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  • How my nomination as monarch divided Anyim, Ajimobi, others —Osun monarch Oba Abolarin

    Youthful looking traditional ruler of Oke Ila Orangun Osun State, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, is a modern day monarch in every sense of the word. He had trained as a lawyer and built a career in the legal profession before he became the Personal Assistant on Political Affairs to former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim. Then he got a call from his kinsmen in Ila Orangun to return home and become their monarch. The self-confessed lover of R&B music told PAUL UKPABIO the events that culminated in his emergence as a royal father, why he has not given up on style and why he still teaches History and Government in secondary school even as a monarch.

    Could you recall where you were the day you learnt that you would become the next traditional ruler of Oke-Ila Orangun?

    I was in Abuja, working as the Personal Assistant on Political Affairs to the then Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim. The news came to me as a shock because it was the last thing on my mind. As a matter of fact, I never thought that such a thing could happen to me in this lifetime.

    But you knew all along that you are from a royal family?

    That is true. But it just didn’t come to mind. It is not something that I remembered or had in mind, especially for someone like me who was already set for leadership at the national level in the country.

    What were the first thoughts that came to your mind?

    They were difficult thoughts. I didn’t know where to start from because there were so many things that came to mind. The call was sudden.

    What was the immediate reaction of your immediate family?

    For a whole year, the reaction was not so pleasant because it was unexpected. I became hypertensive. There was unhappiness in my nuclear family and even my extended family. My mom too was not in tune with it until after a long time.

    But why so?

    We were not prepared for it. I had prepared for leadership and my family knew that, but not at the traditional level. But then, what will be, will be. Leadership at any level is sacrifice, tolerance and service.

    Did your family later have a change of mind?

    Yes, but that was after a long period time. And I must confess that it led to one or two negative things in the family, which I do not readily discuss. But it is all the sacrifice for being on the throne.

    What happened immediately you got the news?

    I had to move immediately. But it was a different experience entirely for my family. I never liked a dull environment. I had always been an active person in terms of activism and participation in national affairs. I did not go to school to become a monarch. I didn’t even wish it for myself. I rejected it in my heart, but again, the pressure started to mount. My predecessor had joined his ancestors and it was the turn of my family to present a candidate for the Orangun of Oke Ila. Eventually, I became the king.

    I was someone who was looking to serve at a different level, but here was another service that I was called upon to take on. What I have realised about life is that you don’t run away from service, despite the fact that I didn’t wish it for myself.

    Where did you grow up?

    I was born and bred in Ibadan. I had never spent seven days at a stretch in Oke-Ila before I became the king. It was a different kettle of fish when I got here as the king.

    So after a decade as the royal father, how would you describe the journey?

    I will actually be 12 years on the throne in December of this year. Like I said earlier, service is service. If you are ordained by God to actively shape people’s destinies, you should be happy. I thank God for the opportunity because I have found myself in a place where I change the attitude of a people, mould and re-direct their future, using the past to build a template for the future. It is a wonderful experience.

    But again, it is not all a bed of roses in terms of followership. It is difficult for people to change their erstwhile patterns of life. I have realised that it has to be gradual. Development itself is gradual. But all said and done, I am happy doing what I am doing.

    While you were working in Abuja, was becoming a full blown politician on your mind?

    Not really. I was not in politics. I was working as a professional lawyer. However, I was very close to the political class by virtue of my training as a political scientist, a scholar of International Relations and a lawyer who was interested in the development of the parliament. I was a lobbyist and a legislative attorney. I had the choice to mingle with the political class and the people who were interested in shaping the polity.

    Didn’t some of your friends think that going to Oke Ila to become the Oba would be a waste of your educational attainments?

    Yes, a lot of my friends in the political class thought so. The then Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, who was my boss, never liked the idea. The present Minister of National Planning too, did not like the idea. But in fairness, there were some other people who I also consulted in Abuja, who fell in love with it and said that service at any level is service. That it is not only when I stay in Abuja, New York, Toronto or Canada that I can be of service to the people. They said being at Oke-Ila would also be a service to the people. Some of the people who urged me on were Senator Ajimobi, the present Governor of Oyo state, the former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University who later became a Senator and other well experienced scholars of the bible said it is important for people like me to be in leadership at the traditional level so that we can gradually re-construct the institution for the good of the people.

    After 12 years as a traditional ruler, what do you think of the traditional institution?

    I think it is a great institution to develop our people in social, political and economic areas. We are the grassroots people. A whole lot of us have left our people for too long in terms of provision of leadership. When I got here, I found that it is a place where I have to think of development from the bottom and not from the top.

    As one who has seen the world and had developed a cosmopolitan taste to comfortably resettle in Oke-Ila means that there must be something unique about the place. What is the unique thing about Oke-Ila?

    Man itself, the epicentre of development even in his rustic form, is an attraction here. And to change the mentality of the people is tough and challenging. But the Yoruba say that ibi t’o ba le la n b’omokunrin (it is in tough situations that you find the real man). It is challenging. But to the glory of God, we are here.

    You have always been a man of style. Has life in the palace affected your sense of style?

    I have been a lawyer. But even before becoming a lawyer, I did not joke with style and looking good. I’ve kept my style. I enjoy looking good, and as a Yoruba monarch, I have a sense of responsibility to look good and project the advancement of the Yoruba culture and tradition in terms of style.

    What vanities of life can you not be without even when you are in Oke Ila?

    (Laughs) There are two important things that I do not joke with. I don’t joke with my sunglasses; it’s a Rayban, and my Aramis cologne, not only in Oke Ila but every other place that I am. These are two things I got used to early in life.

    What part of the arts appeal to you?

    I listen to all sorts of good music. I like R & B. I love the kind of music that my children are producing these days; they all make sense to me. I don’t joke with my son Davido’s music. There is beauty in our culture and there’s greatness in our language. The rustic nature of our Oke-Ila is beautiful; it is the most beautiful place in the world. There is waterfall, lush greenery; the environment is beautiful and lovely to be tapped into as a lucrative tourist destination. It is very good for rural tourism. A lot of our children do not even know what cocoa pod is.

    We hear that you own a school and the students don’t pay school fees…

    None of the students in my school pays a dime. The school is totally free. I beg people, friends to assist in one way or another to send the children to school. At the last count, we had 94 rural indigent students. And to the Glory of God, in the coming school year when we will be having children in SS2, we are going to have 114 in the school. It is a boarding school. What we are doing at Abolarin College is our humble contribution to the society. I actually teach in the school. I teach them Government and History because I am conscious of the fact that we want to raise great leaders among the poor.

    It generally believed that a traditional ruler is entitled to as many wives. How have you managed to handle women who try to be your wife?

    The choice is mine as a king or royal. It is a fundamental right of each soul to practice and do what he wants to do. I am okay with my Olori (wife). With the 114 projected students that I will be looking after, there is no way I will be able to consider having multiple Oloris. I cannot afford it. Culture is not static; it is dynamic. I am thinking of the future. I want a glorious future for the children around me. I want Nigeria, through these children, to be the best place in the world. It is doable. All hands should be on deck. The fear of children school fees has made me not to seek more Oloris.

  • Banks to raise Tier-1 capital over new divided rule

    Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) are expected to raise Tier-1 capital in compliance with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) new dividend payout policy, The Nation has learnt.

    Tier-1 capital is the core measure of a bank’s financial strength from a regulator’s view. It is composed of core capital, which consists primarily of common stock and disclosed reserves (or retained earnings), but may also include non-redeemable non-cumulative preferred stock.

    Raising Tier-1 capital becomes necessary, if the lenders intend to pay dividend or distribute capital as directed by the apex bank, the Financial Derivative Company (FDC) Economic Monthly Update released last week advised.

    The report explained that since the issuance of the directive, the banking sub-sector index, on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) lost about 4.03 per cent.

    “This is partly as a result of negative investor sentiment towards banking stocks, as investors’ expectations point towards reflecting the true value of these stocks. Hence, banks will have to boost their tier 1 capital, if they intend to embark on distribution of capital ( that is, issue dividend) as a way to signal financial strength, as well as comply with this new directive,” it said. This, it said, affirmed that the banking system remains fragile.

    The report said the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS 9) from  last month would further exacerbate the financial woes of most banks.

    The implementation of IFRS 9 changes the measurement of financial assets as well as provisions for loan losses (impairments). This will have an immediate impact on profitability and ultimately worsen most banks’ CAR, it said.

    It added that banks’asset quality might improve considerably, while the cost of regulatory capital to cover risk weighted assets will remain high.

    “This will further erode banks’ economic profit, preventing banks from taking on more risk assets with-out raising additional capital. This becomes a vicious cycle – in a bid to protect depositors from growing NPLs, the CBN imposes strict regulations to serve as buffers, which reduces the risk appetite of banks. As a result, banks charge borrowers exorbitant rates to cover the cost of regulatory compliance. But sky high rates increase the risk of default, adversely affecting NPLs,” it said.

    It said prior to this guideline, most banks adopted an aggressive dividend policy, partly to shore up their share price and to splash cash to shareholders.

    Consequently, banks resorted to external funding sources to support their balance sheet, as against internal capital consolidation in the form of retained earnings.

    According to the report, to further comply with the Basel accords, the CBN in October 2014 issued a directive aimed at preventing a systemic failure and effectively pushing banks to enhance their capital buffers.

    This was in form of restricting deposit money banks (DMBs) and discount houses (DHs) with low capital base and high non-performing loans (NPLs) from paying out dividend.

    This order ensured banks provided adequate capital buffers and prevented them from paying out cash dividend out of their reserves.

    The CBN on January 31 directed banks, which maintained Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of at least three per cent above minimum requirement, low composite risk rating (CRR) and Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) between five and 10 per cent, to retain a dividend pay-out ceiling of 75 per cent. Banks with worse indexes were banned from paying dividends.

    Before this new guideline, the CBN did not make adequate provision for banks with low CRR, but NPLs between five per cent and 10 per cent.

  • ‘Divided Ekiti Pdp can’t win governorship poll’

    ‘Divided Ekiti Pdp can’t win governorship poll’

    Senate Deputy Minority Whip Biodun Olujimi has emphasised the need for reconciliation in Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Mrs. Olujimi stressed that nobody can intimidate her out of the party and that her ambition to contest the 2018 poll on the platform of the party was still intact.

    The senator representing Ekiti South in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly spoke with reporters in her hometown, Omuo-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government Area.

    The federal lawmaker who has fallen out with Governor Ayo Fayose over her governorship ambition urged party members aggrieved with the adoption of Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola to remain calm as a primary will still be conducted to determine the party’s flag bearer.

    The former Ekiti deputy governor promised to develop economic initiatives to create jobs for the youths, exploit the state’s natural and human resources and boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) if elected governor.

    Expressing concern on the acrimony generated by the adoption of Olusola as “sole consensus candidate” by Fayose and his loyalists, Olujimi said the party needed peace, unity and reconciliation to defeat the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) backed with federal might.

    She said: “As a leader you must be able to build consensus and galvanise support for the party. As a leader, you must not do certain things that will portray you as being sectional or self-serving.

    “It is easy to say we will defeat them (APC); that is only the word of the mouth. The only way to defeat the opposition is by galvanizing support within our own party first and ensure that our own party is intact.

    “There has to be unity, we cannot throw people away, we cannot wish people away and it is through coming together that we can gain strength. We will force peace into Ekiti PDP and ensure that everybody abides by our party constitution.” Assuring that Olusola’s adoption has not ended other aspirants’ hope, Olujimi said organisation of the governorship primary is beyond Fayose as it is “strictly a party affair.”

    She added: “Governorship primary is not a state primary, it is the national body that will determine what will happen. I saw people running away that somebody has been adopted No!

    “I believe that our national leaders want the party to survive, they want the party to survive and they are going to be above board. There is nothing to fear now because we have between now and April to do that.”

  • Kwara PDP: A divided house

    Kwara PDP: A divided house

    Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is battling with multiple crises. The leadership squabble between  National Caretaker Committee (NCC) Chairman Senator Ahmed Makarfi and factional Chairman Senator Modu Sheriff has polarised the troubled chapter. Two factions, led by Iyiola Oyedepo and Sunday Fagbemi, are struggling for the soul of the party. Correspondent ADEKUNLE JIMOH reports that the future of the divided platform is bleak.

    The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level is taking its toil on the Kwara State chapter. The party has been polarised into two seemingly irreconcilable groups-the Ahmed Makarfi and Senator Ali Modu Sheiff factions.

    The state congress held last year further polarised the party along Makarfi and Sheriff factions.

    The two factions, led by the former chairman of the party, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, and Prince Sunday Fagbemi, conducted parallel congresses at different venues in Ilorin, the state capital.

    During the exercise, some members of the party, particularly from Kwara central zone, cried foul, alleging the de-accreditation of their delegates.

    The factionalisation has dimmed the hope of a party that neither has any representative in the House of Assembly nor the National Assembly.

    Both Prince Fagbemi and Oyedepo are laying claims to the chairmanship. It appears they are not ready for reconciliation.

    Fagbemi, former Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), claimed that the congress, which produced him as the chairman, was witnessed by five out of the seven-man national electoral panel from Abuja.

    He said the representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies also witnessed the congress, describing the congress of the other faction as mere affirmation.

    Fagbemi accused Oyedepo of imposition, intimidation and electoral malpractices, adding that some contestants were barred from the venue of the congress at Stella Obasanjo multipurpose hall, Ilorin.

    Fagbemi, who said the congresses at ward, local government and state government levels were manipulated, alleged that nomination forms and result sheets were made available to contestants favoured by Akogun Oyedepo.

    The PDP chieftain, who said the development led to a parallel state congress, described himself as the authentic chairman.

    He described the congress held by Akogun-led executive as pre-determined, pointing out that the delegates from eight local government areas  of Ilorin West, Ilorin South, Ilorin East, Asa, Moro, Offa, Isin and Ekiti were disallowed from participating in the congress.

    He said: “Efforts to correct the anomalies at different levels of the congress were rejected by the electoral panel. I had to force myself into the hall when about 29 contestants were prevented from entering the venue. The scenario led to riotous moment, sporadic gun shots by political thugs, tear gas and discovery of a vehicle laden with dangerous weapons, arms and ammunition at the Stella Obasanjo Hall.”

    Fagbemi lamented the turn of events in the Kwara PDP. He said the party was in agony because it has no legislator in the House of Assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

    He also said efforts were not made to forge unity in the party by the  Oyedepo, adding that his supporters would not fold their arms and allow the party to be destroyed.

    Since the parallel congresses, the two factions have been trading tackles.  They have not sheathed their swords.

    Oyedepo has claimed that Fagbemi’s group was acting the script of some forces to destabilise the party.

    The crisis escalated when the Fagbemi group forced its way into the party’s secretariat along Asa Dam rRad in Ilorin metropolis.

    The group has since defied police directive to vacate the office, pending the resolution of the crisis brought to the state command’s attention by the Oyedepo group.

    Fagbemi, who lamented that the  Oyedepo faction had dragged him to the police command, following his faction’s take-over of the secretariat few weeks ago, said he would rather fear their wrath of his supporters than hed the police advice to leave the secretariat.

    The factional leader, who claimed that he has the support of about 85 percent of  party members, said, owing to the previous disappointment, it would be difficult to trust the police on issues affecting the other faction.

    His words: “Police are to defend us. During the last congress of the party held on May 5, 2016, a vehicle was impounded by the police. It was loaded with arms and ammunition. It was not an abandoned vehicle. People were arrested by the police over the discovery, but nothing has been heard about it.

    “How are we sure that, if we abide by the police request to vacate this secretariat, the other people won’t go through the back door and collect the key? I cannot be afraid of the police at the expense of our people.

    “When we came here, nobody broke any gate. There was no shooting of guns. The security guards opened the gate for us without let or hindrance because they knew we are members of the same party and if you want to enter your house, but you have lost the key, you must, of course, find other means of entering. This secretariat was secured through our collective efforts, but Oyedepo said the police must ask us to vacate while the peace talk is going on. Is that what we want?”

    Fagbemi also denied insinuations that his group was being sponsored to destabilise the PDP. He said party members should be wary of the Oyedepo faction whose leadership, he claimed, had their best political accomplishments through the instrumentality of Dr. Olusola Saraki.

    “The truth is that we have been tolerating these people because we believe we are members of the same party and we should find a way of resolving our differences. But, they are taking our docility for granted and we are not going to accept that again. Indeed, we are tired of them and by the next two weeks, let’s wait and see what the national leadership will do with them”.

    There appears to be no end in sight to the crisis rocking the chapter. The Oyedepo faction has accused Fagbemi’s group of acting the script of some unknown forces to destabilise the party.

    Oyedepo alleged that his faction had uncovered how Fagbemi’s group was hired to frustrate the vibrant and constructive opposition platform in the state.

    The Publicity Secretary of Oyedepo faction, Otunba Rex Olawoye, said it was shocking that the rival group, which claimed to be the authentic state leadership of the party, was in Ilorin causing chaos while Oyedepo was in Abuja attending the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party.

    He said: “In October last year, some miscreants, led by one Sunday Fagbemi, invaded and occupied the PDP Office at Asa-Dam Road, Ilorin.

    “It is very amusing that the said group, led by Sunday Fagbemi, is claiming to have taken over the office of the PDP in the state.

    “On the said day, the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of our great party was in progress in Abuja with Chief Iyiola Oyedepo in attendance as the Chairman of the Kwara PDP. One would then wonder how the self-acclaimed Chairman in person of Sunday Fagbemi would remain in Ilorin, Kwara State causing crisis and chaos at the party office when such an important meeting was going on, the membership of which he is claiming as the state chairman.

    “If he truly has a right to occupy the office, is there no legitimate means of doing so? Must a self styled chairman invade the PDP office with hoodlums, molesting the staff members and damaging party property?

    “The election to the party offices took place in April, 2016. Is Sunday Fagbemi just waking up from his dream to realise that he won an election? Just the way he did three days after the same election was concluded before he declared himself as the elected chairman. This he did when he had willingly, in the midst of hundreds of our party delegates, stepped down at the election venue when his failure was imminent.

    “We appeal to our loyal party members and supporters to remain calm as we have found out that Fagbemi and his group were engaged to frustrate the vibrant and constructive opposition being provided by our party through its viable organs.

    Olawoye added: “We plead to the general public to disregard all unwholesome activities of these disgruntled elements as we are undeterred by their actions. We have made formal complaints to all relevant authorities in order to avert breakdown of law and order. It is expected that they would act appropriately on this matter.

    “We members of the PDP under Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo remain resolute in our determination to provide very commendable, vibrant and constructive opposition to the ruling party without minding any form of detraction purposely packaged to frustrate and intimidate us through some disgruntled elements among us.”

    Analysts have posited that the PDP crisis  at the national and state levels have deprived the party PDP of offering credible, vibrant and critical opposition to the ruling APC in the state.

    The crisis,  if it is not nipped in the bud, will weaken the chance, hope and aspirations of the party in future elections in the state.

    The APC is waxing stronger in Kwara. This is soley due to the solid political structure of the late Olusola Saraki. The dynasty has been solidified by his son, Senate President Bukola Saraki. A united PDP cannot withstand its onslaught. But, now that the PDP has been weakened by its protracted crisis, it faces a bleak future in the Northcentral state.

  • Why trade unions are divided, by PENGASSAN

    Why trade unions are divided, by PENGASSAN

    Labour has failed to achieve its objectives of promoting workers’ interest because of internal divisions, factionalisation, power struggle and disunity, a unionist has said.

    The chairman, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senor Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), Comrade Chika Onuegbu urged unions to close ranks to achieve their objectives.

    The PENGASSAN chief, who spoke at a forum organised by the Rivers State chapter of Trade Union Congress (TUC), called  for unity among labour unions, saying the movement is failing because of the emergence of new forms of taxation; rising violence, intolerance and economic depression.

    He said labour bodies  must strive to bring in a larger chunk of workers within the informal sector who are yearning for representation. Trade unions, he said, must seek avenues to rediscover themselves, their values, as well as improve and respond to the needs of members in the light of the changing times.

    He also said the movement must seek to participate directly in the economic activities of Nigeria, which will help it to build financial muscles and wean it from the challenges of unsteady check-off dues, thereby positioning them to be strategic players of some sort the industries.

    Onuegbu said this will give labour  the leverage in negotiations with other social partners. “We must appreciate those unions that have gone into the property market, the hospitality industry, the bakery and confectionery sector and those that are into service delivery as businesses. These investments will surely grow and will serve as pillars tomorrow for the movement’s survival,” he said

    In a related event, the union has threatened to resume its suspended strike if the Federal Government refuses to enforce the implementation of an agreement reached with the association.

    In a statement, PENGASSAN said it had written a letter addressed to the Minister of Labour and Productivity dated August 22, 2016 and signed by the acting General Secretary, PENGASSAN, Mr. Lumumba Okugbawa.

    PENGASSAN stated that there has not been much progress or commitment to implementing the tenets of the agreement since it was signed over a month ago.

    The union therefore urged the minister to intervene so as to avert another round of nationwide strike.

    Three months ago, PENGASSAN, the Federal Government and the International Oil Companies (IOCs) signed a tripartite agreement. Some of its highlight includes the recall of over 2000 sacked workers in the sector and pay-off of $4.8 billion arrears of the old joint venture cash calls inherited by the present administration.

    Others are: tackling the issues of insurgency and pipeline vandalism, kidnapping of oil workers and repair of major roads leading to the refineries, among others.

  • Anambra PDP: A divided house

    Anambra PDP: A divided house

    The division in the Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not abated. At the recent ward, local government and state congresses, the stakeholders refused to find a common ground. Correspondent NWANOSIKE ONU examines the impact of the protracted crisis on the future of the chapter. 

    Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State have been at daggers drawn for many years over seemingly inconsequential issues. Their troubles are yet to abate, because they are many. It is as if the epic novel written by the late Prof. Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, mirrors the crisis-ridden chapter.

    Unity has become elusive for the Anambra PDP, because its gladiators are in disarray. The balkanisation of the party has bought more pains to its members at the grassroots and they are now at the crossroads. Despite the verdict of the Supreme Court last year that ceded the leadership of the party to Ejike Oguebego, the party’s problems have continued to grow.

    Since that Supreme Court judgment, neither the faction led by Prince Ken Emeakayi, nor that of Oguebego has rested. Rather than uniting the party, ahead of the 2017 governorship and 2019 presidential elections, it has brought more divisions among its members. As a result, some of the bigwigs are now looking for greener pastures, either in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). Some have even quit politics.

    Those who have already joined the APC include: business mogul, Chief Dr. Obinna Uzo and governorship candidate of the party in the 2013 election, Dr. Tony Nwoye. Right now, Nwoye, who is the former President of National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), is representing Anambra East and West at the House of Representatives. He was elected on the PDP platform.

    Others that are hobnobbing with the APC, as a result of the disunity in the PDP include: oil magnates, Prince Arthur Eze and Sir Emeka Offor, businessman Chief Cletus Ibeto and Chief Ernest Obijesie. Furthermore, other chieftains Ibeto former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, have decided to sit on the fence, by having nothing to do with the platform, even though they are still card-carrying members.

    During its last congress, it became obvious that the party has sunk deeper into the mire. The 11-man congress committee sent to Anambra by the National Working Committee (NWC), led by Hon. Ladi Edun, was divided.

    While Edun, who was accused of absconding to an unknown destination on arrival in the state, resurfaced after the ward and local government congress to conduct the state congress.

    He was cornered by Senators Stella Oduah and Andy Uba, while the splinter group of four members, led by Alhaji Abubarka Mallam, pitched its tent with the Board of Trustee’s (BoT) member, Chief Chris Uba, Senator Annie Okonkwo and others.

    The intrigues led to further division in the party during the congress. This led to the declaration of Ejike Oguebego as chairman of the Chris Uba camp and Ken Emeakayi as the chairman of the Oduah, Andy Uba camp.

    Before then, Edun had told The Nation that he was the person mandated by the national headquarters of the party to conduct the congress and that he is not aware of any parallel committee as being speculated. He added that members of the committee went to the police, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Directorate of State Security (DSS), to announce their presence on arrival in Anambra.

    He said: “We know there is crisis in the state chapter, but our appeal is that members should come together to make the party strong again, as the governorship election approaches.”

    The melodrama did not end there. The person who conducted the parallel congress, Alhaji Abubakar Mallam, told The Nation that he decided to go ahead with the congress because none of them knew the whereabouts of Edun, since his arrival in the state.

    He said it is the duty of the party at the national level to determine which group is authentic. He also called for the stakeholder’s meeting before the congress.

    Many observers are of the view that the PDP has many rivers to cross in Anambra State. The party leaders have refused to come together because of their selfish interests. For instance, since the Supreme Court judgment, the Chris Uba and the Andy Uba camps have been at loggerheads, fighting against the INEC on who should represent their constituents at the National Assembly.

    Following his travails with the authorities over monies paid to him, prior to the last general elections, the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, is not finding things easy with the present administration. So, he has stayed out of the crisis. Other members of the party, including Oduah, are also facing similar charges of alleged corruption with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Given the cat and mouse relationship among its members, the people of Anambra are now disenchanted with the performance of their representatives, both at the state and National Assemblies. They are being accused of selfishness.

    As far as Senator Okonkwo is concerned, his group followed the party’s guidelines and constitution in conducting its congresses. He added that the congress was done and supervised by the administrative secretary of the party in the state. He said the impunity being unleashed by some members will eventually come to naught.

    Apart from the two chairmen that emerged after the congresses at Emmaus House and Marble Arch Hotels, both in Awka, a third group, led by Mr. Ngozi Agudosi, has emerged. Agudosi, who caused confusion within the group that elected Emeakayi, alleged that he was short-changed, because he accepted the court order that backed Emeakayi.

    The order by Ihiala High Court procured by Emeakayi sought to use the list of old party delegates to conduct the congresses.

    The scenario suggests that the problems of the Anambra PDP are too numerous to be resolved in a jiffy. To solve them, the factions must harmonise and chieftains must throw away their ego to work as one family.

    If these issues are left unattended, the PDP may as well forget the 2017 governorship election and other elective positions in the state for the APGA and the APC in future elections.

  • Kogi Assembly: A divided House

    Kogi Assembly: A divided House

    The Kogi State House of Assembly has been embroiled in a crisis. Two factions are laying claim to its leadership, as the National Assembly hammer dangles on the state legislative chambers. JAMES AZANIA reports.

    A faction of the Kogi State House of Assembly, otherwise known as the G-5, has, for the second time, defied the resolution of the House of Representatives that the House should be sealed off. Ten members of the House under the leadership of Hon. Umar Imam have resumed sitting.

    When the Senate endorsed the House of Representatives’ order, seven members of the faction sat in the Kogi House to demonstrate their defiance. The sitting was, however, adjourned by Imam, following their inability to form a quorum. The other faction, the G-15 members loyal to Momoh Jimoh-Lawal, who had taken its case to the National Assembly, stayed away from the chambers.

    The House of Representatives had ordered the closure of the Kogi Assembly, following the protracted leadership battle.  Two lawmakers have been parading themselves as Speakers. The crisis has continued to defy solution. The Senate followed, by endorsing the resolution and calling on the Inspector General of Police (IG) to enforce the closure.

    The battle for the slot has defied solution. The issue arose when former Governor Idris Wada was winding up last year. It has been a major challenge for his successor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. Little did the stakeholders guess that the next governor would emerge from the same senatorial zone as Jimoh-Lawal, who held sway during the build-up to the November 21, last year election.

    The arithmetic changed when the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, suddenly died after winning the election. Bello, who inherited Audu’s victory, and Jimoh-Lawal, are from the same district.

    The permutations began. After the poll, the APC, could not  muster a majority in the House. Thus, the governor could not exert much influence during the choice of the principal officers of the House. Since then, three lawmakers have been parading themselves as Speakers.

    The crisis escalated last week. The Kogi House was on a collision course with the National Assembly when seven members loyal to the factional Speaker, Umar Imam, sat on Tuesday, against the directive of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. During that show of bravado, he adjourned the sitting till Thursday. He said: “We have waited for our members who have been travelling around Abuja to come. Kogi State was greater than any individual and should not be dragged into unnecessary political quagmire.”

    The disputed Speaker said he was relying on the House Rules in his decisions. He said: “ Since December, last year, the House has been transacting business, even at the committee level, and should be left alone to do the needful for the advancement of the state.”

    There was uproar in the House when Jimoh-Lawal was purportedly removed by his former supporters.

    Hon. Friday Sani, who emerged as the new Majority Leader, announced that Imam from Lokoja 1 Constituency, was elected in replacement by ’15 members’ of the House. But, his claim was disputed because only four lawmakers attended the session where the decision was made. During the controversial sitting, Hon. John Abba was elected as the Chief Whip while the position of the Deputy Speaker was left vacant.

    Sani has maintained that the laid down procedure was followed in electing the principal officers. He alleged that the impeached Speaker has not demonstrated the capacity to lead the House. He said the House has followed the due process to remove the him, adding that 15 members signed the impeachment notice, although only seven was required to form a quorum to remove the principal officers.

    He added: “With the Court of Appeal ruling, which sacked five of our members, reducing it to 20, only seven members are required to form a quorum and we have more than that.”

    However, Jimoh-Lawal disagreed, saying that he is still in charge. He said the impeachment null and void.

    The embattled Speaker said that 15 of the 20 members of the Hsouse passed a vote of confidence on him.

    He said the House can only reconvene from recess, if he issues a notice. He maintained that no one can issue the proclamation apart from him.

    When the debacle was brought to the notice of the House of Representatives by the G-15, a10-member fact finding committee on the Kogi House crisis was dispatched to the state. But, the crisis has persisted as solution to it was elusive.

    During the first visit of the committee to Kogi, its Chairman, Hon. Pally Iriase, who is the Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, disclosed in Lokoja, after a meeting with Governor Bello, that their mission was to look into the crisis and resolve it. He urged the warring factions parties to allow the constitution to prevail.

    The G-5, which boycotted the meeting oraganised by the Iriase team, was adamant. It claimed that it has secured a restraining order from the court against the committee from interfering in the crisis. The committee said it was not aware of the court order.

    Receiving the committee members, Governor Bello described the crisis as a minor misunderstanding. He expressed optimism that it will soon be a thing of the past. He said the lawmakers were quarreling over the House leadership, which was a mere nomenclature, stressing that all members were equal.

    Members of the G-15 have pointed accusing fingers at the governor for allegedly fuelling the crisis and attempting to impose a leadership on the legislative arm, of government in the state. But, Bello explained that the leadership crisis preceded his inauguration as the governor on January 27, adding that it would be wrong for anybody to say that he was behind it. Thanking the House of Representatives for its timely intervention, he promised to invite the two factions for the amicable resolution of the misunderstanding.

    The Imam faction, however, shunned the House of Representatives fact-finding committee on the crisis. While the committee held meetings with the various stakeholders, including the Department of State Security Service (DSS), the Imam group was conspicuously absent at the House of Assembly venue of the parley.

    On March 10, in apparent defiance of the House of Representatives’ order, the Imam group held a valedictory session in honour of the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi (SAN), inside the chambers. It also directed the legal department to file contempt proceedings against the House of Representatives. The faction also set-up a committee to investigate those who are behind the continuous “blackmailing of Kogi State House of Assembly,” and urged members to remain “focused in the deliberations for the cause of the people and the state”.

    Imam said: “This Assembly is in session, transacting its legislative business at both plenary sitting and at committee meeting”.

    Prior to the Imam Group’s offensive, Jimoh-Lawal’s position had been threatened by another faction, led by Hon. Godwin Osuyi, who was purportedly elected Speaker, shortly before Bello’s inauguration. The battle degenerated into mayhem as the lawmakers’ supporters unleashed terror on themselves.

    While the noise from the Osuyi faction has faded, the Jimoh-Lawal and Imam camps are not in a hurry to sheath their swords for peace to reign.

  • Ekiti PDP: A divided house

    Ekiti PDP: A divided house

    Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in a crisis. Two factions are fighting for the soul of the chapter. Reconciliation has hit the rocks. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA examines the issues that led to the protracted crisis and the way forward for the troubled party.

    A year after the controversial victory of Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose at the poll, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in deep crisis. The war of attrition, according to observers, may weaken the platform, if reconciliation fails.

    The bone of contention is the alleged politics of exclusion and the marginalisation of some stakeholders by the governor. Many chieftains, including Tope Aluko, who worked tirelessly for Fayose’s return to power, have complained that the governor has sidelined them.  A source said that  when the governor reneged on his promise to make Aluko the Chief of Staff, trouble started in the party: “Everybody knows that, apart from God, another person that contributed majorly to Fayose’s victory at the PDP governorship primary was TKO (Aluko) and it was on that condition that he (Aluko) thought hewould become the Chief of Staff to the governor after Fayose might have been sworn into office,” the source added.

    However, another source said that Fayose deliberately reneged on his promise because Aluko’s popularity was soaring and the governor feared that he would be a competitor for political relevance.

    The two factions in Ekiti PDP are led by Idowu Faleye and Tunde Olatunde. The position of the chairman became vacant, following the election of the former Chairman, Makanjuola Ogundipe, as a member of the Southwest PDP Zonal Executive Committee. Faleye, a protégé of the governor,  has been operating from the Government House and abandoned the party secretariat for the Olatunde faction. Irked by Faleye’s recognition by Fayose, Olatunde at a news conference in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, alleged that Faleye’s name is not on the party register. But, Faleye fired back, saying that he is the authentic chairman. Olatunde enjoys the support of the party secretary, Aluko, and the auditor, Olanrewaju.

    Olatunde said: “I want to say emphatically that Faleye is only parading himself illegally as the State Chairman. He is a labour unionist and not recognised as the leader of our party. He is a chairman in the Government House .

    “Faleye is not a registered member of our party. The constitution stipulated certain conditions that you must meet before you can be a State Chairman of our party.

    “He is from Ido/Osi  Ward I that has produced the Youth leader. So, it is unconstitutional for a ward to produce two exco members and for a non-registered person to be elected an officer of a ward,  let alone a whole state.”

    Faleye has refuted Olatunde’s claim, saying he had been performing his official functions as the chairman, including leading state caucuses to meetings at the national level.

    He said: “We don’t need to join issues with them. They were not recognised at the last meeting held at the national secretariat.

    The Olatunde faction has appointed Dapo Adebisi as the new Deputy Chairman. He replaced the former Deputy Chairman, Hon. FemiBamisile, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), shortly before last year’s governorship election.

    The State Working Committee (SWC) also removed an ally of  Fayose, Jackson Adebayo, as the Publicity Secretary.

    Adebayo was named by Faleye to replace Kola Oluwawole, who resigned to contest for a seat in the House of Assembly. Oluwawole won the Assembly poll and he was subsequently elected Speaker.

    The new Publicity Secretary is Michael Oladipo, who is from Erinmope Ward 1, Moba Local Government Area.

    Speaking shortly after the SWC meeting where the decisions were arrived at, Olatunde said the new appointees were recommended from their wards to fill the vacancies.

    Olatunde explained that Adebayo’s purported appointment by the faction loyal to the governor was “irregular and a flagrant violation of the PDP constitution.”

    Speaking on the validity of the action, Olatunde said the action was backed by Section 24(5) of the PDP constitution which states that a quorum for SWC shall be one-third of members drawn from the three senatorial districts and a simple majority shall pass any motion.

    When asked whether Fayose supported the appointment of the new appointees to party positions, Olatunde said that Section 47(6) of the PDP Constitution empowers the state executive to appoint new officers.

    The Section reads: “Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the Party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from, pending the conduct of election to fill the vacancy”.

    Olatunde added: “There is a difference between the government and the party. The party produces the gubernatorial candidate and the highest organ in the party is SEC.

    “The governor is a  (SEC) member while the state party chairman presides and from that simple illustration, that is the responsibility of the party. While the governor faces governance, the SWC runs the party.”

    When the crisis escalated, the party found was ejected from its secretariat at Ureje area, along Ikere Road. The owner of the building is the former party chairman, Chief Ropo Adesanya, who has defected to the APC. He is being owed N1.5 million, which is one year rent. The former chairman alleged that a dude cheque was issued to him by the PDP.

    The Ekiti PDP Elders’ Forum, led Senator Clement Awoyelu, has intervened in the crisis. But, the crisis assumed a new dimension when the forum threw its weight behind Faleye. Apart from passing a vote of confidence on Faleye, the elders accused the APC of fanning the embers of disunity in the ruling party.  the factional crisis rocking their party.

    Awoyelu said: “We viewed Tunde Olatunde’s and Tope Aluko’s, actions and their group as an affront to the party’s authority; very treacherous and barbaric, suggesting that they are being financed by the APC and other external forces purposely to destabilize our party”.

    He added: “On the issue of cheque that was not honoured, that cheque was forged because the signature on the cheque was not the signature of the chairman.

    “This was a calculated attempt to embarrass the party because he (Adesanya) has left the party for the opposition (APC)”.

    On why Faleye has not been operating from the party secretariat, Awoyelu said that he (Faleye) comes there regularly.  “But, in certain situations, one needs to be security-conscious,” he added.

    On the position of the Olatunde faction that Faleye and the State Youth Leader are from the same ward, which is contrary to the party constitution, Awoyelu said the SWC does not have the final say on the issue, adding that the power is vested in the State Executive Committee (SEC).

    He explained that party elders have intervened by holding peace meetings with the two factions. He alleged that the Olatunde faction is not interested in the resolution of the crisis.

    He said: “Faleye remains the authentic chairman of the party and enjoys the backing of majority of members in all wards, council areas and senatorial districts.

    The Chairman of the Forum of 16 PDP Chairmen in the LGAs, Kola Lawal, said the body is in support of Faleye, maintaining that there was no place where a meeting was held to remove him (Faleye) from office.

    Last week, the Faleye faction, backed by heavy police security, stormed the party secretariat to pronounce the suspension of four SWC members in the Olatunde faction.

    The Secretary, Aluko, claimed that he was shot at close range as he led members of the Olatunde faction to take over the secretariat, shortly after the Faleye faction announced the suspension of four members of the State Working Committee (SWC) led by Olatunde.

    There was tension earlier in the day as policemen were mobilised to the party secretariat in 10 vehicles and an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).

    They prepared ground for the arrival of the Faleye faction. The faction announced the suspension of Olatunde, Aluko, Mrs. Busola Oyebode, the State Women Leader; Tunji Olanrewaju, the State Auditor, and Femi Esan, Assistant Secretary.

    They are to be ‘tried’ by the Faleye faction for alleged anti-party activities by a disciplinary panel to be chaired by Commissioner for Local Government Kolapo Kolade. Other members of the panel are Babade Ige, Animasaun Bamidele, Mrs. Lanre Fajuyi, Smart Adebusuyi, Dele Ajibola and Kola Lawal

    But, the Olatunde faction later came to take over the secretariat about two hours after the Faleye faction had left.

    The riot policemen were later mobilized to the party secretariat at about 3.40 pm and there was shooting with the PDP scribe reportedly hit by gunshots.

    Aluko said: “I was shot at close range by policemen. As I was parking, they opened fire on me at about 3.40 pm.

    “I went there and the policemen were waiting for me and what followed was shooting.

    “My cloth was drenched in blood and I am receiving treatment as you speak with me. I went to the party secretariat because that is my office as the PDP secretary in the state.

    “I have taken care of myself, no shaking. I want you to tell Fayose that the war has started and Fayose cannot intimidate us.

    “We will never leave the party for Fayose or any other person. Tell him that the war has started and we are battle-ready and the people of the state will know the real members of the party”.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Alberto Adeyemi, said that he was not aware of any shooting. He said: “Our men were their until they (PDP Chieftains) left and we are not aware of any other meeting held after they had left.

    “The DPO also told me that nobody had come to the station to complain that he was shot or any shooting incident took place”.

    The resolution of the faction loyal to Fayose to take disciplinary action against the five was read by its spokesman, Adebayo.

    But, Aluko described the action as a breach of the party’s constitution, saying that it was null and void.

    Aluko explained that  the State SWC was constituted by  14 members, wondering where Idowu Faleye-led faction had got the quorum to suspend them.

    “Nobody can push me out of PDP. I have invested and sweated so much to build the party. But if the party is heading to implosion , then I will take my destiny in my own hands, because nobody has right to my happiness more than myself.

    “PDP is being run in line with the constitution of the party. If this is the case, it came to me as a shock that the party could come up with this action through Jackson Adebayo and Idowu Faleye, who have been suspended by the authentic PDP leaders.

    “Though, we owe it a duty to respect the NWC, but for suspended Chairman to do that was a deliberate attempt to destroy the party, is rather frightening, embarrassing and also disturbing”, Aluko stated.

    He maintained that up till now, Faleye has not been properly registered as a PDP member in his ward, having defected from Labour Party (LP) where he ran for the House of Represetatives seat for Ekiti North Federal Constituency 2 in the 2011 general elections.

    Aluko added : “How can eleven members be suspended  in the SWC? Only the State Executive Committee, acting on the directive of  the NWC, can do that. If anybody think the best way to save the party is by illegal suspension, I won’t be part of that game.

    “Since we assumed office, we have worked hard to win so many elections. We were the one that put Governor Ayodele Fayose on that seat. I was the State Agent in the last governorship poll .

    “I can still not recollect where the meeting was held to ratify our suspension. It was just a decision of Faleye and his faction”.

    Aluko contended that the Publicity Secretary of the party , Mr Olisa Metuh, could not have issued the statement that purportedly suspended them because he has scheduled a peace meeting for next this week.

    Party members are wondering why a party, which won the last year’s poll,  could be so enmeshed in a protracted crisis, barely a year after.

    To observers, history is merely repeating itself in the Ekiti PDP. During Fayose’s first term,the PDP also suffered from factional crisis. A faction known as “Egbe Majeobaje” or “Authentic PDP” broke away due to irreconcilable differences with Fayose.

    The party did not recover from the crisis, until the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) clampdown and the wind of impeachment blew the administration away.

    A party member said: “I am afraid if this matter is not resolved, history may repeat itself as any party that finds itself in power in Ekiti goes into opposition at the next election and I hope we are not laying that foundation with the latest needless crisis.”

  • Adamawa PDP: A divided house

    Adamawa PDP: A divided house

    All is not well with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State, despite the recent presidential visit. BARNABAS MANYAM examines the crisis and its implications for the party, ahead of the general election. 

    The squabbling in the Adamawa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to end, despite President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s visit. The grouse was generated in the wake of the party’s primaries, which were characterised by the imposition of candidates at all levels.

    The support of the Christian population can no longer be taken for granted. After seven years of Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako in office, Christians are demanding for a fair deal. They say they have waited in the wings to take a shot at the governorship, but are being denied the chance once again, with the handing of the governorship ticket to another Fulani man on a platter of gold. They are insisting on Nuhu Ribadu’s name being substituted by that of a seasoned politician and legal luminary, Jerry Kumdisi.

    According to observers, the argument of the Christian community and that of the minorities may be tenable, but the Presidency has continued to disregard this sizeable voting population, going by the outcome of the 2011 general elections.

    Less than two weeks to the presidential elections, the chances of the PDP is becoming bleak by the day, as some party bigwigs have been defecting to other parties.These include: Markus Gundiri, Navy Commander Bodes, Alh. Abubakar Kari Abdulahi and Hon. Awwal Tukur. Others are: two members of the National Assembly, Aishatu Dahiru Binani and Anthony Madwatte, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Kwamoti Laori.  Laori left the party with many members of the House, including the former Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Ahmed Modibbo.

    Some of the aggrieved aspirants that contributed to building the party, but have been ditched by the PDP include Gen. Aliyu Kama, Hon. Awwal Tukur, Dr. Ahmed Modibbo, Prof Andrawus Sawa, incumbent Governor Bala Nggilari, Senator Abubakar Halilu Girei, Hon. Jerry Kumdisi, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, and former Special Adviser to the President, Mr. Ahmed Gulak. It also includes senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly aspirants, who were sidelined during the primaries by the party. As a result, the party is grappling to make an impact in Adamawa State.

    Under Governor Nggilari, many local government chairmen have resorted to using state funds to fund parties that are in the opposition.

    Another baffling aspect is that some politicians, who are said to be loyal to the PDP are becoming lukewarm; most of them no longer attend party functions or contribute their resources to support the campaign effort. Those could be described as resourceful people in the party are aloof and unperturbed by the struggles the party is going through. People like the former Acting Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who was the major beneficiary of the Murtala Nyako impeachment and who also presided over the government for three month have since refused to identify with the party in terms of committing his resources to run the party. Observers say he is waiting in the wings to benefit from the appeal court judgement between him and Nggilari. Fintiri believes the Presidency will swing the case to his favour.

    Kumdisi has been endorsed by many political heavyweights in the state. According to observers, he is the one politician that may help galvanise the party to victory, if the party decides to right the wrongs done to him during the primary. Such observers see the coming of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as a sign of the growing impunity and interference with the internal democracy from Abuja. The henchmen behind the manoeuvrings, they said, are only are interested in siphoning the state’s funds, if Ribadu comes to power.

    Among the other nine aspirants that were shortchanged at the primaries, Kumdisi appears to have more political clout. He is a moderate voice that can carry many stakeholders along. Besides, he is an experienced legislator; having served three terms in the House of Assembly

    He is not a money bag. Yet, the people’s love for him is genuine because he is simply a grassroots man that believes in personal persuasions. Kumdisi carries more influence and acceptability among Adamawa State delegates. He was coasting to victory before the impunity that took place in Abuja was concocted.

    Pundits say the only way the PDP can extricate itself from the tight spot it has found itself is to go back to the drawing board, by reuniting stakeholders and pacifying those that left the party because they felt they were shortchanged during the primaries. Kumdisi is believed to be the only man who can unite members once more. Local people contributed to buy his PDP nomination forms for N11m because of their love for him.

    Many party supporters have called for compensation for former aspirants with positions and cash to assuage their huge campaign expenditure and the N11m nomination fee.

    Observers believe that, if Ribadu’s name is not substituted by that of Kumdisi, the party may come a distant third in the election. They believe that the change of candidature will bring the party back to his winning ways. They say this is not because they have anything against Ribadu, who is widely regarded as a gentleman, who can even stand elections to the highest office in the land. But, their grouse is the process that brought him into the race.

    According to this group, the PDP would not be in the mess, if real elections were allowed to take place if the President had persuaded other aspirants to step down for Ribadu. “Many aspirants would have agreed, but, by using the elbow on the other nine aspirants and thwarting the whole process, they see in Nuhu Ribadu as a pawn being used by some dangerous people in Abuja to feather their nests,” one of such observers, who does not want to be named, said.

    He added that those that drafted Ribadu into the race on the platform of the PDP have only succeeded in spoiling the bright chances that the former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had from the beginning. Only time will tell if the mafia will succeed.

  • 2015: Urhobo elite divided over execution of Uvwiamughe declaration

    This might not be the best of times for the formidable Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) as cracks have been noticed among its leadership ranks over the direction to lead the fifth largest ethnic nation to in the next month’s election.

    The Nation had reported the avowed stance of the UPU leadership on Urhobo people’s Uvwiamughe Declaration, which served as their article of faith and minimum demand for the 2015 elections.

    The declaration, which was made on February 28, 2014, noted that the Urhobo nation, being the largest ethnic group in Delta, with a voting strength of more than one million voters, would only give its votes in bloc, across all elective contests, to whichever of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) that gives its governorship ticket to an Urhobo candidate.

    The UPU had, prior to the governorship primary of the PDP, had subtly advised President Jonathan to ensure his party worked its ticket for the candidate of choice of Urhobo extraction.

    However, following the failure of the PDP to give the party’s governorship ticket to a candidate of  Urhobo extraction, as the party’s ticket was won by Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who hails from Agbor in the Delta Northern Senatorial District, some leaders of the UPU, The Nation learnt, have been seeking means and ways of jettisoning the declaration and go ahead to endorse President Jonathan.

    In a recent interview with The Nation, the President General of the UPU, Chief Joe Omene, had given a hint to the group’s soft-spot for President Jonathan, notwithstanding the relegation of Urhobo ethnic ambition to produce the next governor in Delta state.

    Omene had said the UPU would still give President Jonathan the benefit of doubt by listening to his explanation of what led to the defeat of Chief David Edevbie, the preferred Urhobo aspirant at the PDP governorship primary, suggesting that the president might not, after all, be the one to blame.

    But there are still some hardliners in the ranks of the executives of the UPU, who are of the opinion that the Uvwiamughe Declaration must be sacrosanct, insisting that PDP’s insistence to take its ticket away from Urhobo land should be viewed as adversarial and thus President Jonathan and all others who would be contesting on the platform of the PDP should pay for that by not getting any of the huge votes from Urhobo land.