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Tag: governors

  • Seven PDP governors to join APC, says Okorocha

    Seven PDP governors to join APC, says Okorocha

    No fewer than seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors will join the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum Owelle Rochas Okorocha said in Lagos yesterday.

    He spoke at a rally in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State for the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi  Ambode.

    The governor said the governors’ resolve will nail the coffin of the PDP.

    His words: “Now let me tell you that the victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has been signed, sealed and delivered. But let me tell you something but don’t tell anybody.

    “It is a secret, about seven PDP governors are coming to hold meetings with us privately, planning to join us.

    “There is fear in the country. The fear is that they know Buhari is a good man, they know Buhari will win. The fear is that once they announce Buhari on March 28 as winner all the bad people stealing the nation’s money will take midnight flight and leave the country.  The fear of Buhari is the end of corruption in Nigeria. ”

    He said it took the intervention of Buhari to stop open defecation before it became entrenched again.

    The governor said Buhari had stopped all forms of indiscipline before the country became a laughing stock among comity of nations for lack of discipline.

    Okorocha added that the PDP died when the opposition parties merged to form the APC.

    “The day Babatunde Fashola, Rochas Okorocha and other governors came together, the PDP died in Nigeria.

    “On  February 14, we were supposed to bury the PDP but they changed the date of the funeral to March 28.

    “Now we are waiting patiently to bury the PDP forever. Let me tell you. You can change the day of the funeral but you can’t change the funeral, it must take place. May the soul of PDP rest in peace.

    “The worst thing that can happen to any nation is to have a bad government and the worst thing that can happen to any family is to have a bad father.

    “Today, it is obvious that PDP is a bad government. Thank God we came together for  change and the change has started.”

    He urged the Igbo community to vote  for Ambode, saying he has the capacity to ensure mutual co-existence of all tribes in Lagos.

    Okorocha, who was flanked by Fashola and other APC leaders, decried the economic policies of the Federal Government.

    “PDP has cheated you. If you have N100, 000 before, what you now have is N60, 000.

    “The Federal Government has removed N40, 000 by devaluing the Naira.”

    Fashola urged Lagosians not to yield to the plans of the PDP, which has been bribing people to vote for it.

    He said the Federal Government wants to take a shortcut to success, without working for it.

    “All the promises they made to you, have they fulfilled them?

    “The man has been promising to do more, when he has not fulfilled the promise he made when he was seeking your votes.”

    He said his administration did not only put policemen on insurance scheme but bought weapons to enable them function.

    “Go to  Youtube and listen to Senator Chris Anyanwu, who chairs the Senate Committee on Navy, begging for money for the Navy to fuel its boats.

    “Yet, Nigeria budgeted over N1 trillion for defence. They said Buhari did not buy guns in 1985.

    “Are you going to use 1985 weapon to fight 2015 war? They are bundle of liars and do not know what to do.

    “Please don’t sell your PVC because it is your future and your power to vote out the PDP.

    “The election is about how you secure your freedom. The money he should have used in providing infrastructure is being used to bribe people  to get votes.

    “You gave me 1.5 million votes during the last election, and you can see the result of the votes. What I want you to do for me is three million votes from you for Ambode.”

     

  • Governor’s cash gift divides Niger students

    Governor’s cash gift divides Niger students

    National president of the National Association of Niger State Students (NANISS), Shehu Mohammed Chata, has been suspended by Student Representatives’ Assembly (SRA), the legislative arm of the association, in its meeting held on Wednesday.

    Also suspended are the General Secretary, Abubakar Abdullahi, and Financial Secretary, Yusuf Mohammed.

    A communique signed by the SRA Senate President, Saidu Kandi, stated that the executive members were suspended for using the name of the association to endorse candidates in the 2015 general elections without due consultation of members. The SRA accused the suspended officials of collecting undisclosed amount of cash from Governor Babangida Aliyu without informing association.

    Members of the legislative arm said they wondered why suspended officials could not explain why monthly payment of scholarship to students was stopped eight months ago. The trio were accused of breaching the constitutional provision, detailing appointment of Chief of Staff.

    The SRA members, who met at Assembly Hall of the Niger State College of Education in Minna, said the association would not support any politicians who could not convince them why he is contesting the election. They said they would rid the association of corruption perpetrated by the suspended officials.

    The communique reads: “This is to inform members of this glorious association of the new development. The national president, Geberal Secretary and Financial Secretary have been suspended from office based on established cases of violation and incompetence against them. We deem our association as instrument of democracy and we don’t want anyone to cause harm to it by dropping its name for personal gain.”

    The SRA directed the Vice President, Hauwa Ibrahim Ahmad, to act as president, while Assistant General Secretary, Abubakar Mohammed Nma , acts as General Secretary.

    The SRA said Chata, Abdullahi and Yusuf would remain in suspension for six weeks till they prove their cases before the disciplinary committee of the association.

    Abdullahi did not pick his calls by our reporters at press time.

  • Boko Haram: Northeast governors seek more troops, equipment

    Boko Haram: Northeast governors seek more troops, equipment

    •Insist on 2015 election in peaceful atmosphere            •Jonathan, governors, security chiefs meet

    Governors in the Northeast  yesterday met with President Goodluck Jonathan and the service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    It was all about security ahead of next month’s elections.

    Governors Kashim Shettima (Borno) , Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe),  Bala Ngilari (Adamawa) and Geidam’s predecessor,  Bukar Abba Ibrahim, attended the meeting.  The three states are under a state of emergency.

    The governors insisted on deployment of more troops and equipment to stop the Boko Haram insurgency.

    They insisted on the elections holding in the area under a peaceful arena.

    Geidam said: “We have come to brief the President on the security features of our various states. We have come to greet him and we told him of the challenges we have been facing. We are appealing to the Federal Government to deploy more troops, in addition to what we have on ground to arrest the situation in our various states.

    “We need more troops, the troops on ground we have in our various states are not enough to contain the situation, so we are appealing to the Federal Government to deploy additional troops with full equipment to tame the situation. We don’t have any state of emergency now, so you are not correct.” he said

    “ Elections will hold, that is the position of the Electoral Commission and definitely in all those areas where the insurgency exist, elections will hold.”

    Shettima said the security agencies were rising up to the task.

    “Well, we had very fruitful deliberations and pollination of ideas on how to find lasting solution to the insurgency bedeviling us in that part of the world. I’m an eternal optimist  –  and I am passionate too for that matter –  that we shall have enduring peace very soon, with the very robust framework on ground. We don’t want to mention a date or anything but I believe our military is rising to the challenges of the time.

    “Our military will robustly respond to the challenges I believe. Like I said earlier, I’m an eternal optimist. We have to hope for the best against whatever odds.”

    Speaking on how many local government areas are held by the insurgents, he said: “Well, there are some local government areas that are partially under the control of the insurgents and there are some that are largely under our control.

    “I really don’t want to bolster Boko Haram by quoting numbers and figures because these lunatics feast on the oxygen of publicity. The more publicity they get, the happier they become. I don’t want to give them that luxury.

    “But I want to assure you that with 1,000 years of recorded history, Borno shall rise again, in spite of all the challenges, believe me Inshallah.”

    On whether the military are getting more motivated than before, Shettima said: “They are making efforts. I want to leave it at that. I don’t want to pass any negative comment. They are people with blood running in their veins, facing the insurgents and so I have to be respectful of the institution.”

    He also said that Nigeria does not have any option than to win the war against insurgency.

    The governor said: “We must win, we have no option. Elections will be held –  by the grace of God. We are facing real extinction threat to our culture, to our people and to our civilisation. It is amazing when people dwell so much on the elections.  Elections are for the living, but elections are being conducted in war-torn Afghanistan, election was conducted recently in Iraq, in Syria and so many other places. So, it is not an issue in contention; the most important issue is how to safeguard the lives and property of our people, how to recover our lost territories, the Chibok girls.

    “You have daughters; you have sons; how will you feel if your daughter is forcibly taken away from you for the past 267 days. So, I want to dwell more on how to safeguard the lives and properties of our people, how to get back the Chibok girls, how to recover our lost territories.

    “Two days ago (Sunday) it clocked exactly five months since Gwoza fell to the insurgents, Bama is now firmly under their control. M Muba, Abadam, Kukawa – all tales of woes, of devastations, of destruction, of killings. This is the sad tale that is coming out of Borno.”

    The governor went on: “We are titled chief security officers of our states. But our most important task is to offer whatever support be it logistics, financial to the military to carry out on their operations. Honestly, I don’t want to dwell on the politics behind the counter-insurgency operations because we are one people with a common destiny. And this is the time for all of us, irrespective of differences in political affiliations, religious persuasions, tribal or sectional background to collapse into a single course and bring about this madness to an end.”

    “Elections can be held in the IDP camps, it is human beings that conduct elections not spirit or anything. My take on this is that, are we giving in to Boko Haram? Are we giving in to their antics by not holding elections? We have to tell them to their face that you can kill as Malala said but you cannot kill our spirit.” he stated

    With Shekau claiming that the Chibok girls have been married out, he said: “Shekau is a lunatic. He is a deranged element; he is not somebody anybody should give any molecule of respect. His actions are beneath the act of even an animal, believe me.

    “But, as I said, we are not resting on our oars; we will continue to support the military by providing them with quality information when it becomes available. We believe in spite of people’s pessimism that in the fullness of time and not in a distance far off, we are going to get back the girls; we hope to,” he said

    Also speaking yesterday, the Chief of Defence Statff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, promised that security will this year.

    On whether Chad and Niger forces had pulled out of the Multinational force, he said: “No. They have not pulled out of Multinational force because we have held several meetings; they are still part of the Multinational force.”

    “What has been happening is that they have not contributed troops to the point of Baga. Chad has people on their own side but I believe they have withdrawn. Niger had people with us they too withdrew and left Nigeria only at the multinational force headquarters.”

    On the suggestion that the borders between Nigeria and Chad, Nigeria and Niger should be closed, he said: “I wish it could be closed but how do you close such a very large border? And it is not for military to close border any way or is it?”

    On the attack on the military base in Baga, A Chief Marshal Badeh said: “Of course, there was an attack. Don’t worry we are at work.”

    On whether Baga can be reclaimed, he said:”Why not? I can’t give you exactly what is going to happen.”

  • 22 state governors owing workers salaries

    22 state governors owing workers salaries

    Secretary General of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Comrade Issa Aremu, has expressed concern over non payment of workers salaries by many state governors.

    Speaking with newsmen in Kaduna at the NUTGTWN meeting, Aremu described the development as a wage theft, wage robbery and economic crime.

    Aremu who is the Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) said for about three months now, 22 state governors are delaying or refusing to pay salaries but paid the delegates during the just concluded primary elections across the states.

    “We see that delay in payment of salaries as wage theft, wage robbery. It is actually an economic crime because Nigeria labour law says thou shall pay the worker as at when due. In fact by 22nd of every month you must have pay the workers fully.

    “We never heard of any delegate being owed a single penny during the primary elections, but they cannot get money to pay the workers. In fact, some of the delegates even bought new cars and properties after the primaries because they money they got in just few days is much more than what workers earn in many months. The governors should go to the place they got they money to pay delegates and settle the workers’ salaries ,” he said.

    He also said the NUTGTWN has succeeded in negotiating a 15% increase in wages for its members, making it a 35% increase in the last four years.

    “This shows that the process of collecting bargaining is working in the private sector and we will like to recommend this process for the public sector because most of their crisis is on the increase of wages and salaries which has been causing endless strikes and unfavourable industrial actions,” he added.

  • Governors v. Senators

    •The senators, just like the governors, have no moral ground on which to stand

    Going by reports of what transpired during the nationwide ward congresses of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the stage appears set for war as most of its senators that lost out are not taking things slightly.

    The lopsided outcomes of the congresses across the states, in favour of the governors, have reportedly compelled the senators to threaten fire and brimstone against President Goodluck Jonathan, believed by the senators to have created the uninhibited platform for the governors to sweep the congress elections.

    To underscore the severity of the pains suffered by the senators through the outcome of the ward elections, the Senate leadership reportedly met the president to present their grievances. And if this fails, according to reports, they are purportedly planning to commence compilation of impeachable offences against the president. A principal officer of the Senate quoted in the media declared against the president:  ”….. If the best way to pay us back is by working with the governors to ensure that majority of us do not return to the Senate, we will also pay him back in his own coin.”

    The senators’ grouse is against party structures in the states being in the pockets of the governors. To drive home their selfish point, they are henceforth planning to frustrate pending executive bills, stoppage of consideration of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and other issues pending before the Senate.

    We wonder why the senators, for selfish reasons, abandoned their duty posts. Yet, they will at the end of the day collect millions of naira, drawn from tax payers’ money, as salary and allowances, for jobs delayed, or not done at all. We ask: Why would they allow whatever differences exist between them and the president/governors affect effective discharge of legislative duties to the nation?

    We refer to the maxim that says ‘he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.’ Following from the nation’s antecedent of internal political party selection process, we are aware that most of the senators are beneficiaries of the sort of imposition they are up in arms against. They are now grouchy simply because the current regime seems not to be tilting to their side. Obviously, they could not be said to have come to equity with clean hands. And this ugly trend, sadly, cuts across the political divide in this nation.

    We deplore the politics of hypocrisy that the senators and others in their shoes are trying to foist on the nation. They are currently enjoying the booty of democracy without necessarily trying to be true democrats. The same set of legislators, simply because of the untidy manner in which they got their candidacy, merely got to the National Assembly only to subordinate their constitutional rights to the executive arm of government. Rather than do the right things, they opted to scramble after constituency project votes that hardly get to the constituencies.

    The senators, having won their seats at the behest of governors, had sold their legislative birthrights to the executive. Now they are asserting their pride against the executive who made them through a perverted system. It is morally late in the day for them to cry foul.

    We note, too, that the executive arm of government could not be exonerated from this sad practice. Both the executive and legislators are shamefully not distinguished in this game where money and highly compromised delegates play leading roles in the selection process.

    The battle for political survival between governors and the legislators is rooted in lack of proper internal democracy within political parties. We condemn it in its entirety because it is an undeniable instrument that is destroying, because of individual greed for power sustenance, a salient ingredient of democracy – the political party.

  • Governors, TAN, others donate N98m for Jonathan’s form

    Governors, TAN, others donate N98m for Jonathan’s form

    President Goodluck Jonathan has received donations and pledges totalling N98.165 million from the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governors, the Transformation Agenda of Nigeria (TAN) and others to assist him in buying the PDP’s presidential nomination form.

    His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja.

    According to him, arrangements had been concluded for the president to buy his nomination form, which costs N22 million, today.

    Abati said: “President Jonathan thanks all Nigerians, members of the PDP, friends, associates and all groups, who in sincere appreciation of the achievements of the administration in the last four years, have been urging him to seek a second term in office.

     “President Jonathan is greatly encouraged by the overwhelming outpouring of goodwill and support, as well as the confidence of the generality of Nigerians in his ability to continue to transform the country for the good of its people.

     “The President is also grateful to all the persons, groups and communities, who have sent donations and made pledges to assist him to pay the required N22 million for the PDP presidential nomination fee and expression of interest form”.

    He assured the donors that he would continue to do his best  to justify the confidence they have placed in his leadership.

    The statement listed the donations and pledges: Mr. Kennedy Ikenna Odoeme (N5, 000); Mr. Ezemagu Sunday Nnamdi (N10, 000); PDP Governors (N22 million); Transformation Agenda of Nigeria  (TAN)  – N22 million; Ogbia LGA Stakeholders, Bayelsa State (N5 million); Otuoke Community Stakeholders (N2 million); Brass LGA Stakeholders, Bayelsa State (N50, 000); Bayelsa State PDP Stakeholders (N5 million); Northern Youths Forum (N2 million); Central Market Traders Union, Kaduna State (N1 million); PDP Stakeholders, Zaria Local Government Area (LGA) – N500, 000; and PDP Stakeholders, Yobe State (N500, 000)”.

    Others are: PDP stakeholders, Kaduna State (N2 million); Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore (N5 million); The Goodluck Support Group, Gombe State (N1 million); Adamawa State PDP stakeholders (N3 million);  Ebonyi State PDP stakeholders (N2 million); Kogi State PDP stakeholders (N5 million); Rivers State PDP stakeholders (N5 million,); and The 2015 Project (N1 million).

    Also included are: Team Goodluck, Ondo North Senatorial District (N5 million); Middle Belt PDP Women Support Group for GEJ 2015 (N500, 000); King David Generation Foundation, Jos (N200, 000);  Behwong Weneng Yere Duk, Jos (N200,000); Redemption 3 Youth Organisation, Plateau State (N500, 000);  Plateau State Indigenes Association, Abuja (N300,000); and Gombe Youth United for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan 2015 (N500, 000).

    The donations also include: Gombe Youth Vanguard for PDP (N500, 000); Yamahu/Deba Goodluck Support Group (N200, 000);  Coalition of Gombe Support Groups for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (N2 million), Hinna Youth Coalition for Goodluck (N500, 000); Nigerian Women Pray for Jonathan (N1 million); National Association of Widows (N100, 000); National Council of Women Societies (N500, 000);  Female members of the PDP Board of Trustees (N500,000); Joint Association of Persons with Disabilities (N100,000);  National Association of Market Women (N500, 000); and Community Awareness and Development Network (N1 million).

    The Presidency also got donations from Presidential View And Endorsement Platform (N200,000); Association of South East Town Unions (N300,000); Goodluck Jonathan 2015 Online Group (250,000); The Light Network for Jonathan 2015, Lagos State (N300,000); Igbo Speaking Community, Lagos State (N200,000) and Oghareki Graduate Association for Jonathan, Delta State (N500,000).

  • Governors, deputies part ways over 2015 ambitions

    Governors, deputies part ways over 2015 ambitions

    In this dispensation, the ambition of most deputy governors to succeed their principals in office has failed. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines this trend and its implications for the polity.

    In an ideal setting, the deputy governor’s position should be a stepping stone to the governorship. But, because political parties in Nigeria do not have succession plans, governorship candidates are chosen arbitrarily; without recourse to succession plans or internal democratic process.

    As next year’s general elections draw nearer, some deputy governors are eyeing the seat of their principals, who will complete their tenure next year. But, most governors are not favourably disposed to their deputies succeeding them, for reasons best known to them.

    Since 1999, deputy governors have failed to find their feet in the polity. When most of the 1999 set of governors rounded off their two terms in 2007, it was only former Zamfara State governor,  Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, who endorsed his former deputy, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi,  to succeed him.

    Analysts say the reason why governors are not disposed to succession plans is because deputy governors are usually imposed on them by their party leadership for political expediency and not necessarily for purposes of good governance. Such arrangement, they contend, brings anxiety and mutual suspicion between the governors and their deputies and, in most cases, lead to major crises.

    A political scientist, Dr. Friday Ibekwe, is worried that most governors treat their deputies as “spare tyres” simply because they feel they lack the capacity to succeed them as governors. “In some cases, they feel threatened by the political influence of their deputies. That explains why many governors had to change their deputies with the support of the legislature,” he said.

    Ibekwe said the position of the deputy governor is  shallow and only holds value to the extent that its holder enjoys immunity like the governor and has the prospect of becoming the acting governor or substantive chief executive   depending on what happens to the governor. According to him, the 1999 Constitution made the deputy governors mere appendages of state power. He cited Section 193 (i), which stipulates that: “The governor of a state may, in his discretion, assign to the deputy for any business of the government of the state, including the administration of any department of government.”

    He said this clearly makes a deputy governor an unnecessary attachment to the governor. Many state governors have refused to create a place for their deputies. This set of governors has made it a habit of leaving their states without any legitimate leadership whenever they are out of such states. This explains why some governors failed to carry their deputies along in the scheme of things.

    However, a lucky few are assigned a ministry or agency to superintend, in addition to their roles as deputy governor, but a good number of them are either impeached or rendered redundant, in line with the wishes of the governor, he added.

    Civil rights activist Mallam Idris Abubakar said governors do not trust their deputies because of the fear that they (deputies) may not protect their interests after leaving office. “Most governors would prefer to be succeeded by someone who can protect their interests. But, when the governors are convinced that their deputies cannot protect their interests when they leave office, they go out scouting for reliable successors,” he added.

    Abubakar noted that, though the constitution does not make provision for deputy governors to succeed their principals at the expiration of their tenure, deputy governors, by virtue of their experience as second-in-command, provide a better option for continuity. He said the only way through which deputy governors could curry their bosses’ favour, in a bid to succeed them, is to show unalloyed loyalty to them.

    A lawyer, Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji, shares Abubakar’s view. He said the possibility of a deputy succeeding his principal depends on the relationship existing between the two of them. “The decision by a governor to support his deputy as successor depends on the level of confidence he has in him,” he added.

    Ogundeji said the frosty relationships between governors and their deputies are borne out of the fact that the two are often strange political bedfellows. Deputies are foisted on the governors by political parties or godfathers, he said.

    Investigations revealed that scores of outgoing deputy governors have shown interest to succeed their principals. Some of them are:

    Sokoto

    The deputy governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari, has indicated interest in the governorship election. Shagari and  Governor Aliyu Wamakko belong to different political parties. While Wamakko defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in November 2013, Shagari refused to follow suit, saying he preferred to remain in the PDP. As a result, Wamakko has no role to play in Shagari’s ambition to succeed him in office.

    Shagari, who is the leader of his party in the state, has assured the PDP that, despite the defection of the governor, the party would produce the next governor in Sokoto State. “I will continue to be loyal to Wamakko as governor, until the expiry of our tenure. But, in 2015, the PDP will produce the next governor of this state,” he said.

    But, will Shagari scale through the primaries and emerge as the party’s consensus candidate?  This question is pertinent, in view of many interest groups in the PDP. Will the former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, who defected from the APC to the PDP support his governorship bid? Will Bafarawa’s group concede the party ticket to Shagari? Besides, there are other  stalwarts like the former Minister of Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, former Minister of Youths Senator Abdullahi Gada Ambassador Abdullahi Wali, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Maccido, who are also interested in who occupies the exalted position next year.

    Apparently to preserve the unity of the party, the Sokoto State chapter held a meeting last week, but failed to agree on a consensus candidate. Bafarawa told newsmen after the meeting: “We are just trying to make sure that we put our house in order”.

     Benue

    Chief Stephen Lawani, the Benue State Deputy governor, is scheming to succeed his boss, Governor Gabriel Suswam. This is the second time Lawani is showing interest in the number one position. He contested the PDP governorship ticket in 2006 with Suswam, who defeated him at the primaries and eventually won the governorship election. A source close to Government House, Makurdi, said that the governor is not looking in that direction; meaning that the governor may have pencilled down someone else to be his successor.

    Lawani is yet to formerly declare his governorship ambition. But, his campaign posters and billboards have flooded Makurdi, the state capital and other parts of the state. Analysts say the major obstacle standing before Lawani and his ambition is that he hails from the Benue South Senatorial District, which is populated by the Idoma ethnic group who are not favoured for the governorship slot by the dominant Tiv population.

     Taraba

    The acting governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, has not declared his intention to run for the governorship election but his actions tend towards that effect. Umar became the acting governor in October 2012, when Governor Danbaba Suntai sustained injuries in a plane crash. In a letter dated October 30, 2013, Umar declared himself the “Executive Governor” when Suntai has not died, resigned or impeached as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution.

    Umar has through this act lost the support of Suntai’s group in his quest for the governorship. The group accused the acting governor of betraying Suntai by lusting after the office of his principal, who had reposed confidence in him.

    Apart from Suntai’s group, Umar may have to contend with the resolve of the people of Taraba South Senatorial District to get someone from the area elected as the governor in line with the party’s zoning principle. A retired General from the zone is said to have been endorsed to fly the party’s flag in next year’s governorship election.

     Bauchi

    Governor Isa Yuguda has anointed the Secretary to the  Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Dandija, as his likely successor. This is in spite of the fact that his deputy, Alhaji Sagir Aminu Saleh, has expressed his interest to contest for the position. An indigene of Bauchi State, who spoke in confidence  said Saleh has been very loyal to his boss and that many had expected that the governor would compensate him, by supporting him.

    Observers say the governor’s preference for the Secretary to the Government may have informed the decision of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to change his mind on his governorship ambition.

     Plateau

    The kinsmen of the deputy governor of Plateau State, Ignatius Longjan, have drafted him into the 2015 governorship race. A spokesman of Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State, Hon. Joe Dawam, said it is the wish of the stakeholders that the deputy governor should succeed his boss. Dawam, who is a member of the state House of Assembly, said the call on the deputy governor to contest governorship election was initiated by the people of his local government. “But, other local governments will soon join. From our consultations across the 17 local governments, the deputy governor is the popular choice. People are just waiting for him to declare his contest. We are expecting Governor David Jang to endorse his deputy, since both of them have worked closely to provide dividends of democracy to Plateau people,” he said.

     Kano

    The deputy governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, is among the array of governorship aspirants that want to succeed Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso. Ganduje could aptly be described as the most loyal and obedient servant of Kwankwaso. But, indications are that the relationship between both leaders is no longer as cordial as it used to be. In 1999, Ganduje sacrificed his governorship ambition for his boss, by agreeing to serve as the deputy governor.

    Analysts are of the opinion that Kwankwaso picked Ganduje as his running mate again in 2011 because he conceded the ticket to the incumbent governor in 1999. That may perhaps explain why Kwankwaso placed the strategic portfolio of Commissioner for Local Government Affairs in his hands.

    Ganduje is counting on the rapport between him and his boss for the APC ticket. When he declared his interest in the race recently, he said: “If I say I am contesting, it is no news; but if I say I am not contesting, that is the news”. But, the governor is yet to endorse any of the aspirants.

     Ebonyi

    When Chief Dave Umahi emerged as the running mate of Governor Martin Elechi in 2011, some indigenes of the state believe it was an indication that there are more battles ahead in the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Prior to his appointment as the deputy governor, Umahi was the state chairman of the party. His appointment generated tension at the time.

    Recent developments in the party suggest that Umahi’s plan to succeed Governor Elechi in 2015 has crashed. This is because he was not favoured by his principal. The governor and the PDP caucus in the state have endorsed the former Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, who hails from Ebonyi South, as consensus candidate. The choice of Chukwu, according to the governor, was in line with the zoning arrangement of the PDP in the state.

  • TREM fast, pray for Nigeria

    The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) worldwide has begun a 31-day prayer and fasting for the nation.

    The exercise, which started on October 1, has as its theme Enough is Enough.

    The Presiding Bishop of TREM, Dr. Mike Okonkwo, kicked off the exercise at the international headquarters in Anthony-Oke Lagos.

    All branches of the church worldwide have also joined the exercise.

    A statement by the General Manager Operations (TREM), Rev. (Mrs.) Oluwayomi Uteh, said the church will be specifically praying for a peaceful and united Nigeria as well as violence-free elections in 2015.

    She said there will also be prayer sessions for the President, Vice-President, Governors, National Assembly members, security operatives and other key stakeholders.

  • Emerging market governors back Fed policy

    Emerging market governors back Fed policy

    Emerging market central bank governors support efforts to normalise developed-world monetary policies.

    This sis happening despite the stresses some have faced since the Federal Reserve signaled its desire to reserve its extraordinary policy measures in May 2013, according to Ravi Menon, Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

    “Most emerging market central bank governors that I have heard, say normalisation of monetary policy is welcome,” says Menon in an interview published today in Central Banking journal. “All they want is that normalisation is done in a calibrated, clear and orderly fashion.”

    In contrast to the views of many pundits in the financial services industry, Menon sees the benefits of normalisation – which includes raising interest rates as well as ending asset purchases – outweighing any short-term costs of capital reversals.

    “The sooner we see a normalisation of monetary conditions globally, the better for us here in Asia and in emerging economies,” says Menon. “The spill-over effects of unconventional monetary policies are not insignificant – volatility in capital flows, pressures in asset markets, a general increase in financial stability risks and a flattening of the yield curve that distorts investment decisions. These are not trivial consequences.”

    Menon says abnormally low interest rates have caused “longer-term structural challenges” for some financial market participants, such as pension funds.

  • 2015: PDP Governors endorse Jonathan

    Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s sole candidate for the 2015 presidential election.
    Rising from a meeting of the PDP Governors Forum in Abuja on Wednesday, the governors said the decision was a unanimous one.
    Chairman of the Forum and Akawa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio who spoke on behalf of his colleagues urged party members across the federation to support the President as sole candidate for the race.
    “We have all resolved to support his re-election in 2015,” Akpabio stated, adding that the decision was in the best interest of the party and the country.
    The Governors commended the Armed Forces for what they described as their gallant efforts in the counter insurgency campaign and called on stakeholders and members of the public to give the Federal Government the needed support to stamp out terrorism in the land.
    They also expressed satisfaction with efforts of the Federal Government, the Health Ministry and other stakeholders in the containment of the spread of the dreaded Ebola virus.
    Speaking further, Akpabio said the governors were pleased with the party’s outing in the August 9 governorship election in Osun State and expressed the Forum’s support for the decision of the PDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore to pursue his case at the electoral tribunal.
    The Forum congratulated Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Umar Fintiri for winning the party’s ticket for the governorship election scheduled to hold in the state on October 11.
    Akpabio urged PDP members and other stakeholders in Adamawa to give Fintiri their maximum support at the poll.
    Besides Akpabio, others that attended the meeting were: Sullivan Chime (Enugu); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Jonah Jang (Plateau); Theodore Orji (Abia); Idris Wada (Kogi); Ramalan Yero (Kaduna); Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe); Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa); Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Umar Fintiri (Adamawa); Garba Umar (Taraba); Deputy Governor of Jigawa; Deputy Governor of Sokoto; and Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State.