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Tag: elections

  • Beyond 2015 General elections: Delivering election promises

    Beyond 2015 General elections: Delivering election promises

    In 2009, not less than N2.1 trillion was committed by the CBN in collaboration with the Federal Government into key economic schemes for economic development.

    The benefitting schemes include the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (NGN69billion); Commercial Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (N200billion); the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NGN200billion); Small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Scheme (N200billion). the SMEs Restructuring and Refinancing Scheme (N200billion) and Power and Airlines Intervention Fund (N300billion). In defending the release of the funds to the rich the CBN claimed that “The Federal Government of and CBN instituted the intervention programmes to enable key players in the economy have access to finance adding that access to credit remains important to agricultural value-chain” . (Mrs Sarah Alade, CBN Acting Governor, MSME News March 3, 2014).

    It is on record that the privileged beneficiaries of the aforementioned loans and other huge loans procured from the commercial banks were unable to liquidate them. As the banking system was going to collapse the CBN had to bail out the banks with a loan of N600 billion. As if that was not enough, the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) was quickly established to take over the toxic debts of the rich worth trillions of naira. In an article titled: “Waiver for the rich, hard labour for the poor”, a respected economist, Mr. Henry Boyo, said: “Although AMCON purchased the stockbrokers’ toxic assets at a discounted price of about N42billion, in reality, the current value of the underlying assets or collaterals is only about N19.6bn, according to the minister. Consequently, AMCON’s over N2tn incursion in the money market may, in reality also, be worth less than N1tn at current valuation; thus, AMCON may ultimately have flushed another N1trillion public funds down the drains.” (The Punch, December 1, 2015.)

    The candidate of the APC has said that the economy will be private sector driven. Pray, which private sector is the General talking about? The beneficiaries of contract bazaars, duty waivers? Or the beneficiaries of amcon waivers? Or the importers of fuel products and oil thieves? Or the buyers of public assets in the name of privatisation and liquidation? Or currency speculators and round trippers? Essentially, the private sector is an extension of the public sector in Nigeria. Since 1999, the economy has been mismanaged by the private sector constituted by rent collectors. In the process, the national economy has been ruined completely.

    According to an enquiry conducted by the House of Representatives the Obasanjo Administration wasted $16 billion on the power sector. After injecting several billions on the sector the NEPA was eventually privatised almost two years ago without any noticeable improvement.

    Shamefully, Nigeria is the only oil producing country which imports petroleum products for domestic consumption. In 2011, the National Assembly appropriated N245 billion for fuel importation but the Central Bank released the sum of N2.3 trillion on the recommendation of the Federal Ministry of Finance. Since then, not less than N1 trillion has been earmarked for fuel importation annually in addition to billions of dollars spent on the turnaround maintenance of the nation’s refineries. At a public hearing held by the Senate in 2012, the Comptroller General of Customs disclosed that the nation had lost

    N604 billion due to indiscriminate duty waivers granted by the Federal Ministry of Finance within a period of nine months.

    Sequel to the crash in the price of crude oil the Federal Government announced that austerity measures would be imposed on the hapless Nigerian people. Because of the gross mismanagement of the economy by the government and its allies workers are now salaries for months. After the elections the people are going to be made to bear the brunt of the looting of the treasury and costs of running the government.

    But in spite of the grinding poverty in the land Nigerian legislators are said to be the highest paid in the world. The country’s public officers equally receive the highest estacodes in the world. With over 10 aircraft Nigeria has the largest presidential fleet among the developing nations in the world.

     

    The dollarisation of the economy

    Under Section 16 of the Central Bank Bank Act, 2007 the power to fix and determine the exchange rate of the Naira is exclusively vested in the central bank. But the CBN has abdicated that statutory duty to the so called market forces. For instance, the Monetary Committee of the CBN fixed devalued the national currency in November last year by fixing the exchange rate at N168 to a dollar. But market forces have increased the exchange rate to over N220 to a dollar while the International Monetary Fund is insisting that the Naira be further devalued. In justifying the reckless devaluation of the Naira last November, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria blamed it on the falling price of oil in the international market. However, the CBN governor has asked Nigerians to accept that devaluation would come with pains but would lead to benefits in the long run. This is a reminder of the mantra of the discredited Ibrahim Babangida junta when it accepted the prescription of the International Monetary Fund to devalue the Naira under the dubious Structural Adjustment Programme in 1986.

    Although Mr. Emefiele did not explain why some other oil producing countries have not devalued their currencies he has publicly admitted that the factors causing the continued fall in the value of the Naira are beyond the control of the Central Bank and the Federal Government. Contrary to official claim on cause of the devaluation of the Naira the policy was largely induced

    by the illegal dollarization of the neo-colonial capitalist economy of the country. In utter violation of the Central Bank Act rents are fixed and collected in dollars in the high brow areas of Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other cities in Nigeria. Some institutions charge tuition fees in dollars. On a daily basis, traders are allowed to buy millions of dollars to pay for all manners of goods including toothpicks imported from China, United Arab Emirates, Turkey etc.

    No doubt, the pressure on the dollar has recently increased due to unprecedented demand from politicians in preparations for the 2015 General Election. Hundreds of millions of dollars were bought from the forex market to purchase votes during the congresses and primaries of political parties.

    A particular candidate has been linked with the distribution of dollars to traditional leaders and other influential groups in the country in a desperate bid to win the presidential election. In a bid to dollarize the economy and destroys the Nigerian economy the CBN supplies millions of dollars to the foreign exchange market on a weekly basis.

    Although Nigeria has become the largest importer of the United States dollars in the world neither the International Monetary Fund (IMF) nor the World Bank has ever questioned the reckless devaluation of the economy. Even, the National Assembly which is debating the 2015 Appropriation Bill has not deemed it to consider the deleterious effects of the increasing devaluation of the national currency on the implementation of the Budget.

    Since by virtue of section 16 of the Central Bank Act, 2007 the currency notes and coins issued by the central bank shall be legal tender in Nigeria at their face value for the payment of any amount it is illegal to dollarize the economy in any manner whatsoever. Indeed, undersection 20 (5) of the Act any person who refuses to accept the Naira as a means of payment for

    any amount in Nigeria is guilty of an offence and liable to be prosecuted and if found guilty shall be fined N50,000 or 6 months imprisonment. In Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. President, Federal Republic of Nigeria (2007) 14 NWLR (Pt 1054) 275 the plaintiff challenged the policy of In the Olusegun Obasanjo Administration of paying dollar salaries and allowances to Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Ambassador Olu Adeniji, the ministers of Finance and Foreign Affairsrespectively. The federal high court struck out the case for want of locus standi on the part of the plaintiff.

    But the Court of Appeal disagreed with the lower court. In upholding the locus standi of the appellant to maintain the action the Court held the payment of salaries of any public officer in dollars was contrary to the provisions of the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders

    (Salaries and Allowances etc) Act No 6 of 2002. In declaring such payment illegal and unconstitutional the Court directed both ministers to refund to the Federal Government the money paid to them in excess of the salaries and allowances approved by law. Based on the decision of the Court of Appeal and the relevant provisions of the Central Bank Act the management of the CBN should stop the further dollarization of the economy.

     

    Conclusion

    From the foregoing analysis it is undoubtedly clear that the neo-colonial capitalist economy has continued to increase misery and frustration in the land. But while harsh economic conditions are imposed on the people the unjust socio-economic system has set aside loans and waivers that run into several trillions of naira for members of the ruling class. Since the government is

    required by the Constitution to control and manage the economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare and happiness of all citizens the Nigerian people should get organized and demand for the redistribution of the commonwealth from the political party that wins the forthcoming election.

    However, there is no indication that the election will hold. If the INEC goes ahead with the conduct of the elections there are fears that the exercise may be sabotaged by anti democratic forces. If the election holds the results may be rejected leading to a post-election violence which may threaten the corporate existence of the nation. In the circumstance, an interim government may be established and be saddled with the task of preparing the country for another political transition. In the alternative, a coup de tat that may be staged by the top echelon of the armed forces under the pretext of restoring law and order and fighting the menace of insurgency. The military wing of the ruling parties succeeded in Mali and Burkina Faso. But having fractionalized the country along ethnic and religious lines the masterminds of the politicalcrisis are not likely to profit from the perfidy. Therefore, the Nigerian people should be prepared for a long drawn out battle for the liberation of the country from political and economic predators.

     

    •Concluded

  • Policemen, INEC driver escape lynching in Warri

    An angry mob Friday almost lynched two policemen and a driver of an Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) van in Warri, who were alleged to have attempted diversion of election materials meant for Saturday’s exercise.

    The Nation gathered that the driver of the INEC, in company of the two mobile policemen, was driving out of the commission’s complex on Esisi Road in Warri when representatives of some political parties, who had been keeping vigil in from of the complex since Thursday night, suspected a foul play and stopped the vehicle from leaving the gates.

    Having stopped the vehicle, with registration number Presidency FG 714V01, the vigilant party representatives searched it and discovered bundles of incident forms and some result sheets concealed under the legs of one of the policemen.

    Although the Electoral Officer (EO) for Warri South, Fidelia Omoile, said the materials were not meant for Warri South and that it was being returned to Isoko South, where it belonged, other sources said a call to Isoko South proved Omoile’s claims wrong as party agents their said the INEC office there had all materials intact.

    Expressing sadness over the development, the All Progressive Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate for Warri South 2 Constituency, Robinson Ariyo, who was among those keeping vigil in front of the INEC office said the development had confirmed fears that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was bent on rigging the elections.

    “The incident confirms our fear that PDP plan to rig these elections. The position of PDP has always been that card readers should not be used to enable them perfect their rigging strategies. They do not want to relent.

    ”These incident report forms, in thousands, would have gone out of this INEC office if not for the vigilance of my party members and other parties around here. The implication of the form is that if an electorate is unable to vote with the card reader, the incident report form is filled for such person.

    ”We have a photograph of the bundles that were smuggled out. The materials were not kept inside the rear compartment of the van but underneath the front seat and a police officer was trying to use his legs to push them in. Eternal vigilance is a price we pay for liberty, we are prepared to pay the price, when election is not free and fair, it is a negation to the idea of democracy,” he said.

    Responding to the development, the Electoral Officer for Warri South, Fidelia Omoile, said she stopped at Isoko on her way from Asaba adding that while offloading the materials in Warri, it was discovered the non-sensitive materials belong to Isoko South.

    ”When I got to Warri, I discovered that the materials are in my vehicle and I have to take them back to Isoko. The party agents saw the materials and said no problem; it is unfortunate that the people did not trust their representatives.

    ”It took the security men to calm them and for peace to reign, I have dropped the materials to enable my vehicle to leave for Asaba and give me more materials,” she said.

     

  • Elections’ day as oil thieves’ good day

    While most Nigerians went to the polls on Saturday, March 28 to choose a new president and National Assembly members across the country, some gangs of criminals were having a field day plundering oil facilities in the Niger Delta and staling crude oil from facilities from Warri in Delta State to Bayelsa, Rivers and other states.

    No fewer than four massive crude oil tankers were loaded with stolen crude oil in the Warri and Forcados areas of Delta State during the period leading to and after the elections a fortnight ago.

    The massive heist was done in spite of the award of over N9billion crude oil contracts to former militant leaders in the area by the outgoing Federal Government led by President Goodluck Jonathan. The contract was awarded to Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) and his colleagues in Delta and other Niger Delta State. The Delta State axis of the deal was awarded to Oil Field Surveillance Limited, a company jointly owned by Tompolo along with some Ijaw and Itsekiri leaders.

    The plot to hit the goldmine was hatched when the masterminds of the illegal bunkering rings in the area realised that most security operatives attached the oil facilities would either be withdrawn and redeployed for election duties or would be too engrossed in the process to concentrate on their duties.

    The illegal bunkering barges, vessels and huge canoes were positioned prior to the eve of the elections. The boats and other paraphernalia of the criminal deal were then moved close to the bunkering site.

    “When they criminals realised that the military would slacken their watch and patrol, they started planning and strategising. It is even possible that they had been planning several weeks ahead of the operation because we all knew that soldiers and men of the Navy would be concerned with election duties more than on their constitutional duties.”

    A member of one of the highest ranking traditional councils in Delta State disclosed that boats started moving into the creeks through Warri in the afternoon of Friday, March 27.

    “The area is between Kokologbene and Dibigbene and the boats are passing through Lokiri Creek off Warri River to the loading point,” he said.

    Although the information was passed to a very high ranking officer at the Sector 1 headquarters of the Joint Task Force, ‘Operation Pulo (Oil) Shield’,  the illegal bunkering activities went unhindered during the period till late on Sunday evening. Sources, who live around the aforementioned communities, said there was neither a halt of wanton thievery nor arrest of any vessel by security operatives.

    “Some of us counted at least a dozen boats and they were all loaded and left the creek. We suspect that they were being used to convey the stolen crude to a bigger vessel, possibly a tanker waiting at the mouth of the Warri River or any other places. The operation continued throughout Friday night till Sunday and nobody was arrested.”

    A source said security operatives in the area were either directly involved in the heist or supplied the criminals with information about troops’ movement in the area.

    “We have consistently posited that there cannot be theft of crude oil from the area if the soldiers and naval personnel are not involved. This incident again has proven our position that they (security operatives) are all involved in illegal bunkering.

    “One time I went to tell a very high ranking officer at the Effurun Barracks about the activities of a certain illegal bunkering; their plan, location and how they are doing the business, immediately I left the base someone called me with hidden number to threaten me on the consequences of giving information to security agencies about illegal bunkerers. That, more than anything, convinced me that we cannot solve the problem of crude oil theft without purifying the security operatives deployed to the area.”

     

  • April 11th elections: Lagos must be wise

    SIR: All is now set for the Governorship and State Assembly elections across most states of the federation. In the last few months, the candidates and their parties have been feeding the people with promises of what they will do when they get to or re-elected to power. To this end, one can safely posit that they have done their bits and it is now left to the electorates to do the needful come Saturday 11th April.

    However, it will be pertinent to call on the electorate to be wise when choosing the party/candidates to vote for. At this juncture, I will like to concentrate on Lagos, my state of origin and residence.

    It is no longer news to hear people from different parts of the country (even foreign visitors) including top government officials using the transformation that has taken place in Lagos as reference point to other governors to emulate so that the people can enjoy true dividends of democracy.

    This, is in view, of the fact that a lot of infrastructural projects have been completed and some ongoing; jobs have been created; workers are paid regularly and other laudable programmes have been put in place to pave ways for a better future for the people. So, one can safely say ‘it has been so far, so good’.

    Interestingly, members of the opposition parties have also given credence to the fact that the Fourth Republican governments in the state (1999 to date) have performed creditably and that they would have done far better if they had been in the same political party with the government at the federal level.

    During the electioneering campaign, the opposition party (PDP) in the state strongly emphasised on the need for people to vote for their party so that more development can be witnessed because of its affiliation with the federal government (PDP). This permutation was based on their unflinching belief that PDP will retain power at the federal level. True to their insinuation, I want to strongly align with their position that the progressive government in the state would have done excellently if they have been accorded the required attention and entitlements by the federal government. Be that as it may, it is still safe to say that our progressive leaders have put in their best to lead us to where we are today.

    It is in view of the position of the PDP vis-à-vis the efforts and good work of the government and leaders of the APC in the state that I will want to put forward the following tips for our people to consider before casting their votes on Saturday 11th April.

    Firstly, by the special grace of Almighty God, the outcome of the presidential elections held on March 28th, clearly shows that the APC will be in charge at the federal level from May 29th. What this means is that the best thing for every patriotic person in Lagos is to opt for the APC at the state level. This is in view of the fact that it will ensure continuity of the good work of the progressive government as well as getting the required and necessary support from the federal government.

    Secondly, the opposition party should be honourable enough to still stand by their very unique position and campaign strategy that Lagos will be better off if a candidate of the same political affiliations with the federal government is voted into power.

    Thirdly, after the party primary that produces Akinwunmi Ambode as the flag bearer of the APC, some leaders of the PDP in the state came out boldly to say that the APC have shown them the direction to go in selecting their own candidate (that is a Christian and qualified professional). This is an admission of the fact that Ambode is qualified, sound and capable of ruling the state.

    Fourthly, it would not be in the best interest of Lagosians and the state to take a dangerous gamble by putting our future in the hands of those that could not conduct peaceful and rancor-free party primaries.

    Fifthly, the state is steadily growing and now the envy of all and sundry. We cannot afford to take chances of experimentation going backwards.

    Sixthly, the PDP has engaged in evil personal campaigns against Asiwaju in the state to sell a dummy to innocent electorates and swing votes in their favour.

    Finally, now that we have gotten the opportunity that we have sought for years. So, my good people, it is time to VOTE WISELY.

     

    • Hon. Rasheed Olu-Ajayi

    Odi-Olowo Constituency 1 Mushin Lagos

  • Parties uncover plot to rig elections

    Parties uncover plot to rig elections

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) yesterday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, alerted to a plot by a party to rig Saturday’s elections.

    LP governorship candidate, Mr. Edward Nkwegu, alleged that the party uncovered a plan to manipulate the electors on Saturday.

    He said the National Assembly election result  was a sham, as it did not reflect the will of the people.

    “A notable party engaged in the falsification of results and manipulation of the process.

    “We will do our best to ensure that our stolen mandate is retrieved. We have compiled documentary evidence, to be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for action.”

    Nkwegu urged the electorate to be vigilant.

    Said he: “Let no one make a mistake about it. Desperate politicians are not yet through with their game. In addition to the old antics, they will come up with new tricks in their desperation for power.”

    The APGA candidate, Senator Anthony Agno, alleged that the party was aware of a plot by a party to rig on Saturday.

    According to him, APGA remained the instrument of hope for Ebonyi people, as it is the only party in the race, with a well-articulated vision and programme.

    Agno said the party would challenge the results of the National Assembly election, as it was marred by irregularities.

    The state chapter of the APC also said there were plans by a party to rig on Saturday.

    The party’s Chairman, Mr. Ben Nwaobasi, said: “We have received reports that result sheets of the April 11 elections have been sold to the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

    He enjoined security agents to investigate the matter, saying it could cause crisis.

  • Democracy reached a new and higher level with the elections, but at what cost and who bore the scars of the trauma?

    Democracy reached a new and higher level with the elections, but at what cost and who bore the scars of the trauma?

    We have to admit it. President Jonathan surprised everyone in Nigeria and across the world with the readiness and the grace with which he conceded defeat and called Buhari to congratulate him on his victory. Just the day before this happened, Femi Fani-Kayode, the megalomaniacal and evil-tongued Director General of the Jonathan Campaign Organization had been saying that the results being cumulatively and unofficially announced by local and international media organizations that put Buhari well ahead of Jonathan were all false. He had vigorously and falsely claimed that Jonathan and the PDP were in fact more than two to three million votes ahead of Buhari and the APC. And as if that was not enough, Fani-Kayode added that the internal figures collated by PDP field operatives showed that the party and Jonathan had won in 23 out of the 36 states in the country. Moreover, one so-called Elder Orubebe, PDP’s representative at the national election results collation centre in Abuja, had on the final day of the release of the election results and with extremely violent language, attacked the INEC Chairman, Jega for an alleged bias against his party, threatening that the PDP would not accept INEC’s figures for the results. These and other actions and words of PDP hawks gave a clear indication that Jonathan and the PDP would perhaps not accept defeat and that in all likelihood, the country was once again being deliberately set on the path of a debacle of post-election paroxysm of bloodbath and nation-wrecking mayhem.

    It is against the background of such actions and words from key figures in his campaign organization that Jonathan’s speedy and gracious concession of defeat caught most people and news organizations by total surprise. And let us bear in mind also that on the day of the election, Saturday, March 28 when the electronic card reader in the polling booth at his hometown failed to authenticate his encoded biometric identity, Jonathan had asked for patience; he had asked Nigerians to recognize that the card reader hitches were just that – hitches that did not amount to an overall condemnation of the elections. Finally, still on that same day, Jonathan had urged Nigerians to accept the results of the elections regardless of who won or lost.

    Those who are familiar with the extremely negative profile that this column has painted of Jonathan and his administration over the years would no doubt be surprised by the fact that I am hereby joining my voice to the voices of the great number of people that have given the President high praise for the magnanimity of his acceptance of defeat rather than following the inclinations of the fascist hawks in his party to plunge the country into chaos and bloodshed by a rejection of the will of the Nigerian people as expressed in the decisive victory they gave Buhari and the APC. So why then am I myself now singing the praise of Jonathan? Have I, like my good friend of many, many decades, Odia Ofeimun, seen the light and have come to realize that, as Odia put it, Jonathan is the very best president we have ever had in this country? Absolutely not! My reason for sincerely acknowledging and praising the generosity and maturity of Jonathan’s repudiation of the nation-wrecking desperadoes in his party and campaign organization is precisely to do just that: give the man his due and acknowledge that he will perhaps always be remembered for this extremely gracious final political or electoral act of his time in power. But there is another reason for joining the chorus of praises for the president on this one decisive act and it is the fact that I want to use that acknowledgment to raise the wider question what it cost Nigeria and Nigerians to be taken through desperation of national survival of such extremity that only Jonathan’s gracious act and nothing else could have averted great catastrophe. Moreover, I wish to raise the issue of who paid the price and will in future bear the cost of the kind of post-election trauma that we have just gone through. Is it likely to happen again? If not, what should we do to make its recurrence unlikely or perhaps even impossible? So while we all give praise to Jonathan for that act of great maturity and statesmanship, these are the sorts of issues that we must not ignore, that we must not bury under the psychic weight of relief that we all felt when Jonathan chose not take the preferred destructive path of the Fayoses, the Fani-Kayodes, the Orubebes and the Obanikoros of his party.  I think it is best to explain what I have in mind here by using the analogy of what the costs are and what is at stake when a patient survives a life-threatening surgical operation for a deadly cancer.

    The hope of all cancer survivors is that the survival will last and that the cancer will not come back. For this, the lucky patient must do everything possible to avoid carcinogenic agents and lifestyle habits that encourage cancer. And of course he or she must continue to take the prescribed medications. Now, it takes no great act of wisdom or perceptiveness for anyone to see that it has been a deeply and widely cancerous democracy that we have been having since the return to formal democratic governance in 1999. In the present discussion, I will limit myself to only the electoral process.

    We all remember the elections held under the supervision of the previous INEC Chairman, Maurice Iwu and his boss, Olusegun Obasanjo. In that evil collaboration, there was a crucial division of labor between the two men. Obasanjo’s part was to use money and the police and the army to either buy votes or intimidate opponents and the electorate into fear or submission. For his part, Iwu’s role was to deliver the votes and deliver them big. Now let us be clear that Jonathan not only continued this party tradition of using funds from our national coffers to buy votes, but he took the practice to absolutely new and unprecedented levels. For instance, most of the 2.53 trillion naira oil subsidy mega-scam of 2011 went to the slush funds for Jonathan’s 2011 election campaign. In the current electoral cycle of 2015, it appears that the President went far beyond that already extraordinary scale of 2.53 trillion naira since dollars, not the depreciated naira, was the currency of vote buying. Now my central point here is, regardless of the praise for Jonathan for his post-election magnanimity, we MUST know how much of our money he spent this time around. For not a kobo – or cent – of that money is his father’s money; it is yours and mine and we have a right to know. In the exercise of that right, perhaps we might finally come to a constitutional ban on the use of public funds by all present and future incumbent governments to buy votes. This practice of the unrestricted use of public or state funds for election campaigns is without doubt one of the most carcinogenic agents afflicting or threatening our fledgling democracy. And the cost to the economic and social wellbeing of our peoples is incalculable.

    Equally carcinogenic is the use of the police, the army and all kinds of quasi-official militias by Jonathan and the PDP to intimidate and cow both opponents and the general electorate. The scale of this abuse of incumbency for political or electoral advantage must be fully revealed. There is the specific case of Ekiti-Gate. That case must now be formally opened and brought to a conclusion that will serve to strengthen our democracy. The incoming administration must not be blackmailed by charges of witch-hunting or revenge mongering, especially when and if such charges are couched in the form of accusations of bad or mean spirited recompense for Jonathan’s act of magnanimity in that swift and decisive concession of victory to Buhari. The one does not cancel the other: yes, we must praise Jonathan for that one act; no, we cannot, we must not let any incumbent government ever again use the police and the army to pervert and distort the electoral process. Let us not forget that it is the people, in their tens of millions who bore the brunt of the state sanctioned violence that the PDP, in the years of its rule, routinely used as one of its choicest means of staying in power.

    The thing that personally nauseates me the most is the use by Jonathan and his campaign hawks of hooded paramilitary operatives side by side with the regular units of the army and the police. I do not know if these spectral and sinister forces were used in the elections of last weekend, but they were widely used in the 2014 gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States. Hooded paramilitary operatives? It seemed to have come from the lowest common denominator of the melodramatic imagination of Nollywood scriptwriters and film directors. But it was real enough and it came from Jonathan’s Aso Rock.

    These are all preliminary observations and reflections on the presidential elections of 2015. We are all greatly relieved that it ended well and there are no looming specters of bitter and divisive verbal and physical warfare on the horizon. In the weeks and months ahead, there will be time enough to turn our attention to the more weighty problems and challenges that the change from one ruling party to another will bring to our country and our peoples throughout the length and breadth of the land. I cannot end this piece without saying this: for me the real heroes of what happened last weekend are not Jonathan or Buhari; they are the millions of Nigerians who resisted intimidation, force, coercion and bribery to send the PDP packing. Let APC take note of this. What has been done to the PDP may or can be done to the new ruling party if no real or meaningful change takes place in the years ahead.

    Biodun Jeyifo

    bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

  • 2015 Presidential Elections: Matters Arising

    For the first time, an incumbent president of this great country has stood and lost an election. And for the first time in our beleaguered history, a losing presidential candidate has graciously picked up the phone to congratulate the winner and concede defeat. This is, indeed, a watershed moment in our political journey. To be sure, this is the culmination of the yearnings and aspirations of a people that has been long over due. There are many lessons to be learned from this nation’s rebirthing experience.

    For President Jonathan, he is both a winner and loser. First, a winner because he picked up the phone and did the honourable thing – concede defeat. In this sense, he has probably written his name in gold as the father of a New Democratic Nigeria. By rising above the temptations of power, adhering to his better innermost judgments, and unshackling himself from the goading and firm grips of the sycophants around him – I am pretty sure those grovelers would have urged him not to concede defeat by misinforming him on the deceitful need to challenge the elections in some six states of the North. The incumbent president has set an example for others after him to follow. He has demonstrated an uncommon grace and nobility never before seen in the country.

    Yet, he is equally a loser. Here was a man who had the presidency handed down to him on a platter of gold after the death of former President Umaru Yar’Adua. In 2011, he was overwhelmingly re-elected. Then, he chose to ride the tiger’s political back and certainly ended up in its belly of defeat. By choosing to perennially run for re-election and forgetting to govern, Jonathan brought today’s defeat on himself. Has he deployed the same degree of commitment like he did in the past six weeks to fighting Boko Haram, it would have long been conquered long before the general elections, and certainly the Chibok girls saga was a stake to which he was inescapably tied to. Nor did his inability to tame those around him – from his domestic family to his political one – helped his cause. Albeit, too little too late and his defeat today has wide reaching repercussions for so many especially his South South peoples.

    President-elect Mohammadu Buhari is a winner along with his APC team. By sheer perseverance and shrewd political engineering, he has actualized his tall ambition of ruling the country a second time. He deserves a lot of kudos and commendation, but I will leave other analysts to dissect the factors and indices that galvanized this victory for him. But, I hope his second coming is for all the right reasons. I hope he can rise above the cocoon of ethnocentrism and sticky allegations of bigotry about him to bring all federating units together and forge a new frontier for the entire nation.  As a sign of seriousness to the electorate, he must demonstrate his willingness to tackle corruption and insecurity – his chief election promises – by laying the groundwork for the big picture.

    First, he must show willingness to fight corruption by caging the Tigers in his inner circle, demonstrably making certain that things cannot be business as usual anymore by for instance taking the cost of governance and slashing same significantly. Elected officials must be made to realize that public service is not a quick path to overnight riches. Second, he must take on big things, by for instance, laying the blue print to infrastructural development across the nation. He must fix power and road/train amongst other important needs of Nigerians. He should not resort to political vendetta as this may signal a giant failure path and collective dashing of hopes of the many inspired by this moment. He could, for instance, indicate to the South East that the vestiges and incidences of the civil war no longer imperil them by embracing and extending to them a fresh hand of fellowship. This last point is seminal because the general’s worst performance was in the South South and the South East. Understandably, the South South was not expected to vote against their favourite son. The president-elect had been known to have once asserted that the South East refuses to forgive him because of the civil war. All these ill wills ought to be buried if he wants to rise to the level of, say, a Mandela, the Madiba, instead of choosing the path of pettiness of Chief Obasanjo.

    For the reigning and defeated PDP, the reign of impunity and arrogant aura of invisibility has come to a meteoric end. If this serves a heavy dose of deterrence to the incoming APC, the Nation would be the primary beneficiary. The General and his APC must take notice that they are elected to serve, not to make the Nation desolate. In the event that they engage in the same abominations that made PDP desolate including gross corruption, dearth of empathy, political deafness, abuse of office/power, among many other vices. These abominations desecrated the most holy of places – the hallowed chambers of the judiciary, legislature, and executive quarters. The ruling party and turned apostate induced even the most revered of ‘prophets’. The General and his APC must learn from the ruling party’s ordeal or wait for a ready electorate to whip them out when the next general election comes.

    Finally, the Nigerian electorate is the biggest winner. For too long, we have stayed disenfranchised.  The electoral process was simply a ruse with politicians abusing the process and the mightiest installing themselves without fear of political reprisal. But maybe, just maybe, the power of the vote is beginning to be restored. The process is still far from perfect, but maybe this shining moment is a glimmer of hope for good things to come. Maybe, just maybe we can now vote and have a say in who truly governs us. Maybe, just maybe, we can now arm ourselves with voter card PVC that is capable of sounding a firm note of caution to any elected official; the voting axe is laid at every elected tree, he that fails to bear good fruits shall certainly be hewn down. That is the first principle of democracy; that is how the blueprint of a national rebirth is established. May God help and sustain Nigeria and the incoming government at the centre.

    • Phillip Okey Igwe, Esq is Managing Partner, Lagem Firma & Partners Victoria Island Lagos.
  • Towards peaceful elections

    Towards peaceful elections

    The Centre for Peace Studies of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto (UDUS) has organised a seminar and rally in support of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) HALIMAH AKANBI (300-Level Law) and ISMAT ANIFOWOSE (300-Level Economics) report.

    THE Centre for Peace Studies of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) has held a sensitisation rally and seminar to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its drive to ensure  peaceful elections, beginning with Saturday’s presidential elections.

    The university auditorium, was filled as a representative of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar, led  guests to the occasion. The Sultan was represented by Alhaji Muhammed Malami Sheik.

    The event was chaired by Prof Tijanni Muhammed Bande, and the special guests included the immediate past Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof R.A. Shehu, his predecessor, Prof Muhammed Adamu, represented by Prof Aminu Isiaku, Prof Aminu Salihu Mika’il and representative of the Commissioner of Police.

    The VC, Prof Abdullahi Zuru, said the aim of the seminar was to enlighten the electorate on the need for peace during the elections. He said INEC needed the support of all to organise credible elections.

    He said the dates fixed by INEC should be seen as significant in the nation’s democratic development, noting that the government has done everything to ensure that voters exercised their franchise peacefully during the elections.

    He urged students to work for peace during and after the elections, saying the success of the exercise would depend on the role individuals choose to play.

    In his paper titled: Electoral process, voter education and the enlightenment, Prof Shehu Salihu Muhammed of the Department of Political Science said for free, fair and credible election to be conducted, citizens must see the electoral process as their task.

    He called for massive voters’ education, saying it would help to change people’s orientation towards ensuring credible election.

    “For there to be credible polls, we must stop to seeing electoral process as the responsibility of the INEC, political parties, religious and community leaders only. Individuals must be seen as partner in the project because we are citizens of this country,” he said.

    Presenting a paper titled: Rule of law and electoral process in Nigeria, Prof Mansur Sa’id of the Faculty of Law said the Constitution had its foundation in law enacted by ordinary people. He said every process in the build up to the election must have its root in rule of law to prevent barrage of litigations.

    While noting that rule of law is bedrock of any democratic society, Prof Sa’id said INEC must ensure the conduct of the elections is in tandem with the provision of Electoral Act. Political parties, he said, must rein in the excesses of their supporters to prevent violence during and after the elections.

    Dr Tukur Muhammed Baba of Department of Sociology, who examined the role of community leaders in electoral process, clarified the concept of community, saying it was a term used to describe every human being living within a given space. Members of the community, he said, must have the same information about any process, noting that outcome of any decision taken would affect every individual in the community because they share the same objective.

    He said community leaders are shapers of opinion, who help individual to interpret and react to a phenomenon. “Community leaders relate opinion on people, events, issues and phenomenon. They act as social mobilisers and organise the thought of members of their society about issues of interest. They invest time and resources in communicating community affairs and provide guidelines and offer assistance to community members on their goals,” he said.

    He listed the roles of community leaders to include contributing to success of electoral process, including sensitising their members on rules and regulations. He added that a good community leader must have acceptability, credibility and available to address members’ grievances at all times.

    In his lecture on Role of media in electoral process, Malam Muhammed Abubakar said the electoral process could not be completed without involving the media. He said activities of media practitioners must be guided by ethics of the profession, noting that the manner in which electoral process was reported could either make or mar the elections.

    Abubakar said the media must report the election accurately, objectively and constructively, urging journalists to promote peace, harmony and love through their reportage. He said the media must focus on issues rather being used to attack personalities.

    The session was followed by a rally by members of Junior Chambers International (JCI) and Rotaract Club and some members of INEC, urging people to shun violence and promote peace during the election.

     

     

     

  • 2015 elections: Words of caution!

    SIR: Politics is a game that is played and enjoyed by the wise. Take it or leave it, politics is part of our everyday affairs. If you have a doctorate in anything or a Master’s degree in wisdom, without contributing to the political process in your nation, you are considered as ignorant. The worst illiterate is the political illiterate. He hears nothing, sees nothing, and takes no part in political events around him.

    The game of politics suits only the wise that is politically and democratically inclined by showing interest in how he is being governed. Notwithstanding, respect must be accorded those who fear politics and always want to abstain from its dirty ways. Nevertheless, cap should be doffed for those that have been playing it without bitterness.

    In view of this, there is the need to appeal to all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, home and abroad not to fold their arms and stand akimbo. We all have a duty to uphold peaceful coexistence of Nigeria as a unified state.

    The existence, continuity and maturity of our great nation will be on litmus test as Nigeria decides the future of generation to come with their power of vote in the course of on-going general elections. Nigeria is too big for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of People’s Democratic Party to put in turmoil. The Nigerian state is too big for anyone to consume and destroy while we must not let our hero’s past regret laying down their lives for the nation in vein.

    Let us shun political and election violence because Nigeria beyond 2015 and should be our paramount and collective concern. God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria

     

    • Niyi Rufai

    NYC, USA

  • Aso Rock Chaplain to Jonathan: elections should not be do or die

    Aso Rock Chaplain to Jonathan: elections should not be do or die

    President Goodluck Jonathan returned yesterday to Aso Villa, 24 hours after voting in the general elections at his Otuoke, Bayelsa State hometown.

    He attended a church service to mark the Palm Sunday.  Guest minister and Founding General Overseer of the All Christians Fellowship Mission, Abuja, Rev. William Okoye, cautioned politicians that results of the general election should be accepted, adding that “It should not be a do-or-die “ matter.

    Rev. Okoye was a one-time Aso Villa Chaplain.

    Before this time, the Chapel was always filled beyond capacity anytime President Jonathan was worshiping there.

    But those in attendance yesterday besides the choir, did not exceed the first three rows on both sides. Workers and few security aides and reporters occupied the last seats.

    Rev. Okoye maintained that those alleging that President Jonathan did not perform in his four years were either being mischievous or economical with the truth.

    According to him, Jonathan’s achievements are glaring for all to see.

    He was confident that the outcome of the election will be in Jonathan’s favour.

    Rev. Okoye, who was the Chaplain of the Chapel between 1999 and 2007, insisted that there was nothing the Jonathan administration has not done to develop the nation.

    Towards lifting up the spirit of the worshippers following the early result of the presidential elections which is going the way of the opposition, Rev. Okoye said, God puts people in authority.

    He also noted that people in their usual sycophantic nature will go to various places, claiming they prayed and will want to take the glory as facilitators  of victory when the result goes the way of the principle.

    He urged President Jonathan not to make that mistake but attribute the victory (if he eventually wins) to God and not to man.

    Rev. OKoye said: “That is where we sin against God. It is God that puts people in authority and we have done all we have to do, we have to look to him (God) and I believe we are going to sing a new things”.

    Even though Jonathan has performed, he said that he made mistakes in certain areas which he should correct if God gives him the opportunity to return.

    “If God gives us another opportunity there are three things we must do:  One, we must acknowledge God as our source of victory and helper. Two, review all you have done in the past, learn from past mistakes because you have done well but you must admit you have made mistakes. Thirdly, repackage the mistakes you have made so that you can launch out in full force. Every leader in public office is in a position of trust, we must account for the position we have been given and do things right”

    Rev. Okoye said he was happy that the President at a recent event said he was ready to serve but was not desperate.

    “Thank God we have a President who wants to serve and not engage in do or die politics. Some of us were here during the third term agenda and I kicked against it from this altar.”

    “As a villa chaplain under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the third term agenda was not originally his idea, hence he rejected it when it was suggested.  But those behind it went and repackaged and presented it to him and he bought it. When he told me I kicked against it but before you knew it he was sidelining me and so I was forced to use the pulpit to tell him God was not with him on this matter because the idea was not God’s and that was why the idea failed.”

    “Thank God we have a president that says I want to serve but I’m not desperate. So it is not a question of do or die thing.”

    ”This election is not a do or die. If we lose we will go and use the experience to serve humanity. So, there is nothing to worry about.  I know with what this government has done if given another opportunity. Nigeria will be better. That is why we are not to be proud because God resist the proud”.

    The Aso Villa Chaplain,  Venerable Obioma Onwuzurumba said that he was happy that the elections held despite wicked insinuations that the president didn’t want it to hold because he wanted to stay longer in power.

    He said: “It was said the President will not allow elections to hold because he wanted to hold unto power but it held. A friend of mine sent me a text messages that God has chosen who will govern before the foundation of the world and we just voted to authenticate that person.”