer terminating the MoU and the project in its entirety. A Quantity Surveyor should be engaged to assess the value of work done by the developer on site. Where the assessment by the quantity surveyor falls short of expenditure submitted by the developer, Messers Primewaterview Holdings Limited should be made to refund the difference.  In the event of failure to comply, the developer should be reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to help recover the money,” the report read.

    Besides, the report condemned Mrs. Omowole for her decision to withdraw subscribers’ $227,000 unilaterally. According to the committee’s report, Mrs. Omowole’s explanation for such withdrawal was unacceptable.

    “Omowole’s excuse for the withdrawal of the US$227, 000 because of the falling exchange rate and also to pay the developer (Primewaterview Holdings Limited) the advance of subscribers’ counterpart funding is unacceptable because as at the time of withdrawal of the money, there was no signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NUJ/NAWOJ Pen Jewel Estate and Primewaterview Holdings Limited as developer. The $227,000 was withdrawn four clear months before the signing of the MoU; hence no need to pay counterpart funding at that time.

    “Also, the excuse that the U.S. dollar was losing value at that time is unacceptable as the Nigerian naira further crashed as at the time of signing the MoU,” the committee noted in its report.

    Mrs. Omowole, the committee said, must pay back N159 per dollar, amounting to about N4.3 million, being the balance of the expired $27,610 purported to have been exchanged for N150. This amount was arrived at using the N309 exchange rate figure earlier agreed on. She was also urged to provide evidence of remittance of the earlier N4 million from this money to the NAWOJ Pen Jewel estate account.

    The NAWOJ President, the committee submitted, must refund the N779,000 collected from subscribers in form of application form fees. Although 713 subscribers were captured on the application list, 779 people actually bought the application form for the PEN-JEWEL project at N1000 each.

    The report did not spared Elumoye, who the investigation committee said must refund N4 million being the excess on the alleged N10 million he claimed to have paid to the traditional land owners, “Omoniles,” after findings revealed only N6 million was paid.

    Elumoye, the report added, is also to refund the N2 million he claimed to have paid for the extra land he bought on behalf of the Lagos NUJ Council in Mowe since he was unable to provide evidence of purchase of same.

    The report advised that “any land allocated to subscribers between 2013 and 2017 must be revoked outright.

  • No crack in Rivers APC, says chairman

    No crack in Rivers APC, says chairman

    •Party chiefs help two events same time

    RIVERS State Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Davies Ikanya has affirmed that there is no crack in the state’s APC.

    He insisted that it’s unfair to conclude that there is a division just because leaders of the party held two events in the state on the same day.

    The chairman said APC  would conduct free, fair and credible primaries in the state.

    Ikanya, who spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, through his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media/Public Affairs Consultant, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, maintained that the events in Port Harcourt and Bori-Ogoni showed that APC was united, cohesive and ready to reshape the politics of Nigeria in 2019.

    On Saturday, Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor; Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside, governorship candidate in 2015; and other leaders were in Bori-Ogoni to inaugurate the Free Rivers Development Initiative.

    On the same day, representative of Rivers Southeast, Senator Magnus Abe, an indigene of Bera-Ogoni, and six APC lawmakers were having in Port Harcourt, a thanksgiving service and reception. It was attended by Governor Nyesom Wike and Rivers APC chairman, among others.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki, who was at Abe’s show, expressed displeasure that two events could be held by APC leaders same day.

    He called for unity and reconciliation in the party.

    Ikanya said: “The two events that took place in Rivers State last Saturday, involving APC faithful, though significant, were organised for two different purposes. While that in Port Harcourt was to entertain friends of the party, to pave way for some PDP bigwigs who are looking for soft-landing to join the party and save their necks, knowing the woes that await them in 2019 and mainly organised to thank God for the victories he granted the party during the last rerun elections in the state against all  odds, including the killing of many of our members.

    “The event in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland, was held in continuation of the rebuilding and strengthening of the APC, ahead of the 2019 general elections and principally to receive thousands of PDP members that defected to APC.

    “We do not have any crack in the APC in Rivers State, as erroneous stated by some of the visitors. The party is now more repositioned to achieve its aim for 2019 general elections, which is mainly to root out the current evil administration in Rivers State, under the watch of Wike.”

    Rivers APC chairman stated that no matter the challenges and misinformation peddled by persons who wished members evil, they would be firm in their determination to effect a power change in 2019.

    He said: “We know the strategy of Wike, which is to weaken and destabilise the APC in Rivers State, in order to enable him to have an easy ride to the Brick House (Government House), Port Harcourt, but we will like to reassure him (Wike) that his plots have failed.

    “Rivers APC’s move to free the state from the shackles of misguided administration and rotate power from upland to the riverine area of the state is a task that must be achieved, no matter the odds.”

    Ikanya lauded the elders, political and religious leaders of Ikwerre extraction for accepting that it will be unfair not to support the move to shift/rotate power from the upland to the riverine part of the state, after two of their sons (Amaechi and Wike) would have governed the state for 12 years.

    He urged all members to keep faith with the APC, under the leadership of Amaechi, and disregard the few persons disparaging and abusing the minister.

  • Linkage names Joshua Fumudoh chairman

    Linkage Assurance Plc has appointed Chief Joshua Benard Fumudoh as its chairman. The appointment is, however, subject to the approval of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and shareholders’ ratification.

    A statement by the company secretary, Moses Omorogbe, in Lagos, stated that the appointment takes effect from January 31, 2018.

    Fumudoh takes over from Chief Dr. John Anderson Eseimokumoh, who resigned to pursue other businesses after a meritorious service as non-executive director for over four years.

    Fumudoh is expected to bring to bear his wealth of experience on Linkage Assurance Plc to make it more competitive and increase shareholders’ value creation.

    The statement read in part: “Srengthening the board is in line with the company’s vision for increased capacity to deliver efficient services to its customers and value creation for all stakeholders.”

    He is the founder and Managing Director of Manufacturing and Marketing Co (Nig) Ltd. An accounting graduate of the University of Lagos, Fumudoh serves on the board of several companies in various sectors as Chairman, Mamco-Bayelsa Palm; Chairman of Boston Capital Investment Ltd and BCI Global Properties Ltd. He also served as a non -executive director of Topflight Insurance brokers.

    He was a delegate at two National Political Reform Conferences of 2005 and 2014, and serves as an honorary adviser to the Bayelsa State government.

  • Ogun 2019: What APC wants from governorship aspirants, by chairman

    Ogun 2019: What APC wants from governorship aspirants, by chairman

    The Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has listed virtues those aspiring to succeed Governor Ibikunle Amosun in 2019 must possess.

    Over a dozen of aspirants, including House of Assembly Speaker Suraj Adekunbi, Prince Adeleke Tella, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, Jimi Lawal and Isiaq Abiodun Akinlade, want the top job.

    The party chairman identified youthfulness, drive, clear-cut vision and mission, competence to raise the bar of governance in Ogun State, to outperform the incumbent.

    APC State Chairman Tajudeen Lemboye spoke with The Nation after hosting a governorship aspirant, Adeleke Tella, and his supporters during his formal expression of interest in Abeokuta.

    Lemboye said he looked forward to raising the hand of a governor under his chairmanship of APC.

    He expressed confideqnce that the party’s governorship candidate would succeed Amosun, adding that there is no strong opposition to constitute a minimal threat to the party in the state.

    The APC chairman described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State as one that is in “total disarray” which may never be able to put its house in order again.

    Lemboye said: “It is one thing to have an ambition, it is another thing to have a vision and a mission for one’s ambition.

    “We need a young man, who is still very vibrant, whose energy is still there, who can run up and down. These are qualities of people we want to steer the affairs of government in Ogun State.

    “But what we are really after is that we are looking for somebody who will raise the bar and standard of what Governor Ibikunle Amosun has done; someone who will even do more and perform better than him.

    “That is the type of person we are looking for. We will continue to pray, as a party, because I want to raise the hand of a governor during my own time and I will continue to pray to God Almighty to give us the best person for governor in 2019.”

  • Why we formed NRM, by chairman

    Why we formed NRM, by chairman

    An association the National Rescue Movement (NRM), was recently registered as a political party  by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In this interview with TONY AKOWE in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), its national chairman, Senator Saidu Dansadau, speaks on the vision and mission of the party.

    Will your party be fielding candidates for the 2019 elections?

    I want you to write it in your dairy today that the NRM will be sworn in on May 29, 2019 to occupy the Presidential Villa. We are determined and serious. I don’t  blame Nigerians for their mockery of the registration of 21 political parties because from our experience, most of these small political parties don’t make any impact. For us in the NRM, we decided to form this party because we are not satisfied with the performance of the APC. We have discovered from a survey we did through some consultants that Nigerians are disenchanted and are losing hope. That is why we say we hope to rekindle the hope of Nigerians and carve out a political party with an ideology. In Rwanda, after the genocide of 1990, people wondered how they were able to fix their country in just 20 years and they are today, the pride of Africa. If you go to Kigali, it is like you are in Europe and here we are in Nigeria, telling ourselves that Nigeria can not be fixed. I don’t believe in that. We are out, determined, resolute and committed to making the difference. All we want is  the cooperation of the Nigerian people. We are going to present credible, patriotic Nigerians who are honest, God fearing to contest elections at all levels because we believe that they are there all over the country. The only thing is that these people have been running away from politics because they don’t have the kind of money to contest election or get the PDP or APC ticket. We re going to fish out those people and provide the platform. Their asset will be their credibility and acceptability by people. So, we are set to make the difference.

    What are the major challenges facing Nigeria?

    If you observe, part of the problem of governance in this country is that you have professionals and credible people, selfless and patriotic people who are willing and ready to serve this country. But, leaders don’t want to see the faces of such people. The prefer sycophants and hypocrites who will be singing the songs of sycophancy and this is a serious problem. That is why we want to make a difference, not only while in governance, but also in leadership recruitment. All Nigerians are entitled to be members of this party as they so wish. But, to get a ticket to contest lectionaries at all levels of governance, a person must prove himself to be credible God fearing, selfless and is accepted by his people. The NRM leadership will not sit here in Abuja like other parties and impose candidates on the people. We feel that until and unless there is justice, all that we do as a political party and as leaders, there can’t be peace and prosperity and good governance, unless the people are allowed to make their choice. That is why anybody who wants to contest election in this party should know that there are strict and rigorous processes of screening before he can be allowed  to contest any election. The task of rescruing Nigeria from where it is today is a task that all patriotic Nigerians must be part of in other to have a better Nigeria and be able to catch up with its peers across the globe.

    What is the view of the party on the fight against corruption?

    For us in the NRM, we see no difference between the APC and the PDP, in terms of corruption, the implementation of the budget and prudent management of the nation’s resources for the common good of the people.

    The $1 billion for the Federal Government to fight Boko Haram is generating mixed reaction. What is the position of your party on this?

    Well, that money belong to the 36 states and the fact and the federal, Government. The Governors are the chief  executive of their respective states and are the custodians of the resources of their respective states, while the Boko Haram issue is a security challenge that affects the entire nation. Yes, the insurgents are being fought in the north east, but its economic and social consequences are all over the country. So, for me, I think it is worth while as long as the money will be prudently used for the purpose it is allocated for. So, I don’t think there is nothing wrong with it. The Federal Government and the National Council of States should put in place a special mechanism for monitoring how that colossal amount of money is going to be used. The government has a very good opportunity which they don’t want to use. We have professionals who have retired who are credible and willing to offer services free, but they are not being utilised because people in government want to do everything. The government is setting up a technical committee to handle something and appoint governors and ministers as members when they have not been able to discharge their primary responsibility satisfactory and yet, you are giving them additional responsibility when we have professionals with the technical expertise  to do that job. I want to appeal to the government to put a special team in place outside the government bureaucracy to monitor how  this money will be spent in fighting Boko Haram because that is where the problem is. It is not allocating money that is important, but how the money is spent. That is what is lacking in the APC administration.

    There is the clamour for the restructuring of the country. What will be your party position?

    All the social economic problems we are having in this country should not arise, if we have good governance. My belief is that the clamour for restructuring, agitation for Biafra, Boko Haram, cattle rustling and many others are all manifestations of bad governance. For me personally, I don’t believe in restructuring, but I believe that at the appropriate time, the party will come up with its position on that. I believe in good governance because the moment you provide good governance, there will be no agitation. You are hearing about agitation for restricting because few people who are not more than seven have cornered the resources of the entire nation, do whatever what they want, take the money outside the country and that is why people are saying let us restructure. So, when you restructure the nation, you will also have to restructure the resources and allow every region manages its own resources. It is because of this gale of corruption that brought about all these agitations. So, for me, providing good governance is the answer to all these agitations and our socio-economic challenges in this country.

    You said that not more than seven persons have cornered the resources of this country. How did you arrive at this?

    I am just using that as an example and not talking about the exact figure. You are the one who came up with the terminology of cabal. We have had cabals in this country on several occasion snd the Nigerian people have alleged that the cabal are cornering the resources of this country.

    It may even be better at both level. In the state, it is one person cornering the resources. Even  deputy governor have no access to the money.

    You said that one of your principles is to ensure national integration. Considering the fact that this country is divided along ethic and religious lines, how do you intend to achieve this?

    The solution we have is to ensure justice and fairness. But, more critical is the issue of leadership recruitment. We are definitely going to change the approach to leadership recruitment. From 1999 to date, whatever happened, Nigerian politicians must take responsibility for that. We must take responsibility for the state of the nation today. If that is the case, what do we do? It is to answer that question that we need to change he approach. For us in the NRM, among the present conventional politicians in the country today, only a negligible few will be able to secure the NRM ticket. Before you are able to get the NRM ticket as somebody who has been in politics for a long time in Nigeria, you must be someone who has been acknowledged as somebody who is credible, patriotic and selfless. It is then that you can secure the ticket NRM. Our first point of call for recruitment is religious leaders. We are not saying that Cardinal Onaiyekan should come and contest election, but what we are saying is that they should bring out their disciples that they know are credible, patriotic an God fearing to come and contest election because they will,not need to bribe anybody to have the ticket. They must make that sacrifice because the time has gone when politicians will just come to religious leaders and say pray for us to win election. Religious leaders should take this message to their followers. Our second point of call is traditional rulers. We are not saying the Sultan should come and contest election. They know within their domain, the people they can trust that will not betray the reputation and credibility of the royal houses. Our third point of call are professionals who have either retired or still serving. We have already drafted letters to all professionals and trade union groups, women and youth groups, religious leaders and traditional rulers. We will give them our manifesto and ask them to make input into it because what we have today is an interim manifesto. For example, we will tell the Nigeria Economic Summit Group to make input into our economic policy and other professional groups. Then, we will aggregate these views. We will have interaction with them because the state of the nation today calls for sacrifice and so, all hands must be on deck. When we have professionals in the National Assembly, that is going to enrich the quality of governance and fast track law making. We must have credible people in leadership and that is what we are out to do for country.

    Don’t you think that these traditional rulers and religious leaders are products of these same politicians?

    One thing you must know is that all of us have a hand in the state of the nation today. I have said that we will fish out the credible ones among us. We have credible people in all cadre of the Nigerian society and these are the people we are out to look for. That is the fundamental difference from other parties.

     

  • Why we formed NRM, by chairman

    Why we formed NRM, by chairman

    An association the National Rescue Movement (NRM), was recently registered as a political party  by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In this interview with TONY AKOWE in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), its national chairman, Senator Saidu Dansadau, speaks on the vision and mission of the party.

    Will your party be fielding candidates for the 2019 elections?

    I want you to write it in your dairy today that the NRM will be sworn in on May 29, 2019 to occupy the Presidential Villa. We are determined and serious. I don’t  blame Nigerians for their mockery of the registration of 21 political parties because from our experience, most of these small political parties don’t make any impact. For us in the NRM, we decided to form this party because we are not satisfied with the performance of the APC. We have discovered from a survey we did through some consultants that Nigerians are disenchanted and are losing hope. That is why we say we hope to rekindle the hope of Nigerians and carve out a political party with an ideology. In Rwanda, after the genocide of 1990, people wondered how they were able to fix their country in just 20 years and they are today, the pride of Africa. If you go to Kigali, it is like you are in Europe and here we are in Nigeria, telling ourselves that Nigeria can not be fixed. I don’t believe in that. We are out, determined, resolute and committed to making the difference. All we want is  the cooperation of the Nigerian people. We are going to present credible, patriotic Nigerians who are honest, God fearing to contest elections at all levels because we believe that they are there all over the country. The only thing is that these people have been running away from politics because they don’t have the kind of money to contest election or get the PDP or APC ticket. We re going to fish out those people and provide the platform. Their asset will be their credibility and acceptability by people. So, we are set to make the difference.

    What are the major challenges facing Nigeria?

    If you observe, part of the problem of governance in this country is that you have professionals and credible people, selfless and patriotic people who are willing and ready to serve this country. But, leaders don’t want to see the faces of such people. The prefer sycophants and hypocrites who will be singing the songs of sycophancy and this is a serious problem. That is why we want to make a difference, not only while in governance, but also in leadership recruitment. All Nigerians are entitled to be members of this party as they so wish. But, to get a ticket to contest lectionaries at all levels of governance, a person must prove himself to be credible God fearing, selfless and is accepted by his people. The NRM leadership will not sit here in Abuja like other parties and impose candidates on the people. We feel that until and unless there is justice, all that we do as a political party and as leaders, there can’t be peace and prosperity and good governance, unless the people are allowed to make their choice. That is why anybody who wants to contest election in this party should know that there are strict and rigorous processes of screening before he can be allowed  to contest any election. The task of rescruing Nigeria from where it is today is a task that all patriotic Nigerians must be part of in other to have a better Nigeria and be able to catch up with its peers across the globe.

    What is the view of the party on the fight against corruption?

    For us in the NRM, we see no difference between the APC and the PDP, in terms of corruption, the implementation of the budget and prudent management of the nation’s resources for the common good of the people.

    The $1 billion for the Federal Government to fight Boko Haram is generating mixed reaction. What is the position of your party on this?

    Well, that money belong to the 36 states and the fact and the federal, Government. The Governors are the chief  executive of their respective states and are the custodians of the resources of their respective states, while the Boko Haram issue is a security challenge that affects the entire nation. Yes, the insurgents are being fought in the north east, but its economic and social consequences are all over the country. So, for me, I think it is worth while as long as the money will be prudently used for the purpose it is allocated for. So, I don’t think there is nothing wrong with it. The Federal Government and the National Council of States should put in place a special mechanism for monitoring how that colossal amount of money is going to be used. The government has a very good opportunity which they don’t want to use. We have professionals who have retired who are credible and willing to offer services free, but they are not being utilised because people in government want to do everything. The government is setting up a technical committee to handle something and appoint governors and ministers as members when they have not been able to discharge their primary responsibility satisfactory and yet, you are giving them additional responsibility when we have professionals with the technical expertise  to do that job. I want to appeal to the government to put a special team in place outside the government bureaucracy to monitor how  this money will be spent in fighting Boko Haram because that is where the problem is. It is not allocating money that is important, but how the money is spent. That is what is lacking in the APC administration.

    There is the clamour for the restructuring of the country. What will be your party position?

    All the social economic problems we are having in this country should not arise, if we have good governance. My belief is that the clamour for restructuring, agitation for Biafra, Boko Haram, cattle rustling and many others are all manifestations of bad governance. For me personally, I don’t believe in restructuring, but I believe that at the appropriate time, the party will come up with its position on that. I believe in good governance because the moment you provide good governance, there will be no agitation. You are hearing about agitation for restricting because few people who are not more than seven have cornered the resources of the entire nation, do whatever what they want, take the money outside the country and that is why people are saying let us restructure. So, when you restructure the nation, you will also have to restructure the resources and allow every region manages its own resources. It is because of this gale of corruption that brought about all these agitations. So, for me, providing good governance is the answer to all these agitations and our socio-economic challenges in this country.

    You said that not more than seven persons have cornered the resources of this country. How did you arrive at this?

    I am just using that as an example and not talking about the exact figure. You are the one who came up with the terminology of cabal. We have had cabals in this country on several occasion snd the Nigerian people have alleged that the cabal are cornering the resources of this country.

    It may even be better at both level. In the state, it is one person cornering the resources. Even  deputy governor have no access to the money.

    You said that one of your principles is to ensure national integration. Considering the fact that this country is divided along ethic and religious lines, how do you intend to achieve this?

    The solution we have is to ensure justice and fairness. But, more critical is the issue of leadership recruitment. We are definitely going to change the approach to leadership recruitment. From 1999 to date, whatever happened, Nigerian politicians must take responsibility for that. We must take responsibility for the state of the nation today. If that is the case, what do we do? It is to answer that question that we need to change he approach. For us in the NRM, among the present conventional politicians in the country today, only a negligible few will be able to secure the NRM ticket. Before you are able to get the NRM ticket as somebody who has been in politics for a long time in Nigeria, you must be someone who has been acknowledged as somebody who is credible, patriotic and selfless. It is then that you can secure the ticket NRM. Our first point of call for recruitment is religious leaders. We are not saying that Cardinal Onaiyekan should come and contest election, but what we are saying is that they should bring out their disciples that they know are credible, patriotic an God fearing to come and contest election because they will,not need to bribe anybody to have the ticket. They must make that sacrifice because the time has gone when politicians will just come to religious leaders and say pray for us to win election. Religious leaders should take this message to their followers. Our second point of call is traditional rulers. We are not saying the Sultan should come and contest election. They know within their domain, the people they can trust that will not betray the reputation and credibility of the royal houses. Our third point of call are professionals who have either retired or still serving. We have already drafted letters to all professionals and trade union groups, women and youth groups, religious leaders and traditional rulers. We will give them our manifesto and ask them to make input into it because what we have today is an interim manifesto. For example, we will tell the Nigeria Economic Summit Group to make input into our economic policy and other professional groups. Then, we will aggregate these views. We will have interaction with them because the state of the nation today calls for sacrifice and so, all hands must be on deck. When we have professionals in the National Assembly, that is going to enrich the quality of governance and fast track law making. We must have credible people in leadership and that is what we are out to do for country.

    Don’t you think that these traditional rulers and religious leaders are products of these same politicians?

    One thing you must know is that all of us have a hand in the state of the nation today. I have said that we will fish out the credible ones among us. We have credible people in all cadre of the Nigerian society and these are the people we are out to look for. That is the fundamental difference from other parties.

  • ‘Southeast should support Southwest for PDP chairman’

    ‘Southeast should support Southwest for PDP chairman’

    Osun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Chief Tunde Odanye, in this  interview with Emmanuel Oladesu  and Musa Odoshimokhe, speaking on the preparations for the national convention and the crises affecting Osun and Ogun states chapters.

    How can the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) avert a rancorous convention?

    I think we are going to have a fairly straight forward convention. Anybody who is in the business of putting people and things together knows that things are more dangerous when there is quietness. When there is lot of noise, everybody will be alerted to potential danger. Since there was talk of a parallel convention, people have quickly geared up to avert it. The people who felt they were being accused of manipulating the process have quickly come out to denounce it. I believe that and assuming for the purposes of argument, that they were planning to manipulate, now that it has come to the open, they are obliged to be very transparent. I think that informed why they said we have put our cards on the table and everybody can see what we are doing, to have a good convention. When you have so many people competing for high prizes, like national chairman and other offices, it is likely to be noisy and competitive. We all know that by the time we get to the field, everybody will know where we are going. And about a week to the convention, things will start getting clearer, people will start knowing what will happen. I am sure if you followed the last Port Harcourt convention that was annulled, I am sure everybody knew what would have been the outcome of that election. But, now that time is getting shorter, getting closer to the d-day, we can see the serious candidates; we can as well see the pretenders. So, if you ask me as at this moment, those for national chairman, I will say we have four serious contenders and I am sure by next week, it will likely trim down. And by Friday and Saturday we are most likely going to have an idea of who is going to win.

    Who are these four serious aspirants?

    Let me start by eliminating those who are not too serious, I want say that Senator Rasheed Ladoja came into the race a bit too late, I am not sure Prof. Adedoja is solid like he would want to be and I’m not so sure if Raymond Dopkesi is selling like he would want. So, that gives you an idea of the few serious contenders. There is going to be a shift as the days draw nearer.

    Why is Southwest going to the convention divided?

    When you have so many qualified aspirants in a race, it is always difficult to tell them not to compete. Are you going to say Gbenga Daniel is not qualified? Are going to say Jimi Agbaje is not qualified? Are you saying that Chief Bode George does not have the necessary experience or likewise Prof. Adeniran? They all stand the stance of winning at the convention. They all mean well and have their vision as against just wanting to participate. You can’t stop other people with your own vision.

    Since 1999, no Southwest person has been the party national chairman, if the Southsouth wins, what will be the implication for the Southeast?

    I think every true lover of the PDP must do what is right. Let’s forget about ethnicity or the part of the country you come from. You will agree that the Southwest usually play a key role in deciding public opinion and why the PDP lost out in 2015. The Southwest felt it was not properly treated by the Jonathan Presidency. And by the time President Jonathan woke up, it was a bit late. They forgot that the southwest had lot to do about directing the state of affairs. Jonathan thought he had given the Southwest what they loved, which was the national conference. People felt it was a Greek gift, but the damaged had been done, it was no longer effective as it should be. I don’t know why the Southsouth are looking for National Chairman, I am saying this without any equivocation and the immediate past acting national chairman was Uche Secondu was from Southsouth. If after the outing of Muazu and he was the acting chairman, so why coming again? I thought the whole idea was to start afresh. We should have a change that we really needed in the party. We needed a different direction. What was it that you could not do then that you now want to do? I know for sure and God forbid, if the chairmanship goes out of the Southwest, all sorts of problems will arise because I do not see anybody, who is going to stop the Southwest from running for the Vice President and that will destabilize the Southeast, who are eyeing the position. If we don’t get the national chairman, we don’t get the VP then what are we doing? We rather form another party or we just do siddon look. The truth of the matter is that we are not the smallest in the party; we are not the least educated or so. We deserve the position. And if anything, we have as many qualified people to vie for the position. So, if it not bad belly, why are they trying to keep us out? You can see the Southeast, none of them is gunning for the national chairman because they know what they want. They need the Vice President. Well, I blame them for not coming out to support the Southwest. It not as if the Southsouth had not done it before, if they were bringing a new person, that a different case entirel but not Secondus.  I don’t mind, if they Present Dokpesi and not the one who had been there before.

    Why has the Ogun PDP been seized by crisis?

    I know it is about ambition and money. Some politicians see politics as avenue to improve the lives of many, while some see it as an avenue of using power to make money. Some get the power, they appoint the people into position, and some people see it as business opportunity. When they get the chairmanship of the party, they will now tell those who want positions what they will pay to get it. They will tell you if you want to run for governor, come and pay certain amount. If you want senator do this or that. So, it does not often throw up the best candidate. But, the person who is selling does not care whether the party wins or not. He is more concerned about how to make his own profit. Therefore, you find some irreconcilable positions which say politics should be use as a business. And those who think that politics should be use to better the lot of the people. So, some don’t care whether you genuinely win or loss. Some people know they are unpopular and they want to bribe people in order to win.  What we have in Ogun State is people looking at 2019 and the needs to put in place the necessary structures that will enable them get the ticket of the party in 2019. If you get the ticket and you don’t win in the general election, it is double loss, double jeopardy. That is you would have spent too much money to get the primary ticket and spent during the election. So, it will better you don’t get the party ticket and the person who will win get the ticket and will recognise your contribution and probably compensate you.  So what you actually find in Ogun State, is that we have some people who are gunning for some offices. There is nothing wrong in that. But, some people are the ones carrying the chunk of the party on their shoulders by way of finance. But, they seem as charitable as they seem to be. In other words, some don’t even know the act of selflessness. Again, one or two people want to corner everything and of course other people are bound to rebel or react.

    What is the state of PDP in Osun State?

    The truth is that there is no way you can look at the government in Osun State and say that it has performed. I was reading a statement credited to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, which he said, if one million persons pay N50 a day in tax, Osun will not have liquidity problem. And I said did my governor sit down to do the calculation of N50 a day? When this is translated to one million people will it make Osun better? In fact, the people in Osun, who will provide the money for the governor project revenue of the N50 per day? I know that for a three bedroom flat at Ilesha cost N100,000. So where are the one million people who actually earn up to a N100,000? If you are talking of N100,000, you are talking of people earning this amount in one year. Let even say such people are earning about N200,000 per month which is about N40,000 or less per month. Many people don’t even earn up to that in Osun State. Many people earn between N5,000 to N10,000 in a month and that is the truth and you now want to subject them to tax of N50 per day. I am not sure, they are really getting their governance right in Osun. But, I know the people are waiting for a change. I know that in 2014, the state almost get out of their hands. So, far the issue of whom their candidate will be, the fallout from the Adeleke camp, the Omisore camp and a number of stakeholders in Osun has not been fully settled. So, people are looking out for a change. I have a feeling that the failure at the centre, the failure in Osun State, is killing the poor people. All that we need in PDP is to vote a good candidate.

     

  • Ondo APC exco rejects acting chairman

    Ondo APC exco rejects acting chairman

    Fifteen executive members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have kicked against the appointment of the party’s Deputy State Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, as the acting state chairman by APC’s national secretariat.

    They called for the withdrawal of the letter appointing Adetimehin to avoid a crisis within the ruling party.

    In a letter to the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, with copies to President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the committee described the unilateral appointment by the national chairman as unconstitutional.

    Among signatories to the petition are: Gboyega Adedipe, Lawrence Ogunmoyero, Bobade Omolade, S. B. Ogedengbe, Mrs Toyin Ajinde, Asani, who are party executive members.

    The letter confirming Adetimehin as Ondo State APC’s acting chairman was issued from the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, which accorded him the right to lead the party in the state.

    But the aggrieved party executives said: “We have carefully perused the letter of appointment at the meeting we held yesterday (December 5) and have resolved to react to the correspondence.

    “During the state congress of our party in 2014, the State Chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, was the only officer elected. All other state officers were elected by consensus.

    “All steps leading to the unlawful take-over of the party’s secretariat by a section of party officers with the connivance of the ‘powers that be’ are contrary to the spirit and letter of the party’s constitution.

    “The required authority and quorum for convening meetings and removing officers of the party were not met and the unlawful take-over of the party’s secretariat by a section of the party is a subject of formal complaint to the Southwest Zonal Executive, which has set up a committee to look into the issue.”

    Already, the committee was said to have visited Ondo State and its report was being awaited.

    The aggrieved party supporters said they were dissatisfied with the manner the national secretariat had been handling affairs of the party in the state.

    They said a case at the instance of some aggrieved party officers challenging the unlawful and illegal destabilisation of the party was pending at the Federal High Court in Akure.

    The petition reads: “There is nowhere in the Constitution of the APC 2014, as amended, is the National Chairman of our party empowered to unilaterally remove or appoint an officer for the party in the state.

    “In fact, even the National Working Committee (NCW) cannot do so, except in exercise of its appellate jurisdiction. The power of the NWC is limited to the dissolution of an organ and the constitution of a caretaker committee.

  • Interswitch appoints new chairman

    Interswitch appoints new chairman

    Interswitch, an integrated digital payments and commerce company, has announced the appointment of Kenneth Olisa as its new chairman, succeeding Adedotun Sulaiman.

    According to a statement by the company, the appointment follows the recent minority investment by TA Associates in Interswitch in March of this year. Helios Investment Partners, which invested in the company in 2011, is the majority shareholder of the company.

    Olisa is a British businessman with a career in technology that commenced at IBM and spans well over 40 years. He founded and led the technology merchant bank Interregnum and is also the founder and chairman of Restoration Partners, an independent boutique technology merchant bank, reputed as architects of the virtual technology cluster model.  He is currently a director of Thomson Reuters.

    In 2015, he became the first black Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London having been appointed, by Her Majesty the Queen.

    The Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, Interswitch, Mitchell Elegbe, was quoted as saying, “Ken’s inspiring business leadership, vast experience and professional expertise will be great assets to Interswitch as he comes on board as chairman at a defining phase in our journey of transformation and international expansion.