The Nation Newspaper

Tag: desperate

  • Danger as PDP gets desperate

    SIR: Nigerians should gird their loins for the danger ahead as PDP leaders get desperate over next month’s Presidential elections. There is total disquiet and confusion in the House of PDP as events of February draw near. A party that says it will rule Nigeria for 60years is now gasping for breath and fighting for survival. How are the mighty fallen? The House called PDP is giving way gradually, it is going down gradually, it is collapsing systematically and it is sinking slowly.

    In Port-Harcourt during the flag off candidate Buhari’s campaigns, one person was feared dead and many others seriously injured when armed youths shot at vehicles moving supporters of APC to the venue. In Lagos PDP has been training thugs and arming them for the task ahead. Across the country stories of arm build up and training of thugs are filtering into the ears.

    General Buhari of 2003, 2007 and 2011 is no longer the same Buhari in 2015. Buhari in 2015 has become dynamite, an explosive, a game changer, a fortress, a smoking gun, an avatar, the numero uno, the political bulldozer, the caterpillar. Machine gun, a hurricane and a colossus. To ignore the GMB massive movement now is to play to the gallery, to dismiss his build up now is to tell a lie to yourself, and to set aside his potentials now is to be economical with the truth. Calculations, equations, permutations have changed and they are turning almost 360 degrees. It is a complete turn around. The momentum is there. The speed is there, the dynamism is there and the force is there also.

    As things stand APC needs to wake up to device ways to protect its members and teeming supporters. The potentially dangerous elements in PDP and their agents have nothing to give Nigeria now except agonies, tears and blood. Having decimated and desecrated a promising country, PDP is now ready to give Nigerians serpents instead of fishes, stones instead of bread and urine instead of water. 

    Now, what do you do a cook who cannot cook well? You sack him. What do you do to a teacher who cannot teach well? You sack the teacher. What do you do to a President who cannot lead his country very well? You vote him out!

    APC is not PDP and it can never be. Unless you vote in APC and try them for at least four years, you cannot do an objective comparison between APC and PDP. APC stands for good governance, national security, economic development, human capital development, land and resources development, active foreign policy. APC will fight impunity and abuse of power. APC will fight political irresponsibility of wealth without work and politics without principles.

    We have shed enough blood in this country and God forbid that we should travel that road again. Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State is relying on the Military and the Police to remain in power. PDP and its drivers are relying also on the powers of the Army and Police to remain in power at all cost. Can these vital and strategic institutions afford to fail Nigerians again in this election?

    • Joe Igbokwe

    Lagos

  • PDP desperate to win Rivers, Edo, says Odigie-Oyegun

    PDP desperate to win Rivers, Edo, says Odigie-Oyegun

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is desperate to win the governorship elections in Rivers and Edo states, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said.

    He also said the Southsouth and Southeast zones are notorious for massive rigging of elections in Nigeria.

    Odigie-Oyegun spoke yesterday at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Port Harcourt during the maiden meeting of the APC in the Southsouth zone, which had in attendance, Amaechi and his Edo State counterpart Adams Oshiomhole.

    He added that the mammoth crowd at Saturday’s mega rally, marking the 7th anniversary of the Supreme Court victory of Governor Rotimi Amaechi at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt confirmed that the Rivers governor controls the grassroots.

    The zonal meeting was also attended by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Segun Oni; the National Vice-Chairman, (Southsouth) Prince Hilliard Eta; a member of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva; members of the National Assembly and party officials from the zone.

    The national chairman of the APC condemned the mayhem in Delta State over Saturday’s local government elections.

    The Rivers governor called for unity among APC members. Oshiomhole lauded Amaechi for the success of his 7th anniversary and the massive crowd at the stadium.

    After the opening ceremonies, reporters were excused.

    The national chairman of APC, in his address, said: “For the Southsouth, this is perhaps even more crucial and more important than a lot of the other zones. In the Southsouth, we have the President of the nation (Dr. Goodluck Jonathan) and the National Chairman of the APC. So, there is already, from the very beginning, the challenge that we have before us, that we must prove something.

    “The challenges are obvious. The Southsouth is absolutely valuable to both the PDP and the APC, because the two states we control are the two states badly wanted by the leaders of the PDP and they will do whatever it takes to get these states (Edo and Rivers), but thank God, the two states are where we have governors that are charismatic and that have been able to very strongly relate with and identify with the people that they govern.

    “Like Governor Amaechi proved yesterday (on Saturday), nothing must be taken for granted. What happened yesterday (on Saturday) was to let everybody see that in case they have any doubt, after President Jonathan’s statement in Benin that the APC in Rivers State only existed on billboards and posters. It was necessary to do what happened yesterday (on Saturday), apart from celebrating the 7th anniversary that brought us this fortunate man, Governor Amaechi. The first challenge is that we (APC) must retain Edo and Rivers states.

    “Since the Southsouth and Southeast zones are the home of massive rigging, if the best cannot happen that we can get a few more states in the Southsouth zone, we must at the same time not allow the worst to happen. The worst being that we will become a kind of canon folder that the PDP leaders will use. We have clearly these challenges before us.

    “I wish to congratulate the Governor of Rivers State for proving the point yesterday (on Saturday) and making it clear to all concerned, about who controls the grassroots in Rivers state, with the large crowd at the stadium.”

    The APC’s national chairman said the burning of houses and confusion in Delta State over local government election was very unfortunate.

    He said: “We must praise the APC members in Delta State. The PDP leaders in Delta State are taking the APC leaders more seriously. It is really sad that the PDP members in Delta State yesterday (on Saturday) lost their sense of balance and started burning houses and destroying valuable property. The mayhem is condemnable.

    “Whatever the results that are finally written and announced, I want to say that we are quite pleased with the conduct of the APC members, who have shown that APC is fully on the ground in Delta State.”

    Odigie-Oyegun also admitted the lack of unity among the APC members in Delta and Akwa Ibom states, while urging the governors of Edo and Rivers to intervene.

    He said: “When we finally kill the elephant, there will be enough for everybody. No political party can be a one man party, no matter how strong that one man is.

    “There is need for compromise. The problem in these areas is that there has not been any genuine attempt at compromise. We need healthy and virile party. We should now take very seriously the issue of unity in the party, which will turn the elections in our favour.”

    The APC’s national chairman also urged members of the party in Rivers and Edo states to obtain their voter cards in order to vote out PDP and its candidates during the 2015 elections.

    He said: “A lot of lessons have been learnt. So much has gone wrong in other states and these are mistakes we cannot afford to allow to happen in the two states (Edo and Rivers). We need every vote that we can get. So, there should be massive mobilisation, particularly at the unit level.

    “We need quite a bit of funding too to get people from far distance to where they are supposed to get their permanent voter cards, because the N10 or N20 in the people’s pockets is very important.

    “Unless somebody is a dedicated person, he or she may not bother to spend such money in this hard time, just to go and get a permanent voter card.”

  • Be wary of desperate politicians, Aregbesola warns

    •’Walk to Live has reduced ill-health’

    The 14th edition of the monthly health programme of the Osun State government, Walk to Live, was held at the weekend in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area.

    The programme, which was the first this year, witnessed a large turnout of people.

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola urged the people to be wary of desperate politicians, who may want to buy their voter cards, as the governorship poll approaches.

    He urged them to come out en masse to vote for him on the Election Day.

    Aregbesola described 2014 as a crucial year for the state because of the election, adding that Osun cannot afford the decay it witnessed before the advent of his administration.

    He urged All Progressives Congress (APC) members to participate in the party registration scheduled to start at month end.

    Aregbesola warned the people against registering more than once when the registration of voters begins to avoid being disenfranchised.

    He said: “I urge you to troop out en masse to vote during the governorship election. 2014 is a crucial year for our state, as we cannot afford to go back to the Dark Age, when there was no infrastructure. We should all come out to vote, so that you can show them that our party’s victory in the last election was not a fluke.

    “We must ensure that our names are in the voter register. I advise those who would be registering for the first time to avoid double registration, so as not to be disenfranchised.”

    The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving the state and making life easier for the people.

    He said the reports of health managers showed that the programme has led to reduced cases of ill-health in hospitals.

    Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Special Needs Stephen Kola-Balogun said the programme sensitises the people on healthy living; provides an avenue for the governor and the people to interact and discuss the government’s programmes; as well as allow the people to make new demands.

    He said rather than look at the programme from a political perspective, its advantages should be emphasised.

    Kola-Balogun said: “Just like many other initiatives of this administration, including Gbangba Dekun, which have become large media events, the Walk to Live would continue to enjoy public support because of its uniqueness.

    “There is no way people would not celebrate the governor for his visionary and courageous leadership, as well as make new demands during the programme. The governor in return would make remarks that, no doub, would sound political. This, I think, is where elements of politicking come in. It was not part of the initial plan for the programme, but it became unavoidable at a point.”

    The three prominent monarchs in the area, the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olaniyan; the Elerin of Erin-Osun, Oba Yusuf Oyagbodun; and the Olufon of Ifon-Osun, Oba Almaruf Magbagbeola, prayed for the administration’s success.

    The Olobu urged the people to reelect Aregbesola, describing the governor as “the voice of the people, particularly the vulnerable”.

    Alfa Ganiyu Abisoye, the state coordinator of the Oranmiyan Group, said the walk has improved his health.

    Kazeem Lawal, a youth leader, said apart from playing football, the walk has made him cultivate the habit of trekking short distances.

    Folasade Bello said she has realised that walking is good for the health.

    Taofeek Shittu said the benefits of the exercise are “indescribable”.

    Commissioner for Health Temitope Ilori said her ministry provides ambulances for the programme and the sports ministry gives health tips.

    Commissioner for Information and Strategy Sunday Akere said the programme has put all commissioners, heads of parastals and ministries on their toes because the governor can easily see what is going on in communities during the walk.

    Commissioner for Finance, Economic Planning and Budget Wale Bolorunduro said it is always exciting for the governor, top government officials and the ordinary folks to walk together as a people.

    The Dean, Faculty of Education, Osun State University, Prof. Joseph Fawole, said regular physical exercise is the most effective means of staying healthy.

    He said: “I am happy with the large turnout of people for this event. This shows that the people have realised the importance of the monthly physical exercise introduced by the present administration.”

  • Jonathan desperate for 2015 polls, says CPC

    The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) yesterday said President Goodluck Jonathan and his allies were desperate to win the 2015 general elections.

    Jonathan’s moves, CPC said, are not hidden to the party.

    The party alleged that the Jonathan administration has played up ethnicity and religious sentiments for its aggrandisement in the electoral victory of 2011.

    In a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, CPC accused the Jonathan administration of politicising Nigeria’s security by failing to deal with the Boko Haram sect or fish out its members.

    This contrasted with the action the United States President Barack Obama took in dealing with terrorism, it said.

    CPC said it was sad that Jonathan had not shown commitment to the Boko Haram insurgency.

    The statement reads: “As a party, we are not unaware of the desperation of the Jonathan regime ahead of the 2015 general elections. A administration that is unwilling and incapacitated in implementing none of the fundamental objectives (entrenched in the nation’s statute book), it now seeks to use unconscionable schemes to delude, confuse and over-awe the citizenry, ahead of the next general election in 2015.

    “We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Nigerians in ensuring that the noble ideals of the rule of law reign in our land. We shall continue to campaign against the vestiges of impunity and all forms of corruption and corruptive tendencies that are prevalent in this Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.

    “The CPC is aware that the pre-eminent desire of Nigerians under this nation-space is security which, under this PDP-led administration, has been an elusive phenomenon. This is sadly so because the Jonathan admnistration prefers political profiting from the menace of insecurity to obliterating the scourge from the nation’s landscape.

    “After the Monday, April 15, 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, American President Obama reassuringly told a traumatised nation: ‘We do not know who did this. We will find them, and we will bring them to justice.’ In less than five days, the two suspected bombers have been decapitated.

    “On October 1, 2010, there were bomb blasts near the Eagle Square, Abuja. President Goodluck Jonathan, being more preoccupied with gaining some electoral credit through guiding public opinion to a decided outcome, declared to the nation: ‘It is not the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND)!’ It did not matter anymore that a formal investigation and subsequent litigious procedure have confirmed the culpability of MEND in the bombing. In essence, the Nigerian President has not only shown insularity unbecoming of a national leader but was pre-eminently concerned about winning his party’s nomination while the nation burnt!