The Nation Newspaper

Tag: crisis

  • Crisis over legislative aides persists

    •Members reject Melaye’s brother

    Legislative aides of Senators and members of House of Representatives, under the aegis of National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum (NASSLAF) at the weekend, rejected Mr. Sam Melaye as their chairman.

    Sam Melaye, younger brother to Senator Dino Melaye, was said to have been foisted on the forum as chairman by the leadership of the National Assembly.

    Members vowed that the younger Melaye, who allegedly did not contest any election, cannot lead them when their constitution is clear about how their leaders should emerge.

    The forum, in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Yusuf Bamidele, said allowing Melaye to lead them would also amount to violation of zoning in its constitution.

    The statement said Melaye hails from North Central where outgoing Chairman Mahmood Muhammed is from.

  • How to resolve zoning crisis in PDP, by Ogunlewe

    How to resolve zoning crisis in PDP, by Ogunlewe

    Former Minister of Works and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, is not happy with developments in his party. In this interview with EMMUANUEL OLADESU, he explains why the party should zone the National Chairman to the Southwest.

    What does the proposed convention portend for the PDP?

    If the convention is properly managed, it is going to be peaceful. But, if it is not well managed, it may divide the party and perhaps destroy it. We must not repeat the mistakes of 2014 when some of our members walked out of the convention. They went to a private place to hold their own convention. In this dispensation, the convention must be free and fair. It should be all inclusive. There should be no predetermined script, to sideline some people. This will be very dangerous for the party.

    But, you have the secretary and publicity secretary zoned to the Southwest…

     It is the secretary and the chairman of the party that have been zoned to the North. But, what we are saying is that we should sustain a zoning arrangement that every Nigerian will understand. That is, if the presidency goes to the North, the chairman of the party comes to the South. It must move either way and must be done in such a way to entrench harmony, otherwise there will be problem.

    Why is the Southwest divided on this issue?

    That is what I don’t understand. It is the selfish interest of some individuals. I don’t know why they believe that we don’t deserve the chairmanship of the party?  They are undermining our people with such a position. The late Adisa Akinloye was the chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN). What this implies is that we have competent people. But now, it is like asking if there are people in the Southwest that are credible enough to be the chairman of the party. I think it is reasonable for the Southwest to get the chairman. The chairmanship of a political party has nothing to do with elections. Winning elections are based on the calibre of candidates presented for the offices. It is in view of the pedigree of the person presented, they vote for such candidate. All we need to do is to present a candidate with reputation, to carry every Nigerian along. This has nothing to do with the northern acceptance or not. People will support PDP, if the candidate is appropriate. So, the chairmanship of the party has nothing to do with government. When Adamu Mu’azu was the chairman of the party during the last election, so why didn’t we win in the North? So, saying that zoning the party to the North will make the northerners to like the party does not hold water. It is the candidate that determines the success during elections.

    Will this not further divide the Southwest?

    What we are saying is that they should give it to the South. If the Southwest does not like it, it goes to the Southsouth or the Southeast. I am not saying it must be Southwest, I am just saying that it must be South. Whoever is interested in South should come out. We have prominent people in the South that can come out. It should be zoned to the South, so that we can feel that we are part of the party.

    Are you endorsing Bode George for the position of the chairman…

    No, our gathering for the Southwest Elders Council meeting is a southern agenda. They will not name any person, are you saying that if it is zoned to the South, they will name a particular person? So, zone it to the Southwest, the Southsouth or the Southeast, that is what we are saying. If you want to include Bode George fine, as long as it is the South it is okay.

    What is the assurance that your party will not hold a parallel convention?

    If they don’t listen to the South, it is evident that a parallel convention will take place. Certainly, we will never accept that the chairman should go to the North. It is not possible because the same party has conceded the presidency to the North. How do you now concede the chairmanship of the party to the North again? What are we going to tell our people? We are going to be discouraged about it. The South should present chairman, just as in the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Chairmqan. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is from the South. We have somebody like Tom Ikimi, let him be the chairman of the party; we also have Peter Odili. There are prominent people that can be the chairman of the party. We have Emmanuel Uduaghan, Liyel Imoke, Donald Duke and so on. These are people that have been part of government before. They have been governors before; we have many of them in the South and any of them can be the chairman of the party.

    Is this crisis beyond resolution?

    The resolution is zoning the chairman to the South. If you don’t want trouble, zone it to the South. But, if you zone it to the North, you are destroying the party.

    How would you accommodate prominent members from the Southwest, who do not agree with your idea?

    That is why they need to reflect on the matter because the North cannot have the two positions. Which other party has ever done that? It is very unreasonable. So, what are we going to tell our people in the South? That they will not have the presidency or the chairman?  So, what will they have then? It is not a Southwest issue; the South must present the chairman of the party. If you don’t want to give it to the Southwest, give it to the Southsouth or the Southeast. If you believe that there are no southern candidates for the chairmanship position, then you are wrong.   

  • PDP crisis deepens over congresses in Anambra

    PDP crisis deepens over congresses in Anambra

    The crisis tearing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP apart in Anambra state is yet to abate, as different groups sing discordant tones over the botched ward congresses at the weekend.

    While the chairman of the party in the state, Ejike Oguebego who addressed reporters on Sunday, said the congress did not hold anywhere in the state, some of the opposition members said it held.

    The chairman of the eleven man congress committee, Hon. Ladi Edun was said to have absconded leaving behind the other members of the committee in Awka, Anambra state.

    The Nation gathered Monday that the two senators representing the state, Stella Oduah and Andy Uba are in the same camp, while Senator Annie Okonkwo and Chief Chris Uba are in the other camp.

    It was also gathered that the national publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh is also fighting in favour of the two senators while former Governor, Peter Obi is sitting on the fence.

    Furthermore, it was gathered that Edun made away with the electoral materials to please his sponsors, while the members of his committee and PDP members who had come out for the exercise were left stranded in the state.

    As at the time of filling this report yesterday, the congress committee chairman’s line was not going to ascertain the reason behind his action.

    But a senior member of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who spoke with The Nation in Awka Monday, said the commission did not monitor any congress in the state.

    The INEC officer, who spoke in confidence, said they were tired of the antics of PDP in Anambra state, adding that the commission was ready to monitor their congress anytime it was fixed.

    However, PDP state chairman, Oguebego called the national leadership of the party led by Alhaji Bunu Sheriff to send another person to conduct the congress in the state.

    He said the members of the party were ready for the exercise, as they equally came out in their numbers last weekend without success.

    Oguebego, however appealed to the members to be law abiding, adding that they should not do anything that could ridicule the party.

     

  • Zoning crisis hits PDP

    Zoning crisis hits PDP

    A crisis is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the zoning of the presidency and the national chairman to the North. Prominent Southwest chieftains, who have rejected the zoning formula, have warned that the opposition party risks a parallel national convention. Moves to resolve the logjam have hit the rock, following the ratification of the zoning arrangement by the National Executive Committee (NEC). Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the tragedy of an opposition party that has failed to put its house in order.

    Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has an axe to grind with Senator Modu Sheriff and other members of the National Executive Committee (NEC). The bone of contention is the zoning of the national chairmanship to the North, contrary to the popular understanding that, once the presidency is zoned to the North, the chairmanship should be go to the South. The Southwest’s hope for the position may have been dashed with the zoning of the National Secretary and National Publicity Secretary to the region.

    The PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, has thrown its weight behind the zoning formula. Also, there are indications that the National Working Committee (NWC) will follow suit, although there are still discordant tunes in the Board of Trustees (BoT). Sheriff has been traversing the country to reconcile the divisive interests, but without success.

    Few months ago, the Ekweremadu Committee recommended that, for the PDP to bounce back to power in 2019, it should zone the Presidency to the North. Party chieftains across the six zones did not raise eyebrow because of the feeling that the PDP’s refusal to field a presidential candidate from the region in last year’s election contributed to its electoral misfortune. But, the Southwest is objecting to the zoning of the two slots to one zone. In the view of Southwest elders, led by the former national deputy chairman, Chief Olabode George, the move smacked of injustice. They have vowed to resist what they have described as marginalisation, politics of exclusion and impunity.

    George, who warned that the party may not be able to avert a parallel convention, said the conflict may further weakened the platform. “A divided house is a defeated house,” he said.

    According to observers, the PDP is addicted to crisis. From its inception in 1998, the party has been moving from one crisis to another. This is underscored by its lack of leadership stability. In 17 years, the PDP has produced eight national chairmen and three acting chairmen. The leadership crisis was carried over to last year’s election. The former chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, was forced to resign, shortly before the polls. His successor, former Bauchi State Governor Adamu Muazu, was also forced to resign, following the party’s poor showing at the general elections.

    After Muazu’s exit, PDP was engulfed by succession crisis. The Southeast, which produced Muazu, stood its ground that it should produce his successor. Up came aspirants Wilberforce Junta, Abba Gana and other paper weight contenders. None of them was picked. Instead, PDP governors settled for a defector from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State. Consequently, hell was let loose. Many rejected his selection, saying that he was imposed by governors to execute a hidden agenda.

    However, Sheriff, a shrewd politician, moved swiftly. At the meeting of the NWC, he made a passionate appeal to the stakeholders, promising to turn the party around. He also promised to vacate office as the acting chairman after the convention. His promise to bow out calmed down the nerves of the party leaders, who gave him a cautious benefit of doubt.

    These party leaders, most especially from the Southwest, were taken aback when the NEC unfolded plans to zone the chairman to the North. They believe the zoning plan was concocted by pro-Sheriff forces to enable him perpetuate himself in office.  At the meeting of the PDP Governors’ Forum held two weeks ago, the governors insisted that the chairman should come from the North, despite pleadings by its Mimiko. According to sources, it was resolved at the meeting in Abuja that the PDP, which has already zoned the presidency to the North,  could only consider the bid of the Southwest for the position next year, ahead of the 2019 elections.

    It is not certain whether the aggrieved chieftains will be pacified by the option. At the meeting of the Southwest PDP Elders’ Forum in Lagos, George, former Works Minister Senator Seye Ogunlewe, Board of Trustees (BoT) member Senator Bode Olajumoke, former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Oloye Jumoke Akinjide and former House of Representatives Majority Leader Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande, said unless the zoning arrangement is reversed, the future of the party may be in jeopardy.

    But, it appears that there is disunity in the zone over zoning. The zoning formula enjoys the support of Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, Senator Buruji Kashamu, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and five out of the six state chairmen in the Southwest. Few weeks ago, the pro-Sheriff’s supporters from the Southwest stormed the PDP secretariat, Abuja, to demonstrate their support for the acting chairman. They reiterated the Southwest’s determination to concede the chairmanship to the North, based on the fact that the North needs the position to revive its dead chapters.

    Their visit to Abuja generated controversy. It was alleged the group supported the zoning of the two topmost positions to the North to clear the way for Fayose’s vice presidential aspiration, an allegation the governor has denied.

    In a fit of anger, George chided the Kashamu group, saying that it has committed a cultural treason. He said Yoruba will no longer play the second fiddle in the PDP. “Those who went to Abuja to compromise Yoruba interest are traitors,” he fumed.

    The BoT member was not alone. Other chieftains were bitter. At the meeting were former Sports and Special Duties Minister Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, former Osun State Deputy Governor Olusola Obada, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, former presidential spokesman Dr. Doyin Okupe, Senator Adefemi Kila, Lagos PDP Chairman Capt. Tunji Shelle, Ambassador Dare Bejide, Senator Segun Bamigbetan, Senator Ogunwale, Alhaji Hafiz Gbolarunmi, Chief Ladosu Ladipo and Chief Joju Fadairo from Ogun State. Others are former Lagos PDP Women Leader Mrs. Onikepo Oshodi, former Minister of State for Agriculture Chief Remi Awotirebo, former Minister of Regional Integration Dr. Bimbo Ogunkelu, former Acting national Secretary Dr. Remi Akitoye, Prince Nekan Olateru-Olagbegi, Chief Jide Adeniji, Chief Soboyeje, Jelili Amusan, Mrs. Kikelomo Olugbemi, Mrs. Kudirat Obayan, and Hon. Tajudeen Agoro.

    George, the convener of the meeting, saidSheriff should vacate office after the convention because, as he put it, “the midwife cannot transform into the new born baby.” Urging Yoruba to assert themselves in the PDP, he said: “The die is cast.” Besides, George said that, if Sheriff is a man of honour, he should honour his promise to bow out at the convention.

    A party elder from Osun, Babatope, lamented that those supporting zoning to the North in the Southwest are not playing a politics of principle. “We will not allow ragamuffins to tamper with Yoruba interest in the PDP and Nigeria, he said. Stressing that the Southwest’s agitation for the chairmanship is legitimate, the former Minister of Transport and Aviation said there are credible chieftains from the region who can play the role and lead the party to victory in future elections.

    He also justified the agitation, based on the fact that, since 1998, no Yoruba has served as PDP chairman. “We want to come back to power. The party needs a strong and credible leadership. We believe that it is when we have a credible leadership that we can achieve victory. The Southwest can produce a credible national chairman for the PDP, “ he stressed.

    However, prominent PDP leaders from Lagos have reiterated their quest for zoning to the region. George, Lagos PDP Chairman Capt. Tunji Shelle (rtd) and Publicity Secretary Gani Taofeek said the clamour for the national chairmanship enjoyed the support of the majority in the Southwest.

    George dismissed the insinuation that he supported the clamour because he has chairmanship ambition. The retired soldier told reporters in Lagos that he was only supporting the cause of justice and truth, adding that Sheriff should also honour his promise to hand over to an elected chairman at the convention.

    What is worrisome to Olajumoke is the lack of unity in Yorubaland. He said since there are discordant tunes in the PDP over zoning, the Southwest should have taken a common position. He lamented that the PDP is disturbing itself at a time Nigerians are warming up to it as an alternative to the APC government. Olajumoke added: “There are discordant tunes in the PDP and the BoT. Southwest PDP owe it a duty to the entire zones to give leadership. Prof. Tunde Adeniran was saying that we are not even playing the second or third fiddle again; that we are not playing any fiddle, not to talk of a second fiddle.”

    Okupe, who agreed with the BoT member, also vent his anger at the party. He observed that, since the PDP was formed in 1998, no Yoruba has served as its national chairman. This, he said, is disgraceful. He, therefore, chided those opposing zoning to the Southwest, saying that they are bastards.  In fact, Okupe noted that the Southwest has been marginalised by the PDP, recalling that, under the Jonathan administration, the region was excluded from political appointments.

    Okupe said: “The Jonathan government did not have respect for Yoruba. It marginalised the Yoruba. The marginalisaton started under the regime. Yoruba was to the House of Representatives Speaker. They turned it down. Yoruba had no position from number one to six. Even, if we were number 6, it was not right. We were not number six, seven, eight and nine. It is not a laughing matter. We are not slaves to other zones.”

    He added: “Since the party begun, when the president came from the North, the chairman came from the South. The time to resist the injustice is now. They want the North to take the chairman till 2018. They are saying that, in 2018, the North will leave it and take the Presidency. Is Yoruba only entitled to the bones of the meat? Yoruba is not a slave to anybody. We have bastards in Yoruba. But, we will not allow them to destroy the destiny of Yoruba.”

    Ogunlewe, who also expressed disgust, nodded affirmatively. He said: “The Southwest scored first in many areas of endeavour. Who is saying that we are not entitled to the chairmanship of the PDP? We are qualified like other zones. It is totally unacceptable. We have economic power, the population and the resolution of our people.”

    Shelle, who dissociated himself from the factional Southwest delegation to Sheriff, said it is unjust to deny the region the position, 17 years after the party came into existence. He said committed Southwest chieftains will continue to press for the position, the release of the zoning arrangement notwithstanding. Echoing him, Taofeek said the Southwest is one of the PDP’s strongholds, adding: “It is a misfire for those supporting candidates outside the Southwest. That some Southwest members are supporting candidates outside the zone is not the decision of all. It is a sectional decision. It is a personal decision. It is not general.”

    In the view of Akinjide, the Southwest PDP is suffering from lack of an arrowhead. She said the lack of leadership has made consensus impossible. The former minister, however, expressed joy that George has become a rallying point. Flaying the pro-Sheriff forces, she said: Akinjide said: “I was surprised when I saw people in the television saying that the Southwest does not need the chairmanship. Why should some people have the audacity to renounce something that belongs to us without consultation and authority? Today, that impunity comes to an end. The Southwest will not sell its birthright to anybody. We are a proud and strong voice in the PDP.”

    A party chieftain from Osun, Ladosun Ladipo, said the zoning arrangement will not work. He suggested that the convention should be postponed. In his view, the restructuring of the party is more important than the convention. He maintained that the PDP can only avert future electoral misfortune, if the party is reformed. Ladipo described the party as a party of few oppressors lording it over the majority. He said many PDP leaders are self-centred.

    Ladipo, who sought to rule Osun State in 1990, said: “We must restructure the PDP. The PDP is not a party now. It is more or less a cash and carry party. Some leaders are self-centred. They don’t carry the grassroots along. This will always lead to disagreement. Many people in the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP) and the Accord Party (AP) are disgruntled and they want to come to the PDP. But, we are not providing an enabling environment for them.”Urging the party to postpone its convention, he added: “The officers should have interim status, pending the restructuring of the party. If we continue like this, many will desert the PDP and there will be no new entrants.”

    A party insider said Sheriff is working hard for the amicable resolution of the crisis. Also, the PDP Governors’ Forum is backing his push for reconciliation. Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, who reflected on the preparation for the convention, assured that the exercise will be devoid of rancour. He disputed the claim by the Southwest chieftains that the zoning formula adopted for the distribution of party positions did not reflect equity, justice and fair play.

    Emmanuel, who chairs the Zoning Committee of the party, said the best interest of the party will be served by the steps taken by the committee.  He ruled out any crisis in the PDP, saying there will be no parallel convention. He explained that the zoning committee recommended that the chairman should come from the North, based on the state of the party and prevailing reality. The governor assured that the conflict will be resolved before the May 21 convention in the interest of the party. However, he warned that the PDP “will not allow selfish interest and sentiments to derail our plan for the PDP.”

  • Kogi heads for Supreme Court over assembly crisis

    Kogi heads for Supreme Court over assembly crisis

    •Sues National Assembly, AGF 

    Kogi State government has sought the intervention of the Supreme Court in the resolution of the crisis in the House of Assembly.

    It, in a suit filed on April 29, sought among others, an order nullifying the March 9 resolution of the House of Representatives to take over the legislative functions of the assembly.

    The suit marked: SC.340/2016, filed in the names of the Attorney-General and House of Assembly, has as defendants, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the National Assembly.

    The plaintiffs said in their statement of claim that “the factional disagreement” between members of the House of Assembly was normal in a democracy.

    They said the crisis started on February 16, following a disagreement between two factions in the House of Assembly over the Speaker position.

    The plaintiffs noted that in the wake of the disagreement, a faction of the members of the House of Assembly filed the suit, FHC/LKJ/CS/16/16 (Kogi State House of Assembly & 3 Ors V National Assembly & 2 Ors.

    They said while the suit was pending, the House of Representatives invoked its power under Section 11(4) of the Constitution to take over the functions of the House of Assembly.

    The plaintiffs said the House of Representatives declared the impeachment proceedings embarked on by five members of the House of Assembly for the removal of the Speaker, as violating Section 92(c) of the Constitution.

    They noted that the lower legislative chamber of the National Assembly also condemned the roles played by the police in providing cover for only five members of the 20 members of the House of Assembly “to commit illegalities”.

    The plaintiffs argued that the said “disagreement” between the factions in the House of Assembly did not create any “adverse security situation” in the state.

    They added that “there is no security report by the Kwara State Governor, the police or any security agency in the country that the disagreement among members of Kogi State House of Assembly caused insecurity and danger to public safety in the state.

    “At all times material to the passage of the resolution of the National Assembly to take over Kogi State House of Assembly, Kogi State is calm and peaceful, as citizens go about their lawful business,” the plaintiffs said.

    They urged the apex court to declare that the House of Representatives’ resolution was passed in breach of Section 11(4) of the constitution.

    The plaintiffs are also seeking the following prayers:

    • A declaration that the resolution of the House of Representatives on March 9, which purportedly took over the legislative functions of the Kogi State House of Assembly, is passed in breach of Section 11(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
    • An order of perpetual injunction restraining the National Assembly from interfering with or take over the legislative functions of Kogi State House of Assembly based on the resolution of the House of Representatives passed on March 9.

    None of the defendants has responded.  No date has been fixed for hearing.

  • AGF and Kogi crisis

    •The Chief Law Officer should obey the principle of separation of power

    The Attorney-General of the Federation, Alhaji Abubakar Mallami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has once again taken an action deemed to violate provisions of the constitution, and thus drawn the ire of members of the House of Representatives.

    Following the division in the Kogi State House of Assembly and its inability to conduct the law-making responsibility in accordance with the law, the House of Representatives sent a 10-member panel to investigate the impasse and advise the House on what should be done. The panel recommended that, in line with section 11 of the constitution, the House of Representatives should take over the law making function of the state assembly in the interest of good governance.

    Further, the House directed the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, to seal off the House of Assembly Complex to forestall a breakdown of law and order as two factions of members were in open conflict.

    All attempts previously made by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and stakeholders to resolve the crisis failed. A faction loyal to Momoh Jimoh Lawal and believed to be sympathetic to the cause of James Faleke, a Representative comprises a majority of 15 of the existing 20 members. The members have however been barred from gaining access to the chamber. However, five members believed to be loyal to Governor Yahaya Bello purportedly impeached the Speaker and has been encouraged to make laws for the state.

    The political undertone is understandable, but not the intervention of the AGF in instructing the Inspector-General of Police to ignore the National Assembly’s resolution. The AGF based his position on the provision of section 11 of the constitution. The senior lawyer said the constitution only envisages a take-over when there is violence in the state.

    It is curious that the AGF volunteered his opinion uninvited on the matter. Neither the House of Representatives nor the IGP had sought his counsel. This suggests that there is more to the unsolicited legal opinion. The National Assembly has taken a strong exception to the interference and directed a 22-member ad hoc committee to look into the matter, interface with the AGF and the IGP and report to the House.

    The constitution envisages that knowledgeable, experienced and sober senior members of the Bar should hold the office of the AGF. He is not only the Chief Law Officer; he is also the legal adviser to the President. He is the Minister of Justice and is expected to put the interest of the country and professionalism above partisan consideration. This does not seem to have been the case in the Kogi logjam.

    When the crisis erupted last year, the AGF was quick to offer an opinion on what should be the line of action in deciding who should be candidate of the APC in the concluding part of the election. Despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having a legal department and referring critical matters to a consortium of senior lawyers, the AGF controversially literally gave an order that enabled the APC shove aside the running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu, picking rather Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

    We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution his AGF. He should be told to act within the confines of the law and the powers of his office. At a time when there appears to be tension between the executive and legislative arms of government, the AGF should not be seen as taking actions to denigrate the lawmakers. Besides, we reiterate our position that the office of AGF should be separated from that of the Minister of Justice. As a member of the President’s cabinet, the minister might feel drawn into political consideration. The Kogi impasse should attract the attention of all men of goodwill who accept that the primary purpose of government is promotion of the welfare of the people and security of lives. The Kogi people deserve more than the AGF is offering.

  • NFF crisis

    NFF crisis

    •The football house must clean up its act

    Once again, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) finds itself enmeshed in a crisis which tears at the very fabric of the country’s most popular sport. The latest calamity was apparently triggered by a Jos High Court’s relisting of a 2014 judgment purportedly sacking the current NFF board led by Mr. Amaju Pinnick in favour of Mr. Chris Giwa who opposed the elections which brought Pinnick to office.

    This mess has all the ingredients of similar calamities which have troubled the federation in the past, including those of 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. There is the contentious nature of NFF statutes on the eligibility of candidates and the proper procedures for the calling of congresses and elections. Added to this is continual interference from individuals outside the NFF, especially political heads of the sports ministry, and the persistent tendency for aggrieved persons to take NFF-related issues to court in spite of well-known strictures to the contrary enunciated by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), football’s global regulatory body.

    The consequences have been terrible for the Nigerian game. Administrative instability has hampered preparations for international competitions, aggravated the non-payment of salaries and allowances to coaches, backroom staff and players, and ultimately resulted in a sharp decline in the performance of the country’s national teams. The men’s senior squad, the Super Eagles, is currently ranked 67th in the world, behind countries like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Cape Verde and Northern Ireland. It recently failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the second successive time.

    In response to the latest crisis, the NFF held an Extraordinary General Assembly at which Pinnick’s position as President was reaffirmed; Giwa and others were referred to the Federation’s Disciplinary Board for sundry infractions. FIFA has also come out with its customary warning of a total football ban if the Jos court’s decision is allowed to stand. Giwa has reacted with characteristic defiance and is threatening to file contempt of court charges against the NFF.

    It is surprising that the NFF is yet to put its house in order after so many repeated crises over the years. There has been little attempt to ensure that elections to the federation’s board are not subject to external meddling, primordial considerations and money. Successive ministers of sport keep getting entangled in NFF politics despite solemn promises not to become “Ministers of Football.” FIFA’s repeated interventions, well-meaning though they might be, often give embattled NFF boards the licence to act in defiance of the Federal Government. Competing factions heighten tensions by resorting to inflammatory speeches and thuggish behaviour.

    If order and stability are to be restored to the house of football, the rule of law must become the only measure for the conduct of the NFF’s affairs. It is said that the contentious Decree 101 still distorts the relationship between the NFF and the sports ministry; it should be dealt with once and for all. Government’s overwhelming influence in the selection of NFF presidents must also be eliminated so that the federation can become a truly autonomous body. That would also mean a significant reduction in government allocations to the federation: the NFF cannot be dependent on public funding only to claim total independence of government when it suits it.

    NFF board members who breach the rules should be properly sanctioned with temporary or permanent bans in order to eliminate their nuisance value. The current situation in which individuals continually disrupt the activities of the federation whenever they wish simply cannot continue.

    Football is Nigeria’s pre-eminent national sport. Those who seek to administer it on behalf of the citizenry can no longer continue to engage in shows of shame which dishonour the game and demean those who so passionately support it.

  • Budget 2016 crisis rages on

    Budget 2016 crisis rages on

    Lagos-Calabar rail project ‘not included’

    Talks open to avert showdown

    The row over the budget is deepening.

    House of Representatives Appropriation Committee Chairman Abdulmumin Jibrin reacted angrily yesterday to the report that President Muhammadu Buhari was stopped by ministers from signing the 2016 Appropriation Bill because of its “mutilation” by lawmakers.

    The lawmakers were accused of removing crucial capital projects from the document and inserting some items not originally included.  But Jubrin (APC Kano State), took to twitter to denounce the executive for the report. He exonerated the lawmakers from any wrong doing.

    He said in a series of tweets:  ”The Lagos-Calabar Rail was never included (in the budget estimates). How could NASS (National Assembly) have removed what was not there? But the nation is being misled.

    “All they and those spreading the false information needed to have done is check the initial document sent by the Executive.

    “The Executive seems to favour a top-down approach. But this is not enough reason to mislead Nigerians on the role of NASS on the budget.

    “I actually find it shocking that even some national dailies made the removal (of Lagos-Calabar railway project) their headlines. A little research would have helped. This is unfortunate as it is quite clear to all and sundry that 2016 Budget and all its headaches and controversies didn’t emanate from NASS. The NASS has always been on the receiving end of bad press. This is being capitalised on in the conversations on the budget.

    “Take the budget of the Ministry of Transportation, which was overshot by N54b. That is, by the time you add up the items on the ministry’s budget, you would still have a gap of N54 billion. The money was lying there without being allocated. NASS has a responsibility and it did the right thing. We added N39.7billion (from the unallocated N54 billion) to the Lagos-Kano Rail project. This will help complete the project once and for all.”

    Jibrin noted that N10 billion of the unallocated fund was added to aviation sector’s budget to provide airport navigation system and security apparatus. The balance, he said, was allocated to Baro Ports for its completion and equipping. “Baro Port is strategic to our economic development,” he tweeted.

    The House Appropriation Committee chairman said the National Assembly found the budget of Ministry of Health as most controversial, criticising Minister Isaac Adewole for denying the ministry’s budget after it was represented by the executive.

    He also accused the executive of discarding the input made to the 2016 Budget by the National Assembly, saying: “Some of our input, including special intervention for rural agriculture, payment of pension arrears, Rural Community Light project, special intervention for the Solid Mineral sector, special programmes for women, payment of debt owed local contractors, and another N50 billion for special training on Entrepreneurship for students of tertiary institutions pre-graduation, were discarded.

    “These points are being noted because of the reports in some of today’s (yesterday) papers. Not to mention the fact that the Executive has not come out to disown the false reports flying around. (Journalists) would have done better with a little more research. We will come up with a comprehensive position, especially with respect to our observation of the budget and what we did to make it better.”

    On the issues relating to the Ministry of Health, he said it was not true that the money meant for vaccines and AIDS treatment in the budget was reallocated to the Code of Conduct Bureau. There was no allocation for vaccines, he said.

    “The Minister of Health came to deny the document that was presented to the NASS by the Executive for the second time. Much ado about vaccines that weren’t even there? The budget of the Ministry of Health was the most controversial.

    The Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Abdulrasak Namdaz, said:

    “What we did in respect of the budget was in good faith. We share in the vision and mission of the President. That was why we passed the supplementary budget in record time without hitches

    “This is the first time both the President and ourselves are working together. We will not do anything to delay the thinking of the President. We will get to understand ourselves later

    “I pray that Nigerians will understand that we are working for the same people that elected us. When you have a budget, certain things will be added and others removed.  That does not mean it is done in bad faith.”

    The National Assembly gave the details of the budget to the Executive last Thursday after which an emergency meeting of the Federal Executive Council was called on Friday to properly scrutinise the document where it was found out that the lawmakers removed some key components of the government’s policy plank and inserted some items not included by the executive.

    Among the items removed is the legacy Coastal railway Calabar-Lagos project, whose N60 billion counterpart funding had been paid. The project is also one of the reasons President Muhammadu Buhari is in China on a week-long visit.

    The votes for the completion of the Idu-Kaduna rail project was cut by N8.7billion. Proposals for the funding of essential drugs for major health campaigns against AIDS and Polio were said to have been removed.

    There was diversion to rural health facilities and boreholes for which provisions were not made. Allocations for projects under agriculture and water resources were either removed or slashed.

  • TB crisis

    •We cannot afford the tragedies

    March 24 was World Tuberculosis Day, and it was appropriate that the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, took advantage of the occasion to highlight the scope of the country’s tuberculosis (TB) crisis. He said at an event organised to mark the day in Abuja: “Today, tuberculosis remains an epidemic in different parts of the world, leading to annual deaths of nearly 1.5 million people, mostly in developing countries. In Nigeria, it is estimated that we record quite close to 250,000 deaths every year.” In addition, Adewole stated that among the 22 countries that accounted for 80 percent of TB cases, Nigeria was number four, coming behind India, Indonesia and China.

    This year’s World TB Day theme “Unite to End TB” is a call for increased cooperation against the disease, which is considered a global public health issue. Disturbingly, Adewole observed that a 2015 health report indicated that of the estimated 9.6 million TB cases worldwide, only six million cases had been detected, and an estimated 3.6 million cases were either undiagnosed or diagnosed but unreported.

    More alarmingly, the minister was quoted as saying: “Of this group, Nigeria accounts for 15 per cent of the gap in TB case notification. The implication is that one out of six cases of TB is only detected and five out of six roam around undetected. In other words, everybody is not safe.”

    This depiction is not exaggerated. The danger posed by TB is not overstated. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), TB is “caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs…TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.”

    WHO further said: “When a person develops active TB (disease), the symptoms (cough, fever, night sweats, weight loss, etc.) may be mild for many months. This can lead to delays in seeking care, and results in transmission of the bacteria to others. People ill with TB can infect up to 10-15 other people through close contact over the course of a year. Without proper treatment up to two thirds of people ill with TB will die.”

    The phenomenal figure of fatalities connected with TB in Nigeria calls for an urgent intervention by the health authorities. There is a need for the country’s health officials to intensify TB public awareness efforts. It is noteworthy that Adewole noted important focus areas in the anti-TB campaign, particularly the emergence of drug-resistant TB and its impact on the country’s control efforts as well as the negative effect of the interaction between TB and HIV. He stated: “Of the 250,000 TB death cases recorded, one-third have HIV infection.”

    It is a cause for concern that the country’s TB battle is hampered by funding. The minister said: “For instance in 2015, only 32 per cent of the $228m required was released, leaving a funding gap of $155m.” It goes without saying that this huge difference between required funds and received funds is a huge reason the TB burden is so huge in Nigeria.

    It is reassuring that Adewole said that funding for the control of TB was appropriated in the 2016 budget. However, it should be stressed that his ministry must ensure that the budgeted funds are used appropriately.

    Even more reassuring is the minister’s promise for next year. Adewole said: “In the 2017 budget, I promise you that we shall increase our funding support for tuberculosis.” The idea of uniting to end TB, which is the message of World TB Day 2016, means that governments, communities, civil society, and the private sector should all be involved in the fight against TB.

  • No crisis in Kogi State – Governor

    No crisis in Kogi State – Governor

    The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on Wednesday said that there is no crisis in the House of Assembly and the state in general.

    He made the remark while speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the House of Assembly is sitting and all legislative works are ongoing.

    Ruling out crisis in the state, he said: “My house is sitting and we have absolute peace in Kogi state, I am not aware of that.  The National Assembly was supposed to have taken over, the state is absolutely in peace and the legislative activities are ongoing.

    “I am the executive and the executive is functioning and we are doing the best we can, so legislature is their own business and they are on it.

    “I have a speaker that is sitting right now. So I don’t know if there is any problem there.” He added

    On the application for bail-out funds for his state, he said: “We applied for it and its under processing right now I have not gotten any bail-out yet.

    “Well I think to the best of my knowledge, the last administration either did not go on with the process properly, we are now to trying to correct whatever was not done properly, so that we can access it for our people.”

    He urged the people of his state to remain calm, noting that the state has suffered for a long time.

    “This is not the time for political crisis. This is the time to work and I am here to work. I am not here to have any political fuss with anybody; whoever is ready should join me and let’s fix Kogi state,” he stated.